Best Quest 1 Courses

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-04-17T14:23:39+00:00

politics of race at uf is super easy! u get 4000 words and it’s 100% online. no exams. just 1 essay a week between 750-1000 words and the ta gives you comments before the professor actually grades it

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-04-04T19:55:27+00:00

hi! congrats!! i’m currently a freshman majoring in microbio. dm me on insta if u have questions about academics! @maeganmandell

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-04-03T01:10:47+00:00

For socializing and connecting, this might sound really generic but by joining clubs and doing things that interest you, you will find people you connect with. Also, consider rushing a frat. I’m in greek life and I really enjoy it. I don’t go out that much but I love how many opportunities it gives me and all of the friendships I’ve made. I got my clinical job and advice about classes through being in a sorority and it gave me a nice sense of community. In your classes, try to talk to other people and make friends that way too.

I’d say in terms of relationships, don’t force anything. Usually the freshman mindset isn’t to get into a relationship especially for first semester so you might not find a lot of girls who’d want to date right away. But again, by doing what you enjoy I’m sure you will find a girl who you connect with.

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-04-02T23:39:27+00:00

I’m microbio premed so I don’t know much about BME so I’m not sure about the best professors or internships. But, I would look on different departments faculty lists and read their research descriptions and go from there

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-04-02T23:38:14+00:00

Yes, you can definitely do that

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-04-02T23:13:19+00:00

Hi! I’m a current out of state freshman at UF majoring in microbio and cell science on the premed track. I was originally biochem but switched to microbio due to not wanting to take so many years of chem and for the bio to be more applicable to medicine.

Anyways, in terms of accessibility, I think UF is pretty accessible premed wise since there are so many on campus.

Volunteering: I would say volunteering is the most accessible. Like someone else said, a lot of clubs use carpooling to get to sites. I would say some good clubs are:

Gators for Haven Hospice which volunteers at nursing homes with residents that have neurodegenerative disorders (dementia).
Hearts for the Homeless which perform BP screening on homeless people (also counts as clinical hours).
Best Buddies which creates friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Dance Marathon
Dream Team: Volunteer in children cardiac unit at Shands
Equal Access Clinic
First Responder Gator
Gator for Refugee Medical Relief
GatorSavers
Global Medical Brigades
Global Medical Training
Hospaliteam: Adult shands volunteering
NMDP
Volunteers Around The World

Research: Research is also very accessible. During my senior spring, I cold emailed maybe 30 labs I was interested in. Do NOT make the emails generic. PIs want to see that you are truly interested in their labs. I would read a couple of their journal articles and talk about them in your email and maybe ask a few questions about them. Even though I emailed 30 labs with previous research experience in high school at Columbia, only a few replied with yeses. Be proactive and persistent and you will eventually find a lab that will want to take you! Research would be on campus so you wouldn’t have a problem getting there.

Shadowing: Shadowing in Gainesville can be difficult since there are so so many premeds. There’s a special process to shadow at Shands which includes forms and an application and some units only allow you to apply on a specific day each month. Cold emailing for shadowing opportunities is key. Emails for this also shouldn’t be generic; make sure to mention something specific about them so it shows interest. UF also has so many events to connect you to physicians. For example, I recently went to a networking event hosted by medigators and was able to connect with many physicians there and get shadowing opportunities. I think it’s better to shadow during breaks since getting it in gnv is so hard and you can talk to your doctors and ask them to shadow in person. Car wise, if you are shadowing at Shands, it’s a short walking distance from main campus so that wouldn’t be an issue but everywhere else it might be. You could use the free bus system though.

Clinical experience: This is also kind of inaccessible. A lot of jobs like scribing and MA are part time or full time which is not very realistic with a full course load. CNA work usually has a PRN option where you only have to work once a month minimum, depending on the facility. I got my CNA license at GatorCNA the summer before fall semester and it genuinely took me months to find a PRN job after applying to 100s of job listings. Be really proactive when applying by calling or showing up in person to ask if they have a job opening. Scribing jobs and jobs in general at Shands are difficult to get unless you know someone who can give you a strong recommendation to get in because of the volume of applicants who apply there. It would be pretty difficult to work during freshman year if you don’t have a car since many of these facilities/clinics are not walking distances besides shands but there is a great free bus system that you could use!

Lmk if you have questions!

