<p>Wow, Guest15, I am wondering how you reached your conclusion that Muhlenberg doesn’t provide an intellectual environment? It hasn’t been my experience at all. I find a very high degree of intellectually focused students there. I look at the percentages of their students that go on to professional programs and graduate schools and think either they are fooling everyone or perhaps you are selling them short… </p>
<p>Denison has a large endowment and is generous with merit aid.</p>
<p>Denison has an active Hillel: <a href=“Denison University Hillel”>https://www.facebook.com/DUHillel</a></p>
<p>It is also close to the Jewish community in Columbus (about 20 minutes away) and at Ohio State.</p>
<p>My guess is the Jewish population is now more than the 5% stated in this blurb from Hillel’s website that predates 2006-07:</p>
<p>Denison’s Jewish student organization begins the year by welcoming new students with a Cookies and Candles Shabbat during August orientation. A few weeks into the fall semester members enjoy a Cookies and Candles Shabbat with parents during the annual Parents Weekend festivities. An activity members greatly enjoy is the building of a Sukkah on the academic quad. The times of “building” and “takedown” bring everyone together for fellowship and while completing a special project. The Annual Latke Fest is a fun celebratory event and provides a time for members to share their tradition with friends in the Denison community. The delicious Latkes are extremely popular! A community Passover Seder is also a meaningful opportunity for Jewish students to share and educate others about an important aspect of their tradition. Although the Jewish student population is a relative small portion (approximately 5%) of the entire student body at Denison, outstanding student leadership, unity within the Hillel organization and affiliation with the campus Religious Life office allow for a positive support system and assure that student needs are met. We eagerly anticipate the addition of an adjunct Rabbi (on campus alternating weekends and for all High Holy Days) in 2006-07 who will enhance the Jewish life at Denison University. A student Rabbi from the Reform Seminary in Cincinnati has been contracted for Latke Fest, Crafts for Israel, Bi-Weekly Shabbat dinners and services, High Holiday Services on Campus, Sukkot and more!</p>
<p>Guest, I agree that you shouldn’t dismiss Muhlenberg or Cornell College as anti-intellectual. </p>
<p>I like your suggestions of Bard and Hendrix. They were my son’s top two choices and both offered him very generous merit aid with stats similar to the OP’s kid. St. John’s is also an interesting idea for a super-intellectual kid.</p>
<p>My son is currently at St Lawrence and he loves it. Definitely a cold climate and rural (Ottawa is only 45 minutes away, my son goes a couple of times a semester for a little taste of city life). They run busses at breaks to Syracuse (if you need an airport), NYC, Boston. Very, very outdoorsy, but not oppressively so. Weekend trips to hike the high peaks in the Adirondacks, Kayaks and canoes available to borrow on campus. The students seem to be very intellectually engaged. Excellent study abroad program. We’re not quite ready for career services yet but it appears that St Lawrence has an amazing alumni network. The Jewish community is small but it is there. They do something every holiday and it is possible to arrange rides to the closest synagogue (13 miles away) at the High Holy Days. I think St Lawrence is often overlooked because of its location but I think it is an excellent option. </p>
<p>^^ And the drinking age in Ontario is 19!</p>
<p>I’m not saying that the schools are -anti-intellectual-. I’m saying that they don’t really provide an intellectual environment. Maybe I’m wrong about Muhlenberg - I’m working off reports from students I know who go there. </p>
<p>How in the world do these schools measure the religious percentages? I"m always suspicious of these figures myself. Going by whether a college offers a Hillel can overlook some great options, as my son attends Grinnell which is not affiliated with Hillel (i don’t think). But, it has a rabbi on staff and offers a wonderful Jewish life. I know Grinnell is already on the list as a potential match or reach, but just clarifying for people interested in identifying schools where a Jewish student can feel comfortable and have an active life.</p>
<p>Based on our research and campus visits a few years ago, I think that having a full-time rabbi on campus is a good indicator. It means that Jewish programming will take place and is not dependent on student interest from year to year, or finding someone part-time for holidays. An on-staff rabbi also gets to know the student body and the needs and inclinations of students to help develop a sustainable program. </p>
<p>That rabbi is usually part of the Chaplain’s office and their duties usually extend beyond the Jewish community, eg, other roles relating to religious and spiritual life, community service.</p>
<p>It sounds like Jewish life is more important to OP than to S, though. </p>
<p>Jewish life is more important to Mom then son, but it important to both of us that he go to a school were most students will be accepting of his religion. Better yet were most students have at least met or learned something about the religion. He has grown up in a very diverse and accepting area. It doesn’t matter to him or his peers if you are straight or gay, white, black or green, Jewish, Muslim or Sikh, etc.</p>
<p>SDonCC makes a good point to look at the Hillel and also at other options for students as a college. Looking for a Hillel is easy because it maintains a website and a place to search for colleges. Being that is it present on many campuses makes it a way to search for Jewish life on campus, but that is a preliminary step. Certainly if a college interests a students and doesn’t appear to have a Hillel, then one can look for other student groups and academic programs such as Jewish studies. Having a rabbi on staff is a great resource and indicates that the school would be a welcoming environment. </p>
<p>I don’t think it’s possible to determine the religious percentage exactly. Some students may identify as Jewish and never participate in Hillel, but are still counted. If this is important to a family/student then visiting/contacting the Hillel and other Jewish groups when visiting a campus can give the student a better idea of how he/she might fit in.</p>
<p>I think all of us parents know that even if there is a Jewish group on campus, our kids may or may not participate in it. It really becomes completely up to them at this point, and over four years they may decide to go or not to go. However, if they attend a college where there is no Jewish life at all, then they really have no choice. There is a value to us to keeping that door open.</p>
<p>Even if our kids don’t step foot in a Hillel or Jewish group, the presence of Jewish life on campus adds to the diversity of that campus and presents the possibility that other students will be familiar with, and inclusive, of Jewish students as well as others. Unless our kids have attended Jewish day schools, or lived in areas that are heavily populated with Jewish families, they already have a diverse friend group, and are used to being a small percentage of their groups. Many are already OK with being part of a small percent, but don’t want to be part of nearly zero percent. The presence of a Jewish group on campus indicates that this won’t be the case. </p>
<p>Regarding familiarity with Judaism: I would think that the most important thing is not necessarily that a large number of students have that familiarity, although it would be nice, but their instinctive reaction when the subject comes up. You want students who are positive and curious, not negative and dismissive. :)</p>
<p>I don’t understand the aid picture: are you looking for merit possibilities because you don’t think you will qualify for need-based FA? Or do you think you might get some need-based FA also?</p>
<p>@Consolation The aid picture is fluid. With DS1 it was very clear we would not qualify for need based aid so only went after merit. Currently, we would qualify for some need-based aid, but don’t know if that will be the case long term so we are proceeding with a list looking into both expected more clarity come fall.</p>