Anonymous
08/24/2025 17:37
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Should you talk about your Jewish identity in the personal essay if planning to be a Jewish studies major? Reading the other thread about not revealing identity or cultural heritage in your personal essay bc of Trump and getting more confused.
Anonymous
08/12/2025 13:40
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:OP, why don't you want to discuss the practical aspects of trying to find a job as a Religion or Jewish studies major? If you refuse to discuss that, it kind of seems like all you want is to game the system by asking for something low-interest, and then changing to a minor afterward. Colleges hate that.
I think Religion studies are wonderful, but I'd be a little concerned about employability. I know someone is spamming the thread with how their Jewish Studies minor helped them a lot and they became a big shot lawyer afterward, but they're bragging while missing the point that they did not actually MAJOR in Jewish Studies.
This was my point exactly.
For those intending to go to law school, your choice of major (or minor) has no impact. You are free to study and major in whatever you want. Law schools don’t care and BigLaw doesn’t care either.
I shared this not to brag but to provide an example of a high-paying career path that is compatible with a major in Jewish Studies (or any other Humanities area of interest, for that matter.)
Anonymous
08/12/2025 10:12
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Jew here - no one is discriminating against Jewish kids in the admissions process anymore. Just apply to programs that have Jewish Studies, if anything it's a boost to demonstrate interest for a less commonly studied program.
Anonymous
08/12/2025 09:54
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:My son applied for class of '29 with an obviously Jewish last name, a predominately Jewish first name and a straight up Hebrew middle name.
Hiding his heritage was not possible.
In addition to tons of strong EC's at school and non denominational activities he also was a hebrew tutor (also a volunteer tutor in STEM for FGLI college aspiring junior high and high school students).
For schools that included a supplemental essay on community or values he wrote about tikun olam.
He applied to 10 of the top 20 and got into 4 including 1 Ivy; was waitlisted at 3 others, denied at 3. Also applied to the top 3 SLAC's and got into all 3 and got into 4 of the top publics. He had amazing stats and awards.
No counselors advised him to hide his identity (they probably realized he couldn't). Our feeling as parents was if a school rejects you because of your religion it wasn't the right place for you.
Of course, he got in. There is no discrimination against Jewish students in colleges and universities. Proclaiming a Jewish identity is a big advantage right now.
Anonymous
08/12/2025 08:54
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I’m looking for advice on what your kid did to be successful Jewish studies major in the past. Is there backlash to this major or any AO bias against the major?
Is anyone part of application nation this cycle? Can you tell me what Sara Harberson is suggesting with regard to disclosing your Jewish identity and indicating an interest in studying Jewish studies? Also interested in studying religion as a Minor perhaps (attended religious school so have a unique perspective).
Not looking at the most elite schools, but schools like Tulane (ED), U-Miami, Wisconsin, CU-Boulder. Open to other college suggestions as well.
If they have a Jewish studies major, the admissions office won't be rejecting those students for their Jewish-ness. If they did, the school wouldn't have the JS major in the first place.
I don’t think this is as straight forward as that.
Look at some of the campuses with the largest most organized and disruptive campus protests last year. They all had JS programs. I wouldn’t go to Columbia as a JS major now though.
Anonymous
08/12/2025 07:48
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:I’m looking for advice on what your kid did to be successful Jewish studies major in the past. Is there backlash to this major or any AO bias against the major?
Is anyone part of application nation this cycle? Can you tell me what Sara Harberson is suggesting with regard to disclosing your Jewish identity and indicating an interest in studying Jewish studies? Also interested in studying religion as a Minor perhaps (attended religious school so have a unique perspective).
Not looking at the most elite schools, but schools like Tulane (ED), U-Miami, Wisconsin, CU-Boulder. Open to other college suggestions as well.
If they have a Jewish studies major, the admissions office won't be rejecting those students for their Jewish-ness. If they did, the school wouldn't have the JS major in the first place.
Anonymous
08/12/2025 07:31
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Please answer the question - I’m looking for her to “apply as this major” (not necc major in it)….likely minor.
Need to know how it will be received? Esp given ECs are filled with Jewish identity.
It's a little unethical, OP, to apply for a certain major knowing that you might not actually pursue it. Is it because you think admissions will be easier, because the popular opinion is turning against Israel and you think there will be less interest in that major?
Please clarify your motives here.
Really? I think that any college applicant should know that the majority of students change their majors and that they might not actually pursue what they put on their application.
I think that when students have multiple interests, starting with the interest that is less common can be helpful. If for example, a student is considering Jewish studies or sociology, then looking for schools who offer Jewish studies is a great place to start, since almost all of them will also have sociology.
