<p>Hi Justin,
I've been following this board for awhile (since I visited Lafayette last summer) and I'm seriously considering attending in the Fall. I was offered a Marquis scholarship, which makes Lafayette even more appealing. Currently, I'm trying to decide between Lafayette and Cornell. And since the schools are so different, I'm having a tough time with my decision. But, I thought that you may be able to answer some questions and give me your insight.</p>
<p>-How are the internship opportunities (I plan to major in Econ/Business)? Is it true that students actually do get internships in NYC?</p>
<p>-I've never been really interested in joining a frat, but after talking to people, it seems that it may be a good way to meet people, etc. Are there different stereotypes associated with specific frats?</p>
<p>-I've read in several places that Lafayette is fairly "preppy". Do you find that there is enough diversity on campus and do the students tend to be multi-dimensional (by that, I mean...are they interested in things that go beyond being preppy?)</p>
<p>-And last but not least, do you ever get bored being in Easton? </p>
<p>I've always found your replies to be extremely helpful and I'm hoping you can provide some insight!</p>
<p>Sounds like a tough decision you got there! Then again, the way I see it, you really can't lose...both schools would provide you with an awesome undergraduate experience.</p>
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<li><p>Internship opportunities abound for students of all majors thanks to our fiercely-dedicated alumni network. Economics & Business majors reap the benefits, as shown by alumni participation in our annual NY Networking Night: 38</a> Alumni Network with Students at Finance Night in New York City. A close friend of mine had a great internship in NYC over the summer with Merrill Lynch: Qiong</a> Wu '09 Learns Teamwork at Merrill Lynch. I'll let similar stories speak for themselves: News</a> in Economics & Business.</p></li>
<li><p>Some people absolutely love the time spent with their fraternity brothers or sorority sisters. It's all a matter of personal preference. Over time, specific fraternities have gained reputations on campus (nerdy frat, jock frat, etc.), but there are of course exceptions to these "rules."</p></li>
<li><p>Be sure to always take the information you read in various Admissions "insider" books with a grain of salt. It's so easy to pigeonhole a school based on even the loosest of associations. I find there is enough diversity (religious, geographic, ethnic) on campus...I think the fact that 6% of our student population are int'l students certainly helps. I've met so many eclectic, unique, and just plain interesting people during my time here, people I would never have come across outside the college environment. Again, it's easy to classify the entire population as "preppy" because there are those students with relatively well-off backgrounds, but even these students bring fresh perspectives to class discussions.</p></li>
<li><p>Bored? Hell no! I have trouble finding a moment of respite while I'm here, and I'm not the only one who feels this way (it's a good feeling, by the way). There's just so much one can get involved with on campus...sports, employment, research, internships, community service, clubs/activities (Lafayette</a> College - Student Life), and more. I can't find an hour in any given day when I'm just looking to do something simply to pass the time. If all else fails, Lafayette students take advantage of two major cities within a relatively short driving distance. Having NYC and Philly at our disposal is like gold, and it's easy enough to take a bus in with friends.</p></li>
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<li><p>Although there are a lot of rich kids here there are also a lot of international students. I think certainly there's enough diversity on campus. There are of course students on the extreme sides, but no one I know fits a stereotype. </p></li>
<li><p>In Easton, yes; the college, no! There's enough to do...the gym, music concerts, parties, NYC, etc etc etc.</p></li>
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<p>When we were visiting last December (during finals week! Thanks again, Justin), we saw people of every race, so if it is racial diversity one seeks, it is certainly there. I have no idea about economic diversity, though one would certainly assume not everyone at LC is a rich kid from a prep school. My sons remarked that EVERY girl was "hot" so if you are looking for diversity equalling "hot vs not hot" among the females, you're not finding that at Lafayette. haha</p>
<p>Hi nyjetsfan, a good friend of mine goes to Cornell, so I might be able to compare our experiences.</p>
<p>Both of us are involved in greek life, though neither of us really saw ourselves going in that direction. Both schools have a noticeable greek presence. (Lafayette's is a little more low-key, and because Cornell's bigger it might be easier to avoid. They have a lot more people, and also a lot more frats.) Some parts of it are stereotypical at Lafayette, depending on where you go. My house, for example, has a wide range of personalities--some are pretty academic, others are a little more "frat"ish. Some of the houses on our campus are really diverse, and most (if not all) have higher GPAs than the campus average. I'm told that Cornell's frat life is similar to Lafayette's, though I've also heard that they party harder. As far as whether Greek life is worth joining, you should check it out if you think it's for you, but plenty of people are also perfectly happy never even thinking about it.</p>
<p>Something I find interesting about everyone wondering how preppy Lafayette is, is that each year there seem to be more people who come to Lafayette with that worry, and so each year the crowds seem less preppier. There's a lot of outlets for political or artistic expression, and it gets more diverse (both ethnically and economically) every year. Cornell's probably the preppiest Ivy from what I've heard, but it's also large and elite enough where you can find your own niche. It's also less diverse than the other Ivies, but it seems to be trying to change that with each incoming class.</p>
<p>Yeah, Easton is boring. Ithaca can also be pretty boring, Easton's much worse. Both have more to do on campus.</p>
<p>As far as academics goes, the difference really is in size. Cornell has a lot more "famous" professors and alumni (my friend there once got a visit from Bill Nye in his chemistry lab). Lafayette doesn't really have that, but professors here are a lot more accessible than at Cornell, which is huge, and sometimes it's hard for professors to remember their students. Classes are also smaller here, too. Academically, I think the difference in education is between depth and exposure; both small and big schools have their ups and downs. Our biz/econ department is one of our strongest here; Standard and Poor recently ranked us at third for undergrads who become top officials in million-dollar businesses, and friends of mine with that major are arranging internships at the heritage foundation and goldman sachs. Career services was my deciding factor for applying to Lafayette (I'm prelaw); they do a lot of advising with grad schools, and have connections in pretty high places (I was accepted to an internship with Joe Biden; his chief of staff is a Lafayette alum).
