Is this a reach for me? Did you get in?

I am a high school senior in New York (in-state advantage?). Fordham is my dream school but I feel as if it’s in the middle of being a target and a reach. My main concern is my GPA.

SAT: 2020
GPA: 3.3-3.4
AP s: 6 in total
ECs: Member of 7 clubs, played JV Tennis one year
Top 25% at my school (really competitive)

Fordham really likes my high school and a handful of people get in every year. I visited the school once and introduced myself to the admissions counselor and sent an email to her telling her how much I loved it. Planning to go again this month or October. Planning to ED or maybe even EA.

How are my chances of getting in? Any Fordham students accepted with similar GPAs/SATs?

In addition,

I am submitting an art portfolio (makes me stand out more on personal interest/talents)
Income Bracket (if I EA) : 200K-250K
Desired Major: English/Pre-law

What are Fordham’s views on the importance of GPAs vs.SAT scores since mine are so different in comparison?

Chance me threads are difficult. Nobody here decides anything and we are all guessing. Every year weird things happen at Fordham admissions (and every school.) So no guarantees.

From what I know the SAT is always the critical factor in deciding about admissions. Bubble kids get a look at GPA and EC’s and diversity and whatever they can see in the files, including talent and ambition and recommendations etc. But the hard truth is, despite schools denials, SATs are the sum and substance on who gets in and who doesnt and who gets a scholarship and who doesnt. Because they have to report the scores of those they admit and that affects rankings.

GPAs are a problem if there is a huge disconnect between the SAT score and the gpa avg. It can indicate laziness and lack of work ethic, or it can indicate that someone is a really hard worker and just didnt do well on a standardized test like the SAT. GPAs are always in the mix…but the SAT is the real issue.

Your high school is competitive and Fordham likely knows that. Fordham knows how that school grades…and they know which schools are puffery and give everyone A’s like halloween candy.

Your SAT is fine. You are a match. Not a reach. Your GPA is a touch lower than Fordham’s avg of 3.5, but they may overlook that with the quality of your transcript, if you took uber tough courses and your school grades tough. If you have a problem with work ethic, thats problematic because Fordham is NOT a skate school and you have to work very hard for your grades. But I suspect that is not your case.

Income levels supposedly dont affect decisions at Fordham. Dont know if your family needs any financial assistance but if you do, file the FAFSA and see what Fordham does with that. You MUST file FAFSA for any student loans. That being said, wink-wink, a student who doesnt need financial aid and whose parents will stroke a check for the full monte every year of 60k a year, and which will increase 3% or so every year, they will take note of that as it goes to the bottom line. Its also a crude reality check. It is what it is.

Art portfolio is helpful but as Fordham is not an Art Conservatory, its of little usage. You are free to paint to your heart’s content while at Fordham. And its a beautiful campus, and so are the Botanical Gardens and Bronx Zoo next door. Of course, teaching art to kids in an internship might also get their attention. Bronx schools would like that.

There is no benefit to being pre-law for getting into law schools. Law schools are brutal and look almost solely at your LSAT score. GPA has even less benefit there. Or major. A difference of two points on an LSAT score can mean yes or no. Its very brutal. What is the best way to prepare? A well balanced broad based undergraduate education. Legal writing is categorically different from creative writing in an English major, btw. LOGIC plays a huge role, so Philosophy helps. And LOGIC is a critical element in the LSAT examination.

I think you get in. Good luck.

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None of us works for admissions so in a case like yours with an above average SAT and below average GPA it is impossible to predict the outcome. I think your classification of Fordham as a high match/low reach is on target. Your high SAT and coming from a competitive HS are factors in your favor. If it is available, I’d check your HS Naviance to see where you stand relative to others who applied from your HS.

You can check the admitted and enrolled class profiles below.
http://www.fordham.edu/info/20063/undergraduate_admission/2535/fordham_at_a_glance