<p>My D is still awaiting her decision from Fordham and since we just visited recently it has become her first choice. She would be attending the Rose Hill campus if admitted. While we thought the campus was beautiful and seemed very safe within the gates, my husband and I have real concerns about the surrounding area. I was wondering if any current or former students could give us their thoughts on the immediate area surrounding Rose Hill. Obviously we know she should not walk alone anywhere at night, but what about with 1 or 2 other people, would that be ok? What about during the day, is it ever ok to venture outside the gates alone for a quick trip to a store? How safe is it to walk to the train or the subway? I don't mean to sound over protective but these would be geniune concerns as our D has been brought up in a very safe and comfortable suburb her whole life.</p>
<p>Hopefully someone who attends there will respond. But, my daughter’s friend is a freshman there and feels very safe. From what I hear, yes the surrounding area is not great, but once on campus, it is very safe. I think the kids know not to go anywhere off campus alone. Again from what I hear, they get on the train and go to the city. Haven’t heard anything bad.</p>
<p>I am not a student there, but my son is a senior at Fordham and we have visited a number of times. As with any urban environment, you have to be smart…meaning don’t walk around alone and drunk at 2AM. However the area is, in general, safe and accessible to students. Many students go to Arthur Avenue for dinner and some student bars. My son shops for groceries etc. at the local stores with no problems. He has done some great community service work with an agency very close to campus. While the dorms are great, a number of his friends have moved off campus (mainly because it is cheaper) and have had no problems. Plus the access to Manhattan (via RamVan, MetroNorth or subway) is great (and I believe they have vans to meet kids at the subway late at night so they don’t have to walk back to campus). Overall, I think that with the proper precautions, Fordham’s location is a huge positive. Hopefully a student will comment, but that’s my perspective – and I’m a mom who raised her kids in a “safe and comfortable suburb” as well. Good luck to your D.</p>
<p>You have a walgreens right across street from campus, ram van to manhattan, the train, etc, Fordham road is fine during day, just like any city streets, don’t go partying drunk at night, Arthur avenue is really safe. My daughter lives off campus and goes to the 24 our fitness all the time. It’s a great school and neighborhood no more dangerous than other big cities. If d does go there o highly suggest the urban plunge program.</p>
<p>^^^ Agreed.</p>
<p>First, Fordham is 77% residential students, of which 90% are from suburban areas and other parts of the country. Its also 56% female students. Your daughter will not be alone. </p>
<p>Second, Fordham kids look out for each other and go places together. Fordham security does an excellent job and will even come and get you if you get stuck somewhere off campus at night. </p>
<p>The Metro North is extremely safe and is the preferred method of transport into the City and up to Westchester Mall for shopping, or up state for visiting Poughkeepsie for example. </p>
<p>Its nerve wracking for parents…but eventually you will be calm and relaxed and so long as you daughter uses common sense, everything is fine.</p>
<p>Fordham publishes “incidents” like all colleges and frankly, its a lot safer than some other big name schools in large cities. </p>
<p>The restaurants in Little Italy and the shops/grocery stores etc nearby depend on Fordham people for business. They do a good job of looking out for you. Many students have various internships and its a great experience. </p>
<p>To outsiders and non New Yorkers its a culture shock. But eventually everyone embraces the community and has fun, learns a lot and parents even dine in Little Italy. I did it many many times…</p>
<p>Best to just stay out of bars…common sense.</p>
<p>Best Buy is also nearby. Some kids take the D train subway and say its fine…but most of the time they only do that to go Yankee Stadium or Columbia University etc.</p>
<p>Your daughter will be fine…but she will have culture shock and some homesickness…which is all perfectly normal. Dorm drama also happens. Can’t escape that anywhere. LOL.</p>
<p>But its part of the experience and learning to grow up. After four years you will be so proud of her for becoming independent and self assured and focused.</p>
<p>Overall, Fordham is a wonderful school, full of warm and caring people. </p>
