<p>Here is part of a personal email from Dr. Sharpe that has some draft dates for Honors College Bama Bound dates:</p>
<p>On Tuesday, Jan. 10, there is an official Bama Bound orientation session meeting in which the Admissions Dept. will be finalizing details for the 2012 Bama Bound sessions. I realize this late date doesnt help with an immediate decision so let me share with you the cursory Honors College dates we discussed in early December.</p>
<p>We are considering having a one-day Bama Bound session on Friday, May 25 followed by two regular 1.5 day Bama Bound sessions on May 28-29 and May 30-31. In addition, we discussed adding another Honors-only session on July 9-10 for student who could not make an earlier session.
These dates wont be finalized until the meeting in January, but you might try calling the Admissions Office by emailing them from the contact information on the Orientation website [Bama</a> Bound Orientation - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://orientation.ua.edu/]Bama”>http://orientation.ua.edu/) or by calling their office at 1-800-933-2262 to see if there has been a finalized decision on the specific dates before the Jan. 10 meeting.</p>
<p>*In addition, we discussed adding another Honors-only session on July 9-10 for student who could not make an earlier session.
*</p>
<p>ooohhhh…I hope they do this…I’ve been begging for them to add another honors BB for a long time - simply because some instate kids aren’t done with school yet and some OOS kids do not graduate until the second/third week of JUNE!!! ugh!!! (Long Island publics don’t graduate until rather late in June!)</p>
<p>But, I’m still not happy about the second honors BB also being in May! My kids went to a Catholic high in Alabama, and they don’t usually graduate until the absolute end of May…often with ceremonies as late as June 1st! And, that school sends a lot of honors kids to Bama. So, it’s difficult for them to go to an Honors BB, except for the odd years that the days work out and there is an Honors BB on June 2-3 (which there was during my older son’s BB.)</p>
<p>June 4-5 is a Mon/Tues. That should be an honors BB for those Alabama kids who don’t have ceremonies until that weekend before. (There are a lot of private schools in the state, so my kids’ situation was not unique.).</p>
<p>Kids who are still in school generally cannot miss days prior to graduation simply because that the month of May is crazy with various activities: AP exams, academic awards nights, senior follies, sports awards nights, grad dinners, grad breakfasts, grad practices, final exams, etc, etc.</p>
<p>Note to first-time parents of seniors: That last month is insane.</p>
<p>I wonder if the May 28-29 dates can be right since May 28 is Memorial Day? My D’s graduation isn’t til June 14th. We were figuring she’d have to miss school for a couple days in May, after AP exams finish. I’m hoping we can get the dates confirmed soon so we can get the travel figured out.</p>
<p>M2CK- this is my first child graduating and I am starting to get a taste of the insanity we can expect! Of course, she hasn’t even decided where she’s going and I’m trying to make all these travel plans etc…I am hoping our visit in January will help her decide :)</p>
<p>BamaAF may want to respond to the email with that mention. More likely, those will be Tue/wed…and then Thurs/Fri</p>
<p>*M2CK- this is my first child graduating and I am starting to get a taste of the insanity *</p>
<p>It’s just nuts at that time. And, kids’ clubs also often have year-end events/awards as well. My kids’ school does a senior trip in April, and once they’re back it’s quick study for AP exams and then something nearly everyday in May. I think we spent as much time on campus during those months as our kids did.</p>
<p>UA is open on Memorial Day, so there can be a Bama Bound. Officially, the only holidays UA is closed for are New Year’s Day (or observance), MLK Day (the State of Alabama no longer observes Robert E. Lee Day if anyone was wondering), Honors Day, the 4th of July, and Christmas Day. UA employees also have a week and a half long Winter break.</p>
<p>If one is willing to tweak their schedule it can be possible to attend Bama Bound before one graduates high school. While students in my home state (WA) and much of the West Coast graduate in mid to late June, I was able to take 3 days off of school to attend the May Honors Bama Bound. Apart from having to complete a few assignments in advance, there was no difficulty whatsoever and I arrived home 20 hours before prom. I lucked out in that it counted as a school activity so I could graduate having had perfect attendance for 8+ years.</p>
<p>My Daughter graduates 24 May and we plan on taking a cruise to celebrate her graduation first week of June (yes for some reason she wants to take her senior trip with a friend AND her family).</p>
<p>Trying to figure out how to fit everything in – and with a graduation date of 24th, we could fit in the May dates and then go on a cruise first week of June.</p>
<p>I have two other daughters right behind this one – all wanting to go to Bama – so they want to check out the sibling portion of Bama Bound – but they don’t get out of school until 30 May, which presents a problem.</p>
<p>My daughter is also a very interested sibling who is in school until June 8th. </p>
<p>I just sent Dr Shape an email requesting they do hold the possible Honors BB July 9th-10th. It would just be so much easier to plan for, no missing school for anyone and also all AP exam results would be known by then.</p>
<p>Oh I do hope they change those dates because I leave for a senior cruise on May 24th and don’t get home until June 1! That would include all of the first 3 sessions. I hope they spread out the dates a little more.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that many honors students attend non-honors Bama Bounds, so one wouldn’t be the only honors student at a specific non-honors Bama Bound. I agree that the Honors Bama Bounds should be offered throughout the summer rather than just mid-to-late May and early June.</p>
<p>I want to second what Sea_tide said regarding attending a non-honors Bama Bound session. My son did that, because he had a mid-June graduation, and I, as a teacher, had to work the following week. It did not hurt him in class selection. He ended up switching classes anyway once all registration opened in August. It also did not hurt his ability to meet others, honors and non-honors kids. He has plenty of friends at UA. </p>
<p>Because my son did attend the later Bama Bound, he found himself getting plenty of attention from the Honors College when we stopped in to visit. He also got to spend considerable time with the professor who became his adviser.</p>
<p>A BB is offered right before school starts to accomodate students like you - who can’t make an extra trip. But, yes, you have to go to one…so pick that one.</p>
<p>Did not even think about the AP results aspect, very good point.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about AP results. Bama lets you assume that you’ve passed and lets you sign up for the next class. If you later learn that you didn’t pass, then you can change back.</p>
<p>I hope someone who went to the last BB before school starts will post. I’m not sure exactly how many days before school starts that is and how it works with AA/OA and WOW.</p>
<p>Generally, frosh arrive the Saturday before school starts (a Wed) and spend the next few days doing WOW. However, those who are doing AA/OA or Rush, will arrive a week earlier than that.</p>
<p>What I don’t know is where that last BB falls. Hopefully, someone who knows will post. I think Malanai’s son and Rose’s D went to the last BB.</p>
<p>Someone posted on the facebook group that the official freshman move-in week is August 9-15. I know that anyone doing sorority rush or Alabama Action/Outdoor Action moves in the week before.</p>
<p>I would agree with m2k…from what we are hearing Greek work week will begin on 8/4 or 8/5. Summer school doesn’t even end until 8/3. That would put move in for Recruitment the 10th and 11th…with recruitment then starting with Convocation on the 11th and Bid Day on the 17th. It is still unclear as to whether Recruitment will go Saturday to Saturday like last year or Sunday to Sunday as it was the previous year. the Saturday to Saturday makes the retreats easier…some houses will leave Bid Day while others will leave the following morning. Then classes can start 8/22.</p>
But, yes, you have to go to one…so pick that one.</p>