Lafayette v. Geneseo

<p>I want to go to Lafayette in the fall but I received no financial aid and it's a lot of money. I don't know what to do, because I feel like i should go to lafayette,(even though Geneseo is a close first) but the thought of years of debt is unsettling. Any comments and thoughts about which school would be better greatly appreciated. Thanks</p>

<p>looparound,</p>

<p>I'm sorry to hear about your predicament. I honestly know next to nothing about Geneseo, so I really can't help you there.</p>

<p>However, I strongly suggest you speak with the Office of Financial Aid to appeal your package. Call (610) 330-5055 as soon as possible to set up a phone appointment with one of the directors to discuss your concerns and explore other potential financing options.</p>

<ul>
<li>Justin</li>
</ul>

<p>looparound: Without financial aid, Lafayette will be close to 3 times the cost of Geneseo if you are from NY. You undoubtedly have the figures close by. Our daughter was accepted to Lafayette as a Marquis Scholar and received some additional need based aid. It was a very attractive offer but required a sizable amount from us. In the end we turned it down as we all felt the she would outgrow the size of the school and 2 of her important activities were missing there. If you are looking for a small school it has a lot to offer. It was not an easy decision to say no. As the stock market continues to disappoint us all and we see our retirement funds dwindling in front of us, a year later we're all very happy with the choice made a year ago. If your family is able to foot the bill comfortably and Lafayette feels like an awesome match for you than go for it. But do consider the financial aspect. Geneseo is a fine school. They have worked hard over the past 10 years to earn a solid reputation. Is Lafayette a better school, yes. 3 times better, I don't think so.</p>

<p>Thank you very much. That helped a lot. Where did your daughter end up going?</p>

<p>Looparound -- Will you be able to go to Geneseo without wondering for the rest of your life what it would have been like to go to Lafayette? My son received no financial aid at Lafayette, and could have gone to Elmira for half the cost. It was an easy decision for us, and he will be in Easton this fall. My parents and I scraped and scrapped to put me through college many years ago, and it was the best money we ever spent. Good luck. You really can't go wrong. Geneseo has really stepped up as one of the premier schools in NY.</p>

<p>looparound - I am a Lafayette alum who lives in the next town over from Geneseo and is very familiar with it, and as much as it pains me to say this, if (and only if) you still receive no FA from Lafayette, you cannot go wrong with Geneseo. I would take Justin's advice though and contact the FA office at Lafayette to see if there is any chance for them to reconsider, especially if you have an extenuating circumstance that does not show up in the numbers you submitted</p>

<p>So where did you ultimately end up. This month we are left in that very same boat. My son is looking at majoring in a science. No money offered from Lafayette. Love the new science building at Geneseo, but are the other perks ( D1 sports to watch, alumni resources) worth the price tag? Any advice you can share?</p>

<p>Did your daughter go to Geneseo? Is she happy with her decision? We are in the same position, deciding between Lafayette and Geneseo. No financial assistance offered at Laf. The new science building at Geneseo seems so well equipped. Hard to turn it down. On the other hand really like the alumni connection and having D1 sports on campus to round out the experience. Any advice?</p>

<p>The OP has not posted for 4 years so I doubt that you are going to get an answer.</p>

<p>I don’t think anyone can really make the decision for you. My son, a sophomore, is a Marquis scholar which did somewhat enter into our decision. His final choice was between Wesleyan with no merit money or Laf with the scholarship. My husband really wanted him to choose Wes but I thought that Laf was a better fit. Son was undecided until the very end. Besides the better fit, I didn’t think that Wesleyan was worth $100,000 more than Lafayette (Marquis plus a local schol that could not be used out of state.). It took my husband several months but even he now admits that Lafayette is the right place for son.</p>