Is Fordham the right choice for me? I'M DESPERATE PLEASE HELP!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Fordham University
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<p>I am probably the most indecisive person on planet earth, and I need some help choosing what college will be my home for the next four years. Fordham is my top choice- I basically love everything about it</p>

<p>I'm leaning towards Fordham because they gave me a pretty decent scholarship, the location is exactly what I want (I'm a dancer and could go into Manhattan and take classes whenever I want), the campus was absolutely beautiful, the people were nice and looked happy, they have D1 sports, good school spirit, etc. So the ambience is good. I also love the liberal arts education that it offers, so here come the questions.</p>

<p>I'd like to major in biology and pursue a healthcare related field. Is a diploma from Fordham pertaining to the healthcare fields competitive? Will it get me into a competitive med-school or pt-school? I'm second guessing my choice because it has more of a business/pre-law reputation and I'm worried that I'm not picking the school that's going to make me the most competitive applicant to med-school/pt-school I can be. How will the liberal arts education help me in that respect?</p>

<p>Also, I'm unsure because I'm reading that nightlife isn't great at Fordham which isn't awesome because I want to go out and party.</p>

<p>I picked Fordham, also, because it was one of the most academically prestigious schools that I applied to.</p>

<p>So, do you think I'm making the right choice? Please help, I'm DESPERATE!</p>

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<p>You’ve chosen an academically solid university with a scholarship, you like the location, and these are your reservations:</p>

<p>1) I’m worried that I’m not picking the school that’s going to make me the most competitive applicant to med-school/pt-school I can be. How will the liberal arts education help me in that respect?</p>

<p>The college you attend will not make you a competitive applicant to med school or other health care profession. What makes you competitive is your achievement where you attend. In this case, you won’t have much free time for your second concern:</p>

<p>2) Also, I’m unsure because I’m reading that nightlife isn’t great at Fordham which isn’t awesome because I want to go out and party.</p>

<p>Partying is not going to make you a competitive applicant. Sure, nobody expects you to never have any fun at college, but if your main concern is #1, then #2 is not a concern at all. Every college campus has opportunities for recreation, sports, clubs and ways to have fun, including partying, but a focus on partying is not going to help you achieve your academic goals at any college. </p>

<p>To be accepted at Fordham with a scholarship indicates that you are a strong student with the potential to do well. If you choose Fordham and you also choose to work as hard as you can and maximize your potential, you are likely to do well. </p>

<p>In summary, the most significant choice you have to make is not about Fordham, but about what you will do- and not do- there. </p>

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<p>For number 1, I know plenty of future med school people at LC. They all work hard! While RH does have more classes in those fields (you might have to take some there), it won’t hurt you at all.</p>

<p>Number 2, LC doesn’t have a party scene really. At most it’s just friends drinking in the dorm, nothing too loud of crazy… but I mean, you are in NYC. Tons of people go to parties/club/concerts/whatever every weekend. Just saying it won’t happen in the campus.</p>

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<p>Fordham stats currently say they have an 81% acceptance rate to med schools, excellent by anyone’s standards. All med schools are competitive; Fordham grads are accepted into prestigious programs, too. There is specific pre-health advising, as well as practical opportunities. Note that chem and bio are taken concurrently as freshmen, and that Fordham is unabashed in saying that their health-care track is very hard and they are not shy about “weeding out.”</p>

<p>Best wishes in making your decision.</p>

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<p>Heard it has a great acceptance rate for all fields of graduate education. As for partying, you are in NYC. You can keep it reasonable or go crazy, your choice. However, pre-med is very competitive and I don’t know anyone who was successful that counted themselves as a “partier!” Good luck with your choice and think seriously about how you plan on meeting your goals.</p>

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<p>Just a quick BTW: the med school acceptance rate is 81% for all kids applying to med schools, but the acceptance rate for kids who are recommended from the pre-med program (where research and GPA minimums are required) is at about 95%. This is a very demanding program. While you will get a BS degree in a science major, the core will give you a really well rounded education…and more and more med schools want well rounded, balanced people and not just pure test-tube nerds. You can take dance classes, but you won’t be able to take classes with BFA dance majors at Alvin Alley if you are pre-med. You have hundreds of clubs, the whole of NYC to visit, but if you are pre med, extra curricular will be only be on occasion or as a break from your studies.</p>

<p>No, Fordham is not known as a party school (like so many mega state schools), but is it also not known as nerd central (i.e. MIT, Cal-Tech, etc). It is a place for really bright, interesting people who want a real education and have the potential to offer something back to society, not just make a good salary and create wealth. There is a reason why Jesuit schools have such high med school placement rate: they help to nurture a complete person with some compassion and love of life. Now that makes for good doctors! Work hard and good luck!</p>

