<p>I really like UT and I was accepted to its Communication program (RTF), which is no easy feat. I want to be a writer and work in the publishing or film industry. The flip side is Alabama, which gave me a scholarship that makes it roughly the same price as UT. I was accepted into the Honors College at UA, which means smaller classes, better dorms, etc. I thought the campus was cool at both colleges. UT is only 2 hours from where I currently live, while Alabama is farther away. So, Honors College or Top Communication School? Please give me some support.</p>
<p>i think with those two choices for the same price, i would go with UT, that is, of course, if the culture of UT suits you.</p>
<p>Conservative vs liberal…Familiar vs. Stretch…lots of friends from HS vs. New Start…</p>
<p>Another issue is WHERE do you want to work??? If you want to stay in Tx, then UT may be your best networking choice,</p>
<p>If you want to be different…try something different.</p>
<p>Last time I checked the Alabama Communications program is also ranked. My DD is a communications/public relations sophomore and in Honors. She has found the professors accessible and classes interesting. And the honors housing is very nice. I don’t know about how Bama does with connections in the film industry though. A lot to mull over.</p>
<p>I’m a TCF major at Alabama (and from Texas), so I can probably be of some help. There are a lot of reasons I chose Alabama over UT (better campus, better dorms, honors college, etc.) but Alabama’s film program is also very underrated. </p>
<p>If you’re interested in film (I assume you are if you’d be going into RTF at UT), Alabama is really excellent. It’s probably easier to show than explain, so here’s a film a friend of mine made recently for CMF:
[Manta</a> - YouTube](<a href=“Manta - YouTube”>Manta - YouTube)</p>
<p>We consistently have films do well in competitions, from the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham to the International Television Festival, and we even have our own film festival:
[Creative</a> Campus](<a href=“http://creativecampus.ua.edu/project/bwfilmfest/]Creative”>http://creativecampus.ua.edu/project/bwfilmfest/)</p>
<p>Bannon123, how much do you like the Austin culture? I would let that be a strong consideration. Most the kids we know either really like it or really don’t. If you are a big fan of the indie music scene, it is hard to beat it. </p>
<p>Regarding smaller honors classes, keep in mind that you will only have a limited number of classes through the Honors College. Most of your classes will be “general population” classes with normal class limits. My D has yet to experience a very large class, but that may be due to her particular schedule. </p>
<p>On a final note, try not to be swayed too much by getting a highly selective acceptance and focus on where you will feel the most at home for the next four year. Hopefully you have visited both campuses. Fit is a bit like love… you know it when you feel it.</p>
<p>*Regarding smaller honors classes, keep in mind that you will only have a limited number of classes through the Honors College. Most of your classes will be “general population” classes with normal class limits. My D has yet to experience a very large class, but that may be due to her particular schedule. *</p>
<p>this true. My kids have rarely had large classes either, but that may be because they came in with AP credits, so they never had to take US History or other Gen Ed lecture classes that can be large. </p>
<p>If you have AP credits, then you’ll soon be in upper division classes and those tend to be more “regular sized” or smallish. When my older son was in upper division classes, his classes were typically 8-15 students each.</p>
<p>I agree with Clockwork…Bama has made leaps and bounds in the Film and Communications area. Bama has recently completed a much larger Digital Media Center because it outgrew the “new” one it built several years ago.</p>
<p>Native Texan that has always been a longhorn fan. Daughter will be going to Alabama this fall. UT was out of the picture for her as she just did not care for UT nor any school in Texas. Made me a bit sad but her Bama born dad very happy. I loved Alabama when we visited and attended a game and she fell head over heels in love with UA.</p>
<p>Now, here are the reasons that I am not into our current and future state of the Texas state schools. Some may not agree with me but it is just how I see them going. Do some research on what our governor wants to do with higher education in Texas. It is not good.<br>
I also do not believe that the 10% rule has helped our higher education. I see it watering down instead of lifting up. Then, the recent passing of House Bill 5 that happened this week. UGH! When kids with no higher than Algebra I, limited English, Science and foreign language will be guaranteed admission to a state school in Texas. Never mind the fact that the kids that go the “easy path” with the bare minimum to graduate will not have the classes to be admitted to any state school outside of Texas and forget all the privates. They can get into any state school IN Texas. What do you think that is going to do to the state of higher education in Texas? More kids coming in that will need remediation classes and a higher percentage of kids that will never graduate from college. </p>
