Fordham University

Date: Sep 07 2008
Major: Undecided (This Major's Salary over time)
I've seen some comments here that will be similar to mine.

I went to Fordham for a week, and realized that I didn't know what I was getting into. I came from out of state, and never visited. My high school really emphasized going away for college, so I did, assuming NY would be fun. Also, Fordham was my 'top' choice, and I thought

I don't need to see it. This is a no brainer.

I just chose what I thought was the most prestigious school I got into. Big mistake.
Many other posts said this before, but I will say it again. Fordham at Rose Hill is NOT New York. That is not what you are getting. It is a closed campus, so for the most part you experience only the school and students. Then you walk off campus and you are in a battlefield, where the poor Bronx people hate you. The school doesn't allow these people on campus, and it is very elitist in that sense. There is a very clear distinction between the haves and the 'have nots'. It is evident that the school hires all the Bronx people to work the dirty jobs on campus, and it feels very much like rich vs. poor.

If you are coming from a large public school, be careful. This school caters to people coming from gender segregated catholic schools. My high school really treated us like adults. When I got to Fordham, I felt like the school babied everyone, I felt more mature than the seniors, who also live in dorms. You live in dorms all four years for the most part. Academically you are babied. You must take almost 20 required courses (that's 5 courses per semester, 4 semesters) before you can even begin your major. They pick your courses for you, which was fine for kids coming from small catholic schools. But for me, it was restricting.
I don't wanna talk to much about the social life. But basically, it is a closed campus. So all the drinking happens in the Bronx, which can be dangerous.

In the dorms, drinking is not taken lightly. My roommate wasn't even drinking but was in a dorm that had some booze in it, and she got sanctioned and they told her parents. Also, if you're a girl, you cannot sign in a male guest, and vice-versa. Even though you're paying 50 Gs a year, there is no AC in the dorms. It is hot as balls.
On campus, you have to deal with a lot of security, showing your ID to a guard in every building you walk into. They give you a lot of attitude as well. Again, I just felt that they really treat you like a child.

The school is very into itself. All through orientation they made us chant "We Are Fordham!", which I thought reminded me of Germany in the 1940s. Also, VERY catholic. I couldn't find a single Jewish person there. The school wants everyone to be really Fordham-oriented. To get involved with Fordham. If you're not into that, be careful.
Here is my advise:
Go visit. Get as much information as you can. I went to one meeting and thought I understood the school completely. Do not be awed by the beautiful campus either. Weigh your opinions of the school and the people (who are almost all white). Also, just in general, don't just chose a school because it is a 'name brand' school. Most educations are pretty equal to one another. So don't make your parents pay for a 50 thousand dollar a year school without making sure you can't find something cheaper which is probably just as good. Don't let your high school convince you to just go to the best seeming one. I left Fordham within one week of arriving, and it was a real hassle. So just do your research, and go visit!