<p>Be of good cheer. All the experienced CC members here will do a better job than I on the phases of “the look,” morphing the opinions of excellent “deep south” schools over time. Instead I’ll share my professional experience.</p>
<p>I am from an “affluent” Chicago suburb, and although I was accepted into the honors program at Northwestern, for various reasons I went to Illinois and had a great education and experience.</p>
<p>Moving to the deep south was a foreign [snicker] concept to many of my friends and family. Over the years, “the look” changed. Those who cared to stay informed found out that a person in Alabama could progress to the top of their profession, whether it’s science, engineering, business, law, finance, medicine, marine biology, and on and on.</p>
<p>So it is with my son as enters as a freshman at Bama next fall. Whatever education path he chooses and decisions he makes, I’m confident Alabama on the resume won’t limit his future.</p>
<p>Bottom line: I think “the look” is temporary, and not meaningful in any significant way. After 30 years I still see it from time to time. I sometimes offer my own “look” in return. Kind, gently amused, secure, confident.</p>
<p>I’ve found that there really are TWO looks. </p>
<p>One is an “Alabama?” look like Alabama is not a place that someone in their wildest dreams would have thought about. It’s not a bad look. It’s just a reaction to a very unexpected response.</p>
<p>Looks two is "Alabama?!?’ like “do they even have college in Alabama?”, like it’s a third world country where there is no infrastructure or indoor plumbing.</p>
<p>In the beginning, when I would tell people S was off to UA when asked about college plans, I tended to lump the looks together and think that all people were judging my son’s choice. I learned, though, that most were just wondering why he made that choice. Don’t let a few bad apples spoil your crimson spirit. They are not worth it.</p>
<p>BTW, no one has added that UA is in pretty darn good shape financially, unlike some of those “more prestigious” choices.</p>
<p>Don’t be influenced by east coast snobbery. I visited UA when I was doing a seminar in that area. I LOVED the school. Even better, they give fabulous aid for high achieving students. Frankly, I think families are idiots sending their high achieving kids to schools with a big name and paying full tuition when their kids can go to Alabama for a faction of the cost and get a great education. However, Alabama is a southern school, which might take a bit of acclimation to their culture especially if you are from the north east.</p>
<p>JM- we too live in the suburbs of Washington, DC</p>
<p>Five years ago, our DD was in a similar situation. Everytime she/we mentioned UA as her first choice, folks said “didn’t she get accepted to UVA”…huh???</p>
<p>Fast forward and today those same parents have DSs and DDs who are still looking for a job. Our DD has a VERY good job, making VERY good money…and NO debt. All as a direct result of the great experience at UA, including a wonderful Business Career Center with great internship opportunities and job openings.</p>
<p>Additionally, she was the Tide (sorry for the pun) change for our hs. This past fall, 10 students (including our DS) started at UA, not a seatide…but a wave. =-)</p>
<p>You’ll never convince everyone…but for those of us who’ve experienced it first hand…we hand over our next-born willingly for that UA “experience”</p>
<p>Yep. My DD was the first from her private prep school to ever commit to BAMA. now, after she and I began an “educational campaign” I think at least two others in her senior class (of 80) will be joining her at BAMA in the fall.</p>
<p>Last year’s senior class had eight attend USC. A few UT and TX A&M, and the remainder mostly high-prestige schools OOS.</p>
<p>Most, if not all, of these families are paying full tuition (with a few notable MERIT scholarships) and I hope they are happy writing those monster checks. Someone has to. lol</p>
<p>When given the “look”, I usually make mention of the wonderful scholarships Alabama gives to recruit an amazing group of kids, and I love mentioning this year had a freshman class of 240 NMFs (this usually gets them), reminding them that this is much higher than the number of NMFs at Michigan. (Insert Smirk!)</p>
<p>Some of those giving the “look” have kids in OOS schools or private schools paying full tuition. It is interesting seeing the transition from thrilled by the initial acceptance - to disappointed by receiving zero scholarships/merit aid - to pained by the tuition checks they are writing.</p>
<p>All are amazed by the fact that the cost of attending UA will be cheaper for my son than attending most of our in state schools.</p>
