Located in Reading, about an hour and a half from Philadelphia, Albright was founded in 1856 as a private, coeducational institution. Albright was originally affiliated with the Evangelical Association, a German-speaking denomination with beliefs similar to the Methodist Church. After a series of mergers with similar religious groups, the school became formally affiliated with the United Methodist Church in 1968. The college offers bachelor's degrees as well as a master's in education degree. As of February, 2011, Albright has approximately 1,625 students and 118 full-time faculty. Approximately half of its applicants are admitted and the average high school grade point average is 3.38.
Allegheny College describes itself as a college that "attracts students with unusual combinations of interests, skills and talents, including some they don't know they have." For example, a pre-med student may also study political science while a biology major may take ballroom dance, play basketball and conduct lab experiments in the same week. Located in the northwestern Pennsylvania town of Meadville, approximately 2,300 students attend Allegheny. The school requires students to select a minor that is in a different division of the college than their major. Allegheny is historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church, but at the present time is non-sectarian.
Lebanon Valley College is located on 340 rural acres in Annville, which is eight miles from Hershey. The school was founded by the United Church of the Brethren, and through a series of mergers, eventually became affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Lebanon Valley offers scholarships based on high school academics, not SAT scores. Lebanon Valley guarantees completion of an undergraduate degree in four years of full-time study or will provide free tuition for additional courses.
Lycoming College, located in Williamsport, is one of the 50 oldest institutions of higher learning in the United States. The school was founded by a circuit-riding Methodist preacher, the Rev. Benjamin Crever. Lycoming has evolved from a small academy affiliated with a theological seminary to a four-year college. The Carnegie Foundation classifies Lycoming as a "Baccalaureate College -- Arts & Sciences," meaning that it is one of 44 institutions that is small in student body size and that also offers a strong campus residential experience. Lycoming is focused exclusively on undergraduate degrees, has a selective admissions process and graduates 80 percent of its students.