<p>And if someone wanted an "NYU experience" but a smaller school, then Fordham has its Lincoln Center campus with a world renowned theatre arts program next to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.</p>
<p>fordham is a catholic jesuit university. a school like nyu is sure to be more diverse because of its size and non denominational background.</p>
<p>Fordham's issue of diversity has a lot to do with the fact that it's still somewhat of a commuter school. It is the simple fact that students attending Rose Hill who live in the Bronx will probably commute; that students from the Bronx are the most diverse group at the school, relegated to the despicable Commuter Lounge in the basement of McGinley center.</p>
<p>And it's often not a choice. Fordham will specifically deny residents of the Bronx student housing simply because they live in the Bronx. Fordham cannot hold their entire undergraduate population. But more obviously, it's that commuter students tend to come from families that value staying at home, or simply do not have the funds to pay for a residential hall. It's not that Fordham isn't diverse; it's that its residential population is almost completely white. Commuters are almost completely non-white.</p>
<p>And so Fordham is able to count commuter 'diversity' while not having to provide housing. Out of sight, out of mind. It's maybe the biggest 'thing' about Fordham—that commuters aren't necessarily living off-campus, they're living with their parents. In New Jersey, in Brooklyn, in the Bronx. It has created a significant issue for Fordham at Rose Hill as it's becoming an increasingly residential campus. And that in becoming a residential campus, it might have to abandon its roots as a Catholic school in the Bronx.</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>^^
my thoughts
get your grades up
get a transfer out of FU
get into a school you like
now get going!</p>
<p>i disagree with you, monorail, for discounting the commuter students as part of the diverse collegiate student body. Do you think of them as not part of the university because they do not live in the residence halls? I can understand how you might view this as true due to commuters' reluctance to make multiple trips to the university for social events, but they are present in the academic setting nonetheless.<br>
Furthermore, i do think that the university's housing rejections to bronx residents is the practical thing to do at this moment. The university has space in its classrooms that i could not fill w. residents alone, so why not get commuters to fill those spots. This practice brings in funds to build new residence halls (much like the one they are planning to build quite soon).
I do agree that the commuter lounge could use some improvement. I think there should be multiple lounges open to the large commuter body. Often, students that are trying to catch up on their studies are distracted by the loud conversations going around them. There should be a room for people to watch TV or catch a few winks before class, and a room for gaming, and a room for studying (though the library was created for this purpose).
And i do hope fordham abandons its catholic roots, because some policies they instate do not make sense. For example, 2 theology courses are required for CBA students, while they get to waive the foreign language credit, though they are the ones that need it the most. And, to some extent, its emphasis on catholic tradition scares away many bright students. Many people on this sight fear that Catholicism will be stuffed down their throat, and end up not applying. Perhaps, i wouldn't go so far as abandon their catholic roots, but to place much smaller emphasis on them.</p>
<p>Why after knowingly applying and choosing to attend a Catholic, Jesuit college do folks say said college should "abandon its' catholic roots" or "place a much smaller emphasis on on it"? I never understand that. I do not mean to single you out, ilyasaber, because I have seen similar comments from others on different threads. </p>
<p>monorail.... you don't seem happy at this school.</p>
<p>i chose to apply and accept for many reasons. a) the university's location near NYC b) it was explained to me that religion would not be stuffed down my throat c) i wanted a well rounded education (something some of the other schools did not offer) d) and finally, i got a good vibe from the college the two times i visited.
