[jds]

im from IOWA and im thinking of moving to Tuscaloosa to go to school and im just kinda wondering what how it is there never been there before but am strongly looking into thier criminal justice program .... and the warm weather will be nice but just not sure what to expect are people inviting is it a crime ridden area what excally are the aspects of the city i have heard alot of good things but more feedback would be great like activites to do as well as housing affordabiltiy!!! all hlep will be great thanks

[pennquaker09]

Well, if you're Republican, and have no problem going Greek then by all means go on to T-Town, but I think you can do better. And you have to love football. They're paying the football coach 4 freaking million, obviously learning isn't too much a priority at Alabama.

[Threestep]

Originally Posted by pennquaker09

Well, if you're Republican, and have no problem going Greek then by all means go on to T-Town, but I think you can do better. And you have to love football. They're paying the football coach 4 freaking million, obviously learning isn't too much a priority at Alabama.

I thought even in Alabama they use the US dollar. Freaking must be a new currency.

[Historic Bessemer]

Alabama has a great criminal justice program! The town is small and for the most part rural. If you are from a small town you will love it. I don't think you could do much better unless you have very very deep pockets. If you choose to stay in Alabama after graduation it won't be too hard to find a job.

Great climate also...........it almost never gets below freezing(maybe 10 days out of the year)

[Southlander]

Hi jds, I would highly recommend a visit to the campus before you make your decision. UA has a beautiful campus, new dorms (freshmen are required to live on campus), and yes, a lot of party atmosphere, but you can get a top-quality education...it's all up to you to go to class, study and make your grades. With a bit of socializing, too! The Greek scene is big here - about 25% of students are Greek - but the Greek world includes groups for all kinds of people. BUT - you can also have a great time if you're not Greek - 75% of students aren't! Safety issues - like any big university, there are occasional problems with 25,000 students in one area, but use your head and you'll be fine. Get a quick peek by going here: Campus Tour - The University of Alabama . Roll Tide!

[Bravo35223]

Alabama's Criminal Justice program is very well respected. The campus is growing rapidly with many new dorms and has excellent classroom facilities...

Don't worry about the Greek system....it is getting smaller and smaller as a percentage of the student population. The U of A's student population stood at 20,000 for decades and has risen to over 25,000 in the past three years, on the way to a targeted size of 28,000. There is PLENTY of diversity and things to do....much more than football. I was indeed in a fraternity but spent much of my time on the University Program Council which put on rock concerts and other cultural programs for the students, so I interacted with both sides of this issue and had the time of my life.

The university recently put in a new campuswide bus system which is wonderful. Show the driver your Student ID and ride for free....no worries about driving and finding a place to park. Runs 12 hours a day...from dorms to academic halls and back....

[Bravo35223]

Moderator cut: removed post
We have the 6th lowest unemployment rate in the United States, a good climate and beautiful environment.

[Alatex]

im from IOWA and im thinking of moving to Tuscaloosa to go to school and im just kinda wondering what how it is there never been there before but am strongly looking into thier criminal justice program .... and the warm weather will be nice but just not sure what to expect are people inviting is it a crime ridden area what excally are the aspects of the city i have heard alot of good things but more feedback would be great like activites to do as well as housing affordabiltiy!!! all hlep will be great thanks

I'm not familiar enough with the criminal justice program to give any opinion on that.

I've lived here 35 years (and graduated from the university here), and the only crime I've dealt with is having a neighbor steal a couple hanging baskets of flowers from my back yard about 15 years ago.

I have heard of crime problems in student apartments related to petty theft, drugs and alcohol, and so forth that unfortunately tends to happen in a lot of college areas, and there are some persistent crime issues in the very poorest parts of town (Alberta, West End), but those are also mostly self-contained.
I mean, I feel safe driving through there, but I probably wouldn't want to live in those areas.

In terms of activities, there are lakes and rivers and a surprisingly large amount of park land, Birmingham is less than an hour's drive away (Alabama's only theme park, Alabama Adventures, is located in Bessemer, which is between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa), and it's a great "home base" for an incredible variety of weekend trips. Within a 4-hour drive, you can be in Atlanta, Nashville, Chattanooga (scenic hills, if you haven't been), Memphis, New Orleans, Biloxi casinos, Gulf Shores, and many more. I'm going to Gulf Shores (very beautiful beaches !) this afternoon. I went to Birmingham earlier this week. I spent a weekend in Atlanta last month. You get the idea !

I think the very best part of town is in the 35406 zip code (north of the river, but within Tuscaloosa city limits). Housing costs a little more here , but older neighborhoods like Woodridge provide a lot of house and yard for the money, but it's probably bigger than you're looking for as a student.
The Taylorville/Hillcrest area is a pretty nice area to live, also.
Even northern Northport, near Lake Tuscaloosa, has a lot of new homes, if you don't mind living out in the country.
There are some nice new condo developments around town like Midtown that might appeal to a student looking for something more upscale and quiet than the "drunk-and-disorderly" cheapo apartments.

Well, if you're Republican, and have no problem going Greek then by all means go on to T-Town, but I think you can do better. And you have to love football.

I'm not Republican (or Democrat, for that matter), but I have neighbors from across the political spectrum, and we all get along fine. Auburn, across state, is generally more of a right-wing-only school..
I never attended any Greek function during my years at the university of Alabama, though I would agree that there are significant Greek, Republican elements that tend to control things, which can be annoying if you pay any attention to campus politics, which most people don't. Probably just 1/6th or so of the student body is in the Greek system, though, so it's not like being non-Greek isn't an option.

The football thing is admittedly a bit overbearing at times. The crowds and excitement can be a lot of fun, but the team hasn't done anything on the field in many years, and I dislike having public parking spaces at a couple of key city parks roped off on Thursday of home football game weekends so that the city can make money off RVers. It really is a pet peeve of mine,
as it seems the football people who come to town for just a few fall weekends take precedence over the regular citizens who live here every day and pay the taxes that built those parks.

[Threestep]

Originally Posted by big daryle

Alabama is the epitome of mediocrity (or less than mediocrity) in every way. You would be happier at most any other place.

Would you mind to share the source of your statement? Thank you.

[big daryle]

If you consider a $10 an hour job a big deal, then you will be happy in Alabama.