<pre><code> Lafayette College is a fantastic school academically, has a beautiful campus, and boasts a career services program that serves as a role model for colleges all over the nation. However, there are many limits that are placed on the school by its tiny size that may outweigh the benefits of the small class sizes and relationships with professors depending on who you are. First, the school can't sustain a robust list of majors due to its student body of just 2,500 undergraduates. So if you aren't 100% sure about what you want to do with your life beyond a shadow of a doubt, (most students aren't) there is a good chance that your perfect major doesn't exist here. One more thing to consider is the way in which STEM seems to dominate the campus, with more than half the students studying science, engineering or math. This is especially important to consider if you are a male, since the vast majority of your floormates and friends will be studying math or science, which can limit the type of perspectives and people that you are around if you are an engineer, and can make you feel somewhat ostracized or even inferior if you aren't in STEM. In addition, the small size affects the social scene in ways that should certainly not be ignored by any college-bound 18-year old.
Let me begin this part of the discussion by saying that no one should discount their own happiness during the college process; it is certainly possible to find a school with academics that rival Lafayette's that still has a thriving social scene and a diverse list of clubs and activities. Some examples: Trinity College, Lehigh University (as much as even I hate to admit it), University of Michigan, William and Mary, Northwestern, Duke, and UVA. Lafayette's nightlife is unfortunately dominated by sports teams and greek life, as I'm sure you've heard if you've been reading any other reviews. This is only such an issue since athletes make up a quarter of the student body, and greek life comprises about 40% of eligible students. These groups are the only ones that I've seen that have any sort of parties outside of residence halls, which makes it very difficult to meet other students outside of class or clubs. Not going to parties doesn't sound bad at first, but after being cooped up on an already small campus for months it definitely takes a toll.
I've also been very disappointed by the student organizations here, since the already-small list of clubs is full of groups that meet less than once a month, relate a specific major, or have dissipated completely due to lack of interest. In conclusion, unless you are an individual from a small town who is absolutely sure that they want to pursue engineering or science, you may have an extremely difficult time adjusting to Lafayette and should seriously consider all of your options for secondary education, despite how great Lafayette may or may not sound to you on paper.
I wrote this only because I am a student that after much debate has decided to transfer out of Lafayette, and is basically restarting the college process because I didn't know what Lafayette's size and culture really entailed. The main reason for my transfer is academic, I'm not exactly sure what I want to major in yet and Lafayette doesn't seem to offer enough options for me. However, the points I mentioned above as well as some I didn't are all certainly things to consider. If you have any questions about anything I mentioned, or anything about the school in general, don't hesitate to contact me. Thanks for reading.
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<p>Thank you for sharing your thoughts itclueless. As a current Lafayette junior, I do believe it’s important to stress the importance of finding the right fit. Lafayette has very much been the right fit for me, but I recognize that Lafayette is not perfect for every student–no college is. I especially disagree, however, with the idea that we are dominated by math and science. Roughly 50% of the students here are majoring in the social sciences or the humanities, and Lafayette dedicates significant resources to them. This is demonstrated by the fact that the two main construction projects going on right now (the Oeschle Center for Global Education and the Williams Arts Campus) are dedicated to those students! As for the social life, I have been pleased with it, although every student has a very different idea of what a satisfying social life is.</p>
<p>The best advice I can offer (and I think you would highly agree with this, itclueless) is to visit our campus multiple times so that you can get the sense of whether or not Lafayette is the right fit for you :)</p>
<p>Just some food for thought.</p>
<p>Taylor</p>
<p>I think this needs to be retitled, “Be Very, Very Sure that You Want a Small School Before Choosing a Small School.”</p>
<p>And that’s sound advice, which applies to any student considering any liberal arts college. Lafayette may indeed be more STEM-oriented than, say, Vassar. But so is Carleton. Different schools have different strengths - that’s something to consider before enrolling.</p>
<p>And Lafayette has Greek life. Yep, it doesn’t hide that fact. It also has any active sports culture. Not a secret either. But I find it hard to imagine that in a student body of 2,500, which is almost twice the size of several other well known LACs, one can’t find ones “people” - are they really not there, or does it just take more effort to find them?</p>
<p>Thanks dodgersmom…couldn’t have explained that better myself.</p>
