Capstone Scholars Day - Jan 16, 2010 - Info :)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
21

<p>I called the Honors College office, got a nice young man, who gave me a direct number, not the 1800, to the admissions office. Again, a voice mail. Left son’s name, number, CWID, that we wanted a tour after Capstone. Hopefully, will get a response.</p>

<p>In a last ditch effort, am sending an email to our admissions counselor, through the Bama website. I remember him being very helpful, and will let you know if I hear back from him.</p>

<p>I know Capstone is over a month away, but with the school closing for the holidays, I don’t know how much staff is working between sessions. Don’t want to wait until January to get put on a tour list, as I’m sure space will be limited. </p>

<p>Will there be student ambassadors at Capstone Day? We’ve attended other weekend campus visits where student ambassadors took families on tours after the information sessions. </p>

<p>Thanks again for any help, and will let you know if our admissions counselor gets back to us!</p>

22

<p>[Undergraduate</a> Admissions Chat - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://emtech.ua.edu/admchat/chat.htm]Undergraduate”>http://emtech.ua.edu/admchat/chat.htm)</p>

<p>Click on that link and it will take you to a live chat with an admissions person. BE FIRM that you want your OOS child to have a FULL campus tour on CSDay. </p>

<p>At first, the person will try to suggest other non-workable solutions (such as coming in on Friday and such), just firmly tell them that that those suggestions aren’t workable. </p>

<p>If the person that you’re “chatting” with still hesitates, remind that person that UA is actively recruiting numerous OOS students and therefore should provide FULL campus tours for those OOS students who come to CSDay. Ask them to speak to a supervisor if necessary. At that point, you should get the tour request.</p>

<p>If the above link doesn’t work… [Undergraduate</a> Admissions - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://gobama.ua.edu/]Undergraduate”>http://gobama.ua.edu/) then scroll down and click on the red “chat online with a live admissions counselor”</p>

<p>BTW …when you click the “end chat” button, it will ask you if you want a transcript of the chat sent to your email address, say yes for your records. Then save that email. It will come sometime later that day.</p>

23

<p>Wow, great suggestion. I don’t know if that will work for me. I’m too nice. I just do better talking to a live person. But I will take your advice and use the live chat. Another new technology I’m learning. Thanks to college apps, I have finally learned to cut and paste. It’s only taken me about 10 years to finally use it. Thanks so much for the help with the Capstone tour. Will keep you posted.</p>

24

<p>CSD will have student ambassadors, but I’m not too sure if the ones that are trained to give tours will be there or not as CSD will probably be staffed by ambassadors for the honors college and the other colleges, along with lots of staff members. E-mail is by far the best way to contact people at UA, you just need a direct e-mail address.</p>

<p>Yes, all that stuff should be open on Sunday and to a lesser extent on Saturday. The perimeter routes are better for a campus tour, IMHO. Perimeter North goes around the quad too, so I’d recommend it over Perimeter South. Now that I think of it, the food court and Supe Store (bookstore) are closed on Sunday, but the Ferg itself is open and a free movie should be showing at 7 if the holiday doesn’t modify schedules. Normally, Sunday is considered a weeknight, while Friday is not, so things like the libraries are open longer.</p>

25

<p>so have we figured out a way to identify ourselves as cc members that day yet?</p>

26

<p>You guys should choose a meeting place at a certain time.</p>

27

<p>Just did the online chat suggested above. Got great response. Wow, this new technology! Glad to be able to get a transcript, as they did include contact info for our admissions counselor.</p>

<p>Will let y’all know if I hear anything back from them!</p>

<p>Thanks so much, Mom, for all your help with this!</p>

28

<p>Ok we are going to Capstone Day! Hope to see yall there. I went thru Priceline and requested a 2.5 star hotel and got the Wyndam by Wyngate hotel again…However, this time I rolled the dice and went down to $50 on my bid. For those interested, this is a great hotel for the money.</p>

29

<p>Hey Everybody,
Just called the scholarships office to RSVP for CSD and was frimly told only one parent could attend even if we are from Illinois. I asked if both parents could attend, one at the event and the other receive a tour. Again, no luck as there are no tours given on Saturdays. Thankfully, we have not booked our flights yet or this would have been a real downer. Perhaps we should consider another weekend. I think someone mentioned President’s Day weekend earlier. I’m kind of disappointed by this. Everything else has been almost too good to be true.</p>

30

<p>Call 1-800-933-Bama (2262) - then #5 - then ask for Carolyn Rogers (no one else has any power)…tell her the following…</p>

<p>1) you are coming OOS and if there isn’t room for the second parent to attend the big meeting that only holds 1000 people, that the school should offer SOMETHING for that second parent to see or do during that time.</p>

