I am going to major in finance in college and have been accepted into these 2 schools. I know Villanova has a higher ranking program with a great alumni network but Fordham offered me a full scholarship. I’m assuming Fordham’s location in New York is beneficial to job placement but I’m not sure. Can anyone with some first hand experience possibly add some information to help me choose?
Fordham seems to be a very good school only 48% get in, Donald Trumo one of the most successful people went there which gives it some credit, it is private and it’s free! That seems pretty good. Villanova has a good alumni but none of them are successful business wise they’re more just celebrities. It is also Catholic which can be good or bad depending on your religious status. Pennsylvania is a lot cheaper to live. However you’d be having to pay for you college there. Overall I’d pick Fordham.
I would highly recommend visiting both schools if you haven’t already.
The campuses are in very different types of areas. Fordham is in an urban area, and Villanova is in a beautiful suburban area.
I personally think the area surrounding Villanova is much nicer, but there are a lot of other things to consider.
Fordham is more diverse - 64.2% white vs 76.2% white. Fordham gives you access to New York City, if that interests you. Villanova is close to Philly, with a train station on the campus.
They’re both great schools. I would visit and figure out which one you feel most comfortable at.
Both are fine schools. My S went to Gabelli (accounting major) and had a great experience at Fordham. I can say that the accounting majors from Fordham did well job-wise and grad school wise, but I don’t know the experience of finance majors there. Overall, I think Villanova has a more suburban campus, bigger sports, Greek Life, and fewer commuters but Fordham is in NYC and the full ride make it a very tempting option.
Don’t decide just yet, if you were competitive enough to earn a full ride to Fordham you may be eligible for several Villanova scholarships which are released in January. Best of luck!