Gettysburg College Top Questions

For the most part, yes. the majority of the students are very well-off. Because of this, they seem to wear brands of clothes that are more expensive, which tend to be preppier than other, less-expensive clothes. Of course, there are also people who are not wealthy and do not look like they stepped out of a J.Crew catalog.

Yes, you will find these kids on campus, but if you get to know everyone for people you find that a lot of the students have had to work as hard as everyone else and just because they have a trust fund doesn't mean they are or think they are better than everyone else. It does matter how you look on campus and partying is a big thing, but if you are who you are the people who matter will respect that and if they don't they really don't matter as well.

For some of the students, these are true, but there are still many others that do not fit those categories. This one is most definitely not true. Of course there are some people who choose Gettysburg because of its enriched history but not everyone knows about the battle. In fact, there was a person I met my freshman year who did not even know which side won the battle of Gettysburg.

Sort of. A lot of people do come to Gettysburg for the history department, for obvious reasons, but it really is a great department, and we're the only school with a Civil War Era Studies minor. I had lots of friends who were history majors that weren't nerds ;-)

No, many students live modestly and embody the typical broke college student who does not receive hand outs from their parents. Also, though Greek Life is present, it does not dominate one's social life. As a member of a sorority, I can honestly say that I have made many good friends within the sorority as well as outside of it from the activities I do.

most gettysburg students come from wealthy backgrounds, however the grand majority of the student body is genuine, down to earth, and extremely likeable.

Yeah, there's a lot of striped Abercrombie polo shirts and a few BMWs, but there's a niche to be filled for everyone on campus. Just because the rich kids are the ones you hear about doesn't mean that they're all we have at Gettysburg, or even that they're a majority. It's so easy to roll with whatever crowds you feel most comfortable in, and friendships are intertwined in all of them.

A majority of students do have a lot of money, however NOT all students are wealthy and a lot of students, including myself, get a significant amount of financial aid. I also think that for the most part, the students are very friendly on campus.

I would be lying to say that Gettysburg doesn't have it's fair share of rich, preppy kids. There are quite a few of them around. However, there are plenty of other students from "normal" backgrounds. Gettysburg does have a decent history program, but it isn't even one of the most common majors. True, you may see reenactors come to class in their costumes on occasion, but overall the historical significance of the town doesn't much affect the school itself.

To a point these facts are correct. Their is a lot of wealthy and preppy students here however that doesnt mean the whole student body is like that. Their are all types of crowds and anyone could fit into this campus.

Preppy- yes, many people are preppy- but not all of us! Yes- we are surrounded by battlefields Compared to other colleges I visited, Gettysburg is more down to earth and welcoming. I definetley feel like it is a community- but you also need to be outgoing to feel that you are part of the community.

Pretty much yes. On the way to and from class you are virtually gauranteed to see at least five people wearing lily, boys dressed in pastel with popped collars and someone will either be talking about the shitshow they were the night before or will in fact still be drunk and discussing it loudly with their frat brothers.

Sometimes.

There are defintitely cases (and people) where this stereotype is true, a girl who drives two minutes to class in a Range Rover for example. But, over my four years I saw Gettysburg really trying to become more diverse, the numbers of minorities increased, and there seems now to truly be a niche for every type of person.

To an extent. There is definitely a prep atmosphere that dominates the college based on the type of suburban students that it attracts, but there are a large number of other groups as well that add flavor to the campus. The caucasian part is unfortunately true, but the college is making an effort to increase the diversity of the campus. I believe that around 1/2 the campus is involved in Greek Life, but this means that there is about an equal number of students who are not. Personally, I've never felt excluded or unhappy because I chose not to participate in Greek life.

Although a lot of the students do represent this stereotype it doesn't mean that their personalities are not to like. Not everyone wears Lily, Vineyard vines, J-crew,etc...You will not be judged by what you choose to wear either. Gettysburg is getting more diverse but it is very true that majority of the population is represented by higher than middle-class white students.

Sometimes - but not always.

