Colleges for the Jewish "B" student (Part 1)

Parents Forum
6281

<p>It is so reassuring to hear you all discuss your sons’ reactions to the college search. I love the author of Crazy U’s statement about how his S approached the books:</p>

<p>…there’s Dad handing his procrastinator a book on successful college essays and watching the boy vacantly turn it over in his hands. "I thought of the apes coming upon the obelisk in the opening scene of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ " Dad writes. “He did everything but sniff it.” </p>

<p>Granted I am likely the neurotic overinvolved stereotypical Jewish mother at this point. But all I really want is for him to be happy where ever he decides to go college. Is that so wrong? LOL</p>

6282

<p>momom2 - of course it’s not wrong - that’s what we all want! But I also recognize that there is not a concrete relationship between the hours of work I spend on this and how it all turns out. Wish that were the case - but I know that there are a lot of variables out of my control. I think we all have heard stories of kids who loved their school when they were admitted - maybe they even applied ED - and then a few months into freshman year - they are miserable and talking about transferring. So - you just never know.</p>

<p>But - I do think there are some things we can control - and I am focusing on the financial piece - will not overwhelm my son or us with large loans - and the academic fit - mid-range or higher - I don’t see him flourishing at the bottom of the admitted class.</p>

6283

<p>rvm and mommom, how is this for neurotic? at the end of sophomore year we went to a national college fair with 400+ schools. we grabbed material from about 50 possibilities. (this was based on a questionnaire that i filled out monthly with S to see his likes, dislikes etc) then we got home and i spent weeks analyzing the material including xeroxing several guide books. i took an accordion folder and put the top 12 in their individual slot. I thought how perfect, my S doesn’t have to go through books, web sites. I had it all in one organized place.</p>

<p>His assignment was to go through 1 school a week over the summer. He made it through 3 schools and that was it!!! Yes, like Rodney said, my S has definitely gotten sick of talking about it. He has made his decision without even seeing the campuses just to shut me up!! I just have to hope the visits next month live up to what we both have created in his mind.</p>

<p>Bottom line our kids are letting many of us do the work, but I want to make sure that in the end, he makes the decision and doesn’t turn around at any time and lay blame. He keeps telling me that is grateful for what I have done and he thanks me. He is sweet that way, but still I don’t want his choice to be made out of laziness.</p>

6284

<p>samtalya - I think for many parents - the focus on research gives us something concrete to do - and we feel that this is the way to approach this important decision. Kids - tend to go more with their gut reaction when they visit. Can’t wait to hear how you like Elon - that’s coming up soon, right?</p>

6285

<p>Samtalya, you are a mother after my own heart! I have almost reached the accordian folder point myself. </p>

<p>True - I don’t want him making a decision amounting to laziness. I hope that when we actually visit the campuses he will register an opinion. So, I figure I am just “assisting” him in narrowing down the field.</p>

<p>So, are non-Jewish mothers any less neurotic and organized in this endeavor?</p>

6286

<p>Very few of my friends have begun looking. Some kids are taking their first SAT next week and then will go to a college fair next month. Most will take the SAT next fall. No one is considering the ACT. </p>

<p>I just think this thread is for the highly ambitious, neurotic, extremely capable Jewish parents!!</p>

<p>rvm-we will be at elon when you are at c of c and then will be at c of c the day after you leave!! we get to hear your opinions of elon since you are going their earlier. can’t wait to hear. somehow, our boys will meet, and we will too!!</p>

6287

<p>I agree w/ you…so much is outside of our control, and we want the best for our kids. This let’s us feel like we’re doing something to control a situation where so much is out of our hands.</p>

6288

<p>Anyone else reading it yet?</p>

<p><a href=“Modern Jewish History - Book Group - Parent Cafe - College Confidential Forums”>Modern Jewish History - Book Group - Parent Cafe - College Confidential Forums;

6289

<p>My husband and I were in Richmond this weekend for a Bar Mitzvah, and we did a drive-by at the U of Richond out of curiosity. The campus is really beautiful! It has traditional and modern red brick buildings, lots of grass and trees, and a pretty lake in the middle. The surrounding is residential, which looked dull but safe for college students. </p>

