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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
 Alabama
A u b u r n U n i v e r s i t y

Address: Quad Center, Percentage accepted Graduation Rate 4-year:

Auburn, AL 36849
Phone: 800-282-8769
E-mail address:
admissions@auburn.edu
Web site URL:
www.auburn.edu
Year Founded: 1856
Private or Public: Public
Religious Affiliation: None
Location: Suburban
Number of Applicants:
17,798
Percent Accepted: 69%
Percent Accepted who
enroll: 34%
Number Entering: 4,160
Number of Transfers
Accepted each Year: 1,980
Middle 50% SAT range: M:
520–630, CR: 500–610,
Wr: Unreported
Middle 50% ACT range:
22–27
Early admission program
EA/ED/None: None
through EA or ED: NA 34%
EA and ED deadline: NA Graduation Rate 6-year: 62%
Regular Deadline: Rolling Percent Undergraduates in
Application Fee: $40 On-campus housing: 14%
Full time Undergraduate Number of official organized
enrollment: 19,812 extracurricular
Total enrollment: 23,187 organizations: 300
Percent Male: 52% 3 Most popular majors:
Percent Female: 48% Business, Education,
Total Percent Minority or Engineering
Unreported: 15% Student/Faculty ratio: 18:01
Percent African-American: Average Class Size: 25
9% Percent of students going to
Percent Asian/Pacific grad school: 35%
Islander: 2% Tuition and Fees: $18,260
Percent Hispanic: 2% In State Tuition and Fees if
Percent Native-American: different: $6,500
<1% Cost for Room and Board:
Percent International: $8,260
0.57% Percent receiving financial
Percent in-state/out of aid out of those who apply:
state: 69%/31% 64%
Percent from Public HS: Percent receiving financial
86% aid among all students:
Retention Rate: 86% 54%

