<p>Too late to weigh in?? I’d suggest a passport wallet card for backup, and make copies of all documents, credit cards, etc. The ISIC (Student Travel) card for discounts. A thermometer and Pepto Bismol tablets. Lightweight rain poncho (covers the backpack or shoulder bag too) stuffed into a ziplock. A blow-up travel pillow for sleeping on trains. Microfiber towels take up very little room and dry fast. Packets of laundry soap and a sink stopper.</p>
<p>Good afternoon all! I’ve been reading through your very informative thread and wondering if anyone can share some experience on how generous Quinnipiac or Ithaca are with merit aid? I’ve read so many mixed reviews! My DS has good test scores (CR/M 1300) but GPA about 3.3 and not many EC’s outside of sports and a part time job. Thank you for your feedback.</p>
<p>Indiana has an EXCELLENT business school but you must apply in after freshman year. Truly top notch and want kids from the Northeast.</p>
<p>On move in day at the University of Alabama, our first interaction was with a student wearing a yarmulke with the UA colors and logo. He had a good sense of humor and it was a positive way to start the move in process.</p>
<p>^ Roll Tide</p>
<p>Just dropped DD off at TCU.</p>
<p>Despite the name, it isn’t. It was founded by Disciples of Christ, and is not governed by the church. The only Christian symbol I saw on campus is on the steeple of a church. (you’ll find crucifix’s in classrooms in many schools that you may not think of as “Christian”, such as Wake Forest and GW). There is a small Hillel and a large conservative synagogue nearby. there is a nice article about the contrast between the Jewish students of TCU and of UW Madison in 2011</p>
<p>.[The</a> Texas Christians of Texas Christian University: Jewish students | Jewish Telegraphic Agency](<a href=“http://www.jta.org/2010/12/28/life-religion/the-texas-christians-of-texas-christian-university-jewish-students]The”>The Texas Christians of Texas Christian University: Jewish students - Jewish Telegraphic Agency)</p>
<p>Great campus, engaged faculty… big tuition. but don’t write it off because of the name.</p>
<p>Maybe one or two B’s. Take a look at the freshman class profile Admitted GPA exceeds 4.0. Not a realistic school for this group.</p>
<p>This was in response to earlier post that stated that there are a lot of Jewish students at UF Gainesville, which is true. And that they take “B” students. Not true.</p>
<p>with respect to post 17044 above-- Indiana’s Kelley School of Business is excellent and it does have direct freshman admission for top students. Other students can apply to Kelley after their freshman year if they do well in certain required courses–but many students find those courses very challenging and have to go to Plan B.</p>
<p>As to TCU, up until 2000, Elon’s mascot was the “Fighting Christians” but it now has an active and growing Hillel and the mascot is the Phoenix.
St Mary’s College in Maryland is a public, and not religious school.
So yes, sometimes a name is more historical than descriptive of the current student body.</p>
<p>Thanks to people who replied about Kelley. I’m hearing really positive things about it, and their admission standards are not as high as one might expect for a program as highly regarded as it appears to be. UMd CP is still number 1, but Kelley is number 2.
boysx3, if I recall correctly, one of your sons was at American. Did he major in business? Do you know what it takes to get merit money there? This will be our third child in college, all at once, so we are feeling it. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>S3 just graduated from American University’s Kogod School of Business. He did receive a small merit award but not enough that it would have influenced his decision . He applied ED because after his CPUs visit he could see himself no where else.</p>
<p>He–and his friends-- all seemed to have had endless opportunities both on campus and off. The ability to work at internships (and many of them paid) should not be discounted. All of son’s group of friends are employed or heading to excellent grad programs–and those heading to grad programs were planning to do so all along and not as an alternative to unemployment.</p>
<p>I don’t think this is true only at AU, I think it is a function of location. It makes sense to go where greater opportunities are. That being said, AU capitalizes on the opportunities to a unique degree.</p>
<p>What does CPUs visit mean? DD is planning to apply to American. Appreciate the info about internships! Are kids able to have those opportunities even if not in the Business school?</p>
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<p>Quite the contrary.
I’d fully expect to see christian symbols at both Wake and GW seeing as how both universities were founded as Baptist schools.
WF didn’t disassociate itself from the Baptist Convention until the 1980s.
And GW also has the added affiliation with Free Masons, so there should be all types of symbols galore.</p>
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<p>That’s different. Saint Mary’s was always a public state-created institution. It never had any religious affiliation. (Despite the word “seminary” in its early name.)</p>
<p>The name comes from the city, not from any religious connotation.</p>
<p>^ I agree, but when I first heard of it, I assumed it was a Catholic school. When I took a second look, I realized it was a state school.
