Franklin and Marshall College – strong liberal arts school good for a well-balanced student who wants strong academics with hands on learning opportunities in a collaborative environment.
Franklin and Marshall College (known as F&M) is located in Lancaster, PA, a small city with a lot to offer. During the information session I attended when I visited, there were a few quotations from Benjamin Franklin, one of the school’s two founders, but the one that resonated with me in terms of my experience on campus was “Involve me and I learn.” Walking around with my tour guide, she talked about her internship experiences, how she was graduating in May and going straight on to get a masters, and how excited she was about that, her friends who had done internships at the hospital down the road, her roommate who has done research consistently with her professor, and she seemed to know everyone we walked by on a personal level.
F&M has recently implemented a house system, where the students in each house build their own type of government. The houses also compete in sports again each other, and get involved in community and volunteer work together. The campus environment seemed quite supportive generally, and so it will be interesting to see how this influences campus social life as it gets more established.
Students who come in with strong IB scores can often get credit for these classes, and graduate in three years if they are organized. F&M is also Test Optional, and interviews are recommended so that they can get to know you more personally and understand your interest in F&M. This seems like a good school for a well-balanced student who wants strong academics with hands-on learning opportunities in a collaborative environment.
