<p>Wow…Calif is now ranked #6 for sending kids to Bama…it was #8 a couple of years ago. :)</p>
<p>Texas is #2</p>
<p>Illinois is #5</p>
<p>Calif is #6</p>
<p>Virginia is #7</p>
<p>N. carolina #8</p>
<p>Penn is #9</p>
<p>Ohio is #10</p>
<p>The significance of states like these is that they do not border the state of Alabama. When publics can draw significant numbers of students from non-bordering states, that gets special attention.</p>
<p>The above is also a very significant stat. Those who were fretting that admitting so many OOS students would mean that fewer instate kids would get accepted. But, the instate number of frosh rose as well. *</p>
<p>I find it interesting that Texas is #2 when it is not a contiguous state. I know there are probably several reasons not the least of which is TX top 10/9/8% rule.</p>
<p>Yes, the % rule at Texas is a factor. Many strong students fall below those % (especially those attending private HSs).</p>
<p>Calif has a similar issue. The top 4% have a guaranteed spot in one of the lower tier UCs (like R, M, SC), but getting a spot in the upper UCs has become almost a lottery win. The UC system weights GPA unusually high to prevent most of the seats at UCLA and Cal going to upper-middle clas kids in suburbia or other high rent areas. </p>
<p>In other threads I mentioned meeting 10 Calif families at Parent Weekend whose students’ were all from the same HS. They had been shut out of Cal and UCLA, and they wanted to attend a big Div 1 football school. (UC Davis has football, but not the same as UCLA or Cal. So, they came to Bama. ) </p>
<p>The Calif UCs have also become too expensive for a number of families that earn beyond Cal Grants and Blue and Gold promise (more than $80k per year). The COA is about $32k instate and merit is rare. Such families who will have 2 in college at the same time are looking elsewhere…to places like Bama. If they can get the Presidential, their remaining costs are less than $15k per year.</p>
<p>Illinois publics are also expensive. Attending UIUC and other IL publics can run around $30k per year instate (tuition in that state is HIGH). So, with a Presidential or UA Scholar award, attending Bama can be cheaper. And if the student can’t get into UIUC, then paying that much to attend a lower IL public becomes less appealing when Bama is an option.</p>
<p>Bama is an unusual flagship in that altho it has a good ranking, if you have good scores, you’re pretty assured of getting in. So, the student with the 3.5 GPA and 30 ACT that might get rejected from a number of flagships based on GPA, would likely be accepted at Bama…and get a 2/3 tuition scholarship money to boot!</p>
<p>We didn’t consider California schools because students cannot finish in four years, tuition is rising about 18 % annually, threatened teacher strikes or furlough days, crowded housing and limits to the number of students accepted. Besides that, DS wanted to be far away from his parents.</p>
<p>As a California student, the rising UC costs just aren’t feasible - I qualify for the Presidential Scholarship at Bama. Plus, I too want to get as far away as I can from my parents. 2,262 miles from home sounds like a sweet deal to me.</p>
<p>Here in VA (#7 on the list). We have two very respected, prestigious publics (UVA and W&M) and another that is highly regarded (VA Tech). But my kiddo has already been accepted to Bama, accepted to the Honors College, and has been offered the Presidential scholarship. She is also in the running for the Bama NMF scholarship. We have a visit to Tuscaloosa set for early November, after the early applications deadlines. That may seal the deal for her. Although she will apply early to UVA (she didn’t like W&M), the question becomes weighing costs vs. rankings/prestige. UVA beats Bama in most all of the college rankings, and certainly the prestige thing gives it some weight (the whole Thomas Jefferson thing, grounds vs. campus, etc.). But she has quickly realized (to her parents’ delight), and especially with state of things financially for kids graduating from schools, that it’s hard to turn down such a generous scholarship at a great school like Bama. I suspect other VA merit-based kids are thinking the same. RTR.</p>
<p>Another happy CA student. I Agree so glad my son is at Bama. We got the scholar award and will save money of tuition. WE pay about the same as a Cal State out here. UC is much more and we will be done in 4 years. Also, the school cares about him. He isn’t just a number. He had a really rocky start, but the teachers, counselors and honors college really helped him to get through the adjustment period. Year 3 is looking great!</p>
<p>Our flagship (UW-Madison) is low on DD2’s list because 1) she wants to get away from all of the drama driven kids at her HS who will be going there, 2) the campus is really spread out and, although a great college town, having to plan your schedule to keep your classes in the same quadrant of campus is unappealing, 3) the merit offers from Alabama will allow her to get through med/grad school debt free make Wisconsin a distant 2nd or 3rd choice.</p>
<p>Wisconsin isn’t well represented at UA YET - but DD is more than happy to blaze a trail for others to follow to T Town!</p>
<p>Hey Meremom, 2 from our SE Wisconsin town went to UA this year (my son is one). S could have gone to Madison, but scholarship-wise all he got was $2,250 p/year for being the val. and nothing else. On top of it, he liked UWMadison but didn’t love it. On the other hand he really liked UA’s campus, loved what he heard about the academics, really liked it was in a warmer climate and, on top of it all, got an excellent scholarship at UA. He was admired at his hs, and because he chose to go to UA I think many others (including the counselors) will now consider UA as an option. RTR!</p>
<p>I hope my son joins the ranks of the UA admitted OOS’s soon. He plans on applying to Honors as well. He applied in August but our school wont be sending out transcripts until mid October. The transcript is the only holdup. Its not a matter of if he’ll go, only a matter of when if you ask him. Does anyone know the %age of New Yorkers who attend UA. Not that it matters to my son, just curious myself.</p>
<p>Thanks Atlanta68,
1% wow, 2 of those students are from my DS school. Word seems to be getting around rather quickly and interest seems high. I know that many students are looking at UA but some from here get gun shy with the thought of being so far away from home. My wife and I were at little concerned at first but the more we look into UA and the UA community the more we feel this experience will be incredible for him. The fact that there are daily flights on Delta to Birmingham helped alot too. My wife initially gave our son “3 hour commute rule” for us to get to him in case of emergency and he said the flight was only 2 hours 50 mins. Not quite what she meant but i guess its a loophole.</p>