Overview of Franklin & Marshall College

Franklin & Marshall College is a private liberal arts college situated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The school’s accomplishment in the liberal arts and STEM earned it a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. It has a 9-to-1 student/faculty ratio and a mean class size of 18. The institution has a large selection of undergraduate and graduate degree programs for students to choose from. Outside of the classroom, students will find plenty of opportunities to engage with the campus community via the university’s many clubs and organizations.

Enrollment

• Total Enrollment: 2,309 (all undergraduates)
• Gender Breakdown: 45 percent male/55 percent female
• 99 percent full-time

Cost of Attendance Information

• Tuition and Fees: $58,795
• Books: $1,200
• Room and Board: $14,455
• Other Expenses: $1,270
• Total Cost: $75,720

Financial Aid Information

• Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 66 percent
• Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
  • Grants: 58 percent
  • Loans: 49 percent

• Average Amount of Aid
  • Grants: $44,955
  • Loans: $5,474

Academic Programs Offered

• Most Popular Majors: Business Administration and Management, General; Economics, General; Political Science and Government, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; and Psychology

Retention and Graduation

• First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 92 percent
• Transfer-Out Rate: 12 percent
• 4-Year Graduation Rate: 78 percent
• 6-Year Graduation Rate: 83 percent

NCAA Athletic Programs

• Men’s Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Crew-Rowing, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Wrestling, Squash
• Women’s Sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Crew-Rowing, Field Hockey, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Squash
• The Franklin & Marshall Diplomats play in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference for most sports.

Overview of Franklin & Marshall College Admissions

Franklin & Marshall College, which accepts just over one-third of applicants, has a competitive admissions pool. However, Franklin & Marshall is test-optional, meaning that students can select whether to submit scores from the SAT or ACT. This institution has a robust admissions process that involves a multitude of academic measures. Applicants should complete an online application. A persuasive essay and glowing recommendation letters can bolster your application, along with being involved with student organizations and attempting a challenging course load. Students with unique talents and accomplishments can still receive strong consideration even if their GPAs are outside the admission offices’ mean range. After applying, students will receive a message from an admissions counselor about the next steps of the application process. Interested students should check out the university’s website, which has helpful tips and contact information for the admissions offices.

Admissions Data             

During the 2018-19 admissions phase, Franklin & Marshall had an acceptance rate of 35%.  for every 100 students who submitted applications, 35 students gained admission, making Franklin & Marshall’s admissions process competitive.

SAT Requirements and Scores

During the 2018-19 admissions phase, 53% of admitted students provided SAT scores. This admissions data reveals that of those students who provided scores during the 2018-19 admissions phase, most of Franklin & Marshall’s students fall within the top 20% on the SAT. 50% of students admitted to Franklin & Marshall scored between 620 and 690 on the evidence-based reading and writing section, while 25% scored below 620, and 25% scored over 690. 50% of admitted students scored between 640 and 750 on the math section, while 25% scored below 640, and 25% scored over 750. While the SAT is optional, this data reveals that a cumulative SAT score of 1440 or higher is competitive for Franklin & Marshall.

ACT Requirements and Scores

During the 2018-19 admissions phase, 27% of admitted students provided ACT scores. This admissions data reveals that of those who provided scores during the 2018-19 admissions phase, many of the students who gain admission fall within the top 12% on the ACT. The median 50% of students admitted to Franklin & Marshall received a cumulative ACT score between 28 and 32, while 25% scored over 32, and 25% scored below 28.

Safety Net Schools: Easy to Gain Admission

If past admission data predicts that you would be a competitive candidate for Franklin & Marshall College, it should be easy for you to gain admission to the schools below. If Franklin & Marshall College is currently out of your reach, then you are sure to be a competitive candidate for the schools below.

University of Connecticut, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Syracuse University, University of Cincinnati, Penn State University Park, United States Military Academy

Same Tier: Just As Hard to Gain Admission

If you’re a competitive candidate for Franklin & Marshall College, you should have an equal chance of gaining admission to these schools.

Binghamton University, Lehigh University, University of Florida, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Texas at Austin, University of Miami, University of Washington

Reach Institutions: Gaining Admissions Will Be More of a Challenge

These schools are more challenging to gain admission into than Franklin & Marshall College. If you improve your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, you’ll be a competitive candidate.

Tufts University, Northeastern University, University of Michigan, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York University, Boston University, Boston College

Applying to Franklin & Marshall College

Application Deadline: January 15

Undergraduate Admissions Website:  https://www.fandm.edu/admission

Undergraduate Application Link(s):  https://www.fandm.edu/admission/apply