Alabama looks to be pulling away

Great article in this Louisiana newspaper.

When it comes to LSU and the University of Alabama, it’s a great rivalry on the football field. But when the stadium lights go off and the two schools are compared academically, Alabama looks to be pulling away.

Alabama could boast that it is in the midst of an academic growth spurt and is attracting more of the prestigious National Merit Scholars than any other public university in the country.

LSU could counter that it is generally regarded as a more well-rounded university with greater course offerings available at a more affordable price.

What can’t be argued is that both schools have absorbed potentially devastating budget cuts over the past several years. While LSU is trying to hold onto what it had before the economy went south five years ago, Alabama prospered during the economic downturn, gaining momentum as the university increased the quality and quantity of its students and faculty.

Late last month, graduate student Nick Bertella was walking down The Strip, the section of University Boulevard that connects downtown Tuscaloosa with the University of Alabama campus. While mobs of shouting sorority women crisscrossed the street during their fall scavenger hunt, Bertella said that after seeing how different schools fared during the recession, he’s glad he chose Alabama over LSU in 2008.

Bertella considers LSU a good school, but the near constant expansion at Alabama— including new classroom buildings, new housing and new buses — confirmed to him that he made the right decision.

“I never really considered it as prestigious,” the 22-year-old marketing student said, “but now I see my degree differently. My opinion has definitely changed.”


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