Advice

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
1

<p>I was recently admitted into UA but i’m skeptical to go there for a few reason.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I hear a lot of different things about the students at UA, some people say its a very friendly accepting place. Others say its borderline racist and if you are not a white catholic school could be rough for you. I am african american so this scared me a bit because i have heard of a few acts of discrimination going on at UA in the past couple of years.</p></li>
<li><p>If you don’t want to do a frat will you’re social life be almost non existent? And if you do want to do a frat is it true that almost all of them are segregated?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>If anyone could answer these that would be amazing, I really want to attend UA but i’m scared that it might not be worth it.</p>

2

<p>Many of the incoming freshmen I’ve talked to don’t plan on rushing. Keep in mind most of the student body doesn’t go Greek. There are many other ways to socialize and make friends. If you are in the Honors College, that’s another source of events and connections.</p>

3

<h1>1. I hear a lot of different things about the students at UA, some people say its a very friendly accepting place. Others say its borderline racist and if you are not a white catholic school could be rough for you. </h1>

<p>Bama is not a racist school. Sadly, some racism (very occasionally) pops up at virtually every school…even those schools that are thought to be the most diverse.</p>

<p>I don’t understand the “White Catholic” part of your post. Bama is mostly a Protestant school. About 10% are Catholic. Is that a problem for you to have Catholics on campus?</p>

<p>As for Greeks…most students do not pledge. Typically, the only kids who claim that you must pledge are the ones who did pledge. My kids never pledged and they have a very active social life.</p>

<p>As for Black Houses and White House Greeks. To an outsider, it may seem like these exist because of racism. AAs want to have their Black Houses. Their Greek system has a long history of pride and networking and they don’t want that changed. Families want their kids in the same houses that they were in. </p>

<p>I am african american so this scared me a bit because i have heard of a few acts of discrimination going on at UA in the past couple of years.</p>

<p>Bama is 12% Black. Do you think that Blacks would choose Bama if it were racist? lol NO, they’d go elsewhere! The AA students at Bama love Bama.</p>

4

<p>My DS is home for a few days of spring break. He and 7 friends from UA started at Dewee’s Island for a few days then worked their way to Virginia. There are 3 girls and 5 boys and they are all totally different and GREAT friends!! None are Greek, 1 million dollar band member, all different majors, and 1 African American. The only similarity is that they are all very bright kids and honors college members. We have had a BALL having them at our home. They all are very active socially. I’m sure if you asked the AA girl if she felt like she was any different from all these other kids, she would tell you absolutely NOT! My husband sat in the kitchen and talked with her til 2am this morning! We LOVE her and so does everyone that meets her. I don’t believe you have to feel black or white at UA. You are a student at a wonderful university and can make what you want of that experience! ROLL TIDE!</p>

5

<p>I have been reading the posts of mom2collegekids for over a year. She is THE authority on Bama, responsible for putting it on the radar of so many college searchers, especially me. In addition to her nearly 34,000 posts, we have also had numerous PM’s back and forth. This is the first time I discovered that she is African American. If she, of all people, says Bama is not a racist school, that’s good enough for me.</p>

<p>Wouldn’t mind some perspective from the Jewish kids there. I assume they feel as welcome as everyone else, but anyone with real world experience is welcome to chime in.</p>

6

<p>Chardo, Mom2CK isn’t AA - she was quoting the OP.</p>

7

<p>Chardo - I thought the same thing. :slight_smile: </p>

<p>This message board is not very “quote” friendly. It would make things clearer if they coded it in a way so that it was easier to quote people with a response underneath, but you can get around that by using [ i ] italic brackets like this [ / i ] around the part you’re quoting and then typing the repsonse in normal font. Don’t put the spaces in though.</p>

<p>Left bracket + i + right bracket before quote</p>

<p>Left bracket + /i + right bracket after quote</p>

<p>No spaces</p>

<p>Result is italics</p>

8

<p>Oops. I see that M2CK was quoting the OP. She is not AA herself. Sorry about that.</p>

9

<p>

</p>

<p>To do what I did above, do the following:</p>

<p>1) type the word “quote” (without the quotation marks) between 2 brackets. The brackets look like this .
2) insert the passage you wish to quote immediately after step 1.
3) immediately after step 2 repeat step 1, but type “/quote” between the brackets.</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

10

<p>

</p>

<p>It works!!! Thanks, Malanai!</p>

11

<p>No, I’m not AA. I forgot to put quotes around the OP’s quote. By the time I noticed it, the edit time had passed.</p>

<p>Sorry for the confusion. I’m an Italian/French Catholic girl that also has some Jewish roots. My kids have Jewish roots on both sides. My grandmother was French Jewish, and my FIL was German Jewish. We have a German Jewish last name. </p>