<p>I like to think that I’ve never been guilty of the “look”, but I’ve definitely been guilty of waiting until son and I were alone and saying “what is <other student=”"> thinking?"</other></p>
<p>I think the biggest surprise for me was that his class val opted to go to a regional campus of our state flagship that is traditionally a ‘commuter campus’ where the majority of students are non-traditional. It wasn’t even so she could live at home, as that campus is about 80 miles away from our town. She was able to continue participation in a sport there, but I kept thinking that couldn’t possibly be the only school that would let her stay involved in her sport…or heck she could have gone to a ‘better’ school and just participated in intramurals.</p>
<p>But then again, it’s been said over and over on CC that students at that academic level will be successful wherever they go.</p>
<p>Maybe she is going to be staying with relatives in that area or maybe she has worked with the coach there or maybe…maybe <em>I</em> shouldn’t judge</p>
<p>Where you son chooses to go to college shouldn’t be influenced by what your friends/relatives/neighbors happen to think of it. Lots of people have opinions about schools they most likely know nothing about.</p>
<p>I still hear the remarks about Alabama or get those looks, and my son will graduate with two majors and two minors this May. The opportunities he has had – from studying abroad in Europe and Costa Rica twice to a government internship to working with two professors on two different research projects to being a member of his fraternity’s national board. He’s also seen the Crimson Tide win three BCS titles in four years. What an awesome four years. And he graduates debt free, too.</p>
<p>BTW, we live in Virginia, and my son (a National Merit kid) turned down some excellent schools to say…</p>
<p>Don’t pay any attention to them. Unfortunately, the east coast is full of education snobs. Our neighborhood is full of them. I think it’s fantastic that your S decided to go to Bama. There is much to be said for graduating with little or no student debt.</p>
<p>The Look by snobby afluent DC parents isn’t limited to UA. You get it anytime the choice is outside of the HYP, non-liberal arts east/coast world (ok, it is acceptable to go to Pomona). When I told folks five years ago the DS was turning down an Ivy to go to what was one of the best (albeit virtually unknown on the East Coast) engineering schools, I got the Look like we must be deranged. I was actually asked why we were sending him to a trade school. Fast forward today. Many of his friends from HS are working unpaid internships, few have permanent paying jobs after graduation. DS is employed, has health care, and loves his job. So, just go with what my mother always said to silly/rude questions. “Why ever would you ask that?” It goes well with the one raised eyebrow.</p>
<p>The daughter of someone in my New Jersey law office, who is very bright and did well on her SATs, got a full ride to UA and she is very happy. UA even flew her down for an interview. UA is working very hard to woo smart kids and expand its geographic profile. Considering how much money their football program brings in, they can afford to spend money on merit aid.</p>
<p>Just so I’m clear, if you choose to attend UVA as an out of state student, but you aren’t going there for the (scholarship) money or the academics, do you get to give yourself “the look?” ;)</p>
<p>I’ve had two reactions. A few of “the look” and the others have been “WOW! That’s great!” I think it would be safe to assume that the later has realized that UA is a very good school with a great reputation. As for those that give out “the look”, I love the suggestions from Malani on ways to respond. </p>
<p>Some of the discussion here is what was discussed within our family last night. We know too many bright kids (D attends an IB magnet HS) that are going to state schools, receiving a big fat ZERO in merit aid, and parents will be taking out loans to pay for a subpar education. When any high school grad can get into our state schools based solely on being in the top 10% of their graduating class regardless of the courses taken, ACT/SAT scores and GPA… eh! There are a few branching out such as my D and a few of her friends that are looking at Columbia and NYU. The rest are going to whatever school their parent has an allegiance to, which is a shame. I get the “look” from these that we are going to be paying thru the nose for OOS tuition. I like to smile and say, NOPE, D received some great merit aid. No going into debt for undergrad. :)</p>