ess than an hour’s drive east of Mont- anyone, even freshmen. The more popular

L gomery, the plains of Alabama give

rise to Auburn University. The school,
whose athletics department has produced
stars like Charles Barkley and Bo Jackson,
boasts some of the region’s top veterinary
and engineering programs. But it is the stu-
dent body that will most likely catch the eye
of a passerby, especially if he or she hails
from more northern lands. “Southern hospi-
tality is alive and well here,” students de-
clare, and this charm mixed with fun and
academics keeps Auburn students smiling.
Bed and Breakfast (and Lunch
and Dinner)
Auburn students electing to live on campus
can choose from four clusters of residence
halls, but the housing is not guaranteed to
living areas are the Hill and the Quad, and
dorms are either women-only or coed by
floor. Many in-state students and upper-
classmen choose to live off campus in one
of the several apartment complexes near
campus. Since many students opt not to
live in dorms, Auburn provides an apart-
ment guide and some helpful tips for stu-
dents shopping the off campus market.
Tiger Transit is available to get students
from point A to point B, and the Off Cam-
pus Association “gets you a good deal on
utilities.”
There is no shortage of food options on
campus. The two main dining areas, Terrell
Dining Hall and War Eagle Food Court, are
located at the southern and northern ends
of the campus, respectively. Both have an
2 Alabama
assortment of fast food and local restau-
rants that cater to students on the go.
Auburn offers a variety of meal plans to
meet a wide range of needs, and the Tiger
Card can be used “like a debit card” at local
eateries and grocery stores. Students de-
posit funds into the account and use the
swipes until the balance dwindles down
again.
Students choosing to eat on campus can
get all the basic sandwiches and burgers, or
they can go for a smoothie at Chillers in War
Eagle Court. The town of Auburn offers the
traditional fare of Ruby Tuesday and family
dining along with some establishments ap-
pealing to the younger crowd. Students fre-
quent the Mellow Mushroom for a more
gourmet pizza and head to Moe’s for “the
best burritos in town.”
Cracking the Books
Auburn University was the first land-grant
college in the Southeast (a result of the Mor-
rill Act), and to this day its engineering and
agriculture departments remain strong. But
the University has become more diverse in
its faculty and currently offers undergradu-
ate degrees in 12 schools—agriculture, ar-
chitecture, business, education, engineering,
forestry and wildlife, human sciences, liberal
arts, nursing, pharmacy, science and mathe-
matics and veterinary medicine. Moreover,
the University recently began a Bachelor of
Wireless Engineering program which repre-
sents the first degree of this type in the na-
tion. Students select their majors at the end
of the second year, but changing majors is
not difficult with the help of Auburn’s advis-
ing system.
“Most professors are more than
willing to help you out. All you have to
do is ask.”
The University offers plenty of options for
study abroad. Auburn itself has a growing
number of distinct programs, or students
can participate in approved programs from
other universities. One student who returned
from a summer in Florence, a popular desti-
nation for art students, said “transferring
credits was really easy.”
While Auburn students put in their time in
Draughton Library (open 24 hours a day dur-
ing finals), they do not often complain of
being tremendously overworked. “Some
students skip classes and don’t work that
hard,” but workload largely depends on the
course of study. If an Auburn Tiger is having
some difficulties in the classroom, he or she
can usually find plenty of support. “Most
professors are more than willing to help you
out. All you have to do is ask.”
Auburn professors have earned a reputa-
tion for being accessible and invested in
their students’ educations, but the same can-
not always be said about teaching assistants,
especially in math and science courses. Stu-
dents said some TAs have problems speaking
clear English, which can make learning more
difficult.
In preparation for life after graduation,
Auburn provides advice and information for
students interested in graduate or profes-
sional school. A senior in the College of Sci-
ences and Mathematics said her adviser has
helped her not only navigate Auburn’s un-
dergraduate curriculum, but also apply to
graduate schools. The University brings in
representatives from schools throughout
the region to speak to students about oppor-
tunities after graduation.
F r i v o l i t y, F r a t e r n i t i e s , a n d
Fo o t b a l l
The social scene is alive and well at Auburn
no matter what time of year, but students
have different preferences for the seasons.
During the fall, students don their best or-
ange and blue to support their Tigers on
the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The on
campus stadium is regularly filled to capac-
ity of over 85,000 raucous fans screaming
“War Eagle,” and the surrounding areas are
teeming with tailgates for each home game.
Don’t be surprised to see Auburn students
dressed up for this Saturday afternoon af-
fair. The game is a place to be seen as well as
show school spirit. The fun continues, espe-
cially after a win, at Toomers Corner after
the final snap.
The stadium is bursting at the seams when
in-state rival the University of Alabama
comes to town the Saturday before Thanks-
giving for the Iron Bowl. Students must
make sure they get their tickets early if they
want a seat at this perennially sold-out event.
Many students hit the fraternity parties
Friday and Saturday nights. A significant
chunk of the student body is Greek, but “par-
ties are open for the most part.” In contrast
to most other SEC schools, there are no
sorority houses at Auburn. The sisterhoods
have halls in dorms, mostly populated with
sophomore members, and a chapter room.
Greek organizations maintain a lively party
 Alabama 3

