<p>Why should your religion matter?</p>
<p>ncmentor - you seem pretty familiar with Elon admissions - so let me ask you a question. I am under the impression that Elon genuinely wants more Jewish students. You made a comment about religion and URM status being a factor. So, do you think being Jewish is - not a hook - but maybe a tip?</p>
<p>rockvillemom - West Virginia U has the reputation as a huge party school. It does seem to be attracting more Jewish students from our area and NJ, NY. But my impression of the kids that go there are the ones that are not academically strong and are looking to party. </p>
<p>I think that there are better safety options for your s.</p>
<p>cherryhillmomto2 - I would say there is a huge difference in the type of student that goes to UMDCP vs. West Virginia. From our HS naviance it looks like if you have WGPA of 2.5 and 800 out of 1600 on the SAT you can get into West Virginia. For UMDCP it looks like you need about a WGPA of 3.5 and 1050 out of 1600 to feel comfortable about getting in. The averages for accepted students to WVA are wgpa 3.25 and SAT 1071 for UMDCP wga 4.19 and SAT 1325.</p>
<p>I have to say I now some very serious students who have gone off to UMDCP. The ones I know of who are heading off to WVA, not so much. </p>
<p>Partying goes on everywhere. But I think the serious students have a better idea of when to draw the line and hit the books.</p>
<p>Just my 2 cents!</p>
<p>mdmom - I agree (about West Virginia). I’m just a little concerned that he may not like the smaller schools that I think would work for him - Susquehanna, Muhlenberg, etc. and may want a bigger school with more of a sports environment. So far, we have JMU and maybe Towson in mind. I think Delaware and Univ. of Miami are both a little reachy for him. I’m just thinking aloud a bit - so that in case he does want a bigger/sportsier university I have one that I would be ok with already in mind. </p>
<p>Maybe UConn? I really think that’s getting too big - but it does have 2000 Jewish students, plenty of majors, etc. I don’t know - hopefully he won’t want to go in this direction.</p>
<p>rockvillemom - I think you should consider VA Tech. I know it’s a little bigger than you want, but if you are willing to look at schools with 20,000 kids what’s another 1,000 or 2? They have a growing Jewish community and I know that the Business School is good. Sports is practically a religion at VA Tech.</p>
<p>A friend of mine was looking at UNC - Greensboro and North Carolina State for her son who wants to head south. I don’t really know anything about those schools, but I just heard them mentioned so I thought I would throw them out there.</p>
<p>RM, UConn is a good sports school, which has made it increasingly selective. Your Naviance can tell you how it stacks up vs. Penn State. From NJ, Uconn is a B+ students school. Nice campus, rather rural. Penn State is beautiful, solid Business school. Va Tech is big on sports, too and easier from NJ than Uconn or Penn State.</p>
<p>But, is his having a great time at 5 home football games and 12 home basketball games a year sufficient to take the risk that he may coast through large classes, or. worse yet, fall between the cracks? </p>
<p>Is he a self-starter who can cut through the big school red tape or is better off at the alternative–a school which takes its Division 3 sports seriously, but is never on ESPN; where he will get a reputation as a solid intramural athlete and feel part of a community where he knows everyone; where all his clases will be small and none will feature teaching assistants; and where professors and job placement people will really connect with him, because they know him well?</p>
<p>yabeyabe - I agree with you 100% - my son however - not sure. I actually just had a moment of clarity though - if he decides that he wants a bigger school with bigger sports - he can apply to UMDCP. I see no real point in paying OOS tuition for Virginia Tech, UConn, etc. Other than the rah-rah sports - I see no benefit to those larger schools - at least for my son.</p>
<p>So, I’m done obsessing. Here’s the list (for the moment anyway):</p>
<p>Elon, Muhlenberg, Susquehanna, College of Charleston, James Madison, Gettysburg and Towson.</p>
<p>Maybe York College of PA - seems low on Jewish students though.
Maybe Delaware - I think he would need to get his stats up a bit.
Maybe Ithaca - if I can convince him to consider NY.
