Important steps for entering freshmen 2015

bamagirls · October 1, 2014, 4:47pm

Lots of dates and things to remember. If you’re a planner (like I am), having a binder for your student to keep up with everything will be helpful.

Beginning July 1

Application for admission, $40 application fee.
Submit transcripts, ACT, and or SAT. Be sure to submit a test that includes
Writing score. Priority deadline is February 1.

Student tab appears. CWID issued. Acceptance letter arrives via mail.

Scholarship letter arrives. Letter from college of choice arrives.

Apply to Honors College – once accepted, students who qualify may apply for admission to the Honors College. Admission is based solely upon stats, so the application is pretty simple. Any student who wishes to live in Honors housing must have applied and been accepted BEFORE room selection begins on May 1, so don’t delay in applying.

Scholarship application – once a student is accepted, the scholarship application is available to complete online. The scholarship application deadline is December 15. Don’t plan to wait until the last minute. The system may experience an overload and you may have an issue submitting at the last minute. The national December ACT test date and the national December SAT test date are the last test dates accepted for scholarships. The highest qualifying test score will be used to determine the scholarship level awarded. Although students receive a scholarship letter earlier, the official acceptance occurs in the spring on MyBama.

Pay enrollment deposit online. Enrollment deposit is $200 and is non-refundable. Be aware that the system may take several hours to update before allowing the housing deposit to be submitted. Allow at least two hours or more between paying the enrollment deposit and housing deposit.

Check into special programs of interest such as Emerging Scholars, University Scholars, CBH, UFE. Note requirements and deadlines.

Beginning October 1

Pay housing deposit and complete the housing contract. Housing deposit is $300 and up to $275 is refundable as long as it is requested in writing until May 1, or $175 before June 1. The earlier the deposit is paid the better your chances of receiving your choice of housing. Students are not guaranteed a particular housing option. The deadline for submitting the housing deposit is April 1.

Set up a roommate profile and begin searching for potential roommates. If I recall correctly, the system updates weekly. It is possible that this has changed, so check it often. For the best result in finding compatible roommates, the student (not the parent) should complete the profile with complete honesty. No one wants to find out the neat, non-smoking, non-partying roommate choice is actually an all night party animal or visa versa. Don’t worry about being judged. Be yourself and find the best fit for you. Keep in mind that roommates don’t have to be best friends or carbon copies to live together.

If your student is NMSF, verify that all steps for completing the process are completed before the deadline.

Bama Bound – students can register for Bama Bound after paying the enrollment and housing deposit. The deposit for Bama Bound is $120 for the student. Students usually reside in the dorm during Bama Bound. Parents have the option of paying to stay in the dorm also. Parents are usually assigned to a different tower within RCS. Sibling orientation is also available for an additional cost for students with siblings. I think siblings have to be a high school freshman or older to participate.

Where should I live?
Determine interest and investigate deadlines for any living-learning community for which a student may have interest. Acceptance into Honors is required before selecting Honors housing. Students may also want to consider other communities such as Blount, which require an application process.

Here’s a link about living-learning communities:
<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/living_learning_halls.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/living_learning_halls.cfm</a>

Link to residence hall options:
<a href=“Halls - Housing and Residential Communities”>Halls - Housing and Residential Communities</a>

Consider whether you’ll participate in Alabama Action, Outdoor Action, or Camp 1831. Watch for online applications to open and submit the deposit and criminal background check online.

March 1
Priority deadline for submitting Financial Aid forms.

Beginning as early as May 1 (depending on date of deposit)
Room Selection – students who wish to select roommates should have already made connections using the Roommate Finder or other alternatives. Students are able to select roommates, building, floor, suite, and bedroom during room selection IF they met the deadlines.

June 1

Football tickets generally go on sale online around this time for entering freshman. Students go online to purchase one of two packages available to incoming freshmen.

Move in time selection. Watch for the deadline to sign up for a move in time. Those participating in approved activities are allowed to move in early. Move in times slots are generally staggered incrementally and based upon the building/floor of the housing assignment. Students go online on a specified date to select their actual move in time. Move in at the UA is an amazing process. I promise you will be impressed.

