The Impact of Day School: A Comparative Analysis of Jewish College Students

Publication Date: May 2007

Publisher: Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies; Steinhardt Social Research Institute

Author(s): Fern Chertok; Leonard Saxe; Charles Kadushin; Annette Koren; Graham Wright; Aron Klein

Research Area: Education

Keywords: Education; Jewish Identification; Day Schools; Higher Education

Type: Report

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

This report describes the first national study specifically designed to determine the near-term effects of day schools on the academic, social, and Jewish trajectories of former students during their college years. The study considers the impact of day schooling in a variety of areas including Jewish identity and connections to Jewish communal life, as well as social and academic integration into college. The study contextualizes the experiences of students from day schools through comparison with Jewish undergraduates from private and public school backgrounds. Although the findings suggest that day schools can do more to improve math and science learning and to address the needs of diverse learners, the report also validates that day schools provide top-notch preparation for a broad range of colleges and universities, including those that are the most selective.