<p>I totally agree that a small LAC is not for everyone. My S wanted a larger school and had a great experience mid sized university. My D wanted a LAC and is thriving at Lafayette. It is everything she wanted in a college – close relationships with professors, the chance to do research, close knit friendships, involvement in extracurriculars as well as a sorority etc. Every person should be honest with him/herself and seek out a school that is the right fit. I wish itclueless the best at whatever school he/she ends up at…but my D is thrilled with her decision to attend Lafayette and isn’t going anywhere!</p>
<p>@dodgermom, I agree that one can probably always find like-minded people in a pool of 2500 students, but each school definitely has a “theme” or “culture” that it is known for, especially small LACs (ie Oberlin and Reed have quirky artsy students) so I don’t agree that it is just a small school issue. I appreciate itclueless for bringing his/her perspective on this thread. Many schools on CC have either a very loyal alum or a student rep like Cap clueless, who provide a useful service by answering questions about the school but who also act as kind of public relations reps for the schools, (no offense intended here) so it is refreshing to be get some other participants to the discussion (especially posters who are not just out to bash a school because of sour grapes etc). I am biased in favor of small schools but at 60k a year fit is essential. </p>
<p>@captainclueless- I acknowledge that the distribution of STEM vs. non-STEM is around half and half, I just thought I should point out that the hefty majority of males in particular are studying science, technology, engineering and math. And while visits do help students get a feel for the campus itself, there is no way for a student to understand the limitations that size, athletics, or even greek life may put on the social scene or culture of a school from spending a few hours there during the day or talking to a couple students that are employed by the school. In my opinion, this is why review sites like this are so crucial. </p>
<p>@dodgersmom- Of course Lafayette isn’t hiding the fact that they have greek life or sports, but the fact that there are only 4 fraternities and 6 sororities creates a very exclusive atmosphere even as far as greek life goes. There are so few options that many students that I’ve spoken to that were interested in greek life never were able to get involved because of a lack of space. As far as athletics, DI sports for a school of this size are by no means normal. In fact, this is the smallest DI school in the country, causing them to be an even larger social powerhouse. As for your comment on the title, I somewhat agree. That title could have been used to address about half of the points I was making in regards to Lafayette (such as number of majors, etc.), but the other half of the content is specific to Lafayette (large percentage of STEM, nightlife), so I think I’ll keep the title as is. Also, I was a little bit confused by your comment about finding one’s “people,” I’ve formed a ton of great relationships here that will hopefully last long after I’m gone. </p>
<p>@raincat- Thanks for the comment, you’re correct in guessing that captainclueless is an employee of the school. </p>
<p>@happy1- Thanks for the well-wishing, glad your daughter likes it!</p>
<p>Just to provide a minor correction to what itclueless said—Lafayette is the 2nd smallest D1 school in the country; Davidson is the smallest.</p>
<p>Also, itclueless and raincat are correct; I am an employee of Lafayette Admissions. I am an admissions ambassador and their social media coordinator. That’s not something I’m trying to hide. I’d like to note, however, that I started my Q&A forums on CC long before I worked for admissions. I began them in September of 2011 (when I was a first year), and they only became part of my admissions work in August 2013. Despite working for admissions, the opinions that I share here are 100% candid. I am not trying to claim that Lafayette is perfect (because it most certainly is not- Lafayette has its problems as all schools do), and itlclueless brings up some very valid points. In reality, I have very much enjoyed my time here, and Lafayette is a school that I feel a deep sense of connection with. That’s what motivated me to work for admissions in the first place. itclueless, know that we do appreciate it when other students share their thoughts (positive or not) as long as they are candid.</p>
<p>Taylor</p>
<p>Although I didn’t realize you were actually an employee (lol I am pretty clueless,
pun intended) it was certainly clear that you are Lafayette’s “ambassador” so to speak, on this site. Like I said in my post, many if not all colleges (or perhaps only the private schools) have someone similar to help field questions and advocate for the school, this is pretty standard from what I can tell. You did not hide anything and I always felt that you were completely sincere in your enthusiasm for Lafayette. My only point was that while having you on CC is very helpful, it is good to get a broader spectrum of opinions/experiences. There isn’t a lot of activity on the Lafayette board, so sometimes it felt to me that we didn’t get as much variety of experiences. We are seriously considering Lafayette although it may not be possible financially. It is a great school as are many, but obviously everyone is looking for as perfect a fit as possible so it is good to hear and consider possible downsides to Lafayette.</p>
<p>Thanks raincat. I agree.</p>
