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Home , Gettysburg College

Counselor Visits

2009-2010 School Year

The following are articles featured in the 2009-2010 Student Services Bulletins.

College Tour Spring 2009 Page 1 CENTRAL CONSORTIUM TOUR

During the spring 2009, I had the opportunity to attend the Central Pennsylvania Consortium tour, which included campus visits to , Franklin & Marshall College, and College. These three campuses are approximately a 3- 3.5 hour ride from Bergen County, and they are amongst each other’s top “crossover” schools. Following are my observations about Dickinson College and Franklin & Marshall College. In October, I will report on Gettysburg. MICHAEL STONE, GUIDANCE COUNSELOR DICKINSON COLLEGE he first stop was Dickinson, a highly-selective, private liberal-arts college nestled in the heart of historic Carlisle, PA. The 180-acre campus is defined by impressive TPennsylvania limestone buildings that rise above green lawns which are inundated with red Adirondack chairs that are synonymous with the Dickinson community. A short walk from the campus is the hustle and bustle of the quaint streets of Carlisle, where tourists, townspeople, and college students take advantage of the eclectic collection of village shops, restaurants, and novelty stores. Our campus guide enjoyed sharing the local “fun fact” that there are a total of 33 “non-chain” restaurants within a three minute walk from campus. Dickinson College has three major areas of study: Arts & Humanities; Social Sciences; and Natural Sciences, offering a total of 41 majors. Some of the most popular majors are Political Science, International Business & Management, English, Psychology, Economics, Biology, and History. This past fall witnessed the opening of a new science complex, allowing the school to grow in the areas of Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, and Neuroscience. Those interested in Environmental Studies will find a strong faculty, and aspiring artists will absolutely love the expansive art studio. There is a strong emphasis on international studies and approximately sixty percent of all students take advantage of the more than 40-study abroad programs in over twenty countries. Students describe their school as having a very “global spin” and explain that most elements of Dickinson life – majors, classes, clubs, special events, and guest lectures – are driven by a global consciousness. One “Dickinsonian” described the typical student as a person that is engaged, motivated, cultured, and quirky. The faculty and student body have been making impressive strides in the ambit of environmental sustainability throughout the campus. There is even an interesting co-ed living community, known as the Tree House, designed for environmentally-minded students who are committed to ideals such as doing their wash in cold water only, hang-drying their clothes, and taking showers in three minutes or less! Dr. William Durden, the current school President and 1971 alumnus, is an accessible leader and a strong advocate for his students. Dr. Durden is an engaging speaker who passionately extolled his school for providing a liberal arts education and mobilizing such learning for application in the real College Tour Spring 2009 Page 2 world. Dr. Durden is a major proponent of having students break outside of their comfort zones, and he shared the observation that Dickinson provides young men and women with the space to be different. Approximately 23% of all students are involved in fraternities and sororities, and the majority of students live on campus for all four years. Geographically, 21% of the student body calls Pennsylvania home while 23% are from the New Jersey/New York region. Annual costs are $37,900 for tuition and $9,600 for room and board. The “Red Devils” compete athletically at the Division III level. Dickinson College is home to 2,353 full-time students and the acceptance rate of applicants typically hovers around the 40% range. For this past application season (Class of 2012), the average SAT score (Math and Critical Reading) for those admitted was 1333. Dickinson accepts the Common Application, and while SAT or ACT tests are optional for admission they are required for academic scholarship consideration. The top overlap institutions are Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, Colgate, Brown, Middlebury, William & Mary, Bucknell, Tufts, Hamilton, and Lafayette. ********************************************************************************************* FRANKLIN & MARSHALL ur next stop was Franklin & Marshall College, a small, residential liberal arts school, located in Lancaster that dates back to 1787 when it was known as Franklin College as a result of the O financial contributions of Benjamin Franklin. In 1853 a school known as Marshall College, named after the great Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, moved to Lancaster and merged with Franklin College to form Franklin & Marshall College. With just over 2,000 undergraduates and an average class