<p>Yes, anecdotally, D2 also received generous merit aid (three merit scholarships) and was RD, but her stats were higher than the average applicant.</p>
<p>The new dining hall looks to be amazing. I’m glad D2 will get to take advantage of it for at least one year. I am impressed that they’re going to have separate kosher facilities, although one might ask why it took them so given the number of Jewish students they have.</p>
<p>Re Muhlenberg: S’s flavor of the day is straight Bio. Do the premeds eat their young (ie cut-throat competitive)? Many of the LACs we interviewed - we asked - Bio and Premeds seem to work together well.</p>
<p>Also, any other suggestions for J-friendly schools further west? Colorado? Oregon/WA? I’m in SoCal.</p>
<p>I know very little about Jewish friendly schools in the west - the only one I can suggest is University of Denver.</p>
<p>crester: add to UDenver, UC-Bolder, Colorado State…out in California: we have heard kids happy at Pomona, Pitzer, CMU and of course, the reachier ones like UCLA and Stanford…(but not for this thread)…by the way, NO idea about selectiveness for the above.</p>
<p>Curious if anyone has visited UAlabama (as a rolling safety), UKansas… and very surprised to see UNC-Greensboro on the list (from Brooklyndad)…</p>
<p>holliesue: please come back and post which of the LAC’s you are talking about…</p>
<p>The University of Washington has a sizable and active group of Jewish students and two Jewish fraternities.</p>
<p>KU (Kansas)-I haven’t visited but had a nephew go there less than a decade ago ;). He loved it. He joined a Jewish frat and felt the Jewish life was really good. Unfortunately, the partying was really good too and his grades reflected that.</p>
<p>Rodney - </p>
<p>I really know next to nothing about UNC-Greensboro, except that one of DD’s best friends from synagogue (conservative) is headed there (as OOS, we are in Virginia). They are a Jewishly active family, so I would be surprised if she would go somewhere without SOME Jewish life. </p>
<p>I do know Greensboro’s local Jewish community is fairly active, and they are home to American Hebrew Academy, a Jewish pluralist boarding school. Not that that necessarily says anything abotu UNC-Greensboro.</p>
<p>^^yes, I guess that’s my issue with alot of large publics…the search goes on…thanks, QM</p>
<p>BBD: yes, I am aware of Greensboro’s Jewish community (as it is discussed at Elon by their Hillel director)…interesting about UNC…will have to look at that…</p>
<p>[University</a> of North Carolina, Greensboro](<a href=“http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17891]University”>http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17891)</p>
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<p>I know that I’ve read that on the CC Muhlenberg forum, and I’ve read threads on CC where people refer to Muhlenberg FA folks saying that it’s their policy. Maybe someone on the Muhlenberg forum can point to specific quotes. It doesn’t affect my D1, as she won’t be applying ED, but if the OP’s son likes the school and is getting good vibes about merit money possibilities then it might be a good strategy. Muhlenberg wants (or was it likes?) their merit aid candidates to interview on-campus.</p>
<p>crester, the Claremont college cluster has enough of a Jewish community to have kosher for passover meals. Most of the UCs, of course. U of Oregon has a great Hillel, rolling admissions (auto admit for a 3.5 weighted or unweighted) and OOS cost comparable to UC. Lots of Jewish kids in our area head to U of Arizona and possibly ASU. I don’t know as much about the Cal States, but San Diego (tough admit) and Northridge certainly have large Jewish communities. </p>
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<p>Not so long ago, USC and Vanderbilt were thought of as second-rate schools for rich white kids. They put on a real push for diversifying their student body, including a significant effort to recruit a larger Jewish student body. If anything, their new-found diversity has only benefitted their academic reputations, much as it pains this Cal/UCLA alum to admit anything positive about USC. :)</p>
<p>holliesue, The student I knew there is now at Towson, I believe. He didn’t specifically mention the Jewish issue, but felt more or less like a fish out of water at Susquehanna and thought that the school was too regional, drawing heavily from the rural areas of the state. I know it’s just one kid, but thought it worth mentioning because he is from a school district virtually identical to the OP’s. According to the Hillel site there are about 50 Jewish students out of 2200 undergrads - not sure if those numbers are current, though.</p>
