<p>My son is interested in both schools. He will probably major in math and/or economics and is not interested in undergrad business programs. Besides the obvious differences in these schools (NYC vs Philly, urban vs suburban) how would you compare the academics and general day to day environment at each school?</p>
<p>Thanks. Londondad</p>
<p>Fordham plays at Villanova tomorrow in football! LOL. Go Rams!</p>
<p>I am not familiar with Villanova except as to engineering, which is stellar there. Fordham is Jesuit, Villanova is Augustinian. There is a difference in perspective perhaps. Generally Villanova is more catholic centric, and Fordham is much more diverse in its student body. As to math departments and economics, Fordham is not known for being strong in either, but check the recent faculty in each department and judge for yourself. That being said, since your son is not a business major intended, I presume he is interested in a broader perspective and Fordham’s liberal arts are extremely strong. Internships at Fordham are amazing. </p>
<p>In many ways its a personal preference and depends on the vibe he wants. Fordham has two campuses: Lincoln Center and Rose Hill. Nova is a basketball powerhouse and Fordham is much improved but not where it wants to be. </p>
<p>Visiting both schools would help you discern your preference. Good luck.</p>
<p>I agree that if possible, the best thing you can do is visit the two schools. I a Fordham student. </p>
<p>-I don’t know about the math department (although I don’t think it is the strength of the university) but the economics department here is good. Some economics majors do choose to minor in business.</p>
<p>-Both schools draw largely from the east coast. Fordham has been working to increase its geographic reach (no idea if Villanova is doing the same).</p>
<p>-I would say that that overall Fordham has more diversity, </p>
<p>-Fordham has two campuses - Rose Hill in the Bronx (with a beautiful traditional campus) and Lincoln Center in Manhattan (with small campus in the heart of Manhattan). </p>
<p>-While both are Catholic schools, I do think that Villlanova may be a bit more “Catholic Oriented” – the Jesuits at Fordham do not push religion although it is definitely present for those who want to participate.</p>
<p>-Villanova has Greek Life while Fordham does not.</p>
<p>-Villanova has more of a big time sports vibe with its basketball team. Although our football team is better than ever which is fun.</p>
<p>-At this point Villanova is still a bit more selective to get in, but I think that gap is closing and a number of people do chose to come to Fordham over Villanova.</p>
<p>-Your son can apply to both schools non binding EA and see what happens.</p>
<p>-I love Fordham and I have a friend who is very happy at Villanova. You can’t go wrong with either school.</p>
<p>Thanks for the helpful suggestions. We have visited both schools. My son really liked Villanova, but would not get out of the car at Fordham’s Bronx campus. So we would have to look at Lincoln Centre!</p>
<p>Sometimes that happens…my kid rejected some schools on perceptions. However, its important to tell him that the Bronx is not evil or horrible. ALL SCHOOLS have some safety concerns, even in the rural settings. </p>
<p>Fordham’s Bronx campus is actually lovely and with sports on campus its a lot of fun. Nothing wrong with Lincoln Center, but its a lot smaller and they live in one building and its of course an urban setting as you step onto city streets. </p>
<p>Kids from suburban areas and rural settings sometimes have concerns about the Bronx. But actually its very eclectic and has AWESOME restaurants. A very high percentage of Fordham students are from suburban areas and even some small towns across america. Its an education in itself. Nothing to fear. And its not like a bunch of roughnecks attend Fordham…Fordham students are no different than other colleges and often are from upper middle class families. </p>
<p>We are southerners. It was culture shock to be certain and freshmen year was full of all sorts of drama and changes. But in the end, my kid wouldnt change a thing. Graduated Phi Beta Kappa.</p>
<p>Its of course a deeply personal decision…and your kid’s first decision as an adult…its his life. My kid took classes at Lincoln Center several times as well and did an internship in Manhattan (and the Bronx). </p>
<p>Don’t force it, but do open his eyes and ask him to be open minded. </p>
<p>Where might he want to live when he graduates? Wherever he chooses, he will be doing internships and making contacts. Does he want to work his way up in Philly? Or in NYC? Or will he go back toward home, and basically start fresh? </p>
<p>I agree with Lefty Lou. A friend was torn between Xavier and an East Coast School. Although Xavier offered more money, he did not want to be connected to Chicago (the big city where mid westerners go for jobs), so he took the East Coast school to be closer to family during the summer internships. Both Villanova and Fordham are East Coast, but one is right in the city, offering better internships. Even Georgetown has a special program to “visit and introduce” NYC to its students, encouraging them to “seek internships”, while at Fordham, you ARE ALREADY THERE. </p>
