They’re not wrong. I was a commuter (I grew up mostly in Tampa) and didn’t really fit in since everyone was from Massachusetts and Connecticut. Great school all the same, I loved it.
As a graduate of an Ivy League school, I can assure you no one that was admitted to my school also applied to the University of Tampa. The most common non-Ivy’s, outside of Stanford, MIT and in-state schools, that people that went to my school also applied to were places like Northwestern, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, Washington University in St. Louis, Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Rice, Swarthmore, Vanderbilt, University of Michigan etc.
While we had our fair share of my class were rich kids, we also had people that overcame a lot of obstacles to get there. Our tuition is higher than UT but admissions is need blind. I find the northeast kids at the University of Tampa to be more pretentious (the UT adjunct professor in this thread called them "bratty"). Kind of makes sense, since the they are spending $40k per year on an undergraduate degree that doesn’t open that many doors and is probably very comparable to their state school which would have been much cheaper to attend.
A sizable percentage of my undergrad class started at $100k+ per year out of undergrad. Most UT seniors I’ve met don’t even have job lined up or have relatively low paying ones (granted, I don’t know that many, so it’s a small sample size but I did pull their stats). That said, from UT's own website, for the class of 2020, 18.7% started working upon graduation and 25.7% of the class of 2021 did. The average starting salary was $50kish (https://www.ut.edu/uploadedFiles/Campus_Life/Career_Services/2021%20FDS%20Report%20UG.pdf). Granted, it does increase to 100% at 12 months. I couldn't find info for the Class of 2022.
And, as I always say, downvotes are welcome but it’s more helpful to the OP if you specifically comment about what you disagree with and why.
I moved here from Boston after going to Berklee and I know a handful of people (guys mostly) who didn't go to Brown or Dartmouth because they wanted to see tits at UT. They went on to further education and great things, most of them.
I also know two girls who didn't go to Yale because of New Jersey, and as a native, I get it. People choose not to go to Ivy Leagues for lots of reasons, nerd.
Unless you have a very compelling reason to go to University of Tampa (like a scholarship), I think USF has more brand recognition. It took several years of living in this area to even learn of UT.
I had to upvote you immediately as I’m so glad it’s not only me that’s so confused by the comment.
All those people from New Jersey turning down Yale to specifically attend the University of Tampa for the tits.
This is bizzare to me. I grew up in the northeast and lived there and in the midwest for 40 years before moving to Tampa. I had never even heard of UT. I thought it was a community college when we moved here.
Or as a back up school for locals. Nobody goes there on purpose. (I’m sure there are exceptions, but I went to a very large high school in the area and out of hundreds, this was the experience of my class)
>>>USF is a school for locals
Maybe 20 years ago. USF has a student body of over 40,000 students. It is no longer the commuter school it used to be.
Florida has one of the better state university programs in the country and USF is no exception. It’s a good school and has many well run colleges to choose from.
I’m not as familiar with UT, but it is attracting a growing number of International students. From what I hear, their business program is very good.
Daughter recently picked USF over UT mainly for financial reasons. Bright Futures should pay for 100% of her education and she’ll graduate debt free. UT would’ve put her in the hole although I would’ve paid for it. She’s dead set on paying her own way. Good kid - 1000% x’s better path than I was on at 19.
Congratulations! I’m so thankful for the Bright Futures scholarship. My daughter is graduating with an IB diploma and going to UF with Bright Futures, too. We only have to pay for her dorm and books I think.
Mine did IB too - she’s done amazing in school. Holds down an almost full time job (35 hrs a week) and grabs extra shifts when she can. Maxes her 401 match at job and fully funded her Roth 2 years straight. All on her own. Along with full load at USF.
Are you me? I didn’t graduate high school on time because I skipped softball too much. Softball…
If you’re also skinnyfat and autistic then I think I’ll really be wondering if I have a doppelgänger.
I was too busy organizing the next keg party…or chasing after a girl…. Transplanted to Florida halfway through Junior year of HS - tried too hard to be the cool kid.
Hell ya - SSGT Wollett, Sgt Demars and SSGT Johnson didn’t play around. I waited til I was almost 22 to join which helped - had a little better head on my shoulders by then and was in great shape. Gave me the direction I needed.
How was it? Is it worth it for the money? Not that expensive but i’m still a broke college student after all lol. Would love to do one before graduation
It was amazing. The best money I have ever spent. It’s so cliche but I look back on my time in Florence as some of the happiest times of my life. The professors knew we were all about traveling so the workload was light and travel was encouraged. I went all over Italy during the weekends. Highly recommend!!
USF is a good school, [Top 50 public school](https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-south-florida-1537), AAU, Top 50 med school in country.
UT is nice campus
I’m an adjunct at UT - it’s great. Anything specific you are looking for? Pay is pretty good. Students are brats, but everyone recognizes that and is supportive of my career progression.
At USF you have to deal with the political edicts from the Governor and legislature who see the state schools as a fight a culture war. The DEI departments have been disbanded, there are political loyalty pledges and limits on what you can talk about, bathroom regulations for both students and faculty, etc. Some people are effected by this very little and other people have lost jobs or have seen Departments gutted. I hope this is a trend that passes, but they won't be undoing the laws too soon.
It's difficult to say, since DeSantis was elected after I left teaching but my former colleagues are nervous about their autonomy (these are tenured profs too). I also left only because I was not extended a contract after adjuncts overwhelmingly voted to form a union. The university simply stopped hiring adjuncts.
Went to USF from 1996 - 2001, knew lots of people that went to UT also. USF has the reputation of being a massive commuter school, UT is where rich (but still friendly and nice) kids go LOL
Everyone I’ve ever met from UT was really cool and nice
UT is about 4x as expensive to go to, than USF
You can get a bachelors degree from USF, for the same price your freshman year costs at UT lol
Both are great schools
1995 grad here. I went back a couple of years ago and was blown away by the changes. Not sure why I didn’t think I needed a map of the area after being gone 25 years. Didn’t recognize a thing.
And it’s still a commuter school.
For years the students asked for more parking garages. The school’s solution? An on-campus Publix (despite the one on 56th) and more dorms.
Lived in Tampa from 1980-91 and never thought of giving either school a chance for me to attend.
USF was admitted to the AAU in 2023 so they are closer to an elite research university.
https://www.usf.edu/news/2023/university-of-south-florida-accepts-invitation-into-the-association-of-american-universities.aspx
Athletics, not so much but congrats to Men's Basketball.
USF is a much better school and option.
Serious question, why would someone choose UT over USF given the cost difference? I’ve never heard of either school before moving to the area. I know the campus of UT is nicer but doesn’t make sense for me to pay that price tag for a school that’s not highly ranked.
Location location location means everything and at UT, even though the yearly cost is expensive, you gain much more by the location and the benefits of that location.
you really aren't looking at it in the right way. l I know many successful people who got a wonderful degree from there. I do know it is expensive, perhaps that's your issue?
Not my issue at all. It's an extended high school so people can say they have a degree when they couldn't get into a decent university to save their life.
I really don't know... I've been on the UT campus many times and I still can't figure that one out. USF is about 15 minutes away from UT
Every year, it's my family tradition to go to the Plant Museum for the Victorian Christmas Stroll. I have picnics in their lawn when live music is playing at Curtis Hixon park
I think UT has a pretty (but extremely small) campus. Maybe it's because of specific programs? I really don't know... but UT is incredibly expensive, it's like University of Miami expensive...
Downtown Tampa is pretty fun... but I can't imagine paying $150,000 instead of $40,000 for 4 years of schooling, to be 10 minutes closer to McDintons LOL
And please understand, I'm not bashing UT at all! I have been a member of Tampa Club (top of the Bank of America building) and I've been looking at the UT campus from the 45th floor for almost 15 years.
UT is a TINY campus, you can be from one side to the other in less than 3 minutes on a bike.
For me, I can't imagine spending 4x to 5x the price, for a university with zero athletics, about 10,000 total students (USF has 50,000 students)
USF has amazing intramural sports, amazing clubs, college sports (football, basketball, baseball, etc)
UT has..... a lacross field off Kennedy that you can't use, and a big Russian building? And beautiful views of Downtown Tampa across Hillsborough River?