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<p>I am a current Fordham student. I would not suggest this school to any of my peers. Although it isn’t a “party” school (since there is no place for parties on campus…) everyone goes to the few bars that are off campus. They aren’t safe and the students get emails a few times a week about people being robbed or attacked on the street. Personally, I never felt comfortable walking through this area at night, intoxicated or not. </p>

<p>You mentioned that you perceive Fordham to have a lot of school spirit, which is not completely true. Although our football team had a good season this year, the school is known for having pretty weak athletics. Not many students at all attend games or events on campus. With the team improving, this may shift over the next few years, though. </p>

<p>Also, the students here are primarily from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. There is very very little diversity which makes for a pretty boring experience, people wise. I’m not sure where you are from, but many people here come from high schools together and towns neighboring each other. This can be a positive for some people, so I will leave that up to you. </p>

<p>Coincidentally, I am also on the pre-med track and a biology major. This has been one of my deepest sources of disappointment at Fordham. As a biology major, I have been locked out of biology courses due to the school’s inability to support the number of their students. It is often said that we are a mid-sized university with small-sized resources. Fordham is not known for their pre-med track, and it has shown while I have been here. If you are interested in being in New York, I suggest looking into NYU or Columbia, with much stronger academic programs and better reputations. </p>

<p>Further, I was guaranteed housing and am currently locked out of housing as well for next semester. In addressing these concerns, the administration is unresponsive all together. In the off-chance that you do get in touch with one of them, they are dismissive and tell you that they can’t help, often giving you a name of another administrator that will give you the same answer. There isn’t a good relationship between the administration and the student body, and a lack of interest is mutual. The strongest influence on campus is a stifling catholic overtone that guides most of the decisions made. </p>

<p>I don’t mean to completely bash the school, but I would have really appreciated a student perspective before I made my decision to come here. I hope this is helpful, and I hope you end up very happy at the school you choose!</p>

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<p>My student has had a great experience at Fordham. One of the things he most liked about Fordham when he went to visit, was the school spirit. School spirit is pride in your school, it is identifying with, supporting, and working to improve your college. It is feeling a connection to your fellow students and cheering on your school - not just for sports, but in the arts, in community service, in your organizations, and student groups. It is the camaraderie between students. </p>

<p>Housing IS limited at Fordham, but if you are accepted ‘with housing’ (as a resident student, ) you are guaranteed housing for all four years, as long as you stay in Fordham housing each semester. After freshman year, housing is applied for each spring during the Lottery. Some people end up on a Post-Lottery list, and will have housing assigned to them over the summer. Students will have housing one way or another. If you miss the deposit deadline you are placed in post-lottery, and a few students get placed there (mainly freshmen and sophomores) when housing fills up during the end of the lottery. It is rough if this happens to you, but you will have housing. Almost 80% of freshmen are resident students. There are also many apartments off campus available for rent.</p>

<p>Safety - last fall there was a series of ‘apple-picking’ that escalated to assault, on the streets of Little Italy. Notices were sent out on these, as always. There were about a dozen notifications, and then it stopped after an arrest was made. None of this was on campus, and mostly were perpetrated against students and citizens walking alone late night, while using their phone. Of course, walking alone at night, particularly in an area with bars, is probably not safe anywhere. There have been very few safety notices since then.</p>

<p>After freshman year, most students get into the course they want. Maybe not the time or professor they wanted, but the course. The more credits you have, the earlier you get to choose - AP credits help with that after Sophomore year. It is sometimes a good idea to ‘hold off’ on some courses for a semester or two, so you have the seniority to get the class time or professor you want. There are a few highly sought-after courses that always fill up the first day when seniors register, as is true at every school.</p>

<p>The Class of 2017 is one of the most geographically diverse in Fordham’s history. Forty percent of students are from states outside the Mid-Atlantic area. Students from 60 foreign countries attend Fordham. Twenty percent of the class is from NYC’s five boroughs.</p>

<p>Fordham is serious about education. A strong Core Curriculum is required, Grade inflation is strictly curbed, so getting A’s and even B’s is not a given, by any means. You will graduate with a good education, though! </p>

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<p>Not sure why collegegir520 is still there! My sophomore has made amazing friends, joined many clubs and activities and studies a lot. His friends are from Illinois, CA, CT, RI, Texas. Thought he is business the science majors are only complaining about rigor of class and not the teachers. Teams have been lackluster but the administration is addressing that and things are on the upswing. Regarding the party atmosphere the slogan “NY is my campus” rings true. A big part of the experience is city life and adventure and if you are looking for the local bar scene this may not be your place. Its there but more as a fill in rather than focus. The campus is gorgeous, the security top notch and friendly but like any urban campus you must be aware. My son has hit or miss with his professors but it has been overall positive. He has enjoyed class off sites at NY landmarks and had professors with wonderful NY experiences to share. A recent article that is circulating now says the college experience will be fulfilling and happy if you make a few close friends and have a few good teachers. That is certainly true for my son and his many friends.! Much of you experience is your own approach and attitude. Fordham can offer you all of it and more. Good luck in your decision. </p>

