Alabama vs. Miami vs. Richmond

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
1

<p>After touring colleges and thinking things through, I have narrowed my list to 3, Richmond, Alabama, and Miami. If I get into Vanderbilt off the waitlist, I am most likely going there, though.</p>

<p>About each school:
Richmond: I loved the campus, college community, and programs in international business (they say it is #1 in the country). I like the city of Richmond, but it seems a little difficult to get there from the college. The sports are decent, but not like the major conference schools. But, I definitely did feel at home at Richmond. The campus food is also really good.</p>

<p>Alabama: As a NMF, I would receive all of the benefits that they offer to us. When I toured it, I felt that the campus was really nice, and, while big, had most things (even the football stadium!) right on the central quad. The honors college has a great reputation, and they have a ton of money. I really liked Tuscaloosa as well. Strangely, it reminded me of the area of Raleigh where my family is from. Of course, as I die-hard Conservative, I would be right at home in the Deep South. I still wonder if there is an academic trade-off to going to Alabama, though.</p>

<p>Miami: I do believe that weather should be a factor in college decisions, and you can’t beat Miami’s weather! Also, being in South Florida would provide me with ample opportunities for international business. The campus is also really good, although it looks very different from the other two. I love that sports and school spirit are so big there. One question that I have comes from my college counselor saying that I will be more academically challenged at Richmond and Alabama than at Miami. Is this accurate? Also, I am a finalist for the Singer Scholarship, which would also likely come with a Foote Fellowship, which would exempt me from taking any core requirements. One concern is that it seems a bit liberal (they talked a lot about Clinton and Obama coming to campus and only a little bit about Romney also coming).</p>

<p>Criteria:
Reputation- Richmond>Miami>Alabama
Rigor- Richmond>Alabama>Miami
Sports- Alabama>Miami>Richmond
Weather- Miami>Alabama>Richmond
Politics- Alabama>Richmond>Miami
Size- Miami>the other two
Area Surrounding Campus- Alabama>Miami>Richmond
City- Miami>Richmond>Alabama
Programs- Richmond>the other two
Campuses- Really nice at all three
Food- All three have great food to offer, with Richmond’s being more focused to on-campus
Study Abroad- ample opportunities at all three, with Richmond perhaps the best
Dorms- Alabama>the other two
Girls- Very attractive at all three (I would be lying if I said that this did not matter)
School Spirit- Alabama>Miami>Richmond
Money- Alabama $0 (perhaps even a bit better), Miami $15K if I get the scholarship, up to $35K if I don’t, Richmond $60K, but we have money
Distance from home-All three are sufficiently removed from home, but Richmond is the only one where I could get home without taking a plane. It is also closest to my family in NC.
Fun for non-drinkers- Richmond>the other two???, but every school is a “party school”</p>

<p>Can you all help me with my decision?</p>

2

<p>Congratulations on your NMF scholarship and on being a Singer Finalist. You will get a good idea of the UM campus when you go for your interview. Have you been on Miami’s campus?</p>

<p>Are you planning on graduate school? Money would be more of a factor in that case.</p>

<p>Are you planning on pledging a fraternity/sorority? Any clubs? Any other interests?</p>

<p>I think that UA is a great choice. You can read all the threads about all the great things that the students have accomplished. I do know that Bama has a great MIS program. Others on this board can chime in about the International Business degree.</p>

<p>Good luck with your decision.</p>

3

<p>I will go for an MBA , but that is after a few years of working, so money is not a big concern. I do not plan to join a frat, but I want to be in several clubs on campus (definitely the young republicans club) and I would not mind playing intramural tennis. I have visited all three and am having a tough time deciding. </p>

4

<p>Maybe you could investigate the teachers of the classes that you would take at each school. </p>

<p>We looked at Rollins College in Orlando for my youngest in Computer Science. Imagine my surprise when they literally had 4 computer classes offered for a Fall term. Not good.</p>

<p>I took my oldest to see UM. She wouldn’t get out of the car and subsequently wouldn’t apply either. I think she might have been eligible for the Singer/Foote. (high stats). </p>

