CSNbbs

I am in the process of transitioning jobs. I've known about this transition for a few months now. Starting in October I started talking to my wife about going back to Alabama (the state) so we both could finish school. We planned on making our final decision by January so we can plan everything before the start of the fall semesters next year.

Due to the nature of my occupation, I am generally limited to some metropolitan areas. I am also a football fanatic and want nothing more than to be able to experience college football in person again (It's been 7 years). I also have to take into account the areas of study offered at the school.

All things considered, we started with this list and started to scrub down.

Alabama - Limited employment.
Auburn - Limited employment, refuse to go.
UAB - Great fit. Candidate. ***
Troy - Limited Employment.
USA - Great fit. Candidate. ***
UNA - Limited Employment.
UAH - Best employment fit, no football.
West Al - Limited Employment.
Jax St - Limited Employment.

As you can see with the basic rundown, UAB and South Alabama were the best fits for both of us, considering everything (more than what I just listed).

The difference maker between the two for my wife? She likes the dragon a lot more than the hideous Jaguar USA has. Simple as that, decision made. We have been seriously considering Birmingham and UAB should we relocate back to Alabama. This is, why if you guys haven't noticed, I am an Alabama fan that spends his time on a UAB board getting into UAB athletics.

Now this. One of my greatest considerations for attending the school compared to others has been removed. Now, the best fit is UAH if I am to attend a school where I can't enjoy football. I can trek to UNA to watch football as easily as I could trek to Tuscaloosa would I had attended UAB. I also wanted to have an athletics program I could support wholly as an alumnus. The school I had attended doesn't have a football program either, and I did not feel the same support for the school. I cannot do the same with UAB. I will choose a school that has football.

I am but one, of possibly countless, that this decision will impact immediately in the future in terms of UAB enrollment and support. The money from attending school, and the tax revenue coming back to the area. Both of these will only be a drop in the bucket for UAB and Birmingham, but add all the people that will not attend UAB in the future and the long-term trickle down effect will be staggering.

Just my though on the matter.

-Former, potential UAB student

As a parent I am now encouraging my children to remove UAB from consideration. Both my wife and I are UAB grads but I can't endorse attending Quitter's U.

My suggestion would be to choose a state other than Alabama. If that isn't possible, I would definitely avoid any university within the UA system.

(12-02-2014 06:59 PM)BlazerRob Wrote: [ -> ]As a parent I am now encouraging my children to remove UAB from consideration. Both my wife and I are UAB grads but I can't endorse attending Quitter's U.

Yeah.

(12-02-2014 07:03 PM)Desert_Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]My suggestion would be to choose a state other than Alabama. If that isn't possible, I would definitely avoid any university within the UA system.

Oh it's avoidable. I live in Virginia, and was planning on coming back home. My motivation to do so has dwindled. I want to leave Virginia too. I shall be just a wanderer I guess.

My daughter was early accepted to UAB for next fall. Now she will either be attending Mercer or Auburn.

Trying to decide where my daughter will attend.

No advanced nursing degrees for me from UAB...and my 2 children will never set foot there for a single class...If I'm still alive, neither will any future grandchildren.

One of my professor's daughters has a near perfect ACT and over 4.0 gpa. She was interested in UAB and I had about talked her into it, especially since she wanted to run track here.

She won't be going to UAB now. She's afraid her program would get cut too.

My daughter is transferring from another school and wants to be a teacher. UAB is very much in the mix, even though they won't have a football team. If she was a football player or wanted to be a football coach, I tell her to cross UAB off the list. Nothing else has changed.

My son had already decided to attend UAB in 2017. Well, things have changed. Without a FB team and an administration that doesn't care about the students preferring to lick BOT balls instead he is looking elsewhere...

My kid in the marching band and I will be reviewing our options.

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In 2018 when my son goes to college, I will support where ever he decides to go. I will not be telling him where to go as some in this thread seem to indicate that they will do. I believe that where you go to college is the first major decision you get to make by yourself in life. I will offer advice if asked and today's decision will not play any part in that advice.

Besides, he is a soccer player and wants to play in college.

My great niece was considering coming from South Carolina for the honors program. Has offers from Clemson, USC, Auburn, UT. Really wanted UAB. Her mom called and talked to Watts a couple of days ago and told him she was scratching UAB off the list. His response....silence...then "I'm sorry you feel that way". Way to represent Ray

My son is 2 and my second son hasn't been born yet. He will go to whatever school is most financially feasible. I will not let cutting an athletic team ruin my memories of UAB. I had some good times at UAB football games, but I had more good times away from them. Hopefully by the time my sons are college age UAB will still have a decent student life.

I think you will find that some great students will not consider UAB now. This is my daughter... She can go anywhere and SHE is choosing to not go to UAB. This hurts me...

(12-02-2014 09:36 PM)dfarr Wrote: [ -> ]My son is 2 and my second son hasn't been born yet. He will go to whatever school is most financially feasible. I will not let cutting an athletic team ruin my memories of UAB. I had some good times at UAB football games, but I had more good times away from them. Hopefully by the time my sons are college age UAB will still have a decent student life.

Hopefully, UAB will be more than a UAT extension at that time. Its all about trust. My son is an athlete(probably not good enough to play in college) and has a strong belief in trust. He'll go where he wants, but he does not trust the current version of UAB...

(12-02-2014 09:39 PM)BTR Wrote: [ -> ]I think you will find that some great students will not consider UAB now. This is my daughter... She can go anywhere and SHE is choosing to not go to UAB. This hurts me...

If she comes to Auburn I'll keep an eye on her for you.

(12-02-2014 08:11 PM)backyardblazer Wrote: [ -> ]My daughter is transferring from another school and wants to be a teacher. UAB is very much in the mix, even though they won't have a football team. If she was a football player or wanted to be a football coach, I tell her to cross UAB off the list. Nothing else has changed.

Alabama needs every good teacher it can keep, but if I was asked by my granddaughter about becoming a teacher, I would just cite the state's recent history in public education. One 2% raise since 2007 and none in sight for many more years. My granddaughter who IS a teacher in Indiana reported for her first year in August, 2013 and was told their state had just voted a $3,000 raise for teachers that year. The better teachers (who have the most choices) are only staying in Alabama for family (husband has 6 figure job) or other social reasons. We do get to keep more of the lesser ones though.

My boss came in my office to confirm the news. He said that UAB was at the top of his son's list.

UAB is now off his completely.

I told him to find a college outside of the state of Alabama.

(12-02-2014 09:41 PM)dfarr Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-02-2014 09:39 PM)BTR Wrote: [ -> ]I think you will find that some great students will not consider UAB now. This is my daughter... She can go anywhere and SHE is choosing to not go to UAB. This hurts me...

If she comes to Auburn I'll keep an eye on her for you.

She flies to the US Thursday night for presidential scholarship interviews this weekend at Mercer. If no presidential scholarship, she will most certainly be at Auburn. It was the most impressive college tour of any that I went on with her... It was heads above the other tours. UAB's was second worse.