Fordham versus UCLA

<p>I was accepted to UCLA and Fordham University in NY. I live in SoCal and really want to live on the East Coast. Fordham is an amazing private school, but I don't know if it has the prestige and opportunities that come with attending UCLA. Anyone have more info?</p>

<p>To a large extent, the opportunities you have in life will stem from how you do in school, not which school you attend. Your graduate school choice will be more important than your undergrad in that regard as well. Which coast do you want to work on when you graduate? You’ll be building more connections in N.Y. if you go to school in N.Y., and vice versa. Doesn’t mean you can’t move later, it’s just a factor to consider. Are there any special programs you might want to take advantage of at UCLA or at Fordham? Will one school cost more? You’ll have to define for yourself what “opportunities” you are looking for before you can decide whether UCLA has more of them. Congratulations on having two fine schools to choose from.</p>

<p>Tough call. UCLA is an amazing school. Very prestigious and very hard to get into. So congrats on that. Its also very big. Not sure what your cost is there, but I do know being instate it will be very cost effective. </p>

<p>Not sure what Fordham did for you with scholarships or financial aid. </p>

<p>As for choosing between the two, its a personal decision. I know people who turned down Ivy League schools to attend Fordham because of scholarship money and they just wanted to be in New York. </p>

<p>We cant pick for you. We are not you. Fordham is Jesuit. Fordham is an awesome school where you will be superbly challenged. Fordham has unparalleled opportunities with internships and jobs (if you perform). Don’t come to Fordham cocky. You will be knocked on your can. Seen it happen. At Fordham the best students quickly rise to the top, but they also get more workload…professors will challenge you to the extreme…to prepare you for graduate school or professional school. (My kid was…finished Phi Beta Kappa and was very well prepared for graduate school as a result). But she worked like a slave until exhaustion for four years. Beyond exhaustion. Often in tears. Her roomies and friends all the same and they ALL finished at the very top of the class. Fordham ranks its students by number. </p>

<p>Its an awesome experience. I would never tell someone to forgo another opportunity of equal or better merit (based on USNWR rankings, for whatever they are worth.) All I can say is what you will get for your money at Fordham. And the growing number of kids from California who are trekking to Fordham each year. A large contingent, in fact. </p>

<p>But woe be the student who comes and parties and considers Fordham easy… ;-)</p>

<p>Congrats, and welcome to Fordham!</p>