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I just received a fellowship from University of Central Florida. I am considering taking the offer. Could anyone please give me more 'inside' opinion about UCF other than info on their website? My major is Computer Science, grad school. Also, how about the job opportunities in big companies in Orlando?
After browsing the forum, I am a little bit worried about life in Orlando, cause there are so many negative comments. Is the area around UCF safe? I lived in central New Jersey for a year and it is quite nice and safe. Although I don't expect the same in Orlando, it is good to know how bad it can be.
I just received a fellowship from University of Central Florida. I am considering taking the offer. Could anyone please give me more 'inside' opinion about UCF other than info on their website? My major is Computer Science, grad school. Also, how about the job opportunities in big companies in Orlando?
After browsing the forum, I am a little bit worried about life in Orlando, cause there are so many negative comments. Is the area around UCF safe? I lived in central New Jersey for a year and it is quite nice and safe. Although I don't expect the same in Orlando, it is good to know how bad it can be.
Thanks for any information!!!~~~
UCF is quite a nice school. The overall school atmosphere is good, somewhat friendly. The area around the campus is safe for about a 2-mile radius, after that, it is quite unsafe and rundown.
UCF is state-owned, and therefore is accredited. IF you can find a parking space, you will like the classes. The professors are good, no doubt about that. I must also add that the school is very crowded, expect large auditorium classrooms for pretty much every class, no individual attention of any kind. But that is what happens at a major university....
As for Orlando, the city is a disapointment. It is overcrowded, very dangerous, tons of traffic, expensive to live in. Lots of hardended violent criminals and illegal alien gangs prowl the streets. The Guardian Angels are down here now, that is how bad it has gotten, they are trying to make iot better. The good thing is that after 90-days (I think) you can get FL residency and get a concealed weapons permit. It might be key to your survival here. You will definitely need to carry a gun, specially after dark. If you are a woman, you BETTER have a gun and never accept any unopened drinks because of Ruffies. Remember that cops are reactive, by the time they get the call and "react" to the crime, you will be a dead body.
Computer jobs in Orlando... HA!! Try Texas or Illinois or out west. The ones here very little and are far and in between. How do I know? Well, my stepdad got 1 job here and then wanted to change jobs and the only option was Texas and he loves it there. Low cost of living, low taxes, nice people, lots of sunshine. Do a CareerBuilder.com search... not very many comp jobs. Like I said, try out West.
Not trying to scare you, just trying to tell you how it is. If I was in college age, I would go for Gainesville, FL (UF - University of Florida - "Gators") and not UCF. I had relatives that went there, town is safe, clean and affordable. But that is your call.
I am giving you reality, not sugar-coating. Reality is what you will experience once you come down here, not some cute fable about Orlando you hear from the sugar-coaters.
I think I understand the situation right now. I also applied for UFL but I haven't got an offer yet. I need financial aid to finish the degree. By the way, UCF offers a 17,000usd per year fellowship to me, is that good enough to cover the expense of a couple in FL? Moreover, is it true that the university kept improving dramatically over the years?
I think I might leave Orlando after graduation if I took the UCF offer. Your reply is very informative, great. Thanks again!
UCF is a fine university which is leaping toward greatness with the addition of the new medical school. It has always had a good reputation in the computer and technical fields. I wouldn't rate it as good as Georgia Tech, MIT, etc. but it can hold it's own.
Orlando does have two high tech districts - Lake Mary and near the University. However, this isn't California, Denver, or even Atlanta when it comes to job opportunities.
I think I understand the situation right now. I also applied for UFL but I haven't got an offer yet. I need financial aid to finish the degree. By the way, UCF offers a 17,000usd per year fellowship to me, is that good enough to cover the expense of a couple in FL? Moreover, is it true that the university kept improving dramatically over the years?
I think I might leave Orlando after graduation if I took the UCF offer. Your reply is very informative, great. Thanks again!
I am glad to help! Please post any more questions you have and I will be glad to try and answer them. Lots of good people post here, you can learn a lot by asking.
Again, I want to stress that UCF is a nice school, it's Orlando hat leaves a lot to be desired. I am not sure they are going to "continue to improve over the years", but I do know they are working hard on making their medical college dept a good one, to compete with UF. UF is a VERY good school, I kid you not.
$17,000 per year for living expenses will NOT be enough to cover a couple for one year. Your spouse will have to get a local job (expect to make $9.00/h unless he/she has some kind of skill or degree). Why do I say $17k per year is not enough?
