<p>@writtenwords</p>
<p>My son is a Freshman NMF from North Carolina and his experience at the University of Alabama has been vastly different than what you describe. What you are describing is life as a High School student in the area (from your perspective) and thinking that is what the college experience will be like. I can understand your sentiments, most high school students think their home town isn’t all that by the time they are ready to graduate. Often times, when they go away to school, they find that things weren’t so bad there after all. Good luck to you in your college search. I would suggest that you go meet with the folks at the Honors College at 'Bama. You might be surprised after you talk to them and some of the students in the program.</p>