Thank you, mom2collegekids!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
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<p>I intended to write a personal thank you to mom2collegekids, but decided to instead post it on this public forum for all to see…as she deserves the recognition for all of her time spent in helping students navigate the college process and understand the financial implications of their choices, as well as being an outstanding representative for the University of Alabama. </p>

<p>Once my sister and I entered high school, my mom required each of us, on a daily basis, to follow specific forums on College Confidential. We ended up each following very different forums. My sister, who is three years ahead of me, spent her time on the Ivy League and an “arts” forum. She ended up with admission to Columbia and Juilliard (she chose Juilliard). I particularly liked the Financial Aid forum (where M2CK is very active), which led me to National Merit Scholarship information, and finally to the University of Alabama (where we all know M2CK takes the main lead in heading us in the right direction with respect to our questions).</p>

<p>I am from a small-ish mill town in Camas, Washington (right across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon). The University of Washington in Seattle is my state flagship and has nationally ranked Engineering (#23) and Aerospace Engineering (#15) programs. Admittedly, UA’s Engineering and Aerospace Engineering programs do not even make the ranking lists. But, upon listening to M2CK’s comments this past year, along with many other regular posters’ comments, I had been swayed. So much so, that I recently visited UA at the end of June. My classmates and teachers were stunned that I would even consider this school. But, after visiting, I was even more convinced, and UA remains at the top of my visit…even over UW. I still plan visits to Purdue (they have invited me to a weeklong program later this month) and the University of Michigan, but remain very excited by what I experienced at UA and what they have to offer me.</p>

<p>I encourage all potential students to explore UA’s website and carefully follow Dr. Witt’s (UA’s President) vision for his school. His leadership and commitment to increase academic standards are proving successful and I suspect his success will continue. His achievement in developing a strong Honors College is drawing students of strong caliber…and that is important to me. For what rankings are worth, I wouldn’t be surprised to see UA’s numbers increase in the next few years. </p>

<p>For those planning a visit to UA, the following schedule was prepared for me by Jami Gates. It might prove helpful in your own scheduling needs. I spent two full days on campus, which ended up being the perfect amount of time.</p>

<p>June 23rd:
9:00 AM
Jami Gates, Coordinator of Student Recruitment, Honors College
Via email, Jami told me to park in the staff lot just behind Nott Hall and told me to bring any parking tickets to her (which I did; they were waived). We spoke about my itinerary/visit in general. She walked me around the Honors College building where I met staff and viewed the Computer-Based Honor Program computer lab. She then left her air-conditioned office (she didn’t need to!) and walked me across campus to the Student Service Center. </p>

<p>9:45 AM
Informational Video / General Guided Campus Tour (air-conditioned bus!!)<br>
This gave me a good overview of the campus’ layout, which was much larger than I imagined. The tour was led by a student ambassador. We got off the bus, once, at the University Recreation Center and quickly toured the inside of the facility.</p>

<p>11:45 AM<br>
Dr. Michael Freeman, Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering
He spoke to me, at length, about the Aerospace program. He gave me a “homework” assignment, which I completed that night in my hotel room. We spoke about curriculum, research, available internships, and future job marketability; I was so engrossed with our conversation, that one hour quickly passed. We make arrangements for me to return the next day. </p>

<p>12:30 PM<br>
Sassy Saint, Current Honors student
We were supposed to meet for lunch in the Ferguson Center. I was, very unfortunately, late due to the long meeting beforehand. I sent my apologies, via Jami.</p>

<p>1:30 PM
Jami Gates
She met me at the Ferguson Center and drove me over to Ridgecrest South, giving me a personalized tour of the residence hall. Having read the forum, I knew what to expect…but seeing it in person…WOW! It is a state-of-the art, beautiful residence hall.</p>

<p>2:15 PM
Dr. Shane Sharpe, Interim Dean of Honors College and Director of CBHP
He spoke to me about the Honors College, touching on each of the four programs. He spent the most time talking about the CBHP, in which I am most interested. The CBHP is a research-based program; admittance is extremely competitive but I will apply. It was a pleasure to speak with Dr. Sharpe…an extremely likeable person who gave me honest, straight answers to my questions. Our conversation lasted about 75 - 90 minutes. I tried to end my questions/conversation after an hour, but we continued to speak. I didn’t sense he was nervous about the time length, but I was…I especially felt bad because a whole family was patiently waiting when I left his office.</p>

<p>June 24th:<br>
8:00 AM
Applied Matrix Theory class (1 hour, 45 minutes) with Dr. Tsun-Zee Tai in Palmer Hall<br>
I asked to attend this particular course as I wanted to compare the course content with the same class that I am currently attending at a community college. I also wanted to see the student interest (Did they want to be there? I would say 75% did. Were they interested, engaged, asking good questions? Yes!)</p>

<p>10:00 AM
Aerospace Statics class (1 hour, 45 minutes) with Dr. Michael Freeman in Hardaway Hall
This was another class that I asked to attend. I was able to follow and understand most of the lecture, but got a little lost with some truss discussion. What a gem of an instructor! He understood his students’ needs and adapted. He was articulate in his explanations and enthusiastic in his communications with his class.</p>

