<p>My younger son wasn’t accepted to CBH and we were quite shocked. In the end, my son has felt that he really didn’t have time for it …he has plenty of other opportunities and is glad that he didn’t also have to fit in that extra commitment. </p>
<p>For my older son, CBH was great…but as we’ve learned with S2, there are many other opps at Bama.</p>
<p>Thanks for the research link. It is for arts and sciences, and I wish there was a similar one for engineering.</p>
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<p>I think because there are so many eng’g opps and there are so many very different disciplines, they can be found within each discipline rather than one line for all of eng’g.</p>
<p>have your son visit his dept office for his discipline and find out what’s offered.</p>
<p>Congrats to all those who made finalist status and equal congratulations to all those who made the reserve list! It’s been said before, but despite the reserve list looking large, I’m sure you guys set youselves apart in some significant way! </p>
<p>I spoke with Dean Sharpe two weeks ago when he visted my school and though I had only applied to Fellows, he constantly brought up CBH as he’s the director. He made it a point to say that he purposefully sets aside several spots for students that don’t make it to the Finalist weekend. Sometimes maybe their application just didn’t stand out amongst the other amazing applications or maybe they just ran out of spots. Whatever the case is he told me that sometimes he gets the chance to met a kid who applied to CBH and was waitlisted. He told me several stories (with a wide smile on his face) about how sometimes it’s those kids that make the most of the CBHP. If I hadn’t already committed to so much, that little conversation would have defintely won me over, but anyway the point of this post was to say that simply because you didn’t make finalist, it doesn’t mean that CBH is completely out of the equation. Dean Sharpe isn’t focused on accepting the kids with the best stats, but the kids with the most interest in relation to research! I’d defintely suggest dropping a note thanking someone for getting this far and express that you’re still interested. It’s those little things that make you stand out! </p>
<h2>Some of them may want to just take a break after all those years as Super Student.</h2>
<p>And this completely summed up why I decided not to apply for CBH. Though, Dean Sharpe made me slightly regret that decesion, haha.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>It can be sooo hard to determine who should be picked based on paperwork alone. </p>
<p>I know that last year my older son was on the selection committee and he took his job very seriously…but it was brutal trying to figure out who should be invited to the weekend…there are just so many super-outstanding applicants. Some amazing test scores, too.</p>
<p>I think that it is very hard for students of this caliber to really express themselves in a limited character essay and a one to two page resume. I actually wish schools with special programs like this would allow students to submit portfolios online. I am sure more schools will go to that as they become more common. Maybe that will help students express themselves more effectively then the essay does!</p>
<p>That might be a good suggestion to forward to Dr. Sharpe…maybe not right now…but after selections are done.</p>
<p>:)</p>
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<p>I’m not saying this isn’t true, but it certainly doesn’t seem to add up logically. If he likes to meet the kids in person, why not invite more to interview instead of waitlisting them?</p>
<p>I know UA dropped from a likely first to 5th of 6 on my guys list when he didn’t make this program. It’s not that UA isn’t a decent school. It’s just that if he’s going to be “run of the mill” top student, there are other schools on his list with better research options for what he wants. Since finances matter in our family, his final decision will depend upon what’s offered combined with what he likes, but he just made an appointment yesterday to visit a school President’s Day weekend that was rather low on his list of applications (due being located in a cold climate) prior to Tuesday’s announcement. We haven’t been there before. This school has great research ops for all students who want them, a better ranking than UA, and is welcoming him (to visit anyway) with open arms. It’s also known for good aid. I look forward to visiting it instead even if it means I’m packing different clothing. The snowy climate is still an issue, but I think the labs and opportunities will speak volumes when he sees them. It’s all he’s really considered when looking at places to apply to. Dorms? He doesn’t care. Sports? So what? Food? He can eat anything. Labs? He’s drooling…</p>
<p>Chances are, his essays weren’t as top as those who made it in. Obviously his stats were (as were everyone’s). But writing isn’t necessarily the top skill of a great researcher. So if everyone agrees that interviews matter more, why limit them yet keep spots open for the waitlist??? I fail to see the logic. I suspect the waitlist is more (as it was written) to fill spots from students who choose other places.</p>
<p>Anyway, congrats to all who made it into CBHP. It does seem like a great opportunity for those who made the cut! </p>
<p>But I know as the parent of a student who only got the Olympic sized waitlist pool, he’s likely to go elsewhere at this point. Being one of 160 is very appealing. Being one of 28,840 is not when there are other options with better numbers.</p>
