@Proudpatriot You’re looking at overall stats for Alabama. Among engineering students with the presidential scholarship (like this OP), nearly all graduate in 4 years or less. These are the top of the line students, many entering already with sophomore status thanks to very generous AP credits. They routinely take lighter course loads (helping boost GPA) or add second majors. They also get priority registration, choosing their classes before everyone else, a perk that cannot be overstated. This OP would easily graduate in 4 years.
The average ACT score at Alabama is a 26. The kids on the full tuition scholarship with 32+ ACT scores will not have an issue graduating in four years as it is the 50 percent of the student body with ACT scores 26 or lower who are at greatest risk.
The way things work at the FL state universities is that it is difficult to graduate in 4 years. NOT because the kids are stupid and flunk out (those kids are out in a year) but because it is often difficult to schedule the classes you need in order to graduate in 4 years. I know FL is not unique in that way. Some kids manage to take classes in the summers and graduate in 4 years but again, they often have to forgo other paying gigs to do so.
^ which is why priority registration at Alabama is huge.
If you can graduate in 4 years it is definitely cheaper to attend Alabama. Many of my son’s friends, who were great students, went to UF and FSU and are not able to graduate in 4 years.
My analysis is meant to make you think. It isn’t definitive because of course you have to apply and see what the net costs are in reality. But think of all the costs, including lost earnings if you have to attend for more than 4 years not just the net difference over 4 years.
Run the NPC on ASU. The merit scholarships are automatic and it might be pretty close.
Whoever is saying OP won’t get a lot of merit aid at Case is hilarious- they give money to qualified students (like op) like it’s candy.
@SeinfeldFan1 No one here said Case won’t give lots of merit aid. We know they do. Even with big merit, the net cost may still be above OP’s budget, and other schools may provide better value.
This is most likely related to admission selectivity. It is rather likely that the full tuition scholarship students at Alabama have little trouble graduating in 4 years, even if there are other students there who do struggle to graduate in 4 years (or at all).
Florida publics have the summer session requirement that forces some students who would otherwise graduate in 8 semesters to spend 8.5 semesters (counting the required summer session as 0.5 semester).
Ah…no, that’s not the case at UF, or at least is not the major issue impacting 4 year graduation rates. In general, classes are available, with many of the intro classes being taught online. Some majors (like engineering) take about 4 1/2 years, but what’s keeping the 4 year(66%) graduation rate low, as compared to the 6 year rate (87%), are the students themselves.
It’s more of a cultural issue with students and faculty advisors. UF students in general, are not in a rush to graduate. The advisors also tend to let students take lighter loads (12 or 13 credits instead of 15 or 16) or work on dual degrees/minors, etc. Many students do graduate in less than 4 years (it’s easy for some majors, due to the generous credit UF gives for AP/IB/AICE/DE classes), but they often add a second major, take only 12 or 13 credits, or even work a Fall or Spring internship.
I saw a UF faculty senate presentation given by UF Provost (Joseph Glover), last month, and he talked a bit about graduation rates. UF is measured on 6 year rates (by the state), but UF would like to start improving it’s 4 year rates. The number one obstacle seems to be UF’s low cost, and the advising given by UF’s faculty and advisors. His challenge will be getting everyone (students and faculty) on board with targeting 4 years instead of 5 or 6.
Of course, if UF charged $40K+ a year in tuition, they could offer even more advising and tutors, and students would be incentivize to graduate in 4 years, but that’s not the way it is…
Finding the right fit is personal.
Many of the posts in this thread focus on what they like. Why not ask the OP what is important to them?
50+ posts in and here are a few questions that could help pinpoint what is important to the OP:
- region of the country preferred
- size of school
- city / suburban / rural
- school spirit / social scene
@Chardo actually, it seems like UA did away with a good part of Priority Registration recently:
https://www.ua.edu/news/2016/10/%EF%BB%BF%EF%BB%BFchanges-to-priority-registration-process-benefit-students/
“It also includes a shift in priority for Honors College students, who will retain priority registration, but only within their academic classification based on earned hours. For example, Honors College students classified as seniors will be able to register before other seniors, Honors juniors will be able to register before other juniors, but after all seniors, and so on.”
I think this was probably as a result of so many people being eligible for the Honors College, since the requirements are so low for UA.
@turkle321 Ok, that’s a fair change to the process, but will have little actual impact on honors students. Most of them enter with significant AP credit, meaning they have higher class standing to begin with. And it’s not often that an underclassman wants the same course as a senior. Honors students having priority over everyone else in their class year is still a huge perk.