<p>Thanks for the comments. Lefty Lou and Mexusa. I don’t want to focus on where he might later work as that is only a tertiary consideration to my son growing into a confident, happy and mature adult as well as getting a great all-around education. However, I would guess that he will ultimately end up in New York and may go into finance. Therefore, it is probably important therefore for him to be in an East Coast school but I don’t think it matters too much whether he is in NYC, Boston, DC or anywhere in between. </p>
<p>I don’t know anything about finance. But for my daughter, she knew her career would be in NYC, so she didn’t look at any schools anywhere else. The internships she has had, and has this semester, have been invaluable. She has made contacts that she would never have made if she were in any other state. </p>
<p>A little story-- one of her classes was taught by someone who works at one of the major ad agencies that does work for Broadway. He even had her class meet once at the agency and they got a tour and were introduced to people. My daughter has a friend who dreams of working at that agency. But he went to our state school, probably 6 hours away from NYC. When he graduates and applies to that ad agency, he will just be another resume that arrives in the mail. But if my daughter wanted to apply there, she already has a great contact (the teacher) and can reference the tour she got when she interviews there. He was sooo jealous when she told him she knew someone who works there and had a class there.</p>
<p>Not that location should be the only factor. Of course you want your son to be happy wherever he chooses. But if everything else is equal, then I think you have to give some thought to location. Philly is a great city, I live close to there. But it is a much smaller place. </p>
<p>Thanks. Don’t worry, my son knows that it is unlikely to achieve his current career goals in Philly. On the other hand, college is not just about being setting yourself for a job after graduation!</p>
<p>Well, of course, he has to go to the school he likes the most and feels most comfortable at. I was mentioning it as one thing to consider when making a decision.
Truthfully, I’d be a little upset if I payed for four years of college and my daughter wasn’t set up to get a job after graduation… but maybe that’s just me. Money is tight. She will need a decent job (or two) to afford NYC rent. Good luck to your son, wherever he chooses.</p>
<p>We all know that a big part of getting a job is “getting in the door to interview” and that comes from many resources, including the ever present “connections” and “alumni contacts” and so forth. Its life. In that regard, Fordham shines. Fordham people look out for Fordham graduates. Fordham graduates are often prized for work ethic, personal ethics, broad preparation…and internship experiences. New York is home to tens of thousands of people who come from all over the country and the world looking to find work and advance their careers. The competition is severe. Thus, any connections you have through professors, other alumni are invaluable. </p>
<p>Networking is essential. Fordham graduates with top grades and good connections through alumni and mentors get excellent jobs. </p>
<p>I cant speak for Villanova. As between RH or LC, I really dont think it makes any difference for finding work in Manhattan or another borough. Both campuses have alumni all over the city and both have faculty with amazing contacts. Good luck</p>
<p>@londondad I love Fordham and for me the Bronx location offers a great blend of a traditional campus and an urban atmosphere. As a student here, the Bronx is a plus with Arthur Avenue (restaurants and bars), the Botanical Gardens, great opportunities for community service work, and easy access to Manhattan. That said, it is not for everyone including it seems your son. If your S preferred Villanova then I would focus on finding schools in less urban areas where he feel more comfortable. Each person has to seek out what works for him/her. Good luck in the search.</p>
<p>Yes, Fordham is an old school in NYC and many of the great urban schools have to deal with tough urban neighborhoods: U-Chicago, U-Penn, Columbia, USC, Yale, Lehigh, Temple, Carnegie-Mellon and many more. Fordham is a safe campus but kids need to have their wits about them when venturing off campus (good advice at ANY school). There are some 3,000 colleges and universities in the US. Lots to chose from. For the kids who come to Fordham, it is a wonderful 4 years and the vast majority love it…but it is not for everyone. The student needs to find the right “Fit” and for some, a pretty school in the middle of a forest is the answer. For others, it’s bright lights and a big city. For another group, it is a school like Fordham that offers a bit of both extremes. I hope each kid finds their fit.</p>