<p>My kid had internships in the South Bronx and Upper West Side Manhattan and at the end, there was great sadness in leaving…its that kind of place. </p>
<p>We ventured to New York and Fordham a few times for football games, basketball games, and just checking in…for dinners on Arthur Avenueor at Rockefeller Center (Sea Grille!) …and of course the annual move in and move out scenario. (Fordham security is ugly about parking in the wrong place when loading/unloading…fair warning!) </p>
<p>Most faculty know the ropes as well and have wonderful recommendations for things to do, places to see, and excursions. My kid went to Long Island several times with friends for various things, often on long weekends…and lots of fun. </p>
<p>So while your feelings and fears are perfectly normal, you should just take a deep breath and relax. Yes, when we dropped off that first semester and drove back across the George Washington Bridge to head home (the long trek…) it was very unsettling…but they are so busy and meeting so many new people. Plus…campus ministry has wonderful weekend retreats they set up, about 2 hours away that are exciting. Kids often go to away football games too…for example up to Yale. </p>
<p>Embrace the Bronx. Its eclectic and fun…but a good thing in the end.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses, especially sovereigndebt, I was secretly hoping you would reply, lol. I noticed a lot of good information from you in other threads and you seem very knowledgeable about Fordham. I guess the reason I am so worried is that our D has no street smarts whatsoever. She is very quiet, not shy, and sometimes has problems standing up for herself. In some ways I am going to worry about her not matter where she ends up, but more so in an area like Fordham.</p>
<p>She will be fine and she will blossom and grow. The secret is to stay in touch with her often, making sure she isnt hiding in her dorm room. Her roomies will have stuff to see and do. There are many activities once they do move in, and the RA’s do a good job. Queens Court is my favorite and they have debating competitions, weekly gatherings and all sorts of fun stuff.</p>
<p>All sorts of personalities will show up. Some kids are more bookish, some are more social and some are well…you can only guess. If you daughter stays away from drinking and the party animals and finds kids (its not hard) who are like her in interests, they will make good friends and then like watering seeds to a garden, watch her grow as a person. Been there, done that. Its not a perfect world and there will be issues. There will be homesickness et al. If you can go to parents weekend (October?) and attend the football game that is fun. </p>
<p>She wont be alone and drowning in some giant school with uncaring people. Street smarts is a subjective thing too. My kid was sheltered and very alarmed at first…but some of her best friends are now all lifelong friends…and they came from Long Island, New Jersey, Cincinnati…all over. </p>
<p>Now a word about the reality of life. Some kids are hard edge and “fast.” So dont be shocked at what she tells you. That is true at every school. She has to learn how to cope with people who have different values and opinions. Dorm drama is VERY normal. </p>
<p>In extreme cases of behavior problems and unsuitability, sometimes Fordham can change rooms and roomies. But mostly they try to get kids to work it out, resolve differences, stressing mutual respect and common courtesy.</p>
<p>The vast majority of kids at Fordham are wonderful kids…we took several out for dinner, made ourselves known without being overbearing (a hard task! lol) and at graduation we dined with several students and their parents together…one last time, full of joy, tears and hope. Graduation was VERY emotional. I still tear up about it!</p>
<p>Our jobs as parents is to make them self determined, independent and confident…the rest is up to them. </p>
<p>One time freshman year, when it was gloomy (late January) we had to fly up there and deal with sickness and assorted drama. She also had lunch with two wonderful professors…and one of them (who is now gone) was just fabulous…marvelous mentor. One professor from Sophomore year is now a career mentor in a MAJOR way. </p>
<p>Yes, its a bit of an eye opener for people used to suburbia…like California or places where urban big city life is a foreign land…but it all resolves. </p>
<p>I am sure you have instilled her with fabulous values and while she will grow and change…transform (what Fr. McShane calls a “transformational experience at Fordham”) she won’t come home jaded and distorted and twisted. LOL. </p>
