Why I Became a Fordham Ram

1. Strong Academic Reputation

One of the reasons why I chose Fordham is that I knew I would be challenged academically. Fordham offers a high-quality education no matter what you come here to study, and it keeps improving: the University moved up in the 2014 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings to 57th for national universities and the Gabelli School of Business moved up to the No. 38 spot in the 2014 Bloomberg Businessweek ranking of U.S. undergraduate business schools. In addition, the core curriculum has allowed me to explore my strengths, weaknesses, interests and dislikes. My core classes have been some of the most intellectually stimulating classes I’ve taken while at Fordham.

 

St. Ignatius statue and Hughes Hall,
home of the Gabelli School of Business

2. Jesuit Tradition

Having attended a Catholic high school, I was interested in attending a Jesuit university because of the Jesuit tradition's strong values. The Jesuit philosophies of cura personalis (“care for the whole person”) and homines pro aliis (“men and women for others”) resonate heavily throughout the Fordham community. Over the last three years at Fordham, I have interacted with professors and administrators who truly care about my potential as both a scholar and a person. Fordham has not only prepared me for a career, but for life. When it comes to the philosophy of “men and women for others,” Fordham offers many community service clubs and volunteer activities. This philosophy is even evident in the way students always hold the door open for one another on campus.

3. Perfect Size

I wanted a school that wasn’t too big but also wasn’t too small. At Fordham, I love how I am able to walk to my classes and always run into familiar faces but, at the same time, I feel that I am constantly meeting new people around campus. The small class size, usually around 25 students, creates an intimate classroom setting. My professors able to know me on a more personal level and my relationships with my peers have lasted beyond the semester and turned into friendships.

4. The Best of Both Worlds

I wanted a campus but also a city nearby. If playing Frisbee on Eddie’s lawn, eating delicious Italian food from Arthur Avenue (“The Little Italy of the Bronx”), spending a day for free in the New York Botanical Garden, or seeing polar bears at the Bronx Zoo aren’t enough for you, New York City is also right in our backyard. New York City provides endless cultural experiences, internship opportunities and so much more.

5. Diversity

I wanted a school that was diverse. At Fordham, I have met people from all across the United States and the globe. While we recognize and appreciate our differences, we also embrace our many similarities.

For those of you who are Admitted Students, I wish you the best of luck with your decision and I hope you choose to join our Fordham “Ramily” this fall!

The Benefits of a Smaller Class

When I embarked on the long process of picking where I would want to spend my college years I really had no idea where I was going to end up.  I didn't really have a bunch of requirements about a school or have my heart set on anywhere.  However, one requirement that always stuck out to me was that the school I chose could not have huge class sizes.  I knew that I would not work well in these types of environments and definitely wanted and needed a smaller and more interactive classroom experience.  

When I came to visit Fordham I realized that they completely fulfilled this requirement!  The average class size at Fordham is 23 with a student to faculty ratio of about 14 to 1. These smaller classes have a variety of benefits that come along with them.  One is the fact that you will actually get to know your professor, there is no doubt that he or she will know your name and be able to talk with you not only in class, but in their office hours countless times throughout the semester. This becomes really important when you are struggling with something in class, if you feel that your professor knows you it will be much easier to go to them for the necessary help! 

Another great benefit is the ability to ask questions and discuss topics as a class.  With the smaller amount of students it is much easier to formulate discussions on topics that everyone may be confused about or simply topics of general interest having to do with the specific class.  However, in my opinion one of the greatest parts of these smaller classes is the fact that they are without a doubt much less intimidating and I can guarantee you will make tons of new friends in every class! Below are some pictures of the average classroom at Fordham, this particular classroom is in Keating Hall where you will certainly have many classes throughout your time at Fordham! 

Classes take place in many buildings here on campus, some of these buildings are Keating Hall, Dealy Hall, Faculty Memorial Hall, Freeman Hall, and John Mulcahy Hall to name a few! Click here To find out more about these buildings and discover new buildings through Fordham's Interactive Maps!