Colleges for the Jewish "B" student (Part 1)

[quakerstake]

Agnes Scott would be interesting if your daughter would consider a women’s college. It has a beautiful campus (used for filming of the Scream movies). It is in a nice suburb right outside the Atlanta line - Decatur, which has an abundance of restaurants and shopping. It is about 2 miles from Emory which is 40% Jewish and has a very active Hillel. It is also close to a modern orthodox community in Toco Hills if that is relevant. Atlanta has a very nice and welcoming Jewish community.

A few more larger schools to consider - Temple in Philadelphia, University of Kansas (which has a great Jewish community and Hillel http://kansas.hillel.org/home/about/greatplace.aspx; it’s in Lawrence, a progressive city (very distinguishable from the rest of the state) about 40 minutes to Kansas City); Ohio University (an hour from Columbus).

I think your D’s ACT score might be an issue right now. If she is retaking it and raises her score, there are more choices. Also perhaps look at test optional schools: http://www.fairtest.org/sites/default/files/Optional-Schools-in-U.S.News-Top-Tiers.pdf

[dcplanner]

@handlmom What about Pitt or Ithaca? Both cities have nice Jewish communites and a number of kids from our synagogue love both of these.

[rockvillemom]

L’Shanah Tovah everyone. Best wishes for a happy, healthy and successful New Year!

[tjdad2011]

I want to second that wish for a great new year. May it be a successful year for our children who are facing the college admissions challenge this year !

[BigPapiofthree]

I hope the happy new year brings renewed participation to this most valuable site… Miss the pace of years past. Just saying…

[rockvillemom]

University of Miami - what a facility!

http://www.themiamihurricane.com/2015/09/13/hillel-renovations-to-add-resources/

In early 2014, the Braman and Miller families joined forces in a philanthropic effort to transform the Jewish community at the University of Miami with a $2.5 million gift designated to UM Hillel. More than a year later, Hillel announced that the Braman Miller Center for Jewish Life, which is currently undergoing construction and renovation, will be open to the public in early November, with the official dedication of the building taking place on Dec. 9.

“What has really changed is the concept,” said Igor Khokhlov, the current executive director who recently joined Hillel’s staff. “It’s no longer just a synagogue on campus. Instead, the Hillel Braman Center will become a hub for innovation, self-exploration and celebration of Jewish Life. The important part is that the decision behind using this new center is to make sure that it is a very welcome building and well-integrated within the diverse community at UM.”

Though the center’s purpose is to transform social opportunities for the Jewish community, Fisher hopes the building will be a resource for everyone, regardless of their religious affiliation.

“We’re not just building it for the Jewish community,” Fisher said. “We’re building it for the entire university so that we could all enjoy the benefits that this beautiful, state-of-the-art building brings to the campus … the place is welcome for everybody.”

Reflecting UM’s culturally inclusive atmosphere, the center will serve to unite students from various backgrounds and beliefs.

“Jewish students have non-Jewish friends,” Khokhlov added. “They’ll bring them with them, so there will be natural dialogue and potential partnerships between Jewish and non-Jewish students, whether it be in regards to student organizations or just the personal level. I’m very excited about that.”

[1214mom]

I know this is a little off topic, but do we have any update on boysx3? I haven’t heard or seen anything about her in a little while, and hope she is progressing well.

[rockvillemom]

She is doing very well. I had lunch with her last week. She has some residual issues that impact her vision, reading ability and short term memory, but despite this, is steadily improving. She has a very upbeat attitude and is grateful for all of the prayers and good wishes.

[rockvillemom]

University of Central Florida

Good article with pros and cons:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/with-54000-students-and-growing-u-of-central-florida-storms-higher-ed/2015/09/20/0db73380-4cbd-11e5-bfb9-9736d04fc8e4_story.html

The University of Central Florida will have about 54,000 undergraduate students this fall, up 90 percent since the turn of the century. The only public university with more is Arizona State, counting at least 67,000 on five campuses.

UCF and ASU are in the vanguard of an insurgency that aims to demolish the popular belief that exclusivity is a virtue in higher education. They stand for access on a grand scale, arguing that breakneck growth serves a nation in desperate need of a better-educated workforce. They also are pursuing a new financial model that enables public universities to thrive even when state support dwindles.

Their solution, possibly a blueprint for others around the country, combines a bustling traditional campus with an ever-widening menu of online and semi-online courses. And they’re doing it at a relatively low price.