<p>FYI: Yes, I am glad it gets rid of all of the state mandated EOC’s and STARR tests from 15 to 5. Happy that it should get more vocational training back in the high schools. Very sad that it is going to leave more of our kids even less prepared for college.</p>
<p>@TXNewCollegeMom – I generally agree with you about the direction that higher education is headed in Texas. (We too live in Texas.) However, as I understand it, to qualify for automatic admission to public universities in Texas, students will have to graduate under the distinguished plan, which will still require upper level math and science beyond the minimum specified for graduation under HB 5.</p>
<p>In all fairness, I believe the Governer of Texas is trying to build scale in the workforce for industries in Texas. They, Texas have done a great job at establishing industry/jobs and he wants more and more qualified workers. They are very focused on this, with excellent results. In fact Austin itself is a great example of this.</p>
<p>Outside of California, Silicon Valley, you would be hard pressed to find a more successful city at this than Austin over the last 15 years.</p>
<p>If you read the famous NY Times article about Steve Jobs being asked by Obama Why can’t you build Apple products in America, and education… it is a baseline for the approach Texas is taking.</p>
<p>Just commmenting, that Texas has done a great job with industry/business/education, whatever they are doing there has really worked. For sure controversial, but it appears effective.</p>
<p>paying4, I will have to find it again. Maybe it is just those with the distinguished diploma that receive auto addmittance. Problem is going to be how many parents, students and high school counselors KNOW this and let them all know ahead of time when they first enroll in high school courses starting their freshman year. I can imagine a lot of kids are going to be let down.</p>
<p>westcoast, yes and no. Yes, we need more vocational training back in our schools. I’ve been harping on that issue for a long time. Our local school district superintendent knows how I feel about this issue and he feels the same. </p>
<p>As for the job applicants being numerous to fill jobs that do not require a college education, not so much. Firsthand experience. We have been running a job opening for over a month. No response at all and it has been posted in many different medias. Pay is more than fair for the job. Health insurance, paid vacations, M-F, full time, etc. A few years ago the second a job was posted we would have applicants flowing in within minutes. Times have changed and not for the best. We have seen “workers” that want a job, ie a paycheck but not have to work for it or even show up to work. This is no fault of our own state government. Just the changing times and attitudes. This seems to be a problem for many of our customers as well. </p>
<p>As I said, the whole mess is a mess. For example, today was the start of “test season”. One high school teacher counted over 30 days from now till the end of the year that one grade or another will be testing. My own senior does not have to show up to school till 11:00 am this week due to the testing going on. Over 30 days of students not getting educated as they are either testing or being “held” because others in the school are testing. It is a jacked up system. </p>
<p>Sorry to the OP for hijacking your thread</p>
<p>Excellent point about the labor shortages, in fact I believe the Governors quote was the state of texas needed to produce an “additional” 15k new engineering grads a year to keep the economy growing.</p>
<p>Texas has really led the way with utilizing Community (Junior) And online Colleges to address the employee-training issue.</p>
<p>Getting near crunch time, thank you for all the answers regarding alabama.</p>
<p>Next question, where do the kids end up after college, they graduate a large number of students, so where do they go get jobs? Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Miami …?</p>
<p>Can’t seem to find any statistics on whom the big employers are for various degrees within the university.</p>
<p>I met many recent UA grads when we went to the alumni gathering to watch the BCS game (Roll Tide!!!).</p>
<p>They had been recruited out of UA by Houston firms and told me many Houston companies are seeking BAMA graduates now.</p>
<p>I asked more or less the same question about recruiting, albeit in the context of the business college. The Business recruitment/career placement folks were very helpful and shared some good data with me. Just one more impressive instance of how open the university is with their data (many schools horde it), and how helpful all of the people are!</p>