Pennsylvania is a little bit like Ohio when it comes to students from the Southeast choosing their preferred college location – it’s missing an identity. But that missing identity, in our opinion, gives Southeastern high school students an opportunity to apply with less regional admissions competition. The options in Eastern Pennsylvania are terrific. On this road trip, we visited the gorgeous campuses of Franklin & Marshall, Kutztown University, Lehigh University, and Lafayette College. Follow our travels through the Pennsylvania Dutch Country and the fantastic history that goes along with it. We think you’ll love these college gems! For more information on Pennsylvania college options, be sure to contact thecollegesage.com.
Franklin & Marshall University, Lancaster
Franklin & Marshall is a small liberal arts college located in the leafy residential area of historic Lancaster, Pennsylvania – in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Take in the history and treat yourself to some shoo fly pie! Benjamin Franklin is said to have donated 200 English pounds to found the school in 1797, hence half of the name. Franklin College, interestingly, began as the first co-ed college in the US, but after several years, they would revoke that right to women and remain all men for the next 182 years! Originally all instruction was bilingual in German and English reflecting the demographics of the region at the time. About the same time, Marshall College was founded and named for Justice John Marshall. Neither college thrived and in 1853 joined forces with a goal of becoming a top caliber liberal arts college. James Buchanan was appointed it’s first joint president and four years later, he would become the 15th President of the United States. Franklin & Marshall was now on the map!
While the campus oozes with history, today Franklin & Marshall remains a selective university (30% acceptance rate) true to its original goal. The walk around campus highlights the community’s openness to diversity and inclusion and freedom of speech with rainbow flags waving and political views evident. The campus is beautifully maintained and the blue Adirondack chairs invite you to sit and stay awhile. You can see the open and easy vibe of F&M in the academics too. The largest major is multi-interdisciplinary studies as students are invited to play an active role in designing their four years of academics. Business, Economics, and Political Science are the other top majors in recent years.
Perhaps the mascot name says it all. Franklin & Marshall Diplomats welcome you in and you are surely tempted to stay awhile.
Kutztown University, Kutztown
On the road from Lancaster to Allentown, you’ll come across “the most agreeable” town of Kutztown. With a darling main street offering everything a community needs including Pop’s Malt Shop and Letterman’s Diner, you’ll also fine a surprisingly sizable university. Kutztown University began as a teaching college but over the years has morphed into a full service university and today belongs to the Pennsylvania State University system. It is not selective, with an 83% acceptance rate and average ACT scores from 18-24. With 7,400 undergraduates and a further 1,000 graduate students, Kutztown offers a robust social environment. Football features in the scene with banners urging the Golden Bears to “Hear you Roar”. This Division II university has also produced a number of notable alumni professional players.
Perhaps Kutztown University will never make it on the list of preferred places for Southeastern high school students to go, but as a regional option, we have to say that Kutztown University appears a rather “agreeable” place to spend four years.
Lehigh University, Bethlehem
Leaving Kutztown toward Allentown, The College Sage was intrigued with the history of Allentown. Did you know that Allentown is where the Liberty Bell was hidden from the British during the American Revolution? Journey further north from Allentown to Bethlehem and you will end up at the perfectly sized 5,000-student Lehigh University, the mountaintop campus atop South Mountain. While the College of Arts and Sciences remains its largest college with just over one-third of the students, Lehigh is perhaps best recognized in recent years for its Engineering programs. The university is ranked as the 50th best national university by US News and has seen increasingly competitive admissions statistics, with an acceptance rate of 32%. Accepted ACT scores are in the middle 50% range of 31-34.
Lehigh’s success and leafy campus reflect its well endowed position with $1.4 billion. The student body largely pulls from Pennsylvania and neighboring New England states along with a typical percentage of international students. The university boasts strong graduate placement with a $67,000 average starting salary after studying one or several of 100 plus degree programs. Student life is active with over 200 clubs and sports, 25 fraternities and sororities, and over 250 arts events per year. Division 1 sports are also a highlight, especially the annual football rivalry with nearby Lafayette College.
With mid-sized universities in high demand by College Sage students, we feel strongly about Lehigh University making it onto the college list! It’s a beautiful campus in an under-rated part of the country.
Lafayette College, Easton
Up the road 30 minutes from Lehigh is neighbor and rival Lafayette College. Similarly positioned to Lehigh up a hill from the quaint town of Easton, Lafayette offers another ideal campus and academic atmosphere. The college is named after General Lafayette, an American Revolution hero as a testimony of respect for his talents and goals for freedom. With 2,600 students, it is half the size of Lehigh but in all actuality, the campus itself feels similar in size. The main campus quadrangle invites students and visitors alike to take in the grandeur of academia. Often considered one of the northeastern “little ivies,” Lafayette is known for strong academics, especially in the liberal arts. US News ranks it 39 in the category of liberal arts. The acceptance rate has drifted below 30% in recent years with typical ACT scores in the low 30 range.
Walking the campus, visitors are struck by the range of architectural styles. You can almost feel the evolution of the campus over time, with the 1961 attractively modern Skillman Library (updated and renovated in 2004) flanking Empire and Gothic building styles across the quad. Sometimes this evolution of a campus works and sometimes it doesn’t. At Lafayette, it works.
Lafayette’s strong endowment for its size should help the College weather the coronavirus storm. That strong endowment also keeps academic rigor strong and merit based scholarships plentiful. The Marquis Fellowship (full tuition) and the Marquis Scholarship (half0tuition) are worthy goals for applicants to try for!
