<p>RM, have a good trip!
On Campus vibe, a poster RSCqueen, just wrote a helpful summary of a trip to C of C. I believe she posted elsewhere in response to a suggestion of JMU that it was too much of a hard core party school. I don’t see how that image of JMU survives in the face of a very high graduation rate.</p>
<p>mdcissp: I second Blossom’s comments, particularly gaining some experience observing in a clinic or a variety of different settings. Work can be in out patient, clinics, hospitals, Nursing homes and be with children, adults and elderly. Different environments have different feels and different paces. Both PT and PTA jobs are very hands on people skills jobs.</p>
<p>Just to clarify because I have seen the terms used interchangably: presently a PT degree is a PHD level degree (possibly still a masters at a few schools) and a PTA degree is a 2 year assosciates degree. There is no other licensure that falls in between.</p>
<p>I wish you and your kids well. Hope each finds the right school. However, I won’t be coming back here.</p>
<p>My blood pressure is going up.</p>
<p>I can’t voluntarily frequent a world in which business degrees are the only acceptable degrees or people scour dean’s lists for Jewish sounding names.</p>
<p>As an college professor, to me, the first is a very sad, untenable position and the second a very chauvinistic position.</p>
<p>I am proud of my kids, one an American Studies major and one a Classics major. I was an English major and out earn my husband, a business major.</p>
<p>I don’t see people through the lens of religion. I understand wanting your kids to have a community they’re comfortable with, but when my grandmother suggested that Jews were smarter I decided to leave the Jewish community, at 11. </p>
<p>I am a member of the human race. The smartest kids my DD and DS were friends with in high school were Argentinian, Indian, Lebanese, Jewish, Bulgarian, Russian, Jewish, Danish, many of them first generation. We live very near Brookhaven National Labs and they went to school with the children of first class physicists and Stony Brook professors from all over the world. Of twenty or thirty kids, I would say that one chose a business major (at Stern) (she’s Turkish) and another is at Babson (he’s Russian.) The others chose science, languages, art, theater, environmental studies, English at Ivies and LAC’s and various other prestigious colleges.</p>
<p>The kids were all dear friends and neither religion nor money separated them.</p>
<p>And we happen to be Jewish. My kids had a hyphenated last name, but now have only mine (at the beginning of the alphabet – I’m the one with the health insurance) which doesn’t sound Jewish at all, but was our name in Russia which I have directly from and old, old man I met on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City who’d know my great-grandmother in Russia.</p>
<p>mythmom - I’m sorry you feel that way, but I also think you have misunderstood some of the posts. Just speaking for myself, my boys have expressed no inclination towards majoring in math, science, engineering, etc. If they had expressed such an interest, I would very happily encourage it. I think that for my boys - a business major is a good place to begin. If they change their minds midstream and decide they must major in something else, that’s fine too - but I do want them to be somewhat practical. I really liked yabeyabe’s suggestion about majoring in something practical - like business or computer science perhaps, and then doing a minor that is completely different and allows one to explore a new interest - could be anything from Jewish Studies to sociology or political science - whatever works - I think that is a sound approach and one that makes sense for my sons - but I am sure that there are many people on here whose kids are majoring or planning to major in a wide range of fields - I certainly have not implied that everyone should major in business.</p>
<p>As far as Rodney’s comment about Jewish sounding names at Elon - I think he was just commenting on the idea that while Elon estimates their Jewish population at 250 - it might be higher - that’s all - I think you are reading too much into that comment. It’s hard to know how many Jewish students attend a particular college and in the course of our conversations, we are just trying to get some basic ideas on the number of Jewish students at various schools. I personally view it as an indicator of overall diversity - I have previously mentioned that living in Montgomery County, MD - my sons attend a very diverse hs and we are looking to keep that going at college. We want a diverse college population - not one that is exclusively white and Christian. A college that has a decent Jewish population is probably more diverse and more tolerant of various nationalities, faiths, etc., and that is an important goal.</p>
<p>So, sorry if you have been offended, but I don’t think anything hateful has been said today.</p>
<p>yabeyabe - you are so right about Salisbury. I would make a comparison to Susquehanna - where their recent actions - hiring the new rabbi, the search for an admissions dean to focus on increasing diversity, etc., show me that they want Jewish students and they want more diversity and they see this as a valuable goal for their campus. Salisbury seems to have no interest in this issue - and that’s fine - it’s too bad in that the school was a perfect safety school in every other way - but clearly it is nor going to be a good fit and it’s better to know that early on. It kind of reminds me of High Point - same story where it fit so well as a safety school in every other way - but even their Hillel director admitted there were very few Jewish students and very little Jewish life, so that’s just how it goes.</p>