<p>Bama’s Jewish numbers are growing. Bama has had a Hillel for decades…since 1934. </p>

<p>[University</a> of Alabama: Hillel](<a href=“http://www.bamahillel.org/]University”>http://www.bamahillel.org/)</p>

<p>Bama also has a temple on campus.<br>
<a href=“http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20100809/NEWS/100809670[/url]”>http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20100809/NEWS/100809670&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Bama also offers a minor in Judaic Studies.</p>

<hr>

<p>Some of the Q&A from Bama’s Hillel’s webpage.</p>

<p>How is Hillel connected to the University community?</p>

<p>Bama Hillel is a 501(c3) non-profit organization and is the Jewish Student Center. Hillel
is integrated into the University of Alabama community through its dynamic programs,
co-sponsored events, and the involvement of our active students in many other
university groups. The University is very supportive of Hillel and its role on campus and
works with Hillel to provide a welcoming atmosphere for Jewish students, faculty, and
families.</p>

<p>Can prospective students visit Alabama and stay overnight
with a Jewish student?</p>

<p>You bet! The best way to get a sense of the Alabama experience is to visit
our incredible campus. Hillel can help arrange for prospective students to stay
overnight with a student. To arrange a tour and information session with Alabama’s
admissions office, click here.* Prospective students who wish to visit Hillel, speak with Jewish students and/or attend a Hillel program should email us at bamahillel at gmail dot com </p>

<p>How are Shabbat and holidays celebrated on campus?</p>

<p>Hillel hosts Shabbat dinner twice a month throughout the semester. On weeks that Shabbat dinner is not scheduled students are welcome to participate in Shabbat services with the local congregation. The local community also welcomes our students to join them for holiday services, and Hillel hosts dinner in conjunction with all Jewish holidays.</p>

12

<p>I am african american so this scared me a bit because i have heard of a few acts of discrimination going on at UA in the past couple of years.</p>

<p>I just wanted to add to my earlier response to this concern. I’m going to be blunt. You’re not going to find a campus where some student hasn’t reported some sort of racial discrimination in the past few years. Even the liberal UCs in Calif have incidents reported every year. There’s noting to be “scared of.” Just because there may be some idiots on every campus that “buy into” some racial stereotypes, that isn’t something to fear. Frankly, there are racist people within every race. And, some people “find” racism when there isn’t any. </p>

<p>I think it was at UMaryland, a student reported that a racist symbol was painted on her dorm door. The cameras in the dorm caught the perp painting on the door…and it was the same student. I guess she believed that there was some racism on campus and this was her way to “prove it”. My point is that there probably aren’t any schools that are free from reports/incidents.</p>

13

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<p>Ta-daaaaa. You are most welcome. RTR.</p>

14

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</p>

<p>Chardo, an interesting passage from : [ISJL</a> : Digital Archive : Tuscaloosa, Alabama](<a href=“http://www.isjl.org/history/archive/al/tuscaloosa.html]ISJL”>http://www.isjl.org/history/archive/al/tuscaloosa.html)</p>

<p>The Tuscaloosa Jewish community has long had close ties to the University of Alabama. A number of Tuscaloosa Jews attended the state university. Victor Hugo Friedman, the son of Bernard, graduated from the university in the late 1890s, and remained devoted to his alma mater throughout his life. Today, the Friedman Hall dormitory is named after him. Jewish students from across Alabama attended the university, prompting a statewide fundraising campaign to build a Hillel House, which was established in 1934. Beginning in the 1920s, a number of Jews from the northeast began to arrive at the university. While many eastern colleges had quotas to restrict the enrollment of Jewish students, the University of Alabama President George Denny actively encouraged them to come to Tuscaloosa, as the out-of-state tuition benefited the financially struggling university. In the mid 1930s, there were three Jewish fraternities, including Kappa Nu (left), and two Jewish sororities on the campus. By 1951, there were 600 Jewish students attending Alabama. The local Jewish community often took these students in, hosting them for the high holidays and even helping them financially if needed.</p>

15

<p>Jewish families have lived in T-town since about the 1850s. </p>

<p>As Malanai referenced, during the early 20th century, when the NE schools had “Jewish quotas” and would not admit many qualified Jewish students, Bama recruited them.</p>

<p>Also, as you might expect, Bama employs many Jewish profs. Some of their college-aged children attend Bama.</p>

16

<p>Fear will keep you from doing many things and missing many opportunities. It is how we deal with fear that make us the better people we can be. Step onto campus, put your fear behind you, and grasp the opportunities that UA has to offer. If you proceed from fear alone, you will stifle yourself. Many of our students have come to campus from outside the state of Alabama and they bring diversity to UA. It may have been different or scary for them but oftentimes, you have to step outside your own comfort zone in order to grow.</p>

<p>Roll Tide!!!</p>