Hi everyone! We will be touring campus soon. Arriving on a Sunday around noon, leaving Tuesday night with a University day on Monday. Any advice on how to make Sunday useful or ideas of what to do to be able to get a better feel of the school? We emailed our recruiter for Tuesday. I think Bama is going to be it so hopefully we will have a great visit! Roll Tide!!
Depending on your child’s major, you might want to see if your recruiter can arrange for you to meet with someone from the dept major after UDays is over.
What time will you be arriving on Sunday?
Thanks for your response! We will be arriving around noon on Sunday.
Even if you are not ‘into’ football, I can recommend this if you have time on Sunday: http://bryantmuseum.com/index.asp# . Another museum (but not open Sundays) is: http://almnh.ua.edu/plan-your-visit.html , right on the campus. Time spent just walking in/around campus is worthwhile. Drive around Tuscaloosa and get the lay of the land. This makes your tour much more meaningful on Monday, as you can put things into context. Have a great time!
If your student is interested in any of the student faith groups, some have Sunday evening services or social gatherings you could visit. You could also investigate any other extra-curricular groups and visit the Student Recreation Center. Eating in downtown Tuscaloosa (mugshots, Five, Glory Bound, Taco Mamas are just a few of the fun places there) would also be enjoyable and give you an impression of how accessible the downtown area is to campus. Make sure to drive around the University at night. One family I know well enjoys picking up a dozen “Hot Now” Krispy Kreme donuts and touring the campus at night by car 
But seriously, it does give you a view of campus safety and activity. Don’t hesitate to talk to folks while waiting at a restaurant or walking around campus, that’s a great way to gain info and get an impression too. Roll Tide!
The Science and Engineering Quad and the Bryce part of campus are usually fairly empty on game days if that is any help. In fact, Shelby Hall was open Saturday, but saw no one in it when I walked in. Maybe a good time for a tour of the complex if you are into Science and Engineering.
I have experienced the campus to be pretty much on lock-down during game weekends (if you are traveling by car). There is very limited access from late Fri afternoon to drive thru campus until after the game. I believe OP was arriving on Sunday (not sure which Sunday), so perhaps the campus will be more open for them. I do recommend driving around at night - campus is so pretty then! Like, “AHHHH!”
Thank you everyone for the suggestions! We are really looking forward to visiting. Roll Tide!
We’re going to be there for University Days as well. We are arriving late Sat. night. I think we have an 11-12 hour drive. I heard that it’s the kids fall break and not a lot of kids will be on campus. I heard that from a parent, but haven’t checked into it. My son is accepted into the Engineering program but I’m not sure if we can tour that department. I emailed the engineering dept and they said they cannot give tours on University Days and that the buildings will be locked on the weekends. I sure hope he can at least get some feel for the Engineering dept. before he commits. That is after all, what the trip is for.
Since the doors will open on Monday morning, you could do a self tour of the S&E complex. You won’t be able to see the labs, sure, but you can get a feel for the amazing investment made by UA in Engineering over the last decade, just by walking around these buildings and inside their halls. It is gorgeous! I am sure there will be students in the halls and on the Shelby Quad who can answer questions.
Thank you @Atlanta68! We will try to self tour on Monday.
@tripleteens - try one last thing: contact the College of Engineering and ask if there are any Student Ambassadors who are available and who can take your student around privately on the weekend. It’s a long shot, but worth asking, as those Ambassadors are there for that very reason (take prospective students on tours). Some may have their own keys to access locked buildings/labs. At the very least, these students could talk with your son. Fall break is today and tomorrow (Oct 29/30), and the weekend, of course. Campus will be quiet, but a ghost-town like it is on, say, Thanksgiving. There are a lot of Halloween activities planned on campus. If your son is interested in aero, PM me, and I can see if my son is available to speak with him.
If you go to the 2nd floor of I believe it is the SERC building, you can look down into the civil engineering’s large structure lab. I don’t really understand what they do there, but my son’s a civ-e major and will say the large structure lab is one of very few in the country. Even if you don’t know what exactly they do, it’s interesting to look at all the equipment.
