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http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/05/uab_...ges_f.html

"If you can earn an associate's degree at one of four Alabama community colleges, you will earn automatic admission to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for two years to complete a bachelor's degree, and a $2,000-a-year scholarship.

That's the gist of an admissions partnership initiative UAB President Ray L. Watts announced Wednesday with leaders from four Alabama community colleges - Gadsden State, Jefferson State, Lawson State, and Wallace State-Hanceville."

There should be some minimum GPA if this is going through. I have seen many community college alums struggle at UAB.

I would imagine it goes something like this:
..."sign up" to be part of the program
...UAB-designed curriculum will be accelerated(at least as compared to most JCs)
...student must complete associate degree in two years

(05-08-2013 07:13 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/05/uab_...ges_f.html

"If you can earn an associate's degree at one of four Alabama community colleges, you will earn automatic admission to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for two years to complete a bachelor's degree, and a $2,000-a-year scholarship.

That's the gist of an admissions partnership initiative UAB President Ray L. Watts announced Wednesday with leaders from four Alabama community colleges - Gadsden State, Jefferson State, Lawson State, and Wallace State-Hanceville."

I have a feeling that the "anonymous" donator is in some way using this to help his/her company's taxes. (Not that its a bad thing) This isn't only happening at UAB or in Alabama.

LSU is also doing this to community colleges in state at the same amount ($2k /yr). In fact, they now have "advisors" that are assigned at least one day a week at surrounding schools. They have shown reports that graduation rates of 2+2 are far greater than those just straight up entering the university. It is free money (sorta), but IMHO, $4k total doesn't go THAT far at universities in a two year span. It is a step in the right direction.

(05-08-2013 11:24 PM)krautfed Wrote:  

(05-08-2013 07:13 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/05/uab_...ges_f.html

"If you can earn an associate's degree at one of four Alabama community colleges, you will earn automatic admission to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for two years to complete a bachelor's degree, and a $2,000-a-year scholarship.

That's the gist of an admissions partnership initiative UAB President Ray L. Watts announced Wednesday with leaders from four Alabama community colleges - Gadsden State, Jefferson State, Lawson State, and Wallace State-Hanceville."

I have a feeling that the "anonymous" donator is in some way using this to help his/her company's taxes. (Not that its a bad thing) This isn't only happening at UAB or in Alabama.

LSU is also doing this to community colleges in state at the same amount ($2k /yr). In fact, they now have "advisors" that are assigned at least one day a week at surrounding schools. They have shown reports that graduation rates of 2+2 are far greater than those just straight up entering the university. It is free money (sorta), but IMHO, $4k total doesn't go THAT far at universities in a two year span. It is a step in the right direction.

Helps a lot for students that live at home...

UAB will have an office at each of the community colleges for a counsellor to meet with students about the pipeline program. I have a friend in the undergrad admissions office and that is what he told me a few months ago. I do not know what other roles the UAB employees will serve at the community colleges will be.

I think its a great idea being able to graduate from a community college shows a certain level of commitment as a student. The more uab alums the better

Great idea.

UAB as many of us know is trying to go from a open admission - commuter school (remember a perception of majority night time classes in 70s) to higher academic admission standards/residence/full experience (i.e. ,football). UAB wishes to completely end remedial classes. This is a means of providing an alternative to the under qualified or financially challenged students that UAB has traditionally served - a means to eventually graduate from UAB.

Thus UAB will hopefully continue the special relationship that UAB has developed with the city schools and goverment of Birmingham. It is very important to UAB i.e., one third to one half of UAB football ticket revenue is from city of Birmingham.

Wallace set up the JCs and the flagship schools resisted the perceived under qualified transfer students. So by state law every GRADUATE(AB) of a state of Alabama JC must be admitted to EVERY state university. However the four year schools still had set up hurdles. My brother in law GPA from Marion at UAT was recalculated by a rule that you got lower of your first grade at UAT or JC, if got a c in Math - your JC grades in math became Cs' for your GPA

This is an attempt to end all of the hurdles for these transitioning students. You will be to pick classes at the JC that will transfer so Biology 3 at Jeff state is the same as Biology 201 at UAB. Further you be able to line up financial aid, pell grants in advance for your Junior year at UAB. This is a great idea !!

