Proportion of Jewish Students Enrolled in Professional Schools Shows Sharp Drop

The proportion of Jewish students enrolled in professional courses dropped from 8.8 percent in 1935 to 7.0 percent in 1946, according to figures gathered as part of the B’nai Brith’s-Vocational Service Bureau’s dece?nial census of Jewish college students.

The fact that Jews go to college today in practically the same proportion as eleven years ago ( 8.8 percent in 1935 and 9.0 percent in 1946), leads the B’nai B’rith Vocational Service Bureau to believe that the decline in professional courses is due, at least partly, to increased discrimination against Jews in professional schools and departments.

A more restrictive application of the quota system is seen in significant declines in Jewish enrollments in medicine and dentistry. The percentage of Jewish students declined from 15.9 to 12.7 in 67 out of 89 medical schools which reported both in 1935 and 1946. Although the total enrollment in the 67 schools rose from 20,039 to 21,575, the Jewish enrollment in the same schools sank from 3,179 to 2,737. The percentage of Jewish students dropped from 28.2 to 18.9 in 31 out of 45 dental schools which reported both in 1935 and 1946. The total enrollment in the 31 schools increased from 6,068 to 6,320, but the Jewish enrollment in the same schools dropped from 1,715 to 1,196.

A sharp drop in the percentage of Jewish law students is also disclosed. In 77 out of 160 law schools, reporting in both censuses, the Jewish proportion declined from 25.8 to 11.1 percent. Similar declines have occurred in schools of engineering architecture, social work, agriculture and other professional institutions.