<p>@ltclueless - I apologize if it appeared that I was belittling your concerns. That was not my intention. Much of what you said does apply to LAC’s in general, but as you and other posters have noted, the social scene at Lafayette is specific to Lafayette.</p>
<p>But I guess that’s where I’m a bit lost. You seem to be contradicting yourself, but I suspect it’s more likely that I’m just not completely understanding. So clarify for me, if you could . . .</p>
<p>If you’ve formed a “ton of good relationships” at Lafayette, what’s the problem? I understand that you still feel left out, but I don’t completely understand why. What are you looking for that’s missing?</p>
<p>And please don’t feel like I’m putting this all on you. To the contrary, I’m very much concerned that what you experienced could impact my student as well, if he ends up at school there. In another forum, someone asked the question, “What type of student would not fit at this school?” I guess that’s my question for you. In your experience, and focusing solely on life outside of class, what type of student is likely not to find a happy home at Lafayette?</p>
<p>I am a mother of a prospective student. I do feel concern about the social life aspect of the college. My son would not be a frat type. He is a stem major and reading these boards make me feel concerned. Is there a drama theatre?I saw a musical theatre described as a club. I feel like the club list does sound limited. Does the college facilitate freshman student activities and dorm activities to help them intermingle? Or is lafayette like two colleges, a fraternity athletic half and a half with other interests that have more trouble finding each other?</p>
<p>@chocol My D is a sophomore at Lafayette and maybe I can answer a couple of your concerns. My D is a STEM type and and a theater type and is incredibly happy at Lafayette. She had absolutely no trouble finding friends.</p>
<p>First, in terms of frats, there is no need to join. In fact, there are only I think four frats on campus and the majority of the guys do not join. There are other social outlets through clubs, friend groups etc. A good thing about Greek life is that nobody can rush until sophomore year. My D developed a very solid core of friends before rushing began – some friends went Greek and others didn’t and they all remain very close friends. </p>
<p>Secondly, my D has been involved in theater since she got to Lafayette. She immediately joined the Theater Undergound which is a small, less formal theater group – she has acted in those productions and has made a lot of close friends through that group. She has also been on the crew for a number of larger productions on campus. The small size of the school makes it easy to get involved in a meaningful way very quickly. In all honesty Lafayette is probably not be the best school for someone who aspires to be a Broadway musical theater actor but for a STEM person who loves theater, it has been perfect for her.</p>
<p>@dodgersmom- Thanks, although having a great group of friends doesn’t change my satisfaction with the nightlife, culture, or variety in clubs or majors. In particular it’s very frustrating for the lot of us sometimes to find out about a club that seems interesting, contact the president, then find out that the club doesn’t meet anymore. Also, the list of clubs (at least for me) has far too many organizations related to certain majors (particularly math or science) and not enough dedicated to interest or just blowing off steam. I guess I would say that from my experience, it seems like the type of student that has trouble here 1. came from an area that wasn’t a relatively small town (or had a lot going on and something to do most of the time, or even a large area to explore), 2. pursued a very broad range of activities and interests in high school, or 3. is very social, but not necessarily very “preppy.” This is purely opinion, but I believe that many students here would agree. </p>
<p>@Chocol- There is a drama theatre, and from what I understand it’s active. While I’ve had a great time growing closer to the people on my floor, I would have to say no to the dorm activities portion of your question. The last activity we had was kickball out in front of our dorm in november. That being said, it definitely varies from residence hall to residence hall, and there are students on my floor who often participate in intramural sports together, which are usually very well-organized. As far as freshman activities, it can be definitely be dry. As I’m typing this, I’m looking at a sign on the bulletin board that lists some school-facilitated activities: Fall Fest, Rivalry Week, Pard Glow, Talent Show, Spring Concert, and Disney Week. And I genuinely believe that a lot of students look forward to and enjoy these events, myself included. However, you should consider that this list spans the entire year. As for the two colleges question, I would have to agree with the latter point, though it is definitely far more true after around 5 p.m. There is some noticeable clique-like behavior with sports teams and athletes that is especially noticeable when sitting in dining halls or in the Farinon’s atrium, where athletes and greeks usually have the best seats. That being said, many of these types branch of and join clubs, and are generally pretty personable. At night though, I never see my greek or athlete friends. They are very consistently at closed parties that consist of two sports teams or greek organizations, or one of each. To be quite frank, the combination of these factors leads to the vast majority (I would say around 85-90%) of non-athlete and non-greek students choosing to drink in residence halls every weekend night. There are students (potentially like your son) that are perfectly satisfied with socializing with a few theatre (or any activity) friends at night, but if he’s interested in frequently meeting new people at night or the party scene at all, he may have a hard time. </p>