environment with formal dances and band
parties.
The Auburn police are usually present at
larger organized events, but there is not a vis-
ible crackdown on underage drinking as long
as students act responsibly. The police are
strict on drunk driving. Since most students
at Auburn come with cars and many live off
campus, there is a volunteer designated-
driver program to make sure every student
makes it home safely.
In the spring semester, students focus their
revelry on off-campus locales—apartments
or downtown bars. College Park Apartments
usually has something going on during the
weekends. For good drink deals, of-age stu-
dents head to Buffalo’s for a brew and then
to Quixote’s, where “there is always a good
band playing.” While the town restaurants
might let things slide, bars have no problem
carding, and they can be quite difficult to get
into at times.
Apart from the night life, students engage
in many social activities and student groups
on campus. Students can try their hand at ra-
dio broadcasting on WEGL, do community
service through Habitat for Humanity or Ki-
wanis Club, partake in theater and singing
groups, and do just about anything else that
might be of interest.
G e t t i n g Yo u r B e a r i n g s
Two important landmarks on campus for
new students are the Foy Student Union and
the Haley Center. These two buildings are
the hubs of student life on campus. Foy con-
tains the War Eagle Food Court, a CD and
game store, study lounges, student organiza-
tion offices, an ATM and a mail drop. The
Haley Center houses a cafeteria, lecture
halls and the campus bookstore. The one
thing these buildings don’t have is parking,
which can be a “nightmare” on campus.
Since most students are in-state or from sur-
rounding areas, they drive to school from
home, and having a car is “a big plus on the
weekends for road trips to the beach.”
Go to one football game, and it’s easy to
see the tradition that pervades the Auburn
campus. Some students are third- or fourth-
generation Tigers, but that should not scare
away newcomers to the South. With pleas-
ant weather and people, it is easy to under-
stand why Auburn is one of the most
popular universities in the region.—Adam
Weber

FYI
If you come to Auburn, you’d better bring “your country music collection.”
What’s the typical weekend schedule? “Drink, drink, drink, go to a football game, drink, drink, and
pass out.”
If I could change one thing about Auburn, I’d “move it to a more metropolitan area.”
Three things every Auburn student should do before graduating are “get every single flavor of
milkshake at Cheeburger Cheeburger, participate in the cheesy ‘Hey Day,’ and run in the Cake
Race.”
4 Alabama

B i r m i n g h a m - S o u t h e r n C o l l e g e

Address: 900 Arkadelphia Percentage accepted Graduation Rate 6-year:

Road, Birmingham,
AL 35254
Phone: 800-523-5793
E-mail address:
admission@bsc.edu
Web site URL: www.bsc.edu
Year Founded: 1856
Private or Public: Private
Religious Affiliation: United
Methodist
Location: Urban
Number of Applicants:
2,227
Percent Accepted: 60%
Percent Accepted who
enroll: 23%
Number Entering: 292
Number of Transfers
Accepted each Year: 101
Middle 50% SAT range:
M: 520–650, CR:
520–640, Wr: Unreported
Middle 50% ACT range:
22–28
Early admission program
EA/ED/None: None
through EA or ED: NA
EA and ED deadline: NA
Regular Deadline: Rolling
Application Fee: $40
Full time Undergraduate
enrollment: 1,389
Total enrollment: 1,389
Percent Male: 59%
Percent Female: 41%
Total Percent Minority or
Unreported: 16%
Percent African-American:
9%
Percent Asian/Pacific
Islander: 2%
Percent Hispanic: 2%
Percent Native-American:
<1%
Percent International:
Unreported
Percent in-state/out of
state: 67%/33%
Percent from Public HS: 65%
Retention Rate: 86%
Graduation Rate 4-year:
60%
69%
Percent Undergraduates in
On-campus housing: 77%
Number of official organized
extracurricular
organizations: 70
3 Most popular majors:
Business Administration/
Management, Health/Medical
Preparatory Programs,
Pre-Law Studies
Student/Faculty ratio: 10:01
Average Class Size: 15
Percent of students going to
grad school: 50%
Tuition and Fees: $25,586
In State Tuition and Fees if
different: No difference
Cost for Room and Board:
$8,595
Percent receiving financial
aid out of those who apply:
80%
Percent receiving financial
aid among all students:
46%

