<p>What can University of Alabama offer that the BIG10 powerhouses (Wisconsin &Michigan) and University of Washington, and UT Austin can’t offer? (Sell your school)</p>
<p>I like the question. Awaiting to see answers from the experienced Alabama faithful. The obvious responses will be the scholarship.</p>
<p>and don’t forget the football haha</p>
<p>The atmosphere and excitement of whipping two of the schools you named.</p>
<p>In all seriousness, a stunningly beautiful campus second to none. The most cordial and friendly shirt off their back kind of people you could ever meet. </p>
<p>Facilities which are absolutely top notch.</p>
<p>We live outside STL in a small town. Tonight at a local move theatre I got a hearty “Roll Tide” from two families I don’t even know. 10 hours from Tuscaloosa and there is still a camaraderie and spirit you just don’t encounter every day.</p>
<p>Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD</p>
<p>I can only compare UA with UTexas. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>UA is in a more college town than UT. While Austin does have more of a college vibe than other cities of same size with a large college, it is just not the same. Tuscaloosa is amazing. </p></li>
<li><p>Campus itself. UA’s campus is very beautiful with lots of trees, green space, beautiful architecture. UT’s campus has more concrete than green spaces. UA has more room to expand which they are doing with the Bryce land. UT is locked in. No room to expand.</p></li>
<li><p>Scholarships. $$$$$ UA is very generous with their scholarships.</p></li>
<li><p>I am not hip on the top 10% rule for Texas high school students admissions for colleges. Sadly, this has increased the number of kids coming to Texas state schools that are not prepared for college. Imho, that brings down the academics. If you were trying to improve the academics of a school then one would think you would go after top students based on GPA, SAT/ACT scores, academic levels of classes taken, etc. When you have Texas kids that can get into Ivies but not UT… :(</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I know kids that have gone to UT, recently graduated UT, attending UT, headed to UT. It is a fine school. I just can no longer put it on a high pedestal. </p>
<p>Just my .02</p>
<p>I’ll second rolltide90 on the camaraderie of UA fans, students and alum no matter where you are in the country. Not something you see with UT. Not even if they are sitting next to each other half way across from Texas, they may not even acknowledge their “family”.</p>
<p>rolltide90–
also live outside St. Louis in a small town— DS wondering what I’m thinking having him focus and research UA— any feedback on experiences/major/others from our area there? All the positives being listed are part of what I’ve shown him. Will be visiting in Oct. Thanks!</p>
<p>We are also from just outside of St. Louis! We thought our son was kidding when he first mentioned Bama as a school he would like to look into. It has quickly moved to the top for him and we have been suitably impressed with all of our interactions with various people associated with the Capstone. If I had to bet right now, I assume he will be in Tuscaloosa next year at this time!</p>
<p>One can find almost anything at a given school given enough time and effort. What’s great about UA is that it retained policies that make it more student-friendly than many other large schools.</p>
<p>I live close to Seattle, so the University of Washington is my main school of comparison here.</p>
<p>Advantages of UA, in no particular order, include:
- A great climate with mild winters. The summer humidity and sudden rainstorms are really easy to get used to. One can wear shorts almost every day of the year.
- Smaller class sizes
- An honors program (UHP) which is more free form than many honors programs at other universities. This is great for students who enter college with a lot of college credit earned during high school.
- Generous AP, IB, CLEP, and dual enrollment/transfer credit policies. This allows students to enter upper division and graduate classes sooner
- Accessible professors and administration. Any student can walk over to the University President’s office and schedule a meeting. If the president is in, she might even meet with you immediately. Professors are also very open to meeting with students.<br>
- Well-maintained buildings that have a relatively consistent architectural design. Go to other schools and it’s often easy to see which decade a building was constructed.
- A variety of academic programs for top students which allow students to use all 8-10 semesters of their scholarship. Some schools highly encourage students to graduate once they meet minimum degree requirements.
- A state that stands behind its flagship university and applauds and supports those able to attend.
- The worldwide Alabama Family: attending UA is a lifetime commitment to excellence. UA students are expected to be friendly, kind, and respectful to everyone. Southern Hospitality is a very real thing and you will see that campus is kept very clean. School spirit is a big deal at Alabama but that doesn’t mean just tailgating at football games. If sports aren’t your thing, that’s perfectly fine. However, wear an Alabama hat or shirt anywhere in the country and in many other nations and soon enough you’ll hear a Roll Tide.</p>
<p>Note that Tuscaloosa isn’t a large city and Alabama isn’t exactly a populous state. There are tons of activities of interest to students in the local area and the newly renovated Birmingham airport is an easy 65 minute drive from campus with almost no traffic. There is an excellent Publix supermarket just off campus for all your grocery needs. As an upperclassman, you’ll especially appreciate the low cost of housing, restaurant food, and entertainment. </p>
<p>Roll Tide!</p>
<p>If you earn a scholarship to UA, you will graduate debt-free and your parents will retain their retirement savings. You will be in school with a high percentage of out of state students who share your dedication to academics and desire to use monies saved for post-undergraduate education and/or a downpayment on their first home. You will enjoy a stunning campus terrifically maintained filled with friendly people who realize very quickly they chose their university well. For a lifetime, you will enjoy “going back” and taking pride in the growth and continued tradition that is The University of Alabama. Roll Tide.</p>
<p>What she said 
RTR!</p>
<p>BRAVO SpaceCoastMom! </p>
<p>Another tidbit of why UA > UTexas
At UT it is very hard to get into the Engineering and Business schools.
You do not claim a major till the end of your 2nd year. They have quotas on each major.
You better have a backup! That was a big turnoff for D. She refused to attend a school for 2 years to be told that she could not have her major as it was full when it was her turn to submit.</p>
<p>There seems to be a very strong and growing contingent of families from St. Louis. I credit that to a couple of people, in particular:</p>
<ol>
<li>The current president of the local alumni chapter (Shannon)</li>
<li>The current recruiter for this area (Amanda)</li>
</ol>
<p>I can put you in touch with either or both of them if you would like. These two ladies are incredible people and will help you in any way they can. I am also joining the Parent Advisory Council this fall, so I would also be more than willing to assist you in any way I can.</p>
<p>I want to say there were about 50 kids from the High School class of 2012 from the STL Metro area, and I didn’t see the numbers on this year’s class. If you need more info, just let me know.</p>
<p>If you visit, that will seal the deal… Just be prepared for that when you visit. We had looked at several other SEC schools, and our son wore his Alabama hat to the Kentucky visit, if that tells you anything… :)</p>
<p>If there was ever any doubt that my son would be taken care of while attending Bama, a phone call I just received just did away with that… The campus police just called saying they had seen where my son was parked and noticed that he had a window down. They suggested that he close the window so that things inside would not be stolen. Wow…That was so nice of them to call for something like that. That is the personal touch that Bama is known for.</p>
<p>I can’t say many good things about Alabama (I’m an Auburn fan going to UMich and have frankly never been to Tuscaloosa), but one thing they’ve got that big10 schools don’t is fantastic weather. As someone dreading the treks through snow to get to class, that’s a pretty great plus.</p>