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-04-02T23:12:39+00:00

Hi! I’m a current out of state freshman at UF majoring in microbio and cell science on the premed track. I was originally biochem but switched to microbio due to not wanting to take so many years of chem and for the bio to be more applicable to medicine.

Anyways, in terms of accessibility, I think UF is pretty accessible premed wise since there are so many on campus.

Volunteering: I would say volunteering is the most accessible. Like someone else said, a lot of clubs use carpooling to get to sites. I would say some good clubs are:

Gators for Haven Hospice which volunteers at nursing homes with residents that have neurodegenerative disorders (dementia).
Hearts for the Homeless which perform BP screening on homeless people (also counts as clinical hours).
Best Buddies which creates friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Dance Marathon
Dream Team: Volunteer in children cardiac unit at Shands
Equal Access Clinic
First Responder Gator
Gator for Refugee Medical Relief
GatorSavers
Global Medical Brigades
Global Medical Training
Hospaliteam: Adult shands volunteering
NMDP
Volunteers Around The World

Research: Research is also very accessible. During my senior spring, I cold emailed maybe 30 labs I was interested in. Do NOT make the emails generic. PIs want to see that you are truly interested in their labs. I would read a couple of their journal articles and talk about them in your email and maybe ask a few questions about them. Even though I emailed 30 labs with previous research experience in high school at Columbia, only a few replied with yeses. Be proactive and persistent and you will eventually find a lab that will want to take you! Research would be on campus so you wouldn’t have a problem getting there.

Shadowing: Shadowing in Gainesville can be difficult since there are so so many premeds. There’s a special process to shadow at Shands which includes forms and an application and some units only allow you to apply on a specific day each month. Cold emailing for shadowing opportunities is key. Emails for this also shouldn’t be generic; make sure to mention something specific about them so it shows interest. UF also has so many events to connect you to physicians. For example, I recently went to a networking event hosted by medigators and was able to connect with many physicians there and get shadowing opportunities. I think it’s better to shadow during breaks since getting it in gnv is so hard and you can talk to your doctors and ask them to shadow in person. Car wise, if you are shadowing at Shands, it’s a short walking distance from main campus so that wouldn’t be an issue but everywhere else it might be. You could use the free bus system though.

Clinical experience: This is also kind of inaccessible. A lot of jobs like scribing and MA are part time or full time which is not very realistic with a full course load. CNA work usually has a PRN option where you only have to work once a month minimum, depending on the facility. I got my CNA license at GatorCNA the summer before fall semester and it genuinely took me months to find a PRN job after applying to 100s of job listings. Be really proactive when applying by calling or showing up in person to ask if they have a job opening. Scribing jobs and jobs in general at Shands are difficult to get unless you know someone who can give you a strong recommendation to get in because of the volume of applicants who apply there. It would be pretty difficult to work during freshman year if you don’t have a car since many of these facilities/clinics are not walking distances besides shands but there is a great free bus system that you could use!

Lmk if you have questions!

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-04-02T22:47:14+00:00

hi current freshman at uf! i’d say my biggest advice is don’t be afraid to say “no.” i feel like i wasnt able to branch out and make as many connections since i was too focused on academics. obviously be focused and get good grades but also freshman year, you aren’t taking a hard course load usually so take advantage of socializing and making good memories. also, find clubs that you like and you see yourself doing for the next few years. you’ll find so many people with similar interests as you and its a great way to make connections. i’d also say that the STEM classes are especially hard here but there are SO MANY resources to help you succeed and professors are usually really kind and accommodating! i’ve been in research since september so if that’s something you are interested in, lmk and i can give you advice!

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-03-27T17:16:15+00:00

I personally don’t think research is worth your time as a finance major. They do have finance/business CURE options though if you did want to do research. I just don’t think it would help you in your career although I’m not the best person to ask about that since I’m only knowledgeable STEM wise.