I do not regret my choice. on the contrary, i love my school. It provides challenging coursework, and i have learned a lot during my first semester. What i wrote previously are mere suggestions on how to improve the university and how to attract a larger and more diverse pool of applicants.</p>
<p>ilyasaber, I find it interesting that you mention it doesn't make sense that 2 theology courses are required for CBA students while foreign language can be waived. Why not mention the two Literature courses, two history courses or Natural Science course instead of theology? It might be hard for some non-catholics to perceive this but Fordham's emphasis on Catholicism is what attracts most students there. It is a Catholic institution filled with a majority of Catholic students who seek a Catholic education. One of the main purposes of a Jesuit education is the focus on the importance of the religious experience, and religion is integrated into the student's education/college experience. Since you have chosen to enroll in a Jesuit University, you should have been aware of what the Jesuit experience is all about. This is what most catholics look for and want when they choose to attend a Jesuit University. It is very unrealistic to suggest that the Jesuits place a smaller emphasis on their Catholicism. Jesuit institutions were formed to bring people to God and Fordham is Jesuit and will remain Jesuit. Fordham gets its support from a strong Catholic Alumni base who would be extremely upset if Fordham ever moved away from it's Catholic tradition and that would hurt Fordham greatly. It could go the route of Georgetown and have a high international admittance rate for more diversity, but even Georgetown has a high percentage of Catholics in the student body. I'm not aware of any school that is truly diverse.</p>
<p>My D is not a "practicing" Catholic anymore, however she finds herself very much at home at Fordham and appreciates a jesuit education. A BIG draw for her was the social justice aspect - There is a great emphasis on being there for others...really practicing what is "preached"- her religion classes are varied and interesting, as are her other courses</p>
<p>In her HS, she was required to take 4 years of religion- and those courses were also usually pretty good</p>
<p>She will be doing a service project over the summer and at least 2 Saturdays a month, usually more, she and a large group of students go into the community and work...</p>
<p>Many schools do this, and some say they do this, at Fordham, it seems for many it is a way of life</p>
<p>Citygirlsmom, this is good to hear. The Jesuit motto "A person for others" is alive and well at Fordham. One of the reasons I believe Fordham accepted my d was because of her strong commitment to service. While this certainly is not exclusively a Fordham or catholic thing, it's good to know students at Fordham understand the importance of service.</p>
<p>Re: post #28...good post fordhamalum. Although my D is still in the considering her options for next year, if Fordham is her choice I sincerely hope it's Catholic identity is firmly intact and thriving.<br>
It's good to hear from citygirlsmom how the students take the ideal of being a "servant" to heart. You are correct that this is neither a strictly Catholic or Jesuit thing but social justice and service to others are very integral to our faith. I love the end of Mass when the priest says "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord" and our dear Fr. always adds "and one another." Truly words to live by.</p>
<p>My daughter is a freshman at Fordham (Rose Hill). FU was her second-choice school; however, Fordham offered a merit scholarship that she couldn't pass up. We live in the South, and my daughter was concerned that most of the students would be from the tri-state area and she would be an outsider. Not to worry. She's made friends with an eclectic group of students from all over the U.S., as well as several international students. She absolutely loves the Jesuits and said she sometimes goes to church twice on Sundays with her friends---this from a girl who couldn't bother to drag herself out of bed on a Sunday morning when she lived at home! She tells me there are so many opportunities to get involved within the community. In high school, she belonged to the Young Republican Club, but at Fordham, she got involved and is actively (and passionately) working on the Obama campaign.</p>
<p>How many international students at FU? Where do most of them come form?</p>
<p>to the OP, what you saw at the cafeteria is nothing to be surprised by. i used to commute and now dorm at Fordham. I know what you're talking about. There are groups of people who stick together more often because of something the individuals share in common, whether it be sports or race or academics, etc. The division is pretty visible in the cafeteria. You can easily spot out the guys in the football team for example. As far as diversity goes, I find it a bit funny sometimes when I hear students talk about diversity at Fordham. I was born in Queens and grew up in the Bronx and went to public schools all my life. So what I see at Fordham is far from the diversity I come from, in fact for me it's more like getting used to white America which I'm perfectly fine with. That's just how it is, the majority of America is populated by caucasian. It may or may not be an issue for you. I'm a minority by the way. I'd like to point out that in the 2000 U.S. Census 75.1% of respondents said they were caucasian which goes in line with the percentage of caucasians at Fordham. Not a big surprise to be honest. In contrast, other schools probably don't have that amount of diversity that Fordham has. So it's all relative really. While I come from a background where I can say, Fordham isn't as diverse as some make it out to be, for others it is and that's because those kids have not really been exposed to people of other backgrounds. Here's the catch in all of this, the non-Whites are mainly commuters and there is quite a division between commuters and residents at Rose Hill. There are programs that exist that try to close that division but the reality of the matter is that commuters can not be on campus all the time and go out late and enjoy some of the activities that are available to residents. That's not to say commuters are non-existent on campus but you'll be hardpressed to find a commuter on campus after 6 unless they are going to a night class of some sort or have some specific activity they are participating in.</p>
