[big mean bear]

Why are there so many large and successful colleges in Florida (UF - 60,000 students/ UCF - 50,000/ USF - 40,000/ FIU - 40,000/ FSU - 30,000/ UNF - 20,000) if the schools public school system are such a disaster?

I know a thing or two about government; enough to know that public school funds for elementary, secondary, and post secondary education come from the same sources. Why, then, is there such a large discrepancy between florida's school systems?

[compelled to reply]

Isn't it kind of obvious? They import students from elsewhere and make them pay too, at least in UF and FSU's case.

[Gatornation]

FL has some of the top high schools in the nation, they just have a lot of bad ones. It's almost impossible to get into UF these days and they draw a lot of attention from students outside of Florida. The others you listed are a lot of in state students and commuters.

[riveree]

A lot of local kids from Jax attend UNF.

My thought is that even though a High School may not have a high FCAT rating, that doesn't mean all the students at that school aren't applying themselves. So the better students go on to college and the the others don't continue their education. In a sense, the colleges collect the better students and the others are not in the equation.

[big mean bear]

Originally Posted by riveree

A lot of local kids from Jax attend UNF.

My thought is that even though a High School may not have a high FCAT rating, that doesn't mean all the students at that school aren't applying themselves. So the better students go on to college and the the others don't continue their education. In a sense, the colleges collect the better students and the others are not in the equation.

If what you guys are saying is true, the bad students must be REALLY bad to drag that many good students down with them. If there are that many good students to drag down.

Or are there a lot of mediocre students and an equal amount of decent students that when averaged, are simply 'ok'? I know I sound like an idiot, but there has to be some kind of answer for me out there...

[Gatornation]

Originally Posted by big mean bear

If what you guys are saying is true, the bad students must be REALLY bad to drag that many good students down with them. If there are that many good students to drag down.

Or are there a lot of mediocre students and an equal amount of decent students that when averaged, are simply 'ok'? I know I sound like an idiot, but there has to be some kind of answer for me out there...

Of the colleges you listed only UF and FSU are first tier schools ranking wise. Also if you go to CC first two years you can get into most of the schools you listed very easily.

[runswithscissors]

I forget where I read the stats...I think I posted them on the Time magazine thread. Something like 20 percent of all college students in Fl are from other states. Plus if you think about it, whoever is going to go to college is just basically more academically oriented.

When you say "successful" how are you defining it though? (large and successful part of your post...) by some kind of test results?

Yesterday in TJ Maxx the poor cashier, a young girl, was bleary eyed and exhaused. She was telling her coworker that she works full time and goes to school full time and pays for it herself. She said her dad said he refused to pay because she wouldn't appreciate it but she was absolutely sure he just didnt bother to save any money or want to get involved like with loans etc. Of course she didnt speak one word to me, the customer, during the entire transaction. So I guess you can be academically oriented but really crappy at your customer service job LOL. But I still felt bad for her. Even the cost of books is so high...it'll be a miracle if she finishes...

[TNRyan23]

Florida Colleges and Universities are ridiculous.

I graduated with a 3.0 gpa and had a 1300 SAT score ( while holding a 35/hr. week job ) I tried to apply to FSU, UF, USF, and UCF and was declined by them all. I was told to go to a community college and MAYBE I could transfer after I completed my 60 hours.

That was around the point to where I had enough with the state as a whole ( about 10 years ago ) I ended up moving to TN and after waiting a year for residency, Applied to and was accepted at Tennessee State University, UT-Knoxville, and the University of Memphis. I am now an alumni of TSU in Nashville.

Florida has WAY too high of standards for their colleges, esp. when compared to most of their highschools.

[FLBob]

I may be going out on a limb here, but my benchmark for the success of higher education is not how many attend, or graduate, but what they do afterward. I look to see new businesses and industries developed by graduates.
I'd love to hear about the entrepreneurial activities by graduates of Florida's schools.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by big mean bear

Why are there so many large and successful colleges in Florida (UF - 60,000 students/ UCF - 50,000/ USF - 40,000/ FIU - 40,000/ FSU - 30,000/ UNF - 20,000) if the schools public school system are such a disaster?

I know a thing or two about government; enough to know that public school funds for elementary, secondary, and post secondary education come from the same sources. Why, then, is there such a large discrepancy between florida's school systems?

Universities do not depend on the local pool of people to fill out their faculty, staff and student body. In grade school your students are locals, your teachers are going to at least live locally or be from here and so on and so on. Two totally different pools of people they are drawing from. Not only that, universities are in it to make money, where as grade school isn't so they run differently in that regard too.