My daughter is trying to decide between Pitt, Gettysburg, and Bucknell. She is going for a history/political science degree and was wondering which one would be the best fit. Thanks for any opinions.
Are all affordable? What are the net costs of each?
In terms of fit, these schools are pretty different…what are her preferences with regard to school size, location, setting, greek life, etc?
With respect to your daughter’s academic interests, Gettysburg might make the best choice.
Net costs will all be close with Gettysburg and Bucknell being slightly cheaper. Honestly she’s not sure of her preferences. Likes all 3 for different reasons. We only got to visit Gettysburg before the shutdown. She’s looking for the one with more of a focus on her area of study and then go from there.
I agree with Gettysburg probably being the best fit it’s just a hard decision for her with the other two being such good schools.
If she can see herself at all 3, have her do research on the history/poli sci departments of each, as well as outcomes/placement.
-Look at the professors in each department, their backgrounds and research focus
-Reach out to profs and ask questions
-What are the requirements for the major? What classes are most appealing to her?
-What are the school’s gen ed requirements?
-Use the online course catalogs to see what major courses are offered, how often, and their size
-Look at the career placement/outcomes. If not online by major, reach out to the career center and ask what type of data they have.
Comparing rankings is imperfect, but arguably Bucknell is the highest ranked of these schools, though all are good.
You may want consider available data. Gettysburg, for example, recently graduated 41 history majors, while the larger Bucknell graduated 14:
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Gettysburg&s=all&id=212674#programs
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Bucknell&s=all&id=211291#programs
I agree, however, that the overall quality of her choices should be considered, and more students does not, by itself, define the strength of a program. Perhaps worth noting as well, USN rates all three of these schools as “more selective.”
Son is soph at Gettysburg. Really likes it esp the approachability of professors. During finals for example, his one class invited to lunch at the professor’s house. I find the college great at communication with families.
IMO the first decision your D should make is if she would rather attend a LAC and or large university. If she wants the “big school” expereince then Pitt is the obvious choice.
If she wants a LAC then she needs to choose between Bucknell and Gettysburg. Bucknell is the “higher ranked” of the two but it is very Greek Life oriented so she woudl have to be OK with that type of environment. Gettysburg is a fine school as well. Fit is very important in a LAC.
She can do some research even with the schools being closed – look at websites/class offerings/professors online for each school, see if you can get some good college guide books such as Fiske, Princeton Review and read up on the schools, look at school newspapers online etc. to try to get a sense of both schools.
In my view, it is between big city / big university versus LAC.
Once that decision is made, then either the issue is resolved or it is between Gettysburg & Bucknell.
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Bucknell is in the middle of nowhere, even the schools bookstore is off campus, Pitt really does not have a campus it is in the city not walled off like some city colleges, think Fordham or Temple for example. Did she love Gettysburg when she visited? Seems like Pitt may not have the focus on her major vs the other 2.
I am a freshman at Bucknell and considered Gettysburg which is similar to Bucknell - both residential colleges with active Greek life in rural Pa. Major differences are Bucknell has a business school (Freeman College of Management which is highly ranked by Poets & Quants (# 27 overall and #1 in student experience/satisfaction} and is slightly larger school W D1 sports.
The bookstore ( along with the Campus Theater, coffee shops and restaurants,) is located a short walk to Lewisburg’s quaint downtown.
Can’t comment on Pitt
Good luck Ray Bucknell