Gettysburg College Top Questions

Gettysburg prides itself on its high academic standards and for the most part, its students are highly motivated to succeed. Professors know your name and work to build personal relationships with students. I have been to dinner at multiple professors' homes, and have also been taken out for drinks by professors as a celebration for a job well done in a class over the course of the semester. There are many opportunities to do research, and since there are no grad students, professors look to their top undergrads when searching for researchers. I have had friends able to present their own original research at conferences as far away as Los Angeles, CA. The education at Gettysburg leaves students prepared to face a multitude of challenges, and prepares them very well for whatever their next endeavor may be.

The professors will all know your name and a few will make an effort to really get to know you as well. Most of the time, however, you have to make an effort to participate in class and go to office hours if you really want to establish a relationship. Students study hard but still have plenty of time to have a life. The only really hard- core times are the week leading up to finals and finals itself, midterms, and Sundays. The library is packed 24/7 these times. Class participation is big at Gettysburg and many professors actually count this as part of your grade. It can be a bit annoying but in the long run, the point is to keep the students engaged without doling out heaps of quizzes to make sure people do the reading. Students are somewhat competitive, however, in all the cases I'm familiar with, they are just really self-motivated and set high standards for themselves. There isn't a whole lot of competition among/ between students, though. I feel like our professors strive to create a more collaborative environment. There are many intellectual conversations held outside of class, however, this depends greatly on the niche you place yourself in. In my experience, these conversations are not centered around academics but religion, philosophy, relationships, the purpose of life, etc. The academic requirements are solid. Required classes can be a pain, but in the long run, I feel that they contribute to a well-rounded education. I have found that some of the classes I hated in high school have been very enjoyable at Gettysburg. Most professors don't spend time with us outside of class and office hours, however, usually they will take the class out to lunch or have a little party once or twice a semeter. The Gburg curriculum os geared less towards getting a job and more towards learning for the sake of learning.

Class participation is common. There is a lot of work but the professors are very friendly and helpful.

its very personal. the majority of courses i have taken, in every depeartment have been more open conversations with the professor and students than pure lectures by egotistic academics. i've grown so much since being here and have gotten so confident due to the way my professors treat me. the make me feel valued and have always gone the extra mile for me.

The classes and the professors are mostly good with a few exceptions. One professor I had was on a power trip and extremly arrogant and made sure to rub his knowledge in our noses. The requirememnts are extremly bogus as well. For some reason AP credit for the regular AP courses like Biology, Math, and Economics are not recognizerd at Gettysburg. Even though I received a 5 on my AP Bio test and am majoring in Management (nothing to do with science) I have to take Bio 101 over again. I went to the registar and had a very heated argument and gained no ground so I am now stuck in science classes even though I took them in high school.

The academics are very good at Gettysburg. We are highly selective, and for good reason. The courses are fairly difficult and definitely intensive. But the classes are small (rarely more than 25 students) and the professors do know your name. Many departments are close-knit, in that the students may hang out in the offices. (The Civil War Studies department is a prime example.) Gettysburg is very much about the liberal arts education. For being a small school there are a wide variety of courses offered. Also, Gettysburg has an amazing study abroad program. Nearly half of the student body study abroad, and at an affordable cost. There are many affiliated programs to which your regular financial aid applies.

Small class sizes, receive a lot of attention from teachers and they know you by name.

Class participation is not really an option for students in most classes. In most classes, participation is a percentage of your grade. For other classes, I have been required to meet with professors to discuss projects, etc. Students here study, but not to the excess, which relates to the college's motto, "Work hard, play smart."

Academics at Gettysburg are of high impoirtance. Professors set high goals and expectations, but also provide the support needed to succeed. Professors get to know who you are both as a students and as a person. They are committed to you and your success and goals. Many invite students over for dinner and many students are on a first name basis with their professors. The quality of your education is of the upmost importance to administrators and faculty. The environment is competitive, but not so much that students feel pressure to push themselves too far. The class sizes range from 3 or 4 students to about 40. Even intro level lecture courses are never about 40 or 45 students. The student to prrofessor ration is excellent, and the majority of the professors hold PhDs or higher. Also, Gettysburg intends on helping students even after they graduate. The college helps students find jobs, internships, and prepares students for the "real world".

All of my professors know my name and how I am doing in their class. My favorite class this semester was Biology 112; the professor was amazing, and there was a lot of class participation, with questions being asked all the time. Some professors try to include the classes a lot more than others. Gettysburg students do tend to be competetive and have intellectual converstations outside of class, and there is really not much cheating: people tend to stick to the Honor Code. I am a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major, and the professors are always available to help.