Fordham University

Date: May 20 2005
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
Positives: Large, bucolic campus (87 acres) with beautiful gothic buildings. The only campus like this in NYC. Easy access to Manhattan, so the best of both worlds. Jesuit intellectual tradition even though few of the profs are Jesuits. Good professors, because many of them are drawn to NYC (not drawn to Fordham, specifically, but this is another way Fordham benefits from its location). Strong liberal arts and humanities. No Greek organizations, and most students live on campus, so it's a true academic community. Stong religious life on campus with the University Church full at masses and an active retreat program.

Negatives: While great for liberal arts and humanities, not the best place for science and engineering. Little student diversity; most are Irish or Italian Catholics with some German/Polish/Bohemian Catholics. Most are from the Northeast with some from the Midwest; I felt like the only Southern WASP there. Not actually in Manhattan, which is sometimes inconvenient, but probably best for one's studies. A lot of drinking, but that's probably true for most schools.