<p>Hello everyone! I am interested in applying to the University of Alabama. I often hear of Alabama as one of the places where someone from the Northeast would have a hard time/get harassed. Is this true? Could someone please provide me with some information regarding this topic? Thanks!</p>
<p>Harrassed? Are you serious? Boy, these ugly steretypes. I had a roomie at UA from Jersey. He was half Italian and half Russian, and had a thick Jersey accent. He had a blast at Bama, prob too much fun! He loved Alabama.</p>
<p>I’m a minority Californian just visited Bama this past weekend and loved it there. I met a few professors, spent a night in the honors dorm, had couple of meals in the cafeteria and met a few students. I don’t feel like I’m in the “deep south”, everyone is nice. About 40% of the students are OSS.</p>
<p>It’s amazing how many people ask about this particular stereotype. I’m from WA and have never had a problem not being form the South and haven’t heard any bad experiences from other OOS students. Generally speaking, students don’t have thick accents and are more excited to learn about why you chose to attend UA. Alabama is technically the Heart of Dixie, but oftentimes I forget that I am in the South. </p>
<p>I highly encourage you to visit UA when you have the opportunity. If you have any questions about life at UA, academics, admissions, etc., please feel free to PM me or post on the discussion board. There are lots of friendly people who can answer your questions. Maybe you’ll end up attending UA and join us OOS students in the “It’s Great to be from Alabama” cheer. Roll Tide!</p>
<p>We are originally from NJ and relo’d to TN 7 years ago. We’ve never looked back. D will attending UA beginning this Fall; everyone at UA has been so friendly and welcoming during all 4 visits that she has made to the campus.</p>
<p>When she visited Princeton last summer, she was appalled by the “you’re bothering us” vibe in the undergraduate admissions office. I think it would be harder for a non-northeast person to get used to that attitude, than for someone from the northeast to get used to life in the South. It wasn’t a hard adjustment to get used to politeness and smiles.</p>
<p>As of 2008, around 25% of the undergraduate population is from out of state according to the student newspaper for anyone that wanted to know the stat (it’s not nearly as high as 40%).</p>
<p>In terms of friendliness, I think it’s a matter of perspective. I know people from New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia who absolutely love UA, but I also have a few friends who seriously dislike like it who are from California and Illinois. OP, I suggest you visit for yourself and make your own opinion, and try to look at it objectively, as some people make it out to be the holy land.</p>
<p>What if you are from Nebraska…?</p>
<p>The OOS numbers from the 2008 freshman class. (2009 numbers aren’t published yet, but will likely be higher OOS because Bama moved into the #10 spot for NMF for publics and gave more Presidentials.)</p>
<p>2008 Freshman Student Body
* 63% In-state students (3,207 students)
* 37% Out-of-state students (1,909 students)</p>
<p>(The two classes before that each had 33% of OOS students)</p>
<p>No school is “the Holy Land.” Every school is going to have some things that kids aren’t going to like (a rule, a req’t, a fee, whatever). Also, some kids have never been to any other college, so what they don’t like at one school, they may find will exist at their new school.</p>
<p>Where are you getting your stats from, m2ck? And that’s not what I meant at all.</p>
<p>The official enrollment statistics from Fall 2009 as per the official campus source: [Office</a> of Institutional Research & Assessment - OIRA](<a href=“http://oira.ua.edu/webreport/enrollment2009/]Office”>http://oira.ua.edu/webreport/enrollment2009/) state that OOS freshman enrollment is 38.1% (does not include international students). The OOS percentage for all undergraduates is 28.2% (again, not including international students).</p>
<p>Nebjohn, there are apparently 3 undergraduates from Nebraska. That said, I don’t think that you would have a hard time at UA because you are from Nebraska. People in Alabama are generally very nice and friendly. The only problem you might have would be a split loyalty if we play UNL in football. This particularly occurs with OOS students who come from states with SEC teams and was also the case this year with Texans, but it can apply to any person from any state.</p>
<p>About UA being a “holy land”; there are people at every school who love their school so much that they don’t always see the not-so-good side of the school. I recognize that UA isn’t perfect, of course then I’m not perfect either. I chose UA because I felt that it was the best fit for me. Yes, there are things I don’t like, but I either learn to deal with them or work to change them.</p>
<p>Alabama Fact Book</p>
<p>I think that you have to visit a school to know how YOU will feel about it. Even schools that are similar on paper will appeal to you in different ways (i.e. UGA felt very different to my D than UA even though they are both large public universities in the South.) Since you’re in the Northeast, is there any way that you can plan some college visits over your spring break or other days off school to try & get a feel for various campuses?</p>
<p>When can you visit? Or when would be the best time to?</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your responses. The only way I’d likely be able to visit UA is if I got accepted (parental rule pretty much). That is because I would end up flying, which the parents would not be thrilled about doing before acceptance:P. However, I have been to Knoxville and have seen UT there (only SEC school I’ve seen).</p>
<p>How did you like UT???</p>
<p>Regarding OOS numbers: On our tour this week, DD was the only one not from Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, or Georgia. So saying 28% are OOS is not the same as saying 28% are Yankees.</p>
<p>BTW: DD loved the campus. Appreciated the two faculty members (Dr.'s ONeal and Jones) who took over an hour each to talk with her and show us around. </p>
<p>There were only a few negatives; one is that undergraduate research didn’t seem readily available for underclassmen. And, the labs seemed less than stellar, though clearly the research coming from them is top notch. Also, other campus’ had student run, in-major clubs that gave all students a chance to be part of a team with kids from all grades. (Here’s Cornell’s teams: <a href=“http://www.mae.cornell.edu/PDF/project/Thinking%20about%20joining%20an%20MAE%20student%20project%20team.pdf[/url]”>http://www.mae.cornell.edu/PDF/project/Thinking%20about%20joining%20an%20MAE%20student%20project%20team.pdf</a> ) These seem restricted to the Senior Design classes (AEM 402/404). Please someone correct me if we just missed it.</p>
<p>Footballin…</p>
<p>What are your stats?</p>
<p>undergraduate research didn’t seem readily available for underclassmen.</p>
<p>Do you mean for freshmen and sophomores? That would likely be true because of the nature of the classes that frosh and sophs normally take…core curriculum, etc. Even CBHers don’t begin research til sophomore year, and many of them already have junior standing. </p>
<p>Did you visit the labs in Shelby?</p>
<p>This isn’t a research opportunity for sophomores, but it could provide some professional insight…</p>
<p>Career Exploration Opportunity for Honors College Sophomores</p>
<p>The Honors College wants you to have the opportunity to BE A SHADOW. A pilot career shadowing program will be available this March. Several professionals have agreed to allow our students to shadow them. This will provide you with the chance to experience a typical day in the life of a professional in your area of interest, get advice about the job market, make contacts in your field, and build your resume.</p>
<p>So far we have doctors, judges, advertising executives, financial executives (traders, equity research, trusts, etc.), commercial real estate salesmen, entrepreneurs, commercial builders/engineers, and magazine executives who are willing to donate a day of their time to help you. Most of these shadowing opportunities are in the Birmingham and Tuscaloosa area.</p>
<p>I’m very amused by the people who say the UA campus is “not like the South.” Perhaps it’s time to update your idea of the rest of the South…and Alabama. No, it’s not like every single square inch. But it’s a lot more like the rest of the South than not.</p>