The city of York, a picturesque business center located in York County, PA, can boast of strong roots in the history of the founding of the United States. Dating prior to 1741, the city was founded when two surveyors, Baltzer Spengler and Ulrich Whisler, laid out a town on the banks of the Codorus Creek. They named it after York, England. In 1777, during the Revolutionary War, it served as a temporary capital for the Continental Congress. While in York, they adopted the Articles of Confederation, the United States' first constitution.

York's northern location provides the variety of four seasons throughout the year, with temperatures ranging from 25 F during scenic winters to over 85 F during idyllic summers. Its population of nearly 41,000 enjoys local attractions for arts, entertainment, and dining. Individuals may partake in casual dining at restaurants including the Blue Moon Café and Eat ‘n' Park, while also enjoying the finer flavors of dining in establishments such as the Accomac Inn and The Commonwealth Room. An array of sights and sounds can be experienced indoors at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, the DreamWrights Youth & Family Theatre. Outdoors, area parks including the Heritage Rail Trail County Park and the Rocky Ridge County Park support activities all year round including horseback riding, running, bicycling, camping, rafting, hunting, fishing, and skiing.

York is a blue-collar town with a strong and successful manufacturing business sector. Among these businesses are a final-stage assembly plant for motorcycle company Harley-Davidson, weightlifting supply company York Barbell, and tank recovery vehicle manufacturer United Defense. Outside of this manufacturing sector, several other companies including the corporate headquarters of retail clothing chain Bon-Ton, apple food products company Mott's, and potato chip company Frito-Lay are located in York. The successes of these companies provide numerous opportunities for students in and around York.

Private Colleges & Universities

• York College of Pennsylvania
• Messiah College
• Gettysburg College
• Dickinson College

Public Colleges & Universities

• Penn State York
• Penn State Harrisburg
• Harrisburg Area Community College
• Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Professional & Technical Schools

• York Technical Institute
• Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts
• Yorktowne Business Institute
• Consolidated School of Business
• Empire Beauty School
• York County School of Technology and Practical Nursing

Selecting a school and program can sometimes be confusing for a student. Students will find a wide variety of programs to choose from within the educational institutions of the York area. Some programs offered are as follows but not limited to: Accounting, Behavioral Science, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Clinical Laboratory Science, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Economics & Finance, Elementary Education, Engineering Management, English, Fine Art, Forensic Chemistry, Graphic Design, History, Information Systems, Long-Term Care Administration, Management, Marketing, Mass Communication, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Music, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Nursing, Philosophy, Physical Science, Political Science, Pre-law Studies, Pre-medical Studies, Professional Writing, Psychology, Public Relations, Recreation and Leisure Administration, Respiratory Care, Secondary Education, Sociology, Spanish, Speech Communication, Sport Management, and Theatre.

With so many areas of study, how can a student choose? First, a student should take time to reflect on what they want to do. “Interests and strengths should be more important than what is big in industry,” says Christy Botdorf, Career Services Counselor at Penn State York's Advising and Career Center. “Find your passion and then pursue your passion.”

As well, students are advised to investigate the career that interests them. “Find out what you like and don't like,” Botdorf comments. “The best way to do that is through internships. You can learn from them and you can ask questions. That way you can compare and contrast and figure out if you like it.”

Another factor to consider would be the industry around the location of the school, if there were interest in remaining in the area after graduation. “York has traditionally been a manufacturing center,” says Matt Jackson, Director of Economic Development for the City of York. “We are, however, seeing a gradual transition over to the service based sector, meds and eds as we like to call it. We just had a community college open, Harrisburg Area Community College, which already has 900 students. It's expected to triple in size over the next couple of years.”

York strives to keep its economy thriving and vibrant, which will make more job opportunities for graduates. “Our motto is ‘the best social policy is one more job,'” Jackson says. “We try to encourage job growth in all job sectors…professional office, medical and educational, manufacturing, retail, and arts-related jobs because each job impacts a life for the good and improves our community as a whole.”

Private Universities

• York College of Pennsylvania - 9,350 full time

Public Universities

• Pennsylvania State University - York - $9,722 resident; $14,854 non-resident

Technical/Professional

• York Technical Institute - $23,200 full time

The examples provided are reflections of base tuition costs only and do not include items such as room and board, textbooks, and other fees different schools may assess. Be sure to research any additional costs that might significantly alter the total cost of attending a particular school.

Students also should not forget to apply for scholarships, a terrific source of aid that never needs to be repaid. Some scholarships specific to students in York are:

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund - For those of Hispanic heritage
• Vanguard Scholarship Program - For racial minorities pursuing studies in business, finance, economics, accounting, information technology, or the liberal arts
• The Garden Club of America Katherine Grosscup Scholarship - Up to $3000 for students studying horticulture or a related field
• U.S. Department of Justice - Police Corps Scholarship - Up to $7,500 for students that commit to earn a B.A., complete resident Police Corps training, and serve for four years as a police officer in the assigned agency
• SciTech Scholarship - Up to $3,000 for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in an approved science or technology field
• Technology Scholarship - Up to $1,000 for students enrolled in an approved science or technology program
• Robert C. Byrd Scholarship Program - For Pennsylvania high school graduates accepted for enrollment at an eligible institution of higher education

Internships can be paid or unpaid and can be for credit or non-credit. They may take place in many environments including government, corporate, and non-profit sectors. York companies such as RK&K Consulting Engineers, Harley-Davidson, York Barbell, and Bon-Ton offer scholarships to students in several fields including, but not limited to, accounting, communications, engineering, information technology, sales, and marketing.

Penn State is not the only school involved, however. Institutions in and around York all work together to provide opportunities for students. Botdorf continues, “Regionally, consortiums are in existence. We are smaller schools, so we pool our resources together…because it is a smaller community, and you will cross paths with the same people frequently.”