<p>momjr - our hs had 370 applications to MD in 2009 (out of about 650 kids). 292 were accepted and 149 matriculated. The averages on Naviance are really skewed high because a lot of really top students apply. So, I tried to look at the graph to see how low you could be and still have a reasonable shot at acceptance. With a 1200 SAT and a 3.4 wgpa - most kids in that range were accepted. With an 1100 SAT and a 3.5 wgpa - most kids in that range were accepted. Below a 3.4 wgpa and below an 1100 - looking pretty iffy. There were also a few kids with SATs in the 1400-1500 range but GPAs under 3.5 who were rejected. Hope this helps. Incidentally, you definitely want to apply by the Nov. 1 priority date - don’t do the later date.</p>
<p>Rockvillemom,
Thanks for the data. Do you know if the accpetances include students who were offered the Freshman Connection program? I know that a lot of kids from our school are starting in that program, and it would be helpful to know what stats you need for Fall admission.</p>
<p>Hi - no I don’t know from Naviance how many were offered Freshman Connections vs. a regular fall admit - they don’t show that level of detail. I have heard of the program - it’s basically a spring admit, right? They can take classes in the fall during off-peak hours - but cannot live on campus. They can do clubs and activities, I believe. Students in that program are not guaranteed housing for the spring either. I don’t know - it kind of sounds like you are a second class citizen to me - I would not be too thrilled with that outcome.</p>
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<p>So, we are back from our Gettysburg College visit. It was really nice doing it as a day trip and we all kind of liked the summer visit - less crowded, easy to park, etc. We had the traditional hour long info session followed by an hour tour of campus. First impression that I want to mention is that the area around campus offers more than I expected. A mile out - it is very rural. But within walking distance to campus there are restaurants, shops, a movie theatre, etc. There is also a local bus called Freedom Transit that students can ride for free taking them around the area. So, I liked that very much - I think a small campus in a rural location can be boring at times - it was good to see there were things within walking distance.</p>
<p>The info session was pretty typical - a few nuggets - they are looking for A/B students with rigor in their curriculum - AP classes, etc. Looking for 1200-1300 SAT or 28-30 ACT for admissions. Merit scholarships of $10,000 and $15,000 are available - but it sounds like you would have to be in the top 10% of the pool. They did emphasize the availability of need-based aid - which is good since the price tag is $50,000+.</p>
<p>Attractive campus - most students live on campus all 4 years and housing is guaranteed. About 1/3 join fraternities/sororities - pledge during sophomore year. Freshman housing is co-ed by room - students live with other students from their First Year Seminar. About 82% of freshman do the seminar program. About 50% study abroad at some point. </p>
<p>Beautiful new athletic center with state of the art work out equipment, pool, climbing wall and ropes course outside. Lot of emphasis on sports and physical activity - many options for club and intermural sports - lots of fitness classes - would not be a good fit for a couch potato! Also has a conservatory and many music-related offerings.</p>
<p>Dining hall was very nice and fairly new - food is supposed to be fantastic. We saw one dorm room and were told is was the worst one - anything else would be bigger - it was fine - on par with S1’s room at Wake this year - so not concerned there.</p>
<p>We heard about the expansion of the mgmt major - it is one of the most popular majors at Gettysburg and they also just added a business minor. Seems like many students double major or have 1 or 2 minors. Very high freshman retention rate - about 95%. Those who do not return - generally it is something very specific to that student such as health reasons, or it is financial.</p>
<p>So, overall, it was a good first visit and a pleasant trip. I’m not sure Gettysburg is the perfect fit for S2 - it will be interesting to compare it against Muhlenberg and Susquehanna once we visit those schools. Gettysburg has about 150 Jewish students - of course Muhlenberg is closer to 1/3. I also think Muhlenberg and Susquehanna are more “preprofessional” in focus rather than pure liberal arts and that they both have deeper business offerings.</p>
<p>Next week - James Madison.</p>
<p>Rockvillemom: Thanks for the detailed report on your Gettysburg visit. It sounds like a good academic fit for my daughter, but she wants a bigger school.</p>
