Chances at Fordham

Colleges and Universities A-Z Fordham University
1

<p>BACKGROUND:
Male, live in NY, born in South Asia, moved to U.S. when almost three yrs old, English was my third language, household income is around 85,000 so about 55,000 net, I have two older siblings, both of whom went to college. Father is a pharmacist. Mother is a housekeeper.</p>

<p>STATS:
GPA: 103 weighted, 95 unweighted (weighting system: honors = +10, AP = +12)
Class Rank: 6/300
SAT Reasoning Test: M: 710 Cr: 670 W: 670 Total: 2050/2400 and 1380/1600
AP: Last year I took 3 APs, and got two 4s and one 3. This year I am taking 5 AP classes (6 if you count economics as macro and micro as separate since tests are separate) + engineering research class + phys ed + a graduation requirement class.
SAT II: Phys: 800 MathIIC: 800 Literature: 700
Essays: Good, meaning not super because I am not an extremely creative writer and I rarely use SAT words, but good in the sense that I feel I successfully expressed my personality
Letters of Recommendation: One of them was really good, and the other two were average good.</p>

<p>AWARDS/EXTRACURRICULARS/WORK EXPERIENCE:
--AP Scholar
--Varsity Tennis Team: 3yrs (I made counties once)
--Varsity Excellence Award (received twice)
--Two-time scholar athlete
--Distinguished High Honor Roll student
--Mathletes: 4yrs (county champion last year, captain this year)
--Science Olympiads: 2yrs, ever since it was offered (I entered all the physics and chemistry competitions)
--SWEEP (an environmental club): 2yrs
--Key Club: 20 hrs community service
--School Radio: 2yrs (journalist)
--Have been working hard at a convenient store 30hrs/week for 3yrs. I have been sales manager for 1.5 years. This is big for me since it took up a lot of my time on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
--Even though I am an atheist, I have been helping every year, for five years, to help set up the food and dining preparations during the four weekend community feasts in the month of Ramadan. My counselor told me this is community service. So it took at least 3hrs/day<em>2days</em>4weekends<em>4yrs(high school yrs)=96 hours.
--I volunteered to tutor two students, on math and chemistry during junior year, after school every day, 1 hr each session, for 32 weeks. So 1</em>5<em>32 = 160 hours.
--I gave tennis lessons to a couple of persons at my tennis club during sophomore year, once a week, three hours a week, for six months. So 3</em>4*6= 72 hours. Afterwards, she became my girlfriend, which indeed was the ultimate payoff!</p>

<p>RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:
--I have completed original research on two projects, one involving chemistry at a state university, the other involving a bit of physics, environmental science, and biology—mixed—at a prominent national lab. I will be sending my abstracts for both research projects. Neither project was published, but I am entering the second one into ISEF. All this research stuff is perhaps my biggest “hook.”</p>

<p>MISCALLENOUS:
--I have been privately tutored for Arabic twice a week, for about 2 years now.
--I speak four languages fluently: Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, English; I know there are some conflicts about whether Urdu and/or Punjabi are languages or dialects, it’s acknowledged.
--I have taken part in civil protests against the war in Iraq as well as against the Patriot Act for twice a month, for two years.
--I trained at an international tennis academy in Texas for 1 month. (But please note, I do NOT wish to play college tennis)
--I regularly play tennis at a local club
--I love to play chess with my friends; I tried to create an official club, but my school’s board failed to pass it in time to make it official this year.
--My favorite album is War by U2
--As subtly mentioned above, I am taking an engineering research class. This year is the first year ever that my school is offering it, and it is very unique. I doubt many other schools have it, so this may catch a second glimpse.</p>

<p>PERSONAL QUALITIES:
--Mathematically and scientifically inclined
--Extremely politically active (I’m somewhere between liberal and libertarian)
--Very outgoing, I love my closest friends with all my heart, and I like most everyone else (except for the cocky jocks, for they are so annoying).
--Theologically open-minded
--I like to get personal with small groups of people, rather than lead a huge pack, as evident in my tutoring and tennis-lessons providing.</p>

