<p>Welcome! :)</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your warm welcome and many pointers!</p>
<p>As I mentioned, my DS will be attending from the Boston area in the Fall 2011. Certainly, this parent is a little nervous about the transition (he knows no one attending), be he does not appear to be fazed by the whole process.</p>
<p>I will briefly share my personal experiences on the campus tour and meeting with various staff members dating back to August 2010. I must admit that I had some trepidation about UA based upon the old stereotypes that pervaded my youth (George Wallace, dumb jocks, anyone with a pulse can get in, The Machine, anti-Yankee, etc.), but I had an open mind. When we stepped on campus and had a chance to poke around, that all changed in a hurry. I have been on college campuses all around the country and the beauty of UA can compare with any of them. A couple of different times we had to pause to look at our campus maps and students came out of there way to help us with directions, even though we did not solicit their assistance (this was quite unexpected given my Northeast orientation). One student even walked us to our destination. The facilities are extraordinary. After maybe 30 college tours for both my children, the UA tour guide was by far the most polished and professional. The Honors College dorms are incredible. The students are bright, energetic, happy, and friendly. The school shot to the top of our list that hot, August day.</p>
<p>Ironically, we toured Auburn the next day. My son couldn’t have been more disinterested after a few minutes. The quality of the tour, campus feel, and facilities at Auburn just couldn’t compare - not even close. I could go into more depth on the differences, but let me just leave it there as I am sure Auburn is a great school, but wasn’t for us.</p>
<p>This Board (and mom2collegekids in particular) has done wonders in helping to break through the stereotypes. I challenge everyone on here to keep promoting the school because, unfortunately, many of the old stereotypes still persist and many are still ignorant and unaware of what UA has to offer.</p>
<p>Finally, a special shout out to my Northeast brethren, NJBama. I love your passion for the school and UA athletics. I hope to come close to matching it here!</p>
<p>Port Neches, Texas. Scalp 'em, Indians and Roll Tide.</p>
<p>Welcome to all of the new Bama folks. What are your majors?</p>
<p>MABama: Thanks for giving your impressions about Bama. What is your son’s major?</p>
<p>MABama: Welcome from another Northeasterner who loves UA and the great opportunities my son has found there!</p>
<p>My son will be a Business major.</p>
<p>MABama, I know exactly what you mean about those stereotypes! My Bostonian mom, who was very much into the Civil Rights movement when I was growing up, told us all about the racial struggles in the Deep South. From her we imbibed all the typical Northeastern contempt for this region. (Ironically, my mom’s hometown, Southie, was one of the most racist places on earth, IMHO, at least back during the mid-'70s…)</p>
<p>Similar story: When DH and I moved from Greater Boston down to Louisiana during the '80s, we started taking our summer vacations (and sometimes fall weekends) in the Arkansas Ozarks. To me, up to that point, Arkansas meant Little Rock, and Little Rock was all about racial bigotry. Once we discovered the Ozarks, though, we completely fell in love with Arkansas. There is so much more to the South than the stereotypes! And even the stereotypes, thankfully, are beginning to fade away, although we still have a long way to go.</p>
<p>We’ve been in NC now for 21 years and counting. Wouldn’t move back up north on a bet!</p>
<p>MABama–Thank you for your thoughts. I could have easily inserted myself into this story. Every word rings true regarding our visit to UA then to AU, the following day.
At Auburn, DD had zero interest after the first 30 minutes of the tour. She played along but refused to meet with Admissions or any other staff stating that she would only be wasting their time. DD said very matter of factly, “this is not the place for me, while beautiful, that’s not enough.”
When we returned (up North) from our trip, we received blank stares and confused looks when my daughter exclaimed that she knew Bama was for her. It was a bit disheartening to be met with snarls and “really YA’LL gonna let her go there” in their best southern interpretation. My DD’s reply, “have you ever been to either, UA or AU?” followed by “YA’LL should go sometime.” Well…that shut them down promptly.</p>
<p>Another girl from DD’s high school in Chicago area just committed to Alabama!</p>
<p>^ Roll Tide!
