<p>Because we are an extreme minority in some colleges (ND, BC, UCSD, and many other Christian oriented colleges or universities) I think that would give the jewish population a slight advantage as we are huge minorities there. </p>
<p>At schools like GW, Yeshiva, or Brandeis, we would not have the slightest advantage, because we are all jewish.</p>
<p>Its supply and demand really. All colleges demand a good balance, and if there is a high "supply" applying to one school, the "price" or difficulty of admission goes up. If there is equal demand and low "supply" the difficulty of admission goes down.</p>
<p>Not. Being a Jew is either, or, or both. 85% of Israelis consider themselves ethnic Jews and not religious Jews.</p>
<p>"Among Jews, 68% were Sabras (Israeli-born), mostly second- or third-generation Israelis, and the rest are olim — 22% from Europe and the Americas, and 10% from Asia and Africa, including the Arab countries. [2]"</p>
<p>"Because we are an extreme minority in some colleges (ND, BC, UCSD, and many other Christian oriented colleges or universities) I think that would give the jewish population a slight advantage as we are huge minorities there."</p>
<p>I am sure I am stating the obvious but you are an extreme minority in the country, and in the world. If my math is right 18 million out of 6 billion is .0029%. I would say that the representation levels at some of the nations finest schools should be seen as high praise indeed.</p>
<p>"According to the estimates for 2007 of the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, the world population of Jews is 13.2 million. [1]Adherents.com cites figures ranging from 12.8 million to 18.2 million Jews"</p>
<p>^^^True, but America has one of (if not the highest) number of Jews in the world. I would not be suprised if there were more Jews in America than in Israel. I know that Israel has a higher concentration, thats obvious, but this nation has a lot of ethnic jews.</p>
<p>And the supply and demand conversation was my real point.</p>
<p>At one interview, I was asked if I was Jewish and then told to play that up/write about it in an admission essay because the school was looking to broaden their diversity, racially, geographically, and religiously.</p>
<p>...so are Jews part of a race or a religion? If it's a religion, I can see why some would put it as an URM, but as religion, I don't see how it's possible. Furthermore, most schools ask you for your race, how many of them ask your religion? How would they know you are Jewish except reading it in your essay and maybe guessing it from your name?</p>
<p>If you list National Federation of Temple Youth, for example, as an extracurricular in your application to a college with relatively few Jewish students (Catholic colleges in the Midwest like Creighton and Marquette, for example), the admissions office is likely to believe that you will add to the diversity of the school and this is likely to help you in the admissions process.</p>
<p>As my cousin said of her daughter applying to selective LACs coast to coast, "just what they need: another New York Jewish GIRL with brown curly hair!"</p>
<p>I think they are a dime a dozen at most selective schools.</p>
<p>for the general discussion thread about ethnic self-identification in college applications. Note that "Jew" has never been an ethnic category used in federally mandated reporting by colleges.</p>
<p>"So here's a question that I hope does not trigger a lot of attacks: </p>
<p>Is the Jewish experience being replicated today for Asians?"</p>
<p>I see a lot of qualitative differences, one of them being that while Jews often do value learning and education quite highly, there isn't nearly the gotta-go-Ivy-or-bust mentality, at all. And it's just your mother's heart you'll break if you don't become a doctor, not the entire extended family :-)</p>
<p>I do think that some of the stereotypes that traditionally attached to Jews have now also attached to Asians. For example, I can remember when the kid who stayed home practising the violin while the other kids played baseball was Jewish; now, he's Asian.</p>