<p>GW: Strong emphasis on internships in the city. We would consider GW if cost of attendance were lower. It is a very expensive school.</p>
<p>Unbelievable and MDC are both right–local ties help for jobs; asking about placement records is important; the economy is in bad shape and worse outside of DC; Binghamton kids find jobs throughout NY; and the economy is likely to be much better in 4 years.</p>
<p>American has a much nicer campus than GW. I have heard some reports that campus social life suffers because kids go to DC bars and clubs rather than stay on campus.</p>
<p>Brandeis used to be much more selective than GW, and is still a reach for B+ kids, but the gap with GW has shrunk greatly as many Jewish and nonJewish kids shun Brandeis as too Jewish. In the last USNWR rankings–for what they are worth–it was behind Richmond, which was certainly not the case when were applying.</p>
<p>mdcissp: The economy taken a turn for the worse everywhere but from what I can see, here in Texas we have not been hit as hard as other parts of the country. I mention this because I know you expressed an interest in UT Dallas.</p>
<p>Spectrum: You are right and my son is applying to UT Dallas. He said even though the economy is better in DC, he thinks this area is very expensive to live. He reasons that the economy is stable in Dallas and the cost of living much more affordable. However, if he goes to UT Dallas, we have no family there, and location wise he could not come home as often as from a place like Towson.</p>
<p>mdcissp: As I know it the cost of living in Dallas is high, but that’s probably relative to many other parts of Texas not DC, NY or Ca. I completely understand the distance question. S2 hasn’t expressed any interest in going to school OOS and I wonder about whether I should push him to apply to one or 2 OOS’s or just celebrate that he won’t be that far away. There are big advantages in the way of cost and also family support when coming home is an option. Being away without an easy trip home can work but it depends a lot on the kid, their desire to be away and the distinct advantages that distant schools offer to make the distance worthwhile.</p>
<p>from around here:</p>
<p>UMiami, GW and Brandeis are all NOT “B” student schools unless, possibly, B+/A- in honors and AP’s…and highish ACT/SAT…</p>
<p>plus the GW population seemed to us to be an “entitled bunch” when we visited a few years ago with my older daughter…yes, obviously, there are students there who are not, but with it being one of the most (if not the most) expensive school in the country, your full-pay kids seem to present that way…</p>
<p>and now for something completely different: for any of you CC parents looking for a large public with great merit scholarships that I know accepts “B” students:</p>
<p>this was just posted elsewhere:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/976753-new-jewish-temple-ua-campus.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/976753-new-jewish-temple-ua-campus.html</a></p>
<p>I’m tending to agree with the GW reputation, and I don’t think it is truly a B school, and it is expensive! </p>
<p>Miami - most students who were accepted from our hs had a weighted 6.1 GPA. That’s a high B+ A- student. I like the holistic approach, moving this school to the maybe column.</p>
<p>Binghamton? Is that a suitcase school or was it Stoney Brook?</p>
<p>Binghamton is not a suitcase school; and to mdcissp’s concern about jobs; that is not the issue with Binghamton, especially in the NY area…the biggest issue with Binghamton (as holliesue will attest to) is that it is in a suburb of a depressed city in upstate New York and there is not alot to do around campus or closeby…</p>
<p>if you can deal with that and the “grey” that overhangs Broome County from October until April, you’ll be just fine; it isn’t even in the snow belt that Syracuse is…</p>
<p>Stonybrook used to be a “suitcase school” but I don’t even think that applies anymore either…</p>
<p>I agree with Rodney’s assessment of admissions criteria of GW. It however had one of the most extensive merit scholarship programs of any of the privates I looked at a couple of years ago. I got the impression that this helped to create a mix of “have” and “have not” students.</p>
<p>RE post 1862. In the 2009 USNWR ranking, Richmond is #30 on the LAC ranking, while Brandeis is #31 on the national university ranking. These are separate rankings, and the numbers are not really transferrable. Not a big deal, just wanted to note the small correction.</p>
<p>Keep this on your radar, folks. This is an excerpt from a Buffalo News article today (bolding mine): </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Hillel here is already very vibrant. Hebrew is taught by adjunct professors at SUNY-Buffalo. Every movement of Judaism represented in the community’s synagogues.</p>
<p>Rumors of snow – greatly exaggerated. Just wear a scarf. 