<p>2) That Alabama MUST offer a full campus tour on CSDay as an option for OOS students, since that is their ONLY opportunity to come to UA. The tour can be at 2pm or later - there is time. </p>

<p>3) Remind UA that in recent years they have been agressively recruiting students from all over the US (not just bordering states), so they shouldn’t treat CSDay as if everyone’s a local and can easily do the campus tour on another day. (I call these issues “growing pains.” Parts of a school don’t realize that they need to change certain aspects because the school has changed.)</p>

<p>If you decide that CSDay won’t work for you, then the Monday of President’s Day weekend is a good day to tour. Classes are in session that day. I would try to book the earliest tour so as to have time to fly out later that evening.</p>

<p>BTW…the schedule does have a campus tour scheduled for parents that day (sometime before 2pm), so I don’t know what the person who spoke to Glaw was talking about…unless he/she meant that there wasn’t going to be a 10 am tour that morning.</p>

31

<p>Thanks mom for the referral. I just left a message for Ms. Rogers. I’m hoping that she’ll either accommodate us or help us out with another date to visit campus as a family. I sure hope this works out. I can’t see how many OOS prospects can make the decision without both parents weighing in. I guess there must be some very independent kids out there. As I go out to shovel my driveway for the 3rd time today, I’m sure that Alabama is pretty nice today. Thanks again. I love your work!</p>

32

<p>I received a phone call today, leaving me a message, that only one parent could attend Capstone. </p>

<p>Any suggestions on what I can do while my husband and son attend the event?</p>

33

<p>If I were you, I’d just go with the flow. </p>

<p>If this is ANYTHING like Bama Bound, UA will have NO IDEA of which parent is with which child. The kids don’t always even sit with their kids.</p>

<p>Hey, maybe I’ll meet all of you extra parents down there and give you a tour myself! I may just do that!!! I’ll include stuff that the tour doesn’t! My SUV seats 7.</p>

<p>BTW…who called you? Did they leave a name? I’m going to call the Honors College tomorrow and talk to Dr. Sharpe about this. This is ridiculous. If they don’t have room for both parents, then they need to have something else for the other parents to do.</p>

<p>When I called in November about this issue, I was told that OOS kids could bring two parents. Now, they’re getting strict? Pooh on that!</p>

34

<p>When we attended Capstone Scholars Day two years ago, I attended with my daughter (they stated one parent could attend back then, I think). Since it was my husband’s first time visiting the campus, he and my younger daughter went to the Bear Bryant Museum, drove around campus, went to the Rec Center and checked it out, and spent some time in the Ferg and at the Bookstore. By the time we were done with the formal program at CSD, they joined us to meet the Honors faculty at the convention center. Actually, that was the year that it snowed and they semi-cancelled the event, but there were many folks that were in town, and they did pull it together in the end.
If only one parent can attend, there are plenty of things to do around campus! Just a suggestion…</p>

35

<p>This is exactly my question. What can I do, since I won’t have an ID? Can I gain access to the Ferg, the Rec Center, the library, the bookstore? Can I ride the Crimson Ride?</p>

<p>My plan would be to meet up with son and husband after the talks are over and hope to join them for a tour. We have already agreed that for the sit down stuff, if there is only room for one parent, daddy should do that, since he has a degree in engineering and would know what questions to ask. As for dorms and other intangibles, mom’s the gal. Son even suggested that we should see if we can switch out parents for the sit down stuff and the walking stuff.</p>

36

<p>You can get access to everything except the rec center without an ID, but since there is a Rec Center tour, that will take care of that problem. I like the idea of switching parents, but parents and students will be split up for much of CSD. I think it’s odd not to allow a second parent, but the least they could do is let the parent have some food. I didn’t deal with bringing both parents, saving that for Bama Bound. My mom assured me that several kids brought both parents last year. I’ll PM you the contact info for somebody who might be able to help.</p>

37

<p>You can walk right in the Ferg. </p>

<p>You can walk into the Rec Center, go up to the front desk and say that you’re touring the campus (I’ve done this several times - no ID needed). They will let you walk around. You’ll be in street clothes, so they’ll know you’re not there for some free workout. :)</p>

<p>Anyone can ride the Crimson Ride. But, I don’t know how many of the buses will be reserved for CSDay activities/transportation.</p>

<p>I am seriously thinking of going there and providing a tour for y’all if UA won’t cough one up for the extra parents. I’ve been on their campus tour at least 10 times. I know the route, the stories, etc.</p>

<p>But, as I said earlier, if this is run like Bama Bound, UA won’t have any idea of who brought 2 parents. There will just be many kids and many parents. They won’t know who belongs with who.</p>

<p>SEA_Tide…PM me the name also. I’m contacting the Honors College tomorrow. I think they will want to offer something for those extra parents.</p>

