Can I still apply? I feel I have the credentials too @MYOS1634
Is it possible that your parents are at least slightly concerned about how well you will do at UA? The thing is that you are in state for Iowa State. If you lose your scholarship at UA then they would be stuck with OOS tuition. I’m not saying that you would lose it just that it is one of the things that was on my mind when my son was applying to colleges. In other words can they afford to send you there if you lose the scholarship?
Did you visit Alabama and were your parents with you? Maybe they need to see it.
You need to look at why you really want to go away. WHY do you want to go to Alabama over Iowa? If it is just to get away, you may not be as happy with that decision as you think. It’s a different environment. Travel, health insurance, social life might be a lot more expensive. My daughter went to school 2000 miles from me, but only 150 from her grandparents, and by october of her freshman year really wanted a weekend at home, so that was a great substitute. She got a few meals, a few dollars slipped to her by uncles, to eat somewhere other than the school cafeteria, to get away from her roommate for a night. It’s nice to have it as an option. Other kids had parents for parents weekend, but it was too far for me to go there just for a weekend, and too far for her to come home. Her school didn’t have a fall break or even a whole week for Thanksgiving.
Are you interested in petroleum engineering? That might be a way to sell UA.
I think it is hard to plan to only go home once at Christmas as a freshman. That’s a long year.
Bama doesn’t offer petroleum engineering and I’m not sure that would be a selling point right now anyway!
Three hours to the nearest major airport would give me pause too.
I have no interest in petroleum engineering so thats okay! @LucieTheLakie
They did visit with me, just this last weekend! Thanks for the advice thought! @twoinanddone
They haven’t mentioned anything so probably not, but I will bring it up! @MichiganGeorgia
Unfortunately, the deadlines for these two programs was in December.
But the Honors College is still one of the best in the country regardless, with 4,000 extremely accomplished students from all over the US (Iowa State is about 72% instate vs. 50% at Alabama… and obviously even the 50% from Alabama would be “OOS” compared to Iowa 
- and while Iowa’s good, discovering another part of the country and meeting people from all over is very educational in itself) and with LOTS of options and choices (not just one class per semester as is common).
Stuff I found:
http://publicuniversityhonors.com/2015/05/15/accepted-to-all-the-ivies-and-stanford-chooses-alabama-honors/
http://publicuniversityhonors.com/2015/04/21/goldwater-scholars-2015-alabama-clemson-maryland-umass-minnesota-and-rutgers-lead-the-way/
I think I should contribute, since I was in a similar situation. I live in NJ, and dreamed of attending school in CA. In the end, those schools were too expensive, but I did manage to compromise with my mom. Most of the schools I’ve applied to are 2-4 hours drive. I’ll still be in driving distance, in case of a serious emergency, which was the compromise.
-Figure out what exactly attracts you to the school.
-When telling your parents why you want to attend a distant school, have valid reasons. Don’t say things like “I love the weather”, say things like “I feel I’d have a better experience”.
-Remind them that whether you’re an hour away or a day away, you’ll still be living independently.
-Don’t whine or yell, act like an adult, since you want to prove your maturity.
From what I’ve read on CC, many parents similar to ours usually change their minds. It could be because they’ve realize their child is serious, and has a dream.
Good luck!