<p>ACADEMIC INTERESTS:
--Economics
--Philosophy
--Mathematics
--Physics</p>

<p>Also, I got a "Your Choice Application." I have absolutely no idea how much this helps.</p>

2

<p>I'd say you're in with scholarship money as well. It will not be a full ride but I think you may get something. Make sure you apply for need based aid.</p>

3

<p>room and board is 10 grand so expect to pay 16grand+ a year</p>

<p>yikes.</p>

4

<p>This south asian person posted on another Fordham thread so why is being repeated here? Hmmmm? I already responded to that thread and wont repeat my lengthy post here. </p>

<p>I dont know about scholarship money because I dont work for Fordham and dont represent their admissions or scholarship committee. I do know that in "general terms" it requires a combined score of around 1400 on Math/CR for the SAT to be minimally qualified for scholarship money. Most have much higher scores.</p>

<p>The number of people at Fordham, particularly in the classes of 2010 and 2011, who are very very smart will shock you. Dont be distracted by so called average SAT scores in published admissions directories at Fordham. There are many, many very smart kids there who are thriving.</p>

<p>Fordham is not an inexpensive school. Financial aid plays a role in people's decisions whether to accept an offer of admission. For that reason alone people must visit Fordham if they are admitted to see if they fit and if its a good choice for them. That is a highly subjective decision for each person.</p>

<p>But because it is so expensive, one should not make the decision lightly. And I am certain Fordham wants kids to come there who will be happy and do well.</p>

<p>Its a very diverse campus with all kinds of kids from all kinds of social, political and ethnic backgrounds, though a large percentage of their students continue to come from the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut tri-state area. Fordham students tend to be tight nit and stick together. </p>

<p>In my opinion, its worth every penny it will cost you, because not only is it a superb school with great opportunities on campus, it offers great opportunities for its graduates.</p>

5

<p>^I didn't post on another Fordham thread, I really don't know what you're talking about. I don't even think there is another Fordham thread. I've posted in other college threads, but certainly not for Fordham. But I appreciate your and everyone else's help anyway.</p>

<p>I've visited Fordham (I live on Long Island, so not too far away), and lots of people from my school go there every year. Everyone says that the best part about Fordham is the amazing Italian food. The Fordham representative visits our school every year as well. </p>

<p>The only think I don't like about Fordham is that it is a pretty religious school. I'm a devout atheist, so I'm not sure if I would really like it there. I mean they even require studying religion, which I don't think should be required, because to me, there a plenty of other things that are very important in this world that should also be studied by anyone, but that aren't mandatory.</p>

6

<p>It is NOT a very religious school. Jesuits are not like that. Furthermore, the two required religion course are not "catholic" classes. You can take whatever you want and it is more of a history/philosophy class. I love how people that do not go there "know it is a religious school." </p>

<p>And now that I look at the SATs again, you will probably get some money but do not expect a full ride.</p>

7

<p>Well, I hope I didn't offend you, but the Fordham representative that came to my school kept yapping on and on about how religious commitment is soooo important to Fordham. And after I read an article on Harvard's website about schools with required religious studies classes, I also developed the opinion that why is such a class required, when there are so many other classes that other people may find equally if not more important?</p>

<p>Anyway, it was mainly just that Fordham representative; I think she did a very poor job then. Because literally, half the time all she could talk about was how religion was so important to Fordham. Same thing with the Boston College representative.</p>

<p>Anyway, I'm applying there for four reasons: it's a safety, I got a your choice app thing with the fee waived, it's in a city I love, and it has great Italian food.</p>

<p>The major purpose of the thread was just to confirm that it is a safety. But really, if the representative left a better impression on me, and if the school got rid of its requirement, I think Fordham would be much higher on my list, since I think it's overall a wonderful school with a beautiful campus in the greatest city ever.</p>

8

<p>It is most definitely not a "very" religious school. Honestly, the only time I get reminded that it's a catholic school is when I visit these boards. The two theology requirements don't focus on catholocism; you will study literally ALL types of religion. My second theology prof. came fresh out of Harvard grad school and had been teaching theology there for two years. He seemed to love teaching at Fordham and he most definitely did not have a one-dimensional perspective on religion. He was a brilliant but also very humble person.</p>

