<p>Hey Justin,</p>
<pre><code> Thanks very much for your thoughtful responses to my questions. I'm going to Marquis Scholar Day on April 3rd. Maybe I'll see you there. Thanks again.
Zach
</code></pre>
<p>Zach,</p>
<p>I just signed up to eat lunch with you guys on April 3...keep an eye out for me! I'll be wearing a maroon Lafayette College jacket, most likely.</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>Hey Justin,
Since some international students have received their acceptance letters vie email, should I presume I have been rejected?</p>
<p>waleedk87,</p>
<p>If you did not receive an email decision yet, that does NOT mean that you have been rejected. Not at all. Emails are being sent out sporadically in "chunks", so give it some time. Keep in mind that U.S. students receive their decision by mail April 1, so there is still time for international students to receive their decisions. </p>
<p>Hang in there!</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>Through what a current Lafayette student said, I believe those e-mails have already been sent......
which means I don't get admitted.</p>
<p>How much "Merit" aid does Lafayette give out. I heard only about 15% get any.</p>
<p>Hey Nightingale,</p>
<p>That 15% statistic is correct. I have taken the liberty of pasting into this post some basic information on the Marquis and Trustee Scholarships from the Lafayette website.</p>
<ul>
<li>Marquis and Trustee Scholarships -</li>
</ul>
<p>Lafayette College is a demanding environment that enhances the process of intellectual discovery. For those students who have distinguished themselves through high academic achievement and who have demonstrated intellectual curiosity through involvement in school and community programs, Lafayette offers a greater challenge.</p>
<p>Each year, Marquis and Trustee Scholarships are awarded to approximately 15 percent of the entering class. Marquis Scholars receive $16,000 a year ($64,000 over four years) or full grants instead of any loans to meet their financial need. Trustee Scholarships are $8,000 a year ($32,000 over four years) or a full grant to meet a students financial need.</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 engaged in independent, creative scholarship who have demonstrated significant accomplishments through involvement in school and community.</p>
<p>Scholarship recipients typically have the following profile: top 3-4 percent of their graduating class in the most demanding curriculum available, with SAT mid-50 percent range of 1390-1480. Characteristics vary slightly from year to year, depending upon the strength of the Colleges applicant pool. </p>
<p>(NOTE: I heard this year's average SAT for incoming scholars was a 1480, which made it extra hard to receive a merit scholarship!)</p>
<p>All students who apply to Lafayette are considered for the program, based on the above criteria, though the program is limited to U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents. The scholarship is renewed each year at Lafayette provided the student maintains a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00. Students who are also requesting need-based financial aid must file the CSS Profile and other documents by the deadlines.</p>
<p>Students selected for an academic scholarship receive an official letter of notification in March. </p>
<p>(NOTE: Lafayette provides more than $22.7 million in scholarships and grants to about 55% of enrolled students.)</p>
<p>I hope that clears up any questions you may have had on the topic.</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>Candyman,</p>
<p>My daughter will be attending Lafayette next year. Lap tops versus desk tops? Microsoft is introducing a new OS at the end of this year, which means all freshman who purchase a Windows based computer this Fall will have an "old" system within a few months forcing them to go through the hassle of upgrading. Apple solves that issue, but will that work at Lafayette. </p>
<p>Appreciate your thoughts.</p>
<p>safisher,</p>
<p>Great question! My answer can be summed up in just a few words:</p>
<p>GET A NON-MAC LAPTOP!</p>
<p>First off, desktops take up too much room on/around one's desk area. Also, they are not portable (of course!), so your daughter would be "stuck" inside her own dorm room whenever she needed a computer. Even though we do have many public computer facilities on campus (one of them is open 24/7), you really should have your own computer. Also, desktops are difficult to carry if your daughter would ever need to have her computer serviced by Computer Services downstairs in Pardee Hall.</p>
<p>Even though laptops are slightly more expensive than comparable desktops, spend the few extra dollars and get the laptop. Your daughter will be able to go all around campus and get her work done (start a paper in her room, go to Skillman Library, then on over to Farinon College Center, etc.) Also, many buildings on campus have wireless internet access, which is a GREAT convenience for laptop owners. We are currently working on plans to make the entire campus wireless, including all of the residence halls. Also, keep in mind how much easier it would be for your daughter if she needed to bring a laptop to Computer Services versus a bulky desktop tower.</p>
