Is it harder to get into NYU or Fordham for undergraduate admissions?

NYU is harder to get into for undergraduate admissions than Fordham. It draws a larger and broader applicant pool from around the world, is typically viewed as the more selective of the two, and many of its most popular programs attract especially intense competition. Fordham is still selective, but it is usually more accessible overall than NYU.

One concrete difference is applicant volume and reach. NYU receives enormous interest across multiple campuses and schools, including highly sought-after areas like business, arts, and international studies. That scale tends to make admission more competitive, especially in specific divisions where demand is very high.

Another difference is how the schools are perceived academically and preprofessionally. NYU has a stronger national and global brand in several fields, which pulls in more applicants who are aiming for finance, media, performing arts, public policy, and other New York-based career paths. Fordham has a solid reputation and strong outcomes, especially in business and the liberal arts, but it does not face quite the same level of pressure across the board.

A third factor is that NYU can be much tougher depending on the school you apply to within the university. Programs like Stern and Tisch are notably difficult. Fordham also has variation by college and major, but the gap between its overall selectivity and NYU’s is still noticeable enough that most students would place NYU in a more reach-level category and Fordham closer to target or reach depending on their profile.