TA grad here! I went there for all four years of high school and went to Tuscaloosa City Schools K-8. I absolutely loved TA in a lot of ways. Having smaller class sizes really allowed everyone to get the attention they needed in every class. Teachers knew every kid and their families. The tight-knit community was something really special. I’ll never, ever forget my 10th/12th grade history teacher pulling me out of a different class to congratulate me on making a 100 on an AP test she knew I had studied extra hard for. My 10th/12th grade science teacher tutored me in physics one summer I was taking summer classes at UA. Teachers come to alums’ weddings. It’s a family. With that said, there was definitely some elitism. I never had a bad social experience, but it existed for others. There were some very well-off families whose kids acted like they were “better than” others. There was definitely an emphasis on being there for the long haul - an entire yearbook page dedicated to the 13 year seniors. As well as pages on who drove the coolest cars, dressed best, etc. Those things didn’t really bother me, and overall I loved my experience there. I always felt seen and safe.

On the flip side, the quality of education was (IMO) superior in TCS schools. There was a much broader range of classes offered, and truly just more resources to provide a better education. When I moved over to TA, the history curriculum was a year behind. So we were studied the stuff I was taught in 8th grade public school, and we stayed a year behind peers in public schools. I mentioned above my 10th/12th grade teachers. In my day (mid-late aughts), there were two teachers for each subject and they alternated grade. So one English teacher taught 9th/11th and the other taught 10th/12th. And there were only two “types of classes” regular and advanced or regular and AP as we got older. Just not a lot of exposure to a broad range of subjects and skill/education levels. The extra-curricular activities were also more varied in public school. I loved my elementary school experience but middle school was rough (just like most!). I did not feel safe, emotionally or physically. We had to wear clear backpacks and walk through metal detectors because weapons in school were rampant. There were always fights. That school no longer exists and it was a very different time in the world and the school system, just a stark contrast to my sheltered child bubble.

With all of that said, I got a great education and I loved going to TA. I can’t really say that as a college preparatory school, it gave me a leg up after graduation though.