Thus there will be no special requirements as described below;

(05-08-2013 09:23 PM)uab278 Wrote:  There should be some minimum GPA if this is going through. I have seen many community college alums struggle at UAB.

(05-08-2013 10:13 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  I would imagine it goes something like this:
..."sign up" to be part of the program
...UAB-designed curriculum will be accelerated(at least as compared to most JCs)
...student must complete associate degree in two years

(05-09-2013 05:35 AM)bladhmadh Wrote:  The more uab alums the better

As long as we don't become a diploma mill.

The transferring of classes to me is the biggest thing. The classes taken at a juco must be beneficial when it is transferred to UAB.

The curriculum must jive between UAB & the jucos.

This hopefully will give students incentive to not only get the juco degree, but to pursue even more at UAB.

(05-09-2013 08:57 AM)the_blazerman Wrote:  The transferring of classes to me is the biggest thing. The classes taken at a juco must be beneficial when it is transferred to UAB.

The curriculum must jive between UAB & the jucos.

This hopefully will give students incentive to not only get the juco degree, but to pursue even more at UAB.

This. I am an engineering alum and the classmates I had that went to Jeff State ended up having an additional year or two because the classes they took at Jeff State did not adequately prepare them for Junior/Senior Engineering classes. I know this may not be true for all majors but it is a huge deal for any Engineering field.

This may be an option for my daughter.

(05-09-2013 10:00 AM)uab278 Wrote:  

(05-09-2013 08:57 AM)the_blazerman Wrote:  The transferring of classes to me is the biggest thing. The classes taken at a juco must be beneficial when it is transferred to UAB.

The curriculum must jive between UAB & the jucos.

This hopefully will give students incentive to not only get the juco degree, but to pursue even more at UAB.

This. I am an engineering alum and the classmates I had that went to Jeff State ended up having an additional year or two because the classes they took at Jeff State did not adequately prepare them for Junior/Senior Engineering classes. I know this may not be true for all majors but it is a huge deal for any Engineering field.

I agree. Jeff State was the best of the options (when I went thru) for Juco. Wallace State didnt have much engineering and UAB was real picky about taking stuff from there.

UAB should never eliminate remedial courses until ALL state K-12 districts have the financial backing and educational opportunities of the suburban districts so their students have equal academic training for Post Secondary work. ALL state universities should offer what is needed by ALL state high school or JUCO graduates who enroll there. Evaluating and helping these "challenged" students attain success is one role for which a university's counseling services exist.

The "snob appeal" of a university education is a remnant of an earlier time when a high school diploma was the height of job preparation. The 21st century is bringing a new standard of educational attainment for all Americans, not just a relative "chosen few" who happen to be fortunate enough to be born into the "right neighborhoods" for educational opportunity.

(05-09-2013 11:37 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  UAB should never eliminate remedial courses until ALL state K-12 districts have the financial backing and educational opportunities of the suburban districts so their students have equal academic training for Post Secondary work. ALL state universities should offer what is needed by ALL state high school or JUCO graduates who enroll there. Evaluating and helping these "challenged" students attain success is one role for which a university's counseling services exist.

The "snob appeal" of a university education is a remnant of an earlier time when a high school diploma was the height of job preparation. The 21st century is bringing a new standard of educational attainment for all Americans, not just a relative "chosen few" who happen to be fortunate enough to be born into the "right neighborhoods" for educational opportunity.

I'm about to blow a big hole in your argument about greater funding in "suburban districts". One of the top-performing high schools in the state is Oak Mountain High School (Shelby Co. Schools), yet they receive no Title I funding and receive no city support due to their location in unincorporated Birmingham. In the same suburban district, you have Calera High School that receives Title I funding, support from the city of Calera, and a faculty that is top-notch (People Magazine's teacher of the year is at Calera) yet their test scores are significantly lower than OMHS.

I'll get to why this is in a moment...

(05-09-2013 02:01 PM)UABslant Wrote:  

(05-09-2013 11:37 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  UAB should never eliminate remedial courses until ALL state K-12 districts have the financial backing and educational opportunities of the suburban districts so their students have equal academic training for Post Secondary work. ALL state universities should offer what is needed by ALL state high school or JUCO graduates who enroll there. Evaluating and helping these "challenged" students attain success is one role for which a university's counseling services exist.

