HC's Complete College Guide: Shippensburg University

Location: Shippensburg, PA

Funding: Public

Size: 8,253

Percent Women: 50%

Tuition (one year): $24,046

Most Popular Majors: Elementary Education and Teaching, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Business Administration and Management, Marketing/Marketing Management

Greek Life: Yes

Acceptance Rate: 80%

For more information about financial aid, scholarships, majors, study abroad, and average test scores, visit Shippensburg University's website at www.ship.edu.

“I chose Ship because it is really affordable.  That's the main reason why I am here.”

"It's the perfect size. It's not overwhelmingly large. You can build relationships with professors and your peers. But it's also not so small that you see the same people everyday."

"The location. I'm from Philadelphia and wanted to get out of the bustle of the city to focus on school. I'm close enough to go back for the weekend if I need to."

“Ship was the only school I applied to.  I knew I was going here because it is so affordable.”

“I like the professors.  In the Geo Environmental program, there are a lot of small classes.  It’s more one-on-one with the professors.”

"The Luhrs Performing Arts Center brings in some awesome acts and musician. It's one of the largest venues in the area and students get discounted tickets."
 

"The class sizes are perfect and every professor I've had has been approachable."

 “We have a kick-ass mascot.  The Red Raider is sweet.”

“The clubs on campus are a lot of fun.  The school newspaper has helped me get internships to enhance my career.”

“The advisers are essentially clueless.  There have been multiple instances of students graduating late because of a mistake their adviser made.  There needs to be accountability with the advisors.”

“Commuters aren’t really respected on campus by the administration.  Considering more than half of the students commute to Ship, the administration should reach out to them.”

“There are not enough class slots for students.  During scheduling, many students can’t get the classes they need because they are all scheduled at the same time or run out of slots.”

“Being a freshman is fine.  Everyone seems really friendly.”

"If you live on campus you'll definitely have a leg-up in meeting people."

“Freshman seem to get along with everyone.  There are a lot of transfer students here, so there are a lot of first years.”

"Don't fret if you miss orientation. I know a lot of people who didn't go and have no trouble getting adjusted."

“The workload depends on your major.  I’m an English major, so obviously there is a ton of reading and writing.  I think it’s workable though.”

“The advising system is a joke.  Basically, you see your adviser twice a year for five minutes to schedule.  That’s it.”

“Classes fill up so fast.  Gen Eds can be really hard to get into, even if you're a senior.”

"The library can fill up pretty quickly but if you need somewhere peaceful to study there are a ton of secret little spots and study lounges on campus."

“I love the creative writing professors.  The program is not very big, but the professors care a lot.”

“Some professors can be really lazy.  It all depends on who you choose.  I would recommend looking up all professors online first before enrolling in a class.”

"ShipUnderground.com is the best resource out there. It ranks all the professors and tells you exactly what it'll be like having them. I've scheduled classes off reviews from there and have never regretted it."

“A lot of people go to office hours.  Sometimes it’s helpful and sometimes it’s a waste of time.  It depends on the professor.”

“There are a lot of smaller clubs that I would never have known about except that some of my friends are in them.  I would just ask people if you hear of a club that sounds fun.”

"There's a great range of clubs on campus. Everything from Pokemon club to Christian Fellowship."

“Starting your own club can be difficult at Ship.  There are a lot of signatures you need to get.”
 

“I think a lot of people are in clubs.  Some of the clubs are not recognized by Ship, but people get together anyway.”

“Sports are a big part of life at Ship.  It’s not as crazy as Penn State, but football games are usually well attended.”

“The student athletes tend to mix with everyone else.  Everyone is in the same boat at Ship.”

“There are a lot of intramural club sports.  I think ultimate Frisbee must be popular.  I always see them in the quad.”

“There is a women’s center, and you can minor in women’s studies.  There are a lot of conservative people on campus, so the whole Plan B fiasco a few years ago didn’t really boost support of women on campus.  This is the modern age, people.”

"There's a big female presence in Greek Life. For the most part the ladies on campus stick together, which is great."

“Some women dress classy and some dress trashy on campus.  I think it depends on whether you have an eight a.m. class or not.”

“Food on campus can be expensive.  A lot of people just go to McDonalds or Sheetz down the road.”

"There's a good variety on campus. There are big name spots like Papa John's and Starbucks but there's also smaller places to get subs, wraps, burgers, whatever you want."

“There is a Starbucks on campus, but expect to stand in line for at least 30 minutes.  It’s crazy.”

"The dining service makes a huge effort to be sustainable, which is really important. A lot of the food comes from local vendors and farms which is awesome."

"There are two sit-down style dining halls, Reisner and Kriner. Everyone says Kriner is the finer diner."

“A lot of people party.  Richard Avenue is the place to go, but it’s pretty shady.  Just watch out for cops.”

“There are no real dance clubs, besides Wibs, but there are a few bars to go to.  Most of the bars are gross, so I just go to house parties.”

“I think house parties are the biggest way to party at Ship.  People party all week.”
 

"The drinking and parties start Thursday night and don't end until early Sunday morning. Ship is a dry campus, so almost all the fun happens off-campus."

“Most people live off campus.  The dorms are not worth dealing with.”

"Ship has a lot of new suite-style halls. They are very nice, but very expensive and have way too many rules."

"Most people move off campus by their junior year."

“The Appalachian Trail is really close.  That could be fun to hike when the weather is nice.”

"There are a few local music and art venues, like The Thought Lot, that are really chill to hang out."
 

“Ship is such a small town.  People usually work and do internships in the surrounding towns.”

"The Chambersburg mall is only like a ten minute drive, but it's disappointing. For real shopping you have to go a little farther."
 

“A lot of people go off campus to do fun things.  There isn’t really a nightlife at Ship.”

Want more information? Visit www.hercampus.com/ship!