My husband and I both graduated from UAH nearly 30 years ago. I would appreciate some advice from those who have more recently attended the university. I should also mention that we live in Huntsville, Al.
My daughter is trying to narrow down her potential college list and UAH continues to stay on the list despite the fact that it is very different from the other schools we are considering.
Our daughter’s end goal is to do research (almost definitely in graduate school) in the area of computational neuroscience. The colleges we have been looking at are smaller liberal arts colleges with a strong science base preferably with a Neuroscience major. Sewanee and Rhodes are at the top of that list. We also had a decent visit to Berry College. A “reach” school on our list is Emory. For state schools in Alabama, UAH and UAB are on the list.
Our visit to UAB wasn’t our favorite, however UAH was a pleasant surprise. While UAH doesn’t have a Neuroscience major, they do have a strong base in Biotechnology and Computer Science. Other pros include cost, an abundance of research opportunities, close to home, and there is an issue of my daughter’s horse and aquariums.
Here’s the potential downside…personally I didn’t have a great experience at UAH. Lack of support, classes taught by graduate students with little experience in teaching (often with little command of the English language). I would like to think that UAH has improved significantly since my years there. I am concerned about my daughter’s transition from a small, academically challenging private school to a larger university.
Another concern may be the transition into a selective grad school, as that is ultimately the end goal for her. She may not receive the personalized attention that a smaller liberal arts school may provide in that process.
Any thoughts concerning UAH would be appreciated. We also would appreciate other recommendations or thoughts for college considerations. Her dad and I would like a school in the Southeast but open to recommendations. Her grades, test scores, and extra curriculars are good but perhaps not enough for a super selective school.