size of 19 students, the school highlights its outstanding faculty accessibility, pointing out that a few years ago ranked the school as #1 in this particular category. The folks at Franklin & Marshall are proud of the way they “do” the liberal arts, pointing out that they are a small undergraduate liberal arts college with big resources and facilities. For example, approximately two-thirds of students engage in directed research under the guidance of a faculty member, and students at F&M receive a half-million dollars in research support each year. The faculty panel that we met with made it clear that Franklin & Marshall is for students who enjoy interaction with professors, stating that students will not be “anonymous” in class or on campus. Popular majors include Government & Politics, Business, and Psychology. The Life Sciences also boasts a strong faculty, and students make great use of the new science building that opened in the fall of 2007. The Harris Center for Business, Government, & Public Policy is a new $16 million building that will open in the fall of 2009. Furthermore, students enjoy access to ten campus centers and institutes that provide opportunities to extend their classroom experience into the real world. Examples of such include the Center for Liberal Arts & Society; the Clinic for Special Children; the Floyd Institute for Opinion Research; the Klehr Center for Jewish Life; the Millport Conservancy; the Alumni Writers’ House; and, the Phillips Museum of Art. The F&M campus has a total of College Tour Spring 2009 Page 3 two museums, a center for musical arts, and is also home to an outstanding performing arts center known as Schnader Theatre, which opened in 2003. Those majoring in theater, dance and film enjoy two campus dance studios and a lively acting studio. At F&M, the residential halls are part of a “House System” that is modeled after Cambridge and Oxford in England. The F&M “College House” system has been in existence the past four years and is a true residential experience that goes far beyond the notion of a dorm simply being a place to eat and sleep. Governed by students with the support of faculty oversight, the House System is a dynamic entity that fosters intellectual growth, communal activities, individual accountability, and social connectivity. Students living in a particular “house” take their Freshmen Seminar course together – and are likely to enjoy opportunities for “Dinner & Discourse” with their housemates, classmates, professors, and guest speakers. With the House System serving as such an integral part of college life, approximately 92% of all students choose to live on campus for all four years. The co-eds enjoy the many dining options and the quality dorms that are strategically set up around a residential quad that fosters student engagement and activity. Juniors and seniors choosing to live “off-campus” have the option to live in brand new, beautiful apartment-style dorms that are literally steps away from the main campus. The beautiful and well-maintained campus is an impressive melding of classic structures and modern buildings. Gorgeous lawns and open areas such as “The Hartman Green” provide ample space for the active and friendly students of F&M to enjoy as they socialize, study, and gather for outdoor events. The campus itself is surrounded by Victorian homes that dot quaint streets, and a short ten-minute walk brings students into downtown Lancaster – a hub of culture filled with art galleries, historical buildings, and lively restaurants and night spots. Right off of campus is the Clipper Magazine Stadium, home of the ’ minor-league baseball team. Visitors are also encouraged to check out the Fulton Opera House; built in 1852; it is the nation’s oldest continuously operating theater. While Lancaster County is known for its rural, historical setting and Amish population, the college itself is located in lively Lancaster City, home to 60,000 inhabitants. There is a strong sense of school spirit on campus, and the Franklin & Marshall students appear to be very happy and active. Many participate in Greek Life, and a large percentage of “Diplomats” compete athletically in the NCAA Division III . The wrestling team competes at the Division I level. Athletes and the general student population make great use of the impressive fitness center, and the aquatic center is a truly outstanding facility that features an NCAA championship pool and diving area. The incoming class of 570 students hails from 44 states and 38 countries. The class of 2012 had 5,632 applications with 36% being offered admission. The SAT middle-50% of admitted students was 600-690 for Critical Reading and 630-700 for Math. Franklin & Marshall is a “test- optional” institution, and 17% of those admitted to the class of 2012 chose not to submit their scores. Overlap schools include Dickinson, Villanova, Lafayette, Johns Hopkins, Bucknell, Skidmore, and Gettysburg. ********************************************************************************************* College Tour Spring 2009 Page 4

