Quick question about the cooperative engineering program

<p>Are you attending the President’s Spring Preview? I will be going on the 15th for Rose Hill. Perhaps we could meet and see if there is any information. I heard somewhere that they have a specific info session on the 3-2 program but I could not find any info</p>

<p>I got invited to a special new (not sure if new but I can’t find it anywhere else) program called Experience Fordham. You pretty much stay in the dorms for two days and so regular Open House/Admitted Students Event stuff apart from some fun stuff (we go to a Broadway show and have brunch with the dean). Unfortunately I am going to be in Lincoln Center.</p>

<p>I was planning on asking current students about 3-2 and Honor program, or just anyone I could find.</p>

<p>Wow, that sounds like a great opportunity. Well, I guess we could both go to our own sessions and forward any info we find</p>

<p>TheJuanSoto I’ll also be majoring in Computer Science! The bad part is I have no AP classes so I guess I’d be taking all of them. I’m going to that Spring Preview, have to make sure about this stuff.</p>

<p>Coobot, are you going to RH or LC?</p>

<p>Don’t think you’re at a disadvantage when it comes to credits. Being in the Honors program means my APs will probably count less.</p>

<p>What I like about Fordham is that I get a ton of Liberal Arts courses, which I would not take in a state school or a “Tech” university. A lot of people just want math/computer classes and that’s fine, but I like to have a broad knowledge and the writing/reading/communication skills enhanced by Liberal Arts courses. I wish Fordham was a little stronger in Math, but it can’t all be perfect.</p>

<p>Rose Hill for me. Yeah TheJuanSoto, I’m one of those guys that want to just do the math/computer courses. I wish I felt the same way like you did and hopefully I will thankful for those extra courses when college is done.</p>

<p>This blog post was very helpful to me:</p>

<p>[Advice</a> for Computer Science College Students - Joel on Software](<a href=“http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/CollegeAdvice.html]Advice”>Advice for Computer Science College Students – Joel on Software)</p>

<h1>1 and #4 are the kind of things Fordham will help you with. #7 too but just because you’re in New York.</h1>

<p>I will probably major in CS or Physics (I want to do CS in Columbia). Coobot, maybe we could meet at the orientation and see if we can’t get info together</p>

<p>Hey, I am a current freshman at Fordham University. I came in wanted to do the 3-2 University and I got into a few colleges that offered the program, but ultimately decided Fordham. I wanted to have an Environmental Policy major and then do the program and I realized it is impossible. There are only a limited amount of majors that can be in the 3-2 program and possibly finish in the three years. If you have any questions, I suggest contacting Chris Poor, the adviser for the program, at <a href=“mailto:poor@fordham.edu”>poor@fordham.edu</a>. </p>

<p>I am currently an Engineering Physics major, and I love the major. I’m deciding what I want to do how I’ll get there, but I the 3-2 program is no longer in my plans. Personally, I found that it just was not worth it. I would rather apply straight for my Masters, which I would probably do anyway. Also, it is not just a “little extra work” sadly. For the guaranteed admission, a B is required in each of your math and science courses, plus an overall GPA of 3.2. We were told that about 50% of the kids who stay in the program have those requirements, and 50% of the other half are still accepted into the program even though they are not guaranteed admission. It is also important to consider that Fordham will not allow you to graduate from here unless you successfully finish Columbia or Case Western. On top of that, Fordham’s Core Curriculum is huge. It is hard to realize that until you get here. One bad teacher, and it can be a downer on the GPA. </p>

<p>Before fully believing the 3-2 program, figure out what you personally want and what your job or career will require; but it’s hard to predict what will happen in 5 years. </p>

<p>On the honors program: I have a few friends in it, but as a science major, it is harder to handle. </p>

<p>Feel free to contact me with any other questions. Good luck with everything!</p>

<p>Thanks a lot for the information. One thing the Fordham forum has always lacked is current student opinion. I was also planning on just doing my masters (hopefully at a top grad school) instead.</p>

<p>What can you tell me about the Engineering/Math/CS/Hard science in general classes at Fordham?</p>

<p>TheJuanSoto: That is what I planned to do. I know that I will end up going to further school so I could not kill my GPA with rushing through school, and I once I was here I realized I did not really want to. </p>

<p>Engineering would come mostly from the Physics department. [Physics</a> Bulletin Entry](<a href=“http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/physics/course_bulletin_29760.asp]Physics”>http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/physics/course_bulletin_29760.asp) <---- good place to get an idea of the classes offered. Each one is not offered every year but if there is a demand it will be taught. I love the Engineering Physics major because it allows for four electives that make a concentration and that fits what I want to do rather well. You do not graduate with a Science of Engineering though which is why the 3-2 program is in place. That does not stop you from applying to another Masters level program though.</p>

<p>Math: Not the best department. The teachers are hit or miss. I hated my first Calculus I course. I did not end up with a good teacher and he messed up things that I had already learned in high school. I suggest going straight into Calc II if possible. </p>