<p>I don’t think that it’s a boy vs. girl thing on how interested kids are in the college search. My older daughter wouldn’t do any research junior year, so my husband and I finally made a list and scheduled some visits to get her started. My younger daughter loved reading the guide books, surfing college websites and visiting colleges. She came up with her own list and was pretty invested in the entire process.</p>

6290

<p>RVM: I’m about halfway through Bread Givers.</p>

6291

<p>rvm: I hope you don’t think I’m suggesting your son would struggle at places like Tulane, etc. That’s not the case at all. I’m just reflecting on a few of the times that you’ve mentioned his emerging confidence. All of the schools that you have on your existing list are fantastic places, whose reputations are solid. I see someone like your son absolutely thriving in an environment where he is solidly in the top half. </p>

<p>I’m not sure Jewish mothers have the market cornered on organization, but I’m pretty sure that we have neurosis covered.</p>

6292

<p>college4three - oh no - not at all. I just think myself that he probably is more likely to do better at some of the originally listed schools where he will be in the top half. I think most kids at Tulane would have higher stats - but he does come from a pretty rigorous hs - that’s the part that is hard for me to figure out. I could easily se doing the fast app for Tulane just to see what happens - or if he already has the common app done - why not apply to Miami and just see what happens. if he doesn’t get in - then there is no issue and no chance of regrets later. But - we’ll see how these visits to Elon and CofC go and where his grades are at the end of the year.</p>

<p>Neurosis? Check! I think for me it’s this feeling of not wanting to leave any stone unturned. Since this is the last time we will be doing this - I just want to “get it right”. I had so many regrets with the process S1 went through - even though it ended up fine by April - it was such a hellish winter - I am kind of obsessed that this time will be different.</p>

6293

<p>Samtalya:</p>

<p>Is your S a sophomore or junior? Good luck with your college visits! We are all a bit neurotic Jewish moms wanting to do thorough research for our children. I also made lots of files of colleges for S1 and it wasn’t nearly as helpful as I thought it would be! After his acceptance, I threw about 98% of the files away!</p>

<p>Mdmomfromli:</p>

<p>Hope your D has a good list to work off of now…</p>

<p>Momjr:</p>

<p>Glad you saw Richmond! I’m still surprised it’s so small, but then again it is an LAC…</p>

<p>RVM and Momom2:</p>

<p>We are all so neurotic…I also didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. S1 got very upset with me because he fell in love with Tufts and applied ED and was accepted. I should be happy, right? My first reaction was,“maybe you would have gotten into a higher ranked school” and he was more mature than I was, and said, mom…this is where I want to go. But me, the neurotic Jewish mom was still searching, when all along he knew that Tufts would be the perfect fit.</p>

<p>Linymom: </p>

<p>I will answer you soon!!!</p>

6294

<p>AIMS a non-profit testing service and research organization in Dallas did an article on the subject of SAT scores and student performance in college. It is their assertion that students should chooses a college that is within 40 points of the mean score at the college ( M and CR only). Anotherwords, if a student scores 1200, their college choices should stay in the 1200 to 1240 mean range. AIMS research concluded that is where the intructional level is for that university. Of course this can be debated, but more information for research oriented parents.</p>

6295

<p>As the number of Jewish students attending Elon University grows, two freshmen are determined to play a role in the expansion of Jewish life on campus.</p>

<p>Mason Sklut and Garret Mann, from Charlotte, N.C., are in the beginning stages of establishing a Jewish fraternity on Elon’s campus.</p>

<p>“We figured if Elon is going to have a Hillel House in the next year and a Jewish studies minor, why not have a Jewish fraternity?” Sklut said.</p>

<p>Sklut and Mann are currently recruiting students to join a chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi, AEPi, a global Jewish fraternity founded in 1913. They are working closely with Nancy Luberoff, Hillel director, who believes the fraternity will benefit the Jewish community at Elon and the campus as a whole.</p>

<p>“I think that, for me, the important concept around the Jewish fraternity is not that there is going to be another fraternity at Elon,” Luberoff said. “It has to do with enriching and broadening Jewish life on campus.”</p>

