ConfusedTatty

Just to clarify. I believe most, if not all, yeshivas and seminaries require medical coverage be purchased (either included in the tuition or purchased separately). I understand AIM has two coverages, basic and “gold.” Again, I am simply interested in people’s experience with the benefits of AIM to determine if we should purchase it or other insurance. As this is our first child going to Eretz Yisroel, this is our first experience with it. (When my wife and I were there we seem to remember using kupat cholim but have no recollection how that worked)

I am aware of their pre-existing condition issue. As I understand it, one benefit of AIM is that they schedule appointments for the student (which can be a hassle) and you pay the rate they negotiated with the doctor. Thus, even if the issue is pre-existing, you pay less than you might otherwise. Can anyone confirm these benefits?

Getting back to the original intent of the post…..

How would you compare Tiferes and Nachalas to BJJ/MRS/BSS?

Thanks

Anyone have personal experience with either Bnos Sara or Masores Rochel (as in having gone there or sent a daughter there)? If so, would love to hear your thoughts on each.

Thanks smr, that was an excellent summation. Interestingly, what I have heard about BJJ and Hadar is more in line with what rebetzin posted. In any event, I think it seems clear that BJJ is bigger than many of the other seminaries discussed (aside from Bnos Chava) and probably less warm (that is not a knock at all — some people do not thrive in overly warm academic environments, while some do). BJJ has been described as the Harvard of seminaries, because of its strong academics. It is clearly a well-deserved reputation and I do not mean to invite debate on that. How would you compare Bnos Sara, Masores Rochel, and Machon Raaya to BJJ, in terms of academics?

And yes, we are having my daughter speak to girls in the various seminaries — those who graduated last year and/or those in the seminaries right now.

We are very well aware of that and that is why we are looking at several seminaries, trying to decide which ones she will apply to. Am trying to get a handle a handle on:

1. How warm is BJJ?

2. How academic is Bnos Sara (and how does it compare to Bnos Chava, BJJ and Masores)?

These are all excellent seminaries and we have heard wonderful things about them all. So IYH she gets into one of them, we know she can’t go wrong. Nevertheless, there are subtle (and not so subtle) differences and just trying to figure out where to apply and where she would most like to go.

I hope this thread is also helping other parents in the same situation.

Anything more on Bnos sara in terms of academics, warmth, distinction from BJJ, Mesores and Bnos Chava?

The ironic thing is that, to the extent that the quality fo the seminary depends on the year (mix of girls, etc) that is not apparent until after your daughter has decided to go there. Thus, that issue can’t be factored into the decision. Of course, with many of these seminaries, they have a certain type that they recruit and therefore they are likely to remain relatively constant year to year with only minor fluctuation based on the year. Does that make sense? If so, then the trick is to identify seminaries that in fact do not change much from year to year. I would assume warmth is a constant since that emanates from the faculty and staff, whihc presumably do not change much from year to year.

Thank you all. That is very helpful. dveykus613, what you said about Mrs. Tarshish makes me want to go there! 🙂 Interestingly, much about what I have read concerns Mrs. Tarshish (which has been wonderful) as opposed to the seminary itself. Anyone know about the seminary itself? Also, is Bnos Sara simply a smaller version of BJJ or does it differ in ways other than the number of girls?

How warm is BJJ? Are girls close to the staff? Same for Masores Rochel. I have heard high praise about Mrs. Tarshish and am curious how it compares academically to BJJ, Bnos Sara and Bnos Chava (at least when Mrs. Tarshish) was there.

havesomeseichel — I appreciate your thoughts, and if you think there are other seminaries of this ilk I welcome suggestions. But yes, my daughter wants an academic, true BY seminary. As it so happens, my daughter is in a class where very few girls are applying to these seminaries so she is certainly not following the crowd in choosing these places.

Thank you for your good wishes. We prefer the textual-oriented seminaries. What we don;t necessarily want is busy work, but meaningful work is something our daughter enjoys and appreciates. She is studious, B”H. It seems that what distinguishes these various places (BJJ, BYA, Bnos Chava, Bnos Sarah, Mesores Rochel and Mchon Ra’aya), besides their size, is the type of BY girl they attract, the type of work they demand and how “warm” they are. That is where we are trying to understand the differences.

Thank you “gaffligle” — that was very helpful.

Thanks. We certainly are asking those sources but wanted to utilize this resource as well. Also, wanted to have a bit more information so we could have an informed discussion with the hanhalla of our daughter’s school.