<p>As for the comments, regarding the school forcing religion down your throats. I've found it to be quite the opposite. I actually don't like the fact that the school makes students take 2 theology courses but there are ways around it where you can get very good professors. The two guys to look out for are John Denniston and Jose Aguilar. They are great down to Earth people who you will actually learn from (I can vouch for Denniston since I've had him, I've only heard great things about Aguilar though I've never taken him). With that said, their classes close out early. Kind of sucks right? Well here's what you can do. Avoid taking theology your first year. Take that first theology (Faith and Critical Reasoning) your second year and a class you would have taken your second year switch it to your first year. The reason for that is that you get to register for classes earlier than most students the more credits you have. So your chances increase to get into those classes. I'm doing this with my second theology course, I refuse to take any other professor other than the two I mentioned because as you'll find out, there are some real nuts in this school (by that I mean, they are so into their subject that they make students write papers and do a ridiculous amount of work which will all be forgotten right after the course finishes). I mean if that's the kind of thing you're into go ahead. Same thing for Philosophy as well.</p>
<p>Aside from the two theology courses, Fordham doesn't do much else with religion in class that is which is actually great. I don't attend mass and don't have any plans to. I have actually visited the Jesuit residence and some of those guys are great but it's sad sometimes to see what age can do to you.</p>
<p>Now if you want to talk about something that's forced down your throat, it's accounting if you're in CBA. Yes, you only take two courses in Accounting, but it's what they do outside of the classroom that takes it to other levels. You're going to be attending advising sessions every year which promote accounting. You can't escape it. It sucks because there are other legitimate programs that don't get as much attention but understandable with the low supply of accountants out there.</p>
<p>I agree w. you BP. There are professors in theology that don't purely teach you christian belief, but rather teach you to question it and challenge your own beliefs. In that respect, i like theology. But I still disagree that it should be a requirement. If everyone's children truly come to Fordham for a christian education, then, in theory, they would voluntarily take those theology classes. </p>
<p>And i agree w. you about commuters. I am one, and i probably have a relatively small commute in comparison to the majority of commuters, and i still am reluctant to go back to campus after coming home from classes. Partly because i am usually exhausted from having 5 classes in a row, and I have this enormous pile of HW everynight. Going to and fro to just hang out w. friends is a lot of valuable sleep and hw time lost. What's there to say about those that travel over an hour to get to FU?</p>
<p>I just got in EDII to Claremont McKenna and I wish I was going to Fordham. maybe I should not have applied , EDII. I am bummed.</p>
<p>why did u apply ED to CM if it wasnt ur first choice?</p>
<p>My father graduated from Fordham in 1946. He earned a BA in history. Then he went on to earn a Masters in Mathematics from Columbia University and then in 1967 completed a PhD in Math at University of Pennsylvania He was a great man who died in 1980 at the young age of 54. He accomplished so much in his short life. His strong commitment to peace and social justice was always a part of him but was strengthened while a student at Fordham. He became involved in the Catholic Worker movement while a student at Fordham. We even met Dorothy Day in the late 60s in Tivoli, NY. One of my father's classmates and best friends from college became a Jesuit priest and was a professor at Fordham and now is retired at Fordham.</p>
<p>I think any student who applies to Fordham should accept that it is a Catholic school founded in the Jesuit tradition. I would agree with a previous commenter who noted that the alumni would be disappointed if the school disengaged with it's religious roots. Keep in mind, however, part of these religious roots and traditions include acceptance and diversity and a commitment to public service and social justice. Racial and ethnic prejudice are NOT Catholic/Jesuit traditions. </p>
<p>My daughter (a high school junior) will definitely apply to Fordham. I suppose she would be the "typical" Italian/Irish descent Catholic applicant. She was raised to believe in social justice and equal rights for people. I worry when I read this board....I hope it is not a school for over-indulged white children who will not mix with others in the cafeteria. If it is then it is not a match for my daughter. I would agree, however, that one could not make this conclusion from a quick visit to the cafeteria.</p>
<p>
[quote]
When asked what the typical Fordham student is like, one student responded, "white, from Long Island and a communications major." Many are Catholic and "underprivileged," coming from private schools in the tri-state area. As a result, many students complain about the lack of diversity and ethnicity, religion and geography.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>From Insider's Guide to Colleges.</p>
<p>am i correct in understanding that "underprivileged" as sarcasm? Because going to a private school and underprivileged seems counterintuitive.</p>