<p>12:00 PM
Dr. Jacqueline Morgan, Associate Dean of Honors College and University Fellows Director
I rushed back over to Nott Hall to meet Dr. Morgan. She followed up with general information about the Honors College and then focused on the University Fellows program. While I have leadership experience, it was apparent to me (and I’m sure to her too) that this program was not a good fit. She’s looking for those leadership/community service “movers and shakers” for her program; I’m more of a workhorse. I described her to my mom as what I thought was the typical “Southern Belle”…beautiful, stylish, and charming!</p>

<p>1:00 PM
I went off campus and had lunch on “The Strip.” At M2CK’s suggestion, I had yummy bento chicken at Bento’s. I briefly explored that side of Tuscaloosa.</p>

<p>3:00 PM
Returned to the University Recreation Center and more closely explored the inside 4-lane pool (I am a competitive swimmer and will continue to train and compete…but not at the collegiate level). I then drove over to the Aquatic Center, where the UA swim/dive team trains and competes, and was allowed to view their facilities.</p>

<p>As you can see, I had very full, productive days! </p>

<p>Having lived my entire life in the Pacific Northwest, and having never visited the South, I just wasn’t sure what to expect. Hands down, I have never met friendlier people! Ever!! From the moment I stepped off the plane…to the rental car clerk, to the restaurant wait staff, to every student on campus who pointed me in the right direction when I clearly looked lost but my “manly” self couldn’t quite ask for help…all were incredibly warm, hospitable, and generous. I wouldn’t say that people in the PNW are rude, but they’re just not as genuine and welcoming. The impact was huge.</p>

<p>My point in this very long post…a sincere thank you, M2CK, for pointing me in a new direction with respect to college selection. You put in countless hours, at a thankless job, as you aid complete strangers in deciphering the ins and outs of this process. I would love to see UA acknowledge your “work” on this site, as it brings many, many students to their front door. It did me…for my application is now submitted!</p>

<p>Again, thank you (and watch your mailbox)! </p>

<p>~PNWguy</p>

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<p>Ditto our experience. And it’s mighty persuasive stuff, isn’t it?</p>

<p>Thanks for a great, informative, and useful post.</p>

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<p>It’s great to see a fellow Washingtonian attending UA (there are currently 19 undergrads from WA at UA). I take it you’re a Papermaker?</p>

<p>M2ck is an amazing asset for UA and if you haven’t done so already, send Dr. Sharpe and Jami Gates a thank-you e-mail about her. I know for a fact that m2ck and CC are instrumental in getting students to consider UA who normally wouldn’t have, myself included.</p>

<p>While UA’s engineering programs are not ranked, you have personally seen that they are very good, competitive programs. I know very well that the U Dub is an excellent school, as are the other schools you are looking at. I don’t know what kinds of financial aid Purdue and Michigan offer, but UA’s NMF package is a very good deal and it should be possible to attend the UW for a semester on your UA scholarship if you wanted to do so.</p>

<p>Additionally, if you are participating in Running Start, UA’s credit transfer policies for dual enrollment, along with those for AP, IB, and CLEP are quite generous.</p>

<p>Thank you very much for your post and Roll Tide!</p>

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<p>Actually, UA’s College of Engineering is ranked, though not ranked among the higher rep schools. I don’t remember the exact number, but I know it is ranked around 110th in the country for both publich and private engineering programs. In fact, somewhere on CC, I saw the rankings from 2008 and that is where I remember seeing UA’s ranking. </p>

<p>With the large number of faculty hires, in a buyers market, and the new Science and Engineering facilities coming online, UA’s CoE is poised to climb in those rankings. But don’t underestimate the snob factor that keeps great Engineering programs out of the top 50. Auburn is well known for its CoE, yet its ranking for 2008 was only around 75th.</p>

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<p>It really is true that people like mom2collegekids as well as SEA_tide and many others make a big difference by the amount of information they provide on CC. I first considered UA on a whim earlier this year and decided to visit since we would be in the area looking at Auburn. After seeing it I was blown away, as most people are, but still had some reservations. I find that those reservations are all breaking down over time thanks to the amazingly friendly and helpful people here! None of the other schools on CC have nearly as much support as Alabama does, and I really think you people have a lot to do with making UA my number one choice. I check here everyday for new info, and it has made me so excited to apply. I hope their admissions people know what an asset they have in CC. Thanks for all the help!</p>

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<p>I just wanted to also say thanks. We are just beginning our college search, and would never have thought of UA if not for these posts - especially posts by mom2collegekids and malanai. University of Alabama threads have been the most helpful of any we have seen - the support and work the parents/students put into these threads says so much about the university itself!</p>