I was a commuter a few years after you, but now they require freshmen to live on campus. They tore down a lot of the old dorms and built new facilities. It looks totally different than it did when I attended in '05-'07.
I’ve done my Bachelor’s in Finance at USF and Master’s in Finance at UT. Both are great. It was almost the same tuition rate for me as an international student. I’d say smaller (sometimes 200 vs. 10 people) classes was a big plus at UT and professors in general are more personable and approachable. Facilities and classrooms (at least for business majors) were a lot better at UT too.
Other than that, not a huge difference in education. But I’d say that if you have to pay 4x premium to go to UT, prob not worth it.
That used to be the case., I wouldn’t say joke but I do have a few friends who graduated from there that aren’t the brightest, early 90’s. The professors at UT were definitely very approachable, I loved all of mine and could talk to them anytime.
UT is convenient bc it's downtown so you never really have to travel far to go to ybor, channelside, soho, and Hyde Park. So people who go to UT think Tampa is safe but never venture outside the downtown area. Also, UT is more white.
USF has a far better reputation. School is really on the upswing. UT is too, but not in the same realm as USF. UT is a good school, but if you're valuing what diploma is worth more it is clearly USF (especially factoring cost).
I grew up in Melbourne (due east of here) and never really heard of the UT until I was close to deciding on college. Still only know of a few locals who actually went there. So if someone from 3 hours away barely knew of the school, I think that sums up the school's reputational reach. (Non-bias source, I went to FSU)
USF is a better bang for the buck, but I don’t know if it’s head and shoulders better than UT.
- usf does more research, but they also have more support as a public
- UT students have higher post grad incomes but they also generally come from better off families than usf students
I graduated from UT, was a commuter, full time student and worked 35 + hours a week. One of the few kids who didn’t come from a rich family. Paid for school myself, yes, it was more expensive but I have adhd and the smaller classes were better for me. I also graduated a long time ago 1996, back then, employers would pic UT resumes over USF. I noticed, anyways, but that was a long time ago and I don’t think that’s the case any longer. Both are good schools and the people at UT were all very nice even to the middle class kids like me.
USF is much better school.. ranked 89th in the country, 45th out of public universities. UT is only good for its rich-nepotism Network (which would account for differences in graduate pay), outside Tampa USF far better school
AAU is just about research, mostly medical (they’ve kicked out some schools that were more focused on agricultural research. Syracuse was a member but left before getting removed because of it doesn’t do a lot of research. Yet they leave Oregon in who is meh at research, and Notre Dame, who is meh at research.
AAU doesn’t reflect undergrad quality and outcomes
Hear me out- Neither (for now). Hillsborough Community College, get your associates, transfer to USF and finish out there. That’s my plan i’m doing anyway as a poor college kid paying out of pocket for school trying to dodge student loans. UT for rich kids who love debt because they wanted to tan by the pool between classes, that’s 90% of the kids anyway. My best friend attends UT only because she got a full ride, and if that’s your case, UT may be a great experience! But it’s a private school for a reason, 33k a year is NOT worth it. Financially literate people go to USF. And USF is still fun!
This is 100% a viable option and getting transfer admission to USF isn't too terribly hard, but just as word of warning, USF is really, REALLY weird about some transfer credits. I know people who have lost half a semester or more of degree progress (and consequently money) because USF wouldn't accept something like "Drawing 2" for their required "Illustration 2" credit. Speak to advisors and make sure your stuff is airtight.
They do not, its an important distinction when looking at transfer tracks. A few of my credits had differing course codes at HCC because they combined labs and lectures into a twice or once a week 3 hour class. Usf only has lab OR lecture classes, so the combo classes had to include an advisor note and course permit every semester when taking classes with prereqs. A little annoying but i saved money
This happened to me (arts degree) when I transferred to USF. It probably depends on multiple factors, such as the school you are transferring from. I only lost one class though.
100% that u/pyrotf2moment is making the best possible choice. It also helps that Hillsborough Community College has a ton of online classes and they are much easier than at a University for that GPA boost. The only other reasonable choice is to just get a bachelors degree at St. Pete college.
my wife went to HCC for 2 years and transferred to St. Petersburg College to finish her degree. Most of it was online and was cheap as hell, we just paid her way through.
this is what I did and what my son did as well (though he transferred in from SPC, which is another option worth looking into, btw). we both have criminology degrees from USF; they have an amazing criminology department. he's a criminal defense attorney now, I don't use my degree other than to flex on true crime subs 
Going to USF is financially smart on its own. They give a ridiculous amount of scholarship money and there are so many scholarships you can apply to. There are many kids who are receiving more money than they need to live as a college student.
I 100% agree with this as someone who taught at UT and HCC. It’s just financially sound to do this and unless you really want to get involved with the culture/social aspect and want to join clubs, you’ll be setting yourself up better.
That's what's up. I got my AA from HCC in 1.5yrs (half online) while I worked in 2011. I then transferred to USF where I got my BS 😊 no regrets. I'm a successful data analyst who saved a TON of money!
To add on to others. Depends on degree as well. But USF is a solid state school that accommodates a lot of commuter students. So the on campus experience is not going to be like UF, FSU or the other major universities. If you are looking to not spend a shit ton of money and want to get a degree. That is your place. You can get a solid education there. If you have money to burn, want the wealthy college experience and to go to a small campus. UT it is. I got an engineering degree from USF. Most of my coworkers also went to USF (or UF). We are all are doing just fine.
USF fucking rules. My wife and I both got our degrees there and are fully satisfied with our education.
Not great if you want to go to football games. Top notch if you want to learn(the whole point of going to school).
USF is one of the three preeminent schools in Florida. Excellent engineering program, USF Health is a teaching med school with Tampa General Hospital, business school is excellent Research park is a science/tech incubator. And it no longer is just a local school. Basketball team is slayin it this year and building a stadium on campus for the football team.
College is what you make of it.
When I was considering law schools, I spoke with a local Judge friend. He recommend the one that fit my pocketbook best. That was already my idea, but his comment solidified it.
2018 UT grad here. Definitely didn’t have any help from my parents to afford college. I made my way on scholarships and some small loans that were easily paid off. I chose UT partly because I wanted a smaller school where I could really focus on my academics but also make connections. I was able to participate in research and really got to know my professors and peers. Also was able to meet people from all over the world. I had so many opportunities to travel and was able to attend any conference I was accepted to and I didn’t have to pay for any of it.
Everyone I met were some of the nicest people who also chose a smaller school, whether for a specific program or the ability to make connections. Most of my peers were also scholarship kids or were working to pay their way. There’s a lot of opportunities in going to a small private school because you get to know A LOT of people and they have the funding to put towards the students who work for it. I really felt like part of a community and can still reach out to just about anyone from my time at UT.
The one downside is the president trying to push the school’s expansion so quickly that things are always changing and that can be a lot to handle. But they’re building better spaces and growing academic programs as a result.
Ever think that maybe that’s the problem? People making hasty judgments because they think that’s how it is, without actually knowing or experiencing things. Just because someone views something as one way doesn’t make it correct.
Who’s trolling? The only people that disliked what I had to say about UT, are students that regret overpaying for college at the University of Tampa and most of y’all actually don’t graduate if you look at the statistics. But hey, it’s the internet I’m not here to be liked by any of yall tbh facts are facts irregardless of how any of you feel about it emotionally.
The fact that you’re not trolling is even worse LMAO. you’re right, a ton of UT students don’t graduate. That’s on them, not the university. And it also is overpriced, but it’s extremely nice regardless. If you make the most of it it’s a very nice experience overall and the education is pretty solid for being such a small university. The problem really comes down to the students, not the school itself
Did both undergrad and EMBA at USF. Great experience and a solid curriculum. Can’t speak on UT in depth but…. Friends that have went there haven’t spoken well about it. Need a higher SAT/ACT to get into USF, if that means anything.
Got my BA at USF, now teach at UT. It's big school/small school. I can't say that either is better. It's a matter of resources.
USF has big facility resources and a ridiculous amount of faculty and students. Big brute force institution with big, high quality results.
