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

Parents Forum
10921

<p>boysx, my S is going through this process with the mantra “I can be happy at any number of places.” So I don’t get huge highs or lows from him, IYKWIM. He goes to a small school now so I think he related to the small, contained campus and the laid back vibe. Unfortunately, he’s not one to engage with current students, sit in on classes or contact professors (where’s the tearing-my-hair-out emoticon?) so unfortunately I’ve shared just about the extent of his impressions.</p>

<p>rockvillemom, the area immediately around the school is absolutely lovely, a really elegant residential area where I’ve heard professors and students live. There doesn’t seem to be a commercial area of any sort within walking distance. The young woman at Hillel cited a farmer’s market nearby on weekends that she likes to frequent. But I think this is one of those campuses where the social life is pretty much on campus. Kids looking for off-campus life are not going to find much if any of it here.</p>

<p>socaldad, I’ve been following your D’s progress here. So exciting! I watched the youTube video for RockChalkShabbat and I want to go! How is it that Kansas attracts all the Jewish kids when there are virtually none at Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc. Anyone know the story behind that?</p>

10922

<p>Hi everyone, been kinda avoiding CC the past week. We haven’t heard anything from Pitt about merit $$ and I must admit we were hoping to have news before we go there this weekend. So I’ve limited my exposure due to impending depression LOL.</p>

<p>We’re driving from Chicago Thursday at noon, should be there by 10 p.m., then the Friday stuff and Saturday for her to tour the campus, city, dining areas, etc. I tried to get her to contact someone at the UHC for a short meet & greet/maybe meet a few kids or see the honors dorm, but she said they didn’t give her a contact email. Hmmm.</p>

<p>Anyway, nice to pop in and see more good news on acceptances and interviews and all that.</p>

<p>Hang tight everyone!</p>

10923

<p>Muhlenberg doesn’t offer anything really that is walking distance. Allentown itself has seen much better days. I would not feel comfortable there at all. The area in one direction from campus is very nice and residential. The area a few blocks away from Hillel and in the direction towards Allentown is more row houses that at some point away from campus seem neglected/ abandoned.</p>

<p>There is shopping/ chain restaurants/ strip centers not far from campus, but not walking distance.</p>

<p>I agree that one’s social life is primarily tied to the campus.</p>

10924

<p>Mutti, your son is very wise! He will be able to bloom in many places.</p>

<p>I’m following all of your sagas with a bit of wistfulness. The college-choosing journeys are all done in our family…grad school search for S2 was so different and I really wasn’t involved at all.</p>

10925

<p>Mutti: Your son has a great attitude. I’ve heard good things about Muhlenberg.</p>

<p>Sujormik: I hope you get some good news on the merit $$ soon. Enjoy your visit.</p>

<p>Like Boysx3, I’m sad to think that our days of college visits are over. I don’t miss the stress of senior year, however. I am enjoying following your kids and hoping for good results for them.</p>

10926

<p>Hi, all. We are going to Binghamton this weekend for DS to see (info session/tour). He’s more optimistic about it than DD was (she did not want a SUNY, no way, no how). Good option for OOS “B/B+” students, as we’ve discussed here. Anything you’d like me to find out about or specific impressions I can bring back to my friends here? I’m going to try to meet up with a friend of DD’s while I’m there - he’s from her URJ camp and is also in a fraternity at Bing, think he’s studying business of some sort - I can ask him anything too…</p>

<p>We’re going to Lehigh (again) on the way (sort of) to Bing for the engineering tour (last time did the info session and general tour). I just need to break up the ride to Binghamton and it’s a school that DS likes and you need to “show the love.” We’ll also check out parts of campus we didn’t see last time (it was his first college visit, so it was all new to him). We could try another school in the area (like Lafayette), but I think he has enough small/pricey/hard-to-get-into schools on his list now. Don’t need to add more.</p>

<p>sujormik: Will be thinking about you on your very long ride. Should be a great bonding experience! (esp if your DD doesn’t sleep the whole time in the car like I’m expecting my DS to do!)</p>

