<p>Hello everyone, I just got accepted to FCLC and am very interested in attending. I've known about the large core curriculum for awhile and it has been a concern of mine, and those concerns were validated when I read on stories on Facebook of people having to drop classes because they literally could not sleep due to the demands of their classes and several people having to graduate late.</p>
<p>So, I guess my questions to any current students is whether the core is really that difficult, do you have plenty of time to enjoy the city, and is it possible to graduate within four years and perhaps start taking classes in your major by freshman/sophomore year even if you don't have any substitution requirements from AP exams, etc?</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback.</p>
<p>First, welcome to Fordham. The core requirements are the same at FCLC and FCRH. The work load may be heavy at times, but not overwhelming IF YOU DO YOUR WORK and don’t procrastinate on papers etc. It is reasonably challenging, but not drop dead overwhelming. The core is designed to be like a classic liberal arts college and expand your view of the world, give you a kaleidoscope perspective of life and its opportunities, instead of tunnel vision. Fordham is known for its core and its special. It starts reasonably slowly in September, but speeds up as the semester wears on. Spring semester can actually be tougher. Some kids who party and dont do the work, skip classes will flunk out. But the vast majority do just fine. There is some grade deflation, as Fordham is not a school that hands out A’s to everyone. You have to work for them. </p>
<p>Graduating on time is not a problem. The vast majority of students do graduate on time. If you take a full load each semester you will be fine. Don’t be obsessed with your major just now. Take your time. Wait for the first year core classes to sink in…you might change your mind. SOME kids who have lots of AP’s can begin major work in sophomore year but not many do that. Some of the core classes qualify for programs majors and minors. Not all, but some. Relax.</p>
<p>Finally. Facebook is just a place to chatter with Fordham admitted kids. But don’t believe all the stuff you read there, or on Twitter. Its a waste of energy. GO TO THE FORDHAM ADMITTED STUDENT ORIENTATION IN APRIL. That is key. Meet faculty, administrators and your fellow students. See the buildings. Get acclimated.</p>
<p>The stress is over now. Just chill, enjoy the fact you are admitted. Finish senior year with a bang! Fordham will request your final grades so NO SENIOR SLACK.</p>
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<p>I am going to echo GB and add a bit. How many times have you heard of kids in your class not going to bed at all, skipping the first few classes, going to bed at 4 AM to wake up at 6 AM because they have “a lot of AP homework”? I’m sure you’ve heard that a great deal over the past four years. I can think of at least forty kids from my experience.</p>
<p>I am not in college, but I am not going to expect it to be any different. The only times I’ve had to stay up very late working on homework was because I didn’t start until 1 AM. Whose fault was that? Clearly mine. </p>
<p>People always talk about “how much harder college is.” And yet they said that high school was harder than middle school. And yet again that middle school was harder than elementary school. Rigor is relative: if you have a brain and are a good student - it is near impossible to do poorly.</p>