https://www.uah.edu/admissions/undergraduate/admitted-students
Waiting patiently for more information on admitted student day to be posted but booked a hotel room since we’ve never visited. Any information if you’ve visited campus recently or are/know a current engineering student greatly appreciated.
DD attended discovery day in November. Not sure we will be going to accepted student since we are 900 miles away and she will be attending orientation in May.
Will need to look at air/hotel and car options.
We won’t be able to make it, it’s the same day as senior prom 
We are going to Puckapalooza! DS is an incoming engineering student and would love to meet other engineering students, or anyone really. Especially since we’re coming from out of state.
Too far for us to attend Puckapalooza but it sounds like fun.
DD will attend orientation and then be back in August.
I’m still figuring out how we are going to get her to school as there are different options. I’m also wondering what we will do with all her stuff during the summers. When my oldest went to college, his dorm was 8 miles from our front door, the logistics were easy. This is just a bit trickier as it cannot be driven in a day and certainly is not right down the road.
@BuckeyeMWDSG
I am not sure if we will go to Admitted Student Day. We are in Texas and it is a bit of a drive, also, DS is still deciding between UAH and Mississippi State.
However, we did visit campus last summer and in October we sent DS on the overnight campus visit. This overnight visit was wonderful for him. He had an engineering student host and stayed in the dorms overnight, all the boys in the suite he was in were engineering majors and one was very active in Space Hardware club. He got a good idea of what life was like there and able to talk with the boys about all things UAH.
He also attended an engineering class as well as a class in an area he is also thinking of majoring in. He felt very welcomed and at home there and everyone was very friendly to him. He also said the food wasn’t too bad either.
DD opted for the campus visit during Discovery Day as I tagged along, we were able to explore the area a bit. She opted to not do the overnight visit but during Discovery Days she found several ambassadors to chat with.
DD is undecided at this point in regards to a major. She is a STEM kid who really wants to be a Liberal Art kid LOL. Currently she is contemplating med school as a future as a medical examiner has gotten her interest.
@SnowflakeDogMom I saw on another thread that you are in Texas, so am I. UAH is a very long way from home! DS is very independent and many schools in Texas do not offer even close to the amount of merit money that some out of state ones do, so he is looking out of state to cover as much as he can of his college costs. He is excited to leave the nest though.
I also saw that your DD took a gap year. May I ask how she was able to do that and be offered a merit scholarship? Was she able to defer taking it for a year? Or is she attending on a transfer scholarship? Thank you.
@SnowflakeDogMom I think I’ve answered my own question with Google… LOL
As long as a student graduates high school & doesn’t take any college courses, then they can take a year off and apply and be considered an entering Freshman and able to use their GPA and test scores for merit scholarships.
Is that correct?
I assume this is what your DD is doing.
I was asking because DS has considered the National Guard and I was thinking maybe doing that (not serving full time) and working to earn extra money for a year at a local job and then use his merit scholarship at UAH for Fall 2019 might be an option if he considered it.
Thanks!
My son had also narrow it down to UAH and MSU. I think he would have been happy at either but UAH just felt more like home for him.
He’s all registered for the event. He’s been impressed with his remote interactions with an academic advisor there and exploring the website to learn more about the school. He was a little disappointed the swim lanes at the on campus rec center didn’t look like they could host competitive events, but then we discovered the city put in a new Aquatics Center.
We’ve been working with an executive from a power company who’s been very helpful in stating very objective criteria for what we should be looking for in programs. Checking in to see how the acceptances have gone, their face lit up at UAH - we’d added it late but it seems to be a fit. I hadn’t realized before, but another advantage is its distance from home. We were told that employers will see this OOS move (and success at school) as demonstrating independence and versatility. The hardest people to find are those that are good and willing to relocate. So that’s another item for our plus column. I guess that balances the it’s so far from home con item. 
@18EagleMom
Our gap year was not originally planned, it became a circumstance when DD did not apply to a financial safety and did not go after merit dollars. When all options came down to someone, either her or us, securing large loans which we had said we would not do, we flat out said no.
Not all schools will allow merit and a gap year, we found UAH at the very end of April and she could have applied and received the top scholarship however we didn’t want to feel rushed or desperate so I contacted UAH and asked about merit and gap. Since they said that was doable, we took a step back to breath and reevaluate. DD applied in early August, then honors college acceptance in October, we visited in November and this week we received her award letter.
