<p>Hi there,
My son was a last minute applicant to UA and was just accepted! We’re thrilled and are flying down to do a tour on Monday. He will make his decision as soon as we see the campus on Monday but he is fairly certain he wants UA (he was previously leaning towards a college in the northeast). Given that we’re last minute, I’m just getting up to speed on UA, is there any advice on things that we should do right away? Housing selection process–what are the choices for Freshman and what would you recommend? What is the process for him to purchase football tickets for the Fall? (He’s a huge fan). Any advice on things that we should get moving on? Thanks so much, I greatly appreciate your help!!</p>
<p>Congrats on the acceptance and welcome to UA!!</p>
<p>He’ll get an email in his crimson account probably in the next few weeks telling you when football tickets for incoming freshmen will go on sale. It’s a pretty simple process but make sure you jump on as soon as the sale opens to get the package of your choice.</p>
<p>As far as dorms go, it depends on if you want a suite or a traditional dorm and if you’re in honors or not. There’s about a $1300 a semester price difference between the two. If you’re not honors and want a suite dorm then Ridgecrest East & South, Lakeside East, and Riverside north are your options. If you want a traditional dorm then I recommend Burke over Paty. If he’s in the business school then take a look at Friedman Hall. It’s the best dorm location on campus but is only for business school students.</p>
<p>You’ll also need to schedule a Bama Bound (orientation) session. I recommend trying to go to the earliest session possible but if distance is a factor you can always go to the last session which is right before classes start. Going to an earlier session allows you to adjust your schedule throughout the summer as seats are released for the different orientation sessions. </p>
<p>Good luck and continue reading this board. There is a wealth of info on here and many extremely helpful people that will answer any question you may have. </p>
<p>Roll Tide!!</p>
<p>Hi!</p>
<p>Welcome to Bama!</p>
<p>Your son needs to pay attention to the emails that come to his email Crimson acct. He will get “football tix” info soon. Football tix are sold in “sets” for Frosh. Tickets go on sale around the end of May or beginning of June for frosh. So, be aware of that because timing is IMPORTANT!!! </p>
<p>So, each Frosh can buy a set of 3 home games or 4 home games. Don’t worry, he can usually get tix for the “other” home games thru a system Bama has in the fall. </p>
<p>What kind of housing does your son want? Honors? Regular? </p>
<p>Is he considering going thru Frat rush? If so, then he may want housing that is near the frat houses. If he’s not going to Rush, then he may want housing in the north side of campus.</p>
<p>Will your son be in the Honors College? If so, I can tell you who to contact in honors for more campus touring info.</p>
<p>Do you want any tips for your campus visit?</p>
<p>What is your tour time? </p>
<p>Where will you be staying?</p>
<p>What is your son’s major?</p>
<p>minor tip:
Set up your students Crimson email account (Gmail)
to forward a copy of emails to a parents account.</p>
<p>Good idea, but do we still all want to see the e-mails after they matriculate? 
I’m not sure I do. Hahaha …</p>
<p>Very belated thanks to all!! Sorry I never got back to the boards but I will definitely stay in touch now. Update: we had a great visit and my son loved it and is all enrolled! We’re very excited and so happy he chose UA. He waited on housing until the last minute (have to nudge him on everything which he’ll have to grow out of soon 
and ended up at Rose Tower. I’ve heard mixed things but I’m sure it’ll be fine. Does anyone have any thoughts on Rose Tower? Thanks</p>
<p>We’re heading to BamaBound June 22-23 so I am excited to spend more time. (Last trip was a quick fly in/out so we were only at UA a couple hours for the tour and had to race to catch our flight). Thanks again!! Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Rose Towers is ok. It’s an older property and back a bit from the core of the campus but it’s not real far relative to all the new dorms. </p>
<p>I believe room changes can be made all the way up until august. So it can’t hurt checking from time to time to see if anything better has opened up. Kids change their plans all the time and rooms open up periodically throughout the summer. </p>
<p>That said, it’s a perfectly fine property and certainly better than Paty in my opinion. </p>
<p>Roll Tide!!</p>
<p>Hi! Glad to hear that your visit went well!!!</p>
<p>Rose Towers has pluses and minuses. It is older and so may have issues related to that. </p>
<p>I think Rose Towers has a LOT of int’ls in it because it doesn’t close at holidays. </p>
<p>If your son would prefer to be in a more “freshman dorm,” contact housing to find out how a room change can happen. I think changes are made thru July or so.</p>
<p>I lived in Rose Towers in 1988. It is scheduled to be demolished after the new dorm rising up next to it is completed. So, yes, there are better dorms on campus. However, it has some killer views, and is close to the park on the river. Welcome to UA.</p>
<p>In 2011-2012, Rose Towers will be an all freshman community.
so it will be a great place to make friends
(900 freshman under one roof)
not the international dorm any more</p>
<p>[Student</a> Affairs | Housing & Residential Communities](<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/halls/hall_list.cfm]Student”>http://housing.ua.edu/halls/hall_list.cfm)</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>That is good news!</p>
<p>I was concerned that this student would be one of few frosh.</p>
<p>As for its future demolishment…I often wonder why it can’t just be remodeled/renovated. I find it hard to believe that it would be cheaper to rebuild. It just seems that if Bama wants to expand, then the rooms would be needed.</p>
<p>Also, with a number of apts destroyed from The Tornadoes, I would think Bama needs those rooms.</p>
<p>I believe the analysis showed that it would be more expensive to renovate. And it really is not in line with the aesthetics of the new buildings on campus. Aren’t there plans to build a new dorm where Rose Towers now stands, soon after they demolish it? The Master Plan indicates that is the case. But you are right that chaning conditions might require modifications of plans.</p>
<p>Rose Towers is slated to be demolished and replaced with a second Rec Center. Judging by the week I lived there, there have been a lot of renovations completed just to keep the building up to code and even then it has been grandfathered into a lot of older rules. </p>
<p>Overall, Rose Towers definitely has a retro feel to it, think 1973-1978, but with WiFi. I’d choose it over many of the traditional dorms simply because it has a lot of space and a full kitchen, though you will need to bring a microwave.</p>
<p>I’m hoping that UA will host a 70s-themed party in Rose Towers to celebrate its demolition. I’d imagine that “Disco Inferno” would be played. ;)</p>
<p>Don’t forget “Good Times”! as in the TV show with JJ “Dynamite” James!, Willona, Florda, Thelma, and Michael.</p>