I’m a high school senior who has a couple more weeks to decide on college during COVID-19. I’m currently waitlisted at Georgetown and have narrowed down my May 1st deposit choices to Northeastern and Fordham, and I need help choosing.
(My major: biology; my future career: law, such as environmental or intellectual property)
Northeastern Pros/Cons:
Pros:
- I had the chance to visit and I very much enjoyed the campus vibe
• Co-op
• Flexible required courses
• Biology and Political Science *combined degree (not the same as a double major)
• Great facilities/buildings all around, including labs
• Students who go there are very satisfied with their experience
• Diverse student body
• Is rated the overall better school by all outlets except Forbes
Cons:
• Cost! (no scholarship)
• The institution very concerned with ratings
• Very large (13,000) – a little too big for my preference but not unmanageable
• Will likely take 5 years to graduate, making undergrad + law school = 8 years
• Has less of a “college campus feel”
• ‘NEU shuffle’ - it is known that it is really difficult to interact meaningfully with offices of financial aid, deans, advisors, etc.
Fordham Pros/Cons:
Pros:
• 3-3 law program, bachelors + Fordham law = 6 years (this is if I am admitted to the program and decide not to attend a better law school, if I were admitted there as well)
• Received a generous merit scholarship
• Good alumni network
• Jesuit values (I go to Catholic high school and enjoy the community that is built by religious schools)
• Less undergraduate students, medium-sized (this is my preference)
• Bronx campus has a more campus residential feel with its quads and beautiful buildings
• Location in NYC is slightly better than Boston, in my opinion, as far as internships and entertainment
• Really great professors who it appears I would have more personal contact with than at Northeastern (they might be able to write me better law school recs)
• Graduating in 4 years (or even a semester early) will be simple
Cons:
- I have never had the chance to visit Fordham, and because of coronavirus I cannot; this means I can’t get a 100% true feel for the campus, but I’ve done a lot of research
• STRICT required courses (most students do not appreciate this at all)
• Some really outdated facilities; insides of buildings, dorms, lab equipment
• Administration is tough to deal with
• Seriously terrible food
• Students who attend mostly fall into 1 of 2 categories: offbeat and indie, or trendy and preppy
• Not much diversity in the student body; most white, most from tri-state area
• Many people say it does not deserve the reputation it has/has a better rep because of its business undergrad and law school
So, what does everyone think?