<p>Sklut agreed the addition of AEPi would help to enhance the sense of community among Jewish students.</p>

<p>“Jews will have a way to connect with one another outside of Hillel,” Sklut said. “It is a brotherhood.”</p>

<p>A growing group</p>

<p>Since her arrival on campus as the director of Hillel, Luberoff said she has seen Jewish life expand. </p>

<p>“There’s a lot that has happened in two years,” she said. “The population and infrastructure are growing.”</p>

<p>Some of the changes Elon has experienced include the decision to open a Hillel House and the establishment of a study abroad program in Israel. </p>

<p>With the guidance of Luberoff, Sklut and Mann are taking their first steps to further enhance the opportunities available to the Jewish community. </p>

<p>“We’re actually in the process of doing a proposal letter, which will include a strategic plan for how we’re going to get this fraternity here,” Sklut said. </p>

<p>The proposal will then be given to Smith Jackson, vice president and dean of student life.</p>

<p>Sklut and Mann said the next phase requires recruiting students, because at least 15 students must be interested in order to continue the process.</p>

<p>To inform students of the opportunity to join AEPi, the pair posted an ad on E-net and has used Facebook, but simply asking friends to spread the news has been most effective.</p>

<p>Junior Noah Sohne responded to the E-net ad and wants to help.</p>

<p>“I have a lot of friends in Alpha Epsilon Pi at other colleges and think it would be great to have (a chapter) here,” he said. “I hope to play an important role in recruiting members.”</p>

<p>Creating interest</p>

<p>Incoming freshmen students will be a strong focus for Sklut and Mann. </p>

<p>“Even though we won’t be an established frat, having a table at the org fair next semester would be very helpful,” Mann said. </p>

<p>Luberoff agreed. </p>

<p>“I probably talk to four or five parents of prospective students a week,” she said. “Parents want to know that there’s Jewish life here.”</p>

<p>This is not the first time students have tried to establish a Jewish fraternity on campus. In spring 2008, several students attempted to establish a chapter of Zeta Beta Tau but were unsuccessful. </p>

<p>Sklut and Mann said they hope things will be different this time. </p>

<p>“That was three and a half years ago, and the number of Jewish students has significantly increased,” Sklut said. “We have a higher confidence level with our attempt.”</p>

<p>According to Luberoff, Jewish students were banned from fraternities for decades, making the establishment of AEPi that much more significant. </p>

<p>“In terms of genuinely building diversity on campus, I think it’s a great force for education and multi-faith understanding and dialogue,” she said. </p>

<p>Elon students, Jewish or non-Jewish, interested in joining Alpha Epsilon Pi should contact …</p>

<p>[The</a> Pendulum - Students take steps toward establishing Jewish fraternity on campus](<a href=“Informasi Seputar Pendidikan Dan Ilmu Pengetahuan”>Informasi Seputar Pendidikan Dan Ilmu Pengetahuan)</p>

6296

<p>Hi-my first post. Not sure whether these colleges were already discussed .From the Midwest, don’t know of any kids who have attended the above colleges and am wondering about a few things. They all seem to have solid reputations. Which have the largest Jewish student populations.Are the Hillels pretty active? Are they all in small towns with quiet atmosphere or do the campuses have close access to suburban areas? They all look pretty selective and wondering if they are considered more an A or a B student school.
Thanks.</p>

6297

<p>Fabulous news re fraternity at Elon - I had heard about this - but this article provides even more detail. Definitely something we will ask about in April. Thanks for posting.</p>

6298

<p>ch1836 - Hi and welcome. I just have time for a quick answer - in my opinion - they are all more of “A” student schools than “B” students. Early decision might help a strong B+ student gain admissions - particularly at F&M. My guess would be that F&M has the most Jewish life - I’ll link a few things later.</p>

6299

<p>does anyone know about “Jewish life” at RWU?</p>

6300

<p>Re: RWU</p>

<p>I don’t know anything about the school, but here’s a link for you.
[Roger</a> Williams University - Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life](<a href=“http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17672]Roger”>http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17672)</p>