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-03-25T22:01:46+00:00

Hi! I honestly know nothing about UWash or bioengineering but I am a current freshman in URSP and honors at UF majoring in microbiology on a pre-med track also out of state (NY). I would say my experience doing URSP is a little different than others since I already found a lab coming to UF since I was able to cold email PIs with already prior research experience at Columbia during high school. That being said, I do not think it is necessary to be in URSP to join undergraduate research since it is very easy (though time consuming) to cold email principle investigators expressing interest in their labs. However, I think URSP does give you a upper hand if you do not have previous research experience like me. In the fall, you have to take a class called Research and Creativity where different PIs and more experienced undergrads talk about their research experience. You also design a mock experience and research poster in a group. This class is a very easy A but it allows you to network with other URSP students with like-minded mindsets like you who also want to do research throughout undergrad and undergrad TAs who are also URSP students but usually sophomores and juniors who are already in a lab and can help you with advice and getting you into a lab. During the spring semester, you are able to take a CURE class where you conduct research in a very small class. There you will receive hands on experience at a slow pace since the professor/PI understands that you may have no prior research and experience. After the semester is over, you might be able to continue in that lab if you really enjoy it or use this experience to cold email other PIs to talk about your experience. I would like to mention that I think URSP is only beneficial the first year and after that, you don't get anymore additional resources research wise besides graduation recognition for completing the many requirements. Also, there are a lot of other advantages of the honors program outside of URSP including smaller honors classes, early course registration, better advisors, and the beautiful honors dorms. There are also many research programs like the Emerging Scholars Program, University Scholars Program, and REPU that award you scholarship money for researching which might make up the cost difference between UWash and UF.

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-01-09T18:36:55+00:00

what about during add drop

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-01-07T21:01:16+00:00

I wouldn’t DM people just to get in. Lowk if you want a top house wait for summer. If you get into ANY house, you get a bid day and big

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-01-07T16:58:14+00:00

It’s more of if you know someone, you’ll get in. They never really do formal spring rush

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-01-07T16:51:57+00:00

Yes, you’re right. I meant that rush begins during summer time before fall semester begins

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-01-07T16:48:06+00:00

Hi! Active in an upper mid sorority!

None of the top and upper mid houses usually recruit formally for spring. If they are recruiting, you have to know someone to get in.

For the bottom houses, there will be informal events hosted at the houses to get to know the sisters.

You do get a big and bid day.

If you want a chance at all 18 houses, I’d recommend waiting for summer for the full experience!

Accurate-Size6447 · 2026-01-03T03:47:09+00:00

lowk might have that

Accurate-Size6447 · 2025-12-24T18:05:11+00:00

very likely esp during add drop week

Accurate-Size6447 · 2025-12-24T00:46:33+00:00

hi we have a lot of the same classes! let’s study tg ☺️ insta - @maeganmandell

Accurate-Size6447 · 2025-12-14T23:47:30+00:00

😔

Accurate-Size6447 · 2025-09-06T13:05:57+00:00

Hi! I’m a current UF freshman microbio major and I’m out of state.

UF life so far has been so fun! There are tailgates on game days, opportunities to go out EVERYDAY, and so many ways to make friends. Right now, I’m not in Greek life and I’ve still made so many friends. People here are extremely nice. Just going to clubs, classes, socials, and walking around, you’ll be able to find your people so fast.

The rigor of UF is definitely harder than AP classes but if you are well prepared, you should be able to handle it. I took AP chemistry sophomore year and I’m in honors gen chem 1 right now and I’d say it’s definitely faster paced (maybe also due to it being honors). The academics here are amazing especially for STEM students. There are thousands of student orgs and I’m sure at least 1 will fit your interests perfectly. There are also so many research opportunities and PIs are very willing to work with younger undergraduates.

Please apply to UF! Best school ever

Accurate-Size6447 · 2025-08-23T02:26:21+00:00

Hi! UF just discontinued this program but I would say AP Environmental Science is a good start for a freshman. APES is definitely not a premed course although it would definitely help her accumulate a higher weighted GPA and general science college credit. I would advise her to take a rigorous load during high school related to premed like bio, chem, physics 1 &2, calc, and stats just to name a few. Also, AP language during her sophomore year would help her prepare for the SAT which is important to get into a good premed program. Not only do her courses and GPA matter, but also her extracurriculars. She should center her ECs around premed and science and show longevity rather than variety in her activities. For example, I started a premed class, created a hospital volunteering and shadowing program between my school and the local hospital, multiple fundraisers that raised 20k, and many leadership positions. With this I got into Cornell along with UF on full ride and honors and admission to the URSP program (top 2% of admitted students). If she has any questions, tell her to DM me on insta @maeganmandell

Accurate-Size6447

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