<p>Levrim,
I agree with RVM on this one. I don’t think that there’s much you can do at this point. Your sons are getting along, and both are achieving, so I would leave things alone.</p>
<p>Socaldad42 My daughter applied as a safety. She got in and also received a very generous FA package. We visited last January from New England. The weather alone was quite an enticement but since you live in Cali I doubt that is a factor. The school is going through a huge renaissance and I believe will eventually be considered less of a party school and have a better reputation in the future. Not sure if any of you remember but U Miami use to have a reputation as being a HUGE party school and was not highly regarded. Anyway, Tampa was nice but my daughter just didn’t like it. Felt too much like a country club and not at all like what she perceived a college to look like. By the way, she is at U Del with Linymom’s daughter, they actually live on the same floor! Let me know if you have any other questions. I know there was a pretty active Tampa board here on CC about a year ago.</p>
<p>Univ of Tampa is VERY generous with merit aid that brings that price tag down even more; but around here is it more for the “C” student; “B” students have used it as a safety but I do not know any that are attending…</p>
<p>and I also know VERY happy FC kids at UMCP, but those are the ones who had the school as their first choice from the getgo…</p>
<p>I think I mentioned this before re: FC at UMDCP (long thread so we are repeating for the newbies! which is fine!). My college roommate’s DD did FC in the Fall. It was GREAT for her. She’s in an apt with others in the program (although her mom is telling her to find a roommate for on-campus housing for the Fall bc the apt is uber-expensive); absolutely LOVED having classes later in the day (said she never felt so well-rested). UMDCP was her absolute TOP choice school because it is one of the top in the country in her major. My DD took the FC admit as a rejection – which it isn’t, but she had other schools in her top three and is thrilled at UD (with JBE’s DD).</p>
<p>Interestingly, with UMiami, I visited with my higher achieving DS (can’t imagine DD would have gotten in) - don’t really see that as a safe option for a B student.</p>
<p>What’s the Jewish population at UTampa? Not sure it was a lot when I checked, but that was a couple of years ago.</p>
<p>(Hi, JBE!)</p>
<p>Jewish pop at Tampa is not large and I’m not sure if there is Hillel; they participate with the Hillel at USF unless that has changed; I think someone this year mentioned that there were a bunch of kids starting a Hillel chapter but not sure…</p>
<p>and agree with LINYMOM: no way Umiami is for a “B” student; in fact, we know a number of B+ students who were deferred EA this year (and unfortunately, ED does not provide ANY bump, in fact, admission rate for ED is LOWER than EA and RD)…</p>
<p>U Miami - very interesting about a negative bump - what do you call that - a depression? - for ED. I know a B+/28 ACT kid who applied ED and was deferred - I wonder if she would have been better off applying EA. Our large public hs generally has good results with Miami. Most kids who have at least a 4.0 weighted GPA (which could mean straight A’s with no honors/AP or a mix of A’s and B’s with numerous honors/AP) and at least a 28-29 ACT were admitted. (It is so weird to me to think that S2 could now add this school to his list and have a good chance of acceptance - it’s such a shift in thinking.)</p>
<p>Chabad:</p>
<p>[chabadut.org[/url</a>]</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>and Tampa area Hillel - for USF, Eckerd and Univ. of Tampa:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.suncoasthillels.org/tag/tampa/page/3/[/url]”>http://www.suncoasthillels.org/tag/tampa/page/3/](<a href=“http://www.chabadut.org/]chabadut.org[/url”>http://www.chabadut.org/)</a></p>
<p>My DD made it to chabad at UD on Fri nite. Said the service was conservative - she is more comfortable with reform - but the dinner was good and she plans to go back. Plus she got some crazy college stories from the rabbi about my brother (her uncle ) and fraternity escapades of the 80’s. </p>
<p>It’s good there are options on campus for Jewish students. </p>
<p>This was one reason we didn’t consider UTampa. </p>
<p>Sent from my ADR6300 using CC App</p>
<p>Thanks for your valuable advice, rockvillemom and momjr.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info about Tampa. It appears the small jewish population might be a problem. I thought a warm weather school that attracted kids from the east, might be good to have on the list. D could get in, but now not sure if this a a good fit. Not easy to find for a real B student.</p>
<p>Again, always appreciate the perspective and help.</p>
<p>levirm: I have found that when I push too hard, the result is always negative. It sounds like S1 and S2 have a good relationship…they are going to find their way on their own terms. </p>
<p>socaldad: I visited UTampa and loved it. It felt like a good fit for my Jewish D. It’s also very, very beautiful. Definitely a mix of students academically (A, B, C). Every school is a party school to one degree or another, so I didn’t let that aspect bother me. I give it a thumbs-up.</p>