<p>And finally, there are plenty of kids at Fordham just like your daughter and many come from the surrounding tri-state area…and have the same concerns. </p>
<p>We made a “game” out of trying to fool the security parking “nazis” and all over the years and had many a good laugh! </p>
<p>Btw, the apartments in Walsh for upperclassmen and the new apartments in Campbell and Salice-Conley are fabulous. Kids are 4 or more to an apartment, with living room, full kitchens etc and they cook for themselves and do extremely well. Its all good.</p>
<p>Welcome to Fordham. We are family!</p>
<p>Wow thank you so much sovereigndebt!!! You are a plethora of information. I just hope D gets admitted now lol. And it is so true what you say about all the different types of kids, and we should know because our older D is significantly different from our senior D. D1 went to school right in the heart of Boston, no gated in campus like Fordham. Even though they were both brought up in the same environment we had no qualms about D1 going there and being safe. And I’m sure it was probably not as safe as Fordham. She attended Emerson college which abuts Chinatown there. But she was so confident and outgoing and just instinctively knew how to take care of herself. D2 is the total opposite. I had always pictured her going to a nice safe suburban campus, but I guess if she has a real interest in Fordham and gets admitted that is where she should be. One good thing, we live in CT so Fordham is only 2 hrs away. It would be very easy for her to take the train into New Haven or for us to go if she needed us. We shall see how this all plays out in the next few weeks.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you. Its funny, I didnt know where you were from and sorta assumed it might be the west coast. Wrong! LOL.</p>
<p>She will be fine. Lots and lots of kids from Connecticut at Fordham.</p>
<p>Each child is different…we know that very well in our family. I am sure you have done a marvelous job with your husband and she will come with the right attitude and values. </p>
<p>I don’t know her stats and thus can’t really say what will happen. Fordham is becoming very competitive with rapidly rising stats. I hope she does get in, since its her first choice school.</p>
<p>Fordham is a very academic school and she should come prepared to work very hard…all four years. My kid was absolutely exhausted…right up to the very end…including the Capstone Senior Thesis. But it was well worth it. Faculty at Fordham do an excellent job of tapping into the kids who are workers and who think hard and produce outstanding scholarship work. These kids rise to the top quickly and also tend to become really good friends. Not that they are all nerds…they aren’t. Just hard workers and who know how to balance their lives as best they can. </p>
<p>I tell people all the time, “if you want to go to college to play and slack and slide through…pick another college please.” Fordham is serious business.</p>
<p>Keep us all posted here on CC.</p>
<p>I am a current student at Fordham (class of 2013) and I hope some of this will help.
I came from a very sheltered environment coming from highschool. I barely went out, and never even used the subway system until my freshman year at Fordham. I can’t stress the word sheltered enough–the Bronx SCARED me when I first came to Fordham. However, the surrounding area soon became very comfortable to me. It is not as bad as it seems, and I’ve gotten involved with many community service projects, and I consider the Bronx my second home. In response to your questions:</p>
<p>…but what about with 1 or 2 other people, would that be ok?
Absolutely. The area is not too bad, especially Fordham road. It is highly secure during business hours, and while I would not advice walking ALONE on Fordham road past, say, 11pm, I would advice the same thing in any urban environment. Arthur Ave is incredibly safe, and the only real times you could get in trouble is on side streets where some students’ apartments are (bathgate, hoffman, lorillard, crotona) after dark. Just make sure if you venture out at night to just be smart, go with other people if you are planning a “deeper” excursion past the gates during nightfall</p>
<p>What about during the day, is it ever ok to venture outside the gates alone for a quick trip to a store?
100% safe. Fordham road and the surrounding area, including Arthur Ave, is HEAVILY populated with fordham kids walking around and about. It would be hard to go anywhere outside of campus during the day without seeing familiar faces. There is a supermarket on arthur, and a walgreens just outside campus. Totally safe. I feel 100% comfortable walking around during the day.</p>
<p>How safe is it to walk to the train or the subway?
