Gettysburg College: “Do Great Work” at America's Most Haunted Campus

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Gettysburg College, founded in 1832, is a private liberal arts institution in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The campus is strategically located near several major cities including Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC. Gettysburg consistently ranks among the top liberal arts colleges in the United States. The college’s motto is “Do Great Work,” which reflects its commitment to empowering students through a rigorous education with experiential learning opportunities. The campus is surrounded by Gettysburg National Military Park, which was established in 1895.

Gettysburg College was mere steps away from the center of the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. Troops from Union and Confederate armies passed through the campus, and the college was occupied by Confederate forces. Pennsylvania Hall served as a hospital for soldiers from both sides. Despite the chaos, the college continued to operate, albeit with limited students remaining on campus during the battle, as many students left to join the war effort. The site has since become known for its legendary hauntings due to its proximity to the deadly Civil War battlefield. It’s the spirits of these soldiers that are said to haunt the college.

Fun Facts

Academic Excellence & Interdisciplinary Learning

Gettysburg has a reputation for rigorous academics and offers unique interdisciplinary programs like the Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute, which encourages students to tackle complex problems across fields.
Students can even design their own majors, and faculty mentorship is a big part of the experience.

Leadership & Civic Engagement

The Eisenhower Institute, inspired by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, promotes nonpartisan discourse and leadership development through fellowships, expert panels, and symposia.
The Garthwait Leadership Center helps students cultivate ethical leadership skills through experiential learning.

Sunderman Conservatory of Music

Gettysburg is known for its music program, offering access to renowned artists, study abroad opportunities, and a rich performance culture.
Sunderman Conservatory offers several unique music classes including The Eras of Taylor Swift (Music Class 136), and a survey of Video Game Music: Style, Technology, and Culture (Music Class 170).

Community & Service

Gettysburg College has about 2,600 students, with roughly equal numbers of men and women, living in a residential college environment that fosters personal relationships and a vibrant community.
The Center for Public Service fosters social justice through partnerships, education, and action—making service a core part of student life.

Location & History

The college is located in the historic town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, surrounded by one of the most iconic sites in American history.
Students can elect to take a semester-long immersion in Civil War academic study, and/or pursue a unique interdisciplinary minor in Civil War Era Studies.

Ghost Lore

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is a hotspot for ghost tours, as the area is saturated with tragic history. Gettysburg College is often featured in these ghostly legends. For generations, students, faculty, and visitors have reported unsettling and inexplicable occurrences. There doesn’t seem to be a single building on campus where someone hasn’t experienced something that they can’t explain. In fact, if you ask paranormal enthusiasts, Gettysburg College is one of the most haunted campuses in America.

Phantom Soldiers: The college sits adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield, the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. There were 51,000 casualties on both sides. Of these, 7,058 were fatalities (3,155 Union, 3,903 Confederate) and over 10,000 soldiers went missing. Many students and staff over the years have reportedly seen ghostly figures in uniform on the campus grounds and even inside buildings.

Haunted Dorms: Students have reported a wide range of strange occurrences in their rooms, including unexplained knocks on doors, faces in windows, lights flickering or turning off and on without cause, and cold spots that can’t be explained by drafts. They have also heard footsteps, voices, moaning and crying when no one is around.

Time Slips: One of the eerier phenomena includes people allegedly “stepping back in time.” For example, Pennsylvania Hall was used as a field hospital during the battle. There have been reports of people getting on the elevator and mysteriously finding themselves in the middle of a vivid Civil War scene—complete with wounded soldiers and bloodied surgeons. Then, just as suddenly, it vanishes.

Author Mark Nesbitt’s Ghosts of Gettysburg: Spirits, Apparitions and Haunted Places of the Battlefield highlights several sightings of paranormal activity on the campus. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, the stories are compelling enough to make you think twice before wandering the halls alone at night!

Homeschool Admissions

Gettysburg College is highly selective, but every year the college accepts a number of homeschooled students who share the community’s drive to “Do Great Work.” Students who have been homeschooled are welcome to apply to Gettysburg College. Please submit the following with your Common Application:

A transcript from a reputable home-school correspondence program, or a detailed roster (including subject areas studied, texts used, and time spent on each discipline) of academic coursework at the secondary level. Classes taken during the senior year at a local two- or four-year college or university are highly valued and transcripts should be included with the application.
A short narrative, written by the person other than yourself who has been most responsible for your academic life, describing the nature of your secondary-level education. This document should not be a recommendation, but rather a description of your instruction in recent years.
In addition to the admissions essay, a graded paper in an academic area of your choosing is required.
A letter of reference from a tutor, evaluator, or teacher who is not a family member.
SAT and/or ACT scores are recommended.