<p>JHS, LOL at your story. I (totally WASP background) ended up marrying the guy with the obviously Jewish last name with Christian Scientist Mom and Jewish Dad. We joined Ethical Culture - a close relative of the Unitarians.</p>
<p>I’d add to #219, that some B to B+ students from demanding programs with very good SAT scores, may look at a whole slew of east coast colleges and find plenty of other Jewish kids. (The ones my son applied to - Tufts, Vassar, Bard I think would all have been fine.)</p>
<p>yabeyabe - really like your classifications. here’s a question I was thinking about earlier - other than Elon and College of Charleston, I can’t seem to locate any other suitable schools in VA, NC or SC. I like what we have identified in PA, but S2 would prefer to head south if possible, while staying in driving range. So, if I use your system, let’s say I think categories #4 (medium-sized private) and #6 (match or safety small school) would be best for S2. Is there anything heading south that I have overlooked, or do they simply not exist?</p>
<p>And for the parents that are familiar with larger schools like Delaware - one of my concerns with a large university is that it seems you have to apply at the time of initial admissions for a specific school - like the business school. I’m a little uncomfortable with this. Thinking S2 would be better at a small college like Gettysburg, Susquehanna, etc., where he does not have to select a major until the end of sophomore year. What if he applies to a large university like Delaware as an intended business major and finds he either doesn’t like it or it is too hard for him? Not sure what happens then.</p>
<p>I did not look South, so I know only of Roanoke, Mary Washington, Guilford, Highpoint and Queens. By the way, I am not sure MacDaniel has been mentioned, although that seems too close to home for you.</p>
<p>Perhaps the Colleges of Distinction or College That Change Lives sites have more.</p>
<p>I would not visit any colleges in the Summer as you get no idea of the typical student–which is also true I found of visits on Saturday before noon, when kids wake up.</p>
<p>Medium-sized non-Catholic schools are surprisingly rare in my experience.</p>
<p>Lehigh is much harder to get into than any of the other schools listed with it. 90% of freshmen in top 10% of their HS class. I’m not putting down the other schools, but Lehigh is on a different level in terms of selectivity.</p>
<p>Things may have changed but my experience as a grad student in the south was that the atmosphere was less J-friendly, if only because the Christian religious practice is more of an ingrained part of daily life. Prayers before stuff or whatever. </p>
<p>For example, I realized I’d never be in the “in-crowd” in the Family Medicine department like the members of the Christian Medical Fellowship who went to the department chair’s prayer breakfasts, KWIM? It wasn’t meant as exclusive, but it felt that way. Also, people liked to remind me I was Jewish in awkward ways…or, more to the point, remind me that they were constantly aware I was different from them in that particular way. </p>
<p>We moved back to more J-friendly climes after Jewish faculty members literally told us it wasn’t a comfortable place for their children!</p>
<p>I have a friend who teaches at University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He has students who routinely sign emails “in Christ.” It’s normal there. It gave him a chuckle when one of his students sent him a thank you at the end of the semester, in December, closing it with “Happy Hannukah. In Christ, xxxxxx”</p>
<p>Why is this kind of self-segregation and culture-specific focus okay for Jewish students but black students who seek cultural affinity on campus are criticized for it?</p>
<p>They are? By Jewish students? That hasn’t been my experience. Jewish students of my acquaintance are usually pretty aware of and supportive of the desire for ethnic and cultural affinity groups.</p>
<p>plainsman – most colleges have a large number of ethnic/racial/religious groups where students can find other students with whom they share similar backgrounds and interests. i don’t think anyone here is suggesting a “self-segregation” in the sense of excluding social relationships with those outside of the same group.
personally, i can well understand black students or students belonging to any number of other ethic/racial/cultural groups choosing to involve themselves with such groups.</p>
<p>I have personally seen very supportive threads here from families from a variety of ethnicities asking about “cultural support” for their child at various institutions, and no one appears to have been criticizing anyone, Plainsman. That’s the strength of a board like this, with a diversity of membership; people can share their experiences with others across a wide range of backgrounds.</p>
<p>Plainsman, I understand your point, but believe it is important to be sure you are dealing with the same people having inconsistent views of the same behavior. For example, I would be shocked and disappointed if any of the posters on this thread–or any Jew-- has been critical of any one who posted a question seeking colleges with a significant number of black students or an active black student asssociation. There are also, of course, commonly Newman centers for Catholic students, Asian and Hispanic student groups, etc.</p>
<p>If you meant to say that there are other people who would be critical of such a post by a black person, I would say that, in my experience, those people are no friends of Hillel organizations either. What you refer to as blacks being criticized for “self-segregation” is why Jews were (and are) commonly called “clannish”–often by the same people.</p>
<p>Where I have seen negative comments about self-segregation is mostly in terms of students seeking all-black dorms or always sitting at all black dining room tables. However, again, do you have any evidence that anyone on this thread or any Jewish person has voiced such criticism? </p>
<p>My personal view is that no minority should be criticized for seeking a dining or dorm environment in which they feel comfortable, but I hope that all college students meet many students who are different from them and come to be friends.</p>
<p>I tried to avoid marrying someone Jewish for genetic diversity. My first husband is a WASP with traits that balanced mine nicely: he’s tall/I’m short. He’s cool/I’m crazy. He’s mathy/I’m language based. I was in love with him, but I also did consider his genetic legacy.</p>
<p>However, we divorced before we could have children. My current husband is short, crazy and art and language based. Haha. So are my kids. They’re great, too. One is starting law school and one has read the Aeneid three times in Latin. </p>