<p>CS: We have a large research program for Computer Science. I work for IT at my school so I guess I hear about it more, but WISDM does a lot of stuff with data mining. You can probably search it on google and find some stuff. If you like programming, this is something to get involved with. Not a stressful major. Do what you need to do and you’ll end up with a great GPA. Low stress, but I think that is also because most people in CS are interested in CS and have an affinity for it.</p>

<p>Hard Science (Bio and Chem): I live with Pre-Med/Science majors. Most of my floor mates are taking Bio and Chem together right now, and it kills. There is just a lot of information to know. People who took the AP classes in high school struggle. Also, the labs are also difficult. It is rough seeing my friends study for hours and hours for their lab exams only to do average on them. If you want more info on these I can definitely give some, I hear enough about it.</p>

<p>Physics: Love this department. Compared to the Bio and Chem, I do feel like the teachers want you to succeed and they do care. I love being a physics major and if you took AP Physics it is not too difficult. I haven’t taken Physics since my freshman year in high school and I’m not doing terribly. It is not the subject that keeps me up at night usually.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that once students are in college, we forget about this site. It would be better if there was more information, but without a need for it ourselves most kid probably don’t see a need to be on it. Fordham is working on changing its site, because I’m sure as you figured it is not always the easiest to navigate. Also, some of the information is dated and not everything matches. It was actually at one of the discussions for the site that someone asked if we used CC that I came to check it out.</p>

<p>Let me know if you have any questions and I hope this helped.</p>

<p>Fordham also frequently offers its best students an option to get an MA or MS in five years with the BA or BS, in several departments. My kid was offered from several areas, though decided to go elsewhere for graduate school for a change of pace.</p>

<p>Wow! That is definitely a lot of good information. Thanks for all of that. I plan on taking Physics as my science core requirement, and I do not like Bio/Chem so I am glad I won’t take them. Nice to know CS isn’t a killer; sounds like a great program if I can learn without being stressed. Shame that the Math department isn’t as good, but no school is perfect.</p>

<p>My plan is to do really well at Fordham so I can get into a top CS grad school to study computer security, and from that post it sounds like it will be fun.</p>

<p>Thanks again for the help to both jtroisi and of course sovereigndebt.</p>

<p>P.S.: I agree with what you said about the Fordham website. I was looking for pictures of the LC dorms and all they have are crude, small, old pictures. I think I’m just going to take a lot when I am there and share them here.</p>

<p>WOW jtroisi and sovereigndebt, you guys really opened my eyes to Fordham lol</p>

<p>Computer Science will do the program soverigndebt is talking about. Concerning science courses, there are ones that are for non science majors if you want to take them. Including Astronomy and Chemistry of Art and stuff. Good luck.</p>

<p>coobot…glad I/we could help. I’ve long believed that Fordham is always in the shadow of NYU and Columbia (particularly for out of state applicants) and therefore the message is often lost in the shuffle. Further, people have an attitude about the Bronx and make superficial judgments (which are wrong), and then don’t even apply. I know people in my region all think Georgetown, BC, BU, NYU, Columbia, Harvard, Yale and Tufts for the top target northeastern schools…and Fordham is rarely mentioned. When I bring it to their attention…I sometimes have to work hard to get them to look closely…but when they do, they are pleasantly surprised. Not just the Fordham profile kids, but uber stats kids. Its one of the best kept “secrets” of New York, in my opinion. People say, “oh my goodness…what a beautiful campus…is that in the Bronx?” LOL.</p>

<p>Then you have them, and can discuss the fabulous faculty who become great mentors and friends (I want to stress that point here…) amazing programs and internships. So many of my daughter’s high school friends went to either large (but prestigious) state universities, or LAC’s which are pretty…but in a bubble. Nobody does it like Fordham…New York is my campus, Fordham is my school! </p>

<p>Best of luck to you.</p>

<p>n.b. Come to Fordham and make it better. Get involved. Speak with Deans and Fr. McShane and the Provost about how you want things improved, new faculty added or programs enhanced, or what have you.</p>

<p>I can definitely agree. Not only am I out of state, but I am in a state where most (as in, 90%) stay in state for college. No one here has heard of Fordham, but it doesn’t take long to get them to really appreciate it. Hopefully with time Fordham will be more known. I mean, NYU wasn’t all that fancy some decades ago!</p>

<p>sovereigndebt, the only problem I have with Fordham is that I’ve lived next to it for over a decade and I get tired of seeing it. But I’ll put that aside for a great education.</p>

<p>I understand that feeling coobot. Choosing a college is a highly subjective matter and ultimately its your decision. Lots of kids want to go away to college, to a different city or location. That is perfectly legitimate. Others stay close to home for a variety of reasons.</p>

<p>The education at Fordham is top drawer and well worth the effort.</p>