<p>rockvillemom, Since you mentioned Elon and Charleston, just be aware that those two places defer almost everyone from your area, regardless of stats, unless they apply ED. They must have yield concerns. It looks like most get in after being deferred, though.</p>
<p>roshke - I am trying to find out more about Jewish life at Susquehanna. I know they have a new Director of Jewish Life - Rabbi Kate Palley… I think the numbers of Jewish students on the national Hillel website is pretty out of date. Gettyburg, for example, is listed as 60, but is really 150. So, I’m hoping Susquehanna has a similar increase. I do share the concern about it being too regional - just can’t quite figure this one out yet.</p>
<p>Roshke- thx for clarifying. I think one of the reasons why so many of the smaller LACs don’t attract more Jewish students is because of where they are located. If you have lived in a suburb of a major metropolitan area all your life, it could be a huge adjustment for sure. And if you are used to having lots of fellow Jews around that would potentially increase the discomfort!! Makes sense. In our case we live in a rural town so d is used to isolation and being a minority. So this is not a factor for us, but I can see how it could be for someone from say downstate NY for example.</p>
<p>I’m pretty comfortable with both Elon and C of C. Elon is certainly much easier ED - about 79% - compared to EA of about 40%. C of C needs boys - we have seen pretty good results with our students who apply EA. Of course, nothing is a lock, but I feel reasonably comfortable with S2’s chances at these 2 - but of course - not complacent - still want a few others that he would like to apply to as well.</p>
<p>roshke: Charleston doesn’t have ED so are you referring to EA?</p>
<p>From our large public hs Naviance - For classes of 2008 and 2009 - a total of 18 students applied to C of C and 12 were accepted. Average accepted GPA was 3.84 and average accepted SAT was 1217 (on 1600 pt scale). Looking at the graph - everyone with a SAT score above 1200 was accepted.</p>
<p>Elon - 39 students applied in the last 2 years - 16 were accepted. All who applied ED were accepted. All applicants with SATs above 1250 were accepted.</p>
<p>Now, Naviance is not perfect - not every kid reports their results back to the GCs - but it’s all I have to go by.</p>
<p>Someone asked above for “Jewish-frriendly out west…” In So.Cal, see Chapman U</p>
<p>If you are going west, might want to consider the California State Schools. For instance, California State Northridge, an excellent state school has close to 10% population of Jewish kids. Almost 4,000 students. And many, many Jewish activities in a very large Jewish community. It is a suburb of LA. Other state schools too in California. CSSan Francisco, CS Sand Diego, all have active Hillels.</p>
<p>S is from downstate NY and has headed off to Williams, a very, very different environment. I don’t know the Jewish population, but there a Jewish center and Jewish prez. He has been very happy there, so each kid is different.</p>
<p>Some need a Jewish environment, some don’t. My S wants to go into the Peace Corps. I think he expects to live for two years with no Jews at all.</p>
<p>However, if the student is observant and really enjoys services, it’s really nice to have them available. </p>
<p>Some schools have local Jewish congregations that some students get involved with also.</p>
<p>roshke: I didn’t understand your comment. Students can only be deferred if they apply ED. Did you mean wait listed?</p>
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My D was accepted to Muhlenberg with a Presidential scholarship and an embarrassingly generous need-based package (we have no real need). She applied RD and then showed love. I am personally acquainted with many kids who got merit generous assistance when applying RD. it is their policy to require interviews for scholarship consideration and to give housing preference to ED admits. However, the money is what it would be no matter when you apply. Muhlenberg has one of the most honest discussions of its practices on the website “The real deal of financial aid” and what they say is true. If they want your student, they will be very generous.</p>