Fordham c/o 2017 Applicants (2013-2014 cycle) Forum

[Fordham2L]

Hi,

I'm a current 2L at Fordham. Last week we found out that all classes (not just 1L classes) will be curved starting fall of 2014.

Why haven't you heard about it?

The administration may be waiting for deposit deadlines to pass for your class before announcing an unpopular policy.

What does that mean for you?

You've probably heard of all the 1L horror stories about The Curve. Grades seem arbitrary, you're stressing out about competeing with your classmates, everyone goes a little nuts towards exam time. That's all true, to an extent, though my classmates were great.

But after 1L, you're able to take smaller non-curved seminar classes where you can focus on learning, not on beating your classmates so you can beat the odds (quite literally) to compete with your classmates at OCI. Not anymore. All classes with over FOUR people will be curved come fall.
Why does this matter?

Because at least 70% of you will not get A's in your 1L classes (because of the curve) with a curve on all classes, you'll have less hope to improve your GPA in order to compete for jobs for your next two years. Also, as if competing with NYU and Columbia kids isn't hard enough, their GPAs will be naturally higher, because they don't have a policy like this.

We thought you deserved to know before making a decision to come to Fordham. I suggest you reach out to the school for more information before sending in your deposit. This policy WILL make it harder for you to get a job.

[Beercules]

Hi,

I'm a current 2L at Fordham. Last week we found out that all classes (not just 1L classes) will be curved starting fall of 2014.

Why haven't you heard about it?

The administration may be waiting for deposit deadlines to pass for your class before announcing an unpopular policy.

What does that mean for you?

You've probably heard of all the 1L horror stories about The Curve. Grades seem arbitrary, you're stressing out about competeing with your classmates, everyone goes a little nuts towards exam time. That's all true, to an extent, though my classmates were great.

But after 1L, you're able to take smaller non-curved seminar classes where you can focus on learning, not on beating your classmates so you can beat the odds (quite literally) to compete with your classmates at OCI. Not anymore. All classes with over FOUR people will be curved come fall. It's 1L year all the time. Four people work incredibly hard and turn in work the professor feels merits an A? At least 2 of you will receive grades in the B range for no reason.

Why does this matter?

Because at least 70% of you will not get A's in your 1L classes (because of the curve) with a curve on all classes, you'll have less hope to improve your GPA in order to compete for jobs for your next two years. Also, as if competing with NYU and Columbia kids isn't hard enough, their GPAs will be naturally higher, because they don't have a policy like this.

We thought you deserved to know before making a decision to come to Fordham. I suggest you reach out to the school for more information before sending in your deposit. This policy WILL make it harder for you to get a job.

Outside of this policy, how do you feel about Fordham?

I take it not well, from the tone of this post.

[dsamuels]

Hi,

I'm a current 2L at Fordham. Last week we found out that all classes (not just 1L classes) will be curved starting fall of 2014.

Why haven't you heard about it?

The administration may be waiting for deposit deadlines to pass for your class before announcing an unpopular policy.

What does that mean for you?

You've probably heard of all the 1L horror stories about The Curve. Grades seem arbitrary, you're stressing out about competeing with your classmates, everyone goes a little nuts towards exam time. That's all true, to an extent, though my classmates were great.

But after 1L, you're able to take smaller non-curved seminar classes where you can focus on learning, not on beating your classmates so you can beat the odds (quite literally) to compete with your classmates at OCI. Not anymore. All classes with over FOUR people will be curved come fall. It's 1L year all the time. Four people work incredibly hard and turn in work the professor feels merits an A? At least 2 of you will receive grades in the B range for no reason.

Why does this matter?

Because at least 70% of you will not get A's in your 1L classes (because of the curve) with a curve on all classes, you'll have less hope to improve your GPA in order to compete for jobs for your next two years. Also, as if competing with NYU and Columbia kids isn't hard enough, their GPAs will be naturally higher, because they don't have a policy like this.

We thought you deserved to know before making a decision to come to Fordham. I suggest you reach out to the school for more information before sending in your deposit. This policy WILL make it harder for you to get a job.