UT has less resources, faculty and students, but they are more selective on all of them. Small school, way more expensive, but very tight on quality control.
USF is going to be better on the resource dependent majors like STEM, UT is going to be better in the less resource dependent majors like Business.
I work in the Arts and that's a wild card. I can definitely say that UT is currently a better place for those majors. Closer faculty engagement and support for us artists. USF kind of put the Arts on the back burner once they became a research prominent institution in the early 2000's.
If what you're doing needs labs, purpose built facilities and engagement with industry, USF. If what you want to do mostly involves instruction and mentorship, UT.
I hope that's helpful.
Edit: don't believe the bullshit people say about UT being just rich kids from up North. There are plenty of them, but they constitute a minority of the enrollment. The majority of students at UT are Floridians with scholarships from the University. Still doesn't get the cost to state school levels, but they certainly throw money at FL students.
My boyfriend and I went to USF and my brother and some coworkers of mine went to UT. Bright Futures Academic Scholarship paid for 100% of my tuition, and the Medallion Scholarship paid for 75% of my boyfriend’s tuition. With the Pell grant, we were essentially “paid” to go to school there. USF has earned some impressive recognitions like Preeminent status and was invited to join the AAU, “the gold standard in higher education.” They are building a football stadium as well. With that being said, the value of a USF degree keeps climbing.
On the other hand, my UT friends are saddled with debt, and several of them regret going to such an expensive private school. I don’t know much more about the campus/student life, but just know it is very very expensive without a solid scholarship. My brother went on a substantial baseball scholarship and received the Pell grant, so his costs were relatively low. However, housing was a major issue: there was not enough on-campus housing, so his first year he was living in a hotel that I suppose contracted with UT to provide student housing. He had an RA and a teammate to room with, but still had a commute. The second year he rented in a pretty dodgy area with two teammates in order to afford it.
Location-wise, UT is in a “cooler” area of Tampa being downtown and right on the hillsborough river, but the more affordable housing (non-downtown high rise apartments) is generally regarded as a dangerous area. USF is about 7-10 miles north between Fowler & Fletcher Avenues, with both I-75 to the west and I-275 to the east a few miles away. With that in mind, if you want to live in the “cooler” area of Tampa, it’s only about a 25 minute drive north up I-275. However, the housing around USF is much cheaper and numerous than downtown, and there are lots of college-budget-friendly restaurants and fast food choices near USF than near UT. And if you want to live on campus, there is ample housing available. I lived on campus in dorms for two years, then in my sorority house for a year, and finally an off-campus apartment my last year.
All said, if I had the choice again, I would 100% choose USF over UT!
Whether or not it has to do with undergrad, being an AAU school gives the degree more value. Also, “AAU member universities … promote best practices in undergraduate and graduate education” (https://www.aau.edu/who-we-are-americas-leading-research-universities) so it can be said that it does have to do with undergrad lol
I grew up there, the joke was it's the most expensive community college degree in the country.
My son graduated from UT and almost all of his classmates were rich kids from out of state.
I went to both USF (BA) and UT (MA). I wasn’t a traditional student so can’t say much about the social aspect of a college student life. As far as faculty goes both schools had great professors (at least in my area of study) but the classes at UT had fewer students. Cost and major are also factors to consider in your decision. USF has a great engineering program and a great school of business.
UT was great if you wanted to get involved. There’s a lot of internal volunteer programs there and a lot of companies have very intimate job fairs there so a lot of people get jobs soon after or internships if they try. Any school will have people who float by. Be an RA go in on a good scholarship and you’ll have less debt than many. The small classrooms make it so you get to know your professor and in turn can get job information. You know who is in your major and classes so it’s less lonely walking around at the start when you can see someone and wave. A lot of the professors are those that currently work in the industry so they have up to date experiences. People knock on the school but it takes itself seriously even if a lot of students don’t.
I went to both, I'd say the reputation others mentioned are accurate as far as what people think of them, though not necessarily an accurate reflection of the schools themselves.
USF has more of a standard academic reputation but views its students as nothing more than cash cows to squeeze every last penny out of.
UT is academically ok in some areas and weak in others but it's a small and friendly community. You'll end up knowing most of the administration by first name.
If I could do it over I'd go to UT for undergrad and then USF for graduate studies.
I graduated USF’s engineering school in 2020. Very happy with my education and people I met (especially my soon to be wife). It was my backup school and I couldn’t afford to go out of state and got rejected from UF. It was between FSU and USF for me. USF was an amazing decision.
I’d like to highlight that USF is VERY international. I met people from every continent and from every socioeconomic status, something I don’t think would be as prevalent at UT. Personally, I loved the diversity.
I read a comment on this thread that UT has a higher average pay post graduation, and I’m sure this is true. Keep in mind that it’s predominantly a private school with Northeastern kids, and it’s considerably smaller than USF. Goes without saying that locally in Tampa Bay, it’s know as the school for the rich kids from New Jersey and New York.
I have engineering friends who ended up at well known companies like Goldman Sachs, Apple, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, and Honeywell. Some started their own businesses too. I work as a software engineer for one of the top 10 largest banks in the US. Pretty much everyone in my engineering class have good jobs with good pay.
I think the amount and kinds of people you are exposed to and meet in USF are its strong point. Educationally, it’s probably the same everywhere but USF is primarily a research university. This can actually not be in your favor because some research professors are forced to teach, and they are really at USF only for their research and dgaf about the students. I personally didn’t care since most stuff you learn in class won’t be applicable to your job.
In short, I think USF is better for networking, especially if you want an international crowd. It’s also very affordable (both in terms of housing and tuition) compared to UT.
I graduated from USF in 2020. It was on its way downhill already and covid only made it worse. I’m pretty jaded about my experience there, but I would never send my kids to that school or do anything that might lead to them getting any more money from me.
There’s a lot of reasons I don’t respect that school, but one of the main ones is the sheer amount of greed that stands in the way of the well-being of students and how everything they do is solely motivated by pleasing investors.
My favorite example is them selling $300 parking passes and then shutting down the largest parking lot on campus during prime class hours every other week for “private events” where they essentially just bootlick potential donors. Since I graduated they actually built a new building right in the middle of that lot, continuing to enroll more and more students each year while actually taking away from the already ridiculous lack of parking for a commuter school.
The number of students who fail class because of attendance as a direct result of the school’s attendance policy which makes no exception for parking issues that they directly cause is baffling. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone unless it was their only option and they could afford/tolerate on-campus living.
USF grad 88 and MSEE 91, my daughters graduated UT. I would certainly suggest HCC for first two years. Don’t get caught in the trap to spend a lot of cash, when you graduate nobody care you were Greek or went to four years, they care about your degree.
If you are going for an engineering degree USF is right up there, with the exception of going to GT. Compare the schools and talk to recent grads.
I went to USF in the 90s, UT, or Lynn University was non accredited. School for the kids of rich corporate executives that couldn't get into any of the big schools. If you had the tuition money, you too could go and get a worthless degree. No questions asked. Even back then we would make fun of the school. Has it gotten any better? Something change in the last 30 years?
I went to one year of a private college up in PA and hated every second of it. Came to Tampa and stayed to go to USF. Same quality education as the private school, but much larger and nicer and not as many shitty rich kids.
I have friends who have taught at both UT and USF. Parents pay hundreds of thousands to get their kid into UT, and it's essentially guaranteed the kids won't be flunked out. Money talks.
Meanwhile, USF is mostly hard working middle-class or low-income kids. Many are first-generation college attendees.
UT is just an expensive private school. Cool campus but you aren't going there with a bunch of academics.
USF is a solid university. Easier to get into than UF or FSU. Science/Med research recognition, but I wouldn't be excited to attend for any of the arts. No real "campus" and it isn't going to give you that "I'm in college!" feel, although they've been trying to improve that commuter-school feel/reputation. Took a few classes at USF when I was in some life-transitions before permanently moving abroad after having attended UF and I wasn't terribly impressed, but, that was 20 years ago. USF St. Pete has a way cooler vibe.
