Fordham (Gabelli) vs SMU (Cox) vs Villanova (VSB)

Hi everyone! Now that I’m narrowing down my choices, I’m struggling between choosing Gabelli (Rosehill), Cox, and VSB. They are all amazing schools, but each has its cons. Some worthy things to note:

  • From CT and would like to return to NE after graduation
  • 22.5 K scholarship from Fordham, 25 K scholarship from SMU (no aid from Villanova). Money is not the biggest issue for my family, but of course, I would prefer to save money when possible.
  • Thinking about majoring in finance, accounting, or marketing
  • Hoping to get internships not only in the summer but during the school year as well
  • Not super into the whole party scene (doesn’t mind going out but hates the taste of alcohol)
  • Impartial to Greek Life
  • Christian, but not super religious

I have also been accepted into Bryn Mawr (12K scholarship), NYU (Steinhardt), UConn (Business, 7.5K scholarship, instate) and Northeastern (D’Amore McKim) but have chosen not to attend for various reasons. If anyone objects to those schools and think I should reconsider any of those schools, please let me know!

I would appreciate any advice or input!

Friend’s son from CT went to Gabelli. Interned in the City summer after junior year and was offered a job from the company he interned with. Very happy with the whole experience.

Fordham Gabelli due to cost, desire to remain in the Northeast US, and distaste for alcohol & Greek life.

@Publisher Why Fordham then? In general, SMU is cheaper than Fordham (Fordham has high housing costs). Also, I have a bigger scholarship at SMU

Because of coronavirus. You’re only a car ride from home. What will you do if you get sick and are in Dallas? They won’t let you stay in the dorms and you won’t be allowed in a plane. Where do you go?

My son went to SMU (Cox), got good internships/jobs during the year and a really great job upon graduation. Its business school is good .

I see you are a girl. I will say the culture at SMU is very different from the northeast, particularly for girls. Have you visited?

Different culture is good, and part of your education/broadening your horizons. However if I had a daughter I’m not sure I would send her to SMU. The emphasis on looks, clothes, the contingent looking for their mrs degree are all things I don’t love about it. That said, if you’ve visited and like the vibe disregard what I just wrote!

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@billmarsh

Very good point! However, I talked to my parents and because both of my parents do freelance/are unemployed, they are planning on moving to Dallas with me if I choose SMU. Would Fordham still be your choice in that scenario?

Thanks for the info! SMU was the only school I got into that I didn’t visit, which really sucks, especially because of the change in culture. I have been talking to some other admitted students though, and I get along with them pretty well.

Did you think that there are ample opportunities to do internships in NYC from Cox?

I was speaking to my mom (an SMU alum) and some other Cox alum and it seems like most SMU students don’t want to work in the NE, so jobs in NYC aren’t too competitive. I was thinking, and if anything, shouldn’t it then be either to get a job in NYC as a Cox grad vs a Gabelli grad or VSB grad? My logic was that almost everyone at Gabelli and VSB would want to work in the city and jobs would therefore be very competitive (Unlike SMU). However, being in the NE, number wise, there should be more job opportunities at Gabelli/VSB. Thoughts?

I don’t know how easy or competitive it is to get internships in NYC from Cox. Clearly it is easier to get them in Dallas. That said, my son has a bunch of SMU friends who got jobs in nyc upon graduating, and my son has asked his bank to move him there, and they would have but for COVID19. I cannot compare SMU v Fordham as I know almost nothing about Fordham. I expect the student experience would be very different at the two schools.

OP: Based on further information shared by you in this thread, either SMU or Fordham should work if willing to do internships in Texas & be recruited primarily–although not exclusively–for positions in the SouthWest US.

After rereading your posts in this thread, it seems as though you are unclear as to your future goals–for exapmple: you are unsure of your major (accounting, finance, or marketing). Consider a double major in finance & accounting.

While you can get to NYC from SMU, it may be through Big 4 accounting firms rather than through IB or MBB MC.

Wow! You have great parents.

I’m biased. My son went to Fordham College and had a great experience there. My friend’s son went to Gabelli and had a great experience there. I know very little about SMU.

Both Fordham and SMU are primarily regional in the student bodies they serve. Half the students at SMU are from Texas and immediately surrounding states. Half the students at Fordham are from the tri-state area. Yes, both schools draw the rest of the country and internationally, but it’s that core group who are going to determine the dominant campus culture.

In addition, both schools have a religious influence, which modifies that dominant local culture further. In Fordham’s case, the Jesuits stress social justice and service to others. In my son’s case, that meant spending some time on some vacations in places like Haiti and a New Mexican Native American reservation. I don’t know the culture at SMU, but if I were considering going there I’d make it a point to find out.

Geography also influences your ability to get your first job after college. So, it would be good to consider now where you want to live after college. Research tell us that young adults are much more likely to live near their college than where they grew up.

I think that the two universities offer comparable quality. I know that Fordham invested heavily in its Business School within the past decade to provide it with state of the art facilities. It’s also located in the city that is the financial capital of the world, and the university has connections with the business community. Furthermore, the Ram Van provides easy access to Lincoln Center and the commuter train, which stops at the edge of campus, provides easy access to Grand Central. So, Fordham students can readily explore that city and everything it has to offer. Those are all pluses. Dallas is also a big financial center, which is a plus for SMU. You’ll have to do the rest of the comparison with research on the SMU side.

Best of luck with your decision. You have two fine choices.

I’m a little late to the party - but a lot of my son’s friends from Cox have/had (covid) finance internships in NYC.

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