<p>Remember that you do not need to purchase the most advanced and fastest laptop on the market...get one with a decent hard drive (at least 40 GB) and at least 512 MB of memory. Built-in Intel Centrino Mobile Technology is a must. Make sure to purchase Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition ($124.99 at Amazon.com) software and install Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint before arriving on campus...those programs are a must-have. For the most part, your daughter will be typing documents, surfing the web for research (and for fun!), instant messaging friends, emailing professors, listening to music, etc., all of which are pretty basic computer functions.</p>
<p>Why not a Mac? Compatability issues, of course! The majority of students (and professors) use Windows, so if your daughter were to be working in a group with a Mac, she would come across issues while sending information to others in her group who have Windows. Whenever I have a group Powerpoint presentation project, the person with the Mac is always the problem because they can't send their slides in one piece to anyone else. I know that Windows XP will become Windows Vista in 2007 (they delayed it!), but don't let that turn you in the other direction...I am sure Microsoft will make the upgrading process as painless as possible!</p>
<p>Also know that, since your daughter has decided on attending Lafayette in the fall (yay!), she will soon be receiving a TON of information in the mail regarding everything you could possibly imagine. Look for a sheet which has pictures of computers on it...Lafayette has programs with Gateway, Dell, and Apple (Macs) to offer student discounts. You choose a base model, and can upgrade it as much as you like...the discount amounts to a few hundred dollars in the end, so definitely take advantage of that opportunity. I got a Gateway M460e laptop through this program, customized it over the phone as I was ordering it, and received the computer directly from the manufacturer in China in about two weeks during the summer.</p>
<p>I hope this "crash course" in computer buying helps...you should be receiving a packet in the mail which explains all of this in greater detail within the coming months entitled "Lafayette Computing Services 2006-2007", but until then, you'll have to rely on what I have outlined in this post.</p>
<p>Make sure to tell your daughter that I am very excited to hear she will be coming to Lafayette in the fall...she made a great choice, for sure!</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>Candyman,
My acceptancve letter says that the committe expects me to finish the final year of high school grades with the same high academic standards that i have had for the past few years. How bad does one have to do for their acceptance to be reviewed?? Since i live in Pakistan we have two examinations at the end of the year, school exams and then A-levels. What happens if i do really bad in the school ones but insanely good in the Alevels. the school marks become availbale at end april while the alevel marks come out in august!</p>
<p>rizkid,</p>
<p>In order for Lafayette to have ANY reason to revoke their offer of admission, you would have to do terribly on your school exams. Even though your A-Level examinations will not be available until August, the college will still take a peek at those marks in addition to your school examination marks.</p>
<p>Unless you are planning on BOMBING either set of tests, do not worry...it takes a lot of effort on the part of an accepted student to have a college revoke an offer of admission. Every year, there are of course a few accepted students who get serious cases of "senioritis", but even those students usually end up on campus in the fall (possibly with some kind of academic probation...maybe a 3.00 GPA requirement the first semester, or something like that!)</p>
<p>Do not worry so much...just by writing your post, I can see that you care enough about your grades so as not to let them slip into the "danger zone".</p>
<p>I'll see you on campus in the fall.</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>candyman92486---I have been reading your threads for the past few weeks and am thankful that you are so willing to help us.(parents and future Lafayette students) My D was accepted and now has some tough choices between some good schools. If my D decides on Lafayette (my personal choice for her!!), you may get sick of my s/n on this site as I will have a ton a questions for you. It's great to see a student like yourself so enthusiastic about the school they attend. :)</p>
<p>Hey everybody! I got my acceptance email recently. I'm for Ecuador, South America. I have a few questions for you guys:
1. What is a "Lafayette Mengel Loan"? (I couldn't find it in the website)
2. Is there a dorm prefered by international students?
3. Ho are the dorms? I mean, what do you get, bathroom? matress? dresser?
4. Should I bring/buy a bike for transportation or it isn't nesessary?
5. How far is it from NYC, how much time it gets to get there and how much it costs if I don't have a car?
6. What amount for fin aid do international students ussually get?
7. How does campus job work and what job would you recommend me to ask for?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Hey ediaz,</p>
<p>You are coming all the way to Easton, Pennsylvania from Quito, Ecuador? THAT IS AWESOME! Congratulations on being accepted...I hope you are looking forward to arriving on campus in the fall.</p>
<p>In response to your questions...</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I honestly have no idea what a Lafayette Mengel Loan is. I looked around the website, through all the financial aid literature I could get my hands on, and even asked a few employees in the admissions office...I'll have to get back to you on that one!</p></li>
<li><p>International students reside in each and every residence hall on campus in equal amounts...no one residence hall is for international students, nor do such students gravitate to one facility.</p></li>
<li><p>The residence halls at Lafayette are really VERY nice. They are quite comfortable and are more than liveable. Please see some of my previous posts in this thread ("I'll Answer Your Lafayette Questions!") for more specific information on each living option for first-year students such as yourself. Just to answer your specific inquiry, be aware that the bathroom situation is slightly differing depending on the residence hall...some are communal and some are private. They are all cleaned and disinfected every weekday by a custodial staff in the building. All rooms have mattresses. All rooms have wooden furniture, which includes a desk, desk chair, desk hutch, bookcase, set of drawers, bed frame, and clothing wardrobe, so do not worry about having to bring any big pieces of furniture!</p></li>
<li><p>You definitely DO NOT need a bicycle, unless you plan on riding it around the city of Easton for exercise (better yet, go to the athletic complex and work out on the elliptical machines!) The campus is compact, and in addition, why take the chance that it could get stolen?</p></li>
<li><p>We are within a one hour and thirty minute bus ride from the Easton bus stop to New York City. The cost is $32 round-trip, so it is very easy to gather some friends and take a trip into NYC/Philadelphia for one day on the weekend if you don't have too much work. Check out the sites, eat some good food, and waste the day away!</p></li>
<li><p>International students go through the exact same process when the time comes to determine financial aid packages (grants, loans, work-study). Statistically, international students usually get very respectable financial aid packages because many of them come from less fortunate backgrounds. Many international students I know do not have to pay a dime for tuition, which is great!</p></li>
<li><p>If you have a work-study as part of your financial aid package, as do many international students, you will be able to get a job FOR SURE! You could work in the library restocking the shelves, checking out books, etc. You could work in Computer Services if you are tech-savvy. Maybe you would like to become a tour guide for the Admissions Office? How about being the night manager at Gilbert's Cafe? Receptionist at the athletic center? There are so many different positions on campus for all interests, and getting a job is NEVER a problem for anyone who is looking. I recommend you work a job that seems cool to you...do a little research when you get to campus because I am sure I don't know half of the jobs we offer to students!</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I have the greatest respect for you as an international student...I could NEVER go to school in a foreign country because I do not think I would be able to adjust. However, I am sure you will do just fine.</p>
<p>If you think of any other questions, I'd be more than happy to respond.</p>
<p>Later,</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>Thanks J, (by the way, is your name Justin Albstein?)</p>
<p>I got a lot of literature on the mail yesterday. I read about the Mengel Loan so don't worry about it. FYI is just the name they give to the Intl Studoent Loans. Thanks about the tip about the bike (I've got some friends in the states that told me to ask someone in Lafayette about it because it was a must at their universities.) But, it made me come up with a new question: How secure is the campus / Easton?
I read previous answers and I think I would like to go Keefe Hall. In the literature it says that rooms are assigned according to deposit date. This means that if I do my deposit as soon as possible my chances to get into Keefe Hall are better? What would you advise me to put down in the residence hall questionnarie to sharpen my chances?
About the laptop, how much does it cost to get a decent one with the Lafayette discounts?
