Gettysburg College

Gettysburg, PA · founded 1832 · 2,400 students · liberal arts college · Centennial Conference (NCAA Division III)

Known for: Gettysburg College is distinguished by its historic location at the site of the pivotal Civil War battle, its strong emphasis on leadership and civic engagement, and a rigorous liberal arts curriculum that encourages interdisciplinary study and experiential learning.

Rankings

U.S. News liberal arts: #72
Forbes: #152

Top programmes

Civil War Era Studies
Political Science
Management
History
Psychology
Health Sciences

Notable alumni

Carson Wentz — NFL quarterback
Ron Paul — Former U.S. Representative and presidential candidate
Bruce S. Gordon — Former President of the NAACP
John Heisman — Football coach for whom the Heisman Trophy is named
Edwin G. Krebs — Nobel Prize-winning biochemist
John B. Hurford — Philanthropist and founder of the Hurford Foundation
Andrew B. Kirkpatrick — Former Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court
Michele Norris — Journalist and former host of NPR's 'All Things Considered'

Traditions

The Battle of Gettysburg reenactments and education
First-Year Walk (retracing Lincoln's steps to dedicate the cemetery)
Gettysburg's Halloween
Bullet Hole (student-run late-night snack bar)
Musselman Library's 'Cub' statue rubbing for luck

If Gettysburg College were…

As a food: A perfectly executed, classic Thanksgiving dinner — Heartwarming, traditional, community-focused, and built on a foundation of American history and shared values—substantial, not flashy, and meant to be experienced with others.
As an athlete: Derek Jeter — A clean-cut, respected team captain who played his entire legendary career for one iconic, historic franchise (the Yankees), embodying leadership, tradition, and clutch performance on a hallowed field.
As a person alive today: Jon Meacham — The presidential historian and commentator who speaks in measured, eloquent tones about American ideals, leadership, and history, making the past feel urgently relevant to civic life.
As a historical figure: Dwight D. Eisenhower — The Supreme Allied Commander turned two-term president who valued organization, duty, and pragmatic leadership, and whose institute is now a cornerstone of the college's identity.
As a movie or TV show: The film 'A Few Good Men' — Set within a strict code of honor and tradition where earnest debate about duty, truth, and country happens in wood-paneled rooms, culminating in a climactic defense of core principles.
As a US president: Harry S. Truman — The plain-spoken, decisive Midwesterner who bore the weight of history's most consequential decisions with unpretentious grit and a deep belief in American responsibility.
As a city: Philadelphia — The 'cradle of liberty'—steeped in foundational American history, with a strong sense of civic pride, neighborhood communities, and a blend of tradition with evolving modern industries.
As an element: Iron — The backbone of steel, essential for structures and machinery; strong, dependable, and with a history forever linked to the battlefields of the Industrial Age and, symbolically, Gettysburg itself.
As a car: 2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited — Rugged Americana with battlefield heritage, built for students who study Civil War history where it happened and volunteer in tight-knit communities. Gettysburg's patriotic ethos and traditional liberal arts approach fee

Campus life

Campus life is traditional, spirited, and community-oriented, with a strong emphasis on history, leadership, and service. Social life is active, with a significant Greek life presence, numerous clubs, and a strong Division III athletic program fostering school spirit.

The film, scored

This profile answers “if Gettysburg College were a movie or TV show?” with A Few Good Men (1992). Set within a strict code of honor and tradition where earnest debate about duty, truth, and country happens in wood-paneled rooms, culminating in a climactic defense of core principles. It sits in the 90th percentile on rankquant, which re-centres every critic score on the reviewer who gave it, so a percentile means position against peers rather than a raw star average. The full film & TV catalogue ranks the rest the same way.