<p>Yeah, Jack Warner Parkway is what I always to get to and from campus regardless of where I’m heading. But it’s a bit complicated for a first timer.</p>
<p>We accidentally ended up on Jack Warner Parkway on our 1st visit, when we got turned around trying to find the parking deck by the Ferg and took Hackberry Lane a little too far :)</p>
<p>I’ve already found out where the Target & WalMart are so we can cruise past and see where they are in relation to the campus, especially since DD won’t have a car next year. </p>
<p>Thanks for the detailed directions; I’m sure I will be thanking y’all next Saturday!</p>
<p>Thanks for bumping up this post. We’ll all be needing it next weekend!</p>
<p>My kids use Jack Warner Pkwy, but that’s because they’re going directly to their honors dorms. </p>
<p>For a first time visitor, I would never recommend entering UA from Jack Warner Pkwy because it doesn’t give the “ahh” effect of seeing the campus. It’s like entering a person’s home from the back door. There’s nothing “wrong” with that entrance, it’s just not the best. :)</p>
<p>I dunno, mom2collegekids, they’ve made an effort to gussy up the northern gateway into campus. Also, you do get a good look at the new residence halls, and it’s the easiest way to get the Ferguson Center and the Student Services Center. In my opinion, the absolute worst way to enter campus from the prospective of seeking a first impression is from the south, either on 10th Avenue or Hackberry Lane. For a newcomer, it’s very hard to tell where the off-campus area ends and the campus begins.</p>
<p>And as I’ve said before, McFarland Boulevard just after you exit from the interstate (at Exit 73) is not what I would want to give as a the first impression of the city. Unless you want pawn shops, pay-day loan store, low-end motels and shuttered businesses to be the first impression of the city.</p>
<p>*I was thrilled to see that Publix there within easy walking distance of Ridgecrest South. DD is a bit of a foodie & one of the reasons why she was thrilled by the dorms is that they have full kitchens available on 2 floors. She’s so happy to know that she can cook her own food when she needs to *</p>
<p>yes, and the Crimson Ride has a bus-stop by Publix.</p>
<p>* Next question…“The Strip” vs. Downtown…I don’t think I’ve seen that listed as 2 different areas before. Can you clue me in? *</p>
<p>Good question. I’m not exactly sure at what cross-street The Strip ends, but I’m thinking it ends about at 14th Ave. I would say Downtown starts at about Queen City Ave and goes towards Lurleen Wallace Blvd. </p>
<p>Others can chime in with any corrections. :)</p>
<p>There seems to be a “University Town Center Shopping Center” in the “Strip” area (that looks like the Publix area) and a “Downtown Plaza Shopping Center” in the Downtown area. *</p>
<p>*I dunno, mom2collegekids, they’ve made an effort to gussy up the northern gateway into campus. Also, you do get a good look at the new residence halls, and it’s the easiest way to get the Ferguson Center and the Student Services Center. *</p>
<p>I totally agree that they made a nice entrance at the northern gateway, but for someone who’s never seen Bama, that doesn’t give the wow factor that coming upon the Quad area does. </p>
<p>And, since the CSDay people will heading towards Bryant Conference Center, they need to approach from University Drive. </p>
<p>*McFarland Boulevard just after you exit from the interstate (at Exit 73) is not what I would want to give as a the first impression of the city. Unless you want pawn shops, pay-day loan store, low-end motels and shuttered businesses to be the first impression of the city. *</p>
<p>Actually, there’s a mix of businesses after you exit at McFarland. </p>
<p>I agree that **right off the interstate **there are some of what you’ve mentioned, but there are also a lot of new things going in - including some new hotels. And, once you’re quickly past that, you come upon the nice area where Midtown Village is. </p>
<p>So, I always have people approach from McFarland Blvd, so that first-time visitors can see that there are a variety of familiar stores (Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Target, etc) and restaurants that are nearby for their convenience. </p>
