Admitted Student Profile
GPA (Unweighted)
3.50-3.90
SAT Range (Middle 50%)
1310-1470
ERW: 660-720 · Math: 660-750
ACT Range (Middle 50%)
30-33
📌 Franklin & Marshall — a selective liberal arts college in Lancaster, PA, strong in government/pre-law, the sciences, and business & economics — requires the Common App personal essay and has no supplemental essay for 2026-27. The Common App personal statement carries the full weight.
Application Deadlines
Early Decision INov 15
Regular DecisionJan 15
Essay Overview
For 2026-27, Franklin & Marshall College requires no supplemental essay ("there are no writing questions for this college") — your Common App personal statement is the essay that matters. F&M reads holistically for intellectually engaged students (it is especially strong in government/pre-law, the sciences and pre-med, and business & economics), so make your one essay specific and genuinely yours.
Common App Personal Essay All applicants
250–650 words
Required
Supplemental Essay None for 2026-27
—
Not required
What They're Really Looking For
1
Your personal statement is the whole essay. With no supplement, the Common App essay is F&M's window into you. Tell one specific, true story — not a summary of your activities.
2
Show intellectual engagement. F&M prizes genuinely curious students. An essay that reveals how you think about something you care about fits the culture (no need to name F&M).
3
Be specific and be yourself. A real voice and concrete detail beat a polished, generic essay every time — especially when it is the only one they read.
The Official Prompts — 2026-27
Your choice of the seven Common App personal-statement prompts.
Franklin & Marshall has no supplemental essay.
The #1 Failure Mode
Coasting on a résumé-style essay because there is no supplement. Your Common App personal statement is F&M's only read on your voice, so a generic "I am hardworking and well-rounded" essay is a wasted opportunity. Make the one essay specific and unmistakably yours.
Weak vs. Strong: Score Benchmarks
"Ever since I was young, I have been passionate about learning and helping others. Throughout high school I challenged myself academically and got involved in a variety of clubs and activities. These experiences shaped me into a curious, driven person, and I am excited to bring that same energy to Franklin & Marshall College."
"I spent junior year trying to lose a debate on purpose. My coach challenged me to argue positions I found wrong — rent control, then against it; the death penalty, then for it — until I could pass an ideological Turing test. It wrecked my certainty in the best way. I still have opinions, but now I hold them the way you hold a bird: firmly enough not to drop it, gently enough not to crush it."