<p>As usual, I’m late to the party. A few pages back, you guys addressed “who is a B student?” really, really well. This group has suggestions and support for the entire range of B students. The common thread is the Jewish-comfort-level component, although we have lots of folks here who aren’t Jewish but looking for tolerant communities for their kids.</p>
<p>Re Hillel: Whenever I visited a campus with my kids, we always stopped in for a visit, and I’d make a donation. My kids don’t actually take advantage of Hillel now that they are in college, but these articles have motivated me to donate. I don’t want there to be a time when these programs disappear, and Jewish students no longer have a place on campus to go to services or socialize in a non-fundamentalist environment.</p>
<p>Still no AP scores here. Anyone else still waiting?</p>
<p>Also haven’t received report card, but that’s probably because DS still has a text book or calculator or something else that belongs to the school (he swears he handed it all in!). Letter will likely come next week… at least there is Parent Portal so I have his grades!</p>
<p>Interesting discussion about these Jewish organizations on college campuses. The only ones that I had been aware of until now were Hillel and Chabad. My Rabbi made an interesting observation in a discussion about my S’s college choice of TAMU over UT Austin. He said that both have wonderful Hillels but that while every Jewish kid he knew at TAMU was involved in Hillel many at UT Austin are not involved with any organization. I suppose when there is a larger population at a school kids find each other outside of the organization and have less of a need but when the population is small they gravitate to a home base.</p>
<p>College43: I know this is just a semantic point but I find that acceptance is a better word than tolerance.</p>
<p>No AP scores here as of yet - although S2 only had 1 AP class this year - so not that big a deal. The only real benefit is that at Elon - they register for classes based on how many credits they have - so a freshman with 1 or 2 AP classes with a 4 or above would take priority over a freshman with no AP classes. So - from that standpoint - it would be nice.</p>
<p>And I am in complete agreement with other posters that if we as parents value organizations like Hillel, Chabad, Koach, etc. - we need to support them financially.</p>
<p>No AP scores in the mail but my S got a text today from his calc teacher that he got a 5! He is still repeating the class in college as it is fundemental to engineering but what a shot in the arm for him, and kudos to his calc teacher who coaxed him into BC from AB.</p>
<p>We didn’t get AP scores but we did get the letter that DS not getting report card yet because he hasn’t returned something to school (have to call Monday to find out what).</p>
<p>Yes, Spectrum, that’s great news, and thank goodness for teachers who see potential in students and encourage them. Sounds like your S is well prepared for the classes ahead.</p>
<p>Thank you Linymom and Shulamit,
Linymom, there is room in my inbox now it was full for few hours yesterday. I just got an email from CC that said you tried to send a PM.</p>
<p>I know we don’t usually discuss UVA on this thread - but there is an interesting conversation taking place on the “Schools You Crossed Off the List” thread and on the UVA board about info sessions being held in the chapel. Some Jewish parents were very upset by this - by the Christian imagery - and the idea that a public institution was using this space for an info session. Apparently the tour guide was somewhat oblivious to the idea that this might offend some visitors. An explanation was given later that this was the only large enough available space - due to some construction issues.</p>
<p>What do you think? Would this offend you? I’m on the fence at the moment.</p>
<p>Having posted on the thread you mentioned, rockvillemom, the issue really seems to be the obliviousness of certain members of the administration who seemed to insist that it was a “non-denominational” chapel devoid of Christian imagery when the stained glass is overtly Christian and there is a cross on the steeple. To my mind, it’s not about being offensive, it’s about being clueless. How supportive would such an administration be for my kid in having to miss class during the High Holidays, for instance?</p>
<p>I agree - just from the quick look I took at the photos posted - it is NOT a non-denominational chapel. I think the key complaint was how it was handled and explained at the time. I don’t see that any offense or slight was meant - and so many posters on the UVA board were very supportive of Jewish life on campus. I’m not sure that I would read too much into this incident - maybe UVA’s admission department can use it as a teachable moment.</p>
<p>As the original poster on the cross UVA off the list thread I want to make it clear. My daughter’s initial impression was just like “it seems a little odd that this is in a Church.” She didn’t love that fact but wouldn’t have crossed it off the list for that reason or even taken offense. </p>
