Every time my mom talks about me and college to a family member, she mentions that I got into Bama. Then she proceeds to say something like “Oh no, you aren’t going to Alabama. It’s ALABAMA.” And as a multiracial student from the Northeast, there just seems to be so much stigma about going to Alabama and going down south period. How can I combat it? It’s so annoying and it’s really a bummer because this is a school that I am seriously considering.
Since it is your mother, and not just coming from relatives and friends, then sit down and talk to her. Tell her you don’t appreciate the bashing and won’t she do you the courtesy to explore the possibility with you as a partner, the pros and cons, so she can help you make a decision, or will you be forced to do this on your own and disregard her one sided opinion? Also the negative comments won’t look good if you decide to go and you appreciate the support during this stressful time.
Then you can tell her that it is a large college community in a college town and tell her the percent of out of staters.
@BrownParent It’s also students at school. And thanks for the reply! 
Just tell the kids they are ignorant, having no experience…and lots of OOSers go and it is a big college flagship experience that you area interested in. Would they like to know about it or just be provincial?
@BrownParent They’re provincial. They just think about the history and then make assumptions.
@CaliCash I totally understand your situation, having come to Alabama from California. Many of the things your mom is saying are things I used to tell myself! I was sure that I could never fit in here, or for that matter that there would be students at UA who I would want to fit in with! However, just like California and many states in the Northeast have changed dramatically from how they were in the 60’s, so has Alabama. Especially in a college town like Tuscaloosa, there is a surprising diversity of opinion, political views, art and music events, and people. If you and your mom have never visited Alabama before, I would definitely recommend that you try coming to visit. Alabama, and especially Tuscaloosa, was nothing like what I expected. If you want more detail about how I ended up choosing Alabama (and I was in a very similar situation this time last year), I have two fairly detailed posts in the “Schools Your Child Passed Up” thread (#140 and #162). Good luck to you and Roll Tide!
As you are multiracial, race is an issue your mother has obviously had to deal with for a long time. It is not surprising that she might be concerned about your going south to school–what you think of as “history” might be very fresh to her, and she might think that prejudice against people like you is very much present. Just telling her she is wrong will not have much effect, I’d think. She might think you are naive, instead. So do some research about the school’s policies, about its efforts to combat racism and provincialism, possibly contact some students there to get their experiences. Then you can sit down with her and share your findings.
@CaliCash Have you visited? If not, do so…that will end your mom’s concerns.
When is the best time to visit? I have break next week. Is class in session? @mom2collegekids
Yes, class is in session next week. Spring break at UA is March 16-20.
Well, certainly the current federal gay marriage ruling and Judge Moore’s shenanigans with local judges to defy the federal courts is not helping with Alabama’s reputation. Sad. UA is a beautiful school with a very diverse student body and supportive administration. Don’t let the state’s politics cloud the good work the university has done in welcoming students from all over the US and the world.
It is best to visit when students are in session…not on a weekend, because there aren’t any profs to meet with.
It’s best to come mid-week…can you come next week?
PM me, and I can help you set this up.
Hey, I am an Asian.
We have only about 3 percent Asians out of 34000 undergrads, and I never feel racially discriminated, and never got called “ch**” or “j*”
Dont worry… seems you need me to talk to your mom!
My experience with this sort of thing has been quite different. Although there are individuals who believe that schools in the south are of inferior academic quality, I have found that these are most often people who are simply misinformed about the institutions for which they hold these beliefs. When I first considered Alabama, people around me were initially surprised because students who graduate from my high school do not typically go OOS for college. However, I never received any sort of negative reaction. As far as the people who were surprised and didn’t know much about the school (besides how nice the football team is), they simply did their own research and ultimately came to the conclusion that UA was a great opportunity that would provide an excellent education.
The campus visit itself was a very interesting experience. All facilities were state-of-the-art, and the students I met with were definitely first-rate. Of the kids in my general campus tour group, NONE of them were from Alabama (although I assume this is a rare occurrence). New York, Texas, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois and Pennsylvania (my state) are some of the ones I remember. This was no where near what I expected, and leads me to believe that the general perception of southern schools is changing. Apparently, UA is currently drawing attention from students all over the United States, not just the south.
As far as the people who have negative preconceptions of Alabama just because of its location, what evidence do they have to justify those views?
Blame media
Sorry, I may have asked this before, but has your mother visited UA with you? If she’s not willing to be open-minded and give UA a chance, there’s not a whole lot you can do. There are plenty of people who would be happy to answer her questions and address her concerns if she wants to speak with them.
We need more minority as proofs of how not-so-racist UA is.
Only a minority can decide if UA is the right school for him or her and only after being open enough to the school that they investigate it and apply.
The university offers admission and wonderful, straight-up merit-based scholarships through a completely transparent process, unlike a lot the elite “holistic admissions” schools. Beyond that, and being as welcoming as possible to students of all creeds and colors, not sure what else can be done.
Happy and successful students who go home and talk about their experience will do more to address these concerns than anything else.
Thumbs up to @LucieTheLakie
OP, if your mother doesn’t give it a try even after hearing about a certain foreign student who got full tuition AND have no hard time mingling with white and black people(and some other), there isn’t really anything you can do.
Good luck in persuading her.
Does your mother know that UA has one of the highest enrollments of AAs of any state school in the nation? Why arent people giving this fact more attention? Would that many attend UA if it was such a hotbed of racism?