<p>Anyone who’s been in a city of 100,000+ people, is going to know that such a city will have poorer areas, middle-class areas, and affluent areas. Anyone who is appalled to see a low-income area in a city needs to go back and fully drive around their own city. LOL</p>
<p>We definitely want to see where these familiar businesses are, especially the Best Buy. Would also like to see where the Publix is. Glad to hear it’s near the dorms, and that the Crimson Ride goes there. Is Ridgecrest South the newest dorm? Are honors freshman housed there?</p>
<p>You can always drive around the town on your way out if you aren’t in a hurry. The intersection of McFarland and 15th Street/Veteran’s Pkwy is an epicenter for shopping. Walmart is on Skyland Boulevard, but there’s another one in Northport that is usually less congested and more clean.</p>
<p>Additionally, McFarland gets really congested with people who think it’s the only way to get into and out of town. Oftentimes it’s quicker to I-359.</p>
<p>Ridgecrest South is the newest set of dorms (it is a set of twin towers).</p>
<p>Some of the Honors Freshman are housed in one of the twin towers. [Housing</a> & Residential Communities - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/ridgecrestsouth.cfm]Housing”>http://housing.ua.edu/ridgecrestsouth.cfm). </p>
<p>Ridgecrest South, North Tower will be for new students enrolled in the University Honors Program, and Ridgecrest South, South Tower will include new freshmen and the Emerging Scholars Living-Learning Community, the Arts on Campus Community and the French House.</p>
<p>
That’s just a disaster waiting to happen with massive legal and liability implications, don’t forget the horrendous PR. If any University is finding hosts to take visiting high school students to parties as a recruitment tool, then they need to re-examine their Risk Management Policies. Eventually the following headline will be in the news:</p>
<p>High School student dies of alcohol poisoning or severely injured in alcohol related accident
after attending party with University provided host.</p>
<p>Followed up by a massive lawsuit filed by the parents.</p>
<p>Calantha, that’s what I was thinking about the situation too. However, UA does have some great lawyers both now and historically. There are ways to get around the idea that the host is taking the prospective student to a party, which would often have a security guard or off-duty cop working anyway (official UA rules for student organizations).</p>
<p>You make a good point. </p>
<p>The university should not be arranging for hosts to take kids to parties. I was thinking more in terms of safely showing them that there is a nightlife at Bama.</p>
<p>I don’t know what hosts are told, but they are probably instructed to avoid putting the high school student in any drinking situations. </p>
<p>However, in this case, the prospective student didn’t want to be put with a quiet “sit in his dorm” host. He wanted to see if Bama had the same kind of “night life” as Umich. Being stuck with a quiet bookworm wouldn’t work. That sort of thing is the “kiss of death” for many prospective students if you’ve read such things happening on other CC forums. </p>
<p>So, perhaps there’s a way to show a prospective student the frats and such “from afar,” without actually taking them into parties.</p>
<p>But, I agree, college students shouldn’t be taking high school kids drinking.</p>
<p>M2CK, I apologize if I read more into your posts than you intended. Parties, fraternities, and requesting University hosts all jumped out at me. All I thought was “Danger, Will Robinson!”</p>
<p>I didn’t really expect to be able to “party and drink.” I just wanted someone to show me what the nightlife was like. Or at best maybe a dorm party (I’m assuming there’s usually not a lot of drinking because they’re in dorms). I just wanted to be able to walk around and people-watch.</p>
<p>If I can’t get a sense of what kids do with their free time or on weekends, I can’t get a great feel for the school.</p>
<p>Calantha…no problem. You brought up a good point. :)</p>
<p>Bump…for those who’ve been asking…</p>
<p>Another student mentioned visiting the Rodgers Science & Engineering Library.
