<p>I am beyond thrilled, as DS got a 33 on his ACT, he is also top 1% of HS class, so he qualifies for the fabulous merit aid at UA. It is a great opportunity. </p>
<p>Only problem is he is not thrilled about the distance, 14 to 15 hour drive. But, w/ limited options due to finances, UA needs to be on the list.</p>
<p>I don’t fully understand the rolling admissions. If he applies now, and is accepted, when does he need to notify them he will attend. There are one or two closer to home, that he also wants to apply to. </p>
<p>Finances are a huge factor, but I would still like him to have choices. </p>
<p>The nice thing about the rolling admissions (and guaranteed scholarships) is that he’ll find out very quickly what he is receiving - and that he is accepted. It’s nice to know that you have a great option in your back pocket. My son also hesitated with the idea of being so far away - but we urged him to give it a try. This scholarship opportunity is only available for entering freshman. If he said “No” , he wouldn’t get another chance. However, if the distance was too much for him after a year, transferring to our close-by safety was an option. So far, life has been good at UA. Seems to be adjusting well in a community of smart kids where quite a few are also far away from home.</p>
<p>There’s no down side to applying now. As someone mentioned up-thread, there’s no need to commit until May 1 of next year, although for housing purposes you may want to pay the enrollment and housing deposits early. My D was in a similar situation - she applied at my request, but didn’t want to go 12 hours away from home and didn’t like the idea of warm weather. Although she applied to humor me, at the end of the day the decision was solely hers. She’s now a happy junior at UA who is no longer a cold weather fan and thinks nothing of being 12 hours away. Have you visited? </p>
<p>No, we haven’t visited. I know it is recommended, but it becomes expensive, so we will wait and see IF he gets accepted, and if the financial aid works, before going that far. </p>
<p>With the 33 ACT, he also qualifies for Temple, full tuition, which is less than 3 hours away. </p>
<p>I, personally, think UA would be better, but he just turned 17, and a young 17. I have told him most of his friends will be leaving for college as well, so even close to home, he might not get to see them all that often.</p>
<p>My oldest DD would have happily waved good bye and not looked back. </p>
<p>She ended up having to live at home and commute, and is not too happy about it. </p>
<p>Well if you can’t visit I would recommend going to the UA info session when it comes to your area if you haven’t already done so. UA does a great job at these-good food, round tables, and no audience questions that everyone has to suffer through. </p>
<p>If he has a 33 ACT and at least a 3.5 GPA, he WILL be accepted and he WILL get the Presidential scholarship, so if that’s all you’re waiting for, go visit. I grew up in the Philadelphia area and have relatives who’ve gone to Temple. I know that if I visited Temple and visited Bama, I’d be packing my bags for Bama in a heartbeat! It might be different for a kid who wanted a very urban setting, though. If you can’t visit, the area receptions that Bama has in the fall are well worth attending, as Riverbirch said.</p>
<p>I predict this simple 3-step process for your son: Apply now. Visit soon. Attend later.
But seriously, congrats on being in such a great spot academically to have these kinds of choices. My son was 17 when he started at UA. Go on the Deans List to find others in your area who attend UA - this gives you an idea of where people come from. Ask for a personal meeting with your recruiter if there is no reception near you (or they’ve already happened). Contact the Honors College to set up a personalised itinerary for your visit. Good luck with his decision!</p>
<p>You don’t want to wait too long to visit because if your son chooses Bama, then he will want to “get in line early” (so to speak) for his Housing choices. Those who decide late have a harder time getting what they want.</p>
<p>Your son will get accepted and the award as long as he has the stats and applies before the deadline.</p>
<p>When you visit, will it just be one parent and student? or will it be both parents or the whole family coming to visit?</p>
<p>Congrats on his scores…you must be so excited!!!</p>
<p>BTW…both of my sons had just turned 18 when they started at Bama. Both were youngish for their grade (they were always the youngest boys in their classes since other boys with later summer birthdays usually are held back). So, I am aware of the concern. One son seemed particularly youngish, so during his senior year we focused on “growing up” a bit (lol). Doing his own laundry, becoming more organized!,etc. I had a concern that he wouldn’t get himself up in time for class (he had depended on me…bad!), so during his senior year he really had to do these things himself. He grew up a lot that year… :)</p>
<p>If money is a concern, save the visit to campus for the spring when you know what your other options are. That’s what we did and it worked out perfectly. BTW, I live in suburban Philadelphia and know many Temple grads and current students. Like Bama, what they’re offering to high-stats students is a tremendous opportunity, so apply to both and see which is a better fit when the time comes. My son refused to apply to Temple for some reason, but it all worked out in the end. He loves Bama and doesn’t seem to mind the distance now that he’s down there. He doesn’t come home as often as some kids, though, so know your student, especially if he’s on the young side. </p>
<p>Well, he did apply to UA last night! So definitely a consideration.</p>
<p>If it were my oldest, I wouldn’t be concerned at all. Though DS has friends and is very likeable, he isn’t one to put himself out there in new situations. His friends are the same ones since pre-K.</p>
<p>But, I have been discovering, from their comments, maybe isn’t as quiet as he is at home. :)</p>
<p>He does tell me he’ll be happy no matter where he goes, so I think that is a good attitude. </p>
<p>We go to Temple next month on a tour, as it is an easy drive. UA is something we have to work out. </p>
<p>Every time I am on here, “I” get very excited about the possibilities. I do want to give mom2collegekids a shout out as she was one of the first to mention the opportunities at UA. </p>