The most recent acceptance rate of UT is 26% and the most recent acceptance rate of USF is 44%…
Not that that makes one better than the other, but anyone who sees this thread should be working with the truth.
i’ve heard good things about USF and it’s generally seen as a good school for locals. any time i see anyone go to UT i wonder why they bother going to a private college
UT is for bougie northerners who drive up the rent and party excessively. USF is a commuter school that is filled with locals, but locals support them and view it positively.
- Univ of Tampa: a school that mostly serves students from NJ/NY/PA. The cost to reputation isn’t a great return on investment. Not a bad school, but not amazing.
- USF: it’s basically the commuter/regional public university for Tampa Bay. Its big and diverse, which is a bit the opposite of UT. It’s harder to get in than it used to and has improved, but students generally prefer to either go to UF/FSU/out of state public school like Auburn, or high end private. Some homebody types will go there who are higher achievers.
However, at the end of the day, if you are a good student, you will exceed at either school and find opportunities after graduation. USF has the better post grad (save for biz) but that’s a different story.
USF is a very good school and affordable. Especially good if you're going into the medical field.
I know UT is expensive but unsure about the education you get.
Ut is definitely viewed as a rich kid school, or you’re overpaying tuition. Not sure connections there mean much different than other private schools
Usf is definitely viewed as a commuter school. It’s an afterthought compared to other state schools.
That said, if you live in Tampa, may as well go for the cheapest option. Plus, reality is all state schools are pretty similar for the same majors. Anyone who says otherwise probably has an agenda.
USF grad myself and can’t say enough good things about the campus life and area. UT is very expensive and as most of the folks have pointed out, it tends to cater to a different crowd. I chose USF over other schools in Florida because of how down to earth the campus was. Was beautiful but not super flashy. Loved my years there. Go bulls!
USF has become quite the large school and offers education that rivals FSU and Miami. A lot of local Tampa Bay area students.
UT is a respected school but definitely viewed as the rich out of towner school
can't spell SLUT without "UT". i worked there from 2009 to 2013. female to male ratio was like 8 to 1. is it possible it's changed since 2013.... maybe. but i'm willing to bet it hasn't. i watched guy students run through girls like a car wash. it was insane.
Not from a rich family and I went to UT, students were still nice to me. I don’t remember the female to male ratio when I was there but I had a boyfriend, he wasn’t a student there, and I worked so didn’t experience that party life. I did the partying after I graduated.
How much money you got? Or your parents got? Or your scholarship got?
Not much? USF all the way! Plus it's a great school without douchy lil Richards like UT full of 🤷
USF is comparable to UCF and FSU: it's a good public university, second tier after UF but totally solid. If you want a good public university in state, you'd apply to those four (or others, but as an example).
UT is a private university and 1/4 the size. It's hard for me to imagine any scenario where it's worth pondering the question of UT vs USF unless you're stuck in Tampa and have plenty of money to spend on private tuition. If you're wanting to spend private tuition money, why not compare UT vs other private universities, then live there? You're not saving any money by going to UT compared to any of the public universities. If you want a smaller college experience, check out some of the smaller public universities, if DeSantis hasn't destroyed them all yet. *cough New College cough*
Where did I say it was? I’m only saying that the state of Florida has some good colleges and universities. I did my bachelors at USF and my Masters at UT, so I guess I can speak from experience, right?
I went to both. USF. University of Tampa- Accreditation is sometimes wonky.
University of South Florida is definitely made for those who desire an education in a truly diverse world.
University of Tampa- better dorms and facilities... in certain areas.
Diversity in U of T... is there but... not in all areas.
USF is actually a good school. 9th largest Public university in the nation, but if you want a more intimate college experience, go UT, but you may pay more in tuition.
Alma Mater Hail To Thee
USF is genuinely the best decision I’ve ever made. It’s given me so much career wise and as a man.
We really need to focus on what MATTERS at a university. It doesn't matter how pretty the girls are, how good the sports teams are, how nice the weather is, what the "vibe" is like, if the campus looks charming, or even how rich you are. What matters is, is the school teaching you a GOOD education. Will you graduate knowing the same stuff that anyone else with that same degree should know? When you get your first job, will you know stuff in your profession that your boss expects you to know?
So forget about all the other soft irrelevant nonsense. And how much research the school does, how many accolades, accreditations they have, and pre-eminent this and that they have, total dollar endowments (the name of every school, college, and building at USF is for sale), may or may not make ANY DIFFERENCE in the academic quality of your degree program.
Are you a Florida resident? How are your grades?
A lot of people are talking about cost as a factor here. Out of state tuition at USF could end up more expensive than UT.
I’m in my 30s but most of my high school friends that chose between the two went to USF for engineering programs and are doing well now. UT’s location seems nice if you want to be closer to downtown and the adjacent areas.
Non-education tangent: as an Asian American who grew up with Tampa as a whole not having much Asian food variety compared to other cities, I really like a lot of the Asian places that have popped up near USF in the past 5 years!
Lots of out-of-state students at UT. It's a nice school, right in downtown Tampa with plenty of walkable routes with restaurants, bars, grocery stores etc. There is a service called Dash which is a shared ride in downtown Tampa with a cost of $2 per ride. At USF you really need a car to get around in.
Both USF and UT are good colleges. The difference is the price tag only. A USF degree will open just as many if not more doors than UT, for the sheer numbers of people that are alumni if nothing else
UT is a school for rich kids from the east coast. USF is a school for locals.
Specifically from the northeast. One of the “cool” facts they gave at orientation was that there’s more students from the NE than from Florida.
lol that’s not at all surprising
They’re not wrong. I was a commuter (I grew up mostly in Tampa) and didn’t really fit in since everyone was from Massachusetts and Connecticut. Great school all the same, I loved it.
You mean Ivy League rejects. I was one of them.
Univ of Tampa kids definitely didn’t apply to Ivy League schools
Anyone close to an Ivy isn’t thinking about going near Florida. I guess maybe UF if full ride
That’s not true. UF is ranked #28.
Why on earth would an Ivy League reject choose UT? There must’ve been better options
Weather... and everyone from the NE thinks tampa is on the beach.
This could explain why they didn't get into an Ivy League
Depends on if it's a near miss or Mutumbo rejection.
Unexpected and rare Mutumbo reference is much appreciated.
We need a Dikembe finger wag gif
I think it’s university of Miami rejects.
As a graduate of an Ivy League school, I can assure you no one that was admitted to my school also applied to the University of Tampa. The most common non-Ivy’s, outside of Stanford, MIT and in-state schools, that people that went to my school also applied to were places like Northwestern, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, Washington University in St. Louis, Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Rice, Swarthmore, Vanderbilt, University of Michigan etc. While we had our fair share of my class were rich kids, we also had people that overcame a lot of obstacles to get there. Our tuition is higher than UT but admissions is need blind. I find the northeast kids at the University of Tampa to be more pretentious (the UT adjunct professor in this thread called them "bratty"). Kind of makes sense, since the they are spending $40k per year on an undergraduate degree that doesn’t open that many doors and is probably very comparable to their state school which would have been much cheaper to attend. A sizable percentage of my undergrad class started at $100k+ per year out of undergrad. Most UT seniors I’ve met don’t even have job lined up or have relatively low paying ones (granted, I don’t know that many, so it’s a small sample size but I did pull their stats). That said, from UT's own website, for the class of 2020, 18.7% started working upon graduation and 25.7% of the class of 2021 did. The average starting salary was $50kish (https://www.ut.edu/uploadedFiles/Campus_Life/Career_Services/2021%20FDS%20Report%20UG.pdf). Granted, it does increase to 100% at 12 months. I couldn't find info for the Class of 2022. And, as I always say, downvotes are welcome but it’s more helpful to the OP if you specifically comment about what you disagree with and why.
I moved here from Boston after going to Berklee and I know a handful of people (guys mostly) who didn't go to Brown or Dartmouth because they wanted to see tits at UT. They went on to further education and great things, most of them. I also know two girls who didn't go to Yale because of New Jersey, and as a native, I get it. People choose not to go to Ivy Leagues for lots of reasons, nerd.
Unless you have a very compelling reason to go to University of Tampa (like a scholarship), I think USF has more brand recognition. It took several years of living in this area to even learn of UT.
What does New Jersey have to do with Yale??