I hope this helps; good luck deciding!</p>
<p>1) Lafayette has a very loyal alumni network, which translates to plenty of internship opportunities. There always tend to be a ton of opportunities located in the financial/business sector, and many of these opportunities are found in NYC and its metro area. It should certainly be possible to find a relevant internship in the NYC area as a Business/Econ major. There are also a number of opportunities in the Boston, Philadelphia, and DC areas, as well.</p>
<p>2) Although some frats may have stereotypes, most individuals in frats can be defined by much more than just the letters on their sweatshirt. It wouldn't at all be unusual for a student in a frat to also be a reporter for the campus newspaper, hold a seat on student government, sing in an a capella group, and be active in community service. Greek life is an option for those who want it, but it is by no means the only avenue to have a social life/be engaged on campus.</p>
<p>3) While you may see a lot of students with a "preppy" appearance, it is nothing more than an appearance. Lafayette students may have the look, but I've found they don't fit any of the negative qualities (snobbery, etc.) associated with the stereotype. IMHO, Lafayette has one of the friendliest, most approachable student bodies anywhere.</p>
<p>4) There are plenty of nice little stores down in Easton. It just takes a little exploring to find them. There's a great popcorn and candy store, ice cream place, several great restaurants for college students to take a date or parents, and plenty of coffee shops, among other things. The Crayola Factory is definitely the most well-known attraction in town. Immediately on College Hill itself, you'll find the types of places you might go for a pizza with your friends. The college also runs a shuttle service to take students to the local malls, the movies, the supermarket, and other places outside walking distance.</p>
<p>We just came back from the Experience Lafayette program and Had an opportunity to explore Easton for the first time after several visits to Lafayette. I have seen that periodically when Lafayette comes up on the message boards that someone inevitably talks about Easton being a little "sketchy." Now that I've seen the city all I can think is that the posters who have described it as "sketchy" must live in Katonah, NY, Summit, NJ, Lake Forest, Ill or other such insular (an upscale) community.</p>
<p>True, Easton has some worn at the heels neighborhoods, and among the residents are some low-income families and minorities. I don't think I'd necessarily want my daughter wandering around city centre at 2 am either. But the same could be said for Poughkeepsie, New London, New Haven and dozens of other post-industrial college towns. On balance Easton appears to offer a lot to those students who go looking for it, either downtown or on College Hill, and as long as normal safety precautions are taken a student should be fine. Its not like we're talking about the mean streets of Morningside Heights or Cambridge after all.</p>
<p>Hi all. Our son is also in the throes of the college decision, between Lafayette as a Marquis scholar or the College of William & Mary, with intended major chemistry. He visited, stayed overnight and sat in on classes at both schools with some wonderfully hospitable students. I was ready to buy the T-shirt at either school. We are all really stuck about this and would appreciate some input as May 1 draws near. Thanks in advance for any help.</p>
<p>NYJetsfan -- I graduated from Cornell and my son will be attending Lafayette. Which college at Corenll are you considering? What major? Frankly, Cornell has a lot going for it. In fact, it was my son's first choice, but things didn't work out. I found, and continue to find, Ithaca a very cool place. </p>
<p>Some of the colleges at Cornell offer better learning opportunities than others, in my opinion. For example, I was an English major in the College of Arts and Sciences. My smallest class had 4 students and I was fortunate to have a number of small classes with high-powered professors. I can still remember my 200-level English survey class designed for sophomores entering the department. There were about 40 of us in a small lecture room and at the front of the class were literary legends Jon Stallworthy and M.H. Abrams. I was blown away, and they taught every class together for the rest of the course and another in the spring. I also had a poetry writing course with 7 other students taught by Robert Morgan. Other departments and schools did not share in that philosophy and some of their high-powered professors rarely taught undergrads. For example, I was there 4 years and never saw Carl Sagan.</p>
<p>I'm really excited about Lafayette for my son though because there will be no grad students to divert the attention of the faculty. Although not as large, the campus at Lafayette is also very notable and should provide a great setting for his education. Either way, you can't lose. Frankly though, Cornell is hard to beat. I graduated 24 years ago and think about the place every day. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for the replies. After a really tough decision and alot of thought, I've decided to go to Cornell. </p>
<p>Minky - I've been accepted into Cornell's AEM (Applied Economics and Management) program. Basically, it's their business program. When I went back for their AEM day, I felt that the business school (approximately 800 students) gave me the "small school feel" I was looking for. So, in the end, I hope to have a small school feel, within a larger university.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, I really liked Lafayette and I have no doubt that I would have had more personal attention there. In fact, when I went to the Marquis Scholar Day, one of the admissions directors rememebered me from my application (when I introduced myself). That won't happen at Cornell!</p>
<p>And, I'm passing up a free interim trip overseas....</p>
<p>My D is interested in the same thing - chem major - does lafayette offer research opportunities, and are there any trips abroad that focus on chemistry? Does William and Mary have less research opportunities because the school is larger? I know they have a brand new building opening this fall.</p>
<p>There are semester-long study abroad opportunities to accommodate students of all majors and interests. Approved programs with schools around the world are listed here: Lafayette</a> College - Study Abroad. I should also mention that the Off Campus Study Office works with students to identify programs of interest and make these programs feasible.</p>
<p>I can't comment on William and Mary...have you posted this same question in that sub-forum?</p>