Please don’t think that a 3.0 GPA with a 2.75 in the sciences will be enough to get into upper division nursing. As someone pointed out above, 4.0 or close to it is more typical. Before you go into huge debt for either Alabama or Arizona (and I will say I don’t think going into significant debt for either is a good decision), please get very, very comfortable that your daughter is likely to be admitted into the nursing program if it is not direct admit (and Alabama is not).
I’ll just throw this out there- but aren’t sororities at Bama really expensive? Like over $10K per year? Sure you get exempted from the meal plan, but that isn’t much to begin with. Also there are not enough spaces in the house for everyone, so some don’t get that benefit and you still have to pay the $10K. Seems like 160,000 plus 40,000 for sorority dues is incredibly expensive. Someone correct me if I am wrong. My Bama kid is not Greek so I don’t know the particulars.
UAB Birmingham has a nurse’s scholars program (works like a ‘direct admit’) for incoming freshmen who have applied and been accepted to nursing scholars program. UAB is not UA, but my DD chose to go there due to the heavy medical and nursing at UAB. My DD finished BSN at UAB - she may not have been able to get into the junior level nursing at UA, even being an AL resident. Very risky, and DD would have had scholarship $$ at UA too.
IMHO do not look at University flagship for nursing programs unless high stat.
That figure is IF you’re in the most expensive house and IF you live in the house and IF you order every blessed T shirt and every Zap photo from every social event that year! Living out of the house is more like $4,000 to $6,000 per YEAR.
Apply to U Missouri. It’s a flagship with sports spirit and residences, all the “traditional” experience, just like Bama and Arizona, BUT it’s really easy to become a resident and they’re hurting for applicants, so if she applies ASAP they may even throw in some kind of financial incentive. Also, fewer students = less competition for nursing spots.
@MYOS1634 I had heard that Mizzou would be raising OOS tuition to offset revenue declines caused by lower enrollment. Poor poor strategy, in my opinion. Enrollment will continue to decline.
If you’ve heard otherwise, I’d be interested to know. Thanks.
They may, but since it won’t apply to 2016 applicants AND after that the student will get instate tuition (very easy to do), I think applying to Mizzou Pre Nursing NOW (or this weekend) would be the right thing to do for the student. The experience would be as good as at Bama or ASU, but cheaper. 
@kp49ers Off Topic- How are both these schools still in play, along with Auburn- as mentioned in another post, at this late date? Did you actually make three deposits??
@Sdgal2 - Public universities have better things to do than worry about whether students are double-depositing. It’s not the same as at smaller private schools, where it could end up costing a student BOTH offers of admission!
@dodgersmom Thanks for the reply…I didn’t realize that about large publics…So thousands of people could do this and the numbers will still work out?
I imagine that if thousands of students were doing this, it would be a problem . . .
Many do this…some with schools’ permission, some without.
I just talked to a parent of a new HS grad that is attending UAH’s nursing program; they have some form of a direct entry nursing program, but UAH does not give the big school feel of UA, and OOS will be pricey. For others lurking on this thread for a rising HS senior.
OP’s DD seems to be graduating HS and is looking for fall enrollment. Hope they are able to scramble and do something more affordable/less student loans and still achieve the long term goal of nursing degree.
Re #29 - It even has its own name in college admissions … ‘summer melt.’
http://college.usatoday.com/2013/08/16/viewpoint-time-to-end-summer-melt/
Is Utah not in the mix at all, being WUE, that would mean less $$. If not, U of Utah allows instate rates after one
year (calis gain, for sure, not reciprocated LOL). I don’t imagine BSNs have a real (party) college experience period, but I may be wrong on that. I think a PP loan is a crazy idea though. I think if money is at stake, CC route is really valid for nursing students.