Universities & Colleges in Pennsylvania

The University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, is a ​​Catholic institution prioritizing balanced education grounded in Liberal Arts. Founded in 1888 as Saint Thomas College by Scranton's first bishop, Reverend William G. O’Hara, D.D, the university was later handed to the Society of Jesus. 

Currently, there are over 4,692 students enrolled in the institution for undergraduate and graduate programs. As a part of the employee force, 281 full-time and 175 tenured faculties are a part of the University of Scranton. 

There is no shortage of student services and state-of-the-art laboratories in the institution. The university has recently spent more than USD 295 million on campus improvements. Students can avail the benefits of The Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus, The Loyola Science Center, The DeNaples Center, etc. All labs are equipped with the latest devices like an Atomic force microscope, The DeNaples Center, Proton Detectors, etc. Additionally, there are 80 student clubs like spiritual groups and nonprofit organizations. 

Students get a chance to choose their course choice from the 69 undergraduate, 35 postgraduate, 5 minors, and 3 doctoral programs, The institution has divided courses into disciplines like Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Humanities, Health Sciences & Related Professions, Social Science, and Business. 

The University of Scranton has been home to many notable personalities in various fields like business, athletics, entertainment, and politics. Jason Miller, a renowned American playwright & actor, was awarded the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. Kathleen Kane served as the 48th Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 2013 to 2016 and previously worked as a lawyer. Additionally, the alumni group includes names like John Cusick and Kelvin C. Kiley, who remained a part of the US Army as Lieutenant General and Surgeon General, respectively. 

To help students navigate the employment sector after graduation, the University of Scranton has a dedicated Gerard R. Roche Center For Career Development. Virtual events and fairs are regularly organized where multiple industry leaders like Geisinger, Deloitte, Highland Associates, Benefits Health System, etc., are present. 

The University of Pennsylvania was established in the year 1740 when a blueprint was created for developing a charity school in Philadelphia which would also be a worship destination. However, the costs overshot initial estimates, and the project remained stuck for a long duration. In the year 1749, Benjamin Franklin, the legendary inventor, printer and future founding father of the United States of America (USA), published his famous essay Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth. Benjamin Franklin circulated the essay among the citizens of Philadelphia and organized 24 trustees for setting up a higher education institution. This group bought the building, and in 1751, they opened its doors to children of the gentry and working-class called it the Academy and Charitable School in the Province of Pennsylvania. Franklin remained president of the school till 1755 and a trustee till 1790. 

Ultimately, Penn got its own collegiate charter in 1755, a first-class graduate in 1757 and set up the first medical school in the American colonies back in 1765. It was the first American higher education institution to become a university in 1779. It expanded to another campus in 1802 and outgrew the same, leading to the establishment of another new campus in 1872 at West Philadelphia.

The University of Pennsylvania has students representing every state in the USA along with 100 other countries. It is ranked amongst the top-10 national universities while admitting 10,000 UG students and 10,000 PG and professional students annually. Financial aid is offered to several students, with the institution having disbursed $2billion in UG funding since 2004 to 22,000+ pupils. 46% of UG pupils also got financial aid via grants in 2018-19. One of the world’s biggest research institutions with an annual research budget of $1 billion and 4,000+ active members of faculty. The University of Pennsylvania acceptance rate is 9% as of 2020. 

Some famous alumni include Gloria Allred (American civil rights lawyer), Donald Trump (former US President and businessman), Anil Ambani (Indian businessman and chairman of Reliance Group), Elon Musk (founder of SpaceX and Tesla), Elizabeth Banks (actor), Warren Buffet (CEO of Berkshire Hathaway), Tory Burch (fashion designer), Bruce Dern (two-time winner of the Academy Award and noted actor), Jennifer Eagan (author and Pulitzer Prize winner), Dave Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal (co-CEOs at Warby Parker), and others. Some of them include Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of Apple giant Steve Jobs and a successful entrepreneur, Leonard Lauder, chairman emeritus at Estee Lauder; singer-songwriter John Legend, Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of the popular Dr. Oz Show and Ivanka Trump, daughter of former US President Donald Trump.

