<p>Planning to show DD this thread! Lol. We had an Honors College itinerary so we met with some faculty and met with Allison V at Honors who was lovely. Very small tour group of parents and kids who didn’t really interact with one another but one mother/daughter were from GA that I remember. Are a lot of your kids in the Honors program? She got her scholarship notification but not one for Honors. I’m guessing that comes separately.</p>
<p>Many of our kids are in Honors College, but not all.</p>
<p>My DD’s sorority is well over half OOS.</p>
<p>Her roommates, whom she LURVS are from Michigan, Oregon and North Texas ( Texas is SOOOO BIG that that is is quite a drive from end-to-end…we are the only state that was a Country, you know)</p>
<p>The kids on her dorm floor are from ALL OVER. </p>
<p>I honestly think there is NO STIGMA AT ALL.</p>
<p>As long as you can adapt to being happy and polite, it seems you can be an intragal part of all the fun.</p>
<p>My D opted out of Honors. She was an IB student in high school. I found it rather interesting that almost all of her classmates that were in the IB program opted out of going the Honors route in college. She wanted to live in a traditional dorm so she was not interested in the suites or honors housing. She attended Early College this summer and they were in Lakeside, yes she liked the suite but she wanted the traditional dorm for some reason. Early College is also an option your D could look into participating in next summer to live on campus and take 2-3 classes. D loved it! At the parent/student lunch meeting on the day we moved them in for Early College they had every student stand up to introduce themselves and where they were from. There were a good number from OOS. Even Germany. </p>
<p>DD’s sorority this year the new pledges were 60% from OOS. </p>
<p>Attend any events that might be going on in your area thru the recruiters planned events, watching parties, etc.</p>
<p>^^ She opted out of Honors College or Honors Housing?</p>
<p>When we went to Bama Bound there were only about 15% of the people there that were actually from Alabama.
My daughters 3 roommates are all from the north. She knows very few people that are from the area.
We were not sold on UA on our first visit (dare I say that the “other” school had us both sold) but after learning more and seeing a different area it was a perfect match.
Since your daughter still has a lot of options to hear for yet let her think on it with a pros and cons list. My daughter did not decide until 1 May!
BUT if you are even leaning towards a school put a deposit AND a room deposit. That is the best piece of advice. In the end you may loose some money but knowing she has a room that she wants will be worth it in the end. I am sure all the UA students that had to live on temporary housing for weeks or got a dorm that they hate would agree.
Good luck and enjoy this time.</p>
<p>She opted out of Honors College. Like I said, it was really weird finding out most of her hs classmates, most of them all IB students and the top of the class, opted out of Honors for college. It is almost like they did it as a pact, lol. I went over all of the positives of being in HC with her just so she would know before just totally not going that route.</p>
<p>My D didn’t feel like she wouldn’t fit in, and both her tour guide and one of the girls in the 5 person honors seminar she sat in on lived within 5 miles of our suburban Chicago town, so she definitely met OOS students. However, she did not have the wondrous visit some on here describe, and her visit did not at all seal the deal, although she liked the school and loved the dorms. Her visit was in January of junior year, and she chose not to visit again, although we offered her the opportunity. She obviously ended up choosing Alabama, but it was not an easy decision (she got into all the schools she applied to and was reluctant to go so far from home) and wasn’t made until March of senior year. Fast forward a couple years and she is very comfortable at Bama and has no regrets about her decision. Her suitemates this year are from California, Ohio and Tennessee; last year they were from Texas, Ohio and Georgia. She has friends from all over, including Alabama, but it seems like she knows more OOS students than Alabama students.</p>
<p>I’ve now made visits with both of my kids. Older D (now a junior) was not sold on the first visit, but felt more sure on her second visit and felt doubly sure that Alabama was the right place after an in-depth meeting with a professor in her intended major at Georgia Tech (and nothing against Tech – my husband went there – but it was more research-based and not practical enough for her). Younger S was happy on the first visit, but expressed doubt last week after our E Day visit. Yet I think he will end up at Alabama despite some misgivings. Selecting a college is a complicated decision – it is easy to assume reading here that everyone falls in love with Alabama from the minute they arrive for their visit, but that isn’t always the case. What I have learned is that we just couldn’t ignore the financial opportunities at Alabama. Then we discovered that the University truly has a strong commitment towards ensuring student success. I think both of my kids will be happy there, but will have vastly different college experiences because they are vastly different people. Alabama is a large school, and offers opportunities for many kinds of personalities to find their niche. BTW, we are from out of state – metro Atlanta may seem like the Deep South from someone from the Northeast but it really isn’t! My DD’s roommates have been from New Jersey, Ohio, Alabama.</p>
