USF v. UT (Tampa, University, Princeton: credit, transfer, best school) - Tampa Bay - Florida (FL) -Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater - City-Data Forum

Hockeyice · 03-04-2011, 06:00 PM

I am a community college who is looking to transfer very soon. I like both of the local schools. I'll be going to two more years (to complete the bachelor's degree requirements). My financial situation isn't that great, but isn't that bad either. I'd consider myself/my family to be lower middle class (if that class still exists). I tried the online scholarship calculator on the UT website, and it suggested that I could get $7k a year. Not to sound arrogant, but I could probably get a little more since my academic and non-academic resumes are pretty loaded. I will probably get some sort of scholarship from USF as well, so in the end USF will probably be about $5-20k cheaper.

Besides finances, these are my main concerns with universities:

1) Job possibilities after graduation: Obviously I want a job after graduation, so do companies prefer accounting students from one over the other.
2) Quality of the business school: Obviously I want to learn accounting from the better of the two since that is what I'll be doing for the next 40-50 years of my life.
3) Social/campus life: This is a very important one to me. I want to have fun, but in a good, clean way. I don't want to smoke whatever illegal drugs are popular now. I don't want to get drunk every night. Since high school ended, the high majority of my friends moved away. I want the campus which has the most social, easy-to-make friends campus. Describe the campus experiences.

So consider all the above, plus anything else. I want to hear from USF and UT students/alumni about their experiences.

starwins · 03-04-2011, 09:03 PM

It doesn't matter what accounting program you go to, as long as you pass the CPA exam and the accounting school is accredited. That goes for any school, Ivy or not.

I recently went to USF and the school is gigantic, 9th largest university in the nation. If you can't handle large crowd, then steer clear of USF. It has one of highest passing rate for the CPA exam. The accounting program is pretty tough, so dropping rate is high like 60% for the accounting major. If you make it through with a 3.0, you will be greeted with a nice job. All the big four accounting firms recruit there and also the big banks like GS, JPM, and Citi.

From my understanding, it will take you at least 2 half years to graduate if you are coming from a CC. The way the accounting program is set up at USF. Also I knew people who went to HCC and was in the program; they were not ready for the program at all. You should take Financial Accounting I with Jozi even if you already taken the class to get the feel of what you are getting into. In your Junior year, make sure to do an internship if you can. You need experience and a high GPA to get recognized by any firm when you graduate.

I was an accounting major, and I can say it's dry stuff, so you must have the will power to study the stuff. I personally went into banking as an analyst.

jp01358 · 03-04-2011, 10:25 PM

Go to whichever one is cheaper (looks like USF). No need wasting a lot of money on undergrad unless it's Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.

Gatornation · 03-06-2011, 02:40 AM

Out of Tampa few know anything about UT. Save yourself a lot of money and just go to USF.

If your resume is "loaded" why not be looking at better schools?

Hockeyice · 03-06-2011, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatornation

Out of Tampa few know anything about UT. Save yourself a lot of money and just go to USF.

If your resume is "loaded" why not be looking at better schools?

I am going to be honest. I never lived away from my parents house. I am a little intimidated to live on campus that is not a few miles away from their house.

starwins · 03-06-2011, 05:21 PM

In accounting, schools do not matter, along as it is accredited. Plus, your head will be stuck in a textbook 24/7. If you plan to go to graduate school or get a masters, that would more important.

Gatornation · 03-06-2011, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starwins

In accounting, schools do not matter, along as it is accredited. Plus, your head will be stuck in a textbook 24/7. If you plan to go to graduate school or get a masters, that would more important.

If you want to work at the big accounting firms they do.

starwins · 03-06-2011, 07:39 PM

All the Big 4 and regional auditing firms recruit through USF. Each Accounting firm get their recruits based on the regional firms demand, since the firms are partnerships. I have friends who went through the recruiting process of the Big 4: career fair, dinners, socials, and interviews. Also I got an internship and hired full time by one of the largest banks, so I know the process. As long as the school is accredited and legit you are good, just don't pull a University of Phoenix.

Likely Hockeyice, is not planning to move from this region, so no point in going to school out of state or out of the city. Also schools in the Florida do not carry any prestige factor compared to Northeast or Cali (UF, FSU, or UM). If you can pass the CPA exam and maintain GPA higher than 3, any accounting firm will interview you.

USF is known for its accounting program, and the professors are well connected in the area. There are plenty of internships that were offered that paid more than $15 (Junior) and Big 4 were $25 (Senior).

BTW, Hockeyice what are your stats if you don't mind me asking.

forrestgump · 03-06-2011, 09:30 PM

As others have already mentioned, hardly anybody outside the Tampa area would know about UT. However, USF is pretty well known across the country. I am from Massachusetts and I heard nice things about USF even in the Boston area. I don't know about USF's Accounting Program, but I am told that their Business School is overall very well ranked.

IMO, there is absolutely no comparison between USF and UT. Given a choice, I would always go for USF any day.

Jessuf · 03-12-2011, 11:21 AM

UT is a private school, it is very small, and it is incredibly expensive. It is not known for anything, and it is not ranked well. Since you are a Florida resident, you'd pay in-state tuition rates at USF, which are pretty inexpensive, especially when compared to UT. USF is not the best school in Florida, but it's the best school in Tampa as far as cost, resources, diversity, networking/connections, faculty, reputation and class selection.