Hi. I’m really having a hard time deciding what college I want to go to. I was accepted into 10 different colleges but the ones I’m having trouble with are Monmouth University in NJ and Fordham University Lincoln Center. I really really love Monmouth University - it feels like the college I want to go to. I was accepted into their 3-2 for Computer Science and pre-law track. The only thing holding me back is that I was accepted into FCLC HEOP and am on track for their 3-2 with Columbia. I am also scheduled to start lessons with their music program in partnership with Julliard and NYF. However, it doesn’t feel like “college”, Monmouth does. I think I’m scared to lose out on the opportunities at FCLC because they are great - but I don’t feel comfortable sitting in the same building the whole day. Does anybody have any advice, reviews or suggestions that you can share with me. I’m so torn.
Fordham is MUCH BETTER and it sounds like it’s a better fit, too. If you want a quad and campus, you can see if you can take classes at the Rose Hill campus, and perhaps do a “study away” exchange somewhere else in the US. 
COngratulations on winning HEOP at Fordham, it’s super competitive, and the music lesson partnership is unbelievable.
(Monmouth looks good, but it’s a fourth tier school).
hey do u do heop at fordham? @MYOS1634
Fordham is much better. I’ve visited Monmouth, I think it’s overpriced.
Lol why is this even a question??
No I don’t do heop at Fordham. but I know it’s super competitive. And Fordham is one of the top schools in the north east
Hey I Was wondering what your stats are? You have no idea how lucky you are that you got accepted to heop at fordham! It is my dream man @LIGTSC
@MYOS1634
Oh woow thats nice but now i feel scared about the competition.
Don’t be. First, you were selected, which means they think you can handle it. If they’d thought you couldn’t, they’d have picked someone else, it’s not like there is a shortage of qualified Applicants. They chose you as one of the most qualified and most likely to succeed.
Second, heop comes with a fully paid summer program where you are brought up to speed about the college, it’s resources, make friends, etc, so that when school start you can hit the ground running immediately. Use that summer program to the max, ask lots of questions, and if anything is puzzling don’t hesitate to ask on this thread or to create another one, lots of knowledgeabke people on this website .
Fordham is obviously the more prestigious school, but when selecting a college, it’s crucial to attend one that suits your comforts and needs. And you’ve indicated that you enjoyed being at Monmouth.
If reputation is most important to you, pick Fordham. If you want an institution you feel comfortable at, pick Monmouth.
I’d personally select Fordham, but my perspective is biased. Reputation means a lot to me. If reputation doesn’t mean a lot to you, Monmouth is the better choice.
it’s not just reputation. Fordham will have more resources, better quality peers, choices, and outcomes. It’s just not comparable. And because OP got EOP at Fordham, it means it’s tuition-free with a special suppor system to ensure s/he benefits from everything Fordham and NYC have to offer. All these reasons are way more important than reputation.
The most important factor is whether the college is able to fulfill a student’s comforts and needs. At the end of the day, college is about the student, not the institution. Having more resources means little if the student won’t utilize them. But if the student enjoys the environment of a college, he or she would be more motivated to use the resources.
There is no way to ensure that a student will be compatible with peers at a certain school, even if they’re supposed to be better than others. Better choices can influence a school’s ability to suit a student’s needs, but a student could still find the same program, or at least a similar program at a college he or she feels more comfortable at. And there is no guarantee that a certain school will provide better outcomes for a student. Although one would naturally assume a better school would produce better outcomes, that’s not always the case. The student would probably have a better chance at an ideal outcome, but again, it’s not guaranteed. It’s the student who decides what happens to him or her after graduation.
The OP has indicated he/she enjoyed Monmouth and didn’t feel comfortable at Fordham. Even with EOP, are four to six years of potential misery worth it, just to possibly have a better chance of success after graduation? A student should enjoy his or her time at college and not look back on it with regret.
Fordham Definitely. It is the better school by far. Fordham if you can afford it.
Fordham is in the center of a great city(NYC)
Monmouth is in a small beach town(West Long Branch)
What are the prices of the 2?
Monmouth is a lovely campus. It does have a certain charm about it - but it cannot compare to what you have been offered at Fordham. At Monmouth, you will not have anywhere near the the types of opportunities that you have at Fordham. Those opportunities will define your next few years (and after) in a way that just a “feel good” campus never will.
Can you live at the main campus in the bronx and take some of your classes there if you go to Fordham? The main campus is beautiful and is very much a traditional college. Perhaps Fordham would be a better fit for you if you could base yourself there for living and for a class or two a semester, and shuttle to the LC campus.
Fordham does sound like it offers more opportunities. Perhaps call Fordham admissions and see if you can switch to the Rose Hill campus with your program (and take van to LC for lessons).
I am currently deciding between Fordham RH and George Washington University, so am in a similar position. If your major allows it, maybe consider the RH campus because it has that classic college feel, and is only a short train ride away from the city. Fordham definitely has more opportunities than Monmouth does, but in the end its where you feel most comfortable. And if you don’t end up liking wherever you choose, transferring is always an option too.
^ transferring is NOT a realistic option for an HEOP student since transfers get lousy aid.
Heop fordham, especially if OP can attend Rose Hill, is an incredible opportunity. Even Lincoln center is incredible - its academic offerings and amenitied. It seems silly to give that up because Monmouth has a green quad and feels comfortable. Manhattan has Central Park by the way and what is 'comfortable’ie familiar to a 17 year old can become stiffling to a19-20year old.
What would you tell a first gen kid who wants to go into finance and who’s got a full scholarship to Stern, to pick cuny Brooklyn because they liked the campus ? Because that’s the same here for what OP is interested in and is talented in.
This isn’t about a college simply feeling good or comfortable. This is about a student being in an environment he or she can thrive in. Like I said before, the student has to take advantage of the better opportunities a college offers and a superior environment for a student will aid him or her in grabbing opportunities presented.
The OP did not indicate that he/she enjoyed Monmouth simply because of the campus. The OP’s problem with Fordham is having to be in one building, which would likely become tedious. And while there a lot of positive things that can be said about NYC, it can also be too big and overwhelming for many people. A small area like West Long Branch might be better suited to them.
As a personal example, my dad went to Colgate. Colgate is highly regarded, but my dad regrets going there. It’s in the middle of nowhere (according to him) and there was nothing to do on campus. While he’s done well career wise, it doesn’t seem like having a degree from Colgate played a big factor in this - he majored in political science and history, but he’s primarily worked in communications.
You simply can"t compare Colgate with either Fordham and Monmouth.