<p>NYMom3Kids, we are in a very similar boat to you. D is a senior in hs, has been accepted and received scholarship letter, had one visit which did not “win her over,” and knows just how far Alabama is from us. D has not yet filled out the Honors application. I have been following the Bama threads to help us make a decision.</p>
<p>She loved the Suite style dorms that would be available for Honors students, though who knows if that is what she would get when I read here about the housing issue. The tour itself did not allow for many questions, as we were bussed quickly around the most beautiful campus that I have ever seen. My daughter is not athletic, and our tour seemed to have an emphasis on the beautiful sports facilities, some of which she would never see (like tennis if I am correct), as when asked by another parent about students practicing there, was told that it was only for the team. Students practice on the outdoor courts.</p>
<p>We did discuss the tour when we were leaving in the car. My D2 (hs freshman) with a great sense of humor, did ask if people actually attend classes there, as nothing was really mentioned outside of the nursing program living near where clinicals were done. Our tour guide was a beautiful tall blonde (which my Ds are not). When we got the post card thanking us for taking the tour, we tried to locate her in the picture. All but 1, if I remember correctly, looked like Barbie…, not that there is anything wrong with that. D is still trying to decide if Bama is the right fit. The price sure is right for us.</p>
<p>NYMom3Kids: We are OOS. My older son, an Alabama graduate, knew no one when he left our home in rural VA (btw, my husband and I are from NY), but he quickly made friends with people from all over the country when he attended Alabama Action. Most of his roommates over the years were from Alabama, but he had fraternity brothers from all over the nation. He never minded being from OOS. My younger son has been accepted to Bama for next fall (he’s awaiting word from other schools regarding scholarships), and he is not the least bit concerned about being from OOS. He wants to meet new people, and most of his graduating class will stay in state and go home regularly. He loves the vibe one gets from the SEC schools.</p>
<p>NaperMom: You can assure your younger daughter that students do attend classes. Many professors have attendance policies. My older son is Phi Beta Kappa. One of his best friends is a current Mitchell scholar who is getting her masters in engineering in Ireland. You do not receive those honors without attending classes. As for your daughter not being athletic, Alabama offers more than sports. The Honors College is excellent and offers many interesting classes. My older son did Alabama Action Aboard twice, and he went to Costa Rica to teach English and rebuild soccer fields. He was also in the computer-based honors program (CBHP). He also spent three years as an honors ambassador, so he met prospective students from across the country.</p>
<p>NaperMom, I can see how your D would wonder if the school is the right fit. i honestly did not expect my D to like Alabama when we visited. Her heart was set on a more urban experience in the Northeast area of the country. Our first visit was for Capstone Scholars Day and it went very well. She was grouped with some students that I think she could see herself being fellow students with. We didn’t do the official tour until our second visit. I understand exactly what you mean about the tour. It had a different flavor than our first visit. But then we met with the Honors College, lunched with an Honors Ambassador (from OOS) and met with the math dean. She was going to sit in on a history class but there was severe weather arriving and they had cancelled class about midway through the afternoon. </p>
<p>If Alabama is a serious consideration, I’d suggest a second visit. While my daughter was 80-90% after our first visit (I can’t remember now what she told me at the time), we wanted her to take the second visit to confirm the first one. Even after loving it the second time, we waited until all decisions were in by April 1 and she chose Alabama. But after Capstone Scholars Day in January of her senior year, it really was her de facto choice.</p>
<p>Definitely not everybody is a tall, willowy blonde! My DD is small, dark haired, and sports 3 tattoos and a nose ring. She is an ambassador for the College of Education. She participates in a club sport (triathlon) but what she has loved most at UA so far is her work at RISE, a preschool with both special needs children and mainstream children. She is a double major in Exercise Science and Spanish, planning on PT school, so she certainly attends class! She is going to Nicaragua as part of a medical interpreting program (I think it is offered through the Honors College) – ok, let me be honest and say I’m having a very hard time with the concept of Nicaragua but it’s definitely geared toward both of her majors.</p>
