Spring Option FAQs

Is there any chance of a Spring Option student’s getting in for September if places open up for the Fall?

While the admission committee may consider Spring Option students for Fall semester admittance, this situation is rather unlikely. In the unlikely change of status, a student would be notified in the summer, after the May 1st deposit date. Therefore, enrollment decisions must be based on the assumption of Spring enrollment.

How many students enroll via the Spring Option?

There are approximately 32 students enrolled via the Spring Option each year.

Do students apply specifically to the Spring Option or are they selected from the regular applicant pool?

Students who wish to take a gap Fall and enter Franklin & Marshall College in the spring may apply for Spring Option admission; in so doing, they should carefully outline their plans for the gap Fall as part of their application. However, Spring Option students are typically chosen from the same applicant pool as the Fall students and are notified at the same time. Ultimately, whether a student is admitted for Fall or for Spring is an Office of Admission decision.

Is being admitted via the Spring Option like being on the wait list?

No. Students who are offered the Spring Option are admitted to Franklin & Marshall College beginning the following Spring semester. Students placed on the wait list are not yet admitted to the College unless the admission committee offers that student a place in the incoming class.

What if a student is admitted for the spring under one of the Early Decision options? Does a student admitted Early Decision for the spring necessarily have to enroll at Franklin & Marshall College?

No. Students who are offered the Spring Option are no longer bound by the conditions of the Early Decision program. While admitted to the College for the Spring semester, these students may choose to explore other college options. Enrollment in the Spring semester will be secured when the Office of Admission receives an enrollment deposit by May 1st.

What do Spring Option students do during their gap Fall? Does Franklin & Marshall College help them plan what to do?

Although Franklin & Marshall College does not seek to direct a specific course of study for the gap Fall, we nevertheless provide guidance to students admitted via the Spring Option. Spring Option students will work closely with an experienced faculty advisor to craft a program of study, work, or travel that is meaningful and rewarding. Additionally, F&M provides assistance from the Office of International Programs and Office of Career Services.

What are some of the things Spring Option students do during their gap Fall?

Options for the “Gap Fall” include:

studying abroad through NYU in Florence with the Franklin & Marshall College Freshmen Program (please bear in mind that students traveling abroad should be 18 years old by August)
volunteering abroad through such programs as International Service Learning and Global Learning Semester.
undertaking a challenging outdoor program such as Outward Bound.
volunteering for a cause—a political campaign, hospice, animal shelter, etc.
enrolling in classes at a local college or university for transfer credit—or exploring a special talent through specialized workshops or classes.

When do Spring Option students graduate?

Depending on their specific needs and goals, Spring Option students work with their faculty advisor to decide whether they wish to graduate with the students in the Fall class or whether they would prefer to complete college in the usual eight semesters. For those students who want to get a jump on graduation day, F&M will help you to catch up with a summer course or obtain credit during your gap Fall from an accredited institution in your area. Although some students worry about graduating “late,” most students who graduate in December are in good company and have no trouble finding jobs after college.

Where do Spring Option students live?

Spring Option students are sent a roommate preference form before they arrive on campus and are housed in one of the four College Houses. They might room with another Spring Option student in a double, or with a Fall semester first-year student. No matter where they are housed, they will share the common experience of being a member in one of F&M’s college houses, with the same opportunity to take a leadership role in the House System.

Do Spring Option students have the same opportunity to join clubs and organizations as their Fall semester counterparts?

Spring Option students arrive on campus for the Spring semester at the same time as transfer students and F&M students returning from abroad. They will find the doors wide open for them.

How do Spring Option students get into classes?

Spring Option students are registered for their Spring classes during the November prior to their arrival on campus—at the same time as the other students at Franklin & Marshall.

Can Spring Option students participate in four years of athletics?

Yes. As long as Spring Option students do not participate in athletic programs prior to the beginning of the Spring 2009 semester, they may participate in four years of varsity, club, or intramural athletics.

Are there advantages to being a Spring Option student?

The Spring Option is advantageous to students for many reasons. Some students thrive during their gap Fall, pursuing challenges that they did not have time for in high school (creative writing, art, music, or language immersion). Recent Spring Option students have studied at the Oxford Advanced Studies Program in England, lived in Israel, and volunteered in an elementary school. Spring Option students arrive at F&M together and work closely with the same faculty advisor, creating bonds that last well past the first few weeks of college.

Does Franklin & Marshall College do anything special for Spring Option students?

Franklin & Marshall College provides services to those interested in the Spring Option through a specially designated advisor who works closely with students to discuss their goals both during their gap Fall and their subsequent four years at college. Spring Option students are also assigned student mentors who are committed to helping them make the transition to college life once they are on campus. Spring Option students also receive a comprehensive orientation similar to the one in the fall.

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