火爆社区

At Franklin & Marshall, one of the oldest colleges in the country, 鈥測ou鈥檒l work hard but you鈥檒l learn a lot.鈥� In large part, that鈥檚 due to the private liberal arts college鈥檚 standout professors, who make the most of smaller, focused classes, many of which 鈥渉ave round tables for close discussion,鈥� as well as off-hours, where one student says you鈥檙e missing out 鈥渋f you haven鈥檛 been to a professor鈥檚 office and discussed something other than class.鈥� Consensus is that there鈥檚 a lot to be learned in and out of class from these 鈥渆steemed published scholars in their respective fields,鈥� and enrollees applaud their teachers for finding interesting ways 鈥渢o get me engaged in areas that have always seemed like a bore to me.鈥� About half of F&M students also seek out off-campus opportunities through the school, whether study abroad programs, research projects, or internships. The school offers support to help guide students through the process of finding a program that best fits their academic and professional goals. Overall, the school offers students 鈥渁 great balance between a strong and competitive academic culture, talented and successful athletic teams, and a vibrant social life.鈥�

The student body at F&M is made up of 鈥減eople who are active both in school and extracurriculars, and who get excited about both.鈥� A typical student 鈥渋s probably involved in three to five clubs and is trying out for theater, an a cappella group, or another organization.鈥� Many F&M students play a varsity sport or are a member of one of the seven sororities or four fraternities on campus. F&M students manage to strike a balance between studying with socializing, filling their 鈥渇ree time with fun and meaningful clubs and community service.鈥� Fellow classmates are both studious and supportive, as students describe their peers as 鈥渟mart overachievers who work hard鈥� as well as 鈥渟ome of the nicest people you鈥檒l ever meet.鈥� Students say there is 鈥渁mazing diversity鈥� on campus and 鈥渧ery open minded鈥� classmates, with nearly 20% of the population being first-generation college students and another 17% traveling from 50 different countries for a quality F&M education.

F&M has a lively, residential campus on which you can get anywhere in 鈥渁bout ten minutes no matter where you are.鈥� Students bond quickly in their assigned college houses, and receive a budget for special events, which can include anything from formal dances and theatrical productions to hosting visiting authors or throwing pizza parties. The campus is rife with further activities, which students 鈥渞eally get into.鈥� This is especially so with intramural and varsity athletics鈥攁round 32% of students are either Division III or Division II athletes鈥攁nd so are 鈥渉ighly competitive and...very active in the local community.鈥� On the weekends, students can choose between frat parties and 鈥渁lternative options鈥� hosted by other school organizations. They can also head to downtown Lancaster for additional food and entertainment, including places like a famed 300-year-old farmer鈥檚 market.

鈥淔&M is all about good undergrad programs and tight-knit networking,鈥� one student says. Students praise the alumni network that helps them get a leg-up in their post-college careers. One says, 鈥渢here are interesting opportunities for volunteer activities and internships everywhere I look.鈥� Thanks to the Office of Student and Post Graduate Development, students are thoroughly prepared for life after college, no matter what direction they choose to go. Beyond offering advising, job and internship fairs, and alumni panels, they arrange unique opportunities like Life After College Success (LACS), which is a full semester seminar that teaches students how to apply their education to future employment and schooling and introduces them to a wide range of fields and professionals through alumni network events and a speaker series. PayScale.com reports a median starting salary of $67,800 and a mid-career median of $141,500 for F&M graduates.