I am a senior from Connecticut. I recently heard back from the various schools I applied to and my best options have come down to these two. They both have provided over 20k in merit scholarships so that is not really a factor in deciding between the two.I want to pursue a law degree and will most likely pursue political science as a major in college. These schools are both similar in size, but I was hoping anyone could shed some light on the differences between the two and which one would be a better option. My concerns about Washington and Lee are rooted in that I may feel way out of my comfort zone in the more Southern atmosphere at Washington and Lee. Thank you and any insight is appreciated.
Go for Washington & Lee. While it is farther away from CT than your other choice, college is the time to branch out and experience something new - even if it’s just a new part of the country. It’s a great college in a beautiful location where you can experience intellectual growth without a lot of urban distractions. That is a major plus to me as when else will you get that opportunity? Plus it will be filled with other college students looking to broaden their horizons and make new friends from interesting and different places. There will definitely be other students from the northeast and from other parts of the country. It’s true you may feel out of your comfort zone for a bit but you will adapt pretty quickly. I think you’ll be very glad you chose W & L. I know several people who’ve graduated from there who look back very fondly and one current student who is having a fantastic time and that student came from a big city. ( All who have graduated have fantastic jobs in SF, NYC and Washington DC, too.)
W an l isn’t the dukes of hazard. There’s a southern feel to it but that can be quite charming and hospitable. And there’s students from the ne and professors from everywhere
My father is Lafayette class of 78 and I am W&L class of 06. Both are great but W&L is the better choice. There will be plenty of people from the NE. I think NJ was the state with the 3rd most people in my class behind VA and TX.
The main difference is that Greek life participation is prominent at W&L
(On another thread posters tried to find other colleges where as many or more students were Greek and after a while one or two were found. That’s an overwhelming percentage, not just a majority). If you want Greek life for sure, then Washington and Lee … and if you want a choice, Lafayette.
Next difference: politically, W&L is one of the well-known most conservative colleges in the country. All tendencies, trends, and movements within conservatism are represented from National Review to Old South to Libertarians to Freedom Caucus to Evangelicals. Lafayette is more moderate, seems conservative compared to NYC (the city it’s nearest to) but is a mix of liberal, moderate, conservative, and not involved.
For those of us in VA, W&L is not “southern” It is just more rural than Lafayette. But goodness, not even close to “southern”. It’s not a new part of the country…it’s rural VA which you will find is a lot like well, rural PA and other more rural areas. And you don’t have to worry about “urban distractions” at Lafayette or W&L. Easton isn’t a thriving metro area as I recall. I would consider W&L a good fit for law school. But for undergrad, Lafayette provides a more robust curriculum with broader views. Coursework is great at both schools, but the social atmosphere is very different. (And I"m a Lehigh alum, not known for touting the benefits of Lafayette) 
I can just add that my D graduated from Lafayette a couple of years ago and have a really wonderful experience. If you have any questions about the school that a parent can answer feel free to PM me. I don’t know anything first-hand about W&L so can’t help you to compare the schools.
W&L, if it is the right fit for you, is a special place and can go toe-to-toe with almost any school in terms of quality of undergraduate education, alumni support and networking, and financial outcomes. See this report which compares predicted earnings to actual (adjusting for mix of majors, etc.) https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/college-rankings/#interactive Essentially this is a ranking of “value add”. W&L is ranked #4.
It might not be for everyone, though. If you need a big city, Lexington is charming but it is a small town. It has a highly affluent student body, with among the highest percentages from the top quintile and lowest percentages from the top quintile. (See: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/college-mobility/washington-and-lee-university). It is also one of the most Greek and is also on the more conservative (but keep in mind colleges in general skew far left of center and are becoming less tolerant of dissenting views).