Outside of this policy, how do you feel about Fordham?

I take it not well, from the tone of this post.

Yea, whats life like for a student at Fordham? The stuff the admin might not want to tell us?

[Ally Mcbeal]

Well thank God I dodged that bullet lol. Just withdrew 13k/yr scholly.

[dreamofNYC]

Checking in. Applied 11/9 for the evening program. Currently working a few blocks away. Good luck everyone!

Same here. I am a bit scared of the workload though...

I got in with the following credentials:

LSAT: 163
LSAC GPA: 3.8
Good LORs, 6 years of work experience in private equity. Permanent resident (international student from Romania, but became a permanent resident last October).

[30-Something]

Anyone know what the evening student schedule looks like? For example, which classes are assigned for the first semester? Thanks!

[gerrydawg]

Just threw down a deposit. Overall, pretty excited. Hoping one of my 7 waitlists pans out, but if not, pretty satisfied with what Fordham can offer if I do well there.

[maple22]

Would a visit to the school help for waitlist movement? I'll be in NYC soon and thinking of scheduling a visit with the adcomm...

[30-Something]

Would a visit to the school help for waitlist movement? I'll be in NYC soon and thinking of scheduling a visit with the adcomm...

Yes, visiting, and writing a subsequent LOCI in which you reference your visit, will help your WL status. Good luck!

[nodey]

Waitlisted yesterday... Above 75th LSAT, @median GPA.

Applied first week in January.

[Livinondemwaitlists]

Anyone on the waitlist have any updates? No date changes since my waitlist early march...

[theMasterofBiotech]

Anyone on the waitlist have any updates? No date changes since my waitlist early march...

Yup same and I've sent them new materials (transcript and LOR)

[mydasmarie]

withdrew, best of luck hope one of you gets my seat

[FeiLAw]

Waitlisted yesterday... Above 75th LSAT, @median GPA.

Applied first week in January.

That is incredibly surprising, I haven't heard of anyone with at 166+ and 3.5 getting waitlisted at Fordham

[nodey]

Well I guess that makes me either the most flawed 166+/3.5 applicant or so highly regarded that every school feels the need YP me. Im waitlisted at BC, reserved at Cornell as well, and expecting the same from BU and Vanderbilt, so im not all that surprised.

[buffalo_]

Hi,

I'm a current 2L at Fordham. Last week we found out that all classes (not just 1L classes) will be curved starting fall of 2014.

Why haven't you heard about it?

The administration may be waiting for deposit deadlines to pass for your class before announcing an unpopular policy.

What does that mean for you?

You've probably heard of all the 1L horror stories about The Curve. Grades seem arbitrary, you're stressing out about competeing with your classmates, everyone goes a little nuts towards exam time. That's all true, to an extent, though my classmates were great.

But after 1L, you're able to take smaller non-curved seminar classes where you can focus on learning, not on beating your classmates so you can beat the odds (quite literally) to compete with your classmates at OCI. Not anymore. All classes with over FOUR people will be curved come fall.
Why does this matter?

Because at least 70% of you will not get A's in your 1L classes (because of the curve) with a curve on all classes, you'll have less hope to improve your GPA in order to compete for jobs for your next two years. Also, as if competing with NYU and Columbia kids isn't hard enough, their GPAs will be naturally higher, because they don't have a policy like this.

We thought you deserved to know before making a decision to come to Fordham. I suggest you reach out to the school for more information before sending in your deposit. This policy WILL make it harder for you to get a job.

I question this. Both CLS and NYU curve their classes. I don't know if they have official curves published, but I have heard from current students of both that their are curves in place and getting an A is very difficult. There is also documentation of their curves out there. It appears more than 31% could receive and A- or above at NYU, but an A or above is only 11%.

