There are
no dumb questions. Well there are, but not about the college application
process. Here are some of the questions we hear from prospective
students and their parents. If you can't find your question in
the list below, contact us.
What is the deadline
for submitting an application?
There are two deadlines for Early Decision,
November 15 and January 15. All applications received by November 15
will be reviewed and decided upon by December 15, and all applications
received by the January deadline will be reviewed and decided upon by
February 15. The deadline for Regular Decision is February 1, and all
decisions will be made by April 1. I can’t afford
the application fee. Does F&M grant a fee waiver?
The Office of Admission grants fee waivers to students whose families
would experience financial hardship by paying the application fee. Students
wishing to have the application fee waived should ask their guidance
counselor to attach a letter to their application stating why the application
fee should be waived. Requests will be reviewed by the Dean of Admission
on a case-by-case basis. What does Early Decision
(ED) mean?
By applying Early Decision
(ED) to Franklin & Marshall, an applicant sends a clear signal
to the Admission Committee that the College is his or her first choice.
The Committee will act on ED applications within two weeks of the time
they are completed. Accepted ED applicants will then be extended the
benefits of the Early Decision Advantage when their enrollment fee is
received. Some ED applicants may be deferred or denied. Deferred applications
will be reviewed again during the regular admission process without
the obligation to enroll if accepted. The Early Decision Advantage is
extended only to those who are accepted ED.
Does F&M offer
rolling admission?
Franklin & Marshall does not offer rolling admission. The regular
decision application deadline is February 1. The early decision round
1 deadline is November 15, and the round 2 deadline is January 15. All
students who apply through regular decision are notified at the end
of March. All students who apply through early decision round 1 are
notified on December 15. All students who apply early decision round
2 are notified on February 15.
Does F&M offer
graduate programs?
No. F&M is an undergraduate liberal arts institution. We do not
offer graduate degrees on any level.
Will taking the SAT/ACT
during the winter of my senior year be a problem?
If you plan to sit for the SAT in January or the ACT in February, know
that these scores may not likely reach the Admission Committee in time
for a review of your application. The Admission Committee reviews applications
as they become complete and "ready for review." Even though decisions
for Regular Decision applicants are not mailed until mid to late March,
the Admission Committee has approximately 5,000 applications to review by March.
Therefore decisions on applicants need to be made constantly and can
be made as early as November or December. Waiting to take the January
or February tests, as you can see, can mean that your application, if
otherwise complete, may have already been reviewed and a decision rendered.
Your best advantage is to have already taken either or both tests during
or before the fall of your senior year of high school, or the fall before
the fall you intend to matriculate to F&M. However, if you are taking
the January SAT or February ACT, you will definitely want to have your
scores "rush" reported to F&M.
My SAT scores do not
accurately reflect my abilities as a student. Is it still necessary
to report them?
The Standardized Testing Option
allows students to submit two graded writing samples instead of their SAT scores.
The Standardized Test Option benefits students who feel that their writing
samples better exemplify their abilities than their SAT or ACT scores.
The Standardized Testing Option requires the completion of a form included in the application for
admission.
Can I earn credit at F&M by scoring well
on Advanced Placement (AP) subject exams in high school?
Franklin & Marshall College participates in the Advanced Placement
Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. A student who takes
an Advanced Placement examination is awarded credit if the subject material
of the Advanced Placement course and examination is comparable to the
material covered in an elementary course offered at the College. Franklin
& Marshall awards credit to students who score a minimum of 4 on
the Advanced Placement examination. The Language Studies requirement
at Franklin & Marshall College may be met by earning a score of
3 or above on the AP examination in a foreign language.
When a student is awarded advanced placement credit, the credit is entered
into the student’s transcript, but no letter grade is assigned.
A student may be awarded more than one credit in certain cases at the
discretion of the department concerned. A student cannot, however, be
granted more than one credit for the same work (e.g., obtaining a 4
or 5 on the AP Calculus exam, and taking Calculus I at F&M. Only
one credit would be awarded.) If a student is officially enrolled at
the end of the second week of classes for a course at F&M for which
advanced placement has been awarded, the student forfeits the AP credit.
There is no limit to the number of AP credits a student can earn, but
16 course credits must be earned at the College over the four years,
and 21 credits must be earned with standard grades.
Does F&M offer campus tours and interviews
for prospective students?
The Office of Admission offers interviews Monday through Friday at 9:15
a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Your
interview can be coordinated with a campus tour, which is offered at
10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please contact the Office of Admission at (877) 678-9111 to schedule
a tour and interview. We look forward to seeing you on campus!
Use our online visit planner to help schedule
your trip or take a virtual campus tour.
I can’t make
it for a scheduled tour at F&M. Is there a self-guided tour option?
An option that many weekend or drop-in visitors take is a self-guided
tour of the school. When you arrive at the campus, drop by the Wohlsen Admission Office (located at 637 College Avenue) to pick up a packet from the gold box located to the right of the front door. This packet will include a map of the campus, highlighting
the important buildings, as well as other information about our school,
and contact information so that you can write us afterwards.
What is F&M’s
retention rate for first-year students?
We have a very high rate of freshman retention, as 92% of our students
return for their sophomore year. This is well above the national average
for colleges and universities, which is around 85%.
Of course, the
only way to really experience F&M is to visit. But, since we’re
fairly certain you’re not here now, the next best thing is by taking
advantage of our virtual tour and visit planner. You’ve probably
seen these before, but ours is as cool as they come.
