<p>Cursory look and Fordham is now 58? I know the rankings are very questionable and highly debatable but was hoping for a move up not down.</p>
<p>It’s always questionable. They favor Northeastern. </p>
<p>It’s about something not related to academics I believe. </p>
<p>Not to worry. Fordhams academics and admission standards are going up. Not down. USNWR should know better. </p>
<p>We aren’t alone in slipping.<br>
Trust me. Fr McShane watches this closely. He wants to retire as President with a legacy of getting Fordham into the top 50. And he will. Within 4 years.</p>
<p>This has many surprised and somewhat concerend but I see it as a temporary setback, nothing more:</p>
<p>Consider some of the factors:</p>
<p>1-Fordham is in the middle of some major capital plans and until they are complete, are not counted.</p>
<p>2-The Gabelli business building just opened, but was not ready in time for the USN&WR data gathering</p>
<p>3-Some of the criteria changed this year, for some reason the amount of Fordham financial aid was recorded as “N/A” when we know 85% of students get aid, so something was amiss and this was a (negative) factor.</p>
<p>4-Almost all of the schools in the top 50 have billion dollar (plus) endowments and we are at half that. Unfortunately, that is a big, if unacknowledged factor.</p>
<p>5-It is known that some schools actually hire staff to address rankings and work to address criteria. Fordham just wants to be as good as it can but does not “Game” it’s reporting. You will hear of more schools in the future caught in some kind of reporting scandal…but it won’t be Fordham.</p>
<p>Many schools rise and fall from year to year in these rankings. Fordham went from 82nd to 53rd in some 10 years so at some point we had to hit a wall. This is that year and it looks like it’s Northeastern’s “Turn” to make big jumps; good for them! Adjustments will be made and Fordham will climb back.</p>
<p>Fordham has a distinct and desirable niche. I wouldn’t worry about US News.</p>
<p>We’re the #1 Catholic school in New York, and so, so different in character from either Columbia or NYU. Super-Catholic dude in my chem class last year got into Columbia, visited, realized it was overwhelmingly secular, and is now one of the most well-known–and well-respected–people at Rose Hill.</p>
<p>We’re #1 among Catholic schools that give substantial merit aid. To people from big-income/big-mortgage states like CA and NY, this is literally a godsend.</p>
<p>BC and Georgetown are in the same fancy-safe suburbs that most of their students are from. Not the case here in Belmont.</p>
<p>We have kick-arse honors programs. Gabelli’s honors program is unique among top Jesuit schools, and FCRH’s is as good as BC’s (Georgetown doesn’t have one).</p>
<p>Like sovereign says, Fordham’s academics are only getting better. US News can only look at what goes into the machine (money and student quality); they can’t tell what kinds of graduates a university is producing.</p>
<p>Personally, I think the school should focus less on superficial rankings and more on student quality of life.</p>
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<p>How so?..</p>
<p>I think it has something to do with Northeastern’s excellent intership program finally getting long due props. In the Forbes guide, Northeastern didn’t fare well as most students graduate in 5 years there and Forbe’s ranking stupidly looked at graduation rates as an absolute. Northeastern has had a trend setting 1 year internship program for many years that helps students secure a position. I think with the economy being so poor, this program is now viewed as golden and is factored in to USN&WR (thay have changed ther criteria so this makes sense). Fordham has been really building it’s intern programs and I can attest to it as my D has been on some great internships, is currently working PT at NBC and one of her past internships has actually offered her a position.</p>
<p>It is also the reason why I believe that Fordham will have a nice move upward next year when many things that were not counted this year are compiled for next.</p>