<p>The person I dated I had most in common with is a guy from Bangladesh; he has a PhD in English, as I do, and we had a common language.</p>
<p>My s dated a girl who is half-Jewish but raised Protestant (actually two of them with Protestant mothers and Jewish fathers.) My D dated a boy who is half Jewish and half Protestant and one who is a quarter Jewish, 3/4 Southern preppy. Have no idea who anyone will end up with. It will be interesting to find out.</p>
<p>Plainsman - I am the OP and I intend to respond to you once and only once and then ignore you and suggest that others do the same. I respect every minority group and their needs - whether it be for a thread on CC or for a cultural/ethnic group on a college campus. No one on this thread has even mentioned black students, let alone criticized their needs. I would also point out that every Hillel website I have seen has stressed that they are open to the entire community and that many non-Jews participate in their programming. You obviously have an axe to grind - please do it elsewhere.</p>
<p>This is such an interesting discussion…
I have a B+,A- son(Junior) who prefers watching professional sports than studying. Looking for a good fit just as you are. We are reform, fairly non-observant jews. We are planning to look at U. of Richmond, possibly JMU, UVA (because he is a legacy). Not crazy about Elon or Wake or Davidson. He liked Colgate, but it is very selective/reach. I have been told that Northeastern is worth checking out and when in Boston will look at BU. I look forward to hearing what you you and your son end up liking in your quest for a good fit.</p>
<p>Serenity, in the parents forum there are also lengthy threads for B+ students and for 3.0-3.3 students. Friends like Northeastern and BU, and Boston is a fabulous college town, but both are very unlike Colgate, which is small and rural.</p>
<p>Once he has looked at both, if he zeroes in on a category of school, you can seek (and get) a lot of suggestions along the lines of “like Colgate, but less selective” or “like BU, but with major sports programs” (which your son seems likely to prefer in a big school.</p>
<p>I wish it were that straight forward. He loves sports- but now with the internet he can really keep up and be an avid fan via hi laptop no matter how rural. It seems that although Colgate is quite rural it has a big enough undergrad population that the atmosphere is still very stimulating socially and academically. On the other hand waking up saturday mornings getting ready for a big fall football game at UVA is also very enticing. Hi is interested in the sciences and will likely be stuck in many big lecture halls for introductory courses. so many aspects to compare…
though this site has been most helpful compared to others I have surfed</p>
<p>I’m going to throw in another vote for Tulane. Especially when they start sending out their “priority applications,” which I’m told they’re going to do again this year. Free application, no additional essay. If your son gets accepted, (and it’s likely he’ll know fairly early if he applies early), go visit. It’s really a unique school – I can’t really come up with any local schools to you that are quite like it. William and Mary maybe in terms of size and diversity and collegiate “feel” but from what I hear, not the academic intensity. Exceptionally friendly student body. And the city. well. um. indescribable.</p>
<p>rockvillemom: My D is going into Univ of Delaware undecided - they call it “university studies” - their advisement seems really good (of course students have to take advantage of it) and it seems easy to change majors (except for some majors, like nursing).</p>
<p>I am really loving this thread. I wish I could sit and have lunch with all of you and share experiences! I think the variety here parallels the variety that our kids will be looking for at college. </p>
<p>I’m sure that, even with colleges with a large Jewish population, regular services, etc., it is possible to totally stay out of it, if you’re not into it (or still rebelling against your parents!). To me, it’s important to know that it’s there if they want it. The problem is if you are looking for Jewish activities and they just don’t have them. You have to know ahead (and the input here is fantastic). Just like with sports. If you are into big-time college sports, you wouldn’t pick a school that didn’t have them.</p>
<p>serenity11 - just curious - any particular reason(s) why you are not crazy about Wake or Elon? One of the reasons I ask the question is that S1 is a sports fanatic like your son and just loves Wake Forest. He also applied to Elon as his safety school, so we are somewhat familiar with Elon as well. He thinks being a sports fan at Wake is great - he signed up to be a Screamin’ Demon the first day he arrived and attends every home football and basketball game and many away games as well. Great academics and being pretty non-observant - Wake works for him. My son is not going to be a science major - but as part of the divisional requirements he took an intro level physics class in the fall and it was not at all a large lecture hall type of class - I believe he said there were about 40 students in his section. Wake does not do the giant lecture halls - one of the reasons we chose it.</p>
<p>LINYMOM - thanks for clarifying about Delaware. I think business might be the way S2 goes - but it could end up being something completely different - I have no idea. I kind of like the education S1 is getting at Wake in that they take classes in many different subject areas during freshman and sophomore years and then declare a major spring of sophomore year - or in S1’s case - apply to the business school.</p>
<p>An update on Susquehanna - want to mention that their website does have a small section on Hillel and Jewish life, including FAQs. I also came across a job description for a new Asst. Director of Admissions which listed as part of the job description the recruitment of minority students, which included Jewish students. So clearly this school is serious about improving diversity.</p>
<p>I agree that Tulane is a great school and kind of worth a shot for anyone who is even remotely interested as they have the fast app with no essay and no app. fee. I agree you UVAHoo87 - there is nothing to lose - no reason not to give it a shot. I know several students who applied on a whim having rcvd the fast app - were accepted - rcvd merit money ranging from $15,000 - $20,000 and are attending Tulane in the fall - when it was not even on their list last summer. So, you never know!</p>