Dean of Admissions Mary Smith (class of 2000) spoke with independent college counselors in the D.C. metro area to introduce us to the Eisenhower Institute in early September 2026. But before Tracie Potts, the executive director of that institute, spoke, Smith gave us an update on what’s been happening with Gettysburg College.

Gettysburg at a glance

Gettysburg is a small liberal arts college of about 2,000 students on 250 acres, pairing a small-town setting with easy access to major cities.

• Location: as a historical site, the town gets 3 million visitors a year, and it’s only an hour and a half from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland
• Faculty access: students can form close relationships with professors, taking advantage of the 9 to 1 student-faculty ratio
• Residential life: 95 percent of students live on campus, in college housing or approved fraternity housing
• Greek life: over a third of students belong to a fraternity or sorority; they rush second semester freshman year

Academics

Popular majors of the 90-plus majors, minors, and programs include economics, policy, psychology, and history, with a growing set of pre-professional and graduate pathways. Pre-law and pre-health advising are strong. Finance, public health policy, and communication studies were added in 2025. The psychology program now offers a B.S. pathway, in addition to the B.A., that is more research intensive. Gettysburg boasts a well-regarded music conservatory.

Students interested in engineering have several options:

• A 3+2, 4+1, 4+2, or master’s option
• Partner schools include Washington University St. Louis and Columbia, among others

A plan built into the degree

Gettysburg’s pitch is that a liberal arts degree should come with a plan. Each student gets three advisers, one academic, one for activities outside class, and one for careers, and chooses a themed pathway that guarantees at least one hands-on experience, like an internship, research, or study abroad. The idea is that skills like teamwork, adaptability, and communication get practiced, not just promised.

All advising resides in one career center on campus. Hands-on experience is central. Gettysburg wants you to see the ROI of a liberal arts degree, guiding students to see how their experiences translate to the workplace. Alumni mentors are available beginning sophomore year.

Results

Gettysburg reports strong outcomes, and the employer comments Smith shared point the same way.

• Employer view: Smith said that employers told her, “Liberal arts students can think.” They’re less narrowly focused than STEM majors and they have a great work ethic.
• Placement: Gettysburg reports that 98 percent of graduates from the past nine years had a job or a grad school spot within a year.
• Law school: Gettysburg also reports 100 percent law school placement.
• Employer survey: According to a 2025 survey of 120 employers that Gettysburg reports, its graduates outperformed college graduates in general in multiple key areas, including adaptability, creativity, communication, and problem solving

Music and athletics

Both music and athletics are prominent at Gettysburg. About a third of students are DIII athletes, and about 1 in 7 is a musician. New teams include women’s wrestling, women’s flag football, and women’s acrobatics and tumbling, which combines gymnastics and cheerleading.

Applying

Gettysburg has been test optional for 17 years. In reviewing applications, Gettysburg counts as important your transcript, extracurriculars, recommendations, and your essay. You can do a virtual interview or visit on campus. Demonstrated interest matters, and they track that with an engagement score, so open those emails and attend virtual programming!

Application deadlines

• Early Decision: November 1
• Early Action: November 15
• Regular Decision: January 15
• Early Decision II: January 20

If you apply Early Decision

• They will do an early financial read.
• They meet 100 percent of demonstrated need if you fill out the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
• ED admits have early access to class registration and choice of housing.

Paying for it

Some significant scholarships take a big bite out of the $92K cost of attendance:

• Eisenhower Scholarship: $53K/year
• History scholarship: $50K/year
• Music scholarships, for majors and minors only: $52K and $44K/year

The Eisenhower Institute

The Eisenhower Institute is housed just blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C. It creates a bridge between academics and career, placing every Washington Summer Fellow in an internship. Tracie Potts is the executive director of the Eisenhower Institute and works all year with staff to secure relationships with employers that will take on Gettysburg students for a summer.

The Washington Summer Fellowship

• Twenty rising juniors and seniors embed for the summer with the Gettysburg staff, who help them find relevant internships in D.C.
• You must apply to be selected and may reapply if you don’t make it the first time.
• They usually have about 50 applications for the 20 slots.
• Popular fields include psychology, finance, mathematical economics, public policy, and political science.

Is Gettysburg a good fit?

You may be a good fit for Gettysburg College if you:

• Have taken rigorous coursework and done well
• Want close relationships with faculty
• Want real applications for what you’re learning
• Want to be sure your education leads to a career

Athletes and musicians will feel comfortable here, and those with an interest in American history will have the site of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address in their back yard.