To a certain extent, this stereotype is true. You see a lot of upper-middle class white kids from New Jersey, Long Island, and Westchester. It's certainly not 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}, but it makes any kids that don't fit that mold seem like definite tokens. ("Oh, there's that Asian kid! Isn't that the same one I saw this morning?") The "middle of nowhere" stereotype is true to a certain extent (it's actually impossible to get to campus by way of public transportation), but it's no more of a problem than at any other of the central PA schools. A lot of Gettysburg students are jocks. And those who don't play organized sports dominate the intramural leagues. But I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

yes

To an extent. But anyone can find friends with their own interests. There are more than plenty of obnoxious snobs, but still, Gettysburg can be a great community with the right circle of friends.

in a lot of cases, but there are still a lot of people who don't fit the stereotypes and it's not hard to find them

This is very accurate. Gettysburg College has developed this preppy atmosphere over time and it’s certainly not because of the metropolis in which it’s located. Truth is, if you are able to pay the College tuition outright with no federal aid, then you’ll fit right in with the everyday Lacoste, Polo Ralph Lauren, Vineyard Vines, J. Crew, J. Mclaughlin and Madras wearing students. Despite the headache you may get from the vibrant, pastel colored clothing, this preppy attitude adds to the culture of the Gettysburg Community.

There are a lot of people that fit the stereotypes; it can be a very "cookie cutter," one mold campus, but we still have a lot of diversity.

I'm sorry to say that yeah, some of these stereotypes are pretty accurate. There is a huge amount of drinking that goes on every weekend, and even during the week and during finals. It's crazy. And yes, Greek life is huge, and mainly consists of getting wasted. There are tons of really preppy people to go along with both, but that is not to say that Gettysburg consists of a group of mindless meat heads getting wasted all the time. On the contrary, the majority of students are hard workers and very bright. This is college, and you don't have to do anything you don't want to. It's your life and you call all the shots. So, so what if Greek life is huge? If you're into it, that's cool. And if you're not, you steer clear. If you're a drinker, you drink, but if not, there is a whole lot else to do around here. The college is constantly putting on events, including concerts and shows on weekends. There's plenty of food available, and lounge space inside and out where you can just chill with your friends.

pretty preppy, somewhat rich, very fratty, for the most part attractive student body

No. But Gettysburg is a college that costs almost $50k per year and adams county is one of the lowest per capita income counties in the state so it is understandable that the stereotype persists.

Often, they are to a certain extent true. Gettysburg is not diverse, and most of the students come from well off families who happen to be from the East Coast. While some kids do choose to literally party their college years away, many students are academically engaged and manage their time well.

Mostly yes. There are some exceptions though.

1. NO! Your social experience will be very different if you choose to have no interaction with the Greek system. That being said, you can't be involved until your sophmore year. When sophmore fall rolled around I decided I was too busy with sports and other extracurriculars to get involved in a sorority. 7 boys from my freshman hall joined the same fraternity, so I became an adopted member. Sophmore rush allows you to make your own friends before entering the Greek system. I just finished 4 wonderful years at Gettysburg without being in a sorority and I don't think I missed out on anything but headaches and meetings. 2. A lot of Nantucket red and sundresses, for sure. It's not all preppy though. Being an athlete I usually dressed somewhere between sweats and jeans. There are lots of different students at Gettysburg, from preppy to outdoorsy. Everyone can find a place.

Pretty much, unless you've got a group of GOOD friends who are willing to do other things than drinking and going to frat parties

There are many people that fall into both of those stereotypes but there are also a lot of students who dont fall into either of those categories and are really cool, down to earth, and interesting.

There is certainly a good number of students at this school who fit this profile and while they are quite visible they are not the only kinds of students here.

Some of the students party pretty hard, and there is pretty much always a party on campus somewhere, but there's a good balance. Also, the majority of students are not Greek and it's not difficult to have a great social life if you're not.

To some extent, yes. But I think there is more too it than that. Though there may be a lot of people who enjoy activities such as partying and may wear a lot of madras and j crew- the campus is full of active and involved people who just want to be part of a campus that can really contribute something- and also create a community that is great to be a part of.

