<p>Hi Everyone
Well we are still waiting for our new ACT scores, but regardless DD really wants to visit campus. She plans on applying as soon as they open admissions.</p>
<p>My question is this: What is the best way to do a summer visit? I know that there are none of the more formal University Days tours that include a visit to dorms, talks by financial aid, student life, etc. It looks like our only choice is the tour given by a student tour guide and then a meeting with admissions.</p>
<p>What do you think of this type of tour? Would we be better off waiting until Fall and doing the University Days tour or do you think that the student led tour will give her a good overview of life at bama?</p>
<p>She would also reach out to the head of her major and ask if a meeting was possible…if so then we would schedule our travel around their schedule.</p>
<p>If we do the student led tour will see get to see a dorm? Eat at the cafe? See the sororities? Has anyone else done this?</p>
<p>It would also be easier for us to do this in June vs. September or October as DD is the goalie for her soccer team and they are in National competitions for most weekends in the Fall. We travel all over - of course they never get close to Tuskaloosa!</p>
<p>*It looks like our only choice is the tour given by a student tour guide and then a meeting with admissions.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Do this…</p>
<p>Set up your tour time and date…</p>
<p>Then email Jami Gates in the Honors College and tell her your tour time and date. Also, mention your child’s intended major. Jami will arrange dorm tour, meeting with dept major people, etc.</p>
<p>Also tell Jami whatever else you want to see.</p>
<p>I don’t know the answer to all of your questions. A visit usually seals the deal for most people.</p>
<p>Perhaps you can visit during a Bama Bound session and therefore ask questions of the students that have already committed to Bama. </p>
<p>Other people on campus will be: I believe there will be a summer session of regular classes and rising high school seniors in various programs. So there will be people on campus.</p>
<p>If you visit in the summer be prepared for extreme heat. I personally would wait to visit until October/November during the weekend of an away football game.</p>
<p>We visited in summer as well. It was a wonderful trip. We actually made the entire trip through coordination with the Honors College. We met that morning in Nott Hall with the honors staff, they guided us through the building and then went to the dorm visit (Ridgecrest model), had lunch and then left her to attend a scheduled group tour on the bus. After, we met with Dr. Sharpe for almost two hours. He is a generous and amazing man. He also set up an impromptu meeting with Dr. Morgan. The Honors College also had set up a meeting with our religious student union (we had asked beforehand) and then set up some career and interest meetings with that staff as well for our son. We walked away enraptured with UA. No other campus ever measured up - even though their scholarship offers and prestigious fellowships were offered in greater percentages or full rides.</p>
<p>I spent some time off the schedule talking to students. It really was helpful. UA wants our kids to dream bigger then gives them the tools and skill sets to do just that. </p>
<p>I would suggest calling Jami also. Our son was undecided at the time of his visit so he didn’t visit a particular College of interest. He has since done that on a seperate visit. I would recommend that at the outset for you. In many cases, the UA campus, labs, opportunities exceed what is found elsewhere! </p>
<p>Oh - prepare for the heat. I live on the Texas Gulf Coast with unreal heat and humidity and it was a scorcher of a day :)</p>
<p>Good luck to both you and your child. Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Thanks Cuttlefish - I’d seen someone mention wearing khakis for tours at U of A, and didn’t want S to be too casual. Cargos and a polo shirt are actually “dressing up” in his vocabulary!</p>
<p>If you’re coming in the summer, it will be hot…so dress for that…and wear comfy shoes!!!</p>
<p>I’m so glad that school is starting a week later this year…one less week of heat for students. I remember the last “hot” football gameday was Penn St (Sept 11). But it rained in the afternoon, so it was much cooler by the time the evening game started. But, earlier in the day it was hot.</p>
<p>After that…Bama has just awesome fall weather! :)</p>
<p>The Honors College is definitely open during the summer and Jami would be happy to schedule a campus visit for you.</p>
<p>As for what to wear, wear whatever you feel comfortable wearing. Some prospective students wear suits, some wear a t-shirt, shorts, and flip flops. Feel confident and comfortable in whatever you wear and you’ll be fine. We want to meet the real you and show you how UA is the best school for you. Sure, you might be introducing yourself as a potential CBHP/UFE applicant, but overall, it is UA that is trying to impress you.</p>
<p>Visiting in the summer will be HOT and HUMID…but so will be the beginning of school so it’s a good experience. I would also suggest visiting during a Bama bound Session…it will be busy at UA and so you will get a little feel for the campus with students on it. You will get a more “personal” tour if you go through the Honors College. We did the whole bus tour and I have to say it made the campus feel “big” but after coming back for Panhellenic Preview, another visit, Bama Bound…we found the campus to be totally doable when walking and comfy.
You will be able to see in a dorm…they have a sample room set up. It will be in suite style living. You will not be able to see in a sorority but can walk sorority row if you wish. The houses are closed to be “spruced up” for recruitment. DD had stayed in Tutweiller during Panhellenic Preview so we knew what a conventional room looked like as well. She ended up choosing this style because it was closer to sorority row and she knew she would spend a lot of time in this area of campus (she ate breakfast there every morning and so that was her starting point for the day).
We brought a little hand held fan when we came to Bama Bound…it helped!
As for clothes…we saw girls in sundresses, skirts and dressy shorts (j crew) and tops…yes to comfortable shoes. Boys wore collared polos and plain khaki shorts (as my daughter referred to as the “fratty” look )…if the boys were not interested in a fraternity then they did wear cargos and a t-shirt (Guy Harvey)…oh and sperrys.
Have fun…we were just talking about this the other night…we wish we could go do it all over again! Roll Tide!!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all the great info everyone! I showed DD the info last night and she wishes we could go next weekend! lol I am going to reach out to Jami today. Thank you for the link. I think that we will try for either mid June or right after July 4’s holiday. I will try to find a weekend that matchs with Bama Bound. But I have to juggle it with her lifeguarding schedule. I love the idea of the campus being busy.</p>
<p>I think that college visits in the South are a bit more formal than in the Midwest/North. I don’t remember every seeing anyone in anything other than jeans and T’s at Nebraska, Iowa State and Marquette. Actually, this is a really good thing for DD. She loves to dress well and tends a bit to the fashionista and has a closet to prove her love of looking good. Just one more thing on the plus side for Alabama.</p>
<p>OK and now a sillly question: What is the proper way to refer to the school? Alabama? 'Bama? U of A or U of AL? I want to be proper and respectful, but most of all I don’t want to embarass myself, since I know I am going to posting more. LOL</p>
<p>I usually refer to the school as UA, Bama, Alabama, or the University of Alabama, though some people will also call it The Capstone. I have heard it referred to as Alabama University, or AU, which is incorrect since AU is used to refer to Auburn University.</p>
<p>Inside Alabama, it is referred to as “The University”. Even outside of Alabama, in other parts of the South, I commonly say, I attended “The University”, after telling them that I am from the state of Alabama.</p>