<p>Creekland, good luck on the interview at the northern school! I am sure your son will do wel no matter where he decides to go to school!</p>
<p>good luck creekland… kids who really want research are pretty passionate about it. your son will do well wherever he goes!</p>
<p>^^^ Thanks. We’re a big believer in Providence, so what’s meant to be is meant to be - for all of us - those who made it and those who didn’t. Any student who applied to this program is a good student IMO. They just all need to find where they fit based upon their options.</p>
<p>Quote:
He made it a point to say that he purposefully sets aside several spots for students that don’t make it to the Finalist weekend. Sometimes maybe their application just didn’t stand out amongst the other amazing applications or maybe they just ran out of spots. Whatever the case is he told me that sometimes he gets the chance to met a kid who applied to CBH and was waitlisted. He told me several stories (with a wide smile on his face) about how sometimes it’s those kids that make the most of the CBHP.</p>
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<p>I’m not saying this isn’t true, but it certainly doesn’t seem to add up logically. If he likes to meet the kids in person, why not invite more to interview instead of waitlisting them?</p>
<p>So if everyone agrees that interviews matter more, why limit them yet keep spots open for the waitlist??? I fail to see the logic. I suspect the waitlist is more (as it was written) to fill spots from students who choose other places</p>
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<p>Well, it’s expensive enough just to bring in the 57 or so kids that are finalists…and then to have the time to properly interview each kid…15 minutes per kid …is going to take a long time. Even if only 40 of those students need plane fare (at up to $500 each) then that’s $20,000 right there…plus the hotel, food, and other costs.</p>
<p>I think Dr. S’s comments were simply that he keeps a reserve group to help fill the spots when chosen kids go elsewhere. I don’t think he meant anything other than that.</p>
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<p>But I know as the parent of a student who only got the Olympic sized waitlist pool, he’s likely to go elsewhere at this point. Being one of 160 is very appealing. Being one of 28,840 is not when there are other options with better numbers.</p>
<p>I know UA dropped from a likely first to 5th of 6 on my guys list when he didn’t make this program. It’s not that UA isn’t a decent school. It’s just that if he’s going to be “run of the mill” top student, there are other schools on his list with better research options for what he wants</p>
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<p>Sorry that your son didn’t make it. I’ve spoken to Dr. S exactly about this particular issue…high stats kids who don’t make finalist who then cross Bama off their lists…especially the pre-health students. We talked about forming an Honors Pre-Health program, and he liked the idea, but I think there was a concern about stepping on the toes of the Pre-Health Advising director.</p>
<p>That said, a clarification is needed…First of all, the number of undergrads isn’t quite that high…it’s about 25,000. </p>
<p>Secondly, a high stats STEM student would never be “one of a large number of undergrads”. or a “run of the mill student”…suggesting that a high performing student wouldn’t stand out is an injustice to the student. A high stats student will be compared against a much, much smaller number …essentially the students within his major or STEM majors…not the entire school. It’s not like he’d be competing for research spots with 25,000 other students. The theater majors will not be competing for lab asst spots.</p>
<h2>Thirdly, those not chosen for CBH do have many other opportunities for research. Emerging Scholars is one opportunity that allows frosh to immediately get the feet wet with research opps. And, of course, any hard-working and dedicated student can participate in the many other opportunities for research. For example, working in the Caldwell Lab is one of many opportunities…the other profs have labs as well.</h2>
<p>… Since finances matter in our family, his final decision will depend upon what’s offered combined with what he likes, but he just made an appointment yesterday to visit a school President’s Day weekend that was rather low on his list of applications (due being located in a cold climate) prior to Tuesday’s announcement. We haven’t been there before. This school has great research ops for all students who want them, a better ranking than UA, and is welcoming him (to visit anyway) with open arms. It’s also known for good aid. I look forward to visiting it instead even if it means I’m packing different clothing. The snowy climate is still an issue, but I think the labs and opportunities will speak volumes when he sees them. It’s all he’s really considered when looking at places to apply to. Dorms? He doesn’t care. Sports? So what? Food? He can eat anything. Labs? He’s drooling…</p>
<h2>…</h2>
<p>Anyway…good luck with your son as he continues his college search. I’m sure he’ll do well no matter where he goes. :)</p>
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<p>I agree. That was the logical conclusion vs the one proposed that didn’t really make sense.</p>
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<p>I agree here too. 