9

<p>you're in.</p>

10

<p>You know what I find interesting? On your stats you listed that you are "theologically open-minded" yet you worry that the school will be "too" religious. Being "theologically open-minded" is not a euphemism for being a "devout atheist." If anything, theologically open-minded means that you will try to understand the religious aspect of any school (in this case, Fordham) despite what you strongly believe. The conversation here, to me, feels as if you're not theologically open-minded at all. You believe in atheism and therefore isn't open to the Jesuit education.</p>

<p>This is not an attack so don't get defensive. Just pointing out what I found interesting =)</p>

<p>And yes, I think you will probably be admitted.</p>

11

<p>I'm not going to get defensive. I am just going to warn you that before you go "pointing" things out, that you should read the other person's posts thoroughly. I said twice already that the reason I do NOT like Fordham's policy on the required religious classes is because I feel there are so many other classes that others can feel are equally, if not more important than religion, and that are not required. This is unfair. If anything, by saying this, I am indeed more open minded!</p>

<p>I'm not mad about having to study religion, I'm upset about having others make priorities for everyone with which not all agree. For instance, economics can be something that is much more important than religion to many collegebound persons, but economics isn't required every semester. That is just one example, replace economics with just about every other field, and you have many, many more examples.</p>

<p>The very same reasoning was used by Harvard when it ultimately decided not to have religious studies requirements.</p>

12

<p>Your argument is more towards your disdain for having core classes if you're upset about "having others make priorities for everyone with which not all agree."</p>

<p>This has nothing to do with being theologically open-minded. What I was pointing out to is the sentence "The only think I don't like about Fordham is that it is a pretty religious school. I'm a devout atheist, so I'm not sure if I would really like it there."</p>

<p>You listed Fordham's requirement of two religious classes as an example of Fordham's religiosity. Yet Fordham has always been a Jesuit institution and therefore its requirement of some religious classes, some would say, is appropriate. A theologically open-minded person would try to understand why a Jesuit institution would want its students to be a little familiar with theology in general and also would try to understand the Jesuit principles even if they are an atheist.</p>

<p>lol, I'm not here to argue with you. I'm just saying something I found worth noting, though I may be the only one who feels that was interesting...</p>

13

<p>Pick a college where you will be happy and thrive. A student should never pick a college where they wont fit in. And no school is perfect for everybody. I have been all over the place to very prestigious schools: Duke, Vanderbilt, WashU, UVa, UNC, Georgetown, George Washington, on and on. Invariably, at the tour of each school there is someone in the crowd who is saying, "ugh! This is not for me." Fine. That is why they have tours and you come to visit a school to see if you fit in or not. Students want everyone to love their school. That is perfectly normal. But its also not realistic. Nobody wants an unhappy student at their school. Particularly the school. College is too important and too short a time in your life to be unhappy. So pick a school where you feel you belong and can thrive. If you have really strong views that are contrary to the campus culture or other reasons for that school, then it is likely you would not be happy there. Some people can be contrarians and still make lots of friends and be open minded and so forth. Some are not well suited for that. Just as some kids who have a strong political passion and are on a campus that is ambivalent towards politics...its best they go somewhere else. Diversity on campus is a good thing. Diversity of viewpionts is a good thing. But at some point you have to examine your own conscience and ask the question, "Will I be happy here and thrive here or not?" For every student that is a very subjective and private answer. There were several schools we "rejected" outright because the feel was not right. If someone else is there and loves it, we say, "good for you!" I am not suggesting an homogenous student population. But I do think each student needs to be very careful about their final choice of where to attend school. Good luck to you.</p>

14

<p>@aaabbb:
"Yet Fordham has always been a Jesuit institution and therefore its requirement of some religious classes, some would say, is appropriate."</p>

