A few thoughts. UC Berkeley (though it may be hard to get into) and UMass Amherst (which is not a city but as there are five colleges there, there is a fair amount to do). My son started a software company and hired from UMass Amherst but his star developer was from Hampshire. UC Berkeley CS kids are likely to get Silicon Valley jobs. UC Santa Barbara (in a beautiful small city) is also on one of the lists as is UCLA (in a city). Probably a fair bit easier to get into than Berkeley.
I agree with everything NYMom said about UT Austin. I don’t really know about OOS admissions but would agree that although the school is largely Texan an OOS student who seeks a niche in the community will find it and be comfortable. When both kids were searching we visited several times so if you have questions about it I might be able to help. My younger son has several Jewish friends there and they love it and he loves visiting.
@whenhen I didn’t say Northeastern was a reach. It is actually a reasonable target and his ACT is above the mid-range for accepted students. His dad is also an alum. It’s just that NU has become so hot that if it is his first choice I would want him to do ED. UT is also a target.
Anyone know anything about Lehigh’s computer program? He visited and liked that school. He liked Alabama too. Did not care for Tulane when he went with us for our D. She loved Tulane but they didn’t have her major.
I second UMass Amherst for CS. Its very well respected and Amherst and the surrounding area was voted a great college town (but not a city). With over 27,000 students it’s a little city by itself and you can also take classes at the other 4 colleges in the area for free (and they have free buses to get you there).
I’ve been going through the CS search with my senior son who is a solid B student with high test scores (35ACT, 800 math II). While the results aren’t in, the search has been quite informative. I live in Florida which has skewed our list a bit. He did not want to apply anywhere in the west.
Tulane was the biggest disappointment. They are just restarting their CS dept. which was decimated by Katrina. We know others who send their jewish kids there and love it, but it was sadly not an option for DS.
Lehigh has a good CS reputation. They also have strong engineering and business. This might be a good option for you folks in the Northeast.
UM-College park is a great option for OOS B students interested in CS. It’s a top department and the school has a nice Jewish population.
Carnegie Mellon was my favorite school we visited. #1 CS program in the country. I’d hardly consider this a choice for a B student. Nice Hillel shared with Pitt right next door.
Georgia Tech is high on our list. Excellent CS. I haven’t been able to get a good sense of the Jewish life there. They have a Hillel but do not have a dedicated building. I think they share a structure on the Emory campus.
UCF and UF both have decent CS programs and are nice in-state options for us. Large Jewish populations at both schools.
My older S has a very close Jewish friend currently at Georgia Tech. He LOVES it! Got very involved in whatever Jewish clubs and joined Aepi. So you don’t necessarily need a dedicated building to enjoy the Hillel programs…
I generally think of Hillel on a campus by campus level - and mostly in terms of social activities - but this is an interesting article on Hillel at the national level and some of the current issues:
I also want to do a bit of a good news/bad news update on boys3x. She is now in a wonderful rehab facility receiving intensive physical therapy and will be there for at least 6 weeks. After that - she might be able to go home or will go to a nursing home - as she still needs tremendous assistance.
Her husband’s latest update was sobering. She needs help with every basic task - including eating and dressing. She has significant issues with short term memory and also some residual loss of vision. So while she has made amazing progress and it is no longer a life or death situation, she is far from being independent. As I am about to get up from my chair and make myself something to eat, I am going to think about how many actions are required and how I remember how to do each one in sequence and pray that these basic life skills return to boys3x soon.
I love this thread! My child got into the honors program at Miami University in Ohio. She won’t be a business student. I am trying to figure out if the kids in the honors program are serious about their academics and not as much into the party scene. (I’m hoping…). All I have heard from a Miami business school current student, is that only the business school is worthwhile at Miami. If anyone can shed any more light on this, I sure would appreciate it. Also, it is hard to tell from the Miami U Hillel website if the Hillel has a strong presence on campus. I’d like to know also if there is a strong, or even any, zionist presence at Miami U.
Not sure what this means today, but I attended Tulane as a Freshman (computer eng)
and transferred to Boston University (Computer Science). This was in the 1980s so much may have changed,
but both were good for Jewish students. That said, I hated the city of New Orleans and did not want to live there
for 4 years of my life. Bourbon Street and drunk frat parties got old quickly. Boston was a great city and had
a great comp sci department even in the early days of granting such a degree. The city of Boston gave me
great internship opportunities and job placement upon graduation. Met not only jews from my school at BU
but the city and suburbs have a very active jewish community unlike New Orleans (yes I know there are some).
There is NYU of course, know for comp sci and capital of the jewish world
Aychai - I am not overly familiar with Miami University - but being accepted to the honors program certainly sounds like a good start! Have you visited? Planning to attend an accepted student day? That’s your best bet - have your student reach out to someone on the Hillel board and arrange to meet with them while you are there.
Question about UMiami - I see you are out of state — did your daughter receive any tuition assistance? The tuition is so high, a huge amount would be necessary to bring it within the range of a public university,. Any advice you could offer would be great!
Just be careful to not confuse the University of Miami in FL and Miami University in Ohio. Aychai was asking about Miami University in Ohio, where I imagine a student accepted into the honors program would have rcvd some merit money.
Thank you so much, Rockvillemom. My daughter is planning a visit and will hopefully check out the Hillel when she is up there. Sometimes I wonder if the websites make the Hillelim? sound more active than they really are, but that is something we will be able to figure out for ourselves, hopefully, with a visit.
I agree. Checking out their social media - FB, twitter, etc., can give you a better idea - but nothing beats an in person visit. Have her contact a Hillel rep to meet for coffee while she is there - perhaps even stay for a program. Then she’ll really have a good idea of the fit for her.
We have a cousin (Jewish) at Miami Univ. of Ohio. He is now a freshman. His sister is a grad student there. RVM: remember a million years ago I spoke of a cousin unhappy at Elon and she transferred to UMaryland? She is now a grad student at Miami Univ. of Ohio. Her younger brother is a senior at Delaware and the youngest brother is a freshman at Miami Univ. of Ohio. All are thriving academically and Jewishly.