<p>My DS, a soph from NY, would be happy to tell of his experience as a New Yorker at Bama. Let me know if you want to put them in touch.</p>
<p>Our visit was impressive, but I think what really sealed the deal was watching the championship game vs LSU at the Ainsworth, Manhattan’s “Bama bar”. Packed elbow to elbow with Bama alumni, local fans, and transplanted Alabamans, all enjoying a beatdown of their enemy, was a huge thrill. All night long we were welcomed by total strangers, something unusual for NY. It was the kind of experience DS was excited about having at college. Ultimately he decided to give it a try, figuring he can always transfer if it doesn’t work out. He hasn’t looked back.</p>
<p>Momreads, thanks for the input. We are considering Bama because it has strong academics. We were just surprised that the tour had such a focus on athletics and athletic facilities. I guess we are more accustomed to seeing a lecture hall and hearing about academic reasons to attend a University when we take a tour of a campus. Just a bit of a surprise to us.</p>
<p>Lattelady, Alabama is a strong possibility for us. We are not at 80-90%, but more 50/50 right now. We do plan to go back and have a second look. The distance makes it difficult to schedule something, which plays into transportation issues if she were to go there. Having grown up in the Midwest, and not venturing far from home when I was younger, it seems SO far. Two days by car for us with 2 teenage girls. Seemed like eternity! Like others, she knows not a soul who has applied to Alabama.</p>
<p>WhitLo, Your DD sounds like an awesome student. I am sure I did not see her on the postcard thanking us for visiting! I too would be a little nervous about Nicaragua. However, I did grow up on the Lower West side of Chicago, and I survived if that is any comfort.</p>
<p>NaperMom – are you from Naperville (did I spell it right?!). My brother and his family live there. He has a hard time with the weather since we grew up on the coast of North Carolina! 50/50 is fine for now – my DD didn’t decide until late February. I understand your concerns about distance. But I think one of the reasons my kids are drawn to Alabama is the chance to start over after high school. They are both square peg kinds of kids and high school was an uncomfortable fit. Going out of state (although only 1 state away!) gave them permission to be different people than who they were in high school – no one had any expectations or stereotypes of them! If your DD would ever want to speak with my DD – just PM me. Lots of other parents on here will most likely offer you the same thing, because this is quite a cohesive and helpful community. I think she could offer some reassurances, and an honest perspective, that would be useful. In the long run, your DD may find a better fit. But I can promise that the folks on here (and their kids) will generously provide you with the information she needs to make the decision. And, for the record, my DD is a strong student. But she did have a “girls gone wild” semester her freshman year which actually taught her a lot about life beyond academics.</p>
<p>Sometimes going into an environment where “no one knows you” can enable you to redefine yourself.</p>
<p>Our D a Jr. would also be happy to talk with any of your students on the phone/text/FB message or in person if you visit again to share her experience at AL-is from upstate NY- so PM if your student wants to connect with her or if visiting again she can meet up -there are 3 other NY girls on her team she could ask to come along and a least 3 or 4 NY guy friends she can reach out to also. Her roommates Freshman year were from CA, FL, and another NY-all still friends. Closet friends are from GA, CT, TX along with her roommate of past two years from MO, her favorite guy friend is from AL-he is away studying this year she often mentions she has really missed him in their shared minor class. Sounds like your D only meeting AL students was a fluke-she will surely meet students from many states at AL given the high OOS population. If she does decide on AL encourage her to do Alabama Action or Outdoor Action they are fantastic programs that allow kids to meet new students from many areas and make connections prior to classes starting.</p>
<p>Former Rochesterian here. Where upstate are you from? Are you referring to the rowing team? My son said he met a rower from Pittsford.</p>
<p>Near Albany -I just checked roster given your Pittsford mention and there are now 8 NY’ers on the team (yes rowing.) I was only thinking of the upperclassmen-ooops.</p>
<p>Napermom, I toured twice, once by myself and once with my son and the tour included the rec center. Is that what you mean? Otherwise, I don’t recall any particular emphasis on sports. Since my son likes to workout, he enjoyed seeing the facility.</p>
<p>My son sat in on a class and he enjoyed it. It was a subject he was familiar with so he was able to help some of the students who were having difficulty. The instructor gave him a gift bag after class which was a nice touch. If you go for another visit, definitely request to observe a class.</p>