University of Alabama
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa (Visited 2/20/24) (click here for notes from one of their info sessions)
I was really impressed at how easy it was to navigate around Alabama – other schools could take a few notes on signage for visitors: helping people navigating to Admissions and having parking as easy as it was here goes a long way. They have a brand-new welcome center in what used to be a hospital (and had been in operation until 2013). They purchased the building and land in 2010, but renovations just started a couple years ago and opened this year. I need to come back sometime when I can check out the museum on the 2nd floor!
I got to talk to one of the admission reps for about 30 minutes before the info session and tour which was helpful in getting some of the behind-the-scenes info and making sure that I’m helping to get the right kids to apply here. I asked him how he would describe the students: “smart, enthusiastic, trailblazing. So many of them are doing cool, different things whether it’s experiential learning or studying abroad. They’re experiencing things that a lot of us don’t get the chance to do so! They also have a bit of a toughness to them – they’re coming from out of state, different backgrounds. You see some kids come in as shy, not wanting to open up, but boy, when they do – the possibilities are endless! Some come from not-so-great backgrounds and they make something of themselves.”
“This is a fun school – but the academics are harder than people expect!” Half of classes have fewer than 20 students. “That’s not to say that you won’t have bigger classes – because you will,” said one of the tour guides. The students agree that this is a “work hard AND play hard” sort of school – and students have access to the bells and whistles that come with big flagships such as an outdoor pool with a 2-story water slide and a lazy river. They also have the biggest Starbucks in the country (“It’s 1 square foot larger than the University of Kentucky’s!” our tour guide told us) and the Starbucks with the largest revenue on a university campus.
“You can get the small campus feel but with all the major campus resources.” There are 650+ student-led organizations which means there’s never a shortage of options. However, there are things you should know going in:
- Greek Life is a really big deal here, and in some ways dominates the social scene. “It’s a very Southern thing.” 40% of women and 35% of men are in Greek life – and they have huge Greek houses! “There are definitely other ways to find your group, though,” said one of the tour guides. They university has instituted Greek Points which encourages both the organizations and members themselves to branch out beyond their groups.
- Their 400-person marching band has won awards – they even have their own practice field.
- A LOT of the fall social scene revolves around football! Tailgating is a thing and taken seriously. Students only have to pay for football games ($15 for non-conference games, $20 for conference games). Tickets to all other sporting events are free.
“We encourage students to keep an open mind in terms of majors in their first year or two. If they seek out opportunities and try things that maybe they aren’t as comfortable with academically – or are looking to be stretched – they’re going to surprise themselves and find their feet.” It’s easy to switch between schools/majors if students want to. They do have to meet with advisors to chart out plans.
- New College is an option for students who want to create their own majors by combining two or more interests. “This allows for unique academic experiences.” Students have done things like Sports Management or Music Business. Students have to be admitted to the university before applying to New College; they prefer that students start in the first or second year of university.
- The College of Engineering provides extensive experiential learning opportunities to the 4,800 undergrads in the college. Students can even co-op in certain instances. Currently, more than 100 companies partner with the College to hire students, and Alabama is actively looking to grow this. This all pays off with almost all of the students being hired in their fields or in grad school. They offer all the typical options for majors as well as Aerospace Engineering & Mechanics and Metallurgical & Materials.
- The Nursing program is the only one that requires students to apply into the upper-level division at the end of the first or second year to continue on in the program; students usually come in with a stated interest in nursing. They’ve started to admit more students into the program, particularly those already on campus. “Just know that it is a competitive program!” said the rep. “There’s still not space for everyone.”
- The College of Business is growing quickly. Several students have decided to go into the accelerated masters (AMP)which allows students to start taking Masters classes in junior year. If students get into the program soon enough, they can graduate in 5 years with 2 degrees. “They can have the best of both worlds. The idea is to get students out in 5, maybe 5 ½ years. Students get creative with this, but they have to apply within the first couple years in the undergrad program.”
- Musical Audio Engineering is housed in their Music School; this major allows students to learn how to produce music. Have the flexibility to work with equipment that’s current in the industry. Some are going on to film, creative media, or even going into telecommunications.
- Their new Creative Media minor pulls in aspects of multiple departments (journalism, film, telecommunications). Students are on sets getting experience and are getting jobs as broadcasters, beat writers, social media experts, and more.
- Management Information Systems has built-in internships; graduates have a 100% job placement rate.
- The Criminal Justice department has the top-rated professor in the country.
- A few unusual programs to look at include:
- Majors in Apparel & Textiles, Addiction & Recovery, Music & Arts Administration, and Music Therapy. There’s also a Marine Science program that’s more unusual away from the coast.
- As an R1 school, UA is one of the top research institutions – and includes plenty of options in the liberal arts, not just in STEM.
In terms of Admissions, “The ‘set test score’ days are behind us. We’re continuing to transition into a more holistic review – but the biggest component is always going to be a GPA. We’re just too big to go otherwise.” Almost half (47%) of admitted students last year had a 4.0+GPA. They currently take the GPA that’s on the transcript to make it more advantageous to the student – they will not recalculate. He feels like it’s comparable for OOS students. The state hasn’t set a limit for OOS students. They are not currently an SRAR school, “but it’s on the table – it’s been up for discussion.”
To be eligible for Honors College admissions, incoming students need a 3.5+GPA and 30+ACT/1360+SAT; test-optional students must have a 3.7+GPA and apply to the Honors College by March 1. Applicants must also turn in an extra essay and 2 rec letters. There are multiple options within Honors: some are general (any major), and some are College-specific such as EPIC Scholars (engineering), McCollough Scholars (Pre-Med), and Blount Scholars (Arts & Sciences). There are also two Business Pathways that streamline/accelerate the pathway to the MBA: Create (for students majoring outside of STEM) and STEM.
There are two types of scholarships:
- Automatic Merit and Competitive Admissions; these can’t be stacked, but they’ll give students the higher of the two that they’re eligible for.
- Supplemental: these can be stacked. They require a separate app filled out in the student’s portal. “They have to fill this out every year in order to get the most money they’re eligible for since some have restrictions for credits or year in college.”
They have a strong retention rate at 87% (impressive for a school this large where students could otherwise fall between the cracks). Their Capstone Center for Student Success is extensive and includes things like the First Year Experience, learning commons, Alabama REACH, and TRIO. They start off getting students involved right away during orientation – students can attend sessions that run from late May to early August – and which also include Parent/Family and Sibling (rising 9th grade or higher) orientation!
Another way they’re increasing retention is by making housing mandatory in the first year; living on campus increases academic success and likelihood that students will persist to graduation. After freshman year, many students will move off campus, but UA allows students to live on campus all 4 years if they want. It’s important to get a jump-start on housing, though – once students get accepted, they can put in a deposit which opens up both housing and registration for Orientation. Students should plan to apply by February 1 to participate in freshman room selection – but don’t panic if you miss that; you’ll still get housing! At that point, though, you will rank your preferences and Housing will assign your room. About 50% of students bring cars on campus. They’ve done a good job with parking, often under buildings.
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