I was wondering what rank Fordham’s business school is for 2014. I know that it was around 38-40 a couple of years ago. Does anybody know what number it’s at now? and if it would be a worth while school to attend? ( looking to major in finance)
Thanks.
First of all…attending a school on the basis of ranking may be what a lot of kids do, but its not really a good idea. Its far better to pick a school for other attributes and how it fits for you, including financial burden.
Gabelli is a fine school. Its top students get really good jobs, many of them on wallstreet. Fordham has good contacts for internships for top students.
Fordham and Gabelli students are prized for their work ethic, their personal ethics and well rounded education.
Attending a school on the basis of a ranking is a fine idea. People on online forums like this enjoy snipping at the value of SAT scores / rankings / anything that has a number in it.
Fordham’s business school is pretty decent. You can look at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fordham_Graduate_School_of_Business#Rankings
/\ that is the grad school rankings, but it’s basically the same for undergrad in terms of rankings.
If “people on online forums like this enjoy snipping at the value of SAT scores/rankins/anything that has a number in it” then why are you hear contributing to the snipping? 
Your opinion is as welcome as any other. I get that. But let it be known that picking schools on the basis of ranking alone is a mistake. Because rankings DONT tell you anything about the quality of education, the quality of faculty, the quality of facilities, the opportunities for internships and full time jobs, the weather, the cost of tuition/room/board, the closeness of faculty to students or the distance/coldness between them.
It is true that in a larger sense, tiers or groups of colleges may matter somewhat when it comes time to find a job, particularly in professions that are credentialists. And for those people consumed with measuring the worth of their degrees in the salaries they earn upon graduation, I suppose “money talks and lower ranking walks.” But that is counter to the Jesuit ethos.
For many people, going to college is a “first in family” experience…maybe even first in generation. And the expense of going to college can be overwhelming. We all know that the Ivy League and a few other liberal arts colleges give moderate and low income students full institutional grants once they are admitted so they graduate debt free. Fordham is not in that position to do so. Thus, for some, Fordham will be sadly too expensive and they have to take an offer from a lower ranking school that offfered a much less expensive alternative. And for some, Fordham will be that “lower ranking” option (assuming they didnt get admitted to an Ivy).
Above all, its about FIT. And that encompasses many things…and subjective analysis for each student/family. I wish it werent so. I wish everyone could get into their number 1 choice and afford it.
I also know people who went to their number 1 choice on the basis of ranking…and were deeply disappointed and unhappy and either had a miserable four years or they transfered out. It even happens at Fordham, unfortunately.
Distance from home,. campus vibe, culture etc., weather, debt/expenses, dorm drama…you name it. Ranking is a superficial means of evaluating a college…its a starting point…and should be evaluated as such. The methodology of rankings vary greatly between competing magazines. And most college presidents disdain them…
If College X is a good fit for you, considering ALL the factors, then by all means go there. Whether its a higher ranking college than your other options or not.
Fordham is not perfect and no school is. Its a perfect fit for SOME students, but not all. No school wants a student to be unhappy…because its a recipe for failure and sometimes tragedy.
(On the other hand, I would never pick a school SOLELY because its the cheapest option!!!) You have to balance the factors and evaluate them on the basis of what your family can sustain, your objectives, how that school meets those needs, and even the weather.
Boston is under 5 feet of snow presently. For some that is a dream world, for others a nightmare. BU and BC are both higher ranked than Fordham. So is Northeastern. But for some students those choices would be terrible and Fordham is a much better situation. Or, Fordham may be a poor selection and they are the best choice.
Students often feel that the ranking of their college (or at least where they get admitted) is somehow a measure of their self worth/personal prestige among friends. Its how kids think at that age. I get that. But its most assuredly NOT the case in reality.
I tell kids to go to the best school they can get into…and best school may or may not be the highest ranking one…and the one that is the best FIT for them. Its not an easy decision.
Did my kid look at ranking? Yes. We evaluated our multiple offers. Fordham was number 3 on our list and frankly I didnt expect she would pick Fordham…much to my surprise at the April Accepted Student Orientation in 2007 (a wicked storm…soggy campus…blustering winds and torrential rain) she said, “this is ME.” It wasnt the cheapest choice.
I won’t name names, but there are lower ranking schools in the NY TriState area which have some fairly good business schools. But are they of the calibre of Gabelli? I dont think so. On the basis of quality of education, opportunities for internships and full time jobs, faculty credentials and faculty warmth, campus life, I would pick Gabelli. But faced with choosing between an Ivy or NYU and Gabelli the choice becomes very difficult…and you have to consider scholarship offers, total cost…and long term objectives. Hard to turn down Columbia. I get that. But be assured, that in my kid’s class at Fordham Rose Hill…there were several kids who turned down higher ranking offers (and some had perfect 1600 SATs). Nobody I know of regrets going to Fordham…though some were cynical and surly freshmen year…and turned the corner sophomore year.
In short, rankings are out there. Everyone looks at them. And “tiers” matter…but picking i.e. number 25 over number 30 is a fools errand if you ask me, if the only reason was ranking.
Good luck to all.
Because rankings DONT tell you anything about the quality of education, the quality of faculty, the quality of facilities, the opportunities for internships and full time jobs
That’s actually exactly what they tell you.
picking i.e. number 25 over number 30 is a fools errand if you ask me
That is basically true. If they’re that close in the ranking you should call them even.
I don’t feel that anyone should choose a school based on rankings alone – a ton of other things such as fit, price, location (to name but a few) should be important elements of the decision process. However, it can be helpful to get a sense of the school’s ranking because factors that go into many of these rankings include things like employment, student satisfaction etc. If one school being considered is way above another then it is not out of line to include ranking as one factor (of many) in the decision process.
Gabelli is a great business school that can provide you with everything you need for professional success, however you choose to define it. Finance students and grads have the opportunities for top internships and jobs. Gabelli’s core eduation is appreciated by employers; while many students like having this broader aducation, consistant with Jesuit values, there are those who would prefer to focus more narrowly. So, in considering whether Fordham is a match for you, that’s something to consider.
Regarding rankings, Fordham is recognized as up and coming. There have been big jumps upwards, in recent years. All that is online, so you can look it up yourself.
I would argue in terms of education, job placement, and value, Gabelli is the best Fordham has to offer.