by London Nusinzon and Kat Brabson

Besides warm weather, sandy beaches, and picturesque landscapes, the state of Florida has many distinguished universities for students to choose from. Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, FL was founded in 1851 and is one of the oldest universities in the state. This respectable school gives students the opportunity to attend a D1 school with an intensive sports program, eighteen academic schools, and a unique study abroad program that allows students to experience different cultures. 

Officially designated as a preeminent research university by the Florida Legislature (FSU website), this rigorous school has so much to offer for incoming freshman and those looking to earn their next degree. On its massive campus of 1,696 acres, are 383 buildings and slightly over 43,000 students coming from an impressive 130 countries. The excellent student-to-faculty is 21:1; additionally, the college has 276 degree programs ranging from bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, specialist, and professional degrees. 

“I chose FSU because it has a large variety of options to choose from for my major. I also chose it because of it being a large State school and I wanted that style,” said former Editor-in-Chief Emmalee Mayor. Instead of starting on the Tallahassee campus, she spent her first few months of college learning and exploring Italy. “It was definitely a life-changing experience. I was kind of thrown into a whole other world, and it helped me become more independent,” she said. 

FSU offers a one-of-a-kind traveling abroad program for students like Mayor who are interested in travel. “I love traveling and experiencing other cultures so it was amazing to be in Italy for those first months of my college career,” she stated. 

Students can transform their personal views of the world and reshape their future careers, with a multitude of study abroad programs such as Beyond Borders and Global Exchanges available to them. With culturally rich travel destinations and an incredible itinerary for each, students can experience authentic cuisine, see highly coveted tourist destinations, and explore a new country all while getting their education. (Going Abroad, FSU Global). 

Graduates walk away with more independence and with special memories of all the days they spent abroad. “My best memory is probably of just me and all of my friends wandering the streets late at night. The one special night I remember felt like a movie and everything was just so much fun,” Mayor commented. 

The FSU environment is very uplifting and provides the push students need to become more self-sufficient and goal-oriented.  “College life is a lot more independent than high school. No one really cares what other people do because that’s not what life’s about, it’s about your own goals,” Mayor noted. “Florida State University is just an amazing school all around. Its main campus is in a sunny place and they have even more campuses around the world, each unique in its own way, which is amazing.” 

High school seniors considering this school may be wondering why it could be the right fit for them. According to senior Annabelle Argeles, “ Figure out what factors are important to you and there are so many things that could be the overall cost of a college, specific majors offered, the location, athletics…” and “…if you know what major you want to study in college, look for schools that have really good programs. I would also look up rankings. I really liked Niche, which is a free app you can get, but it is really easy to compare a college to another college with rankings.

Another perk of joining the FSU seminoles? “I know specifically, Florida State University has a circus program. While I’m not interested in joining the circus, I think that would be really cool to go and watch. They also have a movie theater on campus and you can have free admission to any home games, including the football games, which is really nice,” stated Argeles. 

Overall, FSU is a phenomenal D1 school with amazing programs and majors located in a prime location for students to get their degree and gain the experience they need to kick start their future careers.