<p>My daughter is having a difficult time choosing between Lafayette and Conn. Is anyone informed about both of them? They gave similar financial packages, so that would not be a factor.</p>
<p>I looked at Conn as well as Lafayette, and one of the biggest differences is the states where the schools draw most heavily from. There are many Boston area and Connecticut students at Conn, while most Lafayette students come from the Tri-State Area and Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>another big difference is the prevalence of greek life at lafayette and no greek system at conn.</p>
<p>I think the term "prevalence" implies a much larger greek population and influence than is actually the case at Lafayette. There are six fraternities and six sororities at Lafayette, and roughly 30% of the student body decides to join. Freshmen are not permitted to rush at Lafayette, which takes a lot of pressure off new students, allowing them plenty of time to explore non-Greek options, get involved in clubs and get acclimated to academics during the first year. </p>
<p>I think the image of the Greek influence at Lafayette is dated. That said, it is true that there are Greek organizations at one school and not at the other. Other differences to consider: due in part to the engineering program at Lafayette I think there is a higher percentage of students majoring in math/science disciplines. Also the male/female ratio at Lafayette is 52/48, while at Connecticut College 60% of the students are women. Lafayette has a Division I sports program, and while very few athletic scholarships are actually offered the athletic/recreational facilities are top-notch. </p>
<p>My daughter looked at both schools and both would be great places to spend 4 years (or 3 1/2 if you are planning to spend a semester abroad).</p>
<p>hudsonvalley51,</p>
<p>You stole the words right out of my mouth. The better word would have been "presence" rather than "prevalence," keeping in mind accepted connotations of the latter.</p>
<p>I'm an English major...what can I say?</p>
<ul>
<li>Justin</li>
</ul>
<p>Justin, would you say Lafayette has a more conservative "feel" than Conn? (I would.) While I am sure there are folks of all stripes at both campuses, I would guess there is a more Old Money "presence" at Lafayette.</p>
<p>fencersmother,</p>
<p>I can't compare Lafayette to Conn. because I only know Conn. through various admissions guidebooks.</p>
<p>I would say that our alums experienced more of that "old money" feel than we do today. As you say, there are folks of all stripes at Lafayette. Many of our big benefactors conduct themselves in the manner of "old money," but I would hesitate to classify our student body as such. Times have changed, and Lafayette has followed suit by gradually shifting toward a greater appreciation of liberal ideals.</p>
<p>It's quite possible that one might get the conservative vibe after visiting the campus once or twice, but I've certainly never encountered the kind of conservatism you may be referring to on a day-to-day basis.</p>
<ul>
<li>Justin</li>
</ul>
<p>Lafayette doesn't exactly have a conservative feel. If it's any indication, Barack Obama is definitely the most popular candidate on campus, more so than John McCain. It may be more conservative than schools like Wesleyan or Amherst, but the campus is definitely open to liberal ideas. Within the past few weeks, we've had Gloria Steinem and Salman Rushdie, both promoters of free thought, as speakers on campus.</p>
<p>I didn't mean that Lafayette is exactly conservative - certainly it is not. I was just comparing it's "feel" to Conn's, which I contend has a much more liberal bent to its "feel." </p>
<p>Still, my boys say Lafayette has really hot girls. That should clinch it!</p>