We only had him apply to schools he’d be happy attending. He’s ok going anywhere based upon finances and opportunities involved. He’s just shifting his list as those opportunities are available or not. He’s not bitter or crying or devastated. He’s being smart (IMO) and basing his list upon his priorities and pros/cons of the different schools he has as options. </p>
<p>In another month or two we’ll see if we have to shift due to finances. We may not have to. Oldest got his first choice from his list. Hopefully middle will too. But in any case, he’ll succeed. He’s been driven to succeed (internally) since birth. I wish I could say the same about my other two - they’re more “typical.” (Not meaning bad. All three are good academic students and good kids who I’m proud of.)</p>
<p>I fully suspect the vast majority of students who applied to this will succeed. They only have to decide where based upon what they are looking for and what options they have. It may be UA in the Honors College doing other research. It might not be if they have other applications/acceptances out there. May they all find their niche. Our country needs top students doing well in many different places.</p>
<p>I think CBH is experiencing some growing pains. When my son applied to Bama in 2007, I think there were only about 60 NMFs that frosh year…and not as many Presidentials. </p>
<p>now, the school is enrolling 3 times as many NMFs and more Presidentials, yet the number of CBHers is still at 40. That number can’t increase, BUT, something else needs to be added so that we’re not losing students just because they didn’t get into CBH.</p>
<p>Again, if the entire school were filled with kids in the top 1%, the number of undergrads at the school would be a concern as far as opportunities. However, the number in the top 1% (SAT/ACT) is about 500-600 frosh each year…which is not too many and not too few.</p>
<p>^^ Do you suppose that is what programs like Emerging Scholars are intended to do? I’d be curious to hear from the students (or parents of students) who were in the Emerging Scholars program this year. Did they enjoy it/benefit from it? In some ways I think the Emerging Scholars program is better for many students than CBH, as it provides research opportunities without as big a commitment as CBH is. But while I’ve heard plenty about the benefits of CBH from parents/students who’ve been involved, I haven’t really heard much about Emerging Scholars.</p>
<p>beth’s mom: BAMAmom2be’s D is in the Emerging Scholars program. Maybe you could PM her.</p>
<p>Yes, I do think Emerging Scholars has evolved into something for those who don’t get into CBH…at first, it was for URMs mostly (if I remember correctly).</p>
<p>That said, I think the name is wrong and misleading.</p>
<p>I think the last couple of pages of this thread point to an opportunity for UA to better communicate and/or improve its undergraduate research offerings. Some of the schools we visted had top level departments dedicated to providing undergraduate research opportunities to its students. It seems like Arts & Science has something like this at UA, but there isn’t anything like it for the entire University. </p>
<p>I can say that my son’s top criteria was being able to perform meaningful research as an undergrad and he wouldn’t have picked UA unless he believed such research was going to be available to him. I think undergrad research is critical for science students who are on a PHD research career path.</p>
<p>Creekland…have your or your child ever visited Bama?</p>
<p>Is the school that you’re visiting this month URoch or UPitt?</p>
<p>For the kids with pres but not nmf ufe cbh, how much direction and attention can they expect from the honors dept with 500+ top 1% kids or is it the regular faculty advisor that directs them.</p>
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<p>Yes to the first, and will answer privately as the other question is rather off subject for the UA board. ;)</p>