<p>^^Sakari – I’m interested to your responses to robotbldmom. It may help us guide our DS as enters Bama. TIA!</p>
<p>Sure thing! 
I took mostly introductory classes my first semester. I was also part of the Blount program (still am, but not currently taking seminars) and had those in my courseload, as well. I started taking 300-level classes (2, I think–not including independent studies) my second semester. I had one 400-level class, which was an internship. I had some 400-level classes this academic year (last fall and this spring), as well. Throughout these years, I was involved with various honors programs–SaveFirst, Every Move Counts, and the International Honors Program.</p>
<p>My first year, I did three internships during the academic year. One was in the fall, doing research/analysis for the David Mathews Center for Civic Life. The other was in the spring, with Slash Pine Press, a small publishing company. I also had a one-year internship with one of my professors (who is now my adviser); she was setting up a local program that recruited volunteers to teach art workshops in elementary schools. I acted as her assistant and ran the website, contacted teachers, found volunteers, etc. Last summer, I went to DC and did an internship with the DC Center for the LGBT Community. (That wasn’t technically during the academic year, though.)</p>
<p>I should also mention: I am part of New College, which is an interdisciplinary program through which I design my major. As such, the 300 and 400-level classes I’ve taken have been in Honors College, Political Science, Gender and Race Studies, English, as well as Blount. My current focus is on “International Politics and Human Rights,” but if I don’t transfer, I plan to double-major in New College and International Relations. However, much of what I was designing my major around corresponded with the structures the colleges I’m applying to transfer to have; for example, UChicago has a Human Rights minor, and Brown has a concentration that focuses on Inequality and Diversity. As such, I wanted to go to a place that had a better-established program for the particular things I was interested in, rather than simply an interdisciplinary program–which is very flexible, and the people in it are great–but there aren’t as many people around who have similar interests to me, and it gets lonely.</p>
<p>Another thing I’m interested in doing is research on social inequality, which is something that the David Mathews Center does, but the research there is specifically targeted to Alabama, rather than a national perspective. The colleges I am applying to have centers for public policy, etc, and that is another reason why I am transferring.</p>
<p>One thing I can say about UA is that it’s full of opportunities. I’m currently president of a student organization and have involvement in SGA and Blount. I held two jobs last semester, but left one this semester. I came in with 16 credits. Also: for National Merit students, there’s no credit limit–all of it gets covered by the scholarship! I had 23 credits one semester, and all of it was covered, which was nice. However, you do have to talk to your adviser and get it cleared through your department. I hope that answers all your questions! I’d be happy to elaborate further, if you’d like. :)</p>
<p>A large number of students from son’s HS, two states away from Bama, do take the free ride, and even the NMF package, to attend Bama, and many do, in fact, transfer after a year or so. They find that it is just like the school up the river, but with a different name. Football is big, Greek is big, and even being in the honors program, they feel lost in the crowd. </p>
<p>Some forego the NMF housing scholarship and move off campus and find their group there.</p>
<p>Some just come home and go to the school up the river, which, because of a program in place in our state, will still give them free tuition if they’ve kept up their grades, even though they did not start as freshmen.</p>
<p>And some go to the local public university and commute from home.</p>
<p>While those students may have been pressured by their parents to spread their wings, go away to school, take the free ride, they were not happy, and despite giving it time, they made the decision to transfer.</p>
<p>Now, I’ve never heard the argument of not being challenged. In fact, I’ve heard the opposite. Many chose Bama over the more elite, but more expensive colleges, they were admitted to, because they thought it would be a piece of cake. Those who are majoring in premed and engineering found that not to be the case. No matter what the reputation of the school, those majors, and I’m sure others, but I don’t have familiarity with them, are just as challenging at Bama as they are at the very selective local private university that they may have turned down to go to Bama</p>
<p>Sakari, it looks like you’ve taken advantage of many of the opportunities Bama has to offer and had some experiences that would be hard to duplicate. I wish you luck in your transfer admissions; I’m sure you’re going to do well wherever you land.</p>
<p>Thanks Sakari.</p>
<p>I wish you luck.</p>
<p>Sakari, thank you for sharing that your credit hours above 20 were covered under the National Merit Scholarship. S said someone told him this, but we have heard there is a 20 credit cap. S is taking 21 next year…we are ready to pay for that extra credit, but it will be nice if you are correct and we don’t have to. </p>
<p>Good luck and Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Kjcphmom, I was just reading the FAQs for the scholarships and it said they will cover as many hours as the student takes! That’s a great deal! At USC, DS is limited to 18. The per credit fee is so outrageous there that he never goes over!</p>
<p>Here’s the email from the scholarship coordinator:</p>
<p>"The number of hours it [the National Merit scholarship] covers is actually unlimited. We just don’t want students overdoing it which is why we don’t advertise it. However, if you need to register for 20 or 21 hours, your scholarship will cover it!</p>
<p>Kind regards,</p>
<p>Erin Hughes
Scholarship Data Coordinator
The University of Alabama
Scholarship Department"</p>
<p>It might have changed, though, especially since the new National Merit scholarship UA is offering only covers one year of housing; there might be restrictions placed on the credit limit, as well. I would probably email in about it to make sure. You can email <a href=“mailto:scholarships@ua.edu”>scholarships@ua.edu</a> to check. :)</p>
<p>Sakari: Thank you for the thoughtful answers, although you may be transferring, it seems that you have had some really fine experiences at UA. I suppose that New College members can feel a little isolated since they are not following any partiular prescribed plan with other students. It probably is best suited for students with an independent streak.</p>
<p>The information you provided for the scholarship will be helpful to others, thank you.</p>
<p>I would like to say again…good luck, but I don’t think you will need it, as you have an academic plan in hand and a determination to succeed.</p>
<p>Let us know how it all works out. :)</p>
<p>Thanks so much to everyone for the kind words! :)</p>