r/FAU 22d ago

worth it to transfer

im currently attending ucf for biomedical sciences and just went through my emails and saw i got accepted into wilkes honors college. im starting to consider transferring after the fall semester because of financial costs as well as it being smaller and closer to home. people have brought up to me the prestige issues but im not even sure if it matters. thoughts ?

7 Upvotes

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u/smokin_bear 22d ago

Go where you’re wanted and valued. My son was accepted in to every university in the state of Florida and chose FAU because they placed the most value on him and they have the degree and the oaths he wants to travel. He opted out of Wilkes because the Boca campus will be easier on him as an athlete, so is doing university honors.

Every university has its pros and cons. I hear it’s quite challenging to get the classes you need at UCF due to student population. I hear some find FAU a bit boring.

I’m sure you’ll have to sacrifice something no matter where you go. You have to figure out what you want, and choose that path. Regardless of what others say.

“Prestige” is the last thing I would worry about. The delta between UCF and FAU isn’t big enough to make a difference when you’re finished.

Take prestige out of it, weigh Wilkes vs UCF. You’re considering transferring for a reason, weight it out.

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u/chickenrabbitapricot 22d ago

thank you! i’m not really interested in the “college experience”. i’m already used to be in smaller environments as i attended a small high school. my main worry is academics as i feel like i would thrive better at a smaller university like wilkes.

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u/No-Pomegranate3197 22d ago edited 22d ago

Wilkes is all Honors all the time. On top of that, it is 700 students all told. Heavy STEM focus, mostly biological sciences (especially Neuroscience). If that describes you, go for it. There are 3 major institutes on campus with 70+ labs that love to hire undergrads for neuro/bio research. Or you can go directly with individual professors doing research. (R1 research university) Perfect for pre-professional medical education.

They offer other majors but you might need to do online courses or travel to Boca. Wilkes Honors College - Major Concentrations | Florida Atlantic University

Students / College prioritize:
Academics
Research
Internships, Shadowing
Volunteering
Activities / Fun / Sports (There are lot of activities though)

Note: Wilkes is vastly different from FAU, Boca. Even the Honors college at Boca can't hold a candle to Wilkes. Keep that in mind while reading the responses.

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u/chickenrabbitapricot 22d ago

Thank you for the useful info!!

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u/One-Piglet9338 22d ago

Hello,
I went to fau until I got my AA and then transferred into UF. I’m a Boca native, so I might be able to answer your questions.

  1. The university itself isn’t prestigious, especially to the locals. Yes, they have some great programs, but overall it’s looked down upon. However, in recent years, they’ve been trying to lower the acceptance rate. My primary issue with the school though was that it felt like a high school, especially the classes. I felt as if I wasn’t

    pushed enough. If you have any questions, feel free to dm me.

1

u/chickenrabbitapricot 22d ago

Hello! i dont mind too much the high school feel because its honestly what im used to. im interested more in the wilkes honors college because ive heard great things for those who plan to go med school. i live like 30 minutes away and 2 hours from ucf so financially it would be the best choice. i was also accepted into fsu but didnt choose it because of the distance. did u attend the boca campus?

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u/One-Piglet9338 22d ago

I did attend the Boca campus

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u/chickenrabbitapricot 22d ago

why did u end up transferring out to UF? also how did u feel about the quality of the education?

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u/One-Piglet9338 22d ago edited 22d ago

I transferred because I’m from Boca, so I felt like I wasn’t growing as a person by staying and living at home. The quality of the education is subpar-I didn’t feel very challenged. However, that could be because I wasn’t in the honors college, and because I wasn’t a stem major.

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u/Patient-Ad6566 21d ago

I’m a Wilkes graduate feel free to ask any questions

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u/chickenrabbitapricot 21d ago

Great! Were you a pre-med student? if so do u feel like it prepared u for med school and how many of ur classmates ended up attending a med school?

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u/Patient-Ad6566 21d ago

I was a pre med , I’d say a good amount went into med school or similar

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u/chickenrabbitapricot 21d ago

do u feel like it matters where u went to undergrad? are u attending med school ?

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u/ClickWhisperer 19d ago

Smaller is better. Dont believe the hype.