The University of Alabama Top Questions

Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

Terry

Yes, for the majority.

Katie

Somewhat. There is a whole lot more to Alabama than just drinking and partying.

Lucy

No. While many of us love Alabama football, you don't have to be a diehard fan. We do have a large, influential Greek community, you don't have to pledge to make wonderful friends. And we are definitely not all racists. Any claim we might have had to that title ended when George Wallace was unsuccessful with his stand at the schoolhouse door. UA is diverse enough to offer a niche and a sense of belonging for anyone who wants to come here. You just have to open your eyes and look around.

Kati

Of course Bama has tons of students in the Greek system. You don't have to be in the Greek system. I'm not and I still have fun and make good grades. Not everyone drinks and parties all the time. I don't and all my friends are the same.

Caitlin

Not at all. The Greek Life on campus does involve lots of weekend parties, but the people who want to make good grades and study both can and do succeed in the classroom as well. Also, there is no one particular way that a Bama greek looks. UA also has multiple ways to make the campus feel smaller for students, including the Honors College, Freshman Living-Learning Communities, and the Blount Undergraduate Initiative, to name a few. These programs allow students to really get to know their professors as well as fellow classmates. Typically, students who follow the same major track will have more than class with those same students.

Jennifer

We definitely like to party, but we are here to learn. In general, students gain valuable knowledge and training at the University of Alabama. The social networking here is unlike any that I have ever seen.

Parker

No. While the state and University have historically repressed African Americans, and students do enjoy fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities, we are no less intelligent than students from any other state.

Morgan

A lot of students here drink a lot but there are also a good number of students that do other things besides drinking and partying. There are still intellectuals at UA.

Kathleen

Not true at all. I'm not greek and I've had an awesome time in college.

Jessica

Like I said, there are some people who show you that they aren't right. It all depends on your viewpoint, and how you see others.

Stephen

Not always. Of course, fraternities have higher numbers of people who drink and Greek life in general consists of many parties. I know plenty of people who don't drink and party and we have just as much or more fun than those who do.

Haley

not really

KJ

As far as the redneck part, I wouldn't say so. As an African American student, I haven't really seen anything that I would classify as totally redneck. I haven't seen much racism either, except for an incident or two with someone or several people spray painting racists words on a campus building. Also, one of the black sororities was vandalized several times. As far as football goes, I admit it is very big at this school and many students will come out and tell you that is the only reason they go to school here.

Kelsey

In the fall semester, yea, everything revolves around football. You find teachers to be a little more lenient when it comes to assignments due right after a big football game. As for the partying, not everyone parties, and most of the partying you see is done by the Greek organizations.

Todd

We do party alot but we take classes seriously as well. We do love football, but not too much. There are no Friday classes once you hit upperclassmen classes. Greeks are jerks

Brittany

I think to some extent the stereotypes are accurate. Students here do love to party, but that is not what we are all about.

Ashley

Sadly, Yes.

Tate

maybe

Laura

pretty much.... unless you go there

Mitch

In some ways, yes, but as stereotypes go, there is always a group that do not conform. Its is true we love football and drinking, but the quality of a degree from the University of Alabama should never be called into question.

Parker

Most stereotypes are the reflection of a small percentage of a group of people. The students at the University of Alabama are as intelligent and have the same abilities as students at any other college or university. The fact that many students have southern accents is not a reflection of their abilities.

Rachel

True, there isn't a high percentage of minority students here, but there are so many people that even a small percentage constitutes a strong number of people. The Greek System is substantial but that does not mean that everyone is a member or that those who are spend all of their time drunk. Business is a popular major, but so is Nursing, Interior/Fashion Design, Criminal Justice and Biology, just to name a few.

Wil

Some of the stereotypes are accurate, although, UA is a much better academic school than people give it credit. UA is also more open minded than I expected when I transfered to the University.

Mary

Are we football fanatics? Yes! I'll get to that later. Greek life and partying? Yes and No. I am Greek and I do like to party, but that is not all that I do. I have a lot of friends who are Greek and don't like to party, others who are non-Greeks who do like to party, and vice-versa. It all depends on the person. Many of my non-Greek friends are very active on campus and do not need to be affiliated with any Greek organization to do so. The campus is very diverse, so everyone can find their niche in an organization that fits them. You can have friends that are both Greek and non-Greek; you are not limited to one type of people to hang out with. It is all in what you choose to do with you time.