Looks like there will be no shortage of students to share the ride home - DS is bringing his car next year…</p>
<p>MABama: Great post and thanks for sharing your experience. I know all too well about the stereotypes some have up here about the south in general and southern schools in particular. I just laugh at them because I know if they ever visited UA they’d fall in love just as I did.</p>
<p>I’ve always been a sports nut. But the great thing about UA athletics is that even disinterested students get caught up in the excitement and pageantry of game days in Tuscaloosa. It’s a great time to be a UA sports fan and I’m not just talking football and basketball. Baseball team is top 25 and on top in the SEC, Softball is #1 in the country, Gymnastics just won regionals and will be competing for a National Championship next week, men’s & women’s golf teams are ranked in the top 5 etc etc…</p>
<p>Roll Tide!!</p>
<p>*But the great thing about UA athletics is that even disinterested students get caught up in the excitement and pageantry of game days in Tuscaloosa. </p>
<p>It’s a great time to be a UA sports fan and I’m not just talking football and basketball. Baseball team is top 25 and on top in the SEC, Softball is #1 in the country, Gymnastics just won regionals and will be competing for a National Championship next week, men’s & women’s golf teams are ranked in the top 5 etc etc…*</p>
<p>This is very true. My older son really had no interest in football before going to Bama. Both my kids had been Laker fans and hadn’t really followed college football at all. But, once you’ve experienced Bryant-Denny stadium, tailgating on the Quad, the music, the band, the baton twirlers, the videos, the dancers, the crowd…and of course, the players and the game…there is just nothing like it…anywhere. It’s amazing. Truly.</p>
<p>I just love this thread…that’s why Coach Saban said on that video in that other thread that across the county, Bama has become the hot place to go to school. </p>
<p>Bama…the word is in the air.</p>
<p>Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Where from Kentucky? I live in Frankfort. Roll Tide!</p>
<p>A boy from DD’s western Chicago suburb high school has accepted an Alabama honors scholarship!</p>
<p>Roll Tide! representing in N’Ville!</p>
<p>So nice to read your post and know there is someone else going through the same worries about sending your son so far from home. My son had the opportunity to visit the UA campus last November as part of the Water Ski Team recruitment weekend. Before visiting campus had kind of convinced himself that the school would be too big for him as we are from a small town outside of Boston. Well…they had him at “Roll Tide”! Yes, he was lucky enough to attend a football game while he was there and had the time of his life!
The hardest part for us is that we have not visited the campus ourselves yet. With the cost of travel we are holding off until Bama Bound to check it out ourselves. This CC forum is my lifeline to everything Alabama right now. The representation that UA gets from parents and students is incredible. Everytime I worry about sending my son too far south, I read a post on here that puts me at ease. We will be attending Bama Bound on June 6 and really looking forward to seeing the campus and meeting people! Thank you all so much for all of the valuable information you provide and taking the time to do it! It’s such a great resource!!
~Roll Tide!!!</p>
<p>^ should we warn him?
Just wait until you see this place! I spent a great deal of time at Bama Bound trying to figure out how I could enroll myself. The setup these kids have compared to what we had during college is amazing. The people are happy and helpful, answers are there if you ask them. It’s funny after all the agonizing pre-college to make the decision none of us have questioned his choice for a second.
Of course there will be the normal going away concerns, leaving the next, making decisions, finding your people etc., making your way as an adult… but we since the basics are covered it makes all the rest a bit easier.
Remembering now something DS said to JohnR441 (parent - John on here) sitting in Starbucks during Bama Bound. After visiting everywhere else, he said UA ran things like a business. For him that’s the ultimate compliment! Roll Tide!</p>
<p>TAC – so many Mass. people here…I feel like I’m back home, LOL. Grew up in Dorchester till age 8, then we moved to Wilmington, which (as I’m sure you know) is next to Burlington and near Tewksbury, Billerica, etc. As a young adult, I lived (at various times) in Allston, Brighton, Brookline, Cambridge, Arlington, and yes, even in Boston itself.</p>
<p>Like you, we haven’t seen Bama yet. We won’t see it till Bama Bound on 5/31-6/1. Can’t wait!</p>
<p>^^^You won’t be disappointed!!! :)</p>
<p>Anyone from CT? </p>
<p>I’m sure y’all have heard me quote this, but in case not, I’ll say it again. I am flying down with S to visit Bama last June and drop him off at a summer program, and he says “thanks for planning this, but you know there is no way I am going to school down here, right?” Ha Ha, he did a total about face within an hour of being on campus and hasn’t looked back once. I am excited for you guys who haven’t visited. Bama certainly lives up to expectations. And it wasn’t just the look of campus and the facilities, it was the reception he received and the opportunities.</p>