<p>My daughter just got a call from Bates, one of her top choices, that she's in off the waitlist. Impressive. Great school. Hard to be admitted. No Greek life. Widely known and admired. We live in the New England and are getting tired of explaining where Lafayette is (and "really it's a good school") since very few seem to know it. However, she settled on Lafayette after much debate and is now totally conflicted. She's a political science/government major. Bates has a well-respected department in this field and Laf seems to have mixed reviews on profs in that area. Help. Any thoughts? What would you do?</p>
<p>It sounds like you are much more excited about Bates so if that is the case for your D as well then she should go there. After seeing a ton of LACs (including Bates) my D chose to apply ED to Lafayette and is thrilled to be going there in the fall. Something clicked with Lafayette and she felt it was the right place for her. But a lot of this decision is personal and two different people can reasonably make two different choices. Good luck wherever she goes.</p>
<p>In the end it should be how your daughter feels. My older son applied as a transfer student to both, but knew from visiting that Lafayette was a much better fit for him. After all Name recognition isn’t everything and if she has bought into Laf, maybe she and you should look at it as a way to help other New Englanders expand their horizons and recognize a name a little further away;-). Keep in mind there are other parts of the country that would say the same thing about Bates.</p>
<p>What would I do? From our visits, it’s very clear to me, but it’s your daughter who needs to live it. I will bring my younger son to visit Bates this summer and will be interested to see his reaction. He loves New England and especially Maine, but I don’t know what he will think of Bates.</p>
<p>Actor, my niece attended Bates, class of '01 I think, majored in chemistry and is now an attorney. She absolutely loved it. That being said, I sincerely think both schools offer good programs in lots of disciplines, and for liberal arts colleges, so long as you challenge yourself do very very well, the major is really less important, your future is secured. Have many relatives/siblings who attended top LACs - and they all maintain this to be true. What I really wanted for my son was to go to the best all around LAC he could - I suspect he will probably change his major down the road anyway. That being said, I personally think where ever your daughter thinks she will be happiest is where she should be. My S was wait listed at William and Mary, which was his top choice. He’s met and is friends now with so many Lafayette students that even if William and Mary pulled him from the wait list now, and I’m certain they will not, he’d say no. Maybe your D should take another trip to both to talk to a professor or two. After all, it’s the college community who will partially determine her happiness on a campus - not what the people around you think of her school.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’d be willing to wager than the proportion of New Englanders who’ve never heard of Lafayette is equal to the proportion of Pennsylvanians who have never heard of Bates.</p>
<p>Your D should go to whichever is the best for her and your family regardless of who has heard of what.</p>