Rutgers tops U.S. public colleges in Jewish students, report says

[Tango Two]

Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus has more Jewish students than any other public college in America, according to rankings by a Jewish campus life foundation.


Link---> RutgersMostJewishStudents

 

[Upstream]

Interesting, of the top 10 schools, all are either B10 schools or located in Florida or NYC.

Rutgers
Central Fla
Maryland
Penn St
Florida
Michigan
Indiana
Wisconsin
Brooklyn College
Queens College (Flushing)

Number 11, Arizona State, breaks the pattern

 

[NotInRHouse]

RU should be at every heavily Jewish OOS high school promoting this.

 

[retired711]

RU should be at every heavily Jewish OOS high school promoting this.

maybe it once would have effective to say to a Jewish student, "go to school X because there are a lot of Jews there," and I think there's probably still some effect from that, but my guess is "not that much." I have no data, though.

 

[RUSK97]

Interesting...they're public schools too. Even more interesting though would be % Jewish population within a 200-mile radius of the school. Meaning, are Jews just going to those schools because they're close and convenient?

 

[retired711]

Interesting...they're public schools too. Even more interesting though would be % Jewish population within a 200-mile radius of the school. Meaning, are Jews just going to those schools because they're close and convenient?

The ranking was only of public schools and almost all of them are large. Percentages would be much more revealing. For instance, my guess is that Central Fla's huge size is the primary reason it's #2. The schools on the list that are far away from large Jewish populations are the B1G schools (except for Rutgers) and the Florida schools. (There are plenty of Jews in Florida, but many of them are retirees.) I'm surprised only at Indiana.

 

[Scarlet Pride]

Interesting...they're public schools too. Even more interesting though would be % Jewish population within a 200-mile radius of the school. Meaning, are Jews just going to those schools because they're close and convenient?

The actual article that NJ.com is referencing has % as well. A quick scan I would say Rutgers is in top 10 or % too but not at the top. The top % is basically NY schools and then Rutgers. They also have a private school list.

 

[NotInRHouse]

I think some of it is proximity but some of it is culture. For example, in my HS Indiana and Wisconsin were considered trendy for Jewish kids but I'm not sure that there is a big Jewish population in either state. TTFP is not near any Jewish communities, but it's the state school, whereas Michigan and RU are nearby and the state school.

I do know for UCF, I have a friend from a heavily Jewish area in Florida, and she told me UCF is considered second most desirable to UF...my guess is part of that is that UCF is more culturally akin (and on a huge building binge) to South Florida for both Jewish and non Jewish students versus FSU. FSU just seems more Southern, while Orlando has a lot of NY/NJ/Puerto Rico people. I think UCF may also be more competitive.

 

[NotInRHouse]

maybe it once would have effective to say to a Jewish student, "go to school X because there are a lot of Jews there," and I think there's probably still some effect from that, but my guess is "not that much." I have no data, though.

I think this may be effective for the more religious, especially those for whom want to meet another Jewish spouse. In my time at RU, I did note that a lot of the OOS students were Jewish.

 

[RUnTeX]

The ranking was only of public schools and almost all of them are large. Percentages would be much more revealing. For instance, my guess is that Central Fla's huge size is the primary reason it's #2. The schools on the list that are far away from large Jewish populations are the B1G schools (except for Rutgers) and the Florida schools. (There are plenty of Jews in Florida, but many of them are retirees.) I'm surprised only at Indiana.

Indiana maybe shouldn't be that surprising because many of the Jewish students there are presumably OOS, and I would venture to guess that most are probably from NJ and downstate NY, or perhaps the Chicago burbs. What might be revealing is that of the OOS population at IU who are from NJ/NY/CT, a sizable percentage might be Jewish. Might even be a similar situation at Wisconsin and Michigan, and perhaps at Florida and Maryland too.

 

[srru86]

 

[retired711]

Indiana maybe shouldn't be that surprising because many of the Jewish students there are presumably OOS, and I would venture to guess that most are probably from NJ and downstate NY, or perhaps the Chicago burbs. What might be revealing is that of the OOS population at IU who are from NJ/NY/CT, a sizable percentage might be Jewish. Might even be a similar situation at Wisconsin and Michigan, and perhaps at Florida and Maryland too.

I just don't think of Indiana as *that* attractive to OOS students, whether from Chicago or N.Y. (Wouldn't a Chicagoan get at least as good an education -- at lesser cost -- at U. Illinois?) I don't think Indiana's of the same rank as Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. But perhaps I'm wrong.