Founded in 1933, Wilkes University is a private, co-ed, comprehensive institution. The university is located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

The university's campus encompasses thirty-five acres and includes eight academic buildings, 20 residence halls, nine administrative buildings. The campus bell tower is 61 feet high and the library at the university contains more than 220,000 books. Wilkes is the only university of the size to offer the expansive blend of professional and liberal arts programs. The students will have the chance to browse various majors across six different schools. The colleges offer majors in science, education, engineering, business, and liberal arts for undergraduate and graduate students. With such huge numbers of various programs, students will have a wide scope of options. In addition to bachelor degree programs, Wilkes offers master's degree programs and doctoral/terminal certificate programs including the doctor of nursing practice, doctor of education, doctor of pharmacy, doctor of philosophy in nursing, and master of fine arts in creative writing.

Presently the university has around 2,500 undergraduate students from 31 states and 15 countries. There are 155 faculty members in this university and the student to teacher ratio is 12:1. Additionally, on average, the class sizes are freshmen classes, 24 students; upper-level classes, 16 students; graduate classes, 9 students. Lectures and study groups are imperative parts of the college experience, however, the Wilkes faculty needs students to effectively utilize that book learning. Students have worked with Dr. Abas Sabouni on technology that could revolutionize breast cancer diagnosis, and others studied north of the Arctic Circle with Dr. Ned Fetcher researching the impacts of environmental change on plants. The staff of Zebra Communications, the student-run public relations agency, has directed fundraising campaigns for the Salvation Army.

At Wilkes, students will have the chance to work side by side with their professors, picking up research experience at the undergraduate level. As an NCAA Division III school, Wilkes offers students the chance to be a genuine student-athlete. They can choose from 20 or more games. The university supports a balance of academic and athletic excellence, while the Division III season likewise gives students the opportunity to take part in other co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities.

Wilkes has more than 80 clubs and organizations on campus where students can engage in various activities. Most financial aid packages which the university offers combine scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. Funding may be offered by the federal government, state government, Wilkes, and other private sources. Some of them are Freshman, Transfer scholarships, Federal Direct loan program, and Loans. More than 96% of full-time undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid.

Notable alumni are Ann Bartuska, Jackson Berkey, Marty Blake, Gabriel J. Campana, and many more.

Elizabethtown College is a private college which is established in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. This renowned educational institution named Elizabethtown College was chartered in 1899 by the members of the “Church of the Brethren”. Every member of that Church was interested in situating an organisation to serve various higher education courses for their denomination in eastern Pennsylvania. This is one of the finest colleges which is located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania and it usually offers the best quality education facilities for students. Elizabethtown College associates the most popular professional programs, internships, A few high-impact experiences such as research, Cross-cultural study and so on. Students from different places come to be a part of this famous college to enhance their core knowledge so that they can grab various job opportunities according to their preferences. 

York College of Pennsylvania is a private college located in Spring Garden Township, Pennsylvania. This reputed educational institution offers over 70 baccalaureate majors in various professional programs. The founder of York College institute was Samuel Small this college was founded between 1799 to 1885 as a graduate of "York Country Academy" and after some time, they became one of the town's best citizens. The founder of York College has a reliable business partner named Chas. The York College of Pennsylvania is ranked 93 out of 181 'Religion Universities North’. This ranking is given by US News. Schools are ranked on behalf of their performances crosswise a set of globally accepted symbols of excellence".  It has ranked 150 in "Top Performers on Social Mobility" and also ranked 177 in "Engineering Program". 

Pennsylvania Western University, Clarion which is also known as Pennwest Clarion is a public university campus in Clarion, Pennsylvania. Clarion became a renowned college on May 28, in the year 1929 and Dr. G.L. Reimer became the president of the famous educational institution named Clarion University. The conception was in the middle of an unparalleled industrial boom. According to US News, the Clarion University of Pennsylvania is ranked 111 out of 181 'Religion Universities North'. Schools are ranked on behalf of their performances crosswise a set of globally accepted symbols of excellence.