<p>Nice job spotting the anti-semetic comment, Linymom and bringing it to the moderator’s attention, Yabe. I just checked and the moderator removed the comment. The kid wants to go to Wharton. Oy! </p>
<p>Linymom: It sounds like you should ignore the GC and make your own list. I’m sure that the group on here will be happy to help. </p>
<p>My daughter’s HS is diverse also, and I agree that it fosters tolerance for people from other backgrounds. Recently, there was a discussion of private vs. public schools on the class of 2011 thread. I noticed that a lot of parents on that thread had chosen private school. Some of them specifically chose parochial schools because the values taught were in line with those at home. At the time, I thought about how most of the parents on this thread send their children to public school. It’s something else that most of us seem to have in common.</p>
<p>My born again Christian sister in law used the expression “jew me down” about 20 years ago. I had to explain to her why it was offensive. She honestly hadn’t thought about it and thought is was a compliment. I was in shock! Hopefully I educated her sufficiently on this (and shockingly I was polite about it) and she has stopped using the expression.</p>
<p>LOL, RVM…I like watching “say yes to the dress too” :)</p>
<p>Holliesue: good for you. I honestly believe people say those ridiculous comments based on ignorance. Educating them certainly helps.</p>
<p>Linymom: As far as the poster is concerned, yeah if I read that I would be fuming too. Hopefully in his lifetime he will have the opportunity to understand why his comments are so offensive and take steps like hollisue’s sil to watch what he says and thinks more carefully. I’m proud of C43’s and Yabe’s comments, but I wonder if the OP evens “gets it”. Probably not yet. </p>
<p>I, too, struggle with certain groups of people, but in my case it’s more of the extreme and not the everyday people.</p>
<p>uskoolfish: good restraint! not sure how I would have handled that.</p>
<p>D’s and I also love to watch “Say Yes to the Dress”. Some of those dresses cost as much as a year of college!</p>
<p>Also starting to think of next years schedule. I have told both D’s to schedule a meeting with their guidance counselor. I don’t think either one of them wants me to come in for the meeting. I am ok with that.</p>
<p>So much going on here. D1 is taking a practice SAT test this morning through her tutor. Then both kids seem to have exams in every major class this week and then finals start on Friday. This is one thing that has always driven me crazy. The classes all finish up their last units at the same time, so major unit exams followed by final exams a few days later. Just so much stress. Especially for D1 the procrastinator whose quarter grades in most of her classes will depend on this last unit test. As I have said before, she has always pulled it out. I have a bad feeling that this time, it may not work. Then she will have to work that much harder for the final exam. Because the final exam will then decide her semester grade.</p>
<p>Looks like the mods completely removed my comment “chancing” richie - but glad the slur is gone as well.</p>
<p>For classes next year - S2 is taking AP Human Geography, honors English, honors calculus, physics, Latin 2 and then 2 electives - which will be some combination of law or marketing and either food trends or weight training. Our hs does not have study halls - no room - so kids have to take 7 classes. We try for 5 solids and 2 fun classes that generate little to no homework,</p>
<p>I will say that S2 has really stepped up his effort since the beginning of the year. He has pretty much locked down 3 A’s and 3 B’s for the semester - one class is hovering on the A/B line - but either way - it’s pretty good. No C’s - that was my main concern.</p>
<p>He’s meeting with the ACT tutor again tomorrow - has work for that to do today - I don’t think this is really going to go anywhere. I fully expect him to tell me after tomorrow’s session that he does not want to continue doing it - and I’m ok with that. He’ll still test again in February - it’s paid for - might as well - but I am not going to stress about it. </p>
<p>We’re at a good place - he’s working a little harder and I’m bugging him less - so it’s a good thing.</p>
<p>It’s been awhile since I’ve read this thread and I haven’t had the chance to read back…(busy with the Holidays and winter break) so congratulations to anyone that has heard positively from colleges. Kudos to LINYMOM for responding to the ignorant statement made by the young man; hopefully, he will think about what he writes next time. </p>
<p>Just dropped off my 10th grade “A” student for a mock SAT test. He does very well in his classes (all honors and one AP) but did not do very well on his PSATs so maybe the ACT test would be better for him.</p>
<p>My “B - B+” senior just heard back from James Madison University and he was accepted.
