<p>Can you talk your child into UA? Yes, you could also talk them out of UA. A couple of years ago, there was a student on CC with parents who wanted to disown him if he attended UA (no, they weren’t Auburn fans). People still have shotgun weddings.</p>
<p>That said, I’m firmly of the belief that UA sells itself. Schedule a visit, preferably when school is in session, and have a great time on campus and in Tuscaloosa.</p>
<p>I came to UA not knowing anyone and having relatively no preconceived notions. If I wasn’t able to attend UA on a full-tuition scholarship, I would be attending a directionally-named university in my home state and working as a garbage man to pay for tuition. I had only a few “wants” in a school, mainly good dorms, a semi-good athletics program, a business school, an honors college, and a study abroad program. UA has that and more. My parents are/were very opposed to me joining a fraternity and it would be a financial hardship as it is.</p>
<p>Hands down, college is what one makes of it. Anyone can have a great experience at UA if they are open to new experiences.</p>
<p>Not as much as there used to be that’s for sure. But remember UA is in the middle of the Bible Belt. </p>
<p>I’d say as far as “college campuses” go it would lean to the conservative side. With the greek system being the strongest pull to the right. </p>
<p>But it’s not BYU by any stretch of the imagination. And on the other hand it isn’t Cal Berkeley either. Our women actually shave their underarms :-)</p>
<p>*But remember UA is in the middle of the Bible Belt. *</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say that about a city like T-town. </p>
<p>Cities that are “bible beltish” aren’t going to have many Catholics. T-town has a good % of Catholics and other non-bible beltish faiths/religions.</p>
<p>The recent elimination of Sunday “blue laws” is evidence that the city is not longer a bible belt city.</p>
<p>I’d bet my life that UA has triple the amount of students that attend Sunday church services (of all denominations) than say a Rutgers or Ohio State. </p>
<p>And to me that isn’t anything to be ashamed of.</p>
<p>NJ…I don’t know if that’s true or not. But, even if it were, that doesn’t make it Bible-beltish. The Catholic religiosn is not a bible-belt religion…neither is Episcopalian, Methodist, Lutheran, or Presbyterian…which many students and T-town residents are. Going to church, temple, or what-have-you does not make a place “bible beltish.”</p>
<p>Bible Belt areas are usually called that because they contrast with the mainline Protestantism and Catholicism of the rest of the country. </p>
<p>And, that’s my point. While the state as a whole is part of the bible belt, there are certain larger cities that are very much less so because of the influx of Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and a growing number of non-Christian faiths. </p>
<p>T-town never would have gotten rid of its Blue Laws if change hadn’t occurred. </p>
<p>I live in Alabama. I know that the state is only 3% Catholic. Yet, in the larger cities, the numbers are closer to 10%. That means that the rural areas have tiny numbers of Catholics. There are entire counties in Alabama that don’t have one Catholic Church (shocking to this California native! lol) …however, if you go to the larger cities in Alabama, you’ll find many Catholic churches. </p>
<p>I would venture that you’d find similar variations with other mainline Protestant denominations…larger percentages in the larger cities. </p>
<p>The larger cities in the state are very different from the more rural small towns. Very different.</p>
<p>Bible Belt to me = a strong percentage of the population is religious. It doesn’t just pertain to one faith or denomination. </p>
<p>Nowhere did I say that UA is a bible belt college. But it is in the center of what are known as the bible belt states. And therefor you will find a higher percentage of students that “practice religion” than you may at some other schools around the country. That doesn’t mean all, most or even half would be considered religious. It just means a higher percentage than some other schools.</p>
<p>UA as a whole is very welcoming to all types of religions & faiths and even you godless heathens who don’t believe :-). It has a strong Catholic population as well as a strong Jewish population. In fact I believe a new Jewish center is being built on campus.</p>
<p>But IMHO if one wants a tolerant campus, then that includes being tolerant of southern baptists, conservatives, and even obnoxious yankees from NJ as well.</p>
<p>Regardless of the religious demonstrations of students/residents, I will definitely say that Tuscaloosa is in the Bible Belt, maybe not as much as small town Alabama, but it is still there. </p>
<p>Yes, the recent legalization of LIMITED Sunday alcohol sales suggests that Tuscaloosa is moving towards being less socially conservative, but it still has a long ways to go. Speaking as someone who is currently in a state that has taken almost the exact opposite approach to social issues, Alabama is solidly socially conservative, with Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and especially Huntsville being somewhat less so. Universities, UA included, are generally are less conservative than the surrounding areas.</p>
<p>Whatever your political, social, or sexual orientation, you will find like-minded peers at UA. In reality, you can still legally do 99% of the things you can do anywhere else, provided you pay attention to Alabama’s laws and are willing to invoke the Interstate Commerce Clause when necessary.</p>
<p>^I agree. Huntsville and Birmingham are certainly less socially conservative(I live 5 minutes outside of Huntsville) but the surrounding areas are the more socially conservative types.</p>
<p>M2CK’s definition of Bible Belt is the most commonly accepted one. I have found it most closely associated with evangelical, fundamentalist Protestant groups, not with people who are religious or go to church often. I agree that a Bible Belt city would never allow alcohol sales on Sundays.</p>
<p>If going to church or temple often were to be the distinguishing characteristic, then predominately Jewish or Mormon communities would be Bible Belt and we know that is not the case.</p>
<p>My take-away from this convo is that UA is a community that tolerates and supports a full spectrum of beliefs and practices in much the same way that any other non-denominational university would.</p>
<p>Bible Belt to me = a strong percentage of the population is religious.</p>
<p>ahhh…but that’s not the commonly-held definition. Believe me, if the South were to change to a population where most people were church-going Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Catholics, it would no longer be called the Bible Belt. </p>
<p>The state of Alabama will probably always be fiscally conservative. No doubt about that. As for social issues…it depends on which ones. The population probably won’t ever hold the majority opinion of being pro-abortion. As for the other social issues, it’s not that different from other red states…or red counties (since most of the counties in the US are red.)</p>
<p>*Universities, UA included, are generally are less conservative than the surrounding areas.
*</p>
<p>Yes…because of their make-up…young people and profs.</p>
<p>We were lucky, too, that school was in session and a couple of the bright kids represented in this forum went to dinner with us while we visited. I just can’t imagine you would find kids more motivated, bright, and high achieving any where else.</p>
<p>We also sat in on a class.</p>
<p>Then of course, private dorm rooms…</p>
<p>These are little things outside a tour that helped cement our decision.</p>