NYU:http://leiterlawschool.typepad.com/leit ... curve.html
Columbia: http://www.top-law-schools.com/archives ... =3&t=25068

So I don't think it's fair to say a curve puts Fordham at a disadvantage. One could even take the alternative stance that a stricter curve will help Fordham graduates compete with NYU and CLS when interviewing, because a tougher curve makes it easier to distinguish the real top of the class, and thus these individuals are probably better off having been distanced from the pack. Whereas with a more lenient curve, there is a larger "top of the pack" but with less distinction among them. Thus employers look more suspiciously at all of the students in that group, even the truly exceptional ones, since it is harder for them to distinguish their GPA significantly.

ETA: I realize now that the CLS curve may become more lenient in 2L and 3L (NYU's is constant though), and I guess the main objection to the policy is the 2L and 3L curve. But overall I think my point stands. It will help top Fordham students distinguish themselves. And it would let mediocre 1Ls who may not have gotten an SA to build their GPA faster if they ascend to the top of the 2L class. And this policy is really mostly going to impact those without SA.

[JurisDoll]

Has anyone from the waiting list seen any movement? Or heard back from admissions?

[elle.woods8]

Has anyone from the waiting list seen any movement? Or heard back from admissions?

I went complete on 2/27 and haven't heard anything.

[Smer45]

Finally had my first update since 2/21 last Friday 4/11. Still haven't heard anything. Anyone else see any movement??

[The Outsider]

Has anyone from the waiting list seen any movement? Or heard back from admissions?

When were you wait-listed? I was wait-listed early March and haven't heard anything yet either. Tomorrow is the first deposit deadline. I am guessing movements will start taking place later this week......

[kellyb4]

On Twitter, Kathryn Espiritu said they will start making offers off the wait list after tomorrow.. But i was wait listed in December and still haven't in had any movement... People have had date changes??

[FeiLAw]

On Twitter, Kathryn Espiritu said they will start making offers off the wait list after tomorrow.. But i was wait listed in December and still haven't in had any movement... People have had date changes??

Thats interesting but I still have not been waitlisted. I hope they atleast tell me if i am going to be waitlisted before they start making decisions on the waaitlist candidates. (I am assuming im going to be waitlisted, 163 and 3.2

[JurisDoll]

Has anyone from the waiting list seen any movement? Or heard back from admissions?

When were you wait-listed? I was wait-listed early March and haven't heard anything yet either. Tomorrow is the first deposit deadline. I am guessing movements will start taking place later this week......

I was wait listed first week of Jan and had a date change in early March and a recent date change in April. I'm hoping offers from the wait list start this week because I'm becoming anxious. I've already made a deposit at BC but I'll withdraw if I'm offered admissions at Fordham.

[chipotle123]

Has anyone from the waiting list seen any movement? Or heard back from admissions?

When were you wait-listed? I was wait-listed early March and haven't heard anything yet either. Tomorrow is the first deposit deadline. I am guessing movements will start taking place later this week......

I was wait listed first week of Jan and had a date change in early March and a recent date change in April. I'm hoping offers from the wait list start this week because I'm becoming anxious. I've already made a deposit at BC but I'll withdraw if I'm offered admissions at Fordham.

I submitted everything the second week of January and did not receive a yes, no or waitlist. Anybody else in the same boat? I guess I'm on the de facto waitlist but I'm just confused as to why they could not tell me that.

[JurisDoll]

Has anyone from the waiting list seen any movement? Or heard back from admissions?

When were you wait-listed? I was wait-listed early March and haven't heard anything yet either. Tomorrow is the first deposit deadline. I am guessing movements will start taking place later this week......

I was wait listed first week of Jan and had a date change in early March and a recent date change in April. I'm hoping offers from the wait list start this week because I'm becoming anxious. I've already made a deposit at BC but I'll withdraw if I'm offered admissions at Fordham.

I submitted everything the second week of January and did not receive a yes, no or waitlist. Anybody else in the same boat? I guess I'm on the de facto waitlist but I'm just confused as to why they could not tell me that.

Did you check your status checker? Mine says Wait listed, so I'm assuming if you are then it would confirm it for you there. Otherwise, I would give the admissions office a call because 1st deposits are tomorrow and it's reasonable for you to want some sort of clear answer.