? The incredibly strong Hillels at Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, the CUNY schools (and dozens more- U Wisconsin just yesterday) - do not guarantee a good experience right now for a Jewish kid. And you can’t stay away from a protest if you’re getting harassed in your own dorm or being blocked from walking to class, or being singled out by a professor during a history seminar…
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That’s why I’d call ahead and talk to the Hillel directors but also look at - less prestigious schools.
It’s just a hypothesis but it seems that is where the biggest issues are. But the Hillel directors or student leaders will have a great sense of what is taking place of course.
It’s sad because diversity is important but it might play a part here too so less diverse schools may be a better fit in this regard.
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I have one at BU, #1 on the above private list. It’s hard to judge from parent pages, but some of the parents of Jewish students were not happy with BU’s stance on pro Palestine protests
It’s just a list of schools with Hillels to help make a list. My friends daughter at Tulane doesn’t say it’s a problem even though there were issues on campus. Many don’t know which schools even have Hillels that are active so the list provides that. They can call and see what the climate is. I know many that would never send their kids to Northwestern but it’s on the list also. It serves as a starting point.
Saying this, it’s not the way we choose schools for our kids. I think no matter what school you go to there can be confortations. It’s up to the OP if they feel the website is useful. I do know many that use this site for certain purposes
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This is a must in this case. Yes the Hillel lists are guides. So great starting points.
I suspect but don’t know that you’d have a much lower level of politics at Binghamton than say at nearby Cornell.
But call and see.
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I don’t think less diverse is the way to go. Such environments likely have other issues.
That’s why you need to make sure the University itself, not just Hillel, takes a strong stance. On the college responses thread I shared a statement by UMD, sent to me by a Jewish friend who has a daughter there.
And of course, listen to what Jewish students and parentsr are saying about their schools.
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I have 2 Jewish kids at WashU. They have handled things much better than what I’ve seen around the country. Feel free to DM me.
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I echo the suggestions of others to look into Wash U in St. Louis. They have a new transfer process that will give you a decision in 10 days if you apply by December 11. My best wishes to your son.
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Consider William and Mary. It’s a smaller school that is sort of a crossover. While it is a public university, it only has 6000 undergrads and functions like an LAC. Following Oct 7, tables were set up to gather donations to the equivalents of the Red Cross in Israel and in Gaza. Some ugly words were said by passersby to a couple students who have Palestinian family members. The boys at the Gaza table then screamed ugly things to the students at the Israel Red Cross table. There was shouting, but in the end, the boy who was in charge of the Israel table went over and donated to the Palestinian relief organization. They all shook hands.
The students didn’t file a complaint, but within a day or two, the president heard about it and came out with a scathing commentary on disrespect for any group. Her husband is Jewish. Since then there have been one or two quiet protests - standing up and holding signage. Someone did throw a brick at the traditional president’s home (not occupied as it is under renovation). This week, Robert Gates - former DOD head and current chancellor - was there for a panel discussion. A few students in keffiyahs briefly stood up holding signs, but when the president took the lectern to say something like - this is not who we are at WM, this is not the time or place, etc - they had already left the auditorium.
For years, the college has hosted a menorah lighting for students. Two years ago, a community group asked if their congregation could join in and they were welcomed. That group moved their lighting to another spot last year and this year wanted to do it at a monthly Sunday marketplace. They were turned down, so William and Mary again hosted it. A few hundred people came out. No protests but they had campus police loitering around the area for safety’s sake.
So, not perfect but for a 34 ACT and 3.3 college GPA, chances are good for an admit. Their mid 50% ACT is 32-34. OOS full pay is around 62, a good 20 less than Georgetown. Fiske Guide ranks WM’s academics equally with all the ivies.
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