CKQ College Profiles: Gettysburg College

Each quarter, The College Knowledge Quarterly will feature a different U.S. College or University for families to get to know a bit better. The aim is not to tell you about a school you know (or at least you think you know) well, but to introduce you to a school you may have not considered a viable candidate before. In this edition, we are pleased to feature a school that offers one of the top liberal arts educations in the nation, Gettysburg College.

Gettysburg College (U.S. News ranked #46 – National Liberal Arts Colleges), is a small, private school in the town of the same name in Pennsylvania, serving approximately 2,500 undergraduate students in a large town in a suburban environment, approximately 90 minutes northwest of Baltimore and Washington D.C.

One cannot help think of the U.S. Civil War when conjuring up visions of Gettysburg College, and with its proximity to Washington, it goes without saying that one of the most popular majors on campus is political science and government. Some of the hallmarks of Gettysburg College include: small class sizes, interdisciplinary learning, a close-knit community, so much so that professors routinely know their students names… before the class actually begins!, and a great deal of discussion-based learning – another hallmark of a great liberal arts-style college.

As there are no graduate students among the 2,500 or so undergrads, attendees have a great opportunity to leverage research opportunities with their professors. With major cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and DC all within driving distance, internship opportunities are abundant, giving students ample opportunities for growth beyond the confines of the college.

Students at Gettyburg usually have their hands full, as a traditional student is taking a major-minor or double major and are also involved in several on-campus activities or programs. Students are considered extremely intelligent and motivated by their work.

Greek life (fraternities and sororities) is a dominant feature at Gettysburg College and party hopping on the weekend is par for the course. However, there are lots of other things to do if you are not jazzed about frats and sororities.

Gettysburg College students are, generally-speaking, white, come from upper-middle-class families, bright, outgoing, and volunteristic in nature. Students are active, both on campus and in the surrounding community and interaction with the faculty and alumni is common. Students tend to come from the Northeast, but that only means more opportunity for those of us on the West Coast!

According to Princeton Review, the school ranks in the top 25 nationally in: best campus food, best alumni network, best schools for internships, best science lab facilities, and colleges students love the most.

The reputation of professors at Gettysburg College is strong. They are active in the campus community, always appear helpful and interested in their student’s work and projects, and even the President of the college has a great reputation for building relationships with the community and her students (she’s also an alum and a former member of the faculty!).

As you would expect, a small, competitive, liberal arts college, which resides in a region known for academic excellence, would attract a lot of great students and admission is competitive. The admission rate last year was 46%. It’s also a pricey venture, at nearly $67,000 per year, but the average student can expect about 90% of their demonstrated financial need to be met (and most of that money is in the form of grants and scholarships that do not need to be repaid).

The average admitted student boasts extremely strong grades and test scores (above a 4.0 weighted GPA and a 29 on the ACT). According to the admission office, rigor of high school curriculum, class rank, academic GPA, and letters of recommendation are the most important admission factors, followed by standardized test scores, application essay(s), interview, extracurricular activities, talent/ability/personal qualities, and volunteer work. Other factors include: first generation status, legacy/alumni relations, geographic residence, racial/ethnic status, work experience and demonstrated interest.

According to the Collegeboard, the school offers a total of 93 majors, has a miniscule student-to-faculty ratio of 9-1, and operates on the semester system.

Gettysburg College offers an Early Decision 1 application; it is due by November 15th, along with an Early Decision 2 application, due January 15th, and a regular admission decision deadline is also posted for January 15th.

For more information, please visit: https://www.gettysburg.edu/