Many secular schools have religious symbols and historic chapels in them, as do religious schools, but the focus on religion varies. For some state schools, like UVA, the chapel there reflects the history of the school and the founder. It’s not a reflection of the focus of the school today, but it clearly is a treasured- and beautiful- building- and is in demand for people who want to get married in it.
Other schools clearly seek to provide a religious experience and integrate that into the curriculum.
I guess the point of the TCU post is to look beyond the name or affiliation and see if a Jewish, or other non-Christian student could be comfortable there. I suppose that’s an individual decision as much as “fit” is.</p>
<p>So sorry about the typo! I was typing on my phone. I was referring to campus visits!</p>
<p>It seems that almost all students at American have internships of various sorts, not just the students in Kogod. There are just so many opportunities–in addition to the usual business internships there are just so many with government, international organizations, NGOs, nonprofits, museums, embassies, news organizations, political organizations, etc–students can generally find what they are looking for to develop the skills they need and to also work on developing their professional network.</p>
<p>By the way, this being the thread for Jewish students,(I don’t want to hurt the feelings of our non-Jewish posters )there was a comment from S2 that I wanted to share about Jewish life in DC for young professionals…He highly recommends it!</p>
<p>S2 has generally been my “less socially out there” son…but he has thrived in DC. He constantly seems to have plans, be busy, etc.–a real change for him, and he is so enjoying it. </p>
<p>We were talking about this the other night–and it is something that he had already been thinking about himself. </p>
<p>His take is that it is “easy” to find a “Jewish” social life in DC because there is so much easily accessible “infrastructure.” There are just so many organizations to get involved in, so many "open’ events , all over DC and on any given night or weekend. Some people go to events because they are involved or committed to that cause, others go to show support–or just to see who is there, meet and mingle. The important thing being, that people go. You can go to a different event every night and eventually meet your people. People are all very friendly and outgoing–this is DC, everyone is looking to network. All you need to do is show up, and you get roped in.</p>
<p>S2 has gone to events at 6th and I (google it if you want–it’s very unique) to events for AIPAC, J Street, and all sorts of more focused causes–and the synagogues are in on it too. Many have Young Professional service on Friday night, followed by Shabbat Dinner–and of course, groups form and go on out later.</p>
<p>S2 has made tons of friends–some have become personal best friends, some are more “professional” and also met his girlfriend-and-maybe-more-one-day.</p>
<p>He was comparing this to talks with some of his good friends who have taken jobs in other cities–they are finding it much more difficult to find friends in a new city. In S2’s opinion, It’s that most other cities don’t have the organizational/networking structure of DC–so it’s hard to grow a new group of friends, much less find a group to have Shabbat dinner with on occasion, or to have a Sukkah dinner or Seder.</p>
<p>I guess it’s sort of taking the search for a campus environment with a Jewish component into the next phase of life.</p>
<p>Of course, the gist of his comment goes to any young professional moving to a new city. DC just seems to make it easy to meet a new group of friends, Jewish or not.</p>
<p>The annual college issue is available online. Here’s a link to The Top 20 Small and Mighty Campuses:</p>
<p><a href=“http://reformjudaismmag.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=3292&destination=ShowItem[/url]”>http://reformjudaismmag.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=3292&destination=ShowItem</a></p>
<p>Note the list contains a few we have discussed, including Elon and College of Charleston.</p>
<p>Great to see LMU on that list. It’s an outstanding school for B students in one of the the nicest parts of LA. Although it’s technically Jesuit, the school really downplays its affiliation. It also has a small and supportive engineering program as well as a good business program and an OUTSTANDING film school.</p>
<p>Another good article from this issue - this one with tips on finding vibrant Jewish life on campus:</p>
<p>[What</a> Makes a Campus Jewishly Vibrant? | Reform Judaism](<a href=“http://www.reformjudaism.org/what-makes-campus-jewishly-vibrant]What”>What Makes a Campus Jewishly Vibrant?)</p>
<p>And finally, the annual chart of schools with the most Jewish students:</p>
<p><a href=“http://reformjudaismmag.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=3293&destination=ShowItem[/url]”>http://reformjudaismmag.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=3293&destination=ShowItem</a></p>
<p>Lots of schools on this list that we frequently mention, including Tulane, University of Miami, University of Hartford, American, Binghamton and Muhlenberg.</p>