UAH graduation rate

jk2tka3
Wed, 13 Apr 2016 15:41:53 +0000

I found these types of posts so helpful and encouraging last year at this time so I’ll throw in my input on the various topics addressed in this thread for the benefit of all of you with the May 1 commitment looming …

My son is a current freshman majoring in Aerospace Engineering and in the honors program. We are from North Carolina. He had the grades, test scores, and extra curriculars to have lots of great options and HE chose UAH because he wants a career in space exploration. I was initially skeptical because I, like may parents, felt the romantic lure of the “selective”, “highly ranked” colleges. Luckily my son wasn’t easily seduced by rankings - he was more interested in substance and opportunity. As he concludes his first year I can say he ABSOLUTELY made the right choice and UAH fits him perfectly. He is thriving there!

Grades, level of challenge, etc. …
His grades have been about what I’d expect. A’s in technical classes (the ones he cares about) and B’s in humanities classes (the ones he endures because he has to). He has not had difficulty maintaining the 3.2 required to stay in the honors college and keep his scholarship. I was a bit worried 1st semester because he had multiple humanities classes but he was fine. Some classes have been more challenging or frustrating than others but it seems to be dependent on his background in the subject and level of interest. He came in with quite a bit of AP credit so his schedule is not the typical freshman schedule. He bypassed several of the typical “weed out” classes because he’d already taken them but he has commented on others struggling in chemistry and calculus. I have noticed that he is doing much better than he ever did in high school with asking for help in his weak area - writing (he’s a numbers person - words … not so much). I think this speaks well of his level of comfort and respect with those around him (professors and peers) and his maturity in acknowledging he HAS weaknesses (everyone does, that’s not a bad thing!). He’s had some setbacks - low scores, difficult professors - but I think these are part of the deal in college and I think he’s managing them well.

Living on campus …
He gets along fine with all of his suite mates. I doubt any of them will be life-long friends, but they co-exist peacefully. I think having a private bedroom is key to his happiness; he can be alone if he wants which is huge. None of them live close enough to go home on weekends. He has a car on campus which is quite helpful - he uses it often and frequently helps others who need transportation. He’s ok with the food but he’s not picky (the bar is set pretty low at home). The internet access is awesome - very important to him! He feels safe and all his needs are met which is all I can ask for.

Extra curriculars …
This has been the most pleasantly surprising (shocking!) aspect of his freshman year to me. He has really found his niche outside of class. He joined pep band - I wouldn’t have predicted that one - and it has been a lot of fun. They pay for participation in pep band which was the initial attraction, but he enjoyed it more than he expected to. He just ran for student government (total shocker!). He’s always been a participator and a leader but this is way out of his techie box. He joined Space Hardware Club (won’t find that many places) and is participating in an international design competition. This has been very time consuming but has really made his year memorable. I think it has impacted his GPA a little because of the time commitment, but I think what he is getting out of it is worth sooooo much more than an extra A. As a hiring manager, I would much rather hire a college graduate with a 3.5 and interesting, job related, hands-on experience than someone with a 4.0 and nothing else. The networking opportunities have been huge! He’s met upperclassmen, professors, people in industry … that alone has been worth the time invested! Now if they can just WIN the competition in June …

The school overall …
My impression of UAH is that they have money to spend and they are investing it in (1) merit scholarships and (2) facilities. Industry in the area is healthy and supportive of the school so the donations and research grants are coming in at a steady pace. These things give me confidence in the future health and reputation of the school. I haven’t seen statistics on graduate employment but I would bet it is competitive. I think things are changing rapidly on campus … bigger freshman classes, more new buildings, better quality of students enrolling. I think this school is a hidden gem but the word is getting out. I also think that any rankings, reviews, or statistics you see about the school should be taken lightly because things are changing rapidly and for the better.