In my honest opinion test scores don’t mean anything in determining the value of an education. The biggest issue with American education is that the system believes they can measure the success of a student based upon the result of a monopolistic test which supposedly tests for college readiness. However many top academics have voiced concerns about such methodology and have even accused schools of using such a measure to arbitrarily rank students on a base which holds little weight as far as academic standing http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/sats/test/views.html.
So now what? How do we determine the best schools if we don’t have a reliable method of ranking top students? First off we much realize that every college has top students and individuals seeking success. We must also realize that student debt is a serious problem and secondary education has become way too expensive for the majority of middle-class Americans. That’s what makes the University of Alabama so appealing. The generous scholarships draw students with the common sense to realize that there is no need to go into debt when a top quality education can be provided for free which will get that student any job they want should they work hard at the institution. The University provides plenty of professional resources to help students succeed as well as fosters an athletic program competitive nationally across all sports, which stands for the same traditions as the academic side of the school; dignity, honor, and excellence. The school provides countless research opportunities to undergrads as well as ensures that their faculty understands the importance of trying to make every individual feel like a special member of the Alabama family who was meant to be served by the institution. The great number of out of state students provides a student body diversity incomparable to the majority of other flagships which greatly prepares students for facing the reality that not everyone they interact with in the professional world will be similar to them. Students put into their schoolwork what they want to get out of it and I can ensure you that a student graduating with a high GPA at Alabama will have as many opportunities available to them as they would like to pursue. Not to mention the very generous AP credit policies which allow students to pursue other areas outside of their primary discipline to become more well-rounded students. Policies such as these contribute towards fully developing an individual in their first 4 years away from home by providing opportunities to expand one’s horizons without having to worry about cost. Ultimately, while Alabama might not be as respected by some obstinate individuals who refuse to believe that a state can change and embrace talented individuals of all backgrounds, the school’s size and many subdivisions such as Honors College allows for one to take full advantage of the resources that come along with the University being a flagship institution while also finding a niche in which one doesn’t feel small and insignificant at all. I firmly believe that the top students at this school could go toe to toe with any Ivy League student in a grad school and professional setting and can assure you that Alabama should be considered a top school simply because of all the opportunities it provides. While I understand that some individuals obsess over fallible and arbitrary rankings, I choose to look at the people at an institution. There are many great schools out there and I have no doubt Alabama is just as good as any one of them. Plus the cost is a pretty nice cherry on top in today’s economy.