<p>^ Yes, NYU and Columbia, except for both being in NYC, are very different from each other. I have no empirical data to back this up, but I believe NYU is NOT known for merit aid. Other experts on this thread can confirm or refute this. I hope it’s the latter!</p>
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<p>^^^ Not seeing a classroom at NYU would be a little strange.</p>
<p>Many threads on the entire GT/GWU/AU distinctions on CC, mainly the ones that compare GWU and AU. Go to these boards for current student pespectives.</p>
<p>Thanks Rodney</p>
<p>[E-net</a>! - Campaign gift from Elon parents advances Jewish Studies program](<a href=“http://www.elon.edu/e-net/Note.aspx?id=953835]E-net”>Campaign gift from Elon parents advances Jewish Studies program | Today at Elon | Elon University)</p>
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<p>sujormik - I would have some concerns myself about being Jewish at Georgetown. I personally had a very unpleasant experience there - while visiting my then-bf - but that was obviously many years ago. I would suggest contact Hillel reps and having a conversation about how comfortable they feel on campus. I think whenever possible - try to speak to Jewish students that attend the university for their unvarnished opinion - rather than relying on the official line spouted by university employees.</p>
<p>I have visited American - DH is a graduate - I think it is great for Jewish life - loved the campus - really beautiful - but with great city access as well. The only hmmm I have on AU - is look closely at the student population and make sure you D likes what she sees.</p>
<p>I would agree that most people would rank these schools as Georgetown first, followed by GWU and AU - but prestige isn’t everything.</p>
<p>Hi all! I’m new on this. My son, a kid with bad case of senioritis, turned me on to CC.</p>
<p>Perhaps you can help. S1 was easy, applied to 5 schools and chose a state school for the engineering dept and friends. All good and economically delightful.</p>
<p>S2 is looking at all Mid-Atlantic to Northeast, D3 school with baseball. Baseball is a factor in his world and we’re ok with that. He’s not going pro and playing gives him an immediate group. He’s looking to major in Econ or Finance, 5 yr MBA all the better.</p>
<p>Here’s what is shaping up; Union, Clark, Babson, F&M, Gettysburg, Bates, and RPI.
He always had a state school, w/o baseball as backup. </p>
<p>What are your thoughts on the Jewish life at those schools? I have friends that have gone to all, but I’m talking now. We have been to most. Sept will hit Union/RPI. Best time of year to be in Schenectedy, assuming there is a good time.</p>
<p>He liked Babson, F&M & Gettysburg. Clark was ok. Bates…for me, too far so not running there. We live in FL. </p>
<p>Anyone?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>^^welcome orangemom!!!..</p>
<p>What about Muhlenberg, since you have F&M on the list??</p>
<p>My view is that F&M > Gettysburg in terms of Jewish life. We visited Gettysburg last year - was not a fit for other reasons - but prior to our visit - I spoke with the Hillel advisor. he described a community with about 100 - 120 Jewish students - but not a very active Hillel. By contrast - I have heard that F&M has much more to offer in terms of Hillel and Jewish life and has about 360 Jewish students.</p>
<p><a href=“F&M Page Not Found”>http://www.fandm.edu/hillel</a></p>
<p><a href=“F&M Page Not Found”>http://www.fandm.edu/klehrcenter</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2008/apr/FMnewbuilding_03april2008.htm[/url]”>http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2008/apr/FMnewbuilding_03april2008.htm</a></p>
<p>and Kosher dining:</p>
<p>K.I.V.O.</p>
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<p>Thanks! Muhlenberg was on the list, but something didn’t click with my son. He couldn’t put a finger on it, just “gut”, so I told him to let it go.</p>
<p>Open to other suggestions.</p>
<p>My son felt the same way about Muhlenberg - he read the descriptions in PR and Fiske and decided it was too artsy and would not agree to visit. He is applying to Susquehanna - which does not have a large Jewish population - less than Gettysburg - but still seems to have a more active hillel and they do have a Jewish Studies minor. My son was not big on the small PA college model - but agreed to keep Susquehanna on his list out of all of the possibilities PA has to offer.</p>
<p>I’ve been following along here, and usually can’t come up with anything useful to offer. But on the question of the small PA colleges, this is a topic in our home these days too. D has a few of them on her tentative list (F&M, Dickinson). Has visited three so far and liked them all, but is a little unsure about fit. All great colleges, but fit can be so subjective. Thanks to all for their comments about individual colleges - like many of you, I read them with great interest.</p>
<p>Hi Peonies! I agree that “fit” becomes most important for small LAC’s because if you don’t fit in socially you’re kind of stuck. This is one of the most important reasons why my kids don’t want to go to a small LAC. Has your son also visited any larger schools like State U’s? What state are you resident in?</p>
<p>As to Georgetown and Jewish, a friend’s daughter from a staunchly Conservative Jewish family graduated from there and loved it. The Mom isn’t on here but if you pm me an email address, I’m sure she’d be happy to answer questions</p>
<p>sujor, I was asking our local, wonderful Hillel director about Georgetown, GW and American last year when my daughter was interested in the DC area. His advice from a Jewish life perspective was to go to the University of Maryland!
