Fordham University's wording, checked October 26, 2026Your choice of one of three short response questions (300 words max) is meant to help you reflect on your personal growth and community impact. How will you continue to grow and impact our communities at Fordham and in New York City?“At Fordham, we have a tradition of having our graduating seniors send a message to their younger selves. What will the future “you” tell the “you” of today about what you accomplished as a Fordham student?”
How to approach it
- 1Write it as a message, with specific accomplishments and growth.
- 2Name real parts of Fordham you would use, so the future is believable.
- 3Balance accomplishments with growth and community, which is what Fordham's optional writing is about.
A structure that works
One way to shape this answer. It describes moves, not sentences: the words have to be yours.
- 1Open in the voice of the graduating senior, speaking to you now.
- 2Two or three specific things you did at Fordham: in class, in the city, for other people.
- 3How you changed, in a way today's you would find surprising.
- 4One piece of advice that reveals what you value.
Where the 300 words go
| Part | Words |
|---|---|
| The moment or example | about 120 |
| What it shows or changed | about 110 |
| Why it matters, or what you bring | about 80 |
Mistakes to avoid
- Only career achievements.
- A list of job titles and awards.
The checklist our grader uses for this question
When you check your Fordham answers, this answer is read against these 5 areas. Each comes back Met, Partly or Missing with a quote from your draft as evidence, and together with the 300 words limit they set its readiness verdict.
| Area | What a reader looks for |
|---|---|
| Answers the question | The opening sentences answer what was asked, plainly, before background or a hook; every part of a multi-part question is answered. |
| Takes the form seriously | It follows the prompt's premise and form (a note reads like a note, an imagined event has rules) instead of turning into a standard essay. |
| An angle of your own | The idea goes past the first one most applicants would have, with a specific, surprising choice. |
| Shows who you are | The play reveals the applicant's mind, values or humor; a reader learns something real about them. |
| Fordham's ask | It does every part of what Fordham's question asks, in the college's own terms. |
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Questions
More on Fordham and this kind of question
- Penn: A thank-you note · 50-200 words
- Brown: Something that brings you joy · 100-150 words
- Dartmouth: Introduce yourself · 250 words
- Stanford: Letter to your future roommate · 100-250 words
- UChicago: How do thoughts eat? (Ernest Leong, Class of 2026) · no set limit
- UChicago: An artistic practice that solves a problem (Akhil Korra, Class of 2028) · no set limit