Parking permits – these go on sale online at some point during the summer for students who plan to bring cars. Watch the Crimson mail for assigned times to purchase parking permits. If bringing a car from out of state, check with your state to see if the car will need an inspection or if a waiver is available. Most states allow waivers.

Immunizations – download the immunization form and make an appointment for immunizations and TB skin test. The form may be submitted during Bama Bound. Remember to allow time for the TB test to be administered AND read.

During the summer:

Set appointments for routine visits to orthodontists, dentists, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, etc. and have any prescriptions refilled. Consider a basic first aid kit with any allergy and cold meds your student may need. Students under 19 are prohibited from buying certain prescriptions in Alabama.

Register to vote and request absentee ballots if planning to vote in your home state.

Send final transcript to the UA upon graduation.

Send AP scores, dual enrollment transcripts, CLEP results to UA.

Plan several potential schedules before attending Bama Bound.

Students complete Alcohol Edu and Haven online.

Lay out an area based upon the dimensions of your chosen dorm room. If your stuff doesn’t fit, you’re bringing too much. The more stuff you bring, the more stuff you’ll have to store or move out. You don’t need everything you have at home.:)

Copy or scan important documents such as insurance and social security card.

These sites are helpful in identifying the deadlines and steps to follow throughout this process. Note that the dates listed are for 2014-15, so be aware the dates will be slightly different for freshmen entering 2015.

<a href=“http://gobama.ua.edu/steps/freshman-checklist/”>http://gobama.ua.edu/steps/freshman-checklist/</a>

<a href=“http://gobama.ua.edu/steps/freshman/”>http://gobama.ua.edu/steps/freshman/</a>

<a href=“http://scholarships.ua.edu/faq/”>http://scholarships.ua.edu/faq/</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/freshman_residency.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/freshman_residency.cfm</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/movein/checkin/signup.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/movein/checkin/signup.cfm</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/movein/checkin/schedule.cfm?CFID=7500789&CFTOKEN=51780232”>http://housing.ua.edu/movein/checkin/schedule.cfm?CFID=7500789&CFTOKEN=51780232</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/movein/arrival/pack_tips.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/movein/arrival/pack_tips.cfm</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/movein/arrival/policies.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/movein/arrival/policies.cfm</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/on_campus/com_living_standards.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/on_campus/com_living_standards.cfm</a>

Please feel free to add to or edit any information provided here. Roll Tide!

mom2collegekids · October 1, 2014, 5:15pm

Linking this to the Info Thread

bamagirls · October 1, 2014, 5:34pm

Thanks. I guess I should have thought of posting it there to begin with.:)

riverbirch · October 1, 2014, 7:33pm

Scholarships aren’t automatic?
TB test required for US citizens? Haven’t had to do that with college acceptances before.
? about football tickets-are students only allowed to buy tickets for half the games?

mom2collegekids · October 1, 2014, 8:43pm

1) Students are supposed to fill out the scholarship app even for assured awards. It says so on the awards list.

2) TB tests have become rather standard at univs.

3) Freshman can only get tix for half of the home games. If they want more, they have to get them thru another way.
Upper classmen can get tix to all home games.

riverbirch · October 1, 2014, 9:18pm

Thanks. I like the pricing of the football tickets for students. Up here in the Midwest they are charging NFL prices at certain schools with a mediocre product on the field. I suppose going to all the games as a freshman would be tough to do since they must be in high demand if they can only buy half the season.

beth_s_mom · October 1, 2014, 11:08pm

^^ It’s not hard to get a donated ticket for non-conference games. When my D was a freshman she was able to purchase tickets to 4 games in her package and got donated tickets to 2 more games. The only ticket she didn’t get was for the Iron Bowl. She didn’t try because she was coming home for Thanksgiving, but I doubt she would have gotten one. 6 out of 7 home games isn’t bad.

robotbldmom · October 2, 2014, 12:33am

Unfortunately, TB has been on the rise in the US, even drug-resistant tuberculosis.

