I visited with my son on the day the football team clenched the conference title. What a game! The campus is walkable and we ran into a law professor who took some time to chat with our pre law hopeful. I would love to have my son here. read more

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My son is now a sophomore and he's really enjoying it. As everyone notes, the faculty and academics are superb and very challenging. He plays club hockey which is a lot of fun, and joined a fraternity -- the frats are fun and low key, not the toxic male environment as it can be at some schools. The campus is beautiful. Equally as nice as most small liberal arts colleges. The dorms are no worse than at most schools. I think most important of all, it's really a positive and supportive environment, academically intense but not competitive in an unhealthy way. If you're considering schools like Bucknell or Lehigh or Lafayette, DEFINITELY consider F&M. (And they gave us some generous financial merit aid compared to Bucknell!) read more

I didn't end up going to this school but have been on campus many times and have friends that went here. Immature students who like to party, all act and look the same, rich kids who are here because their parents have a lot of $, not very interesting students and little diversity. I didn't end up going here because of the high cost and people. Few people I met besides my friends that I'd like to spend time with, and even then my friends weren't on campus so much. Not much to do off campus so you'll find the students at the gyms, stores and restaurants nearby. My friends lived nearby so they ended up going home to study instead of staying in their dorm- complained about the drunk students that were always partying and couldn't let them study. This is the impression i got from this school, and other than the track available for students and restaurants nearby I don't step foot on the campus anymore unless I'm driving or walking through it read more

Alex hit it on the head! I took a few classes here part-time when I lived in Lancaster before enrolling at Penn as a freshman. The professors were average-to-good. The coursework was fairly difficult in the classes I took (sciences). The students ranged from low-intelligence (but high bank account) to hard working, above average intelligence. I didn't meet a single student I felt was exceptional. Many of the programs are, as Alex said, a joke. There are a few strong ones but, overall, the school is just a top 50 Liberal Arts College (ranking near 50). No one outside of Lancaster will know what F&M is (except the NY and NJ families that fork over truckloads of cash to send their underqualified kids to this school). Overall, it wasn't a bad school. I just didn't like the overly WASP-y nature of the student body. But I also didn't stay here for four years, so I am not the most qualified to speak to the overall experience. read more

Ah, college! You get what out of it what you put into it. Franklin & Marshall seems to be a college that allows you to pave your own way. I am not a student, but a parent of one currently at F&M. I am a firm believer of letting my children figure out what they want to do and where they want to go. My oldest knew it would be F&M. I dropped her off her 1st year and was very impressed. They check in to the dorm (New College House) was painless. The orientation for parents was fast. There was a nice ceremony welcoming the class and a weekend full of activities to get them comfortable to their new life. I came back again to bring up the second child for a tour and interview. The admissions office is very gracious. They made sure to make us feel welcome. The students helping out there were also great to speak with. It is so interesting to see how F&M makes all their students feel like they are important. It is because they are important! There are so many opportunities for the students. My student host that kept me company while my child had an interview, Charlie, gave me the run down of his study abroad. He also gave me insight on how F&M has supported him. Charlie is in the same class as my oldest, so it was nice to see how his experiences are just as great as my oldest at the college. The college is a beautiful one. Lots of red bricks, columns, and history in the buildings. Squirrels and bunnies make the campus cute. The adjacent dog park give the students a chance to unwind with the neighborhood animals. The academics seem rigorous and challenging. From what I hear, the professors are very encouraging and love to talk to their students. I have met Dean Richter (New College House) and she is so much like a mom to her dorm kids. That is something I can definitely appreciate being a mom so far away from her child! From a parent's point of view, I am so glad that my child decided to come here! This was definitely the right choice for our family! read more

Im not a college student, so I cant comment on student life, but I do live in the neighborhood around F&M. So I can address some of the other issues. The new president has addressed the crime and dorm issues by increasing security (the F&M security will actually have police power in the near future), and building new dorms along Harrisburg pike. The story is that 99% of the students will be on campus to try to get rid of the frat issues of years past. As well as keep any problems from spilling out into the city. There are also security poles every couple of blocks. You push a button to alert security to a situation and they know where you are. My neighbors are also teachers at the college and are nice people, living in a nice area. read more

Franklin and Marshall College - the school - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Had to drive out to Lancaster for a conference for work this week. From what I saw, it looked like a nice little campus in a pretty good location. Could have used a few more signs directing me to the conference. Also didn't realize it was gonna take me 10-15 minutes to get from the parking lot to the building that the conference was in, so by the time I found my way, I was a bit late. Probably more my fault though, cause I suck with directions. Anyway, kudos to their dining services department - lunch was really good. Overall, had a great experience at Franklin & Marshall, and it was nice to get out into the sticks for a little while. read more