<p>Socaldad: I don’t know much about UTampa, but I can tell you that that area of Florida is really lovely. After seeing C4T’s comments above, you might want to have you daughter apply sight unseen. You could wait to visit until you see what other options she has next spring. We did this with a few schools that were difficult to visit but looked like good fits on paper (and cyber).</p>
<p>I think the key aspect of Tampa is that it is on the upswing - seems like it is more respected each year. There are certainly plenty of Jewish college-aged students in the Tampa area. I would still keep this on the list for a “B” student if the locations works for you.</p>
<p>levirm- I have 2 D’s who are close in age and very close to eachother. D2 does feel a sense of competition with her older sister. Actually D1 feels it sometimes to. They are similar in many ways, yet they do have some major differences. If I were you, I guess one thing I would ask myself about S2, is if what he is doing is really what interests him. Is it really all about what S1 does, or do their interests just happen to overlap? I don’t think it’s that uncommon for kids who are close to share similar interests. While he may be competitive with S1, if it’s really something he wants, I don’t necessarily see it as a bad thing, unless it is impacting their relationship.</p>
<p>RVM - Now that your S did so well on the ACT and is having such a great Junior year, I think it might make sense to look back at some of the schools that you had crossed off thinking that they were too much of a reach. The way I look at things, is it doesn’t hurt to have more options.</p>
<p>mdmom - I did actually give that some thought yesterday - but not coming up with much that works. I think he could have a decent chance of acceptance at U Miami and Tulane - but - those schools are not within driving distance and are pretty expensive. I do not delude myself into thinking that he would get merit money at either school. University of Richmond - maybe - same cost issue though. He really has not had any reaches on his list - it’s not a scenario where he had a school that he loved that was not realistic that might now be within his grasp.</p>
<p>I think for the moment we are going to stay with what he has in mind - visiting Elon again in April and also CofC. We are more comfortable with the idea that he has 5 schools in mind that are all match/safety and where he has a good chance as merit aid/honors college, etc. But you know me - always looking!</p>
<p>great post RVM…I have had this conversation with alot of parents who are looking at higher scores/grades but not within merit range at reaches that were not on the original lists;</p>
<p>and I have told them to seriously consider what you posted; if $$ is in the question, and one doesn’t want to spend $50,000/year, those reaches (or even matches) don’t really matter in the long run…</p>
<p>that’s why, at some level, it doesn’t even make sense to retake the SAT/ACT’s for some kids…</p>
<p>but how nice to now be in match/safety range…</p>
<p>I am consulting with a student who is “shooting for Northeastern” and trying to get his grades in range…too bad his parents have already told him “no go”; he is not going to be eligible for merit and they are not eligible for FA…</p>
<p>RVM and all others…</p>
<p>Ok, I think I will keep Tampa on list as a warm weather safety. Thanks all.</p>
<p>RVM, with your son’s higher scores and grades, you might add Delaware to your list. It is within driving distance, not too big, qood Jewish Quotient,. While not in driving distance, Georgia might be interesting for you to look at. Good School. Great college town, pretty good jewish life. Just a thought. Don’t mean to but in.</p>
<p>Hi - all suggestions welcome - you are not butting in. I agree on Delaware - we visited with S1 - liked it - did not love it. I am absolutely open to visiting again with S2 if he is interested. UGA - not really interested. I think it is too “southern” for us based on things I have heard and students I have spoken to. So far - Elon seems to be the best fit in terms of pretty much everything - size, price, location, majors/minors offered and a reasonable amount of Jewish life. But - we’ll see how the April visit goes.</p>
<p>S2 witnessed the horrendous process S1 went through - early disappointment, acceptance at a great school we could not afford, having to wait until March 30th for good news - and he saw the toll that took on the entire family. I think he is more inclined to apply early to a few schools that he feels he will get accepted at and that we can afford and be done in December. And I am completely ok with that strategy!</p>
<p>^^great idea about Delaware…not sure if RVM already had that on the list? but posssibly RVM’s son nixed it for some reason??..</p>
<p>and socaldad, you are NOT butting in!!!</p>
<p>Does anyone know anything about Virginia Commonwealth for Jewish students?
Thank you for the advice, mdmomfromli and college4three. In answer to your question, I really do think that a lot of S2’s sudden interest has to do with S1. I think that I will butt out mostly, but when S2 expresses interest in something - I will try to mention careers that involve whatever it is, like “wow it would be interesting to do this or that.” S2 always discusses a variety of topics, so this should not be hard.</p>