<p>You said it yourself, it is expected from a Jesuit institution like Fordham to have religious studies required, and therefore, since I personally feel there are things more important, or at the very least equally important in life as religion, I feel that Fordham may be an uncomfortable place for me, since it apparently values religion MORE.</p>

<p>It ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT mean that I am theologically close-minded if I value other things more than religion. If religion happened to come up in a discussion, I wouldn't shun someone for being catholic, jewish, or whatever, not externally, nor internally. </p>

<p>And when I'm socializing, I sure do have vibrant conversations with people about religion, and I enjoy them. But I certainly don't want to be forced in having to study the topic. </p>

<p>If I said I don't mind studying one religion, but DO mind studying another religion, then I would be theologically close-minded, but I NEVER ever ever ever said that. So your accusations are completely false.</p>

15

<p>my Ds both went to a jesuit HS...and their religion classes, all 4 years, were very open minded classes- this year its all about morals and ethics,= and senior year, my D took a class on world religions- it was amazing</p>

<p>I am not a religious person, however, much of the world is, and much of what goes on is grounded in "religion" and understanding different faiths is part of understanding the rest of humanity</p>

16

<p>sat123:</p>

<p>Heh, I really feel as if you're misunderstanding what I'm saying. Where have I accused you that you are theologically close-minded? My bringing up one of the points of your stats is because I thought it was interesting. Now that is my personal reaction (thinking it was interesting) over the statement and I thought it was appropriate to comment on. Not once did I think "Oh, this person must be extremely close-minded theologically." I did not say that nor did I insinuate it.</p>

<p>I also think we are going in circles here. A theologically open-minded person (not saying you are or you aren't--this is all hypothetical) WOULD try to understand why a Jesuit institution (or any religiously-affiliated school) want its students to be a little familiar with theology. Being open-minded means not simply dismissing the school as a place you think you wouldn't be comfortable going to because it has requirements that you don't feel is very important. Which is what you're saying. You also say that there are things more important than religion. Well, I feel that way too--there are things more important than religion, yet that does not automatically make me theologically open-minded. It just means I have other priorities.</p>

<p>Do you see what I'm getting at here? I'm just trying to point out a discord between the statement and the previous conversation. In no way was I accusing you of being close-minded. If you were, you wouldn't even consider the school in the first place because of its religious affiliation.</p>

17

<p>"You know what I find interesting? On your stats you listed that you are "theologically open-minded" yet you worry that the school will be "too" religious. Being "theologically open-minded" is not a euphemism for being a "devout atheist." If anything, theologically open-minded means that you will try to understand the religious aspect of any school (in this case, Fordham) despite what you strongly believe. The conversation here, to me, feels as if you're not theologically open-minded at all. You believe in atheism and therefore isn't open to the Jesuit education."--aaabbb</p>

<p>This is your original post on this thread. First off, after reading that over, you sure did, at the very least, "insinuate" that I am thelogically close-minded. Read it over buddy. And your tone wasn't exactly welcoming to a friendly conversation, it was more satirical than anything. It's no use changing your tone now, or denying what you said, unless you acknowledge the qualities in your original post that obviously fueled my arguments.</p>

<p>I bet you had a smirk on your face while typing that first rhetorical question.</p>

<p>You said that I worry about the school being too religious. But clearly I have told you again and again (I think this will be the fourth time) that I strongly dislike the school creating priorities for all even though some or even most do not prioritize in the same manner. I believe such prioritizing inhibits free-thinking, and I also believe that such prioritizing attacks a student's personal priorities if he/she opposes the system's priorities. </p>

<p>You say a theologicall open-minded person "would try to understand why a Jesuit institution [would] want its students to be a little familiar with theology." Well, I clearly believe that is because the institution feels that this is more important than most, if not all, other studies. And taking theology every semester makes you more than "a little familiar" by the way. </p>

<p>I simply disagree with the school's philosophy. I am not attacking it's jesuit religion. </p>