This is a small liberal arts college in the mediocre-to-good range. It wins on quality of the education and loses on the student culture, although there may be some people for whom the educational offerings are inadequate, depending on what they want to study. I attended the college part-time for a full year, but I grew up nearby and have an intimate familiarity with the college, including the campus, faculty, staff, and many students. Pros: The professors here really care about helping the students, and are very generous with their time. Add to this the fact that the majority of students here are not very smart, and you will find that if you have even half a brain, you will get lots of attention here. Some programs here are outstanding. Geology is considered among the best in the nation, the pre-med program is solid (it's one of the school's selling points), and in general the sciences are pretty good, and there is a very new but very exciting international studies program. The Economics program has a Marxist bent, but is good. The math department has excellent teachers, but the course offerings are not advanced and not adequate to prepare students for grad school. The Computer Science department is tiny and not a full department. There is a small but very good music program here, with a lot of good opportunities available, including opportunities for performance as well as music composition and conducting. This school is good for people with a serious side-interest in music. The campus is also in a nice location. It is located on the edge of Lancaster city, in a pleasant neighborhood. It is very easy to live on or near campus without a car: the downtown is only a moderate walk from campus and there is decent bus service. Lancaster offers some of the benefits of a larger city, more than one would expect from its small size. The farmer's market is outstanding, and there are many good restaurants. Cons: Some of the programs here are weak. There are a few majors (which I do not need to name) which are a complete joke, and which are often a fall-back for students who aren't really intelligent enough to make it in a real major, and who probably shouldn't be granted college degrees but have rich daddies who can pay to send them to this place. Also, the dorms are rather sketchy, and I would not want to live in them. Many of them have low ceilings, are generally cramped, and are in very poor condition, partly because of how the students trash them. The biggest con though is the lack of interesting student culture here. Student life is dominated by fraternities and sororities, and many of the fraternities are absolute animal houses. Incidents of alcohol poisoning are commonplace. In the past, there have been incidents of racist vandalism as well as one fraternity that was fire-bombed. Some fraternities have been closed due to health violations. I'd say that a little over half the students are rich, superficial, not very smart or creative, and in my opinion, not very likeable. But there's a substantial portion of nice, decent students too; if you search hard enough you will find some very interesting and intelligent people here. The interesting culture centers around a few communities on campus--international students, the music department, and the women's center, to name a few. A good student can find her way here, but with difficulty. The dominant culture here can be a bit frustrating. Bottom line: you can get a great education at this school, but make sure you know what you're getting into. If you're at all like me, you may not be able to stand the student culture. You'll encounter quite a few spoiled rich kids, and in general, you may not find enough interesting stuff to do on campus. There are some interesting students out there but you have to search to find them. read more

Best four years of my life. Yes, I walked out with friends (and a boyfriend) I'll have for life but the quality of education can't be beat. Low student to teacher ratio, professors who actually care about their students academic experience and an administration who actually supports its student. Seriously, if I'd known how much I loved it at the time, I would have stayed for a 5th year. read more

Went to American University for a year and then switched to F&M. Great change for me. Beautiful campus and students more focused on learning. Certainly not for everyone, but I can honestly say that I learned a lot and worked really hard there. I met a lot of nice people, people I've stayed in touch with for many, many years. I'm glad I went, no regrets at all. read more

I gave a lecture and Q&A session on Meat Science here in February, and I had a really good time. Granted, I was hammered, but I do remember meeting, and drinking with, some great people who I learned from as much as they learned from me. I left with high hopes for our society, then went straight for a meal at waffle house, and, well, let's just say I would have written this review sooner if they let you bring your laptop into the drunk tank. read more

I am currently a junior at Franklin and Marshall College (F&M) and my experience has been phenomenol thus far. The college is located in a small but diverse city with a lot of places to visit. There is plenty to do both on campus and in Lancaster when we yearn for a break from the books. The college also does an amazing job with ensuring we have the opportunity to become involved in the local community. Some of the advantages of coming to a small liberal arts college like F&M is the small student to faculty ratio, the availability of the professors and their teacher assistants (TA's), the ability to have the opportunity to get to know not only the professors but also students and other staff members (and have them recall your name is a small detail that makes you feel very good), diversity in personalities and knowledge- all factors that contribute to feeling comfortable and being able to grow. The faculty is always willing to make sure we have the support we need, and are an amazing academic and career resource. The campus is beautiful, which also contributes to the positive experience. You will meet great people who would definetly become long life friends. Please come visit because the school cannot merely be done justice in writing. Hope this helps! If you have anymore questions please visit the school website at FandM.edu. read more

My kid loves F&M. He's in a great dorm, but I have a hunch that the overall dorm quality will be improving in the coming years as the football stadium is relocated down the road. He loved his first-semester Connexions class, and being close to his house Don and Dean. He's on the Rowing Team, and I'd advise all incoming students to join a sports team, it really helps out getting adjusted to your new environment. If you've never been in a sport, or are not D1 Good, then may I suggest you try rowing. My kid's incoming stats were 3.85 GPA and an ACT score of 30, to give you an idea of his capabilities, and he's doing great. He went to a 76er's game last weekend with a bus-load of friends, and had an opportunity for a Phillies game back in September, but it fell through. Also, PIT is a great program that my boy felt made a big difference in acclamation to college away from home. We're all so happy that he was wait-listed by our hometown university [Michigan], he's better off now, and he'll end up in a great Grad Program, I'm sure! read more

It is an overall good academic experience, but be sure to explore all other options before going to a private liberal arts school. Many of my friends attend public colleges/universities and are getting a great education for a significantly cheaper price. Also to be frank, all that a college does (excluding a few majors) is get you that first job, and then no one really pays much attention to where you went. Also, the grading here is absurdly hard so expect to graduate with a lower GPA which will hamper you for future goals. Many people I know didn't have to put in hours upon hours of work in the library to receive above a 3.5 (which kids have to do here). Also expect to take many courses you dislike - I have only taken 2 courses here that I actually enjoy, because there is nothing to pick from, which is also a problem because I have been having to teach myself job related skills which other college business programs knew in their first year. So to sum it all up, I would recommend to explore all options because going to a college in an 'actual city', having significantly more courses to choose from, having more job related classes, and not having to put in 6 hours a day in the library to get above a 3.5 is a plus. If I had to do it all over again I would go to a larger university in a city or closer to a major city. With that said many people do love it here, but from my personal observations those are kids that are more relaxed about future goals (to each his own). As someone says below...it is all about the personality, but if you are a Type A personality, go somewhere else because F&M college does not foster significant internal growth. read more