<p>mythmom - I have to say that until your post, this thread has been a very pleasant exchange of thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc. Something clearly didn’t sit right with you and struck a nerve. </p>
<p>No one suggested that the only major for a Jewish child was business. But, there are Jewish children who are interested in majoring in business. From your own post, your husband was one! However, my D, the reason that I am on this board, will not be a business major. I have received numerous PM’s from members of this board with helpful information.</p>
<p>As a number of us are interested in looking at Elon for our kids and it has been hard to pin down the actual number of Jewish kids there, I was pleased to see that many kids with Jewish names were on the dean’s list. That gives validity to the point that the number of Jewish kids at Elon has been understated, which makes the school more appealing to me. </p>
<p>We all have the option to post or not post. I hope this thread continues to be one of help and interesting discussions.</p>
<p>Mythmom: I try my best to be respectful on this board because we all have different opinions. But, if someone searching out to see if there are Jewish sounding last names at a college or wanting to figure out if a Business degree is appropriate gives you high blood pressure, then you are right to enjoy your reading elsewhere. I also want to point out that you may have stopped practicing Judaism at age 11, but a child born of a Jewish mother is always Jewish, observant or not. I am bothered that you portray a negative tone towards Jewish parents who care that their kids be in a college with other Jewish kids. Many of us have family roots which go back to relatives being perished in the Holocaust, relatives who serve in the Israeli army, and care about continuing Jewish traditions.</p>
<p>To spectrum and blossom: Thank you very much for the added insights about needing a people oriented personality, for PTA which may not work for Aspie types. Although clinics vary, the ones I have been in where PT and OT have been done are generally very quiet, one on one type of places. I can see my son being very happy working one on one with elderly gentlemen in a quiet setting. He cannot work in a noisy environment, but I think he could find a quiet environment in PTA. He has made great social strides, is president of a high school club, very fitness and health oriented, and communicates effectively. I am also trying to figure out different options because I know that many kids change their majors in college and want my son to feel he can start with several different paths to choose from without changing schools (in this case-accounting, actuary science, or maybe PTA).</p>
<p>Salisbury: I agree that it is a shame that Salisbury does not take a more pro-active role to provide a Hillel or other type of Jewish group/activities. We did the spring tour for junior high school students at Salisbury and was very impressed with the friendly, nice professors and staff. The dining hall was beautiful. The new business school is being built. Actuary Science is available. But, I also want to point out that the presentation focused on group sports and did not highlight individual accomplishments like at the American Univ. presentation. I asked one of the students if there was a chess club at Salisbury. He said he wanted to go to Chess club, but none exists. Someone from Salisbury called our house and asked my son if he had any questions and he responded, “How do I get home from Salisbury?” The response was you have to have a car. Come on Salisbury…I am hearing of other schools such as Pitt which has a bus for Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring break back to the local mall for $50. and Salisbury can’t have any transportation to Montgomery or Baltimore County? I mean, the state of Maryland almost requires me to buy my son a car to get home? My point is Salisbury needs to get its act together to provide more resources (Hillel, bus to come home at least a few times a year, chess club and who knows what else is missing?). Otherwise, it is a great school—low tuition, nice campus, and great Business and other academic offerings.</p>
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<p>Anyone know about the Smith Business school at U. Maryland Shady Grove? I am now thinking this might be another option and worth looking into. My son does not want to attend UMCP–too big. Also, Rockville Mom: keep in mind that Towson has the largest undergrad Business school in the Maryland state system. It has a far better location than Salisbury although my son thought Towson was too big.</p>
<p>Mdcissp,
The list of available dormitories sent to my son by his college referred to the 4 dorms in order of how “active” they are, which I assume is a polite way of saying “noisy”. One dorm is specifically reserved for kids who want quiet. It occurred to me that the availability of a quiet dorm this might be something you might include in your college search.</p>