For the most part, yes.

While there obviously is a majority of more wealthy kids on campus, there is a growing minority of lower economic kids that are appearing. While the majority of students are white, there is a growing (and very vocal) organization of black students, who have formed their own Black Students Union and Gospel choir independent of school run organizations. The majority of students do seem to come from the northeast coast however remember that New York and New Jersey are more easily accessible due to the proximity of US Rt. 78 and the fact that Pennsylvania is included as part of the Northeast, it only makes sense that the majority of students come from the northeast. However my second roommate was from Hawaii, and there is a growing multitude of international students, so Gettysburg is gaining different viewpoints in this manner as well.

While a very high percentage of the students come from very wealthy families and prestigious high schools there are still a number of students who would not be classified in this stereotype. The campus is small, but is not dull. My four years at Gettysburg were the best years of my life and I was devistated when I had to drive away from the campus the day after graduation. The campus is small but beautiful and the faculty is very close with the students and everyday you find a face you know.

There are a lot of people who do fit the stereotype, but there are also a lot of people who don't... basically, you can find friends who are similar to you or share your interests even if you don't fit in with the stereotype, even though it's pretty accurate.

A majority of students are wealthier, but this is to be expected at any expensive private college. There are preppy students and certainly J. Crew is popular, but there is a large population of the student body that follow their own fashions. The Greek community may seem like a large presence, but less than 30 percent of students are Greek. Students are obsessed with grades and partying: that's definetely accurate. The Gettysburg motto is "Work Hard, Play Smart."

Yes, but I believe that it is one of the things that makes Gettysburg a fun place to go to school -- there were a lot of other people there who were just like me.

The wealth part is. Everyone looks like they stepped out of a magazine. The student population is also pretty conservative although there is a healthy sized group that leans left, along with most of the professors. The only steriotype that appears to be unfounded is the lack of interest in service. As a whole, I see our campus very involved in the local, national, and global community.

To a certain extent, yes. Most students do join a sorority of fraternity (40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of girls, 60{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of guys, but this does not include the freshmen class who are not allowed to go Greek until their sophomore year). Nonetheless, it's not hard to find a group of friends who aren't Greek. Many students wear Polo and J. Crew religiously (including those pastel colored Polos and Lily Pultizer dresses) and vote conservatively, but then again, there are those who go entirely against the grain, as well.

yes, to some extent. Yes, its a private school, there are bound to be a fair amount of rich, preppy kids, but there are also people that worked really hard to get here and whose parents don't have money. in the end, it only really matters if you make it matter. Oh and greek-life is a big deal. more so for guys than girls, but still. you CAN have a social life, and a fun one without being a member of greek-life. but be forwarned that if you want to party, your options will most likely be which frat house to go toon a specific night, which rocks if your an unoffiliated girl.

yes

Mostly, but other varieties of student do exist.

Yes

There are definitely students at Gettysburg who fit the stereotypes, but there are a lot of other people here too. With tons of extracurriculars, you are bound to find someone with similar interests on the campus. However, I think that the image of the stereotypical student at Gettysburg has been changed through the college's recent increase in selectivity.

While this may be partly true, the school still has some great aspects. For its small size, Gettysburg has a large International Student population. Many students do fit the preppy, white, rich stereotype, but many other student bring unique differences and perspectives to the campus communtiy. You will always have drinking on a college campus, but there is always something else to do. The office of student activities, as well as the campus activities board always has something going on on any given night. I encourage students to get involved and recognize the special and unique opportunities that Gettysburg has to offer.

town- pretty accurate, although the civil war feel is limited to the touristic part of town and the college has a very different unique feel students- like any group of people, there is bound to be a stereotype that represents part of that population and completely misrepresents the rest of it. That is the case at Gettysburg. Of course you have those that exemplify the stereotype, but you have many different types of students, and many of them are not conservative, rich and caucasian.

In some cases, I'd say yes, but every student does not fit the stereotype by any means.