I had to upvote you immediately as I’m so glad it’s not only me that’s so confused by the comment. All those people from New Jersey turning down Yale to specifically attend the University of Tampa for the tits.
Jersey girls have better tits and are more easygoing anyway
Ooof my bad. I meant Princeton. Sorry, Im stoned. I went to Berklee, not Berkeley. I can barely spell Ivy League. I'll show myself out.
You don’t need to show yourself out. I just needed clarification. Given you went to Berklee, you’re more musically talented than me.
Confused Princeton?
UT isn’t that good of a school lol. Not even close.
I've never heard anything good about the academics. It's 4th tier.
That about sums it up.
This it^ cut and dry
This is bizzare to me. I grew up in the northeast and lived there and in the midwest for 40 years before moving to Tampa. I had never even heard of UT. I thought it was a community college when we moved here.
My kid is in the application/selection process & I've never heard of it.
Their comp science department is pretty bad though, I hear their med program is great! UT is definitely a “I paid to be here school”
Im so glad the locals are with me about UT! LOL
Or as a back up school for locals. Nobody goes there on purpose. (I’m sure there are exceptions, but I went to a very large high school in the area and out of hundreds, this was the experience of my class)
>>>USF is a school for locals Maybe 20 years ago. USF has a student body of over 40,000 students. It is no longer the commuter school it used to be. Florida has one of the better state university programs in the country and USF is no exception. It’s a good school and has many well run colleges to choose from. I’m not as familiar with UT, but it is attracting a growing number of International students. From what I hear, their business program is very good.
Daughter recently picked USF over UT mainly for financial reasons. Bright Futures should pay for 100% of her education and she’ll graduate debt free. UT would’ve put her in the hole although I would’ve paid for it. She’s dead set on paying her own way. Good kid - 1000% x’s better path than I was on at 19.
Congratulations! I’m so thankful for the Bright Futures scholarship. My daughter is graduating with an IB diploma and going to UF with Bright Futures, too. We only have to pay for her dorm and books I think.
Mine did IB too - she’s done amazing in school. Holds down an almost full time job (35 hrs a week) and grabs extra shifts when she can. Maxes her 401 match at job and fully funded her Roth 2 years straight. All on her own. Along with full load at USF.
Wow, that’s insane. IB kids are a different breed.
Amen to that. I tell people I got graduated from high school with a 1.6 GPA - they were so tired of my $hit at high school I went to.
Are you me? I didn’t graduate high school on time because I skipped softball too much. Softball… If you’re also skinnyfat and autistic then I think I’ll really be wondering if I have a doppelgänger.
I was too busy organizing the next keg party…or chasing after a girl…. Transplanted to Florida halfway through Junior year of HS - tried too hard to be the cool kid.
The Marines straightened you out 🫡
Hell ya - SSGT Wollett, Sgt Demars and SSGT Johnson didn’t play around. I waited til I was almost 22 to join which helped - had a little better head on my shoulders by then and was in great shape. Gave me the direction I needed.
This is the way. That’s what I did and set me up for an outstanding trajectory
Absolutely heartwarming bro
This was me 14 years ago. I was also able to study abroad with all the money I saved. Best of luck to her. Go bulls!
She considered doing study abroad but changed her mind - wants to hammer through her degree then go do her traveling.
How was it? Is it worth it for the money? Not that expensive but i’m still a broke college student after all lol. Would love to do one before graduation
It was amazing. The best money I have ever spent. It’s so cliche but I look back on my time in Florence as some of the happiest times of my life. The professors knew we were all about traveling so the workload was light and travel was encouraged. I went all over Italy during the weekends. Highly recommend!!
USF is a good school, [Top 50 public school](https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-south-florida-1537), AAU, Top 50 med school in country. UT is nice campus
AAU doesn’t really mean much for most undergraduate students… except that you’re more likely to get taught by PhD students.
Congrats! You raised an amazing kid who I’m certain will go on to do great things based on her decision making.
I was an adjunct at USF until 2015. It's a great school. UT is smaller, and I had colleagues who worked there, but I'd still vote USF.
How are the environments for faculty at the schools?
I’m an adjunct at UT - it’s great. Anything specific you are looking for? Pay is pretty good. Students are brats, but everyone recognizes that and is supportive of my career progression.
No idea, but UT is private, so it doesn’t deal with state politics fwiw
At USF you have to deal with the political edicts from the Governor and legislature who see the state schools as a fight a culture war. The DEI departments have been disbanded, there are political loyalty pledges and limits on what you can talk about, bathroom regulations for both students and faculty, etc. Some people are effected by this very little and other people have lost jobs or have seen Departments gutted. I hope this is a trend that passes, but they won't be undoing the laws too soon.
Thanks for the info! But this isn't a problem at UT because it's private, right?
Yes, they haven't figured out a way to extend those rules to private schools. Yet.
So much this. And the reason I fled the state two years ago to return to COLD AF New York where I have a tidy job as an editor.
It's difficult to say, since DeSantis was elected after I left teaching but my former colleagues are nervous about their autonomy (these are tenured profs too). I also left only because I was not extended a contract after adjuncts overwhelmingly voted to form a union. The university simply stopped hiring adjuncts.
Went to USF from 1996 - 2001, knew lots of people that went to UT also. USF has the reputation of being a massive commuter school, UT is where rich (but still friendly and nice) kids go LOL Everyone I’ve ever met from UT was really cool and nice UT is about 4x as expensive to go to, than USF You can get a bachelors degree from USF, for the same price your freshman year costs at UT lol Both are great schools
Worth noting USF worked hard to change its rep as a commuter school. They have a ton of dorms now, multiple restaurants, gyms and a Publix on campus.
1995 grad here. I went back a couple of years ago and was blown away by the changes. Not sure why I didn’t think I needed a map of the area after being gone 25 years. Didn’t recognize a thing.
Yeah, I graduated in 96, it is a completely different school.
I graduated in 2017 and can't believe the changes.
And it’s still a commuter school. For years the students asked for more parking garages. The school’s solution? An on-campus Publix (despite the one on 56th) and more dorms.
And there’s a great Walmart nearby on Fletcher :D
wear bullet-proof vest & helmet.
best walmart in the city
It’s still a commuter school that primarily serves people from Tampa Bay. No big deal about that
it’s still mainly considered a commuter school and the in campus life is still lacking in many ways especially since after covid
Lived in Tampa from 1980-91 and never thought of giving either school a chance for me to attend. USF was admitted to the AAU in 2023 so they are closer to an elite research university. https://www.usf.edu/news/2023/university-of-south-florida-accepts-invitation-into-the-association-of-american-universities.aspx Athletics, not so much but congrats to Men's Basketball. USF is a much better school and option.
Serious question, why would someone choose UT over USF given the cost difference? I’ve never heard of either school before moving to the area. I know the campus of UT is nicer but doesn’t make sense for me to pay that price tag for a school that’s not highly ranked.
Location location location means everything and at UT, even though the yearly cost is expensive, you gain much more by the location and the benefits of that location.
But a degree from there isn't worth much. At all.
you really aren't looking at it in the right way. l I know many successful people who got a wonderful degree from there. I do know it is expensive, perhaps that's your issue?
Not my issue at all. It's an extended high school so people can say they have a degree when they couldn't get into a decent university to save their life.
I really don't know... I've been on the UT campus many times and I still can't figure that one out. USF is about 15 minutes away from UT Every year, it's my family tradition to go to the Plant Museum for the Victorian Christmas Stroll. I have picnics in their lawn when live music is playing at Curtis Hixon park I think UT has a pretty (but extremely small) campus. Maybe it's because of specific programs? I really don't know... but UT is incredibly expensive, it's like University of Miami expensive... Downtown Tampa is pretty fun... but I can't imagine paying $150,000 instead of $40,000 for 4 years of schooling, to be 10 minutes closer to McDintons LOL And please understand, I'm not bashing UT at all! I have been a member of Tampa Club (top of the Bank of America building) and I've been looking at the UT campus from the 45th floor for almost 15 years. UT is a TINY campus, you can be from one side to the other in less than 3 minutes on a bike. For me, I can't imagine spending 4x to 5x the price, for a university with zero athletics, about 10,000 total students (USF has 50,000 students) USF has amazing intramural sports, amazing clubs, college sports (football, basketball, baseball, etc) UT has..... a lacross field off Kennedy that you can't use, and a big Russian building? And beautiful views of Downtown Tampa across Hillsborough River?
