Hello,
I am interested in the U of Alabama but have a few concerns. I am an out of state student from the northeast and jewish and feel there might be a big culture shock. Also the town of Tuscaloosa (Dangerous?, Poverty?, etc) how is it as a college town? Will this school be a culture shock as well?
The campus itself is very nice, but many parts of the rest of Tuscaloosa really are not. Lots and lots of traffic problems and crime. Northport is significantly better.
^^^Really?
No, please don’t worry. First Tuscaloosa’s traffic is Nothing, if you are used to New York or New Jersey traffic. Is there traffic on the larger avenues and streets during peak times? Of course, but nothing like the Long Island Expressway or the New Jersey Turnpike. It’s relatively light in comparison. When you drive along McFarland Boulevard, you will be reminded of the NY/NJ suburbs. Lots of shopping centers, with large and small shopping, restaurants, bookstores, drugstores, department stores etc. there are plenty of restaurants and dining venues to enjoy as well.
Is Tuscaloosa poor? You come from New Jersey, you know that in any city, there are both more and less affluent areas. Yes, Tuscaloosa is a city, population approximately 100,000 people.
Is it safe? I read the Tuscaloosa news, the Crimson White, and various other news sources everyday. There is crime, but I see many more crimes happening in my NY area. There are robberies and other crimes occurring each day, so be street smart, just like you would be at home or in NYC.
Like any big city there are good areas and not-so-good areas. I have lived here for 4 years and love it.
No, you won’t have a culture shock. I’m a Calif native.
Please visit. You’ll see for yourself.
@mom2collegekids visiting in Feb!
We are visiting in February too! Making a long weekend and seeing what we can see among Birmingham, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa. And maybe Decatur area with some short tail relatives there.
treschicos: Decatur? That’s my neck of the woods! We’re about 2 1/2 hours north of Tuscaloosa. Add another 30 minutes to get to Huntsville. 
@Southlander my great aunt worked in Decatur and lived in Mt Hope, so the detour would be a bit of nostalgia for me.
DS who has driven in big cities especially DC lamented today that NO ONE uses a blinker in Tuscaloosa!