Many opportunities for Jewish students:

https://centralfloridahillel.org/

http://www.jewishucf.com/

Two years old, but good info:

Responding to a continuing surge in its Jewish student population, the University of Central Floroida (UCF) is preparing to open a new 20,000-square-foot Hillel facility.

With more than 6,000 Jewish undergraduates, UCF has the second largest Jewish student population of any public university in America. The new Hillel center, designed for creativity, social action, student leadership development and Jewish activities, is scheduled to open in August 2013 and will feature a modern theater, game room, cafe, lounge areas, meeting rooms and more.

http://jewishpalmbeach.org/community/feature/new_hillel_facility_for_ucf/

http://www.heritagefl.com/story/2015/02/27/news/ucf-hillel-gets-its-first-taste-of-birthflight/4065.html

[college4three]

shana tova umetuka to those here who celebrate. I’ve been gently asking my D to try Hillel at her school for Yom Kippur. Tomorrow I shift into full-on begging!

[LucieTheLakie]

Thought this “Report on the State of Jewish Studies” might be of interest to some folks here. The findings are summarized, but you can also link to the full report through the article:
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2015/09/22/report-state-jewish-studies

[rockvillemom]

Pages 67-72 of the report list the colleges and universities that have professors of Jewish Studies.

[AmazingBlue]

We visited several of the Colleges that Change Lives–CTCL colleges often are thought of as “A” colleges for “B” students–and we noticed Jewish groups at all of the campuses we visited. Several CTCL colleges are on the East Coast. If you’re willing to look in the Midwest, you can find a bunch of nice colleges that are a short flight (or long one-day drive) from many East Coast cities. Plenty of Jewish students can be found at CTCL colleges in OH, MI, IL, IN and WI.

[rockvillemom]

Would you post more details? Which colleges did you visit? What Jewish groups did you see?

[BigPapiofthree]

Were any of those colleges mid size? My S does not want too small…

[janjmom]

This landed in my mailbox this morning: scholarships for high school seniors interested in Jewish studies at Indiana University. Although this thread is not about scholarship money, the fact that Indiana University has such specific scholarships etc. made me think that some families on this thread might be interested. http://www.indiana.edu/~jsp/undergraduates/funding_freshmen.shtml

[rockvillemom]

This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing.

Multiple incoming freshmen scholarships of up to $40,000 for students committed to pursuing a Jewish Studies major or a certificate (8 courses) at Indiana University Bloomington (“The Place for Jewish Studies”) are available to students entering IU Bloomington and beginning as freshmen (bringing no more than 12 credit hours). One scholarship is intended for a student pursuing the Jewish sacred music curriculum.

Selection Criteria: Candidates will be considered primarily on the basis of outstanding academic achievement and promise. Extracurricular achievements will also be considered. Students must have a high school GPA of 3.5 or above (out of a 4.0 scale) or equivalent and have a record of academic and extracurricular accomplishment. Students committing to pursuing the major in Jewish Studies will be given priority over students who plan to pursue the certificate. Note: Students majoring in Business cannot also major in Jewish Studies unless they come to IU with sufficient AP credit to pursue a second concurrent B.A.; Education majors are unable to major in Jewish Studies and they find it challenging to complete a Jewish Studies certificate.

[jym626]

Where I live, Indiana has been a target for many students inthe past. It seemed to have quieted a bit, so am very glad to read this!

[chocchipcookie]

Bump, bump!

I haven’t ‘seen’ RVM post in the cafe lately, hope everything is okay.

I may have to start a new thread: Kids that go to schools with large Jewish populations and active Hillels and meet & begin dating (very lovely) non-Jewish kids! My college graduate son is now in a 6 month (so far) relationship with a very lovely non Jewish girl. She is so pleasant & kind & giving, there is nothing not to like about her! If he were to ever marry her, I’d be thrilled. But I also know that marriage is difficult enough when the two people are of the same religion and why bring another reason to fight & argue? Although who am I to say that their marriage wouldn’t be strong or fulfilling? I never thought I’d have to THINK about these consequences. How have others handled this? :-S

[rockvillemom]

I’m with you! Great thread topic for the cafe.

S2 has had a serious gf for several years. Although one parent is Jewish, she was raised Christian. She is lovely - nothing about her that I dislike. I think they make a great couple. I don’t ask too many questions, but last I inquired, they plan to coordinate their job searches to try and remain together after graduation. Obviously too early to predict where this relationship will go, but I like her more than I dislike her not being Jewish. It’s a mind shift for sure. I worry mostly about grandchildren. I have numerous young male relatives who married non-Jewish girls - and the grandchildren are being raised Christian. That would be rough.