<p>So, I have full tuition scholarships from Fordham and Tulane, and right now, I'm strongly leaning towards Tulane for a few reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>NOLA appeals to me more than NYC.</p></li>
<li><p>I visited Fordham and got the impression that it was TOO Catholic (I was raised Catholic, but I'm an atheist and would really like to escape the continuing Catholic influence in my life - my devout dad still forces me to go to Mass every Sunday - because it makes me feel horrible about myself.). The dorm rules (no opposite sex overnight guests, parties must be registered with the Res Life staff) and the lack of birth control on campus gave me the impression that it was a relatively conservative institution whose administration wants moral control over its students' lives. That made me very uncomfortable. </p></li>
<li><p>Tulane generally has better name recognition/prestige than Fordham, based on the impression I've had. </p></li>
<li><p>Information about Tulane's programs and courses has been more accessible to me than the info for Fordham, and what I've read about Tulane's programs looks promising. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>That being said, my mom clearly wants me to go to Fordham (probably because she's from NY and we have family there), and I've yet to visit Tulane (I'm planning on going down for Honors Weekend in early April). I also think Fordham might offer better opportunities for internships/networking. I also know that Tulane is known for finance a lot more than for economics. </p>
<p>I don’t have direct experience with these schools, but you made me curious about Fordham. Then I found this article from the L.A. Times about the birth control issue, perhaps you have already seen it -
[Birth</a> control hard to come by at Fordham University - Los Angeles Times](<a href=“http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/10/nation/la-na-fordham-20120211]Birth”>http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/10/nation/la-na-fordham-20120211)
So, if I were you I would go to Tulane! Fordham seems too Catholic for you. I’m sure there must be some lively debates in the Fordham forum?</p>
<p>Congratulations, you have great offers from two wonderful schools. My S went to Fordham (Rose Hill) and had a great experience – loved the school, the people, and the access to NYC. The access to NYC is great for internships. In terms of it being a Catholic school…the religious aspect (ex. campus ministry, retreats) is there for students who want to partake but religion is not forced on people. The Jesuit school’s mission is to educate. IMO biggest influence of it being a Jesuit school is the core which requires some classes in theology, philosophy and other liberal arts (you should be able to find the core online). I would think it is a plus to have family nearby in case of an emergency or a short break you don’t want to go home for, but how important that is is up to you. I don’t know as much about Tulane but my D’s good friend is a freshman there and is loving it.</p>
<p>In the end there are two great choices…I strongly suggest you visit both and pick the school that is the best overall fit. You can’t made a bad choice.</p>
<p>SOn went to Fordham. Daughter going to Tulane. We never felt that Fordham was too Catholic. it is very diverse. I had a child go to another Jesuit school-Loyola- which was so strict and like a high school.But Fordham was not that way at all. Fordham is extremely well run, the teachers and Deans take a tremendous interest in students and there is no red tape. Fordham does an exceptional job with internships and job placement. I am excited for my daughter to go to Tulane…she has more of an interest in the sciences…</p>
<p>Being from New Jersey and having done a program at Fordham, I can say from experience and from my friends’ experiences that Fordham is a TON of fun. I’m really not quite sure how you got the impression that it’s “too Catholic.” Fordham is in NYC, one of the most diverse places in the world and the student body is diverse as well! You’re not forced to go to mass at Fordham and there may be a religious requirement, but that doesn’t limit you to having to take classes in Catholicism.<br>
As far as the dorm rules, it’s beyond easy to have guests of the opposite sex stay over ;). They’re party animals at Fordham. I kid you not! I thought UMass Amherst was crazy, but Fordham can definitely hold its own!<br>
As far as the lack of birth control on campus, you’re right in the city no matter which campus you end up on…there are plenty of doctor’s in the city you could see who could help you out.
Long story short, Fordham is not a very conservative institution whose administration wants moral control over their students’ lives. They’re open-minded, diverse, and a lot of fun! </p>
<p>I have friends who attend Tulane as well, and they love it, but if you’re looking to go into finance or economics I would definitely pick Fordham over Tulane. You’re right that being at Fordham would give you the chance for internships/co-ops that are more relevant to the field you want to go into. This is far more important than classes. Internships/co-ops/networking are really what get you a job these days!</p>
<p>Thank you for all your replies (and sorry I took so long to answer)! It sounds like I can’t really go wrong either way. Regardless, it will be a tough decision to make. I was looking at Fordham and Tulane’s major programs, and they both have Political Economy programs. I don’t think I can do much with econ/political economy if I only have a BA, so I’m most likely going to have to attend grad school. Would my chances at getting into a good graduate program be strong at both schools, provided I had a high enough GPA? My current plan (dream, really) is to go to grad school in Germany for VWL (economics) in Mannheim, Bonn, or Munich (I would try to go there for undergrad since a university education is free in Germany, but I’m not sure I’ve met all the requirements, since the only standardized German exam I’ve passed is the AP exam and I’ve only been learning for four years). </p>
<p>And what is the likelihood of making it into Fordham’s honors program? I’ve already been admitted to the one at Tulane, but I think Fordham’s is more selective, or, rather, includes a smaller percentage of the undergraduate student body. Does it make a big difference, as far as career opportunities go, whether or not I was in the honors program at Fordham?</p>
<p>You can get into a good grad program from either of these, don’t worry about that.</p>
<p>I recommend that you take a long hard look at the policies each place has about the aid packages. Do you need to maintain a certain GPA to keep the money? If you slip, do you lose the money immediately, or do you have a semester to recover your GPA? Can you use the Fin Aid for a semester or year abroad? Is it set at “full tuition and fees” so that it goes up each year, or is it a fixed dollar amount that will cover less of the costs each year as those figures increase? When you visit, ask how many students keep the aid all the way through, and how many lose it en route. That will give you a guesstimate for how tough the institution is.</p>
<p>Both are great options. You are truly fortunate!</p>