[SweetPea1]

My partner is considering applying to Auburn for Fall of 2009. She is going to be a thrid year Architecture student. We currently live in a large city in California. We are bit nervous about the prospect of moving to such a small town. We don't flaunt being gay but we don't hide it either.

Can I get some insite from any locals in the area if we will encounter any problems. Thanks

[Southlander]

Well, it's a university town, so it's WAY more liberal than, say, Wetumpka. That said, it's in Alabama, and you being from California are going to experience some major culture shock. I would suggest you visit before deciding.
Auburn has an excellent architecture school (I paid a LOT of money to it!) but I'm surprised they would even consider admitting a third year student. Would she be going for a bachelor's degree? She knows it's a 5-year program, right? Or would she be earning a master's degree?
When the son started, they looked at the 200 or so freshmen starting the program, and told them that 60 might graduate. They were right.

[Frankie117]

Auburn is a university town, so it is gay friendly for the most part. However, like much of the Southern university towns, they don't necessarily like you to be the "overboard" gay type. In my experience if you are polite and kind to everyone it shouldn't matter.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by SweetPea1

My partner is considering applying to Auburn for Fall of 2009. She is going to be a thrid year Architecture student. We currently live in a large city in California. We are bit nervous about the prospect of moving to such a small town. We don't flaunt being gay but we don't hide it either.

Can I get some insite from any locals in the area if we will encounter any problems. Thanks

It's a university town, so you should be fine. Just learn to root for the Auburn Tigers and you'll be fine. Say "War Eagle" a lot and everybody will love you.

[SweetPea1]

Originally Posted by Southlander

Well, it's a university town, so it's WAY more liberal than, say, Wetumpka. That said, it's in Alabama, and you being from California are going to experience some major culture shock. I would suggest you visit before deciding.
Auburn has an excellent architecture school (I paid a LOT of money to it!) but I'm surprised they would even consider admitting a third year student. Would she be going for a bachelor's degree? She knows it's a 5-year program, right? Or would she be earning a master's degree?
When the son started, they looked at the 200 or so freshmen starting the program, and told them that 60 might graduate. They were right.

And yes she knows it's a 5 year program. She is enrolled at a community college here in California and will have 70 plus units with a GPA of 3.9. The school she currently attends has an AA in Architecture so she has taken alot of common first and second year architecture classes plus all the GE stuff is done. Additionally she has experience w/ CAD and freehand drafting.

We are in our late 30's and she currently works for our countys Urban Planning Dept. She is older, wiser and more disciplined so I have no doubt she wll be getting into all the schools she applies to.

Personally, I'm mosted excited about the football as I am a huge college football fan.

Thanks for all the replys. We will keep it on our short list.

Additional question, since we dont want to live next to partying 18 year olds can someone suggest neighborhoods to stay away from?

[LeighKelly]

I graduated in '77 so I don't have any specific advice about good places to live, but in general, the closer you get to the campus, the greater the proportion of students to non-students. As someone who's lived in SoCal for 19 of the past 23 years, I can tell you that if you've been living in a large city in California, you could live anywhere in Lee County and think you're within commuting distance of campus! As for the culture, I think that you'll find that Southerners in general are more friendly than west coast urbanites, though I recommend being circumspect about your sexual orientation. After all, Auburn made the national news several years ago when they revoked the student organization charter of the Gay and Lesbian Association. Same-sex roommates sharing a house in a college town isn't uncommon, so there probably shouldn't be any problem as long as you are circumspect. I regret that you may run into a few ignorant homophobes, but things change slowly in the South.