<p>As some of you might be familiar with, I am a rising HS senior who is considering your school.</p>
<p>It’s been kinda hard to decipher why you guys like this college so much from the posts I can find on this forum. So why don’t you guys list off why I, or any other student, should apply to Alabama. Reasons can be food, environment, housing, academics, sports, etc…</p>
<p>Forrest Gump went there :)</p>
<p>Well for one, you’ll learn proper grammar and capitalization. :-)</p>
<p>Honestly, no one can tell you why you should attend a certain school. The reasons to consider Alabama are numerous, and have been mentioned many times on this board. But you’ll need to visit the school for yourself and decide if it’s the right fit for you. What we like and dislike about UA may not be the same as your likes and dislikes.</p>
<p>I’d be happy to answer, to the best of my ability, any specific questions you have regarding UA. But I’m not gonna try to convince you to come to my school. That’s a decision you can and should make on your own.</p>
<p>It’s a good school with lots of majors to choose from.
It’s a friendly campus.
The dorms are nice.
It’s gorgeous.
The school has money to do improvements.
The students have a lot of spirit.
Football games are fun.
Most people look good in crimson.</p>
<p>Dr. Witt, the President of UA, is committed to doing what it takes to make the University of Alabama a first-choice school for the top students in the country. One of his goals is to set up a reciprocal dynamic, whereby top-flight students attract top-flight profs, who attract more top-flight students, etc. Every year, UA is attracting more and more National Merit Scholars and other very high-caliber students.</p>
<p>It takes serious money to do this and Bama is putting its money where its mouth is (e.g. unbelievable single-room dorms, honors classes capped at 15 students per seminar, a rapidly expanding super modern infrastructure, guaranteed scholarships for students posting requisite standardized test scores and grades).</p>
<p>This is a university on the move, with a can-do spirit, and you have an opportunity to be a part of the excitement, growth, and achievement. Contrast this to the financial turmoil and cutbacks in California (I say this sadly, being a dyed-in-the-wool blue and gold UC Berkeley grad).</p>
<p>Did I mention that the Bama people we’ve encountered at every level (including College Confidential) are just the nicest, most helpful in the world?</p>
<p>There is no substitute for a visit. UA may not be for you, but if you’re seriously curious about it, it’s essential that you come on down and see for yourself.</p>
<p>Roll Tide! Go Bears!</p>
<p>Malanai…I’m going to copy and send your reply to our son’s High School guidance dept. This is exactly the answer I’ve been looking for when people here ask why we would send both of our children to (gasp!) Alabama.</p>
<p>And, what some don’t understand is that when you improve the student body as Bama has, it’s soooo much easier to convince better prospective profs to accept a position to come here and teach. </p>
<p>At the Phi Beta Kappa induction for my older son, I was sitting next to a prof who had come from Berkeley. He said that he’s not the only one from the Bay Area to find Bama very appealing…great campus, moderate weather, smart students, and great housing prices! (his home is on the river!) :)</p>
<p>Ditto Malanai! Although, I doubt I could have said it so well!</p>
<p>Whoop Whoop…Roll malanai Roll :)</p>
<p>We all just love the campus…it’s enjoyable being there…in the area outside The Ferg, at the honors dorms, at the rec center, at the stadium, in Shelby, in the libraries, etc, etc…</p>
<p>When I walked thru Ridgecrest South on Thursday night (second floor), that rec area was literally crawling with kids. I was like, wow, I wish my college experience had been like this. </p>
<p>When I spent time in the Honors College on Thursday, chatting with some of the profs, I was so impressed by how caring and personable they were.</p>
<p>I am sure there are alot of schools that have caring and personable professors- I have been to many schools that say the same thing-</p>
<p>I mentioned it because some people don’t expect that at a larger campus. 
So, for some, that may be news to them. They might only expect that at smaller campuses.</p>
<p>UA had the smallest-feeling big campus we’d ever been to. Such personal attention and an incredibly well-run orientation.</p>
<p>how’s tuscaloosa? good? bad?</p>
<p>Tuscaloosa is like a lot of cities which have a similar-sized population (about 100,000 people).</p>
<p>It has very nice areas and less nice areas. </p>
<p>On the south side of the campus is the stadium and many Greek houses. </p>
<p>On the west side is “The Strip” which has lots of off campus hangouts. Further west is the renovated Downtown.</p>
<p>On the north side is Manderson Park, The Riverwalk, and the Black Hawk River. </p>
<p>Northwest of the school is where the new outdoor amphitheater is being finished.</p>
<p>East of the main area of the campus is the rec center, health center, some sports fields, the area hospital, and the highway. </p>
<p>Southeast of the campus is the new Midtown Village - which a lot of kids go to hangout, eat, shop, etc.</p>
<p>The City of Tuscaloosa is very supportive of the campus and is also undergoing renovation of many of its older looking areas. They’ve completed (or near completed The Riverwalk), they’re building the Amphitheater, and when I drove down there recently, there was a lot of other new construction going on. </p>
<p>The city is heavily investing in the area.</p>
<p>I think it is the Black Warrior River</p>
<p>m2ck, there are lot of people who live in Tuscaloosa but outside the city limits (such as me :)). I’d say the “real” population of the Tuscaloosa is closer to 150K.</p>
<p>Ahhh!</p>
<p>I thought that the population was well over 150k, but when I looked it up, the number was smaller - so it must not include those who live outside of city limits.</p>
<p>malanai has an excellent response and I agree wholeheartedly. Additionally, I’ve really liked the fact that UA doesn’t play the games other colleges do in that if you have the stats, the merit scholarship is guaranteed, AP and dual enrollment credits are accepted and will transfer fairly, and the fact that UA wants to help you succeed as a person. </p>
<p>I want you to find the attend the school that is best for you, even if it isn’t UA. There are many excellent schools out there and for me, UA was the best choice. At UA, I feel that I’m not sacrificing anything that I wanted in a college and am constantly impressed with all the school has to offer. Add in the fact that UA offered me an excellent scholarship that makes it cheaper than commuting to an in-state school (I’m from WA), the school colors are crimson and white, an elephant for a mascot (my favorite animal), and UA is the best school for me. Best of luck in the college search and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about UA, Tuscaloosa, or college in general.</p>
<p>Many people do live outside the Tuscaloosa city limits, which might carry some benefits in terms of municipal ordinances. It is the Black Warrior River that runs through Tuscaloosa (which means Black Warrior, IIRC).</p>
<p>Roll</p>
<p>One thing that no one has mentioned is the University Scholars program. I’m not sure of your intended major, but there are many majors in which you not only earn a B.A. or B.S., but you can earn your masters degree, too. I know that Sea_tide and my son are very interested in this program. To earn a B.A./B.S. and a masters all in four years, especially being on scholarship so they are not paying for that tuition, is amazing.</p>