<p>I need help choosing which college to pick. </p>
<p>I still haven't gotten a letter from Fordham, but am sure I can get in. But I got into STJ with a 20K scholarship. </p>
<p>Which college should I attend?</p>
<p>I heard that Fordham is a better academic school, but STJ holds more prestige and its diploma holds more importance. College ******* said this on its site about STJ. </p>
<p>"A degree with the name St. John's on it is a heavy piece of paper. People rarely overlook an SJU diploma. The name can take you places."</p>
<p>Also STJ has it's home basketball games at MSG, and to be honest, I rather live in Queens than the Bronx even over a gated community Fordham has. </p>
<p>But what are your thoughts? Fordham or STJ?</p>
<p>Overall, I do think that Fordham is the better degree to have. I pulled some admission statistics from the two school’s websites which are below. I can’t help but to be biased-- my S is having a great experience and is getting an great education at Fordham. It sounds like you have visited both schools and I would suggest that you re-visit them both on accepted students days before you decide. Certainly finances are part of the decision so I’d wait to see what you get from Fordham. Also, look at the particular program/major you are interested in at each school. Most importantly, try to get a sense of where you will fit in and be happiest. Good luck.</p>
<p>From St. John’s website: The average SAT score for the Fall 2009 Freshman class is a 1092 out of 1600 (Math and Critical Reading). The average GPA is an 88 or 3.3 on the 4.0 scale.
From Fordham’s website: Middle 50% for Accepted: 1830-2050 (Math, CR, W), Grade Point Average: 3.7 or 92 or A-</p>
<p>That website you referred to is absolutely wrong. Every objective ranking system I have ever seen has Fordham at least one tier higher than St. Johns. This is true at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well. While certain programs may be better at one school or another (which is true everywhere), I think Fordham’s faculty stand with the best of the best (many with Ivy League credentials), and Fordham’s student body is exceptional. The notion that employers believe St. Johns is a better school (and better hire) than Fordham is laughable. </p>
<p>I don’t trash any school. Every school serves a good function for their students and community. But I can assure you that a Fordham degree carries a lot of weight in professional circles, academic circles and in the workforce. </p>
<p>As far as comparing offers and deciding on that basis, its perfectly legitimate to do so, if money is a factor for you. But wait and see what Fordham offers before you do.</p>
<p>i live on long island, so I have grown up hearing alot about both schools; and have friends at both schools. Admittedly, I may be a little biased because I am going to Fordham this spring as a transfer student but the notion that a St. Johns degree holds more weight or is more valuable than one from Fordham is just flat out wrong.
St. John’s is a good school but is not even on the same tier as Fordham. Fordham is widely seen as a top 50 university in the country, St. John’s was placed just outside the top 150 by US News</p>
<p>St. John’s may be a better fit for you based on personal preferences like campus, location, major, what school you see yourself attending (and of course you got a nice scholarship to St. John’s so that cannot be overlooked since both schools are expensive) but either way I think Fordham is the more prestigious institution without a doubt</p>
<p>I intend on double majoring in finance and journalism, and I think STJ and Fordham both have nice connections to Manhattan, but STJ has MSG. would u say STJ is a better fit though?</p>
<p>well outside of playing basketball at MSG, I dont think that is an advantage either way. Fordham also has some pretty extensive internship/ alumni connections in all parts of the city.</p>
<p>kobepau - If you were a varsity basketball player maybe having games at MSG might be a factor, but as a finance/journalism student the location of the games should make no difference whatsoever to you.</p>
<p>Fordham is playing St. Johns in basketball now with more frequency. We beat them at the Rose Hill Gym last season, and this season (Dec 2011) they beat us at MSG in a close game. Fordham offers tickets to events in Manhattan, including the knicks and yankee stadium and broadway shows, at a huge discount through student affairs/dorms etc. </p>
<p>For some kids, basketball and football are huge factors in picking a school. Picking Fordham is largely and academic decision. We are Division I and proud of it. We have a very up and coming basketball program with a new coach and a recently named new football coach (Fordham alumnus who coached as OC and QB coach at UConn). St. Johns’ doesnt play football. </p>
<p>We have an awesome softball and baseball team, a decent swimming team. We play well in soccer. We also have highly competitive club sports for those who want to play…including basketball and ice hockey. </p>
<p>I totally understand the draw of athletics and Fordham is trying hard to improve its footprint in that realm. But rest assured, going to Fordham is about academics. You will work extremely hard there. Nobody skates through Fordham. Nobody. Its business school is also world class and I personally know people who have studied in Beijing with Fordham’s unique school over there. There are also close ties with the London School of Economics. </p>
<p>College ******* is a joke. Its a biased book. Sorry to pop your bubble. USNWR is much better gauge and more objective, though I am not a fan of rankings. </p>
<p>To be honest, outside of New York, Fordham is completely unknown. The prestige of the school really wont matter if future employers haven’t even heard of it. On the flip side, if you’re staying in New York, Fordham is a good choice. However, St. John’s would be a great choice too! :)</p>
<p>^^^…really? Funny you state that because they have HUGE applications from the West Coast, Texas, Florida, South, Midwest, and the Northeast.</p>
<p>Fordham is VERY well known all over the nation…its ranked 53 in the uber selective National Research Universities category and will crack the top 50 this year. Its known internationally as well. They get students from 48 states and 20 countries.</p>
<p>Its not as well known to some people who go by what football team is playing on Saturday or Basketball team…so its not BC. Its also not an Ivy. But its a top flight university that is very proud of its extensive alumni list, including Obama’s Intelligence Czar John Brennan and at least one Director of Central Intelligence and HUNDREDS of FBI agents, several CEO’s, famous actors. Hollywood REGULARLY films movies on the Rose Hill campus. </p>
