Seminary info | Imamother

amother

Chocolate

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 6:01 pm

this is for cat81
Bnos Sarah definitely is more yeshvish as a whole then the descriptions of you DD but there will be other girls like her - in a silent minority kind of way

All the BY seminaries including Machon Raaya and Bnos Avigayil will make the case for a push kollel life to an extent, but in those two places it will be presented as an option as opposed to pushed down your throats. If she really is not interested in that she should consider a place like Darchei Bina or Michlala.

cat81

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 7:14 pm

amother [ Chocolate ] wrote:

You specifically mention how MR & BA only present Kollel as option (vs push down throats), but what about Bnos Sarah (My DD #1 choice)?

Michlala - is my top choice, but my DD feels it’s not frum enough for where she wants to be. I respect this, which is why I thought MR/BA as that would be a nice middle ground, allowing her to grow with other like minded girls.

However, my DD feels otherwise.
MR - has many classmates going here and therefore is not interested in following the herd.
BA - feels their educational model is too different for her
DB - not interested in for a number of reason.

amother

Royalblue

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 7:31 pm

Would anyone like to contrast Bnos Sara and Chemdas for us? I understand that Bnos Sarah has a heavy workload and Hebrew speaking teachers but is warm and has a mix of girls that are yeshivish but not ultra frum sheltered type. It also seems to be a viable alternative for a girl that would fit into BJJ academically (top tier academically in her school). How does Chemdas compare in terms of the above? Is she likely to find girls at Chemdas to be at the identical academic level? Do the teachers give relatable thought provoking lessons or does it tend be more of the in the box kind of teacher. Say Oros vs. Bais Yaakov of Lakewood.
Thanks

amother

Sapphire

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 8:12 pm

amother [ Lime ] wrote:

Bnos Chava

This seminary has become very Jappy. I personally know of a few girls who have gone there in the past few years and have been absolutely miserable. The crowd is very Flatbush-y and very cliquey.

amother

Orange

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 8:43 pm

Chemdas is up there for a girl who is academic but not BJJ level. BJJ you really need upper 90s average.
Bnos sara and chemdas would be comparable in that you can have low 90s, high 80s. Chemdas is more yeshivish. They are more select in choosing a yeshivish crowd as opposed to bnos sara that’s very out of towny.

amother

Royalblue

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 9:01 pm

amother [ Orange ] wrote:

Thanks. DD has the marks; the teachers do not think she will have a problem getting in but she has the impression that BJJ tends to have older teachers that are less relatable. Bnos Sara seems to have a ton of work and although she is driven and can do it she doesn’t want non stop reports to define her year in Israel. On the other hand she does want to be with smart intelligent girls who are BJJ level so the classes will be geared toward her level. She is yeshivish but not sheltered and she wants to focus on Bnos Sara and Chemdas without taking BJJ off the table. From what you wrote it sounds like Chemdas would be pretty much on that level.

amother

Orange

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 9:38 pm

Not nearly as academic. Lots of busy work in bnos sara. The teachers are also not in the same caliber.
I’m very in the parsha as an educator (and mother) for years.
You can’t compare the level of academics to get into BJJ and bnos sara. Almost all of our students with averages in the low 90s will get into bnos sara. Wouldn’t even be an option for BJJ. We would only have mid to high 90s.

amother

Royalblue

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 9:49 pm

amother [ Orange ] wrote:

Is DD correct in her assumption that the teachers in BJJ are generally older and less relatable or have they brought in some younger teachers in recent years?

amother

Vermilion

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 10:02 pm

BJJ grad here.

You don’t go to BJJ to get young, “relatable” teachers.

You go to learn from teachers who have a connection to a world which is quickly disappearing and who truly live what they teach. They aren’t looking to be “accepted” by young teenage Americans, but to open your mind to a different reality and metzius than you find here in chutz Laretz.

Idk how many BJJ alum are on here, but anyone who has gone can understand this. If you are ready to appreciate this, you will be in for a year that can be truly life-changing!

amother

Royalblue

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 10:11 pm

My sister went to BJJ over 20 years ago. That’s what it was like then. Many of her friends loves it but she didn’t have a great year. My daughter would be more likely to appreciate a different relationship with the teachers than the way my sister described so I was looking to to see if anything changed since then.
Thanks for your answer.

amother

Amber

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 10:25 pm

amother [ Orange ] wrote:

Very interesting. Thank you. I had not heard this, and academics are important to us. We are considering both schools, and DD is very bright and intellectual (and has the grades). Can anyone else chime in to agree or disagree regarding academics and intellectual levels at these 2 seminaries?

TIA

amother

Orange

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 10:55 pm

Vermillion, 100% correct. As someone in the HS education field, I can tell you that this is still the case.
Amber, others can chime in on their daughters experiences in either sem. But in terms of behind the scenes, level of academics needed for acceptance etc... I gave you the facts that can be corroborated with those who work with the grade 12 girls.

TravelHearter

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 10:56 pm

amother [ Amber ] wrote:

All I can feel you is that my friends who went to bnos Sarah were probably equally smart and academic as those who went to BJJ. (Mostly)
Many apply to both. I don’t think it’s 100% equal but definitely in the same ball park.

amother

Vermilion

Sat, Dec 05 2020, 11:02 pm

TravelHearter wrote:

I’d agree with this too! (I was in one and had good friends in the other. Many got into both places; they chose where to go based on other criteria, not academics.)

amother

Crimson

Sun, Dec 06 2020, 12:26 am

My daughter was valedictorian in her high school. Brilliant solid Bais Yaakov girl. Editor in chief of yearbook. All grades in the high 90s, 100. She applied to BJJ and Bnos Sarah. Her high school has 2 "slots" for BJJ every year and neither was given to her. The girls who got in are bright 90s students but her grades were definitely higher.
One girl who got in comes from a fabulously wealthy family and the other's mother is a famous shadchan. That's what BJJ is about.
The principal told us to try to use any "pull" we have if we wanted to get in but we just let it go.
Bnos Sarah took her happily.
I'd rather not entrust my daughter's chinuch to people who we aren't "good enough" for anyways

amother

Amber

Sun, Dec 06 2020, 12:54 am

amother [ Crimson ] wrote:

Thank you for your reply. How did/does your daughter find the academics? Were/are the other students of similar calibre? Did/does she find it intellectually stimulating? Was/is she happy there?

TIA

amother

Orange

Sun, Dec 06 2020, 12:59 am

Crimson, as an insider, again, I can tel you you’re seeing only half the picture.
BJJ is probably one of the only seminary not swayed by that kind of thing. It’s a whole different level. In have seen them choose girls who had no Yichus or money over girls who are multi millionaires. These were all high quality, high academic girls or they would not have been directed to apply to BJJ in the first place.

What most likely happened, (from my experience in the parsha) is that the school advocated for the other 2 girls more then for your daughter. They might truly love your daughter, but the school knows just who pays the bills. They probably pushed for the other two girls more.
Based on the fact that your school only got two slots, it’s probably a smaller school or out of town