Applying Early Decision

Today, graduates enter a rapidly evolving labor market that asks for proof. Employers hire the graduate who has already run the experiment, managed the project, earned that credential, or spent a summer inside the industry. A degree opens the conversation. Pairing it with experience is what wins the job. Students need more of that experience, and they need it sooner than ever.

F&M meets this moment. Our students work alongside faculty on real research, take internships in Lancaster, Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, and around the world, and test their ideas in places far from campus. 

For students admitted through Early Decision I, that investment arrives before you do. A $1,000 F&M Experience Fund is yours to put toward an approved experiential learning opportunity beginning sophomore year: research with a professor, an internship in your field, a semester abroad, or another hands-on program you choose.

The $1,000 is where it starts, not where it ends. Once enrolled, all F&M students can apply for additional support through Summer Experience Funding, F&M Works, the Hackman Summer Scholars program, and the Mehlman Leadership and Performance Institute. Around 300 students received funded experiences last year. The results follow them out the door into career starting jobs and grad school. 

Why choose Early Decision at F&M?

• • Start investing in your future now: Receive a $1,000 F&M Experience Fund and put it to work starting your sophomore year.
  • Keep going after that: Apply for funding, mentorship, research, internships, and professional development every year you are here.
  • Get priority consideration: Be reviewed early for F&M Leadership Fellows and merit scholarships.
  • See it for yourself: Attend Early Enrollment Day in early April and meet the people you will spend four years with. 
  • Know sooner: Finish the college search early and spend senior year getting ready for what comes next.

Eligibility note

The F&M Experience Fund is available to students enrolled through Early Decision I. The deadline for Early Decision I is November 15, 2026. The $1,000 may be applied toward an approved experiential learning opportunity, such as research, an internship, or study abroad, beginning your sophomore year. Other programs and funding opportunities carry separate eligibility requirements and application processes. Details about eligible expenses and accessing the fund will follow enrollment.