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High School Senior Recognition Day at Church - SEC Schools They Will Be Attending
Posted on 5/17/26 at 12:36 pm
Posted on 5/17/26 at 12:36 pm
I go to a church in the area of the south corridor of Hwy 280 in Birmingham so we have mostly kids that live in Hoover, Oak Mountain, Vestavia Hills areas. They announced all the high school seniors today and where they will be attending college. I didn’t do an exact count but would estimate it was about 30. Out of that number, roughly 10 are going to Auburn, 10 to Mississippi State, 2 to Alabama, 1 to Tennessee and the other 7 to smaller colleges in state. That is pretty surprising. Only 2 to Alabama and none to UAB (obviously not SEC but a good local university). Is Mississippi State recruiting heavily in Alabama or do a lot of MSU grads end up in Birmingham and their kids choose it because of family ties?
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Posted on 5/17/26 at 12:40 pm to Ramblin Wreck
It has been a long time, but when I was a senior Mississippi State offered a VERY aggressive scholarship and grant offer, more lucrative than any other SEC school and much more aggressive than Ivy League and ACC schools.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 12:44 pm to Ramblin Wreck
They’ve visited enough to realize their lives are in danger attending there.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 12:46 pm to Ramblin Wreck
quote:UAB is a fine university, but I wouldn't fault a kid from Birmingham not wanting to go there, nor a kid from Atlanta not wanting to go to Emory. If the kid has the grades to go to UAB, the kid has the grades to go somewhere else. Why stay local?
I go to a church in the area of the south corridor of Hwy 280 in Birmingham
/snip/
none to UAB (obviously not SEC but a good local university)
Posted on 5/17/26 at 1:08 pm to captdalton
quote:
Mississippi State offered a VERY aggressive scholarship and grant offer, more lucrative than any other SEC school
It wouldn’t surprise me if university scholarships targeting out of state students were funding by construction and real estate management companies. The more out of state students, the more apartment complexes and supporting businesses constructed. If a student lives within 100 miles of the college, they are more likely to drive home on weekends and spend less money around campus. I suspect the academic requirements for out of state students are less too.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 2:27 pm to Murph4HOF
is Emory in a bad neighborhood?
Posted on 5/17/26 at 2:33 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
Not really but there are some of the "teen takeovers" in Druid Hills. I have no idea where Emory students would hang out socially though.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 2:34 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
quote:
is Emory in a bad neighborhood?
Not great but the campus and immediate surroundings are safe unless something has changed since I was last there.
This post was edited on 5/17/26 at 2:40 pm
Posted on 5/17/26 at 2:53 pm to Ramblin Wreck
State is very aggressive in Alabama. They got me 30 years ago with the same strategy.
It's an SEC experience and if you are in the high 20s/low 30s on ACT, it's cheaper than Alabama/Auburn until you get to a 33 ACT.
So if you are a student with a 31 ACT, you can get a full ride at State or pay $8000 a year at Auburn or $5000 a year at Bama. Some families are choosing State when it comes down to the money. Plus Starkville is cheap compared to the rest of the SEC. Apartments are about $650-$700 a bedroom vs. Oxford/Athens/Auburn around $1100 and Tuscaloosa near $1000.
If you are a middle class family and costs are a factor in your college choice, you can go to State for the cost of Jax State/South Alabama/Troy and have an SEC experience. That's what got me to Starkville. I was headed to Jax State or UAB.
It's an SEC experience and if you are in the high 20s/low 30s on ACT, it's cheaper than Alabama/Auburn until you get to a 33 ACT.
So if you are a student with a 31 ACT, you can get a full ride at State or pay $8000 a year at Auburn or $5000 a year at Bama. Some families are choosing State when it comes down to the money. Plus Starkville is cheap compared to the rest of the SEC. Apartments are about $650-$700 a bedroom vs. Oxford/Athens/Auburn around $1100 and Tuscaloosa near $1000.
If you are a middle class family and costs are a factor in your college choice, you can go to State for the cost of Jax State/South Alabama/Troy and have an SEC experience. That's what got me to Starkville. I was headed to Jax State or UAB.
This post was edited on 5/17/26 at 2:58 pm
Posted on 5/17/26 at 2:54 pm to Ramblin Wreck
quote:
Is Mississippi State recruiting heavily in Alabama or do a lot of MSU grads end up in Birmingham and their kids choose it because of family ties?
Idk the answer to either, but Starkville is the closest sec campus to the state border I think. You can get from Tuscaloosa to Starkville in about 45 minutes. I have to think proximity has to play some kind of role.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 3:05 pm to Murph4HOF
Little Five Points maybe...?
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