<p>As a parent of a freshman I can only speak from a relatively limited experience that for a great part has been very positive. However, I have noticed a pattern of hierarchy that may exist in other schools but I was unaware of beforehand. That is, a policy of favoritism towards students who enter with advanced standing such as AP credits and being invited into the Honors Program. These students get priority registration for classes and therefore close out the sought after professors/classes for other students. They also get priority dorm selection for their sophomore year. About three dozen students are accepted into the Honors Program which is about the same amount that has recently been accepted into the newly formed Integrated Learning Community for CBA. While this program was promoted to all CBA students that applications would be judged with a 'holistic' approach and by a genuine desire expressed through a cover letter and resume, again the same high achieving students were accepted. While I am not arguing that they should not have been, they most certainly should have but if genuine desire is a criteria then perhaps the program should not be limited to only those students. We chose Fordham for these very opportunities but if only the same group can take advantage of these opportunities then these same programs should not be advertised as being available and certainly not judged after one semester at the university. What will happen down the road? Will only the top 38 students get first dibs at the best internships, the best jobs?, which they will have based on the opportunities they have been able to take advantage of. Again, I'm not saying that high achieving students should not be rewarded but we are paying for the same opportunities as they are.</p>
<p>I don’t like that there’s only one opportunity at one time for students to get into the honors program.</p>
<p>i agree with you quirky, there should be honors courses offered every year to those that qualify.<br>
Lucid, i think fordham is trying to become one of those “new ivies” as fast as possible. In order to do that, they have to lure those top applicants, who could go to Ivies or other prestigious university, with honors programs, Learning communities, and scholarships.<br>
That being said, i do not know how the body of admissions makes its decision with regards to these programs. It is completely possible that each is considered separately by two different admissions groups and they come up with nearly identical lists for each program.<br>
You have to remember that one can lie in a letter to a admissions officer about their passions, and they only way that can possible gauge the sincerity of the applicant is through their past achievements. And i completely understand that many deserving students fall through the cracks in this system. No system is perfect, someone will always be left unhappy.</p>
<p>I figured it was something like that ‘becoming a new ivy’. I still feel that if that is their intention then just invite the high ranking students don’t encourage all students to apply. It just creates false hope. Either that or create a larger program so more than the top 38 can get into it. Realize that what number 39 missed in GPA may make it up in determination.</p>
<p>Speaking of luring the top applicants, it doesn’t make sense to limit the honors program to a handful of those top ones. You won’t climb up the college charts by having 30 super high achievers or so in your midst. Those high achievers who are passed over for the honors program will just go with the honors program at the higher rated schools they were accepted to.</p>
<p>And on the love Fordham but topic:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Silly to brag about grade deflation. Despite all assurances otherwise, they are shooting students in the foot when it comes to jobs, graduate schools, etc. Other schools changed from C to B curve for that reason, and so should Fordham.</p></li>
<li><p>Blanketing high achievers with free applications might lasso a few, but makes it hard to figure out who really wants to attend and leads to mistakes as to honors invitees, risking the loss of strong candidates. </p></li>
<li><p>Maintaining a wide discrepancy in merit aid breeds unhappiness. Full scholarships for national merit scholars may bolster ratings a bit in one category, but those kids that missed it by a few points (yet with better overall stats) are not gonna be thrilled with the $10,000.</p></li>
<li><p>Speaking of $10,000, the “at least” $10,000 depending on financial aid muddies the waters unnecessarily. Merit aid should be based on merit, financial aid based on finances. </p></li>
<li><p>Oh, and that congratulatory letter upon acceptance was nice, except for the part that tells the parent he must be “a bit relieved” that his child was accepted. No, actually we weren’t relieved at all because our student had stats that were miles above what Fordham claims to be looking for in a student. Wanted to write a congratulatory letter to Fordham that they must be relieved that the kid applied! </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Too bad.</p>
<p>well if everyone’s grade is deflated, that just puts more emphasis on rank doesn’t it (or do they only do that in HS?)</p>
<p>Where does this grade deflation information comes from? I felt a contradictory trend…</p>
<p>yeah, I’d like to second quirky…I’m not aware of any Fordham officials saying that they are proud of deflating students’ grades. If they have, can anyone point to an article where they’ve said this? I may have missed it.</p>
<p>However I am aware of them saying they want to fight grade inflation by defining what each grade means. This doesn’t mean that they want to deflate grades.</p>
<p>As far as registering for classes early. This is nothing new. I’m not in the honors college but I am one of the few that get to register for classes in advance of everyone else. Reason being? I got 15 credits coming in. I think with the honors classes they just give them a leg up as well which I don’t see as a bad thing. How else are they supposed to give honors college students an incentive to go there? either way it’s not the worse thing in the world. A lot of professors teach 2 sessions and in most subjects I’d say there are 2 really good professors available most of the time for CBA classes. For some classes it won’t even matter much because everything is done through the department such as Accounting classes. So all the professors generally teach the same exact thing, with the exact same slides, same textbook, and same final. The only thing that differs is how the professor determines the final grade.</p>
<p>Kids who took legit AP courses in High School routinely complain that the core courses are sort of mickey mouse. And since Fordham doesnt give any AP credit directly and only gives preferential exemptions for core classes essentially in the sophomore year, it behooves them to move these kids ahead as fast as possible or they will lose them to other schools just as fast.</p>
<p>Not ALL the core classes are easy and not all the professors teach at the same level or even same grade deflation. Its a quirk. But such quirks exist at many schools.</p>
<p>The thing is you want to get through the core requirements as quickly as possible to get into the “meat of the matter”…your major or double major.</p>
<p>Like all schools there are good profs and some real dogs out there.</p>
<p>Having a PhD does NOT guarantee you can teach, are fair, or even empathetic to problems like illness.</p>
<p>Some have been absolutely wonderful and superb and some have been absolutely AWFUL.</p>
<p>But such is life. You can’t pick your boss on the job, you know?</p>
<p>“And since Fordham doesnt give any AP credit directly and only gives preferential exemptions for core classes essentially in the sophomore year”</p>
<p>What does this mean? According to the Fordham website, Fordham gives credit for 4s and 5s on a wide range of AP exams.</p>
<p>well im only taking 1 ap, so this doesnt really affect me
i guess the point is: there are some courses you are required to take no matter what</p>
<p>What it means is that you get the credit, but it shows up primarily in two ways: Preference for selecting classes, sophomore standing early which gives you housing preference in the housing lottery for sophomore year (guaranteed housing on campus all four years, but the question is which house do you want?) and then it picks up the AP credits for the classes in sophomore core classes…so you can get into your electives and major sooner. Essentially, its like Fordham likes you to take their courses in Freshmen year…“their way of doing things”…though there is a fairly wide latitude of what you take from the core…they will send you stuff in the summer to make your preference selection, then they pick em the first semester and you pick em the second semester of Freshman year…</p>
<p>Dont worry…you arent getting burned. Be thankful, some schools give NO credit for AP courses, like a lot of the Ivy’s.</p>
<p>Kids with NO AP classes must take core classes for essentially all of Freshmen and Sophomore year, and they are not given any preferences in the housing or course selection process.</p>
<p>Grade deflation exists…but its not as bad as people say. Its more a reality check and affects kids most who have had fluff and puff and grade inflation in high school. If you do the work…and there is plenty of it, you will be fine. If you DONT do the work, get ready for a boatload of C’s and maybe worse.</p>
<p>But that is true at a lot of colleges.</p>
<p>Dont worry about finding a job. Fordham grads do EXTREMELY well in the job market.</p>