@aeromom I’m glad to hear that the students will be back on Monday. I don’t want the campus deserted when we tour. My son is interested in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. He’s not sure yet. We will try to peek in the Engineering Buildings on Sunday and possibly on Monday if time allows and depending on the University Days schedule. My daughters will also be touring with us. They have submitted applications but are waiting for ACT scores. They should be available starting on Nov 10. They are interested in visual arts. @jrcsmom I hope we can go in the SERC building. It sounds interesting! I’ve made notes on buildings to see and places to eat around town. Thanks everyone for your help.
When does a recruiter usually send a schedule of events for a student? Visiting Monday and Tuesday and don’t have Tuesday schedule yet! (Monday is a University Day).
**Welcome everyone! **
For those who are scheduling campus visits, here are some local lodging choices:
Country Inn & Suites 4801 McFarland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (205) 345-9999
Courtyard by Marriott 4115 Courtney Drive Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 (205) 750-8384
Fairfield Inn 4101 Courtney Drive Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 (205) 366-0900
Hampton Inn 600 Harper Lee Drive Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 (205) 553-9800
Hampton Inn 6400 Interstate Dr. Tuscaloosa, AL 35453 (205) 562-9000 *
Holiday Inn Express 1120 Veterans Memorial Parkway Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 (205) 464-4000 *
Home-Towne Suites 1650 15th Street East Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 (205) 553-3828 *
Hotel Capstone 320 Paul W. Bryant Drive Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (205) 752-3200
Microtel Inn 6331 Interstate Drive Tuscaloosa, AL 35453 (205) 556-1555
Microtel Inn & Suites 1417 Veterans Memorial Parkway Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 (205) 553-4095 *
Wingate by Wyndham 4918 Skyland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 (205) 553-5400 *
Yellowhammer Inn & Conference Center 2700 Yacht Club Way NE Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 (205) 343-4215 *
**ANOTHER GOOD OPTION! **
**VRBO short-term rentals **- Tuscaloosa http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/alabama/tuscaloosa
VRBO rentals are often best for families/groups because of their ability to accomodate 4-8+ people in multiple bedrooms. Having 2+ bathrooms is also a convenience.
**AVOID: /B
Motel 6
Super 8
Masters Inn
Rodeway Inn
Quality Inn
LaQuinta
My son is a junior interested in engineering and honors program and housing. We are thinking of visiting campus March 25-27. Is it too early to contact the school to set up date, tours, etc. I have to thank mom2collegekids, all of your posts have put this school on our radar and we are hoping son loves his visit. He is undecided on college major within engineering so he is also considering a summer program like SITE.
Definitely do SITE or a similar program at another university. It will do 1 of 2 things: either cement his decision to do engineering as a career, or turn him off to it and you have then saved yourself a ton of money and time to know that! 
HIGHLY recommend doing a week-long engineering camp, and if you do this at a university you are seriousy considering attending (i.e., your shortlist), it will further help in your decision to attend there or not. My son did 2 different camps the summer between junior and senior year at 2 universities he was considering. He was able to rule out 1, based on that experience alone. Families who have done SITE or similar have great things to say about the experience. We found the money well worth spending, because son got to ‘try on’ the university and it helped greatly with his decisions.
Thanks. Great idea. I think we will try and do a summer engineering camp at 2 of his top choices which right now look like Texas A & M ( in state) and Univ of Alabama.
I’m gonna weigh in and say that Home-Towne Suites cannot be recommended. There are two parts to their complex: studio rooms (which appear to be for week+ long stays?) and then a hotel part. We were put in the studio part, and it was bloody awful. Perhaps the hotel part is ok. I’m not sure why we got what we got - and I should have objected upon seeing the room, but I didn’t. Live an learn. The studio was not clean (the carpet had not been vacuumed in awhile); it smelled like smokers had been there (and it specifically said non-smoking); the bathroom fan did not work; there was no daily servicing; the shower curtain hung a full inch above the top of the bathtub, so water went all over the floor during the showers - it was a mess. So, bottomline advice on H-T S: ask beforehand where you will be staying specifically and thoroughly inspect your room on check-in. HTS is not located in an unsafe area, so that is not the concern…just the ick factor was too much for me.