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<p>I have to agree and disagree with college girl. Yes, there are people from other states, but the norm is that everyoen is from NY, Long Island, NJ or CT. They’re a huge majority. Fordham still has a long way to go in terms of “diversity” (which I think is an overrated and pointless goal, but that’s for another thread).</p>

<p>I go to LC so I can’t say anything about housing or safety in RH, as I only go to RH for classes. In LC, it is true that there is zero school spirit because there are no sports in it. The only people that make the trip up to RH for games are people from out of state where football is big (Texas for example).</p>

<p>I also can’t say anything about pre-med, although I’ve heard friends complain about classes. But IMO a few emails to advisors and deans can fix that. That said I still think Fordham has a long way to go in the sciences and technology. It’s still majorly a liberal arts and business school. That said, yeah, NYU and Columbia are better, but Fordham is still pretty good for pre-med.</p>

<p>I can’t speak about Catholic overtones, RH housing, etc. because at LC none of those problems exist. LC is barely Catholic at all. I don’t think college girl’s experience is the norm, so don’t get discouraged OP.</p>

<p>I enjoy Fordham, but it does have its problems, and it’s still not comparable to schools like NYU or Columbia, simply because Fordham’s endowment is tiny compared to those schools, and that affects a lot of stuff. Fordham’s endownment is ~500 million. NYU’s is almost $3 billion. Columbia has $8 billion to play around with.</p>

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<p>I just want to write to this bc while I’m sorry that @CollegeGirl520 feels this way she really can’t speak for the whole student body and that has not been my S’s experience AT ALL. S developed excellent relationships at LC with Fr. Grimes, Fr. DeCola and all his deans who went out of their way to help him out in any way they could. In fact, Fr. Grimes called my S into his office for a half hour chat this past March just to see how he was doing bc he hadn’t seen him around after he moved off campus! He also wanted to know how he liked his time at Fordham. Now he probably doesn’t do this with everyone but my S was proactive in forming these relationships and it really helped him to cut through some of the bureaucracy with credit overload waivers, AP’s being properly credited, registration issues. </p>

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<p>The thing about school spirit is not only about sports. You see it on campus if you see people wearing clothes with the school name on it (and not just the free shirt you get during freshman orientation). I notice lots of Fordham clothes whenever I visit. People seem proud to show others they are from Fordham.</p>

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<p>Lefty Lou is right - The school spirit demonstrated by the sheer number of students wearing Fordham shirts, hats,sweats and bags is remarkable. That is one of the reasons our son chose Fordham - he felt the students were proud they were Fordham students. The cohesion at Fordham was demonstrated by this, he felt. He didn’t see that at the other schools he visited. School spirit is supporting your school - not just sport teams. But sports are also a part of college, and students take pride in the successes of their school in sports - as well as in academics.</p>

<p>Go Rams!</p>

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<p>Quick update on “lack of diversity” at Fordham: Admitted Students Day revealed that the accepted Class of 2018 is more diverse than past ones. While NJ and NY continue to make up about 29% of the class, a full 10% are from CA and another 10% are international (India and China). 49 states are represented (anyone from ND, here’s your chance to study in NYC), and 110 countries are represented. Now, with a less than 15% yield, who knows how the enrollment will work out, but clearly a strong effort is being put into making the school more diverse. Also, some of the “diversity” is found when you actually talk to the students and learn about their own experiences and backgrounds. We sat behind a couple of girls with Caribbean accents at the welcoming talk and they were complaining to each other how the audience was “very white.” They turned around visibly surprised when my husband leaned over and spoke to me in our native language. Yeah, you never know…:)</p>

<p>As for school spirit, Rose Hill would win over Lincoln Center, but that should not be a surprise. The different styles of campus appeal to certain types of students, so, yeah, Rose Hill has the more “traditional” preppy kind of kid. At least, this is what we noticed from our visits. As for “parties”, as a parent, I would not be willing to pay those prices for my daughter to “party”. And isn’t NYC a big enough “party” for most anyone in the world? If partying is what you want/need, go to your state school. Sounds like you would be in the Honors Program there, so take advantage of it. You will come out debt free ready to take on those lovely medical school bills. </p>

<p>Regarding pre-med: At this point, the school is known for its Gabelli Business School and it is the hardest one to get into, with an average SAT of 1980 this year. The overall average for the school is about 1850 or 1870? Not sure, exactly, but not above 1900 for sure. </p>

<p>Lots of factors go into a school decision. Several of my daughter’s friends attended the Admitted Day, and all LOVED Fordham. However, money and the strength of your major need to be considered, as well as keeping debt upon graduation to a reasonable level. In the end, half of them have committed to go elsewhere.</p>

<p>Suggestion: call the Dean for your major/department and ask to speak to an upperclassman about their experiences in getting research opportunities, internships, etc. Good luck! </p>