<p>You’re right about UMCP Freshman Connection. Most of the students like just off campus in high-rise apartments. It’s not ideal, but my older daughter knows some kids who did it and were happy with the choice. For kids who really want to go to College Park, it seems to be worth it.</p>
<p>Another school that might interest people: Arcadia near Philadelphia:
[Arcadia</a> University - #1 in study abroad, graduate, undergraduate, online degree programs including Forensic Science](<a href=“http://www.arcadia.edu/]Arcadia”>http://www.arcadia.edu/)
Is anyone familiar with it?</p>
<p>levirm - I have never heard of this school. I did look it up - it is located in suburban Philly. Has 2257 undergrads - about 4000 total. Wide variety of majors, including business. Tuition, room & board come to about $42,000 - but - they state that 98% of students receive some merit or need-based aid. Average class size is 16. Guaranteed housing for all 4 years. Average admitted GPA is 3.5 and average SAT is 1660/2400. They participate in the Philly Hillel.</p>
<p>[Arcadia</a> University - Hillel](<a href=“http://www.arcadia.edu/student/default.aspx?id=1489]Arcadia”>http://www.arcadia.edu/student/default.aspx?id=1489)</p>
<p>From our large public hs Naviance - 5 students applied in the past 3 years - 4 were accepted. The weighted GPAs ranged from 2.7 - 3.4. The SATs ranged from 920 - 1170 out of 1600.</p>
<p>Anyone know more?</p>
<p>Getting ready to visit JMU this week and wanted to post some thought/questions.</p>
<p>The national Hillel website (which we all acknowledge is not that accuarate) shows 1200 Jewish students and 17,000 undergrads. The JMU Hillel website reports 800 Jewish students.</p>
<p>Price tag is about $28,300 for tuition, room & board for OOS.</p>
<p>College of Business (COB) has many offerings, including mgmt and marketing. My concern is that you have to apply for admission at the end of sophomore year - this worries me a bit. I also think the Gen Ed requirements seem complicated and cumbersome.</p>
<p>Another possibility for S2 is a sports and recreation mgmt major - in the Dept. of Kinesiology in the College of Integrated Science and Technology. I think - can’t tell for sure - that this major would not require a separate application for admission at the end of sophomore year and it seems many who do this major also minor in business.</p>
<p>It appears that most juniors and seniors live off campus - so I do want to get a good look at that area. My perception is that this is where most of the partying takes place as well. But, there does seem to be a lot of other options - a lot to do both on campus and in the general area.</p>
<p>So, I would have to say my biggest concerns are the housing issue and the requirements to be admitted into the COB. We’ll see how it goes.</p>
<p>Arcadia was formerly called Beaver College and was all women; the name was changed to avoid sexual jokes. I believe a CC’er named KathieP may have visited it.<br>
Check for the % of commuters and transfers. Also see if they still house some students in the otherwise heavily senior citizen apartment complex next door.</p>
<p>Easy access to Philly–it is right on the border.</p>
<p>rockvillemom, Arcadia is the former Beaver College. It changed its name in 2001 both to emphasize the graduate level classes once it was accredited as a university as well as to get away from the unfortunate jokes made at its expense based on the name. I don’t know anyone who has gone to school there, but I understand they are well known for their physical therapy program.</p>
<p>cross posted with yabeyabe!</p>
<p>rm: daughter’s best friend is at JMU; she has mentioned to me (more than once) that if there are 800 Jewish kids at JMU, they are “hiding in the forest” (her words not mine)…while she did say there are a core group of kids who participate in Hillel activities (50-100), she has not met many Jewish kids at all…(she is a rising junior)…this is absolutely fine with her; most of her HS friends were not Jewish either…but it is interesting to hear what kids have to say…</p>
<p>rodney - re JMU - is the friend happy there? Did she live on campus sophomore year? Where is she going to live junior year? Any comments on party atmosphere vs. other activities? How does she like the overall experience?</p>
<p>As far as Hillel goes - a core group of 50-100 kids who participate is fine by me - S2 probably has about 30 kids in his BBYO chapter - and they get together with other chapters - which I imagine Hillels do from time to time as well.</p>
<p>Rockville Mom: I caution you with these schools such as JMU and UMCP that require your child to apply to Business at the end of soph. year. Ask how competitive is this requirement.