Again, during the day a trip to the D train is not a bad walk at all. The 4 is a little farther, and at night I would not recommend walking to the 4 or D alone. FORDHAM security will gladly transport you to and from the subway station with just a quick call to the security office, though. VERY convenient! Like any urban setting, the best option is just be smart.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response jdfordham, very helpful also. And sovereigndebt, you are not the first one to say how heavy the workload is there, that is another one of my concerns for my D. While she does pretty well in school she is not the most motivated student. She’s definitely not looking for a school to “slack off” in but she doesn’t want to saddled with hours and hours of homework that may be beyond her.</p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone else had thoughts on the workload at Fordham.</p>
<p>I had two daughters there, one who found it easier at first, the other who struggled a bit sometimes, but as a junior is finding her way and excelling. There is good support. The core is hard for some, if language isn’t their strength, but a c never hurt anyone. My ds did have home work but they also had a great social, volunteer life and they both worked. Don’t fear the work.</p>
<p>the workload is nothing major, honestly. I think i did more work in highschool. Fordham is mostly discussion based/readings–very little written work aside from final papers and the like. (note: this is from the POV of a history and theology double major)</p>
<p>^^^^^…well, let me add to that. While my kid completed 9 APs in high school at a very rigorous and prestigious PUBLIC high school, that sent kids to the top schools around the country (Stanford, Ivy League, Ivy Publics, Little Ivy’s, Georgetown, GWU, BC, Duke…and Fordham!) the work load was extraordinary on many levels. Now to be fair, my kid had a crazed workaholic insanely difficult Music History teacher first semester freshman year (who has since passed away…he was a gem…a Carmelite Priest), who told the class of 35 kids they he had no intention of giving out A’s and if they didnt like it they could leave…and about 20 got up and left!..my kid hung in there and beat him at his own challenge…it was an A- but it was very hard earned. My kid finished highest honors and Phi Beta Kappa…so to some extent you work for what you want…yes, you can do average amounts of work and average scholarship and get a B or sometimes a C. But to get an A, you really have to work for it in most classes. </p>
<p>My kid averaged 2-3 papers a week, plus a capstone senior thesis (honors). So to say “very little written work aside from final papers” is simply wrong. What I am saying is that its an academic school. Do you have 4 hours homework daily? No. But some days, yes. People who are well organized and self motivated and get the work done are better off. Slackers and procrastinators pay a heavy toll. </p>
<p>My kids closest friends also were roomies for 2-3 years and their respective boyfriends/girlfriends…and they all finished Phi Beta Kappa, so for them studying was normal, often fun, challenging and involved debates…and they were not all the same major. </p>
<p>And my kid was also a Theology/History Major. JD, I dont know what your current grade is…frosh, soph, jr, sr…</p>
<p>And finally, my kid intentionally sought out the most difficult professors and the most difficult classes…word gets out…who is easier and who is not. Some kids “manage” their gpa’s by trying to take the easier courses or professors. </p>
<p>I wont list names…</p>
<p>Point being its somewhat subjective and depends on your motivation, objectives, goals etc, where you want to go for graduate school. </p>
<p>It wasnt overwhelming (except once freshmen year when sickness almost blew my kid out, flu). But it was exhausting. </p>
<p>For Westie, it all depends…Theology and History for example are not easy majors and have tough faculty (even though Fr. Massa is now gone). Communications generally gets the award for the easiest curriculum. But math and science majors/pre-med can be wicked hard…labs labs and more labs. </p>
<p>Are kids stuck in the library for four years? No. But its not sitting in the dorms playing frisbee either.</p>
<p>Hello! I live in the Bronx and I used to live in the area that the Rose Hill campus is in. I would say it is pretty safe, but don’t go around flashing you’re iPhone or expensive camera. It is New York City that’s something you shouldn’t be doing anywhere. The campus is near a shopping district. I am pretty sure there is another entrance that is directly across from the Botanical Garden, which is one of the MOST beautiful places in NYC and a huge tourist attraction. Again, it is a safe area, it is perfectly safe to make a quick run at night. The area is always busy because of the surrounding stores. If you’re not from NYC is might be a bit of a culture shock, not is a bad way. It might just be a lot to take in at first.</p>
<p>I’m from that area so if you have any other questions or concerns feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>JD: I see that you are the class of 2013.</p>
<p>Well I must say that everyone’s responses have been very helpful and you all seem very nice and friendly! Out of all the specific college threads that my D has applied, this one by far has been the most help and the most knowledgeable people. D is planning on majoring in psychology so no matter where she goes I know there will be a lot of reading/writing. Don’t know yet if there will be a minor. She knows from all our talks about college that we are going to expect way more work from her in college because of the huge investment and that she has to want this. She is telling us this is what she wants to do. Anyway, thanks again for everyone’s help.</p>