Fordham 3-2 Engineering

<p>I was recently researching this program on Fordham's website. They give quite a bit of information, but they never really said how admission to it works. Do you have to apply and be accepted to the program or do you just indicate as a major? If the former, what is the acceptance rate and what sort of student(GPA/Test wise) gets admitted. Just curious because it sounds like an awesome program since you get a physics/chem degree and then an engineering degree from Columbia. Thanks for all the help!</p>

<p>As the “2” school in a 3+2 program, Columbia’s transfer admission requirements are here:</p>

<p>[Combined</a> Plan Program Admissions | Columbia Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/apply/combined-plan]Combined”>Combined Plan Applicants | Columbia Undergraduate Admissions)</p>

<p>However, note that a 3+2 program is five years total, so you need to consider cost and financial aid. Financial aid at Columbia might not be known for certain before you actually reach the point of transferring (although you can run Columbia’s net price calculator beforehand).</p>

<p>As the “3” school in a 3+2 program, Fordham limits your major to chemistry for doing chemical engineering at the “2” school, physics for other engineering majors at the “2” school.</p>

<p>[3-2</a> Cooperative Program in Engineering](<a href=“http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/engineering/32_cooperative_progr_75053.asp]3-2”>http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/engineering/32_cooperative_progr_75053.asp)</p>

<p>Some other “3” schools are less restrictive. For example, Brandeis allows any major alongside the lower division engineering requirements.</p>

<p>[Academic</a> Opportunities | Academic Advising | Brandeis University](<a href=“http://www.brandeis.edu/acserv/advising/opportunities.html]Academic”>http://www.brandeis.edu/acserv/advising/opportunities.html)</p>

<p>Interesting, it looks like Columbia recently increased the transfer requirements.</p>

<p>It used to be, simply having an overall and pre-engineering GPA of 3.0.</p>

<p>Now, Candidates who began at an affiliate school in fall 2011 or later, the overall and pre-engineering GPA of 3.30 or higher. Additionally, the minimum grade for each pre-engineering science or math course must be a B (3.0) or better on the first attempt. </p>

<p>(Note: Case Western Reserve University, Fordham’s other 3-2 partner, may have different transfer requirements)</p>

<p>3-2 programs are “awesome" if and only if:</p>

<p>(1) you can afford the 2-year part of the engineering program with no financial aid, or with whatever financial aid the engineering school might make available to you;</p>

<p>(2) you are willing to spend three years at your undergrad school, make close friends, build strong relationships with professors, and then leave at the end of your junior year and never return; and</p>

<p>(3) you are actually able to complete all the requirements both for graduating from your undergrad school and for gaining admission into the engineering school.</p>

<p>Many, if not most, candidates who undertake 3-2 engineering programs at the dozens of schools that offer them end up falling short on either (2) or (3) above. The schools that partner with Columbia have an advantage because Columbia guarantees admission to any 3-2 students who fulfills the prerequisites and maintains the required GPA. Other engineering schools are not so lenient and end up admitting only some (in some cases just a mere handful) of the many eligible 3-2 students who apply.</p>

<p>FWIW, Vassar offers a 2-1-1-1 engineering program with Dartmouth where students spend two years at Vassar, followed by a junior year at Dartmouth (analogous to a junior year abroad), after which students complete their senior year at Vassar and then return to Dartmouth for year #5. This configuration allows student to have a more “normal” undergraduate program, while still being able to complete both an undergrad and an engineering degree. The downside? Admission into the Dartmouth program is competitive, so not all students who qualify during their first two years at Vassar will be admitted.</p>

<p>3-2 programs sound great on paper. From what I’ve heard, though, few students actually complete them. In fact at some schools the number of students in any given year that actually finished the program is zero! Post 4 helps explain why.</p>