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<p>I’ll add my thanks to mom2collegekids and every other member of the UA forum who continually answers questions and gives extremely helpful advice to those of us who are having any difficulties with the college search and application process. I first “discovered” UA because an admission rep came to my school and sparked my interest with talk of scholarships and honors programs, but it was definitely the people on this forum who helped move Alabama to one of my top choices in schools. As the post above says, it says a lot about the school that there are students and parents so dedicated that they are willing to come on here and answer countless posts – it shows a true devotion to the school that is really impressive. Thanks m2ck and CC for all your help.</p>

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<p>I’d like to say thank you too to m2ck and all the other contributors. You guys are amazing!!! I print out some of your posts to share with DD and her friends. Now I’ve got three Hawaii girls interested in Bama thanks to all of you!!! Of course that lazy river was a big selling point too :)</p>

<p>Seriously, I know I haven’t posted on here much, but I already feel like I know some people on here. Thank you so much for the time you take to answer questions and share your knowledge!</p>

<p>Roll Tide!!</p>

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<p>You guys seem to have blushed M2CK’s into oblivion.</p>

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<p>LOL…I’m in California now… Busy with the family! :)</p>

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<p>Mom, </p>

<p>What do you think about USC’s probation? Still a fan? I think USC deserved it, but I feel bad for its fans. Like UA, USC has too big of a tradition to stay down for long.</p>

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<p>Uh, I don’t believe you cleared this with the forum before you left, m2ck. Please adhere to the established CC protocol in the future (Section IV, Paragraph 3, Subsection d.) so as to not cause needless separation anxiety among the flock. :)</p>

<p>Have a wonderful vacation. We’ll do our best to muddle on without you.</p>

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<p>Atlanta68, I’m still a HUGE USC fan. Only school I’ve grown up rooting for, although I am starting to root for UCLA also, because my sister (and best friend) goes there. However, this gets rid of any mental conflict I might have had the next two years if USC and UA were to go to the National Championship.</p>

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<p>As a Georgian, I’d have never considered UA for my HS junior son, but he seems to have a decent shot at our National Merit cutoff score (and is a marching band devotee), so I’ve had my curiosity piqued. The above posts have cited the friendliness - what other aspects, in brief, tend to blow people away upon visiting?</p>

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<p>gadad: It’s a lovely campus, what I imagined in my head the “perfect” campus would look like. And of course, the friendliness of everyone encountered made an impression. And the honors housing is amazing. What really made us (and I mean my D, DH & myself) fall in love with UA was the fact that everyone D encountered (in person and through the mail) really seemed interested in her, and her interests & how UA could help her meet her goals. And in a very specific, non-generic way, down to specific history classes, study abroad locations and post undergrad scholarship paths. </p>

<p>She is an NMF and if I wanted to be cynical I could say that they wanted her to attend so they could pump up their NMF numbers for publicity. Which may be partially true. But the information/conversations/letters that D received from UA had a different tenor than the mailings that she got from other schools both large and small.</p>

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<p>gadad:</p>

<p>From California, UA wasn’t on our radar. My son did well on the SATs and UA appreciated this and contacted him. My initial response, as many on this forum know, was no-way, too far, too ‘foreign.’</p>

<p>But we spoke with the recruiter and went for a visit and were impressed at every level, especially the personal level. We met with everyone from the Dean of Honors to the head of every dept. son is interested in studying under. But it isn’t just those who ‘wanted’ my son’s talents at the school, it was everyone on campus. If we so much as looked puzzled people would stop and make sure we could find our way. People listened to one another…a trait we’re losing on the west coast. Because of that, it seemed that folks enjoy real discourse.</p>

<p>Then, consider the opportunities at UA. I can’t think of anything it lacks.</p>

<p>And finally, the LOVE everyone involved in the school holds for the school. I think we chatted with one student who said she wished she had a made a different choice. That was largely because her friends went , en mass, to another school. I hope she feels differently after finishing a year but I think one less-than-perfectly-satisfied student out of more than a dozen we met/visited with is not bad!</p>

<p>Good luck in your son’s decision. It was a hard one until we visited UA. You can tell that we’ve joined the Crimson Tide :)</p>

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<p>gadad: Here’s a link to the thread that explains why we chose Bama: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/874878-our-visit-bama-hawaii.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/874878-our-visit-bama-hawaii.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Oh okay! Enjoy the rest of your trip! :)</p>

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<p>M2ck - hope you’re enjoying our heat — without the level of humidity. Although I had a mild reminder yesterday of the thunderstorm I experienced in Tuscaloosa at BB.</p>

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<p>Gadad, I love how personal they are. After I had been accepted to the honors college and given the presidential scholarship, I received a letter one day in the mail from UA. I usually just open, skim, throw away. However, it was very personalized. Dr. Halli knew I wanted to major in history and international studies, and he referenced my honors college essay. He knew that I wanted to be a human rights advocate via international law as a career, a passion I discussed in my essay. He gave me a list of classes he thought I would be interested in (I was interested in all of them), and named a scholarship he thought I should look into. He also told me how I can start to prepare myself for it, and offered to talk to me if/when I decided to attend UA.</p>

<p>It was definitely a neat thing to experience such personal attention at a “large university,” something unique of all the schools I looked at.</p>