38

<p>My daughter just got this invitation in the mail today. It happens to be on my birthday! 59th to be exact.:)</p>

<p>The trouble is, being in California it’s just too costly for us to fly out. Even with just one parent. We sure hate to miss it, but if she decided to attend, it would mean another flight out later for all of us. That’s the only trouble with OOS colleges. :frowning: Unless you have a lot of money saved for travel, it’s just not practical. </p>

<p>I LOVE to go to things like this, too! Darn! :(</p>

<hr>

<p>Mom wrote:</p>

<p>Capstone Scholars Day - Jan 16, 2010 - Info :slight_smile: </p>

<hr>

<p>Thanks to SEA_tide, we now know that there is a website up for Capstone Scholars Day
Link: Capstone Scholars Day - Undergraduate Scholarships - The University of Alabama</p>

<p>This is an event for those students who qualify for the Honors College. However, I note that students with an ACT 27 or SAT 1210 are also invited. I think that is because Blount Undergraduate Initiative (BUI) is also discussed.</p>

<p>If you think that you might attend, you may want to make hotel reservations ASAP because rooms at the nicer hotels will go quickly. You can always cancel a reservation later if you won’t be attending. </p>

<p>I know that some have had good luck at the Wyngate hotel (booked thru Price Line or similar), but since that hotel will likely book fast, perhaps others can list other recommended hotels here, too. Also include names of Tuscaloosa hotels that you wouldn’t recommend. For instance, I wouldn’t recommend the T-town La Quinta or Days Inn (unless they’ve been recently remodeled).</p>

<p>The invite states that a student can only bring one parent. I called about that since some OOS students want to bring 2 parents. Alabama said that they understand that OOS students might bring 2 parents and that’s ok, so just mention that when you RSVP if you’re bringing 2 parents.</p>

<p>The event will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Bryant Conference Center.</p>

<p>In order to receive an invitation, a student has to be admitted for Fall 2010 as an incoming freshman with a 27 ACT or SAT 1210 (math and verbal scores only) and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA by the scholarship deadline of December 1, 2009. </p>

<p>Here’s a direct link to the tentative agenda: <a href=“http://csd.ua.edu/csd_agenda_2010.pdf[/url]”>http://csd.ua.edu/csd_agenda_2010.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I swear, Mom, UA has simply GOT hire you for their “GO TO” PR person! You are amazing! Alabama doesn’t know what a gem they have in you. And giving FREE services, no less! I bet none of their PAID staff do HALF the excellent job that you do at promoting their school. And, to follow up with so much valuable information! You are BEYOND good at this! A literal walking encyclopedia with the initial UA stamped on your forehead!</p>

<p>Roll Tide! Or I should say Roll Mom!</p>

<hr>

<p>Mom wrote:</p>

<p>Call 1-800-933-Bama (2262) - then #5 - then ask for Carolyn Rogers (no one else has any power)…tell her the following…</p>

<p>1) you are coming OOS and if there isn’t room for the second parent to attend the big meeting that only holds 1000 people, that the school should offer SOMETHING for that second parent to see or do during that time.</p>

<p>2) That Alabama MUST offer a full campus tour on CSDay as an option for OOS students, since that is their ONLY opportunity to come to UA. The tour can be at 2pm or later - there is time. </p>

<p>3) Remind UA that in recent years they have been agressively recruiting students from all over the US (not just bordering states), so they shouldn’t treat CSDay as if everyone’s a local and can easily do the campus tour on another day. (I call these issues “growing pains.” Parts of a school don’t realize that they need to change certain aspects because the school has changed.)</p>

<p>If you decide that CSDay won’t work for you, then the Monday of President’s Day weekend is a good day to tour. Classes are in session that day. I would try to book the earliest tour so as to have time to fly out later that evening.</p>

<p>BTW…the schedule does have a campus tour scheduled for parents that day (sometime before 2pm), so I don’t know what the person who spoke to Glaw was talking about…unless he/she meant that there wasn’t going to be a 10 am tour that morning</p>

40

<p>A follow up…I posted this yesterday on another thread…</p>

<p>I spoke to Jessica in the Honors College, because I felt that they would have the ability to more quickly come to a solution. Jessica immediately agreed to arrange for the OOS students to have a tour after 2 pm (when CSD ends). </p>

<p>But, you must call to get your name (child’s name) on the list. </p>

<p>Call the Honors College at 205-348-7052 and ask for Jessica. If Jessica isn’t available, then Jami Gates should also be aware of this issue.</p>

<p>Jessica wanted to talk to Jami about whether to have something for the “extra parent” or whether to pressure Scholarships/Admissions to let those extra parents come. So, ask about that.</p>