To be honest, DD was not excited at all about school in Alabama, she wanted Northeast but didn’t find anything affordable. We moved to Texas from the West when she was in 8th grade. She hates it here, doesn’t like the culture. She’s our social justice, extremely liberal minded, feminist child. However, I’m not a huge fan of this current trend where college is an experience, an adventure and the fit must be perfect. I’m not supportive of a $100K experience. Get an education cheap as possible, spend money on grad school if necessary and self fund ones “experience” when education is completed with as little debt as possible.
After visiting she has a much better outlook and we are thrilled she will be debt free.
Its about 900 miles, two day drive. She’s getting excited and I know she is ready for this next chapter. I’m really glad we took that extra year as she’s more focused, relaxed and ready. She will be an older student as with her birthday and when she started school, she will turn 20 in the early weeks of her Freshman year.
One of her friends also took a Gap with UT. He was an auto admit and requested a deferment so he could work for a year and save money as he’s facing big loans as well.
UAH has a good reputation, getting better every day and their partnerships with the tech industry is a huge plus!
Wanna carpool?
@Disneyfan3 Is your son for sure going to UAH? Was it just where he felt more at home or was there something regarding engineering program at MSU vs. UAH?
DS really likes UAH & it seems to be one of those “fit” and “feel” things, not a specific reason. He says he is still looking at MSU but anytime he references college, it is in regards to UAH. He is very independent and has no issue with going so far from home. But it is SO far from home!!
I do think he likes that it is a smaller school. And the facilities seem to be very nice. Also, he is looking at Atmospheric Science as well as Aerospace. He has always been a weather nut and living on the coast of Texas has always been a great place for him to track and follow hurricanes. Harvey this year (our area was greatly affect by Harvey) has really rekindled his interest in AS and UAH has a really good program. When he went for his overnight visit, he scored a tour of the SWIRLL building and was ecstatic about it when I picked him up from his visit. The meteorology program at MSU is very heavy in broadcasting which he has no interest in. He instead wants to do research.
@BuckeyeMWDSG. That’s interesting regarding relocation and kids who went a distance to college. It makes sense. Huntsville is full of transplants from all over the world due to their tech industry.
My DD will be going about 900 miles but she really wanted to go more. Lol, she has no desire to stay close to home, she can’t wait to spread her wings.
Its good to hear your DS is having good communication. DD has received numerous cards, notes and emails. Admissions is keeping in touch. She is undeclared at this point
@SnowflakeDogMom I totally agree with you on taking on debt!! I am sure it was difficult to tell your DD no. I think it is insane that people take out large loans for college and even more so when their student is getting a degree that is very difficult to get a job with. DS will also graduate debt free and we have told him, and I think he gets it, what a blessing it is to start your career without a student loan looming.
We have always been very frank and realists with DS. We made it clear that we were not sacrificing our retirement to send him to a college for an experience or to get a degree in something that was unemployable. He has always made outstanding grades and when he scored very high on the ACT and SAT he has only looked at schools that offered significant merit money. He did not look or consider A&M or UT Austin due to that they don’t give out scholarships really and we do not qualify for any financial aid. I am not going to pay 30K+ per year for A&M when he can go OOS for far less. I am totally on the train you are on in that regard!!! Although many of his classmates are going to A&M and I am sure taking on lots of debt.
He did receive the highest merit aid at UTA (Arlington), they have aerospace but they have fallen to number 3 since they don’t have AS. UTD didn’t make the list since they don’t have either aerospace or atmospheric science although they do have a very good merit tuition scholarship.
In regards to your DD not liking the culture. It is encouraging she is excited and UAH is growing on her!! I have heard from friends how many times students go to a school that isn’t their first choice but is affordable and they soon love the school that loved them (by giving them merit scholarships).
I will be surprised if DS doesn’t go to UAH. I’m not sure if he will decide to do Aerospace or AS. UAH has great opportunities for internships/co-ops for either, a huge selling point!
We can make the drive in about 12 hours. A very long day, but doable in a day. We may need to work out a car pool!!! LOL
@18EagleMom
We are very similar!
I think my DD had a mental image of Alabama that was redneck, hick and included outdoor plumbing. I’m joking and exaggerating yes, but also not, KWIM? Visiting had a huge positive impact and I’m glad we went. I’m confident she will end up at UAH I think its actually a really good fit full of “her people”.
My DD is really intrigued by astrophysics. To work for NASA would be a dream come true (this when her STEM personality is allowed out)
We are just far enough that a one day drive would be brutal. We are in a suburb of Austin.