GETTYSBURG COLLEGE Our third and final visit was to , a beautiful campus with fascinating colonial buildings set in the heart of a world-famous town. Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly- selective, residential college of liberal arts and sciences. With a student body of approximately 2,600 undergraduates, the school is located on a pristine 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park. When the Civil War erupted in July of 1863, armies from both the North and the South swept through the campus grounds. A few months later the townspeople, students, and faculty members of the college listened as delivered his immortal at the hallowed battlefield. Today, the quaint yet bustling village of Gettysburg is a major tourist attraction – providing students with a short walk to an array of cultural centers, shops, restaurants, and night-life social options. A Gettysburg education is an ideal blend of structure and choice. Students are exposed to a true liberal arts education, melding their individual academic interests with a core curriculum that stresses integrative thinking and an examination of ideas from different areas of study. Students select from a total of 41 different majors and dual-degree programs, and also have the option to design an individual major. Over half of the students double major or add a minor to their major field. Gettysburg offers a total of ten World Languages from which to choose, and the school requires their undergrads to complete four-semesters of study in the languages. Independent research, internships, and extensive study-abroad options foster growth outside of the traditional classroom realm. More than 50% of Gettysburg students study nationally and internationally for one semester or a year. With high-faculty expectations and an average class size of 18 students, Gettysburg scholars are actively engaged in the learning process. There is a “First Year Seminar” that features 16 students per class and includes a residential component. Students come from more than 40 states and 35 countries. Some of the most popular majors are Political Science, History, Management, Psychology, and Biology. Faculty members and co-eds majoring in the sciences are thrilled with the new state-of-the-art science center that opened in 2002. Gettysburg College also boasts a very strong Environmental Studies major that has a strong link to public policy programs. With six full-time professors, it is the largest Environmental Studies faculty of any liberal arts college. A key program at Gettysburg College is the Eisenhower Institute. Based in Washington, DC (only 2 blocks from the !) and in Gettysburg, the Eisenhower Institute is a distinguished center for leadership and public policy. Available to those across all majors, the Eisenhower Institute allows students to engage in issues covering civil rights and liberties, leadership in the 21st century, and strategies to combat world poverty. Several students each year are selected to be Eisenhower Undergraduate Fellows. College Tour Spring 2009 Page 5

Gettysburg College offers its students more than 120 campus clubs and organizations that focus on community service, art and music, the media, academics, athletics, student government, career fields, and outdoor adventure. Many “Bullets” compete athletically at the Division III level, and a large number choose to stay active through the campus intramural program. About 38% of men participate in the ten campus fraternities and 26% of women participate in the five sororities. In most situations the housing lottery is linked to one’s grade point average – providing students with further incentive to stay academically motivated. Housing is guaranteed for all four years, and over 90% of the student body live on campus in over 40 residence halls, including special interest houses, apartment complexes, and Greek houses. While Gettysburg College is steeped in historical tradition, it is a school that prides itself on its ambitious goals in the ambits of technology and modernization. The Sunderman Music Conservatory, now in its 4th year, focuses on Jazz and Chamber music. In 2005, the nearby Majestic Theater was restored to its 1925 lavishness and now serves as the performing arts center for both the college and the community. The campus also provides faculty and students with access to a greenhouse, planetarium, observatory, and a plasma physics laboratory. Additionally, the student body is ecstatic about the new athletic and fitness center that will be opening in the fall of 2009. Admission to Gettysburg College is highly competitive, with approximately 35-40% of applicants being accepted each year. The Class of 2012 had 5,794 applicants with 2,190 being accepted. Gettysburg offers an Early Decision I and Early Decision II option, and last fall 42% of the entering class were ED applicants. An admissions interview is strongly recommended, but not required. The average SAT scores (Critical Reading & Math combined) are typically in the 1300 range, and Gettysburg does provide an option for students to be considered as “test optional” in the admissions process. However, SAT or ACT scores are required to be considered for merit scholarships. In addition to Franklin & Marshall and Dickinson, some key application “overlap” schools for Gettysburg are Bucknell, Richmond, Union, Muhlenberg, Colgate, , Lafayette, and Loyola College in .

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