<p>Looking to study biochemistry or biology</p>
<p>bump 10char</p>
<p>Hmmmm.....very interesting choices there. All wonderful schools. Some of what you pose is cultural. Some of it is geographical. Some of it is historical. Some of it is weather related. So it depends entirely on you.</p>
<p>W & L is a wonderful school. Its gorgeous, but its a tad bit remote in southern Virginia and Lexington Va is a small town. There is heavy drinking at W & L steeped in tradition at the Frats and Sororities that are almost de riguer. The student body (but not the profs) are notoriously preppy and conservative....and a lot of them are "DC centric" meaning they are focused on working on Capitol Hill. There are no bad programs at W & L, even their art department is decent. Its a tough school with serious grade deflation. They enforce the honor code very strictly. They REGULARLY post the names of people sanctioned or dismissed for violations on a public bulletin board near the cafeteria. The dorms are historic and quaint...but some of them have no airconditioning and that is problematic from August until Mid October and sometimes in April and May. Its a special place for special people. </p>
<p>Colgate is also a superb school that frankly does not get the respect from many parents and the annual applicant pool that it should. It is really and truly a hidden Ivy. But its also very remote...in a cold part of New York, far away from the city lights. If you like it up there in Clinton New York, you are in seventh heaven. But if you hate it, you will be isolated and lonely and frustrated. Its a superb school that prepares its students very well for graduate and professional schools. </p>
<p>Lafayette is a smaller and less well known school than Colgate but also very strong. Its in eastern Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia and only an hour or 90 minutes or so to New York. Its very pretty. It is also steeped in tradition. </p>
<p>I think you have EXCELLENT CHOICES here in terms of campus life, program depth and such. But it will come down to how YOU feel...so get in your buggy and travel to each campus in April and see for yourself and get a feel. You will know it when you visit if "its you" and if the students there "fit your profile".</p>
<p>Talk to professors. Email some of them in the biology or bio-chem department and inform them of your interest (and presumed acceptance) and see how they respond to you.</p>
<p>Presuming you have been accepted to all three: Congratulations! All three are highly competitive...I know for a fact its harder than heck to get into W & L with a VERY quirky admissions office.</p>
<p>It seems to me that the culture of each campus is unique and therefore you will find either a place that is perfect for you, or a place where you say, "this is NOT me."</p>
<p>Go where you will be happy. </p>
<p>Congrats.</p>
<p>I would say Biochemisty is one of Colgate's stronger majors. Both Colgate and W&L are somewhat stronger than Lafayette, although get the impression that W&L has less focus (or at least less majors) in the sciences than does Colgate.</p>
<p>biology at lafayette is good major ..</p>