<p>We aren’t going to find many “liberal” colleges in the south, at least not in the political sense. The faculty may/will be more liberal than the student population as a whole. The administration may/will be more liberal. But any school with a huge precentage of students raised in the south will be conservative, even the Jewish students, sometimes. These are “red” states. That’s why I think it is tough for some from the North to adjust, regardless of religion. Those of us who have raised more “liberal” thinking children find they are often in the minority, even within our own Religious Schools.</p>
<p>Jews actually hunt in the south. They also race motorcycles, climb mountains, fish, camp, rebuild cars, and other activities that might seem “red-neck” or “conservative” in other areas of the country. And remember, in the south, “conservative” does not equal anti-Israel (in fact, it is hugely pro-Israel) or anti-semetic (“Jesus was a Jew.”) </p>
<p>The Quaker schools, like Guillford in NC, may lean more liberal.</p>
<p>Nadine, one other regional difference I have heard is that students at Southern schools, especially girls, dress more formally to class–fewer kids in t shirts and sweatpants. Is that true?</p>
<p>I would also expect the native Southerners to be much more pro-military and Republican.</p>
<p>md,
don’t read too much into welcome week activities.</p>
<p>They are designed to draw in the largest cross-section spectrum of students and may not be representative of activities the rest of the year. For example, the Hillel might have felt that poker during orientation week might bring in more students than just a Shabbat dinner…especially at a time when kids are excited about trying out the food in the dining hall or the near-campus eateries with all their new friends…the Hillel people might have thought that poker would draw in a bunch of guys (generally harder to attract to a Hillel) and the girls like to go where the guys are! The idea being that kids meet/find each other there and then come back for more…</p>
<p>REMEMBER that the official sponsored activities generally are over after orientation week…and then what will your student do?</p>
<p>Have your student check out activities sponsored by groups other than the university–they may not be “official” but a lot of kids go–for example, what are various clubs doing…for example, my son’s club soccer team is running a 4-on-4 soccer tournament; his fraternity is holding a barbecue and a “rave” with bands from campus on two different nights. </p>
<p>My son also took part in a service project through which he made a lot of new friends. He has remained involved in this activity. A lot of groups do service projects during orientation week…it is a good, low key way to make new friends. For some one like md’s son, this might be a good thing to consider.</p>
<p>Another good idea for a student who might have difficulty making connections is to sign up for a living-learning community (called different names on different campuses) which bring together small groups of students with similar interests, making connections a bit easier. All 3 of my sons did this on their campuses and really like it.</p>
<p>Boysx3 makes an important point–most Hillels will not want to stress their religious aspects early–the most observant kids will come away. Instead, they cast a broader net, trying to establish their social value.</p>
<p>Nadine, Jews actually fish and rebuild cars and hike and chop wood here in the NY suburbs too. And there are entire groups of Jewish Harley owners who daven shacharit together before they begin their regular Sunday rides. Nice story in the Times a few years ago them.</p>
<p>For most of the year, it is way too hot for sweatpants but tee-shirts, shorts, jeans, yes. Girls are wearing lots of shorts, skirts and sundresses in Charleston right now because it’s like 70billion degress and 1000% humidity. It’s a tiny bit cooler where I live and this week to school, my fashion-plate 10th grader has worn aqua denim capris (from Talbots!!), shorts, skinny jeans and boot-cut jeans. Clothing I see run the gamut from soccer shorts and tees to dresses and heels. Lots of diversity in fashion but they save the sweats for January and February.</p>
<p>Regarding the conservatism at Washington and Lee: I hear that it goes beyond other universities in the south. I know ultra-conservative Christian families who do not want their children exposed to any “liberal” ideas whatsoever. Their college choice: Washington and Lee. I am not talking about lifestyle choices, such as hunting or Nascar or clothing styles. I am talking about extreme political conservatism.</p>
