<p>Momofa12-So happy for you! Love both schools. You are in an enviable position. Congrats.</p>
<p>Congratulations, momofa12! How wonderful to be able to choose. Good Luck to your D!</p>
<p>congrats momofmom. i think visits are in order and charleston in the early spring is gorgeous! can’t go wrong with either school in terms of jewish community.</p>
<p>wvu-lots of jersey kids, strong hillel and an aepi.</p>
<p>nbc1963 welcome.</p>
<p>u of georgia–think it is too much of a stretch for an out of state B student, unless there is a very unique hook or high test scores. always worth a try, but my S was told it was a way long shot. uga does have a strong hillel and both jewish frats and sororities.</p>
<p>shaw, great to have you check in and share your stories.</p>
<p>shaw: Nice to see you again. Thanks for the input on xiggi. That’s pretty much the way DS has been handling all his testing and it does work. Also very interesting about your DD. Wonder what triggered it?</p>
<p>momofa12: Congratulations!</p>
<p>Interesting about U of Alabama. I’ve mentioned it to DS because of all the merit aid they offer for OOS (this is the school we’re talking about, right?). As a northerner who is not into football and, at the moment, not interested in Greek life and is not preppy, it just doesn’t seem right for him. He has not expressed any interest whatsoever!</p>
<p>Congrats Momofa12!</p>
<p>My S was deferred at JMU. It was certainly in the mix of his top choices, so the usually emotionless kid was actually a bit disappointed. He’s such a “go with the flow” type of person.</p>
<p>The JMU decision really made me think about how much of a crap shoot this whole process is. For example, though several years apart, my boys applied to several of the same schools. S1 was accepted at JMU, deferred at Vermont, rejected at Towson, waitlisted at Colorado (also got into a couple of more competitive schools!). S2 was deferred at JMU, accepted at Vermont, accepted at Towson, accepted at Colorado. S2 had better grades. S1 had excellent test scores. Both were involved in activities. Again, it really feels so random sometimes.</p>
<p>About U of Georgia (UGA) - it’s becoming quite the popular choice for lots of kids in our area (MD - outside DC). S2 applied EA (was accepted) as did about 15 kids from his private school. Although we are not Jewish, I also know of lots of Jewish kids that applied from the local (very competitive) public school. UGA released numbers for the EA round as GPA mid-range 3.87-4.09, CR and M range of 1290-1420 and a mean Writing score of 654. Also, those admitted had an average of 6.5 AP or IB classes.
S2 has 2 friends that were deferred with high GPAs but test scores in the 1800 range. </p>
<p>Although not necessarily for the B student, I think the chances of acceptance are a bit better in the RD round as they review the entire application - essays, ECs, etc. The EA round is strictly about numbers - no essay is required.</p>
<p>It is certainly worth a shot - you never know. Lots of our Jewish friends have said it is a solid choice for Jewish kids and Athens is an awesome college town!</p>
<p>@shawbridge: We can never predict the twists and turns the kids will take, right?
The college years are a time when it’s easy to “try on” new ideas. I think it’s great that ShawD is reclaiming her attachment…my kids have, to date, been only with non-Jews. I try not to make too much of it, as they are so young, but they know that I hope they choose mates who are Jewish. * sigh *</p>
<p>Quick question: Many moons ago, University of Arizona was a popular destination for Jewish B students ( and B students generally). In your communities, do you still see interest in in UA?</p>
<p>Yes, college4three, our NJ public HS had 3 students apply to UA this year-2 were accepted…avg GPA of accepted=3.2, avg SAT/1600 of accepted=1030. I have no idea if they were Jewish, but doubt it, as our percentage of Jewish students is low.</p>
<p>On CC Parents Forum there’s a thread: “What do you know about University of Arizona?” which might be helpful.</p>
<p>A few things…
Momof a 12, congrats on your two admits. Great choices. We visited JMU. Really liked it. in the end, too difficult to get to from L.A. Also, we have an accept to CofC. Daughter wants to visit. We are waiting for all results before deciding. Please share your insights after you go there. Thanks.
Shawbridge, Welcome home. Surprised to hear that transfer is a possibility. I was routing for the Canada situation. </p>
<p>College for 3, I offer the following perspective on the UofA. It is certainly not scientific, and merely reflects our area…Arizona has been for a very long time a very popular school for B students. Lot’s of jewish kids as well. From our area, it has been a huge destination. Recently, we have seen a shift. At our HS, applications are down. Oregon has become the hot school for B students. It is now more difficult to get into Oregon than Arizona. I also think Colorado has surpassed Arizona in popularity. In our neck of the woods, many kids started thinking of Arizona as the school for those who couldn’t get in anywhere else. My B student refused to apply this year. In the end, it worked out, but I had many discussions with her. Her local safeties were Oregon and Boulder. Arizona has better weather, and lots of jewish kids from all over. Oregon and Boulder are a little more granola like. Boulder has always had a good amount of jews, and Oregon is now growing quickly. Just my perspective. Hope it helps.</p>
<p>momofa12 - congrats on JMU and CofC - fun decision! I think they are different enough that you can do some compare/contrast pretty readily. Obviously JMU is larger and more rural. CofC has the advantage of all that Charleston has to offer. Girls outnumber boys at both schools! JMU has better retention and graduation rates. CofC has more vibrant Jewish life. Social life at JMU is more oriented towards on campus activities, campus sports and off campus parties in the townhouses a few blocks from campus. CofC social life is more integrated into Charleston - go out to dinner, to an arts festival, etc. </p>
<p>What about her intended major? Do you see a difference in the academic programs she is interested in at either school?</p>
<p>Mom2009 - I think you are 100% right on how random the process can be. I think this is why it is best to have many options you like and not be too overly invested in one particular school. And while it is very difficult - not to take a deferral or rejection too personally. I know that is much easier said than done - but this process is clearly so random and arbitrary - you just can’t let a non-acceptance beat you down.</p>