<p>My oldest at UA and she loves it. She has had so many opportunities and has taken advantage of several. She is also proud that she was able to receive her undergrad at a very low cost. She was also a NMF.</p>

<p>When I can’t make a decision, I do this: I pretend that the decision is made. So, pretend that you are going to Richmond and see how you feel. Pretend that it’s Bama. Pretend that it’s Miami. See how you feel. Maybe that will help. Good luck to you!</p>

5

<p>Miami is very different from Bama. Tuscaloosa is big, but not as big as Miami. When I visited Bama I got the feeling that T-Town is still a college town. You can feel school spirit while driving down the street. Bama’s camus is beautiful and has a southern feel to it. </p>

<p>Miami is not a college town. It’s a big city. UMiami is located in a very pretty area (Coral Gables). Miami’s campus is also beautiful. It has a tropical feel to it with the palm trees and the huge lake in the middle of the campus. I have to say, not much beats a sunny South Florida day in the middle of winter. S. FL. summers, however, are oppressive, and the heat lasts well into early-middle October.</p>

<p>I honestly believe that you can get a good education at both schools. I don’t know about Bama, but at UMiami you will rarely, if ever, have a class that is taught by a TA. The classes at UMiami are small with the exception of a few classes that almost everyone may take at one point or another (lower level psychology, for example). This has been the case since I was a student at UMiami (many moons ago). </p>

<p>School spirit is strong at Miami, but I am sure it is nothing compared to Bama. Bama’s stadium is located on campus and the football program has experienced success in past years. Not the case for Miami. The football stadium is shared with the Miami Dolphins and students take university-provided buses to the games. </p>

<p>I believe that many of the dorms at Bama are new. UMiami’s dorms are older, but the kids seem to do fine living there. If you are interested in Greek life, it is probably bigger at Bama. </p>

<p>I can’t say much about Richmond- I don’t know a thing about it. :slight_smile: </p>

6

<p>Since you can afford all of the schools, is there a school that’s a clear winner if finances are taken out of the equation? If not, I’ll give you the same advice I gave my daughter when she was agonizing over her decision: If the decision is so close that you’re having trouble making it, go with the cheapest option.</p>

7

<p>You said that your true favorite is Vanderbilt. Maybe you could muse on why you like it so much.</p>

8

<p>I’m a Miami alum, from 30 years ago, but I have visited the campus since graduation. It is a gorgeous campus, and the academics are top notch. It is very different from Bama, in culture, student body, on campus entertainment, Greek life. It is not as spread out as Bama. A vibrant student union and an awesome pool that you can enjoy year round. International studies are really top notch there, so if that’s your focus, I’d advise you to give it a second look. While you will meet mostly Yankees from New York and Boston, and international students, you will also meet some nice, down to earth midwesterns who are escaping the cold. The school was affordable when I went, but my last year there, when President Foote came on and the football team got good, tuition tripled, and there was a definite change in the student body makeup. However, now, there are many more scholarships, even multiple full scholarships, available, and I’m hoping this is bringing the school back to a more diverse population. Did you get to visit when you went for your Singer interview? A good friend of ours is there now on the Singer scholarship, studying civil engineering, and he is loving it. He was a diehard LSU fan, from an LSU family, and he is so happy he left his comfort zone as he feels like he’s exploring the world while on one college campus.</p>

9

<p>Let me answer a few questions:</p>

<p>If you look at my criteria and what I like at each school, you will see that Vandy really combines what I like about Bama, Richmond, and Miami, but I am just waitlisted at Vanderbilt, so I will need to decide between these three. They are all good options, but I have to decide which is best. Some people will say that all three of these schools are so different that I should not be having a difficult mind deciding between them, but each choice represents something that I want in college. I have some deciding to do.</p>

10

<p>I understand what you are saying. If you don’t come off of that waitlist at Vandy, then you might have to do a pro/con list for each school. As far as academics go, don’t forget that Miami is ranked in the top 50 of US News- FWIW.</p>

<p>I can understand how you would fall in love with Bama. As fondly as I remember UM, I totally fell in love with Bama during our visit. </p>