How to strengthen your Franklin and Marshall College application

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What Franklin and Marshall College weights most

Franklin and Marshall favors intellectually curious students who show clear academic focus and leadership in concrete settings, especially in government, business, and the sciences. They weight demonstrated classroom rigor and sustained project or research experience more heavily than a long list of disconnected activities; applicants who have led policy clubs, run small businesses, published research, or completed internships in Lancaster or similar community settings stand out. F&M is a bit stricter than many liberal arts peers on quantitative readiness for STEM and economics, so weaker math/science preparation is a real weakness even if overall GPA is strong.

Supplemental essay strategy

Use the Why F&M essay to connect a specific academic program, faculty, or Lancaster opportunity to a clear plan: name a particular professor, F&M research initiative, the Center for Politics and Public Affairs, or local internship partners and explain exactly how you would use them in year one or two. Avoid vague praise for "small classes"; instead cite a course, seminar, or lab and a concrete project or career step you expect to pursue at F&M.

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Where to focus next

If you only have time for one thing this month, do this:

1. Read 2 admitted-student essays from Franklin and Marshall College (search official admissions site or Reddit r/fandm). Notice the level of specificity — that's the bar.
2. Write the ‘why this school’ supplement first, before anything else. If you can't fill 250 words with school-specific reasons, pick a different school.
3. Find one current student to ask about their experience — admissions offices often connect prospective applicants with current students. The follow-up email becomes specific essay material.