<p>My DD has been hearing from all of her friends who already have their schedules, room assignments and roommate information for their schools in the Fall. I know she won't get any info until mid August for the dorm and roommate, and the schedule not until the NSO the first week of September. My question is, WHY SO LATE? Compared to other schools around the country, some much larger, (and Canadian schools), Fordham is giving this information to their students months later. Anyone know the reason for this? </p>
<p>It’s very frustrating isn’t it? I messaged you</p>
<p>Tradition? Fordham has always been frustratingly late in getting that information out. But hang in there – this is only a minor hiccup in what I am finding to be a great college experience at Fordham.</p>
<p>It is a bit frustrating…but again, its only July. School opens typically the last weekend in August, though athletes are arriving slowly before then, some even now. </p>
<p>It does take time to work through the roommate situation. Bear in mind that some people who commit to Fordham bolt at the last second when they get in off a wait list at some elite school, such as an Ivy. And Fordham always tries to minimize triples,and they also do their best to pair roomies with similar interests. Its not an easy task. </p>
<p>It all works out. They WONT get class schedules at Rose Hill until move in Sunday…after Mass on the lawn, when Fr. McShane blesses you with, “Go with the Peace of Christ and kiss your kids goodbye.” OMG, I thought I would lose it…and they run across Eddies to their assigned stations to meet with fellow freshmen and start orientation and pick up schedules. I can still see my naive, sheltered, non New Yorker, little girl running with her pig tails across Eddies as we boarded our minivan, crying…and headed across the Hudson River on our long journey home…then seeing her on facebook with her new friends…three boys among them, all trying to gain a step up on winning her attention…lol…only one succeeded…and yes, they are STILL TOGETHER and engaged. </p>
<p>Lincoln Center does things a bit different so I will let those families/students explain that. </p>
<p>When we got our roomie information we headed to Facebook where there was a new student Fordham webpage and they started chatting online…</p>
<p>We/she got our/her first choice: Queens Court. Then we had to learn to let go…helicoptering is normal and to some extent the right thing to do until everyone gets comfortable. Yes, there were HUGE fears of the Bronx and New York and the Big City and all that (we are from a much smaller community several states away.) And driving away that Sunday was one of the hardest things I have ever done…emotional and counter to every parental instinct I had in me. FEAR! But soon…quickly…we relaxed, got comfortable and learned to embrace Rose Hill/The Bronx. And as she advanced…from Queens to OHare, to Walsh and finally to Campbell Halls…we learned to chuckle at those silly fears and learned to reach out to newly arriving freshmen (upper classmen arrive sooner…often the week before, particularly if they are on committees, work for the Ram or orientation, Rose Hill Society etc. ) Its all going to be fine. Move in is almost flawless. Fordham does an AWESOME job of that. Fr. McShane will greet you at the gates as you drive onto campus that Sunday handing out water bottles. Smiling and shaking hands. </p>
<p>Welcome to Fordham everyone. Its a wonderful thing to be part of the Fordham family. A lifelong commitment. ;-)</p>
<p>Thanks for the info, Sovereigndebt. Happy that your daughter is doing well professionally and personally. Many on these forums are looking for advice and information that is based on personal experience, not all of the personal details of your experience. I am talking about the students, not the moms like me.
Still think Fordham could do a better job at getting the info out faster. </p>
<p>I remember that was frustrating, because we wanted to be able to talk to the future suitemates so we would know what we were going to have to buy as far as a microwave, dishes, tv, cleaning supplies, etc. Hang in there, it will come eventually.</p>
<p>One more piece of advice to all incoming freshmen/families. Keep a sense of humor. Colleges are bureaucratic and sometimes vexing. There will be “issues” which arise in four years on campus. Dorm drama. Scheduling issues. Complaints about cafeteria food. This or that. As they transition from a total dependent to a newly independent (but still financially dependent) young adult…and learn to make decisions and see the consequences…its a process. Growing pains.</p>
<p>Its all good. 