LucieTheLakie · October 2, 2014, 3:32pm

Yes, drug-resistant TB is on the rise, and given the recent outbreak of a particularly nasty strain of enterovirus, I’m really glad our kids have all been pre-screened for TB!

@riverbirch, my freshman son’s experience so far has mirrored what beth’s mom said. He was ambivalent about college sports when looking at schools, but he has absolutely loved the “game day experience” so far at UA. Coming from a small private high school that didn’t even field a football team, I think he’s enjoying the game-day pageantry as much as anything. He and his friends from Blount Hall dress up for the games and all go together. The Honors College has a big tailgate party before each home game too. And the Million Dollar Band is exceptional. Check this video out: <a href=“"Yea, Alabama!" - Inside the Elephant Stomp - Million Dollar Band 2014 - YouTube”>"Yea, Alabama!" - Inside the Elephant Stomp - Million Dollar Band 2014 - YouTube;

scholarme · October 2, 2014, 4:50pm

My D had to get a TB test to volunteer at the hospital .
Btw OP, thanks for this thread - very helpful. I bookmarked it.

bamagirls · October 2, 2014, 5:30pm

UPDATED-

Beginning July 1

Application for admission, $40 application fee.
Submit transcripts, ACT, and or SAT. Be sure to submit a test that includes
Writing score. Priority deadline is February 1.

Student tab appears. CWID issued. Acceptance letter arrives via mail.

Scholarship letter arrives. Letter from college of choice arrives.

Apply to Honors College – once accepted, students who qualify may apply for admission to the Honors College. Admission is based solely upon stats, so the application is pretty simple. Any student who wishes to live in Honors housing must have applied and been accepted BEFORE room selection begins on May 1, so don’t delay in applying.

Scholarship application – once a student is accepted, the scholarship application is available to complete online. The scholarship application deadline is December 15. Don’t plan to wait until the last minute. The system may experience an overload and you may have an issue submitting at the last minute. The national December ACT and SAT test dates are the last test dates accepted for scholarships. The highest qualifying test score will be used to determine the scholarship level awarded. Although students receive a scholarship letter earlier, the official acceptance occurs in the spring on MyBama.

Pay enrollment deposit online. Enrollment deposit is $200 and is non-refundable. The system may take several hours to update before allowing the housing deposit to be submitted. Allow at least two hours between paying the enrollment deposit and housing deposit.

Check into programs such as Emerging Scholars, University Scholars, CBH, UFE, Blount, etc… Note requirements and deadlines.

Beginning October 1

Pay housing deposit and complete the housing contract. Housing deposit is $300. Request refunds in writing. $275 is refundable up until May 1, or $175 before June 1. The earlier the deposit is paid the better your chances of receiving your choice of housing. Students are not guaranteed a particular housing option. The deadline for submitting the housing deposit is April 1.

Set up a roommate profile and begin searching for roommates. I believe the system updates weekly. For the best results, the student (not the parent) should complete the profile with complete honesty. No one wants to find out the neat, non-smoking, non-partying roommate choice is actually an all night party animal or visa versa. Don’t worry about being judged. Be yourself and find the best fit for you. Keep in mind that roommates don’t have to be best friends or carbon copies to live together.

If your student is NMSF, verify that all steps for completing the process are completed before the deadlines.

Around November 1

Bama Bound – students can register for Bama Bound after paying the enrollment and housing deposit. The deposit for Bama Bound is $120 for the student. Students usually reside in the dorm during Bama Bound. Parents have the option of paying to stay in the dorm. Parents are assigned to a different tower within RCS. Sibling orientation is also available for an additional cost for students with siblings. I think siblings have to be a high school freshman or older to participate. Linens are furnished for parents, but must be requested for students. BB is a good opportunity to measure if your student will be in RCS. Expect to find a twin xl bed with mattress, dresser, desk, chair in the bedroom, a bathroom with shower, and a fridge, sink, microwave, sofa, table, and chairs in the dorm. It isn’t like staying in a hotel, so you won’t have a tv, toiletries, or trashcan in your room. Staying in the dorm is convenient and inexpensive, but don’t expect luxury.

