Why you should come to Lafayette

Colleges and Universities A-Z Lafayette College
1

<p>lafayette wasn't my first choice at all. now i'm convinced that i belong there. i had my choice of several other great schools but decided on lafayette for a bunch of personal reasons.
right now i'm actually an incoming frosh, so i really don't have that much experience with the school. but pretty much every experience i've had has been positive.</p>

<p>so here's a working list
1. deans will take a personal interest in you if you need to talk to them even if you are a lowly not-even-frosh yet.
2. you will get a truly personalized acceptance letter which will not only make you feel good about yourself but also suggest opportunities available for someone of your interests at lafayette.
3. very tight knit alumni- my cuz in cali still hangs with lafayette people there all the time- his twin says it's like a cult lol.
4. receptions for incoming frosh so you can meet a couple of great 'pards, past and present, b4 even coming to the school.
5. size does matter. lafayette is small enough to truly offer a community.
6. the policy studies major, while a new program, is offers several different tracks where after taking four core courses, and a bunch of prereqs, you can design your own course of study.
7. it is very pretty.
8. kirbyhall of civil rights is awesome- marble building which houses govt and law major
9. the opportunity is there to do greek life. alot of other northeaster lib arts colleges don't offer this. also the greek life is supplemental to, rather than central, to the life of the college. a lot of people aren't involved and you don't rush until soph yr so you can adjust to college life without added pressure.
10. forensics/speech and debate team is awesome.<br>
that's it so far that i can think of right now- obviously everyone on this board must have some interest. unlike candyman, i am not experienced and no where near as knowledgeable, but i can say i was not initally interested in laf, was dissappointed at first to be honest, and now cannot wait to go- 8 days till move-in!</p>

2

<p>passionflower8,</p>

<p>Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts on the College. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one with an opinion 'round these parts! I wish some of the other incoming students on these boards would let us all know about their decision-making processes, as well.</p>

<p>On a bit of a side note, the Kirby Hall of Civil Rights is an awesome building, isn't it? I love to bring my tours in there to talk about its history and architectural splendor. Fast fact: did you know that it was designed by an architect named Whitney Warren, who was also one of the chief architects of Grand Central Terminal in NYC?</p>

<p>Trust me...there's more useless facts where that came from!</p>

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

3

<p>It was nice to see this post. One of my twins Ss is very interested in LaF. and keeps bugging his saintly mother to take him on the tour. I guess we'll have to go.</p>

<p>Passion and candyJustin: what kind of FA did you get? That's this mother's big concern!</p>

4

<p>fencersmother,</p>

<p>I'm not sure how many of my previous posts you've read, but did you know that I was a fencer throughout high school? Although I decided against joining the DI fencing team at Lafayette, I still find the time to enter various tournaments on the weekends. Might your son be interested in continuing the sport in college?</p>

<p>Hey, if you plan on visiting sometime in September/October, let me know and I'll be more than happy to lead you and your son on a "private tour" (lunch will be paid for by the College).</p>

<p>As for your question, both passionflower8 and I were fortunate enough to receive one of Lafayette's prestigious Marquis Scholarships ($16,000/year towards tuition). In addition, I received various private scholarships from outside sources to cover the difference. To learn more about Lafayette's merit scholarships, and the qualifications needed to receive one, click here: <a href="http://www.lafayette.edu/admissions/finaid/scholarships.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.lafayette.edu/admissions/finaid/scholarships.html&lt;/a>. I should mention that, prior to receiving these outside scholarships, I was also offered a HELP loan (up to $7,500, interest paid for by the College while I'm enrolled).</p>

<p>As a sophomore, I applied for and was offered a position as a Resident Advisor. I was rehired for the position this upcoming year as well. The job pays for room and board, which amounts to a bit more than $9,000.</p>

<p>I'm sure passionflower8 will provide the details of her financial aid package as soon as she reads your message.</p>

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

5

<p>Why not come to Lafayette? I mean what's not to like about Lafayette? Small community with a very big heart and conducive to learning. It just warms my heart when I think of this school and I think that was the one attraction that my d. felt immediately. I can see her growing there as a person and also can see her contributing to it's community in many ways. They were very generous and offered her the Marquis Scholarship. That and an outside scholarship made it very affordable. Two other schools were very generous as well and the decision was a hard one. I have never asked her why she chose Lafayette and I will leave it to her to not ask.</p>

6

<p>justin and i get the same merit scholarship, the marquis. it comes to 16k or a full grant to need. i also got a HELP loan, which is unique to lafayette college. it's 7500 per year and doesn't collect until graduation. if i were as technologically advanced as justin, i'd post a link about it but i'll just direct you to the website. my parents also took a plus loan from the fed govt and i took on a stafford loan.
laf is not cheap by any means, but judging by the alumnis houses i've been to, it's a worthwhile investment. material possessions aside, laf will give a lot more personal attention from the very beginning than any other college, at least judging from those i was accepted to.laf did a personalized acceptance letter signed by the dean of admissions, and the one that came closest to that was smith- little sticky note saying something that sounded a little bit condescending and forced, "nice extra curriculars" i think it said.</p>

