FAQs

First Year Course Registration: Your courses are chosen based on the academic surveys you fill out in your orientation Canvas course.  

Subsequent Year Course Registration: The Registrar's Office handles course registration - you can find their "registration hub" on the intranet (inside.fandm.edu) - note, this will require logging in to the intranet with your F&M NetID and password. 

1. What are the five college houses?

• Brooks, Bonchek, Ware, Weis, and Roschel. Find more information here.

2. Can freshmen apply for a single room?

•  Most freshmen will have a roommate.  

3. What are the breaks and holidays in F&M?

• F&M has a winter vacation and a summer vacation, along with a fall break, Thanksgiving break, and a spring break during the semesters. The full academic calendar can be found here. 

4. What are the activities we have on campus?

• There are a large variety of activities on campus that are organized by students, faculty, and staff. Students are encouraged to get involved on campus to feel connected to the campus community, meet new people, gain transferrable skills, and explore interests. To learn more about the vast opportunities, please visit OSEL's webpage. 

5. What is Greek life like there?

• Dating back to 1854, Franklin & Marshall College's (F&M's) fraternity and sorority communities have a long-standing legacy of developing students holistically across their founding principles that foster leadership, service, scholarship, integrity, and friendship, and fostering lifelong friendships and generational affinities. For more info, please visit the Fraternity and Sorority Life webpage.

6. What we can do in Lancaster?

• Lancaster is a small, vibrant, thriving city with much to offer including food, culture, history, and arts. Learn more about the city here.

7. How should I prepare for living in the dorm?

• Please click here to see what you need to pack for your dorm. 

8. Are there any spots where I can spend time alone?

• You can book individual library rooms to study alone. And most of the time, the house great rooms are open.

9. Are meals allowed to be brought anywhere outside the restaurants?

• It depends. The food in Dhall is more like a buffet, so it is not allowed to take out. However, food and drink in other restaurants and cafes are all allowed to be brought anywhere. 

10. Where can I find campus jobs?

• You can find campus jobs via Handshake, the College's tool for posting all on-campus jobs (incoming first-year students receive log-in information via email in July or August before classes begin). There is also a job fair at the beginning of the fall semester. 

1. When should I buy plane tickets and schedule my visa appointment?

• We recommend you book a flight after you have received your visa.  Visa appointments can be scheduled once you have received your I-20. Be aware, you cannot come to US until 30 until days before the Program Start Date printed on your I-20. 

2. When will I receive my I-20?

• I-20 applications are processed in the order they are received. Each application is reviewed and either approved or a request for further information will be issued. After submitting your I-20 application please check your F&M email regularly and complete any action items that may be required for your application to be processed. Once your application is approved, you can expect to receive your electronic document within 7-10 days. Please have patience as the I-20 creation process is a manual process which requires time and precision from the F&M ISS staff. If you have questions about the status of your I-20 please contact iss@fandm.edu.

3. How do I travel to F&M from airports in New York City?

• If you are able to drive, it is convenient to rent a car at the airports and drive to F&M (about a 4 hour drive). If you are traveling with someone else, you can also Uber/Lyft to Lancaster and share the cost. The Amtrak train is also a good option.  Lancaster’s Amtrak train station is approximately 3 minutes via car from F&M’s campus. Review the admissions website for more information on Getting to F&M. 

4. How do I buy Amtrak (train) tickets?

• Click here to buy tickets on the Amtrak website.  

5. Which airports are closest to F&M?

• F&M’s campus is easily accessible from three New York airports (LaGuardia, JFK, Newark), Philadelphia airport, or Harrisburg International airport.

6. What if I couldn't connect OR log in to my Google email?

• Please contact the F&M ITS help desk: helpdesk@fandm.edu

7. What's the vaccination policy in F&M?

• Most of this can be found in your student health forms, which can be downloaded from your orientation Canvas page. If you have questions, please contact the wellness center via email: studentwellness@fandm.edu.