Fordham University Top Questions

Most professors know my name. My favorite classes were my English and Marketing classes. Least favorite was Financial Management. Studying varies from student to student. Class participation is very common and very much encouraged. Students are competitive, everyone wants a 4.0. Most unique class I took was Business Communications, because it focused on our future career, how to obtain our goals, and making connections in the business-world rather than grading us on things we learned in class. I am business major/marketing concentration/GLOBE and communications specialization. I go to office hours sometimes, but not too often. The academic requirements are great because it keeps you knowledgeable in all aspects of the business world, but it is a little intense sometimes (too many core classes). Definitely geared toward getting a job.

Every morning I wake up looking forward to go to class. I think that is something that many college students cannot say. Whether it is my Life on Planet Earth class in which I dissect small sharks and look at bacteria under microscopes, or whether it is my Intro to Sociology class where I talk about the influence of Facebook on cultural interactions, Fordham’s academics are really outstanding. I have had a great experience so far in all of my classes. My academic experience at Fordham is like a big box of chocolates. Each piece has a different taste and feel, some may be sweet, some may be tangy. With my classes, I learn something new every single day. My favorite class this year has been my Philosophy class during the Fall semester. My teacher, a nun named Sr. Mary, made the material interesting, fun, and exciting. I had to think, but not too hard. I loved learning about the material, which was something I had never been taught before in high school. Descartes, Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas. Each day of class left a new and delightful taste in my mouth. And the best part about it was, not only did I learn a lot, I did well. Fordham professors will not hesistate to reward hard work. This seems like something simple, but I guess it isn’t universal. As always, there are those coconut-filled pieces of chocolate that I hate in every box, just like how there are those sporadic few classes which I have disliked at my time at Fordham. For example, this semester I am taking Faith and Critical Reasoning. Just the name makes me cringe. What I’ve found so far about being in that class is that the subject material is taught in a bland way. No spice. No filling. Just blah. My professor tries hard to get us engaged, but nothing seems to work. The hour and fifteen minute class seems more like five hours. The subject material is boring. That’s all there is to it. Granted, I’m only halfway done with the semester. But, so far, I see no change in pace. Just a boring, old, piece of moldy chocolate. I love the academics at Fordham because of the never ending variety. Students are encouraged to take whatever they desire, whatever makes them happy. Jesuit education seeks to educate the whole person, from the inside out, on every possible platform. That is why Fordham is different from other colleges, and in my opinion, much better.

-No, in fact, when i visited Fordham before applying here, I was told that class sizes were very small so you could receive the proper amount of attention. I have been in science classes with at least 50 other people. So, no, I do not feel like professors know my name... and that stinks because I NEED recommendations for med school! -Least favorite classES include anything related to science. -My friends (who are mainly premed students) study often because of our rigorous classes and work load. -Class participation is not as common in my science classes as it is in my core classes -I havent had many "intellectual" conversations outside of class. -I do not feel a sense of competition amongst Fordham students. -The most unique class I've taken is Drawing I.. which is my ABSOLUTE favorite class ever!! Such a breath of fresh air compared to my normal schedule. -My major is pre-med. It is VERY competitive. The prehealth advisor is very discouraging... especially in my case, being not one of the top students in my major. I often feel very discouraged with my major... I used to have such a passion for science, but my classes offer nothing interesting, and only result in less than exceptional grades despite my constant studying. -I do not spend time with professors outside of class -I feel that FOrdham's academic requirements are fair. -I feel like the education is geared toward getting a job.

Professors almost always know your name. My favorite class was Terrorism and Society... the topic is pertinent to the world today, the professor was tremendously knowledgeable, and because it was an elective, all the student were really interested in learning more about the subject and how it has changed the world in which we live. Least favorite class was Philosophy, by far. Give me math and a concrete subject anyday!