Kendall

Greeks have a presence but you can still have fun on and off campus without being part of the Greek system! Alcohol has a huge influence on the campus but you can still do lots of things without consuming it.

Jennifer

No

Jessica

The greek system is notorious for its parties, and the greek system has a great deal of problems. We also depend heavily on athletics for publicity for the university as well as revenue. And, we really do have a big rivalry with Tennessee and Auburn.

Christine

The stereotypes have a LOT of truth in them. During the fall, its pretty much impossible to escape football and it's fans. Most of the students are from the south, but there are also a significant amount of people from Texas, and even a bunch of international students from Japan, Korea, and the Middle East.

Andy

1) Not everyone has tons of money, but many do. 2) We have a very active social scene, whether it be at the bars, athletics or just our University Programs. So no, we don't party too much. 3) A very diverse group of students attend UA international and domestic and we have many cultural awarness groups and a niche for everyone. 4) We have Nick Saban and he will regain UA's place in national athletics soon. We do however LOVE the bear! 5) We have more USA Today All-Scholastic Honors than any other schools including Harvard. We have a very wide demographic of majors and amazing things coming from UA each day.

Brooke

There are some people that would meet the "Bible thumper" stereotype but no more than you would find anywhere else. UA students do tend to be more conservative than the average college student, but they are by no means close-minded. There are also very active liberal student organizations on campus. Also, the school is only one-third Greek, so although Greeks are noticeable, they do not dominate the school (with the exception of the SGA). The University also has very strong academics, so although there is probably more partying here than the average school, in most cases, it is not excessive.

Zach

No, academics are a major part of the University.

Sam

Yup

Mary

there IS always something to do but no, we do not go out every single night and we are not always drunk. We do go to class and keep up our grades. All my friends from Auburn and other schools who come to visit on the weekends always ask me how I go out like we do all the time. I'm not sure exactly what they mean but I guess it's because we like to have fun.

AL

Yes, but not all students participate in it if they don't want to but there is always something to do if you want to.

Charlie

I have no idea, for I know no Tri-Delts personally

Cody

To some extent these accusations are true. A lot of people you meet from the state of Alabama are great people, but there are a large number that only associate with people alike themselves. This is true wherever you go, not just in the state of Alabama. People have conservative ideals and are resilient to change and liberal views. The University of Alabama prides itself on pride and tradition so the students play into it as well. Being an out of state student myself it has been very hard to meet people due to these conservative ideals.

Andrea

Some of the stereotypes are true. Alabama really enjoys its football, but so do all the other SEC teams. Going to an Alabama football game is always exciting. The energy and excitement of the student section is AMAZING!!! About the Greek system, I would say that a lot of people are in the Greek system, but I would say that the majority of people are not. Whether you are in the Greek system or not, you will still have a wonderful college experience. Do whatever you want to do. If you want to be in the Greek system, then go for it, but if that isn't your thing, then you don't have to be.

Dwight

Not at all. The University is increasingly excelling in academics (e.g. USA Academic All-Americans). Though the population of th UA is majority Caucasian, it is still very diverse. Though there isn't a whole lot to do in Tuscaloosa there is enough. Plus, for me it would be too distracting to my studies if there was too much to do. Anyhow, Birmingham is only 40-50 minutes away.

Bobby

The first thing that anyone thinks about when someone says the University of Alabama is football. Now I must admit, it is definitely hard to find a good parking space on campus on gameday but football is not the only thing this school represents. Alabama has a rich tradition in academics. Our business is always ranked among the best and our other departments are pretty good as well. Who doesn't party in college? UA is no different from any other school. But as a student here there is one thing I have noticed. During test time, it is hard to find a good party to go to, so we do have serious students. UA has a very diverse community and I think as years continue it will deepen, but to me there still seems to be some racial tension on campus. But not as bad as everyone thinks it is. Personally, I have never had a racial event happen during my time here at the capstone and that is true in most cases.