<p>I hope you are able to find schools which give a student the chance to pursue both the accounting and PT tracks you have in mind. This might not be easy to do, as each may take up a majority of a student’s time.</p>
<p>Would a computer-related field–such as computer graphic design–be another possibility?</p>
<p>Congratulations on your son’s success.</p>
<p>My son was accepted to our local community college for early acceptance summer after soph. year of high school. It is the “safety” option, where a Business program with internships and PTA are offered. He could starat the local community college and then apply to transfer to Towson, Smith Business Shady Grove location, UT Dallas (all places which seem ok). He is very happy at home. He also knows that he needs a single room at college. In fact, I called George Mason U. today to inquire if my son can see the dorm room options now that the academic semester is over and the rep refuses to show my son dorm rooms. This is in sharp contrast to UT Dallas where the first thing on the tour was to see the beautiful apartment style housing. GMU is now off the list. My son tried a beginning computer programming course and dropped it. </p>
<p>I appreciate your note of congratulations–my son is greatly improved. He will be fine in college as long as he gets into an area of study of high personal interest and is in a quiet setting.</p>
<p>I have not really been an active participant that much on this thread, just throwing a few comments out here and there, but I have thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone’s messages and even tried to help others when I had the knowledge to maybe give some suggestions.</p>
<p>I really agree with mdcissp’s statement on post #1107</p>
<p>I also am actively seeking out colleges for my S that have at least a 10% Jewish population. He goes to a h.s. now that has many Jewish kids, and even though his friends are “diverse” he is comfortable with knowing that wherever he goes he can meet kids that are different (meaning religion, ethnicity, cultural), but also the same as he is too. When guidance counselors stress “fit”, this is what they’re talking about!</p>
<p>I’m sure no one meant to offend anyone, but the thread was started specifically by a mom to find the right “fit” for her child, something we all want to do.</p>
<p>Mdcissp: Let me clarify that I didn’t just suggest that your S visit PT clinics because he has AS. I suggested it because over 30 years ago when I was considering the field it was a requirement that applicants spend some time volunteering at a clinic so that they have an idea of what they are applying for. I don’t know if it is still a requirement but it was a good idea then and I believe it still is, since young people don’t have any first hand experience with PT. The other difficulty with pursuing a PTA degree and a 4 year degree simultaneously is that, all of the PTA programs that I am aware of are offered at 2 year colleges. It is possible to complete a PTA program and then go on to a 4 year college for a bachelor’s but I don’t know if it is possible to find a PTA program at a 4 year college. Again I don’t know for sure but I would expect the PTA curriculum to be packed with little opportunity to pursue another major while in that program. </p>
<p>Without knowing your S I would never say what is or isn’t a good choice for him. What I would suggest, however is that if applying to a PTA program it would be good to find out about the specific requirements for clinical experiences and also if there are any special accommodations that could be made for these. What I mean is that all programs send students out for clinical experiences in a variety of settings. It would be important to know that there are a options in 2 or 3 different types of settings that would be suitable and that the school would take your S’s special need into consideraton when making the assignments. I would expect if the options are available they would and should make this accommodation with assignments. It would however be really upsetting to go through a portion of the program and then find out that they are not flexible with this or that they do not have affiliations with facilities that provide a suitable environment. </p>
<p>I am telling you this because many clinics are noisy and hectec and from what you describe this may not be the setting of choice. Feel free to PM me if you have further questions. </p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Spectrum: It was so kind of you to take the time to carefully explain more info. about PTA and fit with my son’s personality. Because you have kindly offered excellent advice, I am going to suggest that should my son apply and get accepted to the PTA program, that he meet with the director of the program as well as the disability support counselor to determine if it really is a promising fit of program given my son’s personality. I also want to emphasize that my goal is to try to find several options (accounting, actuary science and PTA, and who knows what else) so that he feels different paths of study are possible and that he is not limited to one school and one major in case he changes his mind. Also, the PTA program I have in mind is at our local community college. The college has transfer agreement with 4 year state universities. Even if it takes longer to finish a 4 year degree, the community college option is so reasonably priced, that it is fine with me if it takes longer to do a PTA degree, and then go on for a Business degree.