 

[retired711]

I think this may be effective for the more religious, especially those for whom want to meet another Jewish spouse. In my time at RU, I did note that a lot of the OOS students were Jewish.

could be. But these days religious Jews tend to be *very* religious, and would be hesitant to send their children to places with so many non-Jews. As in Protestantism, the center has disappeared, and people are either heavily inclined one way or the other.

 

[retired711]

I think some of it is proximity but some of it is culture. For example, in my HS Indiana and Wisconsin were considered trendy for Jewish kids but I'm not sure that there is a big Jewish population in either state. TTFP is not near any Jewish communities, but it's the state school, whereas Michigan and RU are nearby and the state school.

I do know for UCF, I have a friend from a heavily Jewish area in Florida, and she told me UCF is considered second most desirable to UF...my guess is part of that is that UCF is more culturally akin (and on a huge building binge) to South Florida for both Jewish and non Jewish students versus FSU. FSU just seems more Southern, while Orlando has a lot of NY/NJ/Puerto Rico people. I think UCF may also be more competitive.

Orlando has become much more diverse in recent years. And I can well believe that UCF is thought superior to FSU, which is in Tallahassee, a town that resembles Georgia more than, South Florida.

 

[NotInRHouse]

It's definitely harder to get into Illinois and Wisconsin than Indiana. I have a good friend that went to IU from NJ, and he did not get into RU. I think IU, with some exceptions, notably business and law, fills a function somewhat like WVU does in Northeast, but I think IU is way better regarded, just easier to get into than much of the rest of the B1G, aside from Nebraska. I also understand Bloomington to be a nice town.

 

[Jonny S]

Indiana maybe shouldn't be that surprising because many of the Jewish students there are presumably OOS, and I would venture to guess that most are probably from NJ and downstate NY, or perhaps the Chicago burbs. What might be revealing is that of the OOS population at IU who are from NJ/NY/CT, a sizable percentage might be Jewish. Might even be a similar situation at Wisconsin and Michigan, and perhaps at Florida and Maryland too.

Indiana has a lot of Jewish students from NY/NJ who want to go away for school and are decent students but not good enough for the next tier. I know a few of them.

Conceivably the Orthodox might want be attracted by this although they have purely Orthodox options. And also some more secular minded who still would prefer meeting a Jewish spouse. The majority though are probably not taking it into account beyond not wanting to be in a hostile environment like parts of the Deep South. Pretty much any name school you go to on the East Coast, Midwest, and California will have huge Jewish, Indian, and East Asian populations.

 

[virginiaru]

I am surprised that some of the private schools aren't listed. I would have expected NYU, BU, and Brandeis would be on the list.

 

[retired711]

I am surprised that some of the private schools aren't listed. I would have expected NYU, BU, and Brandeis would be on the list.

again, this ranking that's quoted is that of public institutions only. Keep in mind also that the ranking is based on sheer numbers, so private schools, with their smaller enrollments, don't have as much chance to be listed. (That's probably why the quoted ranking covers only public institutions.)

Brandeis is a funny case. It was created in the days when the Ivy League schools had quotas limiting the number of Jews they would take. The idea was that Brandeis would be the Jewish Harvard, Now that the Ivy League schools have dropped their quotas, Brandeis has been scrambling for a new mission. It tries to appeal to students with strong Jewish identity, and they have lots of courses in that area. OTOH, they are in Waltham, Mass, and it is, I am told, a long trip to the fleshpots of Boston. For this reason, my niece, although raised in an Orthodox home, ended up at Boston University which is in the heart of Boston. She loved being there.

 

[NotInRHouse]

NYU was #2 overall public and private.

 

[SteveVA2]

UW – Madison was accepting Jewish students back when other universities with subject them to quotas.

 

[retired711]

UW – Madison was accepting Jewish students back when other universities with subject them to quotas.

yes, that's true. A fair number of New York Jewish kids went to Wisky. The quotas existed mainly at the elite private schools.

 

[MidwestKnights]

UW – Madison was accepting Jewish students back when other universities with subject them to quotas.

So was Rutgers. In fact many Jewish students who were locked out of the Ivys went to Rutgers.

 

[retired711]

So was Rutgers. In fact many Jewish students who were locked out of the Ivys went to Rutgers.

I wonder whether that was true before the 1950s, and whether it ended in the 1960s as New York developed its own state university (by taking over Harpur, Buffalo and Albany, and starting Stony Brook.)

 

[e5fdny]

It's definitely harder to get into Illinois and Wisconsin than Indiana. I have a good friend that went to IU from NJ, and he did not get into RU. I think IU, with some exceptions, notably business and law, fills a function somewhat like WVU does in Northeast, but I think IU is way better regarded, just easier to get into than much of the rest of the B1G, aside from Nebraska. I also understand Bloomington to be a nice town.