irmingham-Southern College prides credits in humanities and one additional

B itself on its reputation as a top-notch

university, and the students here
work hard to live up to BSC’s expectations.
Students manage the intense workload and
credit the “loads of personal attention” to
their success and survival.
“Life-long Learners”
As a four-year liberal arts college,
Birmingham-Southern seeks to send out
well-rounded, well-educated, and cultured
leaders. As such, the academic requirements
cover a broad range of subjects and inter-
ests. Freshmen have to take three “First-Year
Foundations” courses in order to acclimate
themselves to the college environment as
well as to take their first steps as “life-long
learners.” Over the course of four years, stu-
dents at BSC must accumulate at least one
unit each of art, lab science, history, litera-
ture, a nonnative language, humanities, phi-
losophy and religion, writing, math, and
social science. After fulfilling these core
courses, students must take two additional
credit in math or science. Although there are
no pre-professional majors, many take a dif-
ficult course load aimed at medical or law
school. English, Business, and Education
are, not surprisingly, extremely popular ma-
jors. Math and Science majors are rarer but
remain a presence on campus. A highly se-
lective honors program is also available to
the most motivated and qualified students
at BSC. The program offers accelerated
courses and small seminars with an interdis-
ciplinary approach. Those interested in the
program are encouraged to apply as early as
spring of their senior year in high school.
BSC requires its students to go even far-
ther above and beyond the minimal require-
ments, and make use of its unique “interim
term.” The interim term, the “1” portion of
Birmingham-Southern’s 4-1-4 year, is a
month-long period between the school’s two
four-month semesters in which students are
free to explore one specific interest. One
student used one of her four interim terms
to design a course as a teaching assistant in
 Alabama
an urban school environment. The student
explained, “I decided how long I was in the
classroom, what types of activities I would
do, how I would be graded . . . all of that.” Al-
though some students think the interim term
can be a “pain,” many say it also provides the
opportunity to travel abroad without worry-
ing about falling off a four-year track.
With all that Birmingham-Southern re-
quires, “the workload can be tough”; how-
ever, students have advisors at their
disposal and a strong support system. Pro-
fessors are generally described as “great”
and “absolutely approachable.” Classes with
good reputations may be tricky to obtain for
freshmen (it’s not easy getting that first-
choice class), but amazing classes are defi-
nitely available. “[My professor] set up a
fake crime scene . . . roped it off, had a
chalk outline of the body, fake blood every-
where . . .” said a student about his Forensic
Science course. “We had to walk around,
take it apart . . . all the way to conviction.”
The bottom line remains: people at BSC take
academics pretty seriously, and as one stu-
dent affirmed, “people do what they’ve got
to do.”
O u t s i d e t h e C l a s s r o o m : L i ke
Wo n d e r B r e a d ?
Despite the high academic expectations, BSC
students know how to balance the books
with some much-needed down time. With
Birmingham in their backyard and a variety
of clubs and activities to choose from, stu-
dents have a wide array of weekend options.
Prospective students should be aware, how-
ever, that Birmingham-Southern has a defi-
nite Greek feel. “The frat scene is definitely
the dominant social scene here . . . the rush
process starts during the summer,” a fresh-
man explained, “but the formal rush doesn’t
happen until the third week of school or so.”
The downside of having such a close-knit
and supporting Greek system is that “what
Greek organization you belong to has a large
impact on who you’re going to be friends
with.” As one student remarked, “It’s sad in
my opinion that in the cafeteria, people still
sit at certain tables based on what fraternity,
sorority, or sports team he/she is on.” Still,
students are quick to point out that the
Greek life isn’t for everybody at BSC—and
that’s okay. The Student Government Asso-
ciation sponsors movie-nights out, for exam-
ple, and clubs such as “Chaos” and “Platinum”
are a short drive away. And as most students
have cars on campus—“if you don’t, you can
always mooch off someone else,” according
5
to one student—transportation is usually not
a huge issue.
Big annual activities include the Greek-
sponsored “Philanthropy Party” as well as the
Entertainment Festivals (E-Fest in BSC ver-
nacular) where local talents are showcased
each semester. Students also note attempts
by administration and other students to
broaden the cultural offerings on campus. Al-
though diversity at Birmingham-Southern may
prove a disappointment to some (minority en-
rollment has been documented at around 20
percent, but students generally deemed geo-
graphic and class diversity to be somewhat
lacking), clubs such as the BSC Step Team
are giving a different feel to the pervasive—
as one student termed it, “Wonderbread—
white and rich”—culture of the school.
“We know how to do things—be it
academics, partying, or whatever—
right here.”
Another extracurricular option is intra-
murals, also known as IMs. Flag football, in-
ner tube water polo, and dodgeball are just a
few examples of available intramural activi-
ties. “People play [IMs] and they can get
pretty competitive, but everybody realizes
it’s just IMs and we’re all out of shape,” one
BSC student said. In addition to IMs, stu-
dents can cheer for their school’s teams.
While Birmingham-Southern does not have a
football team, they “live vicariously through
[University of] Alabama and Auburn [Uni-
versity].” The basketball and baseball games
are well-attended, and “it’s a face-painted,
T-shirt-wearing, screaming, jumping good
time.” One student summed it up saying, “We
know how to do things—be it academics,
partying, or whatever—right here.”
Living and Dining
“Dorms are . . . well, dorms” one junior ex-
plained, “you can’t expect too much.” Fresh-
men guys live in New Men’s, while freshmen
girls live in either Cullen Daniel or Margaret
Daniel. A student revealed that “New Men’s
is pretty nasty, but it’s a cool experience.”
The freshmen dorms have two people to a
room and communal bathrooms. Other op-
tions include a four room-four person suite,
a four room-eight person suite, or two dou-
bles connected by a bathroom. Housing situ-
ations improve with both seniority and
GPA—those with seniority and higher GPAs
pick first. Residential Advisors (RAs) are on
6 Alabama