Do you know if there is any Ecuadorian at Lafayette?</p>
<p>I got good fin aid and I'm really excited about Lafayette. Im still waiting for other decisions, but Lafayette is one of my top choices. It is great to have someone like you to answer our questions! Thanks!</p>
<p>ediaz,</p>
<p>Thanks for that information on the Mengel Loan...I am not as familiar with admissions for international students as I should be, I guess!</p>
<p>BTW, my name is Justin Sayde...I do not know a Justin Albstein. Is he a student? I checked the Lafayette online directory, and his name does not come up in the results. Is he a Lafayette employee? How did you hear of this "other" Justin?</p>
<p>The campus is very secure. Public Safety, the "police force" on campus (a few actually do carry guns and are real policemen) are very vigilant to make sure all students feel safe at all times. Since we are on College Hill, we are pretty separated from the outside area of Easton just down the hill. A blue light phone system is installed all over campus, so if you EVER feel unsafe, you can use those phones. I do not know anyone who feel sunsafe walking around late at night...the campus is small, well lit, and has other people walking around at all times of the day and night. It is just common sense to go into Easton with someone else, if possible...I have gone into the city on my own so many times, but maybe that isn't the smartest idea. Again, it is best to travel in a group, and that goes for ALL college towns.</p>
<p>Read my descriptions in previous posts about the residence halls at Lafayette. Keefe Hall is an awesome choice...we have carpeting, air conditioning, decent-sized rooms, and great commons areas for each section of the building. It was built in 1999, so it is still in GREAT condition. We like to joke and call Keefe Hall the Keefe Hotel because it is quite comfortable...not what most people would expect from a college residence hall!</p>
<p>The sooner you commit and send in that admissions deposit of $500 (which you will get back) to reserve your spot in the Class of 2010, the better chance you will have of living in Keefe Hall next year. Remember that Keefe Hall holds very few first-year students (about 25-30), so it fills up quickly. Make sure to check the box next to "wellness" because Keefe Hall is an entirely substance-free residence hall. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter what your answers are to the other questions.</p>
<p>To get a "decent laptop", you could spend anywhere from $700-1200 easily. Some of my friends went crazy and spent around $1500-1700 for a high-end laptop, but that is totally unnecessary. I spent about $1300 myself for my Gateway laptop, but that is because I upgraded a few parts (bigger hard drive, more memory, etc.) If you just wanted a laptop that would work well for typing, surfing the web, etc. you would need to spend around $800 with student discounts. That is quite a rough estimation, but take it for all it is worth.</p>
<p>I do not know any Ecuadorian personally, but I am sure there are Ecuadorians on campus. Remember, I have only been on campus for a semester and a half, so I have yet to meet A LOT of people. I know many internatioal students from all over the world (China, Korea, Japan, Russia, Bolivia, Jamaica, Kenya, and more!)</p>
<p>I am so glad to hear that you are excited about Lafayette...make sure to consider all of your choices carefully before making the "big decision".</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>hey justin, </p>
<p>The other justin is someone who wrote a good review about lafayette in a book i have. nevermind.</p>
<p>I have two good fin aid offers so far and I'm still waiting for others. Still lafayette is one of my top choices (even when the other fin aid offer is much better...)</p>
<p>Thanks for the advise of Kefee Hall. I would really like it there i think. And you might just become my RA jaja. How's that going? Did you get the position?
Another thing, do you think you could look up email adresses for ecuadorian students in lafayette for me please? I would really like to have a perpective from someone with my cultural background. Just if you can. </p>
<p>Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>Hi, I have a question about the student body.</p>
<p>I love everything about Lafayette and the only thing I am really questioning is social life and student body. The main question is... are they friendly and laid back? A lot of things I have read, people have said everyone there (or at least the majority) are the typical rich, upperclass, preppy, and spoiled brats. While I understand that some of "these" might exist at almost all campuses, does this group dominate the campus?</p>
<p>Thanks for any answers.</p>
<p>ediaz,</p>
<p>I actually was offered the job of RA of the Dry Surfers floor in Keefe Hall (no first-year students, though) and have decided to take the position. I will be living in Keefe 325 next year...make sure to pay me a visit!</p>
<p>My roommate said he knew the name of at least one student from Ecuador, so next time I get the chance, I will ask him for his/her name and email address. I also have to stop by the Admissions Office tomorrow (Friday), so I'll check there as well for you.</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>Hey Jimmy2588,</p>
<p>That is a great question for you to ask. Like many similar colleges/universities (Bucknell, Colgate, Muhlenberg, Lehigh, etc.), there seems to be a decent amount of white preppy students. Are they all spoiled brats? I am sure a good amount are. Does everyone pop their collar? A few people choose to. Is everyone friendly? Absolutely!</p>
<p>This "group" you describe does not dominate campus in any way. Students love to socialize over lunch in Farinon, on their way to classes, and in residence halls. People do tend to gravitate toward people similar to themselves, but that is just human nature.</p>
<p>I am white myself, but I am DEFINITELY not preppy, spoiled, rich, etc. I have a few friends whom you might classify as "white rich spoiled preppy students", but I also have friends of all ethnicities from all kinds of backgrounds and from all over the country/world. Even though Lafayette is not known for its diversity, starting with the incoming Class of 2010, we expect minority student enrollment to increase from 15% of the student population to about 25% within the next few years, an initiative which students seem to really be embracing all throughout campus.</p>
<p>I was pleasantly surprised to discover how laid back most students are at Lafayette. Even though everyone knows how to work hard when it counts, everyone seems to know how to have good times as well.</p>
<p>Make sure to visit campus so that you can see the student body first-hand. Are you planning on attending the Experience Lafayette Day on Sunday, April 23? That might be a great idea for you.</p>
<p>All the best,</p>
<p>J</p>