But, right now, there is an issue of anti-semitism on campus, and many college admissions staffers are young new graduates. So, OP is right to worry that this might open their kid up to discrimination. This is a good question to ask.
-- NP
Anonymous
08/12/2025 07:24
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Serious reply from a Jewish mom, consider the joint program between Tel Aviv University and Columbia.
Any other schools for those of us (and there are several) also interested?
Emory, Boston University and Rutgers all have programs. Duke has an excellent certificate in Jewish Studies program, but I don't think a major, that is worth looking at.
What about non-top 30 schools?
BU, and Rutgers?!
Anonymous
08/11/2025 21:51
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Some have mentioned Brandeis. Its Jewish history is still very important but it is actually only about 1/3 Jewish now. Before jdate it was where the camp Ramah/Eisner crew all went to make shiddachs. Not nearly as much of that though a Jewish kid will still feel comfortable.
New president is a superstar though not there long term.
New president is a superstar though not there long term.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 21:11
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Summarizing schools with strong Jewish studies programs/centers to consider in one post:
Columbia +TAU joint program
Duke
Emory
Boston University
Rutgers
American University
Syracuse
+1
I would add:
UofSC
Vanderbilt
GW
And of course, Tulane.
Anonymous
08/11/2025 21:09
Subject: Re:Jewish studies major this cycle?
DD applied as Jewish Studies major/minor (depending on the school) last year. Had great success at the level of school OP is considering, including acceptances at CUBoulder and Wisconsin. DD had a lot of Jewish activities and community/school service, so it was easy to build a narrative that incorporated Jewish studies. She leaned more into tikkun olam rather than religion. We did not use SH but did use another high-profile counseling service and they encouraged the Jewish studies major. Good luck!
Anonymous
08/11/2025 20:54
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:Summarizing schools with strong Jewish studies programs/centers to consider in one post:
Columbia +TAU joint program
Duke
Emory
Boston University
Rutgers
American University
Syracuse
+1
I would add:
UofSC
Vanderbilt
GW
Anonymous
08/11/2025 20:51
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Serious reply from a Jewish mom, consider the joint program between Tel Aviv University and Columbia.
Someone is deleting comments that don’t fit a narrative. Columbia-TAU got in trouble for systemically denying Arab students year over year.
I don't know anything about deleting comments but that claim is BS. SJP claimed that but no proof. There are an\Arab students in the joint program. Keep in mind there would be some self selection bias as it requires students to apply to TAU.
That self selection doesn’t mean there should be year over year lack of Arab students. You are being disingenuous and it’s scary that people are okay with the discrimination, just because it’s a program with Israel.
How many Jews do you think these universities accept? Is it "scary" to you that they discriminate?
https://en.up.edu.ps/
https://ksu.edu.sa/en/
https://ul.edu.lb/en
Anonymous
08/11/2025 20:48
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Serious reply from a Jewish mom, consider the joint program between Tel Aviv University and Columbia.
Someone is deleting comments that don’t fit a narrative. Columbia-TAU got in trouble for systemically denying Arab students year over year.
Which Arabic universities are accepting Jews?
Anonymous
08/11/2025 20:47
Subject: Jewish studies major this cycle?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Please answer the question - I’m looking for her to “apply as this major” (not necc major in it)….likely minor.
Need to know how it will be received? Esp given ECs are filled with Jewish identity.
It's a little unethical, OP, to apply for a certain major knowing that you might not actually pursue it. Is it because you think admissions will be easier, because the popular opinion is turning against Israel and you think there will be less interest in that major?
Please clarify your motives here.
I’m not the OP, but I’m interested in grounded advice about how this interest will be perceived by AOs.
Our concern is that AOs will DISCRIMINATE against students who show an interest in Jewish studies or ECs because of all the drama on some campuses with Trump administration’s response.
The fact that you think we’re somehow trying to game the system to advantage is truly baffling. Our concern is the exact opposite.
Jew here you are a dam fool if you send your kid to Univ if Miami as a Jewish student moving forward . For that matter any red state. Never forget are words you should understand.
No kid should be majoring or minoring in Jewish studies right now none!
OP needs to relearn what it means to be a Jew
Not sure why I'm bothering to reply to our resident Troll, but U of Miami is a great place for Jewish students, as is Tulane, Duke, Vanderbilt, etc. All have vibrant Hillel chapters and lots of Jewish students. In fact, colleges in red states are far safer than those in blue states - as we've all seen in the news. No way would I ever send my Jewish kids to a school in the NE.
This is from 2017 but even more applicable today:
https://forward.com/culture/380361/why-jewish-students-are-finding-a-home-in-the-deep-south/