each floor of the freshmen dorms, ready to
help with any problems. However, RAs are
also meant to enforce the rules: “Level of
strictness varies from person to person . . .
they’re there to enforce the rules through
fines mostly.” Students sometimes choose to
forgo dorm life for student apartments on
campus or the Sorority Townhouses and
Fraternity Row. Other notable buildings and
locations on campus include the science
building (which was remodeled in 2003),
the humanities building, and the United
Methodist Center. The Center recently built
a new facility on the former Frat Row. “The
[Frats] are a hangout area . . . as well as the
Caf, and the Cellar.” The Cellar, a coffee
house, is a popular place for both relaxing
and studying. The cafeteria, or “Caf” as BSC
students call it, was recently revamped and
is “a definite improvement” over the old
cafeteria, and now boasts a Subway, a KFC,
a soul food bar, a grille and a salad stand.
Students living on campus have to purchase
a meal plan; the choices range from light,
medium, and hearty, which differ in num-
bers of meals provided.
Coming to Birmingham-Southern is coming
into a great tradition of excellence. With its
mixture of Division I sports, academics, and
bridges into the business world, Birmingham
promises to provide not only an unforgettable
college experience, but connections for life.
“We produce the best and the brightest—but
not only that, once you’re a part of the BSC
family, those ties never die. [That] sounds so
sappy, but it’s true.”—Melody Pak

FYI
If you come to BSC, you’d better bring “your leg muscles, it’s hilly.”
The typical weekend schedule includes: “Friday: some sort of party Friday night, Saturday: football
games, sports, party on Saturday night, Sunday: really low key.”
If I could change one thing about BSC, I’d “bring more diversity.”
Three things every student at BSC should do before graduating are “spend half of your day trying
to figure out what you did the night before, make love, and still pass with a 3.5 or higher.”