Flights are available, unfortunately my favorite Southwest Airlines only goes to Nashville or Birmingham. Nashville does have a shuttle to Huntsville. Both are 100 miles.
Delta, UAL, American have smaller express jet service into Huntsville but direct from Austin is limited.
DD does not currently drive, she has no desire so her first year of school she will rely on a bike and uber.
My nephew is going to UT Austin next year…I’m pretty sure my sister is going into debt on that! :-S
The Austin area is beautiful! DS attended Texas Boys State in Austin on the UT campus this past summer and had an absolute blast. I was worried it would get him pumped about UT Austin (unaffordable for us) but thankfully it didn’t!!
We live east of Houston. Our area was devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Although we did not personally flood, about half of DS classmates homes flooded…6 plus feet of water…as in, you have lost everything!
I think this has greatly impacted DS, to see so many of his buddies and friends lose absolutely everything…he is super low maintenance on choosing a school and not needing as much as he previously thought he might and not feeling as entitled.
DS wants to work in the aerospace industry and Huntsville being rocket city is up his ally…unless he goes AS! The Cummings park with all the tech companies greatly interests him with opportunities for work and money to cover what scholarships won’t.
There is a good flight from Houston to Huntsville on United. DH travels for business a lot and has airline miles we can use in a pinch. But we intend to drive it. We may fly him home on points for Christmas but he will have his car on campus. As a bonus, DH has family in Mississippi, so there is a midpoint to stop if need be. I also feel better that a family member could be on the scene faster than us if there was a true emergency.
We flew DS to Huntsville by himself for the overnight visit and we used Lyft. It was very good there in Huntsville going to and from the airport.
If your daughter cares anything about the space program…years ago as a birthday present we did the Level 9 tour at NASA in Houston. It was just as cool as it sounds…you go behind the scenes on a tour to places not available to the regular public. Lunch is included and you eat at the employee cafeteria! It was well worth the cost for a special gift. Our guide (they limit the tour to just 12 people) worked on the Apollo missions and DS was absolutely thrilled to ask questions and talk with him. It is an all day tour! Very cool!!
We’ve been to Canaveral and Huntsville, Houston is on our to-do list, thanks for the tip.
I have a very dear friend in Ashland MS about 3 hrs away, and family friends in Nashville. Its good to know we have people who can get to her quickly if needed.
When we visited, we flew into Birmingham and rented a car. Fortunately there are options. I was looking at Delta the other day, I need to book orientation in May and I would like to send her on her own. Due to time frame she would have to fly in afternoon before. I’ve emailed uah to see if the can accommodate additional nights for travelers. This seems to be common at many schools so I’m waiting to hear back.
I cannot imagine the horrors y’all saw following Harvey and I’m sure the lessons learned about “things” are life changing. I’ve lived thru major earthquakes and flooding around us but never devistated personally like so many on the Gulf Coast.
DD has no idea what she wants to do, she is all over the map. This is one reason I really like UAH, many options, STEM strong with lots of smart kids as peers. She will sort it out, find her people and get an education.
@18EagleMom My son currently goes to a small magnet school that has a “geeky” vibe. There’s no football team or anything. We visited MSU first and he fell in love with the school and the atmosphere. We even went to a football game to make sure he was going to like the sports aspect of it. I think he would have been very happy there.
We visited UAH on a whim and his decision was made before we even left. It has the same small school “geeky” vibe that his magnet school has. While he really liked MSU and he could see himself being happy there UAH immediately felt like home for him. MSU is also about 5 hours away vs. 1.5 hours for UAH and I think that played a small part. He wants to go away with going “away” if that makes sense.
We are committed to going, have registered for all the admitted student events we can make, paid housing deposits etc. Right now he’s on the books for Chem E. but he’s going to take a look at UAH’s Optical E. program as well.
@Disneyfan3 my DD went to a large high school but was an IB student. IB was segregated which made for a small school in a big school. After visiting UAH she commented the campus had the same feel to it as her IB group.
She was pleased to discover this. After being in a small math/science charter school and then the IB program, the huge universities were daunting. We visited many but she kept leaning LAC due to size. UAH gives her STEM without feeling huge.
@18EagleMom, boy I am glad I read this thread today. D21 and I are driving to Houston to see Hamilton (9 hour drive) in April. I am going to add a Level 9 Nasa tour on. I want to see if that sparks any interest in D. She is very mathy. Also I am a fellow merit chaser and share yours and @SnowflakeDogMom’s philosophy on loans for college. ! We live in West Texas.