<p>DS2 took the Spanish placement exam and scored in the highest “band.” Therefore, all he has to do was take any 300 level class, pass it, submit a form, and then he received the lower division credits (can’t remember if it was 9 or 12 additional credits).</p>
<p>So, after one semester, he has junior standing with about 70 credits. </p>
<p>Sea_Tide…I’m amazed that after one semester, you have 90+ credits! How many AP credits did you bring in (along with your CLEP French credits)?</p>
<p>Just wondering…is the fee for the CLEP test able to be waived like the fees for the ACT and SAT tests?</p>
<p>It does not appear that CLEP fees can be waived.</p>
<p>M2ck, I did a lot of dual enrollment which was reevaluated and gave me 75 credits. I thought I had less, but it was a nice surprise, except that much of it is elective credit. 24 of the credit are from AP tests.</p>
<p>Seatide, what level of French did you complete in H.S.?</p>
<p>Officially 5 (AP), but the last 3 years were very similar to each other in content. I lucked out that my French teacher taught material in a way that was good for the CLEP exam, but unfortunately not AP.</p>
<p>I agree with Sea-tide 100 percent when it comes to the importance of doing well on the AP/IB exams. My son, with his AP and dual enrollment, entered UA as a junior. He also will receive some back credits for Spanish once he completes the 200 level this spring.</p>
<p>Sea_Tide: I did a lot of dual enrollment which was reevaluated and gave me 75 credits.</p>
<p>Ahh…is it popular for high school kids in Wash to take a LOT of dual enrollment classes? Are they coordinated thru your high school? My niece (also Wash resident) shocked us all when she sent out her high school grad notice and also sent a grad notice of getting her AA at the same time. I was surprised that she was able to complete an AA, while also in high school. It was such a jump start for that she quickly finished her bachelors and masters by a young age.</p>
<p>The state of Washington will pay for both full time hs and up to full time college enrollment (up to 18 credits per quarter at all community and technical colleges, along with some 4-year schools) during the junior and senior years. All the student pays is some fees and for textbooks. Many students use the program to get PE requirements out of the way and others do take normal college classes, but rarely the top students. There are drawbacks, especially with how credits transfer at non-WA schools, but it is a great program nonetheless. I’m toying going back and taking the one class I need for an AA this summer.</p>
<p>One of the schools my daughter applied to is USC for the 5 year BS-MS Occupational Therapy program. She’s still waiting to hear back from them. But, it’s EXPENSIVE! She applied and got accepted to Indiana University-Bloomington, as well as Alabama. Got decent merit scholarships from both, making them a least a LITTLE more affordable OOS. We’re in California. From the beginning she’s had Indiana on the top of her list. But, I’m not sure anymore. She’s a gal of few words. 
We’ll see what school she eventually decides on when she hears back from all of them. Patience is a virtue!</p>
<p>True. Here in Northern CA it’s the SF Giants or Oakland As for baseball, 49ers or Raiders for football, San Jose Sharks–hockey. Golden State Warriors, maybe, for basketball. I prefer college sports, though. I actually like the Lakers more. I also like the Dodgers because I spent summers down South and that’s all they listened to.</p>
<hr>
<p>Mom2CK wrote:</p>
<p>This is true. Having grown up in Calif where the fan loyalty is split amongst many sports - football, basketball, hockey, and baseball (at the college level and pro), Alabama really only has Auburn and Alabama college football to be loyal to.</p>
<p>In California…My parents were Dodger fans, my son was a Laker fan, I was a USC fan, my nephews are Angel fans, my niece is a Ducks and Padres fan, etc, etc (and this is just in Southern Cal - northern Cal has it’s favs). So, two teams couldn’t dominate a state in fan loyalty like Bama and Auburn do.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s like the cheeseheads in Wisconsin. lol</p>
<p>*I also like the Dodgers because I spent summers down South and that’s all they listened to.