Tu s k e g e e U n i v e r s i t y

Address: 120 Old Percentage accepted Graduation Rate 6-year: 50%

Administration Building,
Tuskegee, AL 36088
Phone: 334-727-8500
E-mail address:
adm@tuskegee.edu
Web site URL:
www.tuskegee.edu
Year Founded: 1881
Private or Public: Private
Religious Affiliation: None
Location: Rural
Number of Applicants: 2,471
Percent Accepted: 64%
Percent Accepted who
enroll: 44%
Number Entering: 701
Number of Transfers
Accepted each Year: 378
Middle 50% SAT range: M:
380–490, CR: 400–500,
Wr: Unreported
Middle 50% ACT range:
17–22
Early admission program
EA/ED/None: None
through EA or ED: NA
EA and ED deadline: NA
Regular Deadline: Rolling
Application Fee: $25
Full time Undergraduate
enrollment: 2,411
Total enrollment: 2,479
Percent Male: 44%
Percent Female: 56%
Total Percent Minority or
Unreported: 99%
Percent African-American:
84%
Percent Asian/Pacific
Islander: <1%
Percent Hispanic: <1%
Percent Native-American:
<1%
Percent International: 1%
Percent in-state/out of
state: 28%/72%
Percent from Public HS:
Unreported
Retention Rate: 71%
Graduation Rate 4-year: 25%
Percent Undergraduates
in On-campus housing:
55%
Number of official organized
extracurricular
organizations: 36
3 Most popular majors:
Electrical, Electronics and
Communications Engineering,
Veterinary Medicine
Student/Faculty ratio: 12:01
Average Class Size: 15
Percent of students going to
grad school: 23%
Tuition and Fees: $17,070
In State Tuition and Fees if
different: No difference
Cost for Room and Board:
$7,950
Percent receiving financial
aid out of those who apply:
80%
Percent receiving financial
aid among all students:
0.92%
 Alabama
uskegee University has historically
T been home to many generations of
African American men and women
searching for an outstanding academic
experience in addition to a unique cultural
enrichment. Tuskegee’s close-knit student
community lives and studies in one of the
country’s most historic African American
universities.
Changing Tradition
Tuskegee affords its undergraduates the op-
portunity to pursue a true liberal arts educa-
tion through the College of Liberal Arts and
Education. Although it was founded with the
intention of giving African Americans a more
technical, career-specific education to give
them an edge in specific job markets, the
curriculum has gradually changed to ally
Tuskegee with other liberal arts schools. Still,
some traditions remain: all freshmen are re-
quired to take an orientation course, which
consists of University history, including the
mandatory reading of Booker T. Washington’s
Up from Slavery, and advice for adapting to
college life. Freshmen will also discover that
their other basic requirements include physi-
cal education and English courses.
The University includes five colleges in
total: the College of Agriculture, Environ-
mental and Natural Sciences; the College of
Business and Information Science; the Col-
lege of Engineering, Architecture and Physi-
cal Sciences; the College of Veterinary
Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health; and
the College of Liberal Arts and Education.
Thus, despite the shift toward a more liberal
arts-oriented academic environment, many
Tuskegee students are engineering or sci-
ence majors. The school often receives ac-
claim for its pre-vet, pre-med and nursing
programs, and students confirm high num-
bers of enrollees in each of these disci-
plines. Lower level lectures tend to enroll
between 40 and 50 students, but the average
class size overall is about 20 students. Stu-
dents like the class sizes, and report that
“whatever class size you prefer, you can usu-
ally pick accordingly.” The smaller class
sizes and minimal use of TAs keep student-
faculty interaction high. Students generally
give Tuskegee’s academics a high rating.
There were those who disagreed, remarking
that “it can be easy to feel lost in the larger
classes that don’t have TAs,” but on the
whole, many agreed that the school is “de-
manding but rewarding.” Tuskegee’s history
is clearly visible around its campus. A senior
commented that “It’s very cool, some of the
7
brick buildings were built by students when
the school was founded.”
S t i l l L i v i n g i n t h e Pa s t
The residential life on campus is one of stu-
dents’ more frequent complaints. In addition
to being “ancient” and “without much furni-
ture,” dorms are not coed and students are
required to live on campus both freshman
and sophomore years. The older dorm build-
ings have a reputation for being in poor
physical condition, and one student called
the dorms “older than rocks.” “You had bet-
ter bring things that make you feel at home,”
said one undergrad, because “there’s no real
cozy feeling.” The on-campus apartment sit-
uation is slightly better; the Commons apart-
ments offer students the amenities of a
kitchen in addition to rooms that they can
make their own with decorations. Students’
biggest problem, however, is with the Uni-
versity housing regulations. Because of
the school’s conservative nature, men’s and
women’s dorms are separated by a 10-minute
walk to prevent students from visiting those
of the opposite gender. The University staff
also keeps a close eye on dorms; students
are not allowed to be on the “wrong” side of
campus after 11 p.m. and, if caught, face
punishment.
“The town of Tuskegee offers nothing
except seclusion from the modern
world, but you learn a lot trapped in
the wilderness.”
Many upperclassmen choose to move off
campus. One student said of the coed poli-
cies, “I love my campus, but I had to leave it
because of the rules.” Students tend to meet
in the student union, which contains a
movie theater, a grill, a game room and of-
fices for student organizations. The student
cafeteria is another popular meeting place,
and serves as a place where Tuskegee’s
many clubs and organizations can meet
to bring students together. Some of the
biggest clubs are the state clubs, which
unite students hailing from the same state
to plan activities relating to their home turf.
African-American groups like the National
Society of Black Engineers and several
prominent fraternities and sororities are
also present on campus. There is an active
chapter of ROTC, which helps some stu-
dents to fund their education. Students are
active in community service, and the nearby
8 Alabama

