The college search process can be daunting and stressful for Jewish teens. For those looking for a positive Jewish experience on campus, the past year has made it much harder. In addition to all the details such as location, academic stats required, what majors are offered, and how good their sports teams are, one of the most telling factors for most Jewish students is how active Jewish life is on campus.

As I entered my junior year of high school this fall, college was quickly beginning to loom in my future. I started narrowing down the list to think about where I could see myself for four of the most influential years of my life. I had always known some schools had more Jewish students than others and, therefore, had more vibrant Jewish communities that would impact my college experience. However, after the October 7th attacks on Israel, followed by heated political tensions and a dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents that unfolded on many campuses, I knew that a strong Jewish community was an essential aspect of my decision. With all this in mind, as my list of top schools began to narrow, I was excited to head out on my first college visit.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt had emerged on my list of schools to check out as I did research over the past year. It checked all of the original boxes for me, but I was particularly impressed by the way they handled the challenges faced after October 7th. They protected the safety and well-being of their Jewish students on campus while also seeming to do a great job of encouraging diverse perspectives from students to be shared in the context of respectful dialogue. This was reinforced by a friend from my summer camp, Izzy Lefkowitz-Rao, a current junior at Vanderbilt who I was connected with during my visit. She shared a helpful perspective on the current situation for Jewish students that isn't necessarily about what happened on campuses but more about what we learned about various campus administrations and how they demonstrated their commitment to the safety and security of students. When reflecting on her personal experience, she shared, “It was definitely difficult being a Jewish college student post-October 7th, but it felt really reassuring knowing that my school supported me as a Jewish student by refusing to deal with any antagonizing students or protesters that made Jewish students feel unsafe.”

I learned so much and had my eyes opened on how to evaluate a potential school during my visit. When you are on a college tour, you have the tough task of trying to determine if you can envision yourself on that campus in a limited period of time. There are many factors that go into choosing a college, and Jewish life will be of varying importance to any given student. However, whether it's a top qualification in your decision or further down the list, I learned some great ways to equip myself with helpful information:

Visit the Hillel and/or Chabad – these institutions will showcase the facilities and professional resources available to Jewish students. They can offer helpful perspectives regarding the Jewish student body and what programs and services they offer to enrich student life. They also can be great avenues to discuss leadership opportunities and how you can make your mark on campus. 

Check out your surroundings – Take a look at all of the stickers, posters, and flyers around campus to get a sense of the culture (one of the first things I noticed when I got to Vanderbilt were stickers on the light post combating antisemitism, which made me feel welcomed and valued). Also, keep an eye out for how openly students feel comfortable expressing their identity, religiously and culturally.

Speak to current students - Nothing beats talking to current students to hear about their experiences and unique perspectives. Ideally, connect with more than one to make sure you learn about the full scope of experiences and get a wider range of opinions. If you don’t know any Jewish students on campus, you can always leverage your BBYO network through social media to make connections. I found students to be very generous with their time, and they always love to share the highlights of their school.

Use online resources – There are many ways to find out about the Jewish population on campus. Hillel has created a database with the top 60 colleges by Jewish population and percentage (click here). You can also search for specific information on any college (click here). There are many more resources all over the internet to help you make this important decision.

After visiting Vanderbilt as my first official college visit, I not only learned a lot about Vanderbilt specifically, but I feel that I have learned a lot about the best way to assess the attributes of any campus with respect to my Jewish identity. I am hopeful that these insights will help you navigate this task. Remember, if you love your BBYO experience during high school, you have the opportunity to have an even more meaningful Jewish experience during your college years by taking these factors into account during your selection process.