Maybe Tampa and Eckerd - if we decide to add Florida to the list.</p>
<p>I’m happy with this list. And considering that he has yet to open one of the many college guide books I have purchased, he’s going to have to trust my judgment for now.</p>
<p>rockvillemom</p>
<p>Because you asked… Yes it is my strong impression (and I remember reading it once but can’t find the link) that as part of Elon’s 10 year commitment to have freshmen classes accurately reflect the multicultural world that all world class students will live in, Elon is actively seeking (and perhaps even recruiting) more Jewish students. </p>
<p>I recently read that the Jewish Population is the Fastest Growing Demographic at Elon</p>
<p>Some day I may go into the long history of how Jewish students were welcomed in the South even when they weren’t welcomed at colleges in the Northeast (or ask your Grandparents / look it up).</p>
<p>And by the way, the beloved symbol of Elon is the old twisted Oak tree. Each new freshmen is given an Acorn at the formal convocation and a oak seedling at graduation. I’m sure it comes as no surprise to anyone in this forum that Elon is the Jewish word for Oak.</p>
<p>[Elon</a> University - Hillel](<a href=“Elon University - America’s Top-Ranked Teaching University”>Elon University / Elon Hillel)</p>
<p>[Elon</a> University - Hillel](<a href=“Elon University / Elon Hillel”>Elon University / Elon Hillel)</p>
<p>ncmentor: I love that about the acorns and seedlings. If S expresses interest in leaving Texas we will look into Elon. It’s interesting what you said about southern schools. Are there any other southern schools appropriate for a B+ student that you know of that are particularly welcoming to Jewish students?</p>
<p>Spectrum, Tulane and UMiami are options; Emory is probably more for A- students.
Rockville, I think you have done a great job on your list. UMCP sports are much bigger time than JMU, even if the football team is inconsistent.
Gettysburg, Muhlenberg and Susquehanna are all in the same athletic conference–the Landmark. On your visits, hope for a tour guide who looks into sports who you can ask why choose one of those schools over a Penn State? And consider Syracuse or Binghamton as an alternative to Ithaca–Syracuse has big time basketball; used to be big time football; half of Nassau County filling the Hillel; good business school–and only somewhat worse weather than Ithaca. Binghamton should be a bargain.</p>
<p>spectrum2, an article for you on Southern Schools: [Explaining</a> the Boom - Campus - New Voices](<a href=“Campus & Community Archives | New Voices”>Explaining the Boom | New Voices).</p>
<p>And another more general article: [News:</a> Why More Colleges Want Jewish Students - Inside Higher Ed](<a href=“http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/10/29/jewish]News:”>http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/10/29/jewish)</p>
<p>and also</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.forward.com/articles/123858/[/url]”>http://www.forward.com/articles/123858/</a></p>
<p>spectrum2, does Goucher count as a Southern school (Baltimore?). </p>
<p>I don’t know if it is appropriate for a B student, but my daughter is applying to the University of Rochester and her GC listed it as a possible rather than as a reach.</p>
<p>spectrum2 - look at College of Charleston - excellent school for a B+ Jewish student. The school is about 9-10% Jewish.</p>
<p>ncmentor - thanks for confirming my impression. I think I read something in the George Keller book on Elon that alluded to that desire.</p>
<p>yabeyabe - Syracuse would be on the list were it not for the weather. I think Binghampton is only 9% OOS - which I see as a negative. You are absolutely right about the tour guides - maybe I can find a Hillel member/sports playing person to speak with us at each campus visit.</p>
<p>Is anyone familiar with Bradley University in Illinois or Drake in Iowa? A friend from Chicago mentioned both schools recently.</p>
<p>shawbridge - thanks for posting those articles. I had seen the Inside Higher Ed one before - but not the other 2. Good to see Elon and College of Charleston mentioned as being welcoming to Jewish students.</p>
<p>boysx3 - I have no direct knowledge of either of those schools - but I did read the autobiography of Brad Cohen - he is a Jewish man with Tourette Syndrome who went on to become a successful teacher. He attended Bradley University - probably in the 1990s and was very active in Jewish organizations. So, my impression after reading that book is that Bradley does have a Jewish population.</p>
<p>Yabeyabe2, </p>
<p>Gettysburg and Muhlenberg are part of the Centennial athletic conference, not Landmark. They compete against Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Swarthmore, F & M, Johns Hopkins, Ursinus, Dickenson, and McDaniel. My daughter (who’s at Gettysburg) says that games are fairly well-attended but certainly nothing like the bigger schools. Very different atmosphere.</p>
<p>horsfeathers - thanks for more info on sports at Gettysburg and Muhlenberg. Clearly - a football game at Gettysburg is not the same as a football game at a big 10 school - but it is good to know that the games are well attended. I have not been able to get S2 to quantify just how important this factor is to him. I guess as we do more visits in the fall I’ll get a better idea.</p>
<p>Rockville Mom: A couple of things to think about: UMDCP Smith School of Business is very competitive to get into. If you get in, could end up at the College Park campus, or could end up at Shady Grove. And, if you don’t get into Smith, then what? UMDCP is off our list–I don’t like the competitive feel to get into Smith Business, the huge classes, etc.
Only big advantages of UMDCP is in state tuition and big Hillel—my son is not applying there.</p>
<p>Also, since you are considering Muhlenberg, why is U. of Pittsburgh off your list? Pitt has a lot of good majors, very good Hillel, tuition in between in state and expensive private, not sure about the sports vibe there–maybe reconsider Pitt? I think it will meet your son’s needs.</p>