Towson also has this later application to B school, but the GPA requirements were lower than UMCP. Also, I heard that the Sports Management program is highly competitive and does not pay well for most jobs. Check into that area more closely before having your son sign up for this major. The one thing I like about UT Dallas is the rep said when you come to UT Dallas, you pick whatever major you want (including Business major) without having to apply to that major.</p>
<p>JMU: she really likes it; has joined a sorority and is living in it for junior year…she did mention that her sorority sisters have tried to convert her (she was laughing when she said it though…I guess you have to know the kid); she is a pretty big partier and was never really a stellar student in high school, but is really enjoying her experience there (except for the fact that it is impossible for her to get home unless she has a ride)…majoring in psych; no idea what she is planning on doing with that after graduation…</p>
<p>rodney- re: sorority sisters trying to convert her… a friend of mine’s daughter who was raised in a very active Reform family went to University of South Carolina. Her roommate was an evangelical Christian. My friend’s daughter ended up converting to Christianity and is now married to an evangelical christian. At their wedding they actually tried to get the Jewish relatives to accept Jesus Christ. Was incredibly difficult for my friend!
You never know!!</p>
<p>hs: I think that would be a “deal breaker” for me; I am certainly not “nuts” about Judaism, but I think I would draw the line at intermarriage; conversion, on the other hand, would just be, as you said, “incredibly difficult”…</p>
<p>Rodney-as someone who is intermarried, I know my father in particular had to swallow hard to accept it, but once he learned that we would have a Jewish home and raise our child Jewish he was okay. Conversion would have been a harder pill to swallow.
I just raise it b/c USCarol has an active hillel. There is no guarantee an active Hillel will prevent dating with non-Jews, conversion etc.</p>
<p>I guess I am just a little sheltered here in the tri-state area; I honestly don’t know anyone who has converted from Judaism to Chritianity; is that more prevalent in other areas of the country?</p>
<p>now, intermarriage is another story; our entire town is intermarried (as is my husband’s entire extended family)</p>
<p>Rodney-it has happened to the children of a few people I know. But more common is of course raising the children Christian rather than Jewish.</p>
<p>This is from the Jewish Population Survey (a little old, 2001, but it’s the best we have):
“In-married and intermarried Jews differ dramatically in the extent to which they raise their children as Jews. Nearly all children (96%) in households with two Jewish spouses are being raised Jewish, compared to a third (33%) of the children in households with one non-Jewish spouse. How the children of intermarriages will identify themselves when they grow up is unknown now. However, it is noteworthy that children of intermarriages are being exposed to less intense forms of engagement with Jewish life through their parents than children of in-married Jews.”
Here is a link to a table showing Jewish involvement of in-married vs. intermarried couples:
[NJPS:</a> Intermarriage: Intermarriage and Current Jewish Connections](<a href=“http://www.jewishfederations.org/page.aspx?id=46256]NJPS:”>http://www.jewishfederations.org/page.aspx?id=46256)
For example, 59% of in-married couples belong to a synagogue, 15% of intermarried do. There are other indicators of Jewish involvement also.
Another table shows that 47% of those married between 1996 and 2001 were intermarried.
But the survey does not include former Jews who converted out. Anecdotally, I know people who have - even in your tri-state area (you probably mean NY-NJ-CT, not my tri-state area of PA-OH-WV, or perhaps you are in another tri-state area).
We need to communicate to our kids about continuity!
As an update, I did contact a couple of local agencies about a discussion group regarding launching our adolescents and young adults with a connection to Jewish life, but lmyers, who posted on this thread, had already beat me to it and was organizing parlor meetings! Great job, lmyers! I think that it is a really good topic for local meetings.</p>