Chances for Admission and Marquis Scholarship

Colleges and Universities A-Z Lafayette College
1

<p>Hello, I'm new to this website, but I've come to get other thoughts on what my chances are of getting into Lafayette College, my top choice.</p>

<p>Here's a profile of my basic info:
GPA: W - 4.1 UW - 3.9
Rank: As of last year, top 5%
Scores: SAT (using ScoreChoice) CR - 650 M - 710 W - 640
Curriculum: Most rigorous (highest level AP and Honors courses)
9-11 Score Report:
9) B, B+, A-, the rest A's
10)A-, the rest A's
11)Straight A's
Mid Year report for Senior year: This is where I am most worried. Senior year has been my hardest year with college applications, extracurriculars, and more AP's than I've taken before. Quarter 1: 2 B's, 2 B+'s the rest A's. Quarter 2 Predictions: B+, A-, the rest A's.
Extracurriculars: Orchestra (9-10), Key Club (10-12), Literary magazine (11-12 Co-editor leadership position), National Honor Society (11-12 Secretary leadership position), Theater (9-12, 2 musicals and 1 play each year, received 2 lead roles thus far), Hospital Volunteer (11-12)
Work Experience: Concessions employee at local amusement park during summer (35 hours per week)
Recommendations: 2 Teacher recommendations
Status: Early decision
Visits: An interview, group session, and tour during summer of 2009.</p>

<p>I know this seemed really excessive, but I know that a lot of credible people on these forums can give me an educated guess with this sort of information. If you would let me know what you think my chances of acceptance and possible Marquis or Trustee Scholarship are, it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! :)</p>

2

<p>No one here can predict your chances with any degree of accuracy, and I certainly am not qualified to predict the chances of your admission. Based upon recent class profiles, you certainly seem to be a solid candidate. Again, according to their website for the Marquis Scholarship, you seem to be a qualified candidate although your scores are on the low end of the spectrum.</p>

<p>You should try to reverse the downward trend in your GPA for your senior year. Adcoms want to see an upward trend in your grades. I know that you are extremely busy, but success in college, and at Lafayette in particular, is predicated upon time management skills.
Your lower grades this semester could be construed negatively, although your drop is not too serious.</p>

<p>Best of luck to you.</p>

3

<p>I would say your chance of admission is very good. As for the Marquis scholarship, I’m less certain. My daughter is a sophomore at Lafayette and a Trustee Scholar. Her stats were similar to yours but her test scores were higher (1450 SAT I and mid-700s in three SAT II subject tests). A friend of my daughter’s from our local HS was offered the Marquis last year with slightly lower test scores, a marginally lower GPA but higher class rank. The Lafayette students in my daughter’s circle of friends who are Marquis or Trustee scholars all have 1400/2100 SAT scores or higher, 3.8+ unweighted GPAs and class rank in the top 7% or better. </p>

<p>The last I knew the Trustee scholarship has been eliminated. On the other hand, the Marquis scholarship has been increased to $20,000 per year. If you are eligible for financial aid, I would be overly concerned about the merit scholarship, however, as Lafayette provides very competitive need-based packages.</p>

4

<p>No special application is required to be considered for the Marquis Scholarship. Recipients are chosen from among the most competitive students in the admissions applicant pool.</p>

<p>Marquis Scholars receive an annual minimum award of $20,000 ($80,000 over four years). Financial aid applicants who are designated as Marquis Scholars, and whose financial need exceeds $20,000 will receive a scholarship up to demonstrated need minus a campus job of $2,000 and a loan depending on family income (no loan for incomes under $50,000; a $3,500 loan per year for incomes above $50,000). Other special benefits of the Marquis Scholars program include:</p>

<ul>
<li>a scholarship of up to $4,000 for one faculty-led study-abroad course during an interim session</li>
<li>participation in special events and activities, including cultural opportunities</li>
</ul>

<p>Students admitted under both Early Decision and Regular Decision are considered for this scholarship, and will be notified of their selection at the time of admission. We anticipate enrolling approximately 10 percent of the entering class as Marquis Scholars.</p>

<p>Who Qualifies?
Lafayette seeks students who have demonstrated intellectual curiosity in addition to their superior academic achievement. Curriculum, grades, rank in graduating class, and scores on standardized tests are all considered. Furthermore, the College looks for students creatively engaged in the life of their communities and who, like the College’s namesake, have “made a difference” through significant accomplishments in school and community.</p>

<p>Scholarship recipients are typically at the top of their graduating class in the most demanding curriculum available, with SAT scores in the mid-1300s or better (Critical Reading and Math) or ACT Composite score of 31 or better.</p>

<p>All students who apply to Lafayette are considered for the program, based on the above criteria. The scholarship is renewed each year at Lafayette provided the student maintains a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00.</p>

5

<p>Thank you so much for the fast responses! Through the 4 years of my high school, I have had an upward GPA trend and I hope to improve my 2nd quarter grades so that they see an upward trend there. As for admission, I feel very confident that I will be accepted, especially with the early decision acceptance rate being so high. I was really worried about affording tuition, so that’s why I wanted the Marquis Scholarship. Now that I see how great their endowment is, I am not so worried about the aid :)</p>