<p>Hypothetically, for instance, since the hispanic population is exponentially increasing in the U.S., suppose a college said you MUST take some sort of hispanic studies classes, whether you learn about their major religious beliefs, their dances, their food, their language, etc. If I disagree with the college's opinion on making such studies mandatory, I should not be satired for being someone who is culturally close-minded. I may want to learn about their stuff, but if someone is forcing me to do so, I feel my freedom is attacked, an UNCOMFORTABLE feeling I certainly don't want to experience in college.</p>

<p>And I think that this "conversation" has clearly evolved into a debate. Whether or not such a debate is appropriate for this thread, I am not sure, but to be on the safe side, I welcome you to PM me if you wish to prolong it.</p>

18

<p>If uncomfortable don't attend. im sure there are many "similar" type schools to Fordham minus the Jesuit philosophy. Honestly, if it is not something you are comfortable with do not choose it. It is part of their education, Fordham feels it is part of who they are, one can not expect to be exempt from their requirements. </p>

<p>I wouldn't go to BYU for the same reason, however I wouldn't critique the schools policies for placing its beliefs at as high a priority as it does similarly as Fordham does. After all it is a private institution, not public.</p>

19

<p>Nope I didn't smirk. What I did was go, "Huh. That's interesting."</p>

<p>And no, I didn't insinuate you were close-minded. What I did was point out that theologically open-minded did not go hand-in-hand with the conversation, even from the original post. If I wanted to insinuate I would've said something similar to, "Guess someone got a little too cocky with his descriptions, eh?" smiley face, smiley face. You can argue all you want the definition of insinuate and the different ways to do it, but I think I made it clear that I wasn't calling you theologically close-minded. I just stated what being theologically open-minded IS, and then point out the discrepancy between what you stated (theologically open-minded) and what you're actually saying (the conversation). If I see someone doing something not very nice, like say, I don't know, sneaking cookies from someone else's cookie jar--and I tell him that isn't a very nice thing to do, does that mean I called him a jerk? No, it doesn't. All I'm doing is tell him that sneaking cookies is not a nice thing. Likewise, I just called the conversation as not theologically open-minded. Does that mean I called you close-minded? No. It doesn't.</p>

<p>The last sentence of my original post "The conversation here, to me, feels as if you're not theologically open-minded at all" still stands with that definition. I think you're not being theologically open-minded. (With the example, I don't think you were nice) and I pointed that out. Saying so doesn't mean I called you the exact opposite (calling you a jerk). It doesn't mean I'm calling you close-minded, theologically or otherwise.</p>

<p>And you are not listening to what I'm saying. Yes you have told me again and again that you don't like the school because you don't want to be required to take theology. You feel there are things more important or equally as important as religion that aren't required. I do get your argument. In fact, I have included a reply to it in my last post. Being theologically open-minded means not dismissing a school based on the fact that you feel the course it requires is not important. This is what I'm saying. I have responded to your claims. You are free to feel uncomfortable by such a requirement, but, and this I stress, being uncomfortable or not has no relevance when it comes to the debate of who a theologically open-minded person is. In fact, what you are arguing for is your disdain to take required core classes. You don't want to be "required" to take something because that makes you uncomfortable. That's fine. Nothing wrong with that. Lots of people feel that way. But that does not automatically qualify you as open-minded, nor does it make you close-minded. It does nothing at all; the argument contributes absolutely zilch to the question of who a theologically open-minded person is.</p>

<p>I am going to Fordham and I can tell you exactly that you need TWO theology courses, one freshman year and one sophomore year. You're not required to take theology every semester.</p>

<p>And to make this still relevant to the thread: as other people have pointed out, if you think that such a religious affiliation will seriously damper your happiness if you attend Fordham, it's wise not to go. There are many schools which do not require theology classes.</p>

20

<p>"Being theologically open-minded means not dismissing a school based on the fact that you feel the course it requires is not important."</p>

<p>No, that's being open-minded about the school's philosophy. Just because I don't want to be forcefully study Jesuit principles doesn't mean I'm close-minded about the religion, it just means that I feel my freedom is being attacked. Refer to my hispanic example, because I think that is easier to understand.</p>

<p>What it essentially comes down to is that we are two persons with different ideas of what being theologically open-minded is. I don't think we can change anything about that.</p>