<p>CC parents are a wealth of information and I hope for some additional ideas for next year's application. Here is the stats for our junior: ACT: 35, one point below for National Merit for our state based on last year's #, valedictorian (4.5 GPA, 9 APs classes incl sr yr). Leaning towards premed and is not committed to any particular major, possibly physics or economics. We are looking for schools with merit scholarships and would appreciate recommendations. Thanks!
Our list so far: Case, WPI, Tulane, Miami</p>
<p>Tulane and University of Miami were the two that popped into my mind - so you already have those. Miami University in Ohio would be another possibility. University of Vermont perhaps. Delaware.</p>
<p>You may want to skim through the Jewish “B” students thread - schools discussed on that thread would be a safety for your student.</p>
<p>Thanks, rockvillemom. I did try to follow that LONG thread and popped in a few times in recent months but no one there mentioned anything about merit scholarships. We are hoping for schools that our D would be in the running for at least half tuition which will bring private schools a little closer to our instate public.</p>
<p>krug-have you popped into the Pre-Med topics forum? One consistent theme there is to go to whatever school you feel you will get the best GPA so sometimes the “best” schools are not the best for that. He wants a school where he can shine, stand-out, be a rock star, not being one of the crowd. So, the financial safety is probably also going to be the school where he can do all of the above. Just a bug to put into his brain if he is serious about pre-med.</p>
<p>Do you have geographic limitations? How about school size?</p>
<p>What about the honors college of the University of Pittsburgh? (I believe in the past several years, some physics majors have won prestigious national fellowships.)</p>
<p>Have you considered the frequently recommend University of Alabama.</p>
<p>[University</a> of Alabama: Hillel](<a href=“http://bamahillel.org/]University”>http://bamahillel.org/)</p>
<p>DS is also Jewish Junior looking for Merit Safeties, he should be NMF, but his grades are lower (top 15%) and is interested in Math, Physics or engineering. Case and Pitt are both on our lists.</p>
<p>If he makes National Merit, what about U of Rochester?</p>
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<p>Utter nonsense. That may work for this OP as you said since they are specifically looking to drop to lower tier schools to get merit money but it is a waste of an important four formative years to choose a school with less accomplished peers so you can bolster your GPA.</p>
<p>Steve - Agreed completely with you and that’s why we are not very picky with rankings and such (that’s why no ivies even if there is a remote chance of getting in). Just a nice Jewish population and a good chance at MERIT $. </p>
<p>Pitts is a great idea, we’ll add it on the list. Thanks.</p>
<p>Alabama is also possible. We went to our local reception (it was extremely well done). Our D was a little turned off by the rah-rah culture (football is king) and the student speaker is a sorority girl that did not “sell” the school academically, more social opportunities (definitely not Jewish) so we were not impressed. The honors program mentor DID impress so we walked away ambivalent.</p>
<p>YaleGradandDad–you are just wrong. It is VERY important for medical school admissions to have the highest GPA you possibly can. Head over to the forms there and look at the advice from the ad comms for medical schools…first round of medical school selection is based on GPA and MCAT scores, period. After that it’s the extras the student has-volunteer work, research, extra curriculars during UG, etc. The “name” on your UG diploma is far down the list.</p>
<p>i’m like a cheerleader now for the spiders, - but The Univeristy of Richmond does offer a decent number of merit awards, but Tulane is particularly great with merit aid. Plenty of jewish kids going to UR - wonderful academic and social atmosphere.</p>
<p>Another thought, do you need to have the school to have a lot of Jewish students or are you ok having a Temple close by? Odd ball suggestion but the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN has very good acceptance rates to Medical schools (and is opening their own Med School soon) and while I am sure the Jewish population at this Catholic college isn’t high, it’s blocks away from a large temple and in a very Jewish area of St. Paul. They give pretty good merit aid, especially for out of state students.</p>
<p>I think what YaleGrad is suggesting is that a prospective med student needs to demonstrate that he or she challenges him/herself to the greatest extent possible. I know at least a dozen kids (newly graduated, a few years out) who have been trying unsuccessfully to get admitted to a US med school. Top grades, within range scores, everyone tells them that a few years ago they’d have gotten in to at least two schools on their list. But attending the non-Flagship State U, taking Organic chemistry at an even lower rated State U over the summer so as not to “dilute” the precious GPA, etc. seems to signal “race to the bottom” and not “I take on every challenge with gusto”.</p>