</p>
<p>Sovereigndebt, thanks for the PM. Thoughtful advice, as always. </p>
<p>My daughter went through the same thing last year. All of her friends were getting schedules, ID cards, room mate info and she wasn’t. Some even had orientations, though she had gone to one at the end of June. </p>
<p>You will most likely get room mate/dorm info around a week before move in. Also, as for schedule info, around that time you can access it on my.fordham and going to the Banner section. Just click on “Registration” and “Student Detail Schedule” and the classes will be there. You can also get textbook info by clicking on the link that is on top of the schedule.</p>
<p>My daughter emailed her future room mate and they had the same interests which was great. </p>
<p>Move in was smooth and Fordham does it right. You will receive detail information on how to proceed through the gates (they will also give you the correct address to use if you are using a GPS). Now I’m from the Bronx and that day was the very first time I ever drove to Fordham, I always knew how to get there by bus. You follow the signs that direct you to the dorm you were assigned, and we were greeted by a Jesuit (it wasn’t Fr.McShane but someone just as personable) who calmed me as I started to get weepy. We hadn’t even proceeded through campus to the dorm yet! You get a bottle of water (or two) and directions on how to proceed to drive on campus. My daughter was assigned Martyr’s Court. We got there (just as her friend was arriving across the way at Queens) and we could hear the cheers of his arrival. I drive a pickup truck, and all I had to do was unlock the back doors and tailgate and the kids (most of them football players) just emptied the truck. You need to label everything with your child’s name and dorm/room number. They carry EVERYTHING right to the room. Your DD will then go through the checking in process and then you can park your vehicle in the campus lot. Oh, forgot to mention—when you get to the dorm one of the NSO volunteers asked my daughter her name and then they announced her name “Has arrived!!” Cue tears.</p>
<p>I parked my truck in the garage and proceeded to walk all the way back to Martyr’s. They do have shuttles to take you but I found it faster to just walk. Her other friend who had arrived earlier helped her with stuff until I arrived and then we got her room together. We were just about done when her room mate and her family arrived. It was a nice get acquainted session for all of us. Plus we got to meet the girls across the hall who were in a triple so we got to see what that was like (it’s doable) and they got to see what a double was like. </p>
<p>We got a bite to eat at the “Caf” and then I went to a security seminar and then Fr. McShane did his greeting and that’s when the auditorium filled up. These meetings were at Fordham Prep, the all-boys Catholic HS that shares the campus. After that is Mass outside of Queens Court by the Univeristy Church and that’s when we said our goodbyes. I only live an hour away, so it’s not like she was going to the moon. But sure felt like it. She was with her friends that she knew from HS and she introduced her room mate to them since she didn’t know anyone yet. I cried all the way home. I’m lucky I didn’t crash the truck somewhere on the Sprain heading back home. </p>
<p>They have later on a candlelight ceremony on Eddies–“Go forth and set the world on fire”. It’s really nice and magical. </p>
<p>This year they will have the new renovated dorm, Loyola I believe it is called and I think it will have the Manresa Program. </p>
<p>As the year went on, my daughter and her room mate made more friends and decided to room with others for next semester. They get along, but wanted to be with other friends. Right now she is in what is called “Post Lotto” and hopefully she and her best friend will be roomed together. We probably won’t know until late August ourselves. We are hoping for O’Hare, she’s done with communal bathrooms. </p>
<p>One thing, Soverigndebt is a treasure-trove of information. I enjoy the insights and nod my head in agreement with a lot that is said. </p>
<p>Welcome to the “Ramily” as my daughter puts it. She calls Fordham “home”. </p>
<p>Thanks for all of your input, guys! Appears that the Manresa and other specialty housing have already been notified, so she did not get that option. (as it seems from what she read on Facebook.) So, we wait. We will be away for a significant part of August, so I hope we get a good WIFI connection to check updates. </p>
