Hi, I was just recently accepted into Fordham, and I have heard great things about the school, but I wanted to know what you personally think about the school, pros and cons, and is it worth it to go as a pre-med student. I was also hoping if you could tell me which is more financially smart, living on campus or commuting?
Read a few of the general info posts from the past - there is a lot of information in them.
There is a commuter-student association, and the cost is most likely better if you commute. The commuter association has social events just for commuters. But for the college-experience I’d recommend living on campus at least the first year (or two) if you can. Our DS’s friends who commute are left out of the majority of the socializing-bonding - just because they aren’t there, or have to come back at night to attend.
It depends on your situation, the length of the commute and how that can affect your studies (for better or for worse), and the amount of self-discipline you have.
For the pre-med issue - Fordham has great stats on acceptance to med school, but remember, according to some studies, nationally close to half of pre-med incoming freshmen will drop pre-med. One of the ways the numbers are reduced, (they have to be because there aren’t enough places at med schools to take the huge initial numbers) is the incredible load of double chem & biology with labs in the first semester. Add in other classes, for a total of 18 or 19 or 20 credits, and the life-change as you adjust to college, it can be overwhelming. You can go at it in a more relaxed way, and take one of those first semester, and then start doubling up later. Labs do take time and lots of work. Most labs (and any other 1 or 2 credit classes) don’t count toward the number of courses needed to graduate. There is a one-class reduction in courses required (from 36 to 35) if you take the double sequence freshman fall semester.
Don’t underestimate the huge change college brings to your life and how study habits and life habits have to undergo a great change. Fordham has resisted much of the grade-inflation common in colleges now, and that can mean much more work to get those grades you expect.
You will also have the Core Curriculum to complete besides these listed courses:
From the website:
"Pre-Health students may choose to pursue a major in the sciences, arts or humanities. The courses listed below constitute the minimum requirements for an application to most health profession programs, regardless of major:
One year of general biology with lab (BISC 1403, 1404, 1413, 1414)
One year of general chemistry with lab (CHEM 1311, 1312, 1321, 1322, 1331, 1332)
One year of organic chemistry with lab* (CHEM 2521, 2522, 2541, 2542)
One year of general physics with lab (PHYS 1501, 1502, 1503, 1511, 1512) or (1601, 1602) or (1701, 1702)
One year of English (satisfied by core requirements)
*General chemistry, including labs, must be successfully completed before enrollment in organic chemistry.
Students planning on completing additional coursework in the science should note that the biology and general chemistry foundation courses, plus all applicable labs (all listed above), must be successfully completed prior to enrollment in all upper division biology courses.
In addition, students applying to medical school are required to take the following coursework to meet the required competencies:
One semester of biochemistry** (BISC 3521)
One semester of psychology (PSYC 1200)
One semester of sociology (SOCI 1100)
One semester of statistics (MATH 1205, SOCI 2606, ECON 2140, PSYC 2000)
**Biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry plus all labs must be completed before enrollment in biochemistry."
Thank you.
I am going to DM you.