Gettysburg College’s STEM Scholars Program seeks to increase and diversify the number of talented STEM majors who go on to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in a broad range of scientific endeavors.
The STEM Scholars Program consists of a select cohort of first-year students who intend to earn a bachelor’s degree in one of the following STEM disciplines: Biology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Studies, Health Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology. Through generous financial support from Gettysburg College, need-based financial aid grants meet the full demonstrated need for all STEM Scholars. In selecting members of these cohorts, the college takes a heightened interest in first-generation students who are academically promising and have demonstrated financial need.
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Support for STEM Scholars
By providing supportive mentoring during the crucial first two years of college, the STEM Scholars program creates a constructive environment to recruit, support, and retain students in their chosen STEM majors. The program relies on close faculty-student interactions as well as a unifying community-building experience.
STEM Scholars will have the opportunity to:
- Attend a STEM-focused pre-orientation workshop with their cohort;
- Enroll in an exclusive First-Year Seminar taught by STEM faculty;
- Access assigned laptops for exclusive use;
- Take part in community-building activities on and off campus; and
- Engage in various STEM opportunities, including faculty-student research, peer-mentoring, preferential residence in Gettysburg College’s Science House, as well as work-related internship opportunities with institutional industry partners.
Program Eligibility
To be eligible for the STEM Scholars program, students must meet the following requirements:
- Be a U.S. citizen, national (as defined in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act), alien admitted as a refugee (under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act), or an alien lawfully admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence.
- Demonstrate financial need through submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile forms.
- Be enrolled as a full-time student.
- Major in one of the following programs: Biology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Studies (BS only, with an interest in one of the following concentrations: Earth System Science, Marine and Freshwater Ecology, or Wildlife and Conservation Biology), Health Sciences, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology.
Program Application Requirements
- You should complete the STEM application online by the deadline of the admissions round for which you are applying: November 15 for Early Decision 1, December 1 for Early Action, or January 15 for Early Decision 2 and Regular Decision.
- Submit your completed application for admission. This includes the Common App, your official high school transcript, and recommendations from a counselor and a teacher. A letter of recommendation from a science teacher is also strongly encouraged. You may also submit your standardized test scores.
- Submit the financial aid applications—the CSS Profile and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)—by the deadline of the admissions round for which you are applying.
- Students who are highly interested in Gettysburg College and the STEM Scholars Program are encouraged to consider applying via Early Decision.