The "snob appeal" of a university education is a remnant of an earlier time when a high school diploma was the height of job preparation. The 21st century is bringing a new standard of educational attainment for all Americans, not just a relative "chosen few" who happen to be fortunate enough to be born into the "right neighborhoods" for educational opportunity.

I'm about to blow a big hole in your argument about greater funding in "suburban districts". One of the top-performing high schools in the state is Oak Mountain High School (Shelby Co. Schools), yet they receive no Title I funding and receive no city support due to their location in unincorporated Birmingham. In the same suburban district, you have Calera High School that receives Title I funding, support from the city of Calera, and a faculty that is top-notch (People Magazine's teacher of the year is at Calera) yet their test scores are significantly lower than OMHS.

I'll get to why this is in a moment...

Two of my grandsons came, or are going through Oak Mountain schools. I am very familiar with the neighborhoods that it serves including that "ghetto" of Eagle Point subdivision where my son lived until December,2012. When shopping for a new house, the family made sure they would continue to be in the Oak Mountain zone.

If you are saying that Oak Mountain is typical of rural Alabama schools, it isn't so. It is maintained more like Spain Park than Thompson. That is one reason why Alabaster withdrew from the Shelby County district and Pelham is considering doing the same. When I suggested that other city schools in Shelby County might follow Alabaster, some thought I was mistaken. By the 2020s, the Shelby County district may very well start to resemble Jeffco in that several of its most prosperous cities may have their own independent school districts by then.

Where would Calera High School be if it had no (ZERO) local funding like most of Alabama's poorest districts and a faculty that makes somewhat less than Shelby County pays? Could it be the motivation of cutting county district ties that they can cut off those "challenging students" and send (exile?) them to other county schools? The newly enacted Accountability / Flexibility Law gives a school district the right to refuse admittance to any students who might want to "choose" to come to a "better school" if they don't live in that city's district.

It's only logical. It's the first step in standardizing the State system.

In Florida, all curriculum is the same in their JC system and all credits transfer directly to ANY state university. My two daughters are in the Florida Prepaid College Plan. We did the 2+2 plan because it was cheaper and they take the same frosh, soph classes they would at a 4 year school. They can then transfer to ANY state school without losing ANY credits.

Congrats to UAB for leading the charge into the future!

(05-09-2013 08:59 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(05-09-2013 02:01 PM)UABslant Wrote:  

(05-09-2013 11:37 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  UAB should never eliminate remedial courses until ALL state K-12 districts have the financial backing and educational opportunities of the suburban districts so their students have equal academic training for Post Secondary work. ALL state universities should offer what is needed by ALL state high school or JUCO graduates who enroll there. Evaluating and helping these "challenged" students attain success is one role for which a university's counseling services exist.

The "snob appeal" of a university education is a remnant of an earlier time when a high school diploma was the height of job preparation. The 21st century is bringing a new standard of educational attainment for all Americans, not just a relative "chosen few" who happen to be fortunate enough to be born into the "right neighborhoods" for educational opportunity.

I'm about to blow a big hole in your argument about greater funding in "suburban districts". One of the top-performing high schools in the state is Oak Mountain High School (Shelby Co. Schools), yet they receive no Title I funding and receive no city support due to their location in unincorporated Birmingham. In the same suburban district, you have Calera High School that receives Title I funding, support from the city of Calera, and a faculty that is top-notch (People Magazine's teacher of the year is at Calera) yet their test scores are significantly lower than OMHS.

I'll get to why this is in a moment...

Two of my grandsons came, or are going through Oak Mountain schools. I am very familiar with the neighborhoods that it serves including that "ghetto" of Eagle Point subdivision where my son lived until December,2012. When shopping for a new house, the family made sure they would continue to be in the Oak Mountain zone.

If you are saying that Oak Mountain is typical of rural Alabama schools, it isn't so. It is maintained more like Spain Park than Thompson. That is one reason why Alabaster withdrew from the Shelby County district and Pelham is considering doing the same. When I suggested that other city schools in Shelby County might follow Alabaster, some thought I was mistaken. By the 2020s, the Shelby County district may very well start to resemble Jeffco in that several of its most prosperous cities may have their own independent school districts by then.