<p>socaldad, ShawD still likes Canada and probably still wants to live there. But, the problem was the field of study. She’s intelligent (definitely high IQ) but not academically oriented. In Canada, you specialize early (she was admitted in the Faculty of Science to study biology and could have switched a little, say to chemistry, biochem, or maybe psychology or statistics, but not a lot). With several lab courses, she realized she didn’t want to spend four years in a lab. As she said to me, “I like science but I love people and I don’t want to spend four years not doing that.” She’s very social and has an effervescent personality and kids love her. Anyway, she shadowed a nurse at a Boston hospital (pediatric cardiac ICU unit) and loved it. As a career, it really plays to her strengths (understanding science, working with and helping people). In a way, the faster specialization was helpful to her as she came to the realization about what she didn’t want to do early on. And, she met someone at freshman registration who was studying nursing and ShawD said to herself, “Maybe I should be doing that.” Her HS didn’t really help her think of “off the mainstream track” careers/courses of study and I frankly didn’t know you could do a BS in nursing. I thought that was something you did after a bachelors. </p>
<p>Here’s the rub. There’s no way to transfer from the Faculty of Science to the Faculty of Nursing directly at her school and only one of her courses would transfer. So, she has to reapply as a freshman and there is no guarantee of admission. So, she was going to apply to nursing schools, but only in Canada. I suggested that she also look in Massachusetts. I figured that all the privates were past deadline but not the publics. It turns out that one of the local privates, with a very good reputation and which puts nurses in the Harvard hospitals for training, will consider her for winter 2012 if she can get the material in fast enough, which she is trying to do. There are some real advantages to that program (can turn it into a Nurse Practitioner MSN in a compressed period) so that is high on her list if it happens. If not, she’ll be comparing Canadian schools and MA schools for the fall.</p>
<p>This is all nice to hear as my Jewish football-loving son decides whether to attend Alabama. We watched the championship game at a bar in NYC that’s basically UA’s home base in NY. Great experience, and I’m sure only a fraction of the real feel of being in Tuscaloosa during a game.</p>
<p>hi all…wanted to chime in re: Cof C for those considering it…</p>
<p>We visited Charleston last year (aside from college tours)…we happened to strike up a conversation with a waitress (student there) at a Mellow Mushroom on KIng Street…</p>
<p>She commented that it was a ridiculously expensive place to go to school…like many city schools, extracurricular revolves around city restaurants, clubs etc and that she had trouble making ends meet…in addition, clothing stores are not geared to college students unless very wealthy…</p>
<p>We found this to be soooo surprising given the very reasonable cost of Cof C to attend…it is a public after all…</p>
<p>Thought those considering it, especially the parents of girls in the group, should know this up front…</p>
<p>Of course, she also commented that the school is 70% female (which we had known when my D applied…)</p>
<p>on a side note: Very excited to hear about Kansas, Oregon and Alabama as destinations for our “B” students…pls keep in mind that Mich State has also accepted ALOT of “B” Jewish students this year and last from the east coast…</p>
<p>Congrats to Momof12 on your D’s great choices. It’s nice to have the acceptances now when there’s plenty of time to compare and return for visits.</p>
<p>Linymom: It sounds like your D is having a great experience in Italy. The opportunity for short study abroad experiences is a nice benefit at schools with a long January term like Delaware and Elon.</p>
<p>Pamom: I think that it’s good that your D realizes that she wants to stay close to home. Many kids do fine only coming home occasionally, but others need to touch base periodically. Both of my D’s can come home for a weekend pretty easily, and that has worked out well for them. It’s nice for the parents also.</p>
<p>WVU is very popular in our area, although most of the kids who attend aren’t Jewish. It’s a great choice for a B or B- student who wants a rah rah atmosphere. They have quick rolling decisions, so it makes a good safely school also.</p>
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<p>college4three, that’s still true from what I see here in Southern California. I know at least one kid from our shul currently there. And when I’ve volunteered at our (Jewish-run) local food bank, the high school volunteers were talking about heading to U of A. </p>
<p>rodney, that’s interesting about how the student felt that CofC was too expensive. I suppose “expensive” is in the eye of the beholder, somewhat.</p>
<p>Hi. I’ve been lurking for weeks.</p>
<p>Mom2009 - I recall reading that JMU acceptance rate is lower during EA, so I would keep positive thoughts about an RD acceptance.</p>
<p>Welcome, FrauBlucher. Remember to stay close to the candles. The stairway can be treacherous. ;)</p>
<p>(In case you can’t tell, I love your user name)</p>
<p>Shaw, Thanks for the explanation. Makes a lot of sense. Hope Boston nursing school works out and she makes a good decision. She sounds very logical and grounded.
Rodney, thanks for the CofC insight. The high percentage of females does not sound great for my female student. Agree on Mich. State. Our high school had applicants there for the first time. They are trying to make inroads on both coasts. I understand they are trying to attract the IU crowd. I am sure the local Mich. economy requires getting more OOS students. If you can bear the winter, sounds like a new viable place for b students.</p>
<p>JMU definately made it clear to us that EA deferrals would be heavy. And looking back at last year’s thread, definately a lot of kids were taken off RD as well as the wait list. </p>
<p>Yes, very good to have choices, and I appreciate the CofC input. SOmethings to consider. We got a nice email from a friend of a friend JMU alum from a couple years ago. She did a great job of explaining the “party rep” and rigor of programs to DD in an email. I think it really helped her. She says that it was a very safe campus and surroundings, and although partying happens of course, no real drug scene, no crazy parties for the most part, etc. DD is not a partier and was a little concerned about this.</p>