<p>to give you an idea of how impressed i was by lafayette, i'll tell you this- i was accepted to williams and it would have cost me a few thousand more to attend there than laf. i chose laf, and tho money was one concern so far i think i made the right decision in so many other ways. i can tell you i am now so glad i chose laf over williams. other schools i got to reject included smith, wellesley, bryn mawr, boston college honors, tufts, rutgers honors with a scholarship.
all the other "elite" schools' acceptance letters and the general tone of the materials i received gave me the feeling "you should be honored to come here and you prolly just got lucky to be accepted here" the wellesley one even raved about some of the accomplishments of other accepted students and profs.
laf's said to me "we're happy to have YOU. and we will go out of our way to help you in whatever you want to do- look we thought you might be interested in..." and so far that message has proved 100% true.</p>

<p>anyone interested in laf at all should download the college news screensaver. you really can do anything at lafayette and if you're like me, probably be a lot happier doing it at laf than anywhere else. it brags all about the STUDENTS and all the great things laf has enabled them to do. Lafayette is a community of talented individuals whereas many other schools pride themselves on being prestigious institutions.<br>
i feel the need to restate my disclaimer of being a lowly, inexperienced incoming frosh but honestly, i went from feeling like a victim of my upper-middle class socioeconomic status (ie little perceived financial need) forced by common sense to choose an affordable yet good college option. now i'm still aware of being a painfully squeezed and rapidly dissipating middle class (my dad's a lietenant at the county jail and mom's a pediatric clinic nurse working part time due to health issues- ie not rich but thankfully not poor at all either) yet i'm so thankful, whatever the initial circumstances, that i choose lafayette.</p>

7

<p>Just read this thread now...the forensics team IS awesome, it's great that you're looking into it! Have you talked to Scott or John (our coaches) yet? If not, then I guess you'll meet them once you get down anyways--they're pretty cool. Let me know if you have any questions about the team (I'm starting my 2nd year at Laf).</p>

8

<p>The Gateway career counseling program is one example of an extremely valuable resource provided free to all Lafayette students. Any student who signs up with Gateway is assigned their own counselor for the four years at Lafayette. The center not only has the resources to help students find internships and jobs upon graduation, but helps students to gain the skills they need to be successful in such searches. Even for those student who plan to go to graduate or professional school upon graduation, the skills they can learn through the Gateway program will prove to be a big benefit. Students are given opportunities to meet with alumni in networking type settings. Gateway provides coaching in interviewing skills, resume writing skills and job search skills.</p>

9

<p>Just dropped my frosh son off at Lafayette yesterday. It was truly like leaving him with an old friend or family member. (Well, I guess me being an alumni helps me feel comfortable with the school, but still!)</p>

<p>I'm actually jealous of my son. Lafayette is a great place to spend 4 years and grow. I wish I could go there again...</p>

<p>Diversity seems to have greatly improved at Lafayette. My son has 21 boys on his floor. One is from Nepal, one from India, one from Zimbabwe and his R.A. is from Ecuador. My son is from Mass, he feared everyone he met would be from NJ/PA/NY, but there are 2 other kids on his floor from Mass. So he's not the only one who is more than an hour from home!</p>

10

<p>Nice to hear that Lafalum84...btw... I am the one that was from Nepal :D</p>

11

<p>Shail619, good luck at Lafayette! I'm sure you'll have a great experience. How could you not, with such a great floor? Justin/Candyman tells me that Eduardo your RA posted on CC under the name EDiaz to answer international student questions last year. </p>

<p>Again, good luck and perhaps I'll get to meet you when we come down for Family weekend.</p>

12

<p>i've just thought of some more reasons...
11. orientation is a great experience- orientation leaders, faculty advisors, and ras help make the transition to college easier by giving you the information you need to make informed decisions about college life and orientation groups give you a core group of people to eat with and get to know well right away
12 drinking is not that big at lafayette. i understand some could see this as a negative, but as a frosh i felt no need to drink to fit in (which can lead to some dangerous situations)
13 lots of intl students show you how no matter where you come from, all college students have a lot in common as well as bringing an interesting perspective. case in point- one day in the lib i sat down to check my email next to a south african who is my friend from my orientation group. he introduced me to an indian buddy. i tried to make some friendly conversation with someone across from me and it turns out he's an intl student from s america. obviously this is in no way representative of the lafayette experience- most people are from the continental us- but it does show there is a critical mass of intl students who are more than just a statistic cited to show diversity on admissions brochures
13 everyone is friendly (so far) professors, frosh, upperclassmen, secretaries
14 many many activities on campus to cater to all tastes. feel free to pm me if u'd like to know more about my experience so far
15 a very welcoming newman association and active catholic community- obviously this is specific to me as a roman catholic but i do enjoy practicing my faith and going to mass here
16 excellent experiential education- i'm going to washington dc with two different classes this semester
17 events like block party for the first game of the season, free comedians, and (free!) nacho nite
i'll come back from time to time to add to this- again, feel free to pm me i am just a frosh and in no way affiliated with admissions fyi.</p>