Make hotel reservations for BB.

Where should I live?
Determine interest and investigate deadlines for any living-learning community for which a student may have interest. Acceptance into Honors is required before selecting Honors housing. Students may also want to consider other communities such as Blount, which require an application process.

Here’s a link about living-learning communities:
<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/living_learning_halls.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/living_learning_halls.cfm</a>

Link to residence hall options:
<a href=“Halls - Housing and Residential Communities”>http://housing.ua.edu/halls/</a>

Consider whether you’ll participate in Alabama Action, Outdoor Action, or Camp 1831. Watch for online applications to open and submit the deposit and criminal background check online.

March 1
Priority deadline for submitting Financial Aid forms.

Beginning as early as May 1 (depending on date of deposit)
Room Selection – students who wish to select roommates should have already made connections using the Roommate Finder or other alternatives. Students are able to select roommates, building, floor, suite, and bedroom during room selection IF they met the deadlines.

June 1

Football tickets generally go on sale online around this time for entering freshman. Students go online to purchase one of two packages available to incoming freshmen.

Around mid-June

Move in time selection. Watch for the deadline to sign up for a move in time. Those participating in approved activities are allowed to move in early. Move in times slots are generally staggered incrementally and based upon the building/floor of the housing assignment. Students go online on a specified date to select their actual move in time. Move in at the UA is an amazing process. I promise you will be impressed. Simply pull up to the dorm and volunteers do all of the unloading and cart the student’s belongings to their room.

Make hotel reservations for move in immediately if you haven’t already.

Around July 1

Parking permits – these go on sale online around this time for students who plan to bring cars. Watch the Crimson mail for assigned times to purchase parking permits. If bringing a car from out of state, check with your state to see if the car will need an inspection or if a waiver is available. Most states allow waivers.

Immunizations – download the immunization form and make an appointment for immunizations and TB skin test. The form may be submitted during Bama Bound. Remember to allow time for the TB test to be administered AND read.

During the summer:

Set appointments for routine visits to orthodontists, dentists, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, etc. and have any prescriptions refilled. Consider a basic first aid kit with any allergy and cold meds your student may need. Students under 19 are prohibited from buying certain prescriptions in Alabama.

Register to vote and request absentee ballots if planning to vote in your home state.

Send final transcript to the UA upon graduation.

Send AP scores, dual enrollment transcripts, CLEP results to UA.

Plan several potential schedules before attending Bama Bound.

Students complete Alcohol Edu and Haven online.

Lay out an area based upon the dimensions of your chosen dorm room. If your stuff doesn’t fit, you’re bringing too much. The more stuff you bring, the more stuff you’ll have to store or move out. You don’t need everything you have at home.:)

Copy or scan important documents such as insurance and social security card.

These sites are helpful in identifying the deadlines and steps to follow throughout this process. Note that the dates listed are for 2014-15, so be aware the dates will be slightly different for freshmen entering 2015.

<a href=“Freshman Steps to Enrollment – Admissions”>http://gobama.ua.edu/steps/freshman-checklist/</a>

<a href=“Freshman Steps to Enrollment – Admissions”>http://gobama.ua.edu/steps/freshman/</a>

<a href=“Frequently Asked Questions – Scholarships | The University of Alabama”>http://scholarships.ua.edu/faq/</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/freshman_residency.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/freshman_residency.cfm</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/movein/checkin/signup.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/movein/checkin/signup.cfm</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/movein/checkin/schedule.cfm?CFID=7500789&CFTOKEN=51780232”>http://housing.ua.edu/movein/checkin/schedule.cfm?CFID=7500789&CFTOKEN=51780232</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/movein/arrival/pack_tips.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/movein/arrival/pack_tips.cfm</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/movein/arrival/policies.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/movein/arrival/policies.cfm</a>

<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/on_campus/com_living_standards.cfm”>http://housing.ua.edu/on_campus/com_living_standards.cfm</a>

Please feel free to add to or edit any information provided here. Roll Tide!