<p>My dd’s best friend was accepted to both Fordham and Villanova. She liked both schools but found 'Nova to be the better fit. As RamRay says,Fordham has a safe campus, but each student needs to find the right “Fit”. My daughter LOVES Fordham. Villanova has “Greek Life”. Fordham doesn’t. That was something my daughter was is so happy about, since she has friends in other schools that have joined Frats and Sororities, and she really doesn’t like that sort of thing. </p>
<p>She was also accepted to Manhattan College in Riverdale, which is in the Bronx also. I grew up not too far from that area (Fr. McShane’s old neighborhood), and when we visited the campus (something I hadn’t done since I was a senior in HS MANY MANY years ago) I was surprised as to how built up it is now. The Draddy Gym was just about to open and there was no parking garage back then, Though the area is fine, close to public transportation, my daughter didn’t like that it felt “crowded”. The dorms were beautiful (they had built a couple of new ones), the food was good, the classrooms were nice. But she didn’t like the overall “feel”. She loved the facilities, but hated that she felt “crowded” and it wasn’t open enough. She liked BIG campus feel. She even didn’t like the fact you could see it from the Major Deegan. And that was even before we stepped foot on campus. When we were leaving, she was like “That’s it, I’m going to Fordham”. Got home, put the deposit down and never looked back. The following week was their accepted students day, which we attended even though we already put the deposit down. Her Number 1 school was the University of Miami and she loved the huge campus feel and vibe of the place. Unfortunately, she wasn’t accepted, which was a huge blow. </p>
<p>It’ all about what each school offers what and the overall feel and fit. Each school has it’s own personality and it’s good to visit. Good luck!! </p>
<p>LOL So true MomtheChauffer, my D also was accepted to U of Miami (lots of family in Florida). The academically best school in Florida, hands down! She chose Fordham and loved it. What she didn’t like about U-Miami struck me as funny, but to each his/her own (She didn’t like that there were live 'gaters in the small lake in the middle of the campus, that kids would have hurricane parties when hurricanes would hit and that to her, the campus didn’t look like a traditional college campus). I encouraged her to consider it as she would have gotten a fine education there but she had Fordham on her mind…she didn’t even care that she was wait-listed for Lehigh (her mom’s pick).</p>
<p>I will make my last comment on this subject of Fordham seen in movies and TV; we have a family friend who works for an agency that scouts locations for the many, MANY TV shows filmed in NYC. I have been told that this agency is anxious to see the completion of the new law school and dorm complex at Lincoln Center as the design is so modern and sleek. Don’t be surprised if the new buildings are seen in some future TV program (although they take great pains to make most structures unrecognizable as backdrops).</p>
<p>On this actual topic thread: there have been MANY posts on Villanova vs. Fordham. If you dig though each schools posts, you will find some very…lively…discourses. I think both are very similar with each having certain strengths. Some will prefer Nova, others Fordham.</p>
<p>Londondad;
I take it you are from London. I think ti is fair to say that Fordham is more diverse and has more international students than Villanova, just by virtue of it being in NYC (perhaps one of the most international cities in the world). When my D attended, she met kids from all over the US, but in particular she introduced me to kids from Spain, China, India, Sweden, Argentina, Ireland (a bunch) and Germany. I was told there were other countries as well.</p>
<p>You child will get a good education at either school.</p>
<p>Ramray, I’m sure you are right about that. Thanks</p>
<p>Regarding safety it has been mentioned many times that some of the top ranked schools have urban issues right outside the gate ( Penn, Yale, USC, Trinity, etc…) while others are tucked away in far away suburbs. It is very important you be aware of your surroundings and in some ways the heightened awareness in the city schools is part of the growing up college experience. This is a great time to mention the security at Fordham ( many are retired NY Police) are connected and have great relationships with these kids. They remind them to be aware and watch out for kids that might not have their sea legs coming home. The kids are educated to not walk alone at night and walk with your head up and not buried in your phone. Almost all get this lesson early. Great metaphor for life! My son had a medical issue last year and his roommate accompanied him to the ER. When he was admitted his roommate called security and they picked him up at the ER at 7 am. IF you look at rankings Fordham comes in as an A in safety! If you like the city, it is well…a city. This is a great “city light” experience until the kids graduate and actually really live in this city or any city. The outside neighborhood was not a deterrent in any way for us!</p>