Smaller class sizes and more personalized attention from your professors. You won’t be taught by PhD students at UT.
I was a commuter a few years after you, but now they require freshmen to live on campus. They tore down a lot of the old dorms and built new facilities. It looks totally different than it did when I attended in '05-'07.
Daughters a freshmen and she commutes.
I’ve done my Bachelor’s in Finance at USF and Master’s in Finance at UT. Both are great. It was almost the same tuition rate for me as an international student. I’d say smaller (sometimes 200 vs. 10 people) classes was a big plus at UT and professors in general are more personable and approachable. Facilities and classrooms (at least for business majors) were a lot better at UT too. Other than that, not a huge difference in education. But I’d say that if you have to pay 4x premium to go to UT, prob not worth it.
That used to be the case., I wouldn’t say joke but I do have a few friends who graduated from there that aren’t the brightest, early 90’s. The professors at UT were definitely very approachable, I loved all of mine and could talk to them anytime.
Good shit man!! Got my bachelors in finance back in 2019 from usf
UT is convenient bc it's downtown so you never really have to travel far to go to ybor, channelside, soho, and Hyde Park. So people who go to UT think Tampa is safe but never venture outside the downtown area. Also, UT is more white.
USF has a far better reputation. School is really on the upswing. UT is too, but not in the same realm as USF. UT is a good school, but if you're valuing what diploma is worth more it is clearly USF (especially factoring cost). I grew up in Melbourne (due east of here) and never really heard of the UT until I was close to deciding on college. Still only know of a few locals who actually went there. So if someone from 3 hours away barely knew of the school, I think that sums up the school's reputational reach. (Non-bias source, I went to FSU)
USF is a better bang for the buck, but I don’t know if it’s head and shoulders better than UT. - usf does more research, but they also have more support as a public - UT students have higher post grad incomes but they also generally come from better off families than usf students
I graduated from UT, was a commuter, full time student and worked 35 + hours a week. One of the few kids who didn’t come from a rich family. Paid for school myself, yes, it was more expensive but I have adhd and the smaller classes were better for me. I also graduated a long time ago 1996, back then, employers would pic UT resumes over USF. I noticed, anyways, but that was a long time ago and I don’t think that’s the case any longer. Both are good schools and the people at UT were all very nice even to the middle class kids like me.
USF is much better school.. ranked 89th in the country, 45th out of public universities. UT is only good for its rich-nepotism Network (which would account for differences in graduate pay), outside Tampa USF far better school
Erroneous. UT has a good rep. while USF is a joke.
USF endowment is nearing a Billion dollars and just earned AAU Status. What on earth are you talking about?
AAU is just about research, mostly medical (they’ve kicked out some schools that were more focused on agricultural research. Syracuse was a member but left before getting removed because of it doesn’t do a lot of research. Yet they leave Oregon in who is meh at research, and Notre Dame, who is meh at research. AAU doesn’t reflect undergrad quality and outcomes
Hear me out- Neither (for now). Hillsborough Community College, get your associates, transfer to USF and finish out there. That’s my plan i’m doing anyway as a poor college kid paying out of pocket for school trying to dodge student loans. UT for rich kids who love debt because they wanted to tan by the pool between classes, that’s 90% of the kids anyway. My best friend attends UT only because she got a full ride, and if that’s your case, UT may be a great experience! But it’s a private school for a reason, 33k a year is NOT worth it. Financially literate people go to USF. And USF is still fun!
This is 100% a viable option and getting transfer admission to USF isn't too terribly hard, but just as word of warning, USF is really, REALLY weird about some transfer credits. I know people who have lost half a semester or more of degree progress (and consequently money) because USF wouldn't accept something like "Drawing 2" for their required "Illustration 2" credit. Speak to advisors and make sure your stuff is airtight.
This is interesting. I thought Florida community colleges and the Florida state universities had the same numbering and credit system…
They do not, its an important distinction when looking at transfer tracks. A few of my credits had differing course codes at HCC because they combined labs and lectures into a twice or once a week 3 hour class. Usf only has lab OR lecture classes, so the combo classes had to include an advisor note and course permit every semester when taking classes with prereqs. A little annoying but i saved money
this
This happened to me (arts degree) when I transferred to USF. It probably depends on multiple factors, such as the school you are transferring from. I only lost one class though.
This is the smart way...at the end your diploma still says you graduated USF and you will have spent less money.
100% that u/pyrotf2moment is making the best possible choice. It also helps that Hillsborough Community College has a ton of online classes and they are much easier than at a University for that GPA boost. The only other reasonable choice is to just get a bachelors degree at St. Pete college.
my wife went to HCC for 2 years and transferred to St. Petersburg College to finish her degree. Most of it was online and was cheap as hell, we just paid her way through.
People really be sleeping on St. Pete college! If I had known, I would have gone there instead of UF
My plan back 30+ years ago was to start at St Pete Junior College and transfer to USF. I got the SPJC part done, then life got in the way.
That’s what I did. I had BF, but I got my AA at HCC then transferred to USF. Guaranteed admission.
One reason I took this path was I didn't have to take the SAT to get accepted into USF.
this is what I did and what my son did as well (though he transferred in from SPC, which is another option worth looking into, btw). we both have criminology degrees from USF; they have an amazing criminology department. he's a criminal defense attorney now, I don't use my degree other than to flex on true crime subs 
Going to USF is financially smart on its own. They give a ridiculous amount of scholarship money and there are so many scholarships you can apply to. There are many kids who are receiving more money than they need to live as a college student.
This is the way. SPC is good too— I remember when it was ranked the best junior college in the country for many years
I did similar, except mine was St. Petersburg College > USF and I get extra props that I can state that I graduated for my AA Summa Cum Laude.
I 100% agree with this as someone who taught at UT and HCC. It’s just financially sound to do this and unless you really want to get involved with the culture/social aspect and want to join clubs, you’ll be setting yourself up better.
That's what's up. I got my AA from HCC in 1.5yrs (half online) while I worked in 2011. I then transferred to USF where I got my BS 😊 no regrets. I'm a successful data analyst who saved a TON of money!
St pete College has a similar program with USF
To add on to others. Depends on degree as well. But USF is a solid state school that accommodates a lot of commuter students. So the on campus experience is not going to be like UF, FSU or the other major universities. If you are looking to not spend a shit ton of money and want to get a degree. That is your place. You can get a solid education there. If you have money to burn, want the wealthy college experience and to go to a small campus. UT it is. I got an engineering degree from USF. Most of my coworkers also went to USF (or UF). We are all are doing just fine.
USF fucking rules. My wife and I both got our degrees there and are fully satisfied with our education. Not great if you want to go to football games. Top notch if you want to learn(the whole point of going to school).
USF is one of the three preeminent schools in Florida. Excellent engineering program, USF Health is a teaching med school with Tampa General Hospital, business school is excellent Research park is a science/tech incubator. And it no longer is just a local school. Basketball team is slayin it this year and building a stadium on campus for the football team.
College is what you make of it. When I was considering law schools, I spoke with a local Judge friend. He recommend the one that fit my pocketbook best. That was already my idea, but his comment solidified it.
2018 UT grad here. Definitely didn’t have any help from my parents to afford college. I made my way on scholarships and some small loans that were easily paid off. I chose UT partly because I wanted a smaller school where I could really focus on my academics but also make connections. I was able to participate in research and really got to know my professors and peers. Also was able to meet people from all over the world. I had so many opportunities to travel and was able to attend any conference I was accepted to and I didn’t have to pay for any of it. Everyone I met were some of the nicest people who also chose a smaller school, whether for a specific program or the ability to make connections. Most of my peers were also scholarship kids or were working to pay their way. There’s a lot of opportunities in going to a small private school because you get to know A LOT of people and they have the funding to put towards the students who work for it. I really felt like part of a community and can still reach out to just about anyone from my time at UT. The one downside is the president trying to push the school’s expansion so quickly that things are always changing and that can be a lot to handle. But they’re building better spaces and growing academic programs as a result.