I want my son prepared for the real world of work.</p>
<p>Mdcissp and Rockville,
Have you looked at Bloomsburg University in Central PA [A</a> classroom experience of a lifetime | <a href=“http://www.bloomu.edu%5B/url%5D”>www.bloomu.edu](<a href=“Bloomsburg University | Bloomsburg University”>http://www.bloomu.edu?)</a> It offers both business–an AASCB accredited school with accounting (I did not see actuarial in a quick look) and PT/OT. Its website says it has the lowest college costs in PA except for community colleges–about $22k OOS with average aid of $10k.
A friend who visited liked its campus. It has long had a good reputation in PA for turning out teachers and health professionals. As it has AASCB accredidation, that school must be good. </p>
<p>MDcissp, it has a chess club and is located in a good recreational area --pretty hills.
Your GMU
experience, like the Salisbury story, is a reminder that some colleges simply have much nicer and/or more competent staff than others.</p>
<p>UT Dallas tries to sell its school. First thing we see on the tour is this take your breath away apartment for housing–I never saw such beautiful housing on all the college tours we took. Next, the tour guide says if you are accepted to UT Dallas, you can study any major you want. Let’s see–U. of Maryland and Towson-you have to first get accepted, and after accepted you apply to the Business school. Why is UT Dallas able to offer a business degree to any accepted student in a beautiful, large spacious modern building and our Maryland state schools make business an “impacted” program where your kid has to apply twice to become a business student? And why is Towson so friendly to take OOS students, making it so extra competitive for in state students when I pay high property taxes for Maryland state schools? </p>
<p>Bottom line-parents know what your child needs and try to find the best fit in the first place.</p>
<p>I don’t know how any school can give a percentage of Jewish students, other than guessing.</p>
<p>My suggestion is to contact the Hillel to get the flavor of how active the Jewish students are and how many are involved. Even if your son / daughter doesn’t plan to be active in the organization, it will give you a feel for the school’s Jewish life. Often by contacting the Hillel, you can also get the name of a current student to talk to.</p>
<p>Don’t go by the website information only either from the school or Hillel!</p>
<p>The schools don’t give any percentages. it is the local Hillels themselves that do the estimating. Link is in post #11 of this thread. Presumably the local Hillels are the source for the Hillel website information. I imagine the Hillel people must use various methods to arrive at their estimate. eg by who answers about participating in Passover seders on campus or other activities. But who knows.</p>
<p>Hi - I just want to clarify/explain where some of the numbers come from. The national Hillel website is very out-of-date - I really would not recommend relying on that. For some schools, the Hillel website gives an approximate number of Jewish students in their FAQ section. For example, Elon’s Hillel website states there are about 250 Jewish students and James Madison’s Hillel website states about 800 Jewish students. Some colleges have a large enough Jewish population that it is mentioned in their literature - College of Charleston has mail pieces targeted towards Jewish students and states it is about 9-10% Jewish, Muhlenberg states it is about 1/3 Jewish. For some schools, I or other posters on this thread have contacted the admissions office or the Hillel advisor to get an idea. For example, in preparation for our visit to Gettysburg, I contacted Stephen Stern, the Hillel advisor, who told be there were about 150 Jewish students at Gettysburg.</p>
<p>We all have to realize that these numbers are very approximate. There may be more Jewish students who did not report their religious affiliation on their application and who have no interest in Hillel. There might also be students who did identify themselves as Jewish, but are not interested in Jewish life on campus. I certainly would take all of these figures just as ballpark estimates. </p>
<p>My goal is to identify colleges where there are “enough” Jewish students so that my son will feel comfortable and not that he is an oddity. Different people will have different perceptions as to what is “enough”. I also like to find active Hillels - which could basically mean a core group of 30-50 or more who participate in Hillel activities. Again, this is just one item on our wish list, but I do try to report accurate info when I get some news.</p>