Gettysburg College
PA-8: Affordability and Access

Gettysburg College is committed to working with students and their families to ensure that the ability to pay does not become an obstacle to a Gettysburg education. Financial aid at Gettysburg is awarded to families with demonstrated financial need. Aid amounts are linked to a family's financial situation, and aid may be in the form of grants, loans, or employment.

The following are among the many resources and programs that support a diverse campus at Gettysburg: Black Student Union: Celebrates the ethnic heritage of African, African-American, and Caribbean culture and the contributions of black men and women Diaspora House: A Theme House that promotes awareness of people of African descent Hillel: Supports and enriches Jewish life on campus, through Shabbat dinners, celebrations of Jewish holidays, and other activities International Club: Promotes the exchange of perspectives between international and American members of the College community Intercultural Resource Center: ¬Sponsors educational and cultural outreach programs and celebrations, and serves as the campus "home" for intercultural matters Muslim Student Association: ¬ Fosters unity among Muslims on campus and raises awareness of the principles of Islam Office of Intercultural Advancement: ¬ Academic and personal counseling tutoring, mentoring, and other services Office of International Student Advising: ¬ Providing programs and service to Gettysburg's international students Allies: ¬ Raises campus awareness of issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity Women's Center:¬ Promotes understanding of women's issues and works to create a safe, supportive climate for women Also, beginning with the 2011-12 academic year, each family was assigned a financial aid counselor based upon their last name. This counselor will guide them through all 4 years of the financial aid process while enrolled at Gettysburg. This approach was adopted so that the financial aid staff could be more helpful to students and their parents by giving them a more personalized approach to their financial aid experience.

The Gettysburg admissions staff works directly with both secondary schools and community based organizations to assist low income students as they prepare for college. We also support the efforts of national and regional college counseling and admissions associations as they promote college access and choice for under-represented students.

Gettysburg recognizes students' academic achievement in high school by awarding four categories of merit scholarships. Decisions on merit scholarship recipients are made as part of the admissions process.

The Gettysburg admissions staff works directly with both secondary schools and community based organizations to assist low income students and their families as they prepare for college. We make connections with parents through special mailings individual and group meetings, and panel presentations and workshops on college access.

Gettysburg works directly with the Student Search Service of the College Board, community-based organizations (Prep-for Prep, College Bound of NY, Collegiate Directions, etc.), the Keystone Advising Corp and secondary schools across the country to identify and recruit students from low-income backgrounds. We reach these students through a variety of mechanisms including special mailings, group presentations, individual meetings, and sponsored trips to visit the Gettysburg campus.

The admissions process at Gettysburg is highly selective and the admissions staff gives careful consideration to each application. We expect students to make the most of the academic offerings of their high school. Participation in a solid college preparatory program with enriched, accelerated, and advance placement courses is expected. Grades in academic courses, quality and distribution of subjects, and rank in class (when applicable) are highly significant parts of the applicant's credentials. The College is also very interested in individuals of character who will make positive contributions to the campus community and beyond. In estimating such qualities, we rely on what students say about themselves through essays, along with the recommendations from secondary school counselors and teachers. In-depth involvement in extracurricular and community service activities both inside and outside of school is favorably considered in the admissions process. Standardized test scores from the SAT or ACT exams are reviewed in the overall context of a student's application and academic record. If a student has taken the SAT more than once, only their highest section scores across all SAT test dates will be considered as part of the final admissions decision. Strong students who believe that standardized test scores do not accurately reflect the strength of their academic achievements can choose to be considered as test optional in the admissions process. An admissions interview is strongly recommended, but not required. Interviews are available from April 1 of the junior year through early February of the senior year.

The college has a need-based financial aid program that takes into account the family's income to work with the student.

Part time students can apply for federal aid but normally don’t qualify for institutional aid.

Gettysburg's Growing Place is located on the Gettysburg College campus, operated by Hildebrandt Learning Centers of Wilkes-Barre, PA., licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, and accredited by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). The Center provides a high-quality early childhood education for approximately 138 young children ages 6 weeks through 12 years. The Center is open to children of Gettysburg College employees as well as families from the surrounding community. We offer competitive tuition rates.

The college has special tuition rates for these students.

The graduation rate for low-income students is a number that the college does not track. Instead, the overall graduation rate for all students was used.