1. Rent. Your rent costs will probably be closed to $900 - $1,200/month to live close to the school. I am talking about a studio, not an apt! Go to Rent.com or some similar site and check prices. If the price is too low, then check ApartmentRatings.com. This will tell you if there is a real crime problem or drugs or parties until 3am everynight in the neighborhood. It is a nifty tool to leanr about communities before getting stuck living in a bad one.
2. Car insurance. This will be a whopper, although NJ is quite high, Orlando car insurance is sky high. Call your existing company (if it is a national company like Geico or State Farm) and ask for rates (just get an address of an apt complex in Orlando so you can get an idea of how much it will cost).
3. Food. It is not the worse in the USA, but to eat comfortably and still have toilet paper and shampoo, you will need about $400 - $600/mo. We NEVER eat out (only on special occasions) and we buyt everything on sale but our usual monthly costs for 2 people is about $550/mo.
4. Car payemenst. If you have them, you need to factor that in your budget.
5. Renter's insurance. If you have some nice things and live in a less-than-desirable area, then you probably should get this as a burglary or robbery or fire can wipe out everything you have in minutes (all your clothes, furniture, TV, etc). Keep in mind we have a TON of severe weather in central Florida. Expect to pay like $350 or so per year for renter's, it is not as bad as homeowner's insurance which would cost closer to $3,500/year.
5. Electrical bills: keep in mind, everything down here is electrical. Expect to pay $100/month for electricity at a minimum. A/C will be on from April - Dec and sometimes into January, as it will be very humid. Heat will be required Jan - early March and then you will catch a break with truly mild weather in March to mid-April, then A/C is back on.
6. Washer/Dryer. Most college apts don't come with those and they rent them for an extra $30 - $50/month. If you don't want to go to the laudromats in the disgusting Dean Road area, then you will need to pay for this.
Hope this helps give you an idea of costs. Good lucka nd let us know if you have more questions!
My son is a senior computer science major at UCF. Congratulations on your fellowship. Knowing what I know about the program there that says ALOT about you and your talent!
Check out the Arden Villas Apartments. We lived there for a couple of months while building our home. They are about 4 blocks from the UCF entrance. They are gated - with a guard on duty every night. Has a nice pool and a mixture of UCF students and other young professionals. We felt very safe there. However, they are not one of the cheaper apartments. The rent runs from 699.00 (1 bedroom) to 1300.00 (3 bedrooom).
By the way, I never feel unsafe in Orlando. If you stay away from the Parramore area (west of downtown) and the Pine Hills area (west Orlando) you should have no problems. There are little 'pockets' in all areas that are rundown, but they are not ALL ridden with crime as some would have you believe.
A couple or a single person for that matter - would have a difficult time living on $17,000 a year. Of course, alot depends on your expenses...it you have a car payment, your lifestyle, etc. Will your partner also work? Gas is actually a little cheaper than the national average and food is about the same and can be found for cheaper if you're a savvy shopper.
When we were in Arden Villas - our electric ran around 75.00 a month - water was included in the rent. You probably have cell phones and won't even put in a phone line. If you do, it costs $40.00 for installation with Bell South - they service that area. Arden Villas had their cable service with a small company I never heard of...but the bill was 50.00 a month and internet was about the same.
I don't know how old you are, but if you are about the same age as my son (23), your car insurance would probably be about the same. His runs $1200.00 a year but that is with a 30% Good Student Discount and we still cover him under our policy.
As far as jobs - my son is already working as Systems Administrator in a local company - and even though he is still part time - he is on salary with benefits and has been offered a full time position upon graduation.
Please let me know if I can be of any further help. Feel free to inbox me anytime.
It's so kind of you guys helping me out! Your advise is extremely helpful since I was really confused about how central Florida is like.
I did a rough count and I don't think $17,000 is enough either. Things seem to be more expensive around central Florida. I may still get some pay check from my company in New Jersey but I can't count on that.
As per myself, I am from China, 25yo. My wife does have a Master degree in Law from Edinburgh University but I don't think it is possible for her to find a job in law area in the US.
UCF gives a calculation as follows, it's for a single person, per year:
Books/Supplies $888
Room/Board $8,528
Personal Expenses $2,210
Transportation $1,592
I think it will be totally different if I want to have a car. The car insurance that I had back in NJ is $825/year. If they rate for pianogal's son is usual, Florida's car insurance is really really really expensive.