hospital employs a number of Tuskegee stu-
dents.
Football and basketball games generate
great excitement at Tuskegee. In particular,
the rivalries with Morehouse College and Al-
abama State University tend to draw the
largest crowds to sporting events. Home-
coming is one of the biggest social events
of the year. The weeklong tradition incorpo-
rates performances by student groups, the
Miss Tuskegee Gala and a number of pep ral-
lies to boost school spirit. In the spring, the
school hosts “Springfest,” an event drawing
many students together for shows, concerts
and a dance.
T h e Ty p i c a l Tu s ke g e e S t u d e n t
While the Greek system is a visible presence
on campus, students report that they do not
feel an urge to rush. There is little animosity
between the fraternities, but they reportedly
have a “friendly rivalry.” Officially, alcohol is
prohibited on campus and students who are
caught with it face fines or other penalties.
As a result, drinking generally tends to oc-
cur off campus. Students said they consid-
ered the town of Tuskegee “slow,” but most
agree that it has most of the things neces-
sary for college life. And, as one student put
it, “Tuskegee has a lot of potential to grow,”
adding, “but you come for the school, not
the town.” Tuskegee students also added
that their campus is safe, with a large body
of security officers and a closely monitored
electronic keycard system.
Tuskegee is more than just an academic
college experience; it is also one of cultural
and historical enrichment. The school’s fun-
damental mission remains an avid part of
why students attend, and the school’s com-
munity and tradition are enough to over-
come some of its more conservative and
comparatively strict policies. The experi-
ence tends to bind people in a lasting way.
As one student said, “There are a lot of good
people here and you can meet a lot of great
minds—not to mention we’re friends for
life. People might complain about things
here, but in the end, you don’t want to
leave.”—Melissa Chan and Staff

FYI
If you come to Tuskegee, you’d better bring “a car to survive here because the nearest mall is 20
minutes away. The town of Tuskegee offers nothing except seclusion from the modern world, but
you learn a lot trapped in the wilderness.”
What’s the typical weekend schedule? “Go to a football game if we’re playing at home and then
party at a fraternity at night.”
If I could change one thing about Tuskegee I’d “change the administration. It seems to have no
respect or regard for the students, the registration process takes three days, and the dorms are
really run-down.”
The three things every student should do before graduating from Tuskegee are “try the food at the
Chicken Coop, go to Homecoming, and visit the George Washington Carver Museum on campus.”
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