[Rodgers</a> Library Front Page | University Libraries](<a href=“http://www.lib.ua.edu/libraries/sel]Rodgers”>http://www.lib.ua.edu/libraries/sel)</p>
<p>The home page has some info, but doesn’t have much in the way of pictures - just a small pic in the corner…Maybe I can find more.</p>
<p>Edited to add… Found a short video… <a href=“http://www.lib.ua.edu/sites/default/files/media/Full_SEL.flv[/url]”>http://www.lib.ua.edu/sites/default/files/media/Full_SEL.flv</a>
:)</p>
<p>Bump…</p>
<p>Bumping up this thread and directing y’all to Post 15.</p>
<p>I printed this up to use on my visit this weekend and it was great!</p>
<p>We had a rental car from the Birmingham Airport with the NeverLost system.</p>
<p>As we were hungry after the flight, we searched for Arby’s on the GPS.</p>
<p>We exited Mom’s suggestion, Exit 73, I believe, and went down McFarland and found the Arby’s with a tree inside it, where son really wanted to eat. We had actually keyed in the one on University, but when we say the Tree Arby’s on the way, we pulled in there.</p>
<p>Anyway, we followed Post 15’s directions, found the parking garage, it was a Saturday, and parked. It was after two, so food court at Ferg wasn’t open, although Starbuck’s was closing soon. Got to walk around the Ferg and surrounding area. Walked over to the Rogers Library. Walked through the Shelby complex, buildings closed, but got to see the beautiful quads and look in through windows. Walked over to Riverside and saw the pool, grounds, front desk girl brought us through the amenities, like the kitchen, laundry room, media room, game room. Son liked the proximity of Riverside to the classroom, so now may select a room there. </p>
<p>Retrieved car and drove over to the Rec Center and walked through quickly, as they were closing. Nice indoor pool, nice track, lots of workout equipment and studios. As it was dark, headed to Hotel Capstone to check in. Hotel Capstone is right across from the Coleman Coliseum. Used this location later for my GPS. Couldn’t find Hotel Capstone on GPS, so wanted to pass on this tip. Found the University Arby’s, which is very nearby. Went out to Publix later for muffins for breakfast. The Strip and Publix were very active with students. The quad and open area in Riverside and other open areas on campus very active with students. Beautiful weather this weekend.</p>
<p>Thanks so much to mom for Post 15, as we got to enter campus and maneuver around it much easier than we did for Capstone Day.</p>
<p>Anyone planning a visit, even for a weekend drive through, I highly recommend using Post 15 as a guide. </p>
<p>By the way, we did pay the three bucks to park in the visitor garage, although we supposedly could have parked anywhere on campus. Was worth three bucks to not have to worry and know exactly where I left my car, the parking garage by the Ferg, so I felt free to walk anywhere on campus and knew I could find my way back. </p>
<p>In adding to this, I took the Monday bus tour and attended the information session afterwards, where I learned even more. Everyone on the tour was OOS: Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Texas.</p>
<p>Was able to get a flyer about transportation to Tuscaloosa from the information session person, which had names and numbers of shuttle services. Great for OOS who plan to fly in and out of Birmingham, which is a great, small airport, with places to eat after you go through security.</p>
<p>After my tour and info session, spent my free two hours walking through Gorgas, Smith Hall, Natural History museum, lunch at Bene’s at the Ferg, and a quick pop in to Hardaway Hall on the way to lunch. </p>
<p>Had left my car at the Ferg parking garage. I had paid the three bucks, but the tour people did give me a pass when I checked in, but ever cautious, wanted to know where my car was and that it was safe, so I could get back to it quickly as I headed to the airport. </p>
<p>Great day on campus, students very helpful, tour very well done. So glad I spent my morning doing this while my son had his CBH interview.</p>
<p>All registered for Bama Bound, so we’re good to go!</p>
<p>Wanted to add, too, as I exited campus toward the airport Monday, went out along Jack Warner toward Highway 82, I think. Could see the park and the lake on the left, and the cut out hills by the dorms on the right. Beautiful. There is also a very nice park across from the Tree Arby’s, too, it seemed. Also saw where Midtown Village and University Mall were on our way to Tree Arby’s, too, so this is a good way to enter, too, if you’re looking for those areas as well.</p>