<p>My D lived in Queens her freshman year and didn’t receive notification of her dorm assignment and roommates until early August. She was initially placed in a triple. It was a large room and there was room for all of the stuff but she wanted a double so immediately applied for one. Room in a double opened up within the month and some of her dorm mates helped her move into the new room.</p>
<p>MTC described the move in day very well. It was a very well thought out and executed move in - even to the point of having a very cute boy come to the car when we pulled up to Queens to walk her to the place to get her key, while the other students unloaded the trunk. Her tears quickly dried up at the approach of the cute guy and she was all smiles a few minutes later when she returned with the key to her room. The talk by the head of security was reassuring and Father McShane’s talk was wonderful and made us feel that we were leaving her in good hands.</p>
<p>My D called late in the evening of move in day to tell me that they had just finished a dorm meeting in Bishops lounge and that she had spoken to a lovely man from the ministry office who told her that his door was always opened to her and that she can come and speak to him anytime she felt anxious about school or anything else. She had been very anxious about the whole process of adjusting to school, but she felt so comforted by that conversation and everything else that happened during the very smooth move in that her adjustment to college went very well. She quickly met people that she liked and was happy with her schedule and classes.</p>
<p>She lived in a triple in Tierney last year. It was small but they arranged it nicely and she loved that room. This year, she will be in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath apartment with a full kitchen in Walsh. She will be living with 5 others, and a group of 6 other friends have the room next door. Some of her good guy friends have a suite down the hall. There’s been lots of talk about how they are going to decorate and who is bringing what. She is excited about going back to school. H and I are thrilled that she is so happy!</p>
<p>We also refer to her Fordham friends as the Ramily. She also feels like it is home!</p>
<p>All good comments. Thanks for the kind words from everyone. I am but one voice/one opinion, so it helps to hear from others. The “Ramily” is a large family that is for life. Once a Ram always a Ram. My daughters friends/roomies and significant other all were a close knit group for four years, all worked very hard and all finished with high honors. </p>
<p>We were notified about Queens admission/entry very late. It was mid August and we/she moved in Labor Day weekend that year. At that time, Fr. McShane didnt give a speech, we just enjoyed the assistance moving in from upperclassmen, and then had lunch with roomie and her parents, and then sauntered over to Mass. Fordham is very special.</p>
<p>I want to add to everyone that there are many avenues for assistance to anyone struggling emotionally or otherwise throughout the year. Campus Ministry is wonderful. Just wonderful. They sponsor several weekend retreats and I STRONGLY encourage you to attend. They are up in Gosen, on private property and its magical there, gorgeous…its spiritual but not really dogmatic or anything remotely forced. Its about growth, healthy minds and hearts, and reconnecting. It really, really helped my daughter who was going through a series of issues in the dorms and with ex bf’s and new bf…and just being homesick, freaked about New York, and the stress of college. The Director then (Randy) has since moved on. He was a gem…a superb human being. I commend him. </p>
<p>Welcome to Fordham everyone! Come prepared for significant transformation, growth and some academic stress…its a wonderful college. Faculty are with very very few exceptions, warm, endearing and make fabulous mentors…one of whom is going to preside over my daughter’s wedding. </p>
<p>Fordham family reach out to help others. Go Rams!</p>
<p>The UC Davis starts Oct 2, Caltech starts Sept 29, late is a relative idea. I know this doesn’t help, but I will have two stir crazy kids until late September while all of their friends will be on their 5th essays. I’m sure your daughter will be fine.</p>
<p>My daughter said some kids have received Freshman housing info, but I think those are the ones doing Urban Plunge, not too sure. They move in early because it starts before the start of the regular school year.</p>
<p>Don’t worry. My daughter is a sophomore and we’re still waiting for housing info. We are in what’s called “Post Housing” selection. </p>
<p>Hehe they even call this little family a “Ramily” after their mascot. It’s really cute.</p>
<p>That’s what my daughter calls all her Fordham friends. </p>