Hey all I recently got accepted as a transfer to UF from FSU, as a Biology major, my concern is how is Gainesville compared to Tally I mean I have visited like 4 times but not enough to get a true feel for the town. Do you think it is worth it for me to transfer to UF, it is a more respected school? I just need feedback from any of you who attended UF. I don't mind making new friends etc, is it worth the transition for a better degree?

It varies by degree, but overall I see UF as more academically respected. One advantage of Gainesville is that you can make an easy day trip to Jacksonville, Orlando, or Tampa.
I have only stopped for gas at the Capital on the long boring drive across I-10 , so I can't really compare the two otherwise.

Less hills, warmer and easier access to beaches...

I've been to Gainesville a lot more than Tally, but setting aside academic considerations and just commenting on the two towns, they are just different animals. One is a college town and the other is a small city with other large influences (state government obviously one) and quite a bit more grungy, IMO. They just have completely different vibes. Personally, and not trying to pump UF over FSU, I have a bit of a thing for making the college experience as ideally "collegy" as possible (word I just made up). So I'd choose Gainesville if that was my overriding factor between the two.

I've only been to Tally twice in my life; never really toured FSU.

I am a Gator. was there for undergrad and grad school in the late '80's early '90's. Gainesville has improved drastically since then. Downtown Gville especially near the Hipodrome.

UF has grown as well. So has Shands. I love that place. Not to compare one school to the other, but UF is the premier U in Florida and always has been. Some schools may claim an older law school or better med school or better school of business or whatever, but, it all depends on who you talk to.

UF is a great experience. Gainesville is ok. It could be worse... it could be as small as Auburn, AL, or other towns in the middle of nowhere.

I went to school at FAMU in Tallahassee. Imo, they both have their pros and cons. Both are college towns but Tallahassee definitely feels like a larger city with a slightly more diversified economy. On the other hand, its isolated, while Gainesville is a short drive from Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa.

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even less isolated when you consider the proximity of Ocala to the south (441/I-75) and Palatka to the east (SR 100) and Jax ala 301 via Starke and Waldo...

Tally has Thomasville, GA over the border I think...

The coastal beaches of the panhandle are reasonably close to Tally.

I chose to transfer to UF now.. :).

Yankee... I see you made your decision, but here's my two cents.

I did the opposite. Tranferred from UF to FSU. A lot of what people are saying about the two towns is true. Even though it's smaller I found Gainesville had a lot more going on though. I was used to Gainesville and didn't really appreciate Tally until I left there. They're both beautiful places in their own right with unique charms. For the college experience, you can't go wrong with either one.

Academically, I think only one thing matters. Graduate. I didn't and I'm paying for it. So if transferring makes that more difficult, don't do it. Beyond that, UF is generally considered a better school, but not enough so that it will make a difference in the real world. A lot depends on individual programs and specialties too. Biology is pretty broad. If they're doing specific research at UF, offer a particular minor that FSU doesn't or there's a professor there that you feel would make a difference, then by all means go for it.

You only get to do it once, so make the most of it.

Cool, enjoy being a Gator I guess...

Go Panthers!

I went to FAMU for undergrad, and I'm now at UF in grad school for the second time. I've spent more time in Gainesville than Tallahassee. I chose FAMU because I wanted the HBCU experience at FAMU specifically. I couldn't get that anywhere but Tallahassee. I came to UF for grad school because it has well-regarded programs in the fields I wanted to study (Urban Planning and Real Estate). I really didn't come here for Gainesville, but it is a nice town.

If I were you, I would make my decision mainly for academic reasons. As for the social aspects, you can get your fill of that in both cities. Gainseville may have an advantage in that area in that it is within two hours of JAX, TPA, ORL, and other places. You can easily take day trips (or night trips) to a lot of places.

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hey! Go urban planning Gators!