Of course, there are other considerations, but I just thought I’d throw in his two cents.
If you are open to urban Catholic colleges that have good Jewish populations, how about Fordham?</p>
<p>I don’t know any Jewish kids who have attended Georgetown, but I think it’s about 10% Jewish. My D1 was very interested until we visited. She couldn’t get past the crosses, nuns and priests. It also felt very pretentious and seemed to have a high percentage of kids from Catholic prep schools. GW and American felt more welcoming to my daughters.</p>
<p>Sujornik, I saw a dorm room and classroom when we visited NYU. The dorm was very nice. It was a converted hotel so each room had a private bathroom. Some of the dorms are extremely far from campus. It’s nice that NYU offers housing for all 4 years, but housing costs are very expensive. I haven’t heard of anyone getting merit aid at NYU. GW and American are much more generous.</p>
<p>UMD does have a large Jewish population, but it didn’t appeal to my daughter who wanted to go to college IN a city. Yes, you can take the metro into DC, but it seems like most students only go occasionally. </p>
<p>If your daughter likes NYU and GW, you should also consider BU and Northeastern. Those four schools have a big cross-over in applications. BU offers some merit aid, and NEU offers a lot. My daughter applied to NEU without visiting and still got a nice merit offer. </p>
<p>Kudos to those of you whose rising seniors have already started applications. For those of you with procrastinators, don’t worry. My D completed her applications in October and still had 4 acceptances in hand by mid-december.</p>
<p>pamom, we live in the northeast. Next week D will visit our state u. She looks to be a candidate for the honors program and it’ll be interesting to see what she thinks. It’s definitely bigger than most of the other colleges on her tentative list. Still working on firming up the list of likelies. After next week, with any luck there will be a few solid likelies on the ‘I could see myself here’ list.</p>
<p>peonies-which is your state u? Have you looked into Delaware? We just visited and my D really liked it. I has a large school feel but only 16,000 undergrads.</p>
<p>Sujormik: For a kid that loves an urban feel GW is great. They also have a really strong Hillel. A family friend is a current student and he loves the school and has been very active with Hillel. He also did a birthright trip with them this past year. Without hearing the details I know his family felt that the merit aid was very generous. As for NYU, I have never heard about them being generous with merit aid. The most personal account I have is from a family member who was accepted with outstanding stats but did not attend because of the high cost, lack of merit aid and insufficient FA. Since you have a daughter, Barnard comes to mind but since she disliked Columbia she would probably dislike Barnard as well. As for GT, it was cut from my S1’s short list from what we read about it from a Jewish standpoint. We never visited and don’t have any personal experience.</p>
<p>pamom, I’ve read so many positives here about U Del that it’s tempting to visit. But the sports are D I and that’s not a fit for D who hopes to participate at the D III level. This isn’t a big hook for her in terms of admissions, but is one of her passions. So, many of the wonderful schools mentioned on this thread are out for her. Our state U is also D I but perhaps less intense in her sport than some others. Plus the price would be right.</p>
<p>Peonies…we are in the same boat re:D3 sports. Good Luck with that crazy recruiting!</p>
<p>Older D attends NYU. Limited merit aid is available, but in general it is given to the very tippy top students of the entire entering class, Intel winners and those who are enrolled in talent based programs in Steinhardt or Tisch (music, art, theatre).</p>
<p>D is receiving 10K per year in music scholarship (Steinhardt) that is not based on need. However, merit aid is not even given from some of the schools like Stern. Others, like Gallatin and CAS may give some merit aid through their scholars program, although not always. D was in Steinhardt scholars and never got any additional money for it.</p>
<p>In general, people will often say they are getting “merit” aid when it is really part of a financial aid package. A portion of their aid money may be called a “grant” or “merit scholarship” but it would not be available to a student without need.</p>
<p>The tour guide at NYU may have been referring to those kind of scholarships or grants, but in general, NYU seldom meets full need or grants many true merit scholarships.</p>
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