13

<p>I want this thread to remain on the main board, so...BUMP!</p>

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

14

<p>Justin, I visited Lafayette with my son in August and you were a terrific help in the Admissions session by providing a student's perspective. You have amazing stats, and I'm just curious what other colleges you turned down to attend Lafayette and why.</p>

<p>And also, as a Marquis scholar, does that award offset any need-based financial aid you would have received, or is it in addition to it?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

15

<p>clarence84,</p>

<p>I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the information session.</p>

<p>I turned down NYU, Muhlenberg (Presidential Scholarship), Lehigh, Drew (full tuition), TCNJ (full tuition, room & board, Honors Program), Princeton, and Villanova to attend Lafayette.</p>

<p>Why would I pass on the Ivy League? Am I crazy?!?! In my mind, Lafayette offers everything an Ivy ever could, and so much more.</p>

<p>I chose Lafayette for many reasons. I felt comfortable on campus. I enjoyed my visit during an accepted students' day, where I spoke with professors in my fields of interest and was formally introduced to the Lafayette community. The classes I attended were fun and engaging, and each professor came up to me afterwards to learn more about me and my academic interests.</p>

<p>Yes, as with most liberal arts colleges, class sizes are small and professors are more than accessible. There are no grad students on campus to "steal away" the attention of professors. The facilities are amazing, and recent renovations impressed me and hinted at the fact that the College has the $$$ to continue expanding academic resources and social opportunities on campus. </p>

<p>I wanted to study abroad, and Lafayette sends so many students all over the world. In May, I'll be traveling to Italy to study Italian art under the direction of a world-renowned scholar of Italian Renaissance art. I wanted to conduct research with professors. This semester, I'm studying the conditioned behavior of pigeons with a professor of psychology. I wanted a school with a large and dedicated alumni network willing to assist students land key internships, competitive jobs, etc. I later found out that my next-door neighbors are both alums of the College, and continue to contribute as Alumni Admissions Representatives. Since I am considering moving on to grad school after Lafayette, I wanted to attend a school that regularly sends students to the best grad programs.</p>

<p>Most importantly, I felt wanted at Lafayette. No other school I was accepted to personalized my acceptance letter. About a week before May 1, I received a casual email from one of our Admissions Directors asking if I had any questions about Lafayette I'd like answered before making the big decision. Lafayette took that extra step to get to know me and make me feel like more than a paper application throughout the entire process.</p>

<p>The Marquis Scholarship was definitely a bonus, especially for my family (my older brother's in medical school and my little brother is now applying to colleges). However, I received more enticing financial aid packages at many other colleges.</p>

<p>Ultimately, I guess it was just a feeling or hunch that lead me to Lafayette, but isn't every college decision based heavily on gut instinct? I know that's a scary proposition, but you can't honestly know what it's like to be a student at any college until you're actually there.</p>

<p>In response to your question, yes, the $16,000 grant would offset any grants/loans you would have received. Is that fair? Eh, not really. However, I should mention that an applicant's "full need" will be met if it exceeds the amount of the Marquis Scholarship.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, based on facts and figures, I personally did not qualify for additional grants above the initial $16,000 award. Blame it on the FAFSA and CSS Profile. The fact that my family will soon be paying for THREE college educations simultaneously meant nothing in the process at any of the colleges I applied to.</p>

<p>As always, feel free to direct any questions my way.</p>

<p>All the best,</p>

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

16

<p>Thanks, Justin. You made a good choice and I hope my son gets to consider Lafayette as well.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

17

<p>hey i m a further undergraduate student from china. could you tell me sth about laF? n why it attracts you?</p>

18

<p>I visited Lafayette this past summer…not very impressive…i seemed isolated in a boring little college in the middle of nowhere. guess its not for me.</p>

19

<p>Daughter settled on Lafayette over Middlebury (too cold), Davidson (too far), Richmond, Franklin & Marshall, Denison, and Hobart & William Smith. Most LACs exist in “bubbles.” All of these schools had considerable resources, and attractive campuses. I liked the fact that Lafayette offered engineering in addition to liberal arts - proximity to NYC/Philly and study abroad program also a plus. I believe the class of 2013 has 23 students from China - my daughter’s roommate is also from China.</p>

20

<p>Gasdoc,
Good reasons. Although they contradict Post #18, they are valid. Also, a bump for this thread.</p>