I have just about 6 days to decide where I am going to be attending, and to be quite honest, I’m completely stuck! These schools have all had their impressive elements. At Gettysburg I got the highest scholarship, the Abraham Lincoln Scholarship, while at Bucknell and F&M I received state grants (Bucknell is just plain expensive and F&M doesn’t do merit). Gettysburg definitely feels homey and quaint - everyone genuinely seemed happy! Bucknell has a very similar feel, however I have heard that greek life dominates the social scene, which is not my cup of tea. F&M is smaller but has a great location in Lancaster with many opportunities! As a prospective Biology/Biochemistry major (I am also interested in art, psychology, and medicine), which college has the best program? I am also looking for a tight-knit community with great professor relationships and a bustling campus. Let me know your thoughts/personal experiences - it is GREATLY appreciated!!
Imo, F&M for you! It has great pre-med. If the Greek scene is a turnoff, F&M is probably the mildest on that front.
But that’s just my opinion based on your snippet above. If you were interested in history or engineering, I’d give you a different answer.
I have heard about how great F&M is for premed! (Even doctors themselves have told me about how great it is). The only thing is that I didn’t care for the campus, which seems a bit shallow because of course everyone adapts. The F&M students also seem to be academically focused. What is truly challenging me is that at Gettysburg everyone seemed so incredibly happy. I wish I had the opportunity to interact with some current students at F&M, but I am sure they are happy too. Gettysburg has everything I want on the campus/activities/happiness end while F&M has location and amazing academics. To say the least my head is spinning ?
I went to F&M and the dorms are a bit blahh but the rest of the campus is great and they are in the process of redeveloping the old football field into academic buildings which will be great. The town and surrounding area are a true gem and far more culturally interesting than the other schools. F&M does very well with med school placement. I’d put F&M at the top of these three schools for pre-med if you are academically motivated however it is a very difficult place to get good grades and many aspiring pre-meds end up dropping it. As many have mentioned here, good grades and good MCATs are the key and the college attended is secondary in med school admissions so there may be some logic to attending a less demanding pre-med program. One of my kids was deciding between F&M, Lafayette, and Union and went with Lafayette which I though was a good choice for him insofar as he was considering a pre-med track and it’s a bit easier to get better grades there than at F&M in that program. Good luck with your decision. All good options.
My S is also considering Gettysburg - I agree with the truly happy vibe there. It does have Greek life, but I had the impression that you can find a lot of activities outside of it. We sat in on a discussion group with professors and current students in biochemistry - definitely intelligent, personable and great student/teacher relationships. If this is your most affordable option too, I’d definitely go to Gettysburg.
If you don’t want Greek Life, it’s a good idea to ditch Bucknell. Otherwise, pick your favorite or the least costly and buckle down to do well for Pre-med success.
I really like Gettysburg. I always had it on my kids’ lists. That you can get a financial awards, as well, is terrific
These school choices all come down to personal preferences. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of those choices.
Thank you all for your replies - I truly appreciate it! I think am currently leaning towards Gettysburg. It truly offers everything that I am looking for and I think it is a place where I can stand out and really connect with students and professors. Today I was reading professor bios - they are all so amazing and very qualified! I was also impressed with their study abroad programs (I think they said 60% study abroad at some point), and basically all study abroad costs are covered. Students can also get paid internships as early as their freshmen year. Since I am not 100% set on medical school, I think Gettysburg is the place to be if I want to explore other options within the science department. Hopefully I can make a final decision and put my deposit down by tomorrow. Best of luck to everyone else in this process! 
In terms of the best school for science/biology and post-graduate success (and research opportunities/internships), does either school (Bucknell or Gettysburg) stand out?