I remember a story a few years back in NY Times about Indiana that touched on some of what NIRH says here plus what RUinTex and Jonny S said in their posts.

Indiana became *HOT* after the article came out.

So I am not surprised either to see it on the list.

 

[retired711]

I remember a story a few years back in NY Times about Indiana that touched on some of what NIRH says here plus what RUinTex and Jonny S said in their posts.

Indiana became *HOT* after the article came out.

So I am not surprised either to see it on the list.

Was the film "Breaking Away" set there?

 

[e5fdny]

Was the film "Breaking Away" set there?

Not 100% but pretty sure it was where it took place.

 

[RUJohnny99]

RU should be at every heavily Jewish OOS high school promoting this.

Just like Indiana does at Marlboro High. edit: just saw the posts after this that discuss Indiana.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

I live near Lakewood and there are a TON of Hasidic Jewish schools in Lakewood. Do they tend to go to Rutgers ?

 

[retired711]

I live near Lakewood and there are a TON of Hasidic Jewish schools in Lakewood. Do they tend to go to Rutgers ?

I don't know for sure, but from what I know of that community many young people who could do college work often stay in Torah and Talmudic study for at least some period and frequently study in Israel.

 

[NotInRHouse]

Just like Indiana does at Marlboro High. edit: just saw the posts after this that discuss Indiana.

Pretty sure most B1G schools recruit any middle or upper middle class NJ high schools. I don;t know that RU does OOS.

 

[rufancoe00]

I don't know for sure, but from what I know of that community many young people who could do college work often stay in Torah and Talmudic study for at least some period and frequently study in Israel.

I've hired a few orthodox interns from the Lakewood area .. after years of studying Torah etc and working in the local community in whatever positions they could find quite a few are going to college in their late 20s early 30s to get their undergraduate degrees. They've married, had mulitple kids and then decide to go to college, very different life experiences and work ethic from many interns i've had

 

[retired711]

very interesting, rufancoe. Yeshiva training is intellectually demanding, and so the kids are doubtless good in lots of areas. I must tell you, though, that there is a trend against secular higher education among some Orthodox. I hope the Lakewood kids are too sensible for this.

 

[Upstream]

I've hired a few orthodox interns from the Lakewood area .. after years of studying Torah etc and working in the local community in whatever positions they could find quite a few are going to college in their late 20s early 30s to get their undergraduate degrees. They've married, had mulitple kids and then decide to go to college, very different life experiences and work ethic from many interns i've had

Orthodox, or Hasidic.

 

[retired711]

Orthodox, or Hasidic.

Hasidism is a kind of orthodoxy. All hasidic Jews are orthodox in that they follow the traditional laws, but not all Jews who follow those laws are Hasidic.

 

[Upstream]

Hasidism is a kind of orthodoxy. All hasidic Jews are orthodox in that they follow the traditional laws, but not all Jews who follow those laws are Hasidic.

I thought Orthodox Judaism was part of the continuum of mainstream Judaism: reform-conservative-orthodox. But Hasidism was outside of mainstream Judaism. For example, if you are conservative and become more strict in observing rules and traditions, you may move to orthodox. But no amount of becoming more strict moves you to Hasidism. You actually need to adopt a different set of rules and beliefs to become Hasidic.

 

[retired711]

I thought Orthodox Judaism was part of the continuum of mainstream Judaism: reform-conservative-orthodox. But Hasidism was outside of mainstream Judaism. For example, if you are conservative and become more strict in observing rules and traditions, you may move to orthodox. But no amount of becoming more strict moves you to Hasidism. You actually need to adopt a different set of rules and beliefs to become Hasidic.

Not true. Becoming more strict may lead one to become Hasidic rather than non-Hasidic Orthodox.. It happens all the time. Indeed, this is what Chabad, a Hasidic group, seeks to bring about. Two hundred years ago, when Hasidism originated in its current form, the non-Hasidic Orthodox did condemn it and in some cases sought to "excommunicate" its adherents. But those days are long gone.

 

[retired711]

I wonder if you may be thinking of "messianic Jews." This group purports to be Jewish and is made up of individuals who believe that Jesus was the messiah. According to a woman I know who researched the group for her master's thesis, most messianic Jews are in fact born Christian. I believe the group follows Jewish law to at least some extent. This kind of Jewish-Jesus group was advocated by some after the crucifixion, but the apostle Paul instead led the new group out of Judaism.