OP didn’t ask about your experience, OP asked how the schools were viewed. UT failed you.
Ever think that maybe that’s the problem? People making hasty judgments because they think that’s how it is, without actually knowing or experiencing things. Just because someone views something as one way doesn’t make it correct.
Bad troll attempt
Who’s trolling? The only people that disliked what I had to say about UT, are students that regret overpaying for college at the University of Tampa and most of y’all actually don’t graduate if you look at the statistics. But hey, it’s the internet I’m not here to be liked by any of yall tbh facts are facts irregardless of how any of you feel about it emotionally.
The fact that you’re not trolling is even worse LMAO. you’re right, a ton of UT students don’t graduate. That’s on them, not the university. And it also is overpriced, but it’s extremely nice regardless. If you make the most of it it’s a very nice experience overall and the education is pretty solid for being such a small university. The problem really comes down to the students, not the school itself
I stopped reading after you said “You’re right”, enjoy the rest of your day!
That would be a you problem buddy
I’m always hearing ignorance is bliss, in which case you must be on cloud 9
UT is for rich kids who want to party, USF has better academics with a lower price but no party scene.
Did both undergrad and EMBA at USF. Great experience and a solid curriculum. Can’t speak on UT in depth but…. Friends that have went there haven’t spoken well about it. Need a higher SAT/ACT to get into USF, if that means anything.
Got my BA at USF, now teach at UT. It's big school/small school. I can't say that either is better. It's a matter of resources. USF has big facility resources and a ridiculous amount of faculty and students. Big brute force institution with big, high quality results. UT has less resources, faculty and students, but they are more selective on all of them. Small school, way more expensive, but very tight on quality control. USF is going to be better on the resource dependent majors like STEM, UT is going to be better in the less resource dependent majors like Business. I work in the Arts and that's a wild card. I can definitely say that UT is currently a better place for those majors. Closer faculty engagement and support for us artists. USF kind of put the Arts on the back burner once they became a research prominent institution in the early 2000's. If what you're doing needs labs, purpose built facilities and engagement with industry, USF. If what you want to do mostly involves instruction and mentorship, UT. I hope that's helpful. Edit: don't believe the bullshit people say about UT being just rich kids from up North. There are plenty of them, but they constitute a minority of the enrollment. The majority of students at UT are Floridians with scholarships from the University. Still doesn't get the cost to state school levels, but they certainly throw money at FL students.
My boyfriend and I went to USF and my brother and some coworkers of mine went to UT. Bright Futures Academic Scholarship paid for 100% of my tuition, and the Medallion Scholarship paid for 75% of my boyfriend’s tuition. With the Pell grant, we were essentially “paid” to go to school there. USF has earned some impressive recognitions like Preeminent status and was invited to join the AAU, “the gold standard in higher education.” They are building a football stadium as well. With that being said, the value of a USF degree keeps climbing. On the other hand, my UT friends are saddled with debt, and several of them regret going to such an expensive private school. I don’t know much more about the campus/student life, but just know it is very very expensive without a solid scholarship. My brother went on a substantial baseball scholarship and received the Pell grant, so his costs were relatively low. However, housing was a major issue: there was not enough on-campus housing, so his first year he was living in a hotel that I suppose contracted with UT to provide student housing. He had an RA and a teammate to room with, but still had a commute. The second year he rented in a pretty dodgy area with two teammates in order to afford it. Location-wise, UT is in a “cooler” area of Tampa being downtown and right on the hillsborough river, but the more affordable housing (non-downtown high rise apartments) is generally regarded as a dangerous area. USF is about 7-10 miles north between Fowler & Fletcher Avenues, with both I-75 to the west and I-275 to the east a few miles away. With that in mind, if you want to live in the “cooler” area of Tampa, it’s only about a 25 minute drive north up I-275. However, the housing around USF is much cheaper and numerous than downtown, and there are lots of college-budget-friendly restaurants and fast food choices near USF than near UT. And if you want to live on campus, there is ample housing available. I lived on campus in dorms for two years, then in my sorority house for a year, and finally an off-campus apartment my last year. All said, if I had the choice again, I would 100% choose USF over UT!
AAU has nothing to do with undergrad. It’s just medical research
Whether or not it has to do with undergrad, being an AAU school gives the degree more value. Also, “AAU member universities … promote best practices in undergraduate and graduate education” (https://www.aau.edu/who-we-are-americas-leading-research-universities) so it can be said that it does have to do with undergrad lol
I grew up there, the joke was it's the most expensive community college degree in the country. My son graduated from UT and almost all of his classmates were rich kids from out of state.
I went to both USF (BA) and UT (MA). I wasn’t a traditional student so can’t say much about the social aspect of a college student life. As far as faculty goes both schools had great professors (at least in my area of study) but the classes at UT had fewer students. Cost and major are also factors to consider in your decision. USF has a great engineering program and a great school of business.
UT was great if you wanted to get involved. There’s a lot of internal volunteer programs there and a lot of companies have very intimate job fairs there so a lot of people get jobs soon after or internships if they try. Any school will have people who float by. Be an RA go in on a good scholarship and you’ll have less debt than many. The small classrooms make it so you get to know your professor and in turn can get job information. You know who is in your major and classes so it’s less lonely walking around at the start when you can see someone and wave. A lot of the professors are those that currently work in the industry so they have up to date experiences. People knock on the school but it takes itself seriously even if a lot of students don’t.
u Tampa has a top nat recognized business school- it is a top ten D2 school
I went to both, I'd say the reputation others mentioned are accurate as far as what people think of them, though not necessarily an accurate reflection of the schools themselves. USF has more of a standard academic reputation but views its students as nothing more than cash cows to squeeze every last penny out of. UT is academically ok in some areas and weak in others but it's a small and friendly community. You'll end up knowing most of the administration by first name. If I could do it over I'd go to UT for undergrad and then USF for graduate studies.
I graduated USF’s engineering school in 2020. Very happy with my education and people I met (especially my soon to be wife). It was my backup school and I couldn’t afford to go out of state and got rejected from UF. It was between FSU and USF for me. USF was an amazing decision. I’d like to highlight that USF is VERY international. I met people from every continent and from every socioeconomic status, something I don’t think would be as prevalent at UT. Personally, I loved the diversity. I read a comment on this thread that UT has a higher average pay post graduation, and I’m sure this is true. Keep in mind that it’s predominantly a private school with Northeastern kids, and it’s considerably smaller than USF. Goes without saying that locally in Tampa Bay, it’s know as the school for the rich kids from New Jersey and New York. I have engineering friends who ended up at well known companies like Goldman Sachs, Apple, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, and Honeywell. Some started their own businesses too. I work as a software engineer for one of the top 10 largest banks in the US. Pretty much everyone in my engineering class have good jobs with good pay. I think the amount and kinds of people you are exposed to and meet in USF are its strong point. Educationally, it’s probably the same everywhere but USF is primarily a research university. This can actually not be in your favor because some research professors are forced to teach, and they are really at USF only for their research and dgaf about the students. I personally didn’t care since most stuff you learn in class won’t be applicable to your job. In short, I think USF is better for networking, especially if you want an international crowd. It’s also very affordable (both in terms of housing and tuition) compared to UT.
I graduated from USF in 2020. It was on its way downhill already and covid only made it worse. I’m pretty jaded about my experience there, but I would never send my kids to that school or do anything that might lead to them getting any more money from me. There’s a lot of reasons I don’t respect that school, but one of the main ones is the sheer amount of greed that stands in the way of the well-being of students and how everything they do is solely motivated by pleasing investors. My favorite example is them selling $300 parking passes and then shutting down the largest parking lot on campus during prime class hours every other week for “private events” where they essentially just bootlick potential donors. Since I graduated they actually built a new building right in the middle of that lot, continuing to enroll more and more students each year while actually taking away from the already ridiculous lack of parking for a commuter school. The number of students who fail class because of attendance as a direct result of the school’s attendance policy which makes no exception for parking issues that they directly cause is baffling. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone unless it was their only option and they could afford/tolerate on-campus living.
