<p>Yep, I have had several instances when I have said my DAUGHTER was going to BAMA on a MERIT scholarship, they have asked “Which sport?”</p>
<p>Geeesh.</p>
<p>How much will the fact that UA only gives 1 year room and board to NMF now effect top student interest?? It seems they used to give full ride all 4 years.</p>
<p>I just say he’s on the volleyball team and got a full scholarship. Both true, even if unrelated.</p>
<p>OU’s scholarship was reduced, as well… BAMA’s is still the better of the two.</p>
<p>rebel - We won’t know until we see next years numbers. </p>
<p>I am sure someone at Bama did some research on the possible effect but for some reason they didn’t share it with us. Seems like the least they could have done was to let M2CK know since she is the top recruiter they have!!! :-)</p>
<p>Honestly, as a parent of a current Bama NMF student, the merit offer serverd to get Bama onto the list. It was the school feel, opportunities and the fact that they seemed to truly care about DS that sealed the deal (much like many other stories on this board). I think that even the reduced package will get Bama on peoples list. After that it is up to the Admins to keep working their magic…</p>
<p>UA does offer among the best net $ for NMF of all top 75 schools.It would be nice if other top quality schools did the same.</p>
<p>I have had similar experiences with just hearing negative things said about Alabama- when I was looking into their merit aid. I think they offer great benefits and people are just uneducated about the school in general.</p>
<p>It was my daughter who used the, “because Forest Gump went there” comment. Always stopped them dead in their tracks.</p>
<p>Many people are oblivious to how much college costs. They are either past the tuition days or their kids are little. When the price tag for in-state tuition, room, and board is approaching $100k many places, people just don’t get that these scholarships are extremely valuable. I hope the kids will be rewarded with good jobs…</p>
<p>Beth’s mom, you are pretty intimidating. No one would dare give you the look!!</p>
<p>Sorry to be late to this lively discussion, but we are another DC area (Montgomery County) family that could not be happier with our NMSF son’s “decision” (it was actually love at first visit) to go to school in Tuscaloosa. Thanks to the amazing opportunities available at UA and the generous transfer of AP credits, he in on track to graduate debt-free with an engineering degree and an MBA in four years. We still get a couple of odd expressions when we mention UA but it seems like word is getting out about the school, the state of Alabama, and the south generally. Roll Tide.</p>
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<p>tee-hee 
Actually, I wouldn’t give either one of you the look. But I’d know that both of you could support your choice with plenty of well-organized research!</p>
<p>Our DS is also a NMSF from the northern VA area, and he was granted 36 hours of credit for his AP and CLEP tests. He is having the time of his life!!! He is THRILLED to be there. Roll Tide!!</p>
<p>This has to be the most bias discussion of a school I have ever witnessed. While Alabama is not terrible, it is nowhere near as great as you all claim it to be. Alabama, like most AVERAGE flagship state schools, have a handful of great students due to OOS scholarship offers and the strong homegrown talent that chooses to stay instate. The top 5% of Bama without a doubt can compete with top students at top tier institutions, but the “average joes” of Bama got nothing on the “average joes” at top tier institutions. Admission and post-graduate statistics support this claim.</p>
<p>I will end by saying that the SEC is probably the weakest major conference in terms of academics and that Alabama doesn’t even rank in the top of the SEC academically =/ But hey, great job with the football.</p>
<p>Well, Roll Tide!</p>
<p>@wahoo, we are biased because our DS gets a six-figure education and we didn’t have to write a tuition check to Bama! ROLL TIDE Y’ALL…</p>
<p>Today I learned what a wahoo is. Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Wahoo dear…I had a look at your posts, I’m glad to see that you’re doing well at The University of Virginia. That said, I’m not quite sure what about your experience in Virginia gives you any of the necessary information to comment on what’s actually going on at Alabama, not just some out of state biased opinion. For your information, great things are happening at The University of Alabama. They are have built or refurbished a building every 72 days for the past 5 years. Their Engineering department has doubled! Are you aware they are one of the very few universities in the country to have a foundry…the reason their metallurgy graduates have a 100% employment rate? Btw, it was announced today that Alabama has the largest number of NMF of any public university in the country…yes, even more than Virginia. And yes they are generous with scholarship money, attracting many top level students from all over the country. You have no idea the opportunities available to Alabama students. Now hon, the grown-ups are talking. Run along back to the Virginia pages and figure out a plan to pay off all of that student debt. Roll Tide.</p>
<p>Well, Bless the little dear’s heart.</p>
<p>Ain’t that just precious. Glad the little dear found a place to feel at home.
I’ll leave it at that and take a lesson from my great-grandmothers many pearls of wisdom: If you can’t say anything good, don’t say anything at all. Best southern home cook if there ever was one and such a dear, wonderful lady. Still remember sitting at her kitchen table as a small child eating black-eyed peas. </p>
<p>Now, Roll Tide :)</p>