She might have a shot a Wesleyan given that’s it’s now test-optional.
Just wanted to clarify that my post #77 was in response to post #75, another post came in right ahead of mine and mine was bumped to another page so it may not be clear. I’m clarifying this because while I love Lafayette, I’m not necessarily recommending it to OP’s daughter because according to her parameters, it would be too small and too rural, I think.
I agree the reaches are too “reachy.”
My suggestions:
TCNJ
Hofstra
Christopher Newport
I strongly recommend she apply to Elon as an Honors Fellow. My daughter is a senior there now and had similar stats (3.8UW GPA and 33ACT). They only accept 20 honors fellows each year, but your daughter would have a very good shot. They treat these students very well and they receive a significant scholarship for being in the program. The HIllel is one of the “Small and mighty” as rated by the URJ. Last year the incoming class was 10% Jewish up from my daughter’s class which was 7%.
I echo the comments above: I think both are too reachy, especially Swat. Bryn Mawr would be the admissions bargain of the consortium. Speaking of consortia, I think she should consider Smith. Nice college town, realistic opportunity to take classes at Amherst et al.
A number of people have mentioned Geneseo. I’m sure it’s a fine school, but I’ve driven around there and it is definitely rural.
Again echoing a question above, have you considered Bucknell?
Love Bucknell but that’s pretty rural too
Since it keeps coming up, here is a short blurb about Tulane Hillel that Tulane recently put out. http://news.tulane.edu/news/tulane-hillel-shares-model-success
And while the photo obviously gives only a tiny window into the area, the Hillel house is about one block from Tulane’s campus and the area is very much an extension of what you see there: regular houses with yards and trees. Lots and lots of trees and gardens.
What about Boston College? Despite your preference for a secular Uni, it does match many of your daughter’s requirements (size, suburban Northeast and strong academics). Plus it has a strong Jewish
community and active Hillel.
Boston College is a great school…and while it might have an active Hillel, it IS a Jesuit college. The OP would have to be comfortable with that first.
Cornell is surrounded by a rural area, but I think the feel of Ithaca is more that of a suburb without a city rather than a true rural area. Because it is dominated by two academic institutions (Cornell and Ithaca College), and a large proportion of its permanent residents work for one or the other, Ithaca has a culture utterly unlike that of surrounding communities.
@SaphireK - I am curious to hear the final list of schools. You have been given a lot of excellent advice. Good luck!
My very aetheist son kept Georgetown on his list because Jesuit universities are different from other Catholic institutions. Georgetown actually was one of the first American college to hire an imam as part of their campus ministry. They even include humanists! https://campusministry.georgetown.edu/interfaith
Georgetown of course is very reachy for most students, but as a Jew I would definitely look at other Jesuit colleges and do my homework. I think you may be surprised.
@mathmom - Very good point. I almost made that point in my earlier post but you made it better than I would have! Historically, the Jesuit universities have been known to be very open and among the most liberal of Catholic schools (in general) and universities in particular.
A school that is 2% Jewish, yet very visibly Christian could be a hard sell for many Jewish families.
But don’t be under the impression that Jesuit schools are ‘Catholic Lite.’ They are Catholic schools, but they are open to other views, both religious and not. The students still have to be respectful of the mission of the university, the faculty (that includes a lot of Religious), the rules and restrictions (including those of birth control and medical services provided in either a hospital or clinic of the school). The calendar will be set based on the Catholic holy days, but accommodations will be made for all other religious holidays but that might require the student to make a request for the accommodation. Graduation and other big events will include prayers and a mass (not mandatory). A Jewish friend would never consider a Catholic school even if it was Fordham or BC or Georgetown, so it really is up to the student to be sure he/she is comfortable with the school.
@twoinanddone I don’t disagree. My son was very unsure that he’d be comfortable at Georgetown. If he’d gotten in he would have gone back for a more extended visit. There are crucifixes in all the classrooms. My kids have a Jewish grandfather, but don’t identify as Jewish so I will not pretend to know what level of Christianity will bother people. I’m not Christian, but I think the level of visible Christianity at Georgetown might bother me, or I might decide that it’s a bit like doing a year abroad - an opportunity to learn about a culture you aren’t that familiar with.
Years ago I was a member of the local YMHA. There was a lot to love about it, they had a great summer camp where the kids made challah every Friday, but in the end, it drove me crazy that I couldn’t remember when the Jewish holidays were.
I think good matches would be: American, Tulane (there may be merit at one of those two) and Binghamton, Rochester.
Match/ safeties that may merit a look: Union, Skidmore, Syracuse (Buffalo would be another good match)
Reaches: Barnard (access to all the Columbia classes), Wesleyan
Has she considered Bates?
A problem for Jews at Catholic and Jesuit schools is the prevalence of crucifixes everywhere. For many Jews that’s uncomfortable.
What was the issue with UW, UM, IU etc again??
@Chardo , you are absolutely correct. Catholic schools have every right to be what they are, but it is not unreasonable for secular students or those of other religions to feel uncomfortable with overt symbols of Christianity, such as crucifixes in classrooms. It caused a problem several years ago when BC decide to place such crucifixes in classrooms where they had not been before. Again, they have every right to do so, but it came as rather a shock to non-Catholic profs and students.