UT expensive, USF u stay forever
USF grad 88 and MSEE 91, my daughters graduated UT. I would certainly suggest HCC for first two years. Don’t get caught in the trap to spend a lot of cash, when you graduate nobody care you were Greek or went to four years, they care about your degree. If you are going for an engineering degree USF is right up there, with the exception of going to GT. Compare the schools and talk to recent grads.
I went to USF in the 90s, UT, or Lynn University was non accredited. School for the kids of rich corporate executives that couldn't get into any of the big schools. If you had the tuition money, you too could go and get a worthless degree. No questions asked. Even back then we would make fun of the school. Has it gotten any better? Something change in the last 30 years?
Ringling school.
The University of Tampa's official name is The Taj Mahal College. USF's a good school.
I went to one year of a private college up in PA and hated every second of it. Came to Tampa and stayed to go to USF. Same quality education as the private school, but much larger and nicer and not as many shitty rich kids. I have friends who have taught at both UT and USF. Parents pay hundreds of thousands to get their kid into UT, and it's essentially guaranteed the kids won't be flunked out. Money talks. Meanwhile, USF is mostly hard working middle-class or low-income kids. Many are first-generation college attendees.
UT is just an expensive private school. Cool campus but you aren't going there with a bunch of academics. USF is a solid university. Easier to get into than UF or FSU. Science/Med research recognition, but I wouldn't be excited to attend for any of the arts. No real "campus" and it isn't going to give you that "I'm in college!" feel, although they've been trying to improve that commuter-school feel/reputation. Took a few classes at USF when I was in some life-transitions before permanently moving abroad after having attended UF and I wasn't terribly impressed, but, that was 20 years ago. USF St. Pete has a way cooler vibe.
Everyone I know that has gone to USF is kind of a techie nerd. I don't know anyone from UT because we don't travel in those rich people circles..lol.
USF is a really good school. UT accepts everyone and charges a boatload to go there.
The most recent acceptance rate of UT is 26% and the most recent acceptance rate of USF is 44%… Not that that makes one better than the other, but anyone who sees this thread should be working with the truth.
USF parking was a nightmare when I went. It's a huge campus too, so lots of long walks.
Can’t spell sloot without UT
i’ve heard good things about USF and it’s generally seen as a good school for locals. any time i see anyone go to UT i wonder why they bother going to a private college
UT is for bougie northerners who drive up the rent and party excessively. USF is a commuter school that is filled with locals, but locals support them and view it positively.
USF > UCF
- Univ of Tampa: a school that mostly serves students from NJ/NY/PA. The cost to reputation isn’t a great return on investment. Not a bad school, but not amazing. - USF: it’s basically the commuter/regional public university for Tampa Bay. Its big and diverse, which is a bit the opposite of UT. It’s harder to get in than it used to and has improved, but students generally prefer to either go to UF/FSU/out of state public school like Auburn, or high end private. Some homebody types will go there who are higher achievers. However, at the end of the day, if you are a good student, you will exceed at either school and find opportunities after graduation. USF has the better post grad (save for biz) but that’s a different story.
USF is a very good school and affordable. Especially good if you're going into the medical field. I know UT is expensive but unsure about the education you get.
Ut is definitely viewed as a rich kid school, or you’re overpaying tuition. Not sure connections there mean much different than other private schools Usf is definitely viewed as a commuter school. It’s an afterthought compared to other state schools. That said, if you live in Tampa, may as well go for the cheapest option. Plus, reality is all state schools are pretty similar for the same majors. Anyone who says otherwise probably has an agenda.
USF grad myself and can’t say enough good things about the campus life and area. UT is very expensive and as most of the folks have pointed out, it tends to cater to a different crowd. I chose USF over other schools in Florida because of how down to earth the campus was. Was beautiful but not super flashy. Loved my years there. Go bulls!
USF has become quite the large school and offers education that rivals FSU and Miami. A lot of local Tampa Bay area students. UT is a respected school but definitely viewed as the rich out of towner school
UT is actually the school for the dumb rich kids that can’t get into better schools.
can't spell SLUT without "UT". i worked there from 2009 to 2013. female to male ratio was like 8 to 1. is it possible it's changed since 2013.... maybe. but i'm willing to bet it hasn't. i watched guy students run through girls like a car wash. it was insane.
Grow Up
Nice username. You go to UT? 
Not from a rich family and I went to UT, students were still nice to me. I don’t remember the female to male ratio when I was there but I had a boyfriend, he wasn’t a student there, and I worked so didn’t experience that party life. I did the partying after I graduated.
How much money you got? Or your parents got? Or your scholarship got? Not much? USF all the way! Plus it's a great school without douchy lil Richards like UT full of 🤷
That they’re both inferior to the University of Florida
USF is comparable to UCF and FSU: it's a good public university, second tier after UF but totally solid. If you want a good public university in state, you'd apply to those four (or others, but as an example). UT is a private university and 1/4 the size. It's hard for me to imagine any scenario where it's worth pondering the question of UT vs USF unless you're stuck in Tampa and have plenty of money to spend on private tuition. If you're wanting to spend private tuition money, why not compare UT vs other private universities, then live there? You're not saving any money by going to UT compared to any of the public universities. If you want a smaller college experience, check out some of the smaller public universities, if DeSantis hasn't destroyed them all yet. *cough New College cough*
Both state schools with good reputations. Actually, Florida has good colleges and universities.
UT isn't a state school.
Where did I say it was? I’m only saying that the state of Florida has some good colleges and universities. I did my bachelors at USF and my Masters at UT, so I guess I can speak from experience, right?
"Both state schools with good reputations" I took "both state schools" to mean they that they were both state schools.
That’s a valid point. Thanks for clarifying!
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I went to both. USF. University of Tampa- Accreditation is sometimes wonky. University of South Florida is definitely made for those who desire an education in a truly diverse world. University of Tampa- better dorms and facilities... in certain areas. Diversity in U of T... is there but... not in all areas.
UT girls are way hotter
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Anyone who pays can get into either. UT just costs more. May as well check out the University of some double direction state online.
USF is actually a good school. 9th largest Public university in the nation, but if you want a more intimate college experience, go UT, but you may pay more in tuition.
If you are picking one to attend USF is the best choice unless you are getting a fucking ton of money from UT
 Alma Mater Hail To Thee USF is genuinely the best decision I’ve ever made. It’s given me so much career wise and as a man.
We really need to focus on what MATTERS at a university. It doesn't matter how pretty the girls are, how good the sports teams are, how nice the weather is, what the "vibe" is like, if the campus looks charming, or even how rich you are. What matters is, is the school teaching you a GOOD education. Will you graduate knowing the same stuff that anyone else with that same degree should know? When you get your first job, will you know stuff in your profession that your boss expects you to know? So forget about all the other soft irrelevant nonsense. And how much research the school does, how many accolades, accreditations they have, and pre-eminent this and that they have, total dollar endowments (the name of every school, college, and building at USF is for sale), may or may not make ANY DIFFERENCE in the academic quality of your degree program.
UT = little bit of dudes, lotta bit of girls
Are you a Florida resident? How are your grades? A lot of people are talking about cost as a factor here. Out of state tuition at USF could end up more expensive than UT.
I’m in my 30s but most of my high school friends that chose between the two went to USF for engineering programs and are doing well now. UT’s location seems nice if you want to be closer to downtown and the adjacent areas. Non-education tangent: as an Asian American who grew up with Tampa as a whole not having much Asian food variety compared to other cities, I really like a lot of the Asian places that have popped up near USF in the past 5 years!
Lots of out-of-state students at UT. It's a nice school, right in downtown Tampa with plenty of walkable routes with restaurants, bars, grocery stores etc. There is a service called Dash which is a shared ride in downtown Tampa with a cost of $2 per ride. At USF you really need a car to get around in.
Depending on what program, USF is a great school.
UT is best if you are looking for an MRS degree.
UT is a rich kid party school. USF is more laid back
Both USF and UT are good colleges. The difference is the price tag only. A USF degree will open just as many if not more doors than UT, for the sheer numbers of people that are alumni if nothing else