<p>My kids friends who are now in med school did not have perfect applications from what they tell us. A couple of B’s. A C on occasion. But they pushed themselves to achieve, surrounded themselves with an ambitious peer group (i.e. took O Chem at their own college and didn’t try to slide in with an A from a less rigorous institution), plus had ample evidence of all the other stuff. (research, etc.)</p>
<p>It’s popular on CC to tell prospective med students that where you go to undergrad doesn’t matter. Which is true in one sense- attending UIUC vs. U Chicago, or U Michigan vs. NYU or Brandeis vs. Cornell will make no difference in med school admissions. Nobody is dinging you for Brandeis, nor giving extra points for Cornell. But once you start down the slippery slope of saying, “just get a 4.0 regardless of where you go” is bad advice IMHO.</p>
<p>OP- we could be more helpful if you could describe the kind of Jewish life your kid is looking for. Occasional social/religious activities? Kosher meal plan? JLI Rabbinic couple or just Hillel staff? Active local Jewish community a plus or not important? Annual Birthright trip and Spring break trip to do volunteer work???</p>
<p>Although anecdotal, it is a personal experience. I think that you can get a wonderful education from many schools, regardless of rankings/tiers. I have an older child with similar stats, junior at top 15 universities (with full tuition scholarship) who is working extremely hard to maintain a good GPA (above 3.5) while her friends from high school (graduated with the same ranks and GPA in high school) are at our public state school with close to perfect GPA. With similar MCAT, you can guess who will have a better chance at med school. BTW, with an extremely rigorous academic environment, you are limited with what you can do extracurricular because you have to STUDY a lot because the top of the curve is higher.</p>
<p>blossom–again, not so. Head over to the pre-med boards or the student-doctor forums and confirm if you need. I realize that logical thought goes away from this but your GPA and your MCAT score are the two most important factors for getting into medical school. A 4.0 from State U will have a better chance than a 3.5 from Harvard, sorry, but it is true. Also, a 3.5 from Harvard most likely is NOT getting committee letters so that person never gets to apply to Med School to start, another factor.</p>
<p>I have a very non-popular suggestion…and may not fit the bill, but…</p>
<p>When we were touring colleges, our tour guide at Ithaca College was on full merit, pre-med and having an incredible experience…he passed on Cornell, Vandy and Northwestern (among others)…would love to know where he ended up for grad/med school…</p>
<p>Also, while certainly not a safety, have his GC recommend him for Emory Scholars program…</p>
<p>Syracuse has the Coronet full merit in arts and sci…no additional application necessary…</p>
<p>I will come back later if I think of others not mentioned…
There are so many over on the Jewish “b” students thread as well…</p>
<p>We are observant Jews so our kids are used to keeping Passover, building a sukkah, etc. I guess we are looking at a school where there is an active enough Hillel so that Shabbat dinner is a possibility. Kosher is not necessary since she is perfectly happy eating vegetarian. Just enough Jewish kids to feel that you are not alone fasting on Yom Kippur!</p>
<p>SteveMa- the OP indicated that the kid in question was a possible pre-med. To me, trading down in rigor and quality (I’m not talking Harvard to flagship state U; there are plenty of colleges where this kid would easily maintain a 3.8) for the sake of a possible application to med school in four years is poor decision-making.</p>
<p>You get to disagree. I know too many kids who picked a marginal third tier college for the sake of their GPA and are now trying for the third time to get into med school. One has his fingers crossed that the Caribbean school will work out. Other than his 4.O from a college you have never heard of, I’m not sure how much intellectual stimulation he really got in the lecture halls of his college. YMMV.</p>
<p>What about Brandeis?</p>
<p>[Merit</a> Scholarships | Office of Student Financial Services | Brandeis University](<a href=“Merit Scholarships | Scholarships | Financial Aid | Office of Student Financial Services | Brandeis University”>Merit Scholarships | Scholarships | Financial Aid | Office of Student Financial Services | Brandeis University)</p>
<p>College of Charleston</p>
<p>I’ve never seen official data, but people on CC have said that Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA has a student body that is 40% Jewish. MC is also known for a very strong “pre-med” program. My D’s stats were comparable to the OP’s S and she got $20k/yr. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>