<p>Then when we went up to talk to the admissions officer running the session to ask a specific question the people just in front of us were talking about how pretty the building was and how they loved that the session was there and they knew someone who got married there. My daughter’s face clearly betrayed her feelings and the admission officer said something about “oh you don’t like this building” and my daughter explained that she was Jewish and not that comfortable in a Christian church. And he said that it was not a church, it was a non-demoinational chapel. And my daughter (who is a debater) said “but well there’s mostly Christian imagery.” And he said “There’s no Christian imagery” and she pointed out the Cross and the stained glass of Jesus" his response was “Well other than that…” She WAS offended by that. She kept saying (to us after) if there is a cross on top of the building isn’t that a Christian Church?" And then declared that she wasn’t going somewhere that people wouldn’t even understand what she was talking about.</p>
<p>I do think highly of the fact that Dean J monitors these boards and takes the time to respond. But I felt uncomfortable with the Dean making a point that there were no crosses “in the building” which seems to discount the fact that there is a cross both on top the building AND in a stained glass window in the front of the building and that this makes the building NOT “non-denominational.” </p>
<p>As people noted on the thread there are lots of silly reaons why kids cross places off their lists (boys wearing Ugg boots) so this reason is as good as many on there.</p>
<p>I replied on the post too. I actually agree with not going somewhere where people don’t understand you. The point I was trying to make was the further one goes into the south, or any area where there are few Jews, the more you will encounter people who just don’t get you at all- but since we live here, we feel it is important to understand our neighbors.</p>
<p>Believe me, I could write a book of the strange things people have said to me…but the main point I was trying to make is that nearly all of it has no intent to harm or hurt me. I don’t think UVA had any intention of making you uncomfortable, and I believe they will consider this in the future.</p>
<p>But your daughter has a choice and I think she would be happier in another school, and possibly another region. Your reason is just as valid as anyone else’s, and you deserve to be in a comfortable place. There are many different cultural roots in our country… but good people are everywhere too. </p>
<p>Discussing religion can invoke more emotions than boys in Uggs…which is why I also was prompted to write a response- because I also understand the other point of view.</p>
<p>It is the reason we look for schools with a decent size Jewish population, but we all have different experiences and different levels of comfort.</p>
<p>I do hope your daughter finds a great school that fits her.</p>
<p>We have the experience of oblivious administrators and teachers in public school. Not doing that again. It is nearly as offensive as prejudice. As I pm’ed Maya the other day, there are so many colleges to choose from, the clueless-ness of an admissions rep is as good a reason as any to cross it off the list. Ignorance is no excuse.</p>
<p>On another topic, a parent, Stillnadine, posted about her D who enjoyed working with animals. I was looking on the internet at various schools and came across a small college, Delaware Valley College in Pa that seems devoted to animal careers, agriculture and also business . Seems like they have a small Hillel. I don’t know much else about it but it seemed like a possible fit…</p>
<p>Just weighing in on UVA. Way back when S1 and I visited back in 09. I am almost positve that our info session was in the chapel. I think there may have been some explanation at the time but I don’t recall what it was. I asked S1 about it and all he remembered was that there was a chapel. We weren’t fazed by this. Neither of us clearly remember it. In the end my S decided not to apply to UVA but if this was an influence it was subliminal. Like Penny we also live in a place with few Jews. We have been in many churches for weddings, and other life milestones, also as part of their preconfirmation classes our kids went to places of worship for a number of different faiths. For us it made no impression at all but I expect it would have back when I was a new transplant from NY before I became desensitized.</p>
<p>Upon thinking about it, it does seem a little wrong for a public university to have Christian chapel and to call it non denominational. (Kind of like when I moved to a small town in Texas and was told that there were congregations representing every religion. In fact it turned out that every one of them was a Christian demination, and yes there was an old overgrown Jewish cemetary ) I wouldn’t be too hard on the admissions folks but as Linymom said, quoting RVM it is a teachable moment. </p>
<p>Penny, my experiences is like yours, "nearly all of it has no intent to harm " perhaps we can collaborate on that book!</p>
) I wouldn’t be too hard on the admissions folks but as Linymom said, quoting RVM it is a teachable moment. </p>