10927

<p>LINYMOM, the ride from Lehigh north to Binghamton on I476/I81 is absolutely gorgeous (hope you’re doing it during the day). That was a lovely surprise when we did our Muhlenberg/Bing trip in August. We went back to Muhlenberg yesterday for the interview and the ride across NJ on I78 was equally stunning; it’s the pretty brown/red/gold end of the leaf season. Wishing you a successful trip!</p>

10928

<p>mutti: Great! We should be done at Lehigh by 2:30 and then head up to Binghamton. Looks like weather will cooperate. Last time we were at Lehigh was last November and it was absolutely beautiful.</p>

10929

<p>That is a beautiful drive. We took 81 on our way to Boston for D’s drop off to avoid the hurricane and we were pleasantly surprised. Have a great trip Linymom.</p>

10930

<p>Safe travels to all!</p>

10931

<p>Hi friends:</p>

<p>Linymom and sujormik: safe travels…</p>

<p>Other than to tell you our power was off for so long, I haven’t written much lately. To be honest, I’m a little depressed and maybe this group can help me. Socaldad, maybe you can give me some guidance!</p>

<p>My S1 is a very happy, confident, assertive college freshman, thrilled with his school. Yay, what else does a parent want to hear?</p>

<p>Now, my S2 is giving me a run for my money. He studies, but only what he needs to get by. Opposite of S1, who did everything above and beyond teachers expectations. S2 loves working with his hands. We thought he wanted mechanical engineering, but after hearing how difficult it is, is now leaning toward computers, maybe computer science, maybe information technology, not sure yet. He’s just a sophomore.</p>

<p>What worries me is he doesn’t like to study and I’m afraid it’ll be harder and harder to get into a decent college! Right now his weighted GPA is 3.2 something. RVM: remember we laughed since I had 18 colleges in New England and surrounding area on my list? Many have been crossed off since I fear they will be too much of a reach.</p>

<p>I’ll have to pm kathiep re: Champlain College. My dream would be for him to go to WPI, but college p*r now lists it as an A- school! :eek: Maybe Univ. of Hartford…yikes…not sure what to do. To early to panic I guess, but now I’m thinking I’m not sure of him going to a college too tough for him…Binghamton and RIT could be too much of a reach…</p>

<p>Right now he is taking 3 honors in math, science and history. Next year I think we will do two honors only, in math and science. Has anyone taken honors science and then taken regular physics instead of honors physics in junior year?</p>

<p>Just feeling a bit depressed over here and not sure how to get him over this hump. Any suggestions? Thanks :)</p>

10932

<p>

[quote]
Has anyone taken honors science and then taken regular physics instead of honors physics in junior year?[\quote]</p>

<p>My DD took honors earth science in 8th grade – I had to get her a tutor all year. She then went into regents (non-honors) bio in 9th grade, regents chem in 10th grade and regents level physics in 11th grade. So she was ahead a year from “regular” but was taking a regents level course. Her grades were ok (high 80’s if I remember correctly). I sweated out the NYS Regents exams. In 12th grade - her choice - she took AP Environmental Science! Good thing we didn’t have to share that AP test score with anyone :)</p>

<p>Not exactly what you were asking but close. This didn’t hurt her at all in college apps (it was her SAT score, I believe). She also finished in top 10% of her class. (FYI - This is not one of the top LI high schools that you read about).</p>

<p>I’m going through some things with my DS in AP classes now. Learning it’s better to get in the 90’s in an honors course than in the 70’s in AP. We are making adjustments becuause this is not the year to kill his GPA.</p>

10933

<p>I’ve got your S2 as my number 4. D’s are striving for the pillar, S1 wanted the grades but never studied enough for it, this one thinks it’s all ok no matter what the grade. The good news is my S1 is sailing high, probably working harder then he ever dreamed and achieving more then he dreamed possible in hs. (He should be a college senior but has a co-op) I am going to keep up pressure but realizing he has to find his path and his time. I can’t make him study more and I can’t make him care. I can love him. I tend to get upset with what he’s not doing rather then praising him for what he’s not as I see his potential and he’s not matching it.</p>

10934

<p>Choc: Please don’t panic. A lot of us have had similar experiences with second kids who are not academic superstars like their older siblings. Each kid is different, but most of our second kids ended up with much better prospects that we expected. </p>