<p>A friend’s d , upstate NY Jew from a small town goes to Washington and Lee, though she is far from a b student. Ended up there because she got a full ride. Loves the school even though she is a dyed on the wool liberal. You really have no choice but to get involved in Greek life or you will have no social life.</p>
<p>stillnadine - what about College of Charleston? My understanding is that while it is in the south, it is not as conservative as some of the other southern schools we have mentioned. Do you think kids from mid-Atlantic states would feel comfortable there? I know it is about 8 - 10% Jewish - how about the rest of the southern culture?</p>
<p>Yabeyabe - the wardrobe question is a good one. For example - I’m used to colleges in the mid-Atlantic area where kids wear their school color sweats to football games. I actually had no idea that at many southern schools - kids dress up - “girls in pearls and guys in ties”. Plenty of kids do this at Wake Forest, UVA, Vanderbilt, etc. - especially those in Greek organizations. I would imagine this would be the case at Washington & Lee as well. I have a friend whose daughter attends UVA and she was telling me how surprised her daughter was to be asked out on a date to the first home football game - apparently that’s part of the southern tradition as well.</p>
<p>I’m not saying any of these things are bad - they are just different - and it is good to be aware of them so that you can decide if you are open to experiencing something new or whether it just sounds so bizarre that you don’t think you would feel comfortable.</p>
<p>D told me today that she’s been emailed several times by the Allegheny College lacrosse coach, inviting her for a visit. Unexpected and nice but we don’t know anything about Allegheny. Will certainly start to research but does anyone know anything about Allegheny? I’m posting here as I follow this thread daily and, somehow, feel a kinship here, even though I don’t post as much as others. Definitely want a Jewish presence too.</p>
<p>Wash and Lee: one of the local kids here (recently graduated) was instrumental in both Hillel and getting Jewish kids involved in greek life; certainly not a conservative kid; he absolutely LOVED W &L, but it is not a school for the “B” student by any stretch of the imagination…</p>
<p>Allegheny: I have heard from the grapevine that they are actively looking for Jewish students; we have a friend whose warehouse is in Meadville, PA (near Allegheny)…apparently very sleepy area (as long as that’s ok with everyone involved)…the “rumor” is that they are trying to “steal” some of Muhlenberg’s “B” students…</p>
<p>hollie: let us know what you find there; not on our list…(“how many small PA schools do I have to look at?”, says my ornery 17yr old; haha)…</p>
<p>Collage, in the Alleghenny vicinity, Wshington & Jefferson also gets good reviews (it may also be in Colleges That Change Lives), as does Pitt, a much different school.</p>
<p>I believe your daughter will find many D3 colleges looking for lacrosse players, although some coaches will recruit more actively than others.</p>
<p>rodney-there are SO many colleges for the B student in PA aren’t there? but most of them aren’t acceptable if a significant Jewish presence is a requirement (which it isn’t for my d)</p>
<p>I suspect all the similar PA schools would like to attract more Jewish kids–it increases their applicant pool. I sympathize with their dilemma over how to do it if you do not have many yet–how do you have an active Hillel with a very small population? How do you assuage the concerns of those worried about a small population without a sizable population?</p>
<p>I (and I am sure many rivals) would love to know how Muhlenberg did it.</p>
<p>Then again, I also don’t know how PA came to have more good private schools for B and A students than NJ, NY and CT combined.</p>
<p>A good friend of my middle son’s will be a senior there–he has had a good experience. He was very active in BBYO in high school. There is a very small Jewish community there but the school is making a determined effort to increase the number of Jewish students…the head of Hillel is involved in admissions, from what I have been told.</p>
<p>BoysX3 and others: I want to clarify what I noticed last year during welcome week. At George Mason, I did NOT see anything Jewish advertised, and the Friday night event for the university (not at Hillel) was Poker night. At AU, we saw Hillel setting up a bar-b-que on one of the lawns.</p>
<p>I think plenty of schools with either a Hillel and/or Chabad, have stuff going on for Jewish kids right from the beginning such as retreats, Shabbat meals, etc. They are trying to get kids involved right from the beginning because they know there are other groups also available for the students.</p>