<p>While someone may well select St. John’s over Fordham for their own personal reasons, and I tip my hat to them (as its a very personal choice), I think you better check your facts on Fordham’s name recognition and reputation around the country.</p>
<p>Thanks Sov. debt- and for all of you very helpful posts. I graduated SJU in 1976 and my child will be Gabelli 2016. As you say, very personal choice but Fordham is nationally very well-known and SJU may be so for basketball but not so much academics. At least that’s my feeling as an SJU alum that’s been out working since 1976.</p>
<p>Brocha: Its my pleasure. I dont bash any schools…even huge rivals like the Johnnies. LOL. Its unprofessional and unhelpful and counterproductive. Nor am I an academic snob or elitist. I think schools exist for many reasons and serve many different constituents. </p>
<p>I am glad your kid is coming to Fordham Gabelli (which had a 30% admit rate this year because of a huge influx of applications!) I am sure he/she will be a credit to Fordham and have a really good experience.</p>
<p>I too don’t like to trash any school, but I do bristle when unfounded facts are tossed about. If you believe nothing else, go by the one reference used by all: US News and World Report. For 2012 in the National University category, they have St. John’s ranked 152nd and Fordham at 53rd. All schools have a niche and fills a need. St. John’s fills a need, but Fordham is just a better school academically as Columbia is a better school than Fordham academically. Each school has a role.</p>
<p>Sov Debt- Intention was just to underscore that if pitting Fordham/SJU as far as academic national recognition-personally think it is more well-known than SJU- if that matters to the student deciding…
And thanks for the good wishes- and glad your daughter had such a great experience- your insights have been invaluble!</p>
<p>Its my pleasure, again. A couple of salient points. My passion for Fordham runs deep. But my daughter didnt always love Fordham and we had huge culture shock Freshman year, not being New Yorkers or Northerners. But I also discerned quickly that the reason Fordham doesnt get more applications from my region of the country is because of a huge misnomer about the Bronx. Kids apply to GW, Georgetown, Tufts, BC, BU, Vassar, NYU and the Ivy League but mention Fordham and they are either confused or have an incorrect judgment. So my mission became to dispel that misunderstanding and to correct the record and get the word out about what a great school it is (warts and all), and that its a really good experience. </p>
<p>Kids pick schools for the darndest reasons…because they are kids. I just want Fordham to be in the mix of the names and to give it a good shot. I was pleased to see someone from Michigan pick Fordham this weekend, and over BC and Notre Dame and Villanova. Nice to “win one for once!” LOL.</p>
<p>I wish everyone the very best, but also to tell them to work very hard, and to make Fordham better when you are there…to fix what needs fixin’ and lend a hand to those who come along behind you.</p>
<p>Don’t go to St. John’s, trust me on this one. If you do, you’ll be stuck with the guys that didn’t care too much for school and such, while Fordham is a couple of steps above that. Not to say that Fordham doesn’t have this type of student, but it definitely has fewer of them, which is what you want.
Nearly everyone I know at St. John’s regrets enrolling, and most are so upset at their choice that they stay in dorms and drink. 50% of my class goes to St. John’s every year, so there have been many people voicing their opinions.
In the end, it’s your choice! If you don’t want to be as academically challenged, go for SJU.
Good luck!</p>
<p>I know that the original poster posted this last year, but I still thought I would post my two cents in case anyone uses this as a reference in the future.</p>
<p>I chose Fordham over St. Johns, despite St. Johns giving me slightly more money. In the end for me, it was just about how much I loved Fordham. Fordham felt more at home for me and that is what really made my decision. But still, I think Fordham has a better case than St. Johns.</p>
<p>St. Johns is a decent school, but in terms of academics it does not come that close to Fordham. And as the poster above me mentioned, it does seem like students at St. Johns just do not seem to care as much about their academics. Friends I have that have went to St Johns have been dissapointed about life on campus once they got there. They were not expecting it to be so little about the academics for so many students.</p>
<p>I love sports and would have loved to have gone to a bigger sports school than Fordham, but at the end of the day you cannot chose a school because of its athletic reputation unless you are an athlete. Fordham does not have a giant sports scene, but if you really want to get into basketball or foot ball you can. Keep in mind that St Johns actually has not football team. </p>
<p>I also think Fordham is in a better area. It is easier to reach the city from Fordham with the Metro North being right off campus. Also, there are more stores and restaurants right off of Fordham’s campus.</p>
<p>I do not want to put down St. John’s since I did like it and it was my number two choice. But, Fordham is just a better school. Fordham has a better academic reputation and I think a Fordham degree will take you more places.</p>
<p>One last thing to note is size. St John’s is a bit larger so you can expect larger classes and such. I have also heard (not confirmed) that St John’s is more of a commuter school, the campus is not too active on the weekends.</p>
<p>Much like gardy24, my top 2 schools were Fordham and St. John’s, and ended up going with St. John’s. While I don’t want to put down my school, I’m currently trying to transfer to Fordham because I am dissatisfied with the social aspect of my school’s campus life. And yes, it’s a commuter school primarily. It’s a decent school, but if you have the choice to go to STJ or Fordham, go with Fordham.</p>
<p>I think the folks who said SJU is “Better known” than Fordham in the nation is correct in that SJU BASKETBALL is better known. Unless you are planning on becoming a professional basktball player, how important is the fact SJU is better known for basketball? Will that fact help you get a better job than a Fordham grad? get into grad school? If you want a great (better) college basketball experience as the foundation of your college experience, then SJU has it over FU most years. BUT if you want a stronger educational experience, challenging classes and peers, from a nationally ranked school (ranked almost 100 points higher), Fordham may be for you.</p>
<p>BTW…Fordham has football and St. John’s does not. That counts for something ;^)</p>