<p>My son is very easy going and gets along with pretty much anyone he wants to. He is not terribly social though, at least he wasn’t! I was worried about him making friends and that he might just decide to sit in his room on his computer on his own and we urged him to join clubs and go to events and for two weeks I checked his email and made sure he was going to class and hovered in the worst way. My worries were completely unfounded. He finished a conversation last week with “I’ve got to go, I haven’t seen these friends in two days and one of them is having his hair cut and I want to watch!” I shouldn’t have worried. My husband completely blossomed at college socially and went from being a wallflower to having good friends and always out and having fun at the weekend and it seems like DS is on the same path.</p>
<p>He also said (prior to visiting UA) that he was having a really hard time deciding because he could see himself doing well pretty much anywhere he went. Friends told me over and over that one place would click, but I was despairing because everywhere had something a little wrong with it… no good for long boarding or the lampposts didn’t match the architecture (not an issue at UA) or there wasn’t a good hole in the wall Mexican place or… we got here and that was it, our first appointment on the itinerary was the tour and he was sold by the end of it. Your son will find that place too Laralei! Maybe it will be UA </p>
<p>laralei be sure to look at the simple scholarship application process and also housing on/after Oct 1 - you can get deposit back if your son decides to go to school elsewhere. Your visit should be favorable for son and you…</p>
<p>Does the scholarship application become available after acceptance?</p>
<p>Also, looking at the housing. Even with a great scholarship, the remaining costs are still a bit of an issue with us. </p>
<p>Is there a thread somewhere about the best dorms or what they are like? I would love for him to have the best experience possible, but cost is going to be a factor.</p>
<p>The lowest cost dorm situation at UA this year is $2800/semester - that is with community bathroom. The most costly
is the 4 bedroom suite style (each student has own bedroom and two bath within the 4 bedroom suite) which is $4400/ semester (housing didn’t go up between 2013 and 2014 pricing.The first year meal plan is $1633/semester (unlimited swipes). However after the first year, can find cheaper housing off campus. Do not require meal plan after first year. So after first year, cost can be very similar to comparable costs elsewhere.</p>
<p>On the UA web site within housing (where you can also see pictures of the various buildings and floor plans) you can see the list/chart of housing (called building eligibility) - across the top they have the building names, and down the list it indicates various categories (female, male, incoming freshmen, various occupancy styles, etc.) - so you can see what housing is available with different criteria and in different buildings. So if you have early access to housing, you can choose at early electronic selection times.</p>
<p>Automatic scholarships (based on test score and HS GPA) - you will get a separate letter probably within a day of getting the Welcome letter.</p>
<p>I may be repeating what you have found on UA web site.</p>
<p>If you’re looking at Alabama’s stated COA, you need to be aware that they use the most expensive option available in each expense category to come up with that number, whereas many schools use an average amount or, in some cases, the least expensive option. UA’s “supersuite” dorms are quite expensive. However, when comparing with other schools, make sure you’re comparing apples to apples. We found that when we did, the suite-style dorms were not out of line, and in most cases were less expensive, than comparable dorms. And as noted above, less expensive traditional dorms are available at UA. As for meal plans, the unlimited is pricy, but if your student takes full advantage of it it’s not so bad. Although dining dollars are mandatory and must be paid up front, if they’re not used they can be refunded at the end of the year. My D has had at least 90% of her Dining Dollars refunded each year because with her meal plan she didn’t need to use them. She had the all access meal plan freshman year, as required, and then a smaller, 55 meal plan sophomore year. Now that she’s off campus, she doesn’t have a meal plan. Room and board costs can go down significantly when a student moves off campus, but they don’t always (my D’s costs went up because she chose a 1 bedroom apartment in a newer complex).</p>
<p>Agree with @beth’s mom. I know some people were pleased after taking a lower cost dorm option and lowered COA. If a student really wants to come to UA, they will happily agree to lower cost dorms and save Dining Dollars for refund. I have to keep telling my freshman student that any money spent on away meals is costing twice because of unlimited freshman meal plan. We are looking at off campus lower cost place for second year within walking distance - again it is first come, first serve. She likes the Fresh Food that is close to Engineering/STEM buildings so we will think about use of lunch meals there next year.</p>
<p>UA has a lot to offer with the flagship opportunities and positive student campus experiences. Your high stats kid would have some great opportunities. You may want him in honors housing the first year to make friends with other honors students and be on the right track academically and socially.</p>
<p>If he likes the ‘big city’, and what he wants to study is also quite available at UAB, also apply to UAB which is where students to UA fly in and out of (1 hour from Tuscaloosa). I have one at UAB (studying nursing) and one at UA (taking advantage of lots of great opportunities; is also a Presidential Scholar). My UAB student likes B’ham and medium sized campus - both kids are at their first choice school which also gave each the best merit $$. We parents like that our geography works out with kids only an hour apart.</p>
<p>The current freshman class (6,865) includes 2100 students that scored 30 or higher on ACT, 135 National Merit Scholars and 20 National Achievement Scholars.</p>
<p>We just got back from our visit. In the beginning of the tour my son loved it but asked me the question “Is it worth the 10 hour drive?” I told him he had to answer that question. By the end of the day he didn’t want to look anywhere else and didn’t want to leave. If your son is in engineering they too get a scholarship that can be stacked with the Presidential. Talk to Kayla Fields in the Honors college and she can set you up with an amazing day of tours.</p>
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