<p>^^^My D has had a different social experience. She sees her athlete and Greek friends after 5, she is invited to their social events (and invites them to hers), the same with some other friends who are in McKelvy which has a lot of events she goes to. I have no doubt that itclueless is giving you his honest experience, but my D’s has been different and seemingly more inclusive. Perhaps that is part of the reason why she is very happy at Lafayette while itclueless is transferring out.</p>
<p>@Chocol,</p>
<p>The theater programs at Lafayette are particularly active. Here is a list of the main theater organizations:</p>
<p>College Theater: This is coordinated by the faculty. They produce about 2-3 shows each semester and a musical every other year. college theater is the type where you can potentially earn a quarter credit for performance or production.</p>
<p>Marquis Players: This is completely student-run and focused on raising funds for various charities. They produce a showcase each fall and a musical each spring.</p>
<p>Theater Underground: This is more kamikaze and improv theater. They do random events around campus and try to produce a small show each semester (this semester they are doing “Dog sees God”, a one act play set in the Charlie Brown universe when the characters are in high school)</p>
<p>As for the dorm activities, this is largely facilitated by the RAs (such as myself). Every residence hall is very different in that each tend to form different types of communities. By the time I graduate, I will have lived in 5 different residence halls over 4 years. I am not in Greek Life or an athlete but I’ve found a great core group of friends based on other activities and organizations I am involved in.</p>
<p>Taylor</p>
<p>happy1, there could be a difference along gender lines as well…especially freshman year (I think Itclueless is a guy?) At our local U, frosh men are not allowed to pledge the frats until soph year and are thus welcome at frat parties as freshmen, whereas the women are always welcome at frat events no matter what year. (This may not be technically “allowed” but there is no enforcement of the policy). Not that I am thrilled with the idea of frat parties freshman year, or advocating partying, and personally my kids have other interests that they want to be involved with (music being a big one) but this structure seems odd in that it provides different socializing opportunities based on gender.</p>
<p>I’m glad to see some activity on the Lafayette forum. I appreciate everyone’s feedback and agree with one of the posters above that it is nice to have some parent/student input vs. the “official”, though candid, school input. From looking at a student newspaper on a recent visit and checking out the website, I was actually impressed with the breadth of activities that happen on campus. It was nice to see that Lafayette just hosted a TEDx event on Monday night. My student is planning on attending next year and is a double varsity athlete who will play a Club sport and wants to go Greek. I haven’t looked at the list of clubs yet, but I would imagine that students would be able to create new clubs if there was enough interest and leadership. Here’s a link to their calendar of events: <a href=“Social Events · Calendar of Events · Lafayette College”>https://calendar.lafayette.edu/categories/social-events-ceremonies</a></p>
<p>Thank you very much for answering this question about theatre at Lafayette. Do you have the choice of participating in college theatre or do you have to sign up for it as a class? I couldn’t find any info on college theatre on the club sites. Where would I look for more information on it? Can an engineer also take part in the plays as an extracurricular or is it a class that you are describing since you said one could possibly get some college credit for it? Do you mean theatre can be either an extracurricular or an elective class? </p>
<p>@chocol…As I understand it you can take a theater class or just sign up and participate. My D has some friends who are theater majors/minors but she has a lot of science classes and most likely won’t do that. She just enjoys theater. </p>
<p>The Theater Underground sounds like a pretty informal but group and there is no credit (but it seems she has made a lot of friends through this group). On some of the bigger plays, some people do it for credit and some others don’t. When she took a larger role on this year as part of the stage crew of a play a prof. suggested that she can get a 1/4 credit for her work so I think she filled out the paperwork to do that. There are some one credit classes in theater as well (most classes at Laf are 1 credit) , but she hasn’t found the time to take one yet. She does it because she enjoys it. </p>
<p>Again, in a small school, it sounds like the groups are inclusive and always looking for new people. Her freshman roommate had a part in a musical as a freshman.</p>
<p>Theater has been a fun extracurricular activity for my D. Again, if you want to be a Broadway actor, there are probably better schools but if for a a science person who enjoys being involved in theater it has been a great fit.</p>