Professors at Fordham are generally good. They have all, but one, learned my name and my classes have never had more than thirty people in them. My favorite class was my Crusades class. It was the best class I have ever taken in my life with the best teacher I've ever had. My least favorite class is my Medieval Sin Sinners and Outcasts class right now. It's so painfully boring and we don't even have assigned reading. It's bad. Students study fairly often, but most students don't take the over-inflated tuition seriously and do poorly in classes that are very easily. Class participation is common with a few students. In some classes, where the teacher is provocative, more students will participate than on average. This is seen with my Byzantine Christianity class. Some Fordham students have intellectual conversations outside of class but they normally don't revolve around class material, just other topics. When I want to talk academics I call my friend from home who goes to Penn because we always talked academics in high school. Students are not very competitive. The most unique class I've taken is Byzantine Christianity. I am a medieval studies and theology major. Medieval Studies is an interdisciplinary department which means the teachers focus on medieval history, theology, philosophy, language, art, music etc. It is EASILY the best department in the school and I don't find it coincidental that many of the best and most well published professors are in that department. I have never really spent time with professors outside of class. Fordham's core curriculum is too stringent, but it's actually a fairly tough-grading school and it is reasonably hard to do well. Fordham's education is both geared for a job and toward learning for its own sake. Fordham's core curriculum is learning for its own sake in its purest form. Many majors, like medieval studies and theology, clearly do not orient one toward a job. Still, the undergraduate business school is a rising star in the country and that hooks a ton of students up with impressive internships. The communications department as well gears many students toward jobs and many Fordham students have internships at NBC, CBS, ABC etc.

very hard but if you put your mind to it you'll be ok.

The academic reputation of Fordham and its committment to excellence is a main reason as to why I chose this particular university. It also boasts a student to faculty ratio of 12 to 1, which is quite impressive. Professors all have office hours twice a week and lend themselves to the students by giving out home phone numbers and personal e-mail addresses. I have had professors go so far as to meet with students outside of class and one took a group of us to dinner in a very informal manner. Students are expected and encouraged to participate in class, especially when there are less than 30 students per classroom. Students want to achieve personal success, but are also open to help one another meet Dean's List requirements or prepare for the next exam. The Fordham education is meant to educate the whole person and make its students dedicated to changing the world upon graduation.

Fordham is great if you know what you want to do. If you are in a specific program such as Visual Arts, Theater, or Medieval History, then there are lots of great classes and the Professors are attentive and help you to do pretty much whatever you want. All the other classes are pretty much terrible. The professors are often under qualified (especially in the language dept.). This wouldn't be such a huge issue but you are required to take many of these courses because of the "Core credits" and they are slow to respond to complaints. However, I definitely think it is worth it if you want to do Theater or Visual Arts because the Professors are amazing and the classes are small in these departments.

I'd say about 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the professors I've ever had knew my name. It was nice to really get to know some of them. I'd say my favorite class at Fordham was Cultural Anthropology. It truly woke me up. It made me realize that we all see the world through different lenses, none of which can be completely removed. As an English major, I was lucky to be in small classes where discussion was emphasized by professors. Though I cannot speak for all students, I'd say I've had my share of intellectual conversations outside of classes, but only with a select few students. I haven't spent much time with professors outside of class aside from office hours. This, however has enabled me to get to know them quite a bit. Fordham's academic requirements are quite different from most schools, as the core curriculum is very broad. However, I feel as if it has been to my advantage. The flexibility of the English major has also allowed me to explore various time periods and authors. Depending on one's major, job-seeking and learning are both objectives of the Fordham experience. I'd say CBA students are more inclined to focus on getting a job, while liberal arts students are geared toward learning, since most of them will pursue graduate degrees anyway.

There are a number of great professors at the school and by sophomore year, it becomes fairly easy to figure out who they are. Even in classes taught by great professors, one is surrounded mostly by students who just don't give a shit. I'm sure this is standard at most schools, but it seems particularly noticeable at Fordham, hence the popularity of the Communications major). Fordham simply isn't the place for a student seriously interested in study. I've been told there are good job placement/internship programs, I don't know firsthand if this is true, but it makes sense; for most students, Fordham is a means to an end.