Where would Calera High School be if it had no (ZERO) local funding like most of Alabama's poorest districts and a faculty that makes somewhat less than Shelby County pays? Could it be the motivation of cutting county district ties that they can cut off those "challenging students" and send (exile?) them to other county schools? The newly enacted Accountability / Flexibility Law gives a school district the right to refuse admittance to any students who might want to "choose" to come to a "better school" if they don't live in that city's district.

Let's make the rich man pay for all the poor man's woes, as always, right?

If you don't like the school district, don't move to the f'ing area. It really is not as complicated as you are making it out to be. There are some areas in this state(take the ride from Montgomery to Mobile) that have very few areas of dense population. There just isn't a good way to get good teachers and tons of funding to these areas. Simply throwing money at a school with 30 kids in a graduating class whose parents are all fairly uneducated isn't going to fix things.(and no offense is meant to anybody who is from an area like this)

And there are plenty of schools outside of suburban areas that are decent in this state. Sparkman is a decent school in the Huntsville area, and it's a county school.

(05-13-2013 08:26 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(05-09-2013 08:59 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(05-09-2013 02:01 PM)UABslant Wrote:  

(05-09-2013 11:37 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  UAB should never eliminate remedial courses until ALL state K-12 districts have the financial backing and educational opportunities of the suburban districts so their students have equal academic training for Post Secondary work. ALL state universities should offer what is needed by ALL state high school or JUCO graduates who enroll there. Evaluating and helping these "challenged" students attain success is one role for which a university's counseling services exist.

The "snob appeal" of a university education is a remnant of an earlier time when a high school diploma was the height of job preparation. The 21st century is bringing a new standard of educational attainment for all Americans, not just a relative "chosen few" who happen to be fortunate enough to be born into the "right neighborhoods" for educational opportunity.

I'm about to blow a big hole in your argument about greater funding in "suburban districts". One of the top-performing high schools in the state is Oak Mountain High School (Shelby Co. Schools), yet they receive no Title I funding and receive no city support due to their location in unincorporated Birmingham. In the same suburban district, you have Calera High School that receives Title I funding, support from the city of Calera, and a faculty that is top-notch (People Magazine's teacher of the year is at Calera) yet their test scores are significantly lower than OMHS.

I'll get to why this is in a moment...

Two of my grandsons came, or are going through Oak Mountain schools. I am very familiar with the neighborhoods that it serves including that "ghetto" of Eagle Point subdivision where my son lived until December,2012. When shopping for a new house, the family made sure they would continue to be in the Oak Mountain zone.

If you are saying that Oak Mountain is typical of rural Alabama schools, it isn't so. It is maintained more like Spain Park than Thompson. That is one reason why Alabaster withdrew from the Shelby County district and Pelham is considering doing the same. When I suggested that other city schools in Shelby County might follow Alabaster, some thought I was mistaken. By the 2020s, the Shelby County district may very well start to resemble Jeffco in that several of its most prosperous cities may have their own independent school districts by then.

Where would Calera High School be if it had no (ZERO) local funding like most of Alabama's poorest districts and a faculty that makes somewhat less than Shelby County pays? Could it be the motivation of cutting county district ties that they can cut off those "challenging students" and send (exile?) them to other county schools? The newly enacted Accountability / Flexibility Law gives a school district the right to refuse admittance to any students who might want to "choose" to come to a "better school" if they don't live in that city's district.

Let's make the rich man pay for all the poor man's woes, as always, right?

If you don't like the school district, don't move to the f'ing area. It really is not as complicated as you are making it out to be. There are some areas in this state(take the ride from Montgomery to Mobile) that have very few areas of dense population. There just isn't a good way to get good teachers and tons of funding to these areas. Simply throwing money at a school with 30 kids in a graduating class whose parents are all fairly uneducated isn't going to fix things.(and no offense is meant to anybody who is from an area like this)

And there are plenty of schools outside of suburban areas that are decent in this state. Sparkman is a decent school in the Huntsville area, and it's a county school.

Not everyone has the funds and resources to "just move". I'm just saying, it's not that easy for some people.