I am so happy that Mrs. Knoll posted her thoughts on Stern College! I hear the 4 main points that Mrs. Knoll outlines regarding the potential benefits of attending one of the Ivies, and have some additional thoughts.
Regarding point A)—the potential religious growth that one can experience from being in a less-religious environment: I think that while this can be true for some people, one really needs to be honest with herself regarding if she is one of these people who davka “needs” to be in a “counter-culture” to grow religiously, or if she isn’t like most people who thrive by being surrounded by familiar values, positive religious role models, and readily available religious opportunities. This can be a difficult decision to make, and one that I think could be best made by introspecting and discussing with teachers, parents, advisors, friends, etc.
Regarding point B)—that the education at the Ivies may be superior to that at Stern College: I think that it is important to think about whether having the absolute “best” secular education is important to you, or if having a really amazing one that is not “the best” is something that works for you. To be honest, there are some works of literature that I wish I would have been exposed to in a more structured setting, and had I been in those Ivy required freshman seminars (I think Columbia calls it "LITHUM" or something), would have read. At the same time, I absolutely feel that my Stern education equipped me to read those works on my own, and I have read and B"H will read some of the works that I didn’t get to read in college.
Regarding point C)—that there is sophistication that comes from being new experiences, etc.: I think that is definitely true, based on my conversations with friends and colleagues about these issues. At the same time, there are other opportunities that we have in our lives to be exposed to these things if we choose, and that time necessarily doesn’t need to be during college.
Mrs. Knoll writes, “I genuinely believe it is a legitimate choice to go Ivy, but don’t do it without at least a glance behind. At least recognize that the same way as one sacrifices some degree of secular education by not going Ivy, she equally, if not more, sacrifices some degree of Jewish education by not going to Stern.”
I 100% agree that there are reasons to go Ivy, as long as the decision is made considering all the above points. The point Mrs. Knoll is making is that there is a significant sacrifice that a person makes if she chooses not to go to Stern. Stern does not just provide the opportunity to take Judaic Studies classes on a high level, but also offers the opportunity to be in an environment with religious role models, to be near a packed Beit Midrash, and to have all sorts of other religious opportunities at one’s fingertips.
On a personal note: During my first year at Stern, a Columbia application sat on my desk for a few months. After my first semester, when I had figured out which were the most challenging and interesting classes, I didn’t feel that I needed Columbia to get what I wanted out of my college experience. I found the Honors Program to be fantastic, and found the opportunity to write my thesis in Philosophy with Dr. Shatz to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I gained tremendously from in many respects. However, even before I joined the Honors Program (I only joined after my first year because I forgot to apply before!), I found many of the non-Honors classes that I chose to be truly wonderful.
In short—Stern is not a “one size fits all” option. But neither are the Ivies. As with most “big” decisions in life, there is a lot to consider. And if you make the wrong decision, you’re not stuck either. But it is definitely worth thinking about these issues seriously, because college will be a significant part of shaping who you are as an individual and as a Jew.
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