Fordham or NEU? 2017 Undergraduate Economics Major

College Search & Selection
1

HI Guys, I am accepted by both Fordham College in Lincoln Center(Economics Major) and Northeastern University College of Social Science and Humanities(Economics Major).

Northeastern University is more highly ranked (39 in US NEWS) and has the unique Co-op program to help me start my internships (It’s usually guaranteed that a student will get a job offer when it comes to Co-op if the student follows the instruction). Its location in Boston is very good for academic study. However, I don’t know whether its reputation, academic quality, and ranking are strong and stable since it just increased its ranking in the recent years.

Fordham has the best location (NYC) for students like me who wants to pursue Finance in the future while its alumni network could make its students easier in finding internships in New York, however, its campus (Lincoln Center) is a bit small for experiencing college life and the ranking (60 in US NEWS) doesn’t sound competitive as NEU’s 39. (Some say that Fordham’s undergraduate courses aren’t as good as NEU since it’s famous for its MBA courses related to Finance)

I got accepted with the major of Economics in both university (May change to something related to business or finance during my 4-year-study or graduate school). It’s hard to find some suggestions online since most of them are related to the graduate schools.

I want to pursue a higher degree after my graduation of my 4-year-undergraduate(unlimited locations but NYU if possible) and I want to develop my career in NYC. I don’t know whether a university’s reputation, ranking, and location will affect my application to the higher degree. I know Fordham is really good for starting my career in NYC, but I think NEU’s ranking/reputation or the co-op program could also help me pursue my goal in NYC.

I believe that both NEU and Fordham have their own advantages in helping me to pursue my goal, but I really don’t know which one should I choose. So could you guys give me some advice or your opinion on choosing these two universities?

2

One os Jesuit, one is not.

Just take your pick, can’t go wrong either way.

Unless you like watching pro sports teams that win, in your spare time, then Boston is better.

3

I would go with Fordham, and do your best to get internships DURING the school year… everyone descends on NYC during the summer, having more experience will be an advantage for you.

And fwiw I think that Northeastern’s quick rise in the USNWR rankings is due to them very good in gaming those rankings, not because their student body or faculty have magically improved that quickly. It’s not a bad school by any means, but it’s very overrated. And different rankings say different things (for example, Forbes has Fordham higher than NEU), so ignore rankings… they don’t really matter. Reputation-wise, I do think that Fordham is more “intellectual” than NEU, so I don’t think that going there would hurt your plans for grad school.

4

People say Fordham’s Gabelli school of business (Good ranking) has very good reputation in NYC; however, I got accepted by the Fordham College which I feel like it doesn’t seem as competitive as College of Social Science and Humanities in Northeastern University?

5

Northeastern and Fordham are peer schools for this area (Finance/Economics) - I agree, forget the rankings. Northeastern has gamed them a bit, but part of it is actually consistent faculty hiring sprees, so the improvement is real there.Northeastern also has consistently had a good reputation with employers in the northeast region, even before the rise recently. Northeastern is a but more career focused.

It sounds like more importantly, the better fit appears to be Fordham, and being so focused on NYC, it makes sense as well.

6

Uhm…Will the ranking of university affect my application for grad school? I am cool with going to NYC later (No rush)if I can have better background for undergraduate in other cities.

7

No, it won’t affect grad school.