There were some in his senior class that got deferred who had good grades. I have heard that early action for JMU is more competitive and many who are deferred will get in eventually. Another reason to keep up senior grades for the B students. JMU may be easier for boys to get in, I think they have 60% females.</p>
<p>I don’t know if these have been said but Mulenberg is great. I know people who go there LOVE it. Also Brandeis (not sure what the criteria is to get in).</p>
<p>stayathome - congrats on JMU! A lot of kids get deferred EA - as you said - there are quite a few posts about that on the JMU forum - so well done. What is your opinion of JMU? Have you visited? What did you like/dislike and how high does this school rank on your son’s list?</p>
<p>We visited JMU last spring and both S1 and I were very impressed. The campus is very beautiful with an incredible view of the mountains. We had a very enthusiastic student tour guide who seemed to know just about everyone on campus. He’s a cheerleader and very involved… It seemed like the students really enjoyed being there. (JMU has a very high freshmen retention rate too which I like.) The surrounding town is not the greatest if your child prefers a more urban environment but there seems to be plenty to do for the students. I don’t know much about their Hillel, but it seems like a school where all races seem to get along. Out student tour guide was African-American and from New Jersey, he seemed very popular with everyone.
My impression is that this is very good school for a B-B+ student to do very well and thrive.<br>
This school is high on his list…we will go back to their accepted students day in February and I can report back here. We are now just waiting to hear back from University of Maryland, CP and UNC - Chapel Hill (not expecting an acceptance.)
Rockville MOm- If the Hillel is good, I would encourage you to visit with S2. S1 has a couple of friends there and they love it. We did walk through the Business school and I was impressed but I don’t really know the specifics of the program. S1 wants to major in English or Political Science with the hopes of law school or journalism school.</p>
<p>On Jewing down and other slurs:
I think I mentioned on this forum once before that after having kids I started to see that when people say things like “Jewing down” they are creating an image in the minds of others about what Jews are. The reality that my kids could be prejudged by people who never met a Jew hit me hard. I guess that is what prejudice is about. Anyway, that gave me the strength to have some uncomfortable private conversations and hopefully teach people to be better about choosing their words. I think if we all make the corrections in a instructive manner we can make small changes. Kudos to all of you who caught the slur and acted on it. In writing this I thought I ought to heed to my own advice and I PM’ed the OP on that thread.</p>
<p>stayathome - we did visit JMU last spring and liked enough of what we saw to keep it on the list. My concerns have to do with housing and needing to move off campus possibly as a sophomore and overcrowding/waitlisting for courses. But they are creating a new school there that combines sports mgmt and hospitality/tourism - which might be of interest to S2. I would love you to post after accepted students day - would like to hear more of your impressions.</p>
<p>spectrum - very valuable point. I think when we read a slur on CC or hear one in our real lives - it behooves us to make a gentle correction. In the case of the poster yesterday - Richie - I’m not sure he realized he said anything wrong. I’m guessing that the expression he used was something he heard at home and perhaps didn’t realize was offensive. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I’m wondering if he responded to your PM?</p>
<p>wow - sorry I missed the Chances thread kerfluffle! kudos to those of you who set the OP straight! </p>
<p>while I am no way condoning such an offensive remark, sometimes I think it is pure ignorance. a friend who has lived all her life in small midwestern towns (and may never have met anyone Jewish until me) once mentioned how a contractor had tried to jew her down. I was stunned and explained to her how offensive her remark was, and why. she was absolutely mortified - she truly had no idea. so again, not condoning it, but sometimes it is truly a teaching moment.</p>
<p>Rockvillemom…so glad to hear how your son is doing in school. Mine is in his room now (hopefully studying). So many end of semester tests this coming week, and then midterms the week after…it’s really stressing me out, and I’m trying not to convey that to my son. Hearing about how well your son is doing now helps.</p>
<p>Stayathomemom: Congrats to your son on the JMU acceptance. Several of my daughter’s friends were accepted as well. It’a very popular choice in our area. My older daughter has a Jewish friend who attends and loves the school, but I don’t think that she’s involved with
Hillel. She did reconnect with a friend from her Jewish overnight camp, however. Gotta love that camp network. I imagine that the BBYO network is similar.</p>
<p>I’m sorry to hear about Debbie Freidman’s illness. I love her music.</p>
<p>umich: JMU acceptance, I wish, my S’s just a junior but it would be so sweet to know of a couple of acceptances now! I think it was Stayathomemom, I congratulate her as well.</p>
<p>CCC and RVM: I just sent the PM this morning, I’ll let you know if I get a reply, I’ll share the reply if it okay with him if I post it.</p>
<p>PRJ - thank you for notifying us re Debbie Friedman - I know her music has inspired thousands.</p>
<p>umich - I found myself in the funny position counseling a friend earlier about her homework issues with her junior son - telling her to back off a bit - give him ownership of his grades, etc. I think I have learned some good techniques and I am finding that the less I obsess - the better he does! Who knew? Much credit to the “Blessing of a B-” book by Wendy Mogel and some very good advice here on CC which really helped me.</p>