Regardless of whether you’re a Catholic or not, a Jesuit education, with its emphasis on community service and citizen leadership, is a strong backbone for a formative college experience. And Fordham University is one of the nation’s leaders in providing this kind of education. We’re going to talk about how to get into Fordham, but first, let’s talk about what makes this institution so special. 

About Fordham University 

With campuses in both Manhattan and the Bronx, Fordham is a decidedly NYC school, serving up Jesuit tradition in a city with cutting-edge resources, both technologically and culturally. (The Manhattan campus, for example, is located within the Lincoln Center.) That is to say, Fordham students don’t have to choose between Catholic values and contemporary realities: Fordham integrates the two. 

There are around 11,000 undergraduates at Fordham University. The Gabelli School of Business is one of its biggest draws, though Jesuit education lives on most strongly in its Philosophy, Political Science, and English departments, all popular majors. 

Denzel Washington, Steve Forbes, and White Noise author Don DeLillo are all notable alumni of Fordham. If you can believe it, Lana Del Rey also attended Fordham, where, she’s said, her studies “bridged the gap between God and science.” Next time you hear her on the radio, keep your eye peeled for all the allusions to Catholic iconography. 

This year, only 47% of applicants were admitted to Fordham’s Class of 2030. That’s less than half! This number, down from a 58% acceptance rate the year before, makes Fordham what we at Ivy Coach consider a moderately competitive school to get into. With that being said, let’s talk about how exactly students get in. 

Fordham University Admissions Requirements 

We want to make one thing clear first: there’s no readymade template for a successful application to Fordham, which holds true for all selective colleges. It’ll come as no surprise to you that a high GPA, great test scores, and impressive extracurricular achievements are the Holy Trinity (forgive the pun!) of any strong application. In the case of Fordham, it’s safe to add community service, whether through a Catholic parish or not, into that mix. Even though the students at Fordham are each in possession of their own idiosyncratic accomplishments and talents, let’s look at the features that unite them. 

What Kind of GPA Is Necessary To Get Into Fordham?

The following is the GPA breakdown of the members of Fordham’s Class of 2028, as reported in Fordham’s 2024-25 Common Data Set (the most recently available data we have):

GPA	Percentage of Fordham University Class of 2028
4.0	13%
3.75-3.99	30%
3.5-3.74	30%
3.25-3.49	15%
3.0-3.24	8%
2.5-2.99	4%
2.0-2.49	0%
1.0-1.99	0%

Last year, 13% of students who enrolled in Fordham’s Class of 2028 had a 4.0 GPA, and another 30% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. That’s 43% of enrolled students stepping onto campus with more or less straight A’s. It’s safe to say, with a lower acceptance rate this year, that these numbers are even more impressive for the Class of 2030. It’s also safe to say your child’s report card should be looking pretty spotless if they want in at Fordham. But here’s the most important piece of information: without context, including the high school attended, the rigor of the student’s coursework, their extracurricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation, and so much more, a GPA alone is insufficient for determining admissions odds. Sorry, parents!

What Kind of SAT or ACT Scores Are Needed To Get Into Fordham University?  

The average SAT score for the Fordham Class of 2028 was 1400, and the average ACT score was 32. Only 24% of applicants that admissions cycle submitted their test scores. This year, for the Class of 2030, Fordham reported that 60% of admitted students did not submit test scores. Okay, that’s well and good, but the truth is that it’ll always boost your application to get good SAT/ACT scores and submit them, even to supposedly test-optional schools. 

What Classes Do Students Need to Take to Get Into Fordham University?

Fordham lists the following academic preparation as a recommended baseline for successful applicants:

• English (4 years)
• Science (3-4 years)
• Mathematics* (3-4 years)
• Social Studies (3-4 years)
• Foreign Language** (2-4 years)

We at Ivy Coach know that highly selective colleges like Fordham want to see students excelling in each core subject (English, history, math, science, and foreign language) all four years of high school. In fact, they expect to see five years for foreign language since most students begin their first level of foreign language in eighth grade.

What Kinds of Extracurriculars Does Fordham Like To See?

We’re going to play MythBusters for a moment: highly selective colleges are not looking for well-rounded students. That is an urban legend, a false prophet! What schools are looking for are well-rounded student bodies comprised of uniquely talented students, each contributing some different achievement to the greater whole. 

Think about it for a second: a “well-rounded” student plays on the football team, is part of the ensemble in the school musical, contributes a couple of hours to the robotics team, and is a member of Model UN. But their time, energy, and attention are spread so thin between these endeavors that they’re always benched during games because they never can catch the ball, they’re put in the back during dance numbers because they don’t have the time to rehearse at home like the other thespians do, they have no idea how to actually build a robot, and they show up to Model UN conferences unprepared because they were too busy being mediocre at all their other activities to excel at this one. 

Now think of the singularly talented kid: they’re so deft with diplomacy, have practiced and researched for so many hundreds of hours, that they get to represent the United States or the United Kingdom at every Model UN conference they go to, and they win “Best Delegate” awards at these conferences. They’ve even been invited to speak at the actual UN. Maybe they take theatre classes on the side, but this is only in service of furthering their elocution skills within the context of diplomacy, learning how to project every word and enunciate every consonant, as any good public speaker does. 

Which student would you admit? The one who is a member of a bunch of unrelated activities, or the one who’s got the background and know-how to become a real-world diplomat one day, the same one you can, in years from now, invite to be Commencement Speaker?

We rest our case. 

Fordham University Application Requirements

Fordham accepts The Common App. They ask for one letter of recommendation from a teacher, and say they will also consider additional letters. Finally, they give applicants the option to respond to one of the following prompts in 300 words: 

A. At Fordham, we expect students to care for and engage with their communities and be active citizens for positive change. Please share an experience you had that caused you to develop a new perspective, change your point of view, and/or empower you to take an action or be courageous. Your response should include examples of your personal growth (e.g., what did you learn, did your point of view change, did you develop new skills or strengths?).

B. Fordham, as a Jesuit university, recognizes the dignity, uniqueness and potential of each person. A Fordham education is student-centered and rooted in close collaboration among students, faculty, and staff. Describe how you would contribute to our campus community as an actively engaged learner and leader. Specifically draw on your personal story, experiences, strengths, and perspectives.

C. Our motto is “New York is my campus, Fordham is my school.” New York City is a diverse and global city that provides Fordham students with a special kind of educational experience, full of both challenge and opportunity. What has prepared you to embrace the unique opportunity of living and learning in New York City?

D. Is there something that you are proud of that you would like to share with the Admission Committee?

Our advice: “optional” usually means “you’re better off if you do it!” So pick the response that speaks the most to you and write your heart out. 

Who Should Students Ask For Letters of Recommendation For Fordham University? 

Fordham University applicants should ask two junior year teachers in core subjects. Obviously, the applicant should have a good relationship with the teacher or at least have performed well in their class. In addition, at least one of the recommender’s subject area should be related to the student’s hook: if a student’s singular hook is studying fruit fly DNA, it wouldn’t make sense if their recommenders were their History and English teachers. 

Does Fordham University Require an Interview? 

Fordham University does not require an interview, and, in fact, they don’t even offer one!

What Are Fordham University’s Application Deadlines? 

Early Action and Early Decision I applications to Fordham are due November 1st. Regular Decision and Early Decision II applications are due January 10th.  

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Get Into Fordham

If you’re interested in discerning if your child has a shot of getting into Fordham University, we recommend setting up Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session. Not only will you find out if your child has a chance of getting into Fordham University, but you’ll receive a game plan of how your child can optimize their admission to the best school possible.