*</p>
<p>When I was growing up, the radio was on all the time…Since my mom sewed a lot, she always had the Dodgers on (during the season, of course), Dr. Toni Grant pre Dr. Laura), or Michael Jackson (the commentator, not the singer. LOL).</p>
<p>I remember these people having a transistor radio on when they would be at their sons’ Little League games. It was funny to watch them root for their kids AND go crazy listening to the radio when the Dodgers were playing. At their house, I would suddenly hear a WOO-HOO! from the back room. Sure enough, a Dodgers game was on. I remember the name Dr. Toni Grant.</p>
<hr>
<p>Mom said:</p>
<p>When I was growing up, the radio was on all the time…Since my mom sewed a lot, she always had the Dodgers on (during the season, of course), Dr. Toni Grant pre Dr. Laura), or Michael Jackson (the commentator, not the singer. LOL).</p>
<p>It’s hard to measure academics since I haven’t studied anywhere else. As an engineer major I am confident in our programs. Plenty of our graduates go on to work with top companies. Many of my chemical engineering classmates are pre-med and have been accepted to various medical schools.
I agree with ABR1190 about the honors college. They are not necessarily more challenging in the traditional sense as they are more involved. Also, since the honors classes are electives, it is something you would be interested in. Overall though, the honors college is a great resource for its students. The faculty can assist you with any of your aspirations. I took a class called mentoring entrepreneurs which has helped me in developing a business plan. </p>
<p>Again, since you are from Chicago, you may find UA and even the state of Alabama boring, lol. You will have to get used to the Southern drawl lol. The social scene may seem lacking to you, but you’ll be in college surrounded by new people so you will enjoy yourself. There is a great diversified student body. Some of my closest friends are people I would have never imagined I’d become so cool with.</p>
<p>The NPHC organizations are big here. They pretty much provide much of the entertainment and social scenes for the URMs (lol). The stepshows have gotten consistently better since I first arrived. </p>
<p>I feel that I did make the right decision. I didn’t decide until like the middle of April my senior year where I was going. I chose UA over Georgia Tech. And though GT is a “better” engineering school, college is more than just studying for a career. Not to sound cliche, but it is truly a time when you learn about yourself. I feel that UA has helped shaped me more than GT ever could. Part of the reason that my experience here has been great is because of the people I have met. </p>
<p>Dorms - I lived in Riverside, Lakeside, and Rose. Riverside and Lakeside seemed to be more “dead” than compared to the more traditional style dorms like Burke. Since everyone had their own room, it almost fostered a stay in your room type atmosphere. The new Ridgecrest is better because it has large common areas in the dorm. Ridgecrest had a community center in the middle but it required you leaving your dorm and walking outside to it lol. I liked Rose because I had my own kitchen and could cook. Although it was an apartment style, there always seemed to be activity in and out and meeting people was easy. If you intend to pledge what dorm you stay in won’t make any difference.</p>
<p>I agree with ABR1190 about the honors college. They are not necessarily more challenging in the traditional sense as they are more involved.</p>
<p>I’m glad that the honors college classes are not more difficult. Students don’t get weighted grades grades for honors classes, so if they were more difficult kids would resist taking them.</p>
<p>The purpose of honors classes is not to be more difficult, the purpose to be more mind-expanding. :)</p>
<p>I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask this kind of question, but I was just wondering… I’m a northerner from the Philadelphia area and I was wondering if making the adjustment to a school in the south like Alabama would be very difficult. Are people accepting of non-southern students, would it be more difficult to make friends?
Also, I am considering joining a sorority… would this also be harder to do coming from the north?
Thanks :].</p>
<p>Aes2011, this is a very popular question and the short answer is that the transition is only difficult if you set out to make the transition difficult. It is not more difficult to make friends other than you won’t have 50 of your hs classmates attending the same university. I know OOS people from the north who have became Greek and enjoy it immensely. One thread about sorority life at UA is <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/710839-sorority-life.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/710839-sorority-life.html</a> . Get recs for each sorority and you have a good chance of getting in one.</p>
<p>*Also, I am considering joining a sorority… would this also be harder to do coming from the north?
*</p>
<p>Alabama kids are welcoming.</p>
<p>As for sororities…</p>
<p>It’s best to try to make it out to Bama for March 27 - Greek Preview Weekend </p>
<p>the link above is good. But, there was some bad info posted by someone who was just throwing out assumptions. Luckily, those who had the facts posted them. :)</p>
<p>This might interest a lot of people. Found at [Recruitment</a> at SEC schools - GreekChat.com Forums](<a href=“http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?p=1855457&highlight=stats#post1855457]Recruitment”>http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?p=1855457&highlight=stats#post1855457) posted on 10/08/09. (PNMs = Potential New Members, formerly known as “rushees”.)
</p>
<p>thanks…that clears up the ridiculous myth that OOS girls have a hard time getting bids. </p>
<p>Glad to see that OOS girls have no problems. :)</p>