UCF is growing a lot, and soon it will have its own medical school. Orlando and Central Florida in general has a healthy technology industry, with Lockheed Martin on the east side, NASA an hour to the north east, and the Research Park right next to UCF (Navair, General Dynamics, and Siemens have engineering operations centers in this area). In terms of Computer Science, nobody here have mentioned that EA Sports has a big presence in Orlando (that can tell you how much they know about this city), which hire a lot of UCF engineers and computer scientists. Try this link [url]http://www.tiburon.com/home.html[url].
In terms of the city, everything that MaryLou 2007 on her first reply is not true. There is some crime here and there (what city doesn't have it?), that apparently Orlando did not have before. But understand this is a city in growth, so it has "growing pains". Ther's ghettos and traffic like any other city. Now, Orlando's downtown is one of the few city's downtown in the USA that is worth visiting, in fact, this is the place to be. Paris Hilton's club, Club Paris, is really good. The Social, one of the best 'indie' rock clubs in the east coast is in downtown too. Lake Eola is a great plaza in the middle of the city, perfect for running, walking or just lie down and read a book. There's plenty of coffee shops and small libraries. A coulple of minutes away from Orlando is Winter Park, where you can shop in style or go and watch an independent film in the Enzian theater. Besides, you still have CityWalk in Universal, where you can enjoy a really good concert in Hard Rock Live, or Downtown Disney where you can spend hours in the Mega Virging Super Store, or catch a live performance in the House of Blues. Orlando is safe, it has great weather, and a lot of entertainment. Most of the residents don't know about half of what Orlando has to offer because they are too busy complaining about stupid traffic, and the supposedly "big wave" of crime that have covered Orlando (I go everywhere at night and I am still alive...please). This is just like any other city. If you are not used to city living, go to UF, which is located in Gainesville, a cow town whose only appeal is the university.
It's so kind of you guys helping me out! Your advise is extremely helpful since I was really confused about how central Florida is like.
I did a rough count and I don't think $17,000 is enough either. Things seem to be more expensive around central Florida. I may still get some pay check from my company in New Jersey but I can't count on that.
As per myself, I am from China, 25yo. My wife does have a Master degree in Law from Edinburgh University but I don't think it is possible for her to find a job in law area in the US.
UCF gives a calculation as follows, it's for a single person, per year:
Books/Supplies $888
Room/Board $8,528
Personal Expenses $2,210
Transportation $1,592
I think it will be totally different if I want to have a car. The car insurance that I had back in NJ is $825/year. If they rate for pianogal's son is usual, Florida's car insurance is really really really expensive.
Thanks again for your informative posts! See, who said ppl in central Florida is cold~? lol
There are ALOT of nice people here! Yes, Arden Villas - this is the one. I'm sure there are others, this is the only one with which I have had personal experience. The 699 is a studio apartment - very small about 400 square feet. I would suggest the 1 bedroom/1 bath if you can afford it. BUT, it is $150.00 more a month. You may also try www.apartmenthunters.com. That's how we found Arden Villas. If you find another apartment complex you're interested in, let me know the name and I will find out if it's in a good area, its proximity to UCF, etc.
You will need a car in Orlando. It is so spead out and public transportation is just the Lynx - bus system. I'm surprised to hear how cheap car insurance is in NJ. Since you are 25, it may be a little cheaper than my son's insurance. I think the rate goes down at age 25. Of course, it also depends on the kind of car you are insuring, your driving record, etc.
Could your girlfriend work as a paralegal or something along those lines? I know nothing about the law, so I'm shooting in the dark here.
Good Luck and let us know if we can be of further assistance....
I graduated from UCF this past May and I loved it. In the four years I was there as an undergraduate, I've watched that school evolve from a little known university who would accept anyone, to a highly competitive institution. I can't believe how much it's grown and will continue to grow. [UCF = Under Construction Forever].
Ok, yes the area around UCF is a little rundown and all, but almost ALL public universities are in less-classy areas. I mean, if you're looking for college in a country club atmosphere, Rollins is up the street in the WP (winter park). Compared to other state universities I've been to, the area around UCF isn't that bad. If you go around the northern edge by Seminole County line its pretty nice. Waterford is nice but traffic down Alafaya is a btich. Any area around Colonial is crappy and very ewww.
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Here is my .02
Try Texas or Illinois or out west. The ones here very little and are far and in between. How do I know? Well, my stepdad got 1 job here and then wanted to change jobs and the only option was Texas and he loves it there. Low cost of living, low taxes, nice people, lots of sunshine. Do a CareerBuilder.com search... not very many comp jobs. Like I said, try out West.
Please post any more questions you have and I will be glad to try and answer them. Lots of good people post here, you can learn a lot by asking. 