<p>My H and I were very concerned when D2 switched to an easier schedule junior year. She is a good student, but gets stressed easily. She matured a lot junior year, and ended up with good grades and a strong ACT score. Senior year she managed 3 AP courses and didn’t bail when things were tough in the beginning. She’s doing quite well in college so far.</p>

<p>Your son will get into college. I wouldn’t worry about his major right now, since it will probably change anyway. I would just encourage him to do his best and take classes that are challenging but not too difficult. As this thread shows, B students have a lot of good choices.</p>

<p>Most of all, don’t forget to “love the kid on the couch.” Chances are, he will surpise you.</p>

10935

<p>I feel for cccookie’s situation. Every kid is different, and perhaps he’ll get better grades in spring and again junior year. </p>

<p>Just wanted to kvell for a second about D2–HS '15–just named to the HaZamir Chamber Choir. That’s an international Jewish choral group for grades 8-12 that only has slots for 4 non-Israeli alto’s, and she made it as a freshman! The first thing her older sister said was, “That’s going to look great on her college applications!”</p>

10936

<p>Thanks for your quick responses. :)</p>

<p>My two concerns: He currently has two C’s in two out of three honors classes as a sophomore. The third grade is a B-.</p>

<p>He took honors Bio in 9th grade and had a year end grade of a C+ that will go to colleges. He was SOOO close to a B-, it’s really was a shame. Now he’s in honors Chem with a C average and will take Physics next year. So my dilemma is do I keep him in the honors track even if he ends the year with a C?</p>

<p>Our h.s. is one of the top public schools in the nation and appeared in Newsweek magazine’s listing.</p>

<p>Our h.s. just has regular and honors courses and there is a huge jump between the two. It would be so much better if there was a choice in-between those both.He prefers to be with the “smart” kids in the honors track at least for math & science, even if he gets C’s. Don’t know what to do. Thanks again for your replies.</p>

10937

<p>What colleges have a similar feel to upenn but are less competitive and easier to get into? (energy, excitement, good academics, bright students, similar size or smaller, city or large town near a city, social atmosphere but not a party school)</p>

10938

<p>chocchipcookie, what does your son want? I ask this because S sailed through 9th grade honors bio and then hit a wall with 10th grade honor’s chem and spent a disproportionate (to the rest of his studies) amount of time and effort getting a B. He was relieved to be recommended for regular physics but of course his helicopter mom and dad spent the last six weeks of the school year in deep discussion with his chem and prospective physics teacher debating the merits of pushing him into honors. In the end, we listened to S who really just wanted not to repeat the kind of year he had in H Chem. So DH and I swallowed the “what if” and “if only” thoughts and S proceeded to love, love, love regular physics and enjoy reporting on the moaning and groaning of his friends in the honors version. Full disclosure: S school does not have weighted GPA and does not rank though transcripts are marked with “H”.</p>

<p>So what does your son want?</p>

10939

<p>Chocchip–D2, hs junior, switched from Honors Physics to Regents (in NY, that’s regular) Physics and her life improved exponentially. It was the best decision we ever made. When she left Honors a few weeks ago, she had an 81. After her first day in Regents, she said, “Why didn’t I do this weeks ago?” She has a 99 avg now at the end of the first quarter. The pressure is off, she isn’t stressed all the time and she has the time and energy to devote to the subjects she enjoys more.</p>

10940

<p>CCCookie- it sounds so familiar, like you’re talking at my house. Both my boys would rather be with the smart kids and get a B then be with the “slackers”. A friend of mine is so offended with that idea, as she feels that the regular classes don’t have that feel. All I know, is that was both my boys idea.
I wish we had a regular, honors and AP track and possibly even a remedial. No kid who is smart wants to be with kids who don’t care. I wish there was 3 tracks.
Our public school too is on the Newsweek list. the big issue these last two years is the demographics are changing as kids are fleeing the city school district and coming to our school so they can learn. The problem is, you get kids in high school who have never been in a math class that they’re expected to succeed, or in an English class and they can’t read past a 2nd or 3rd grade level with our high succeeding kids. We need remedial classes that we never needed in the past.</p>