Custodians, not students, shovel the walkways. Amherst, NY is rated tops among America’s safest communities. International Airport with commuter/discount fares to major East Coast cities, Detroit, Chicago and more. I could go on and on. Really worth considering although it is a large university; might meet some “Jewish B Students’” needs, whether instate New Yorkers or someone seeking reasonable OOS tuition rates.</p>
<p>Boston University; Northeastern; Temple; Nova Southeastern;Roger Williams</p>
<p>paying3 - I got a chuckle from your post re Buffalo. While I don’t doubt it is a good possibility for a “B” student who is not afraid of the cold - the weather is a little harsher than you describe. My husband grew up in Buffalo (Williamsville) and once he left for college he never went back for any length of time. He hated the weather. All of his siblings/cousins have left the area. Besides the weather - my impression is that the economy there was not great - even before the recent downturn.</p>
<p>The first time I visited Buffalo with him - I asked what were the 2 foot tall poles attached to the top of every fire hydrant for? The answer - so the fire fighters can locate the hydrants in the snow! :)</p>
<p>Not for me!</p>
1 Like
<p>We’ve discussed this one before - but I want to ask again - does anyone have any anecdotal info re any Jewish students at Salisbury? I find it hard to believe - given that it is in Maryland - that no Jewish students attend this school. I know that when I contacted them a few months ago - I was told there was no Hillel - it kind of died out 5 years ago. I wish we could use it as an in-state safety school. The business program looks good - brand new building opening soon which appears amazing - and new upperclassmen housing/shops being built also. Obviously the in-state price is great and they have EA - it would seem to be an easy admit for S2. Just curious.</p>
<p>^^re: Salisbury: “any Jewish students at Salisbury? I find it hard to believe - given that it is in Maryland - that no Jewish students attend this school”</p>
<p>It must be like some of the NY SUNY schools (colleges) that have not attracted many Jewish students over the decades…with the Jewish population in NY one would expect ALL SUNY schools to have significant Jewish populations…not the case…</p>
<p>A friend who visited Salisbury liked its friendly, informal atmospherre and cost. He did not inquire into Hillel, etc. Given the population in the Baltimore area and MD suburbs of DC, I share Rockville’s disbelief–but then I felt the same way about Moravian, Susquehanna and Juniata in PA. Mulenbeg, elon, C of C and JMU have succeeded where seemingly similar schools failed.</p>
<p>[Beth</a> Israel Congregation](<a href=“All your current news can be found here!”>http://www.bethisraelsalisbury.org/)</p>
<p>This is the link to the local shul near Salisbury. I wonder if they might be able to provide a better insight. I find it very hard to believe that there are no jews at Salisbury.</p>
<p>Have you visited there yet?</p>
<p>Thanks for the link - I will contact them if we pursue Salisbury. I don’t have plans to visit yet - I want to see how he does on the September ACT and how our visits to Susquehanna and Elon go and then sit down with DH and S2 and reassess whether we are on the right track or need to make some changes. I have an inkling that larger schools with a greater sports presence may be on the horizon. Not my preference, for sure, but we can explore in that direction if that’s what S2 wants.</p>
<p>Rockville Mom: When we went to the open house at Salisbury, there was a slide presentation about the school. One thing that struck me about this slide presentation was photos of groups of college students having fun at sports. This emphasis on sports at Salisbury contrasts with the presentation at AU. The AU slide show emphasized impressive achievements of individual students. Rockville Mom: I think your son will be fine with sports at both Salisbury and Towson.</p>
<p>Main thing lacking at Salisbury is Jewish activities for students. Anyone know about any Jewish activities at Salisbury?</p>