I'll Answer Your Lafayette Questions! Part I - Page 4

candyman92486 · 03-18-2006, 11:26 AM

waleedk87,

I am not back on campus from Spring Break yet, but when I get back on Monday, I'll see what stats I can find in Admissions.

Sorry about that!

J

waleedk87 · 03-18-2006, 11:29 AM

Thank you soo much!! but really dont bother since I've already applied. Just wish me luck

zmromanano · 03-18-2006, 07:46 PM

Hey Justin,

Thank you for providing such thoughtful responses to all of the questions asked. This thread has been very helpful. I've been selected as a Marquis Scholar. How are the off campus trips? Also, is admission to these events as well as transportation provided? I'm sure spending money is going to be very tight in college, and i'm guessing that shelling out even $30 for a trip would be very painful. Also, how is the political climate at Lafayette? Lastly, I know you said the meal plan can be kind of annoying, but just in terms of deliciousness, how is the food? Thanks for your help.

Zach

candyman92486 · 03-18-2006, 10:57 PM

Those are some great questions, Zach!

As always, I would like to start out by congratulating you on being accepted as a Marquis Scholar. I know that this means you worked very hard throughout high school (and also that you probably have a very hard decision to make as to which college/university you wish to attend in the fall!)

The off-campus trips for Marquis Scholars are great fun and are great diversions from writing papers, taking exams, etc. All of the trips require a deposit to reserve a seat on the bus, but that money will be returned to you after the trip. ALL expenses (tickets for shows, food, coach bus transportation) are paid for. The Marquis Scholar faculty advisors plan all the trips, and are ALWAYS asking for suggestions. Most of the time, trips are on weekends so you don't miss any classes. We have had trips into both Philly and NYC to see broadway shows, go to museums, listen to famous speakers, etc. All trips are educational in nature, but that does not mean they aren't fun! I have gone on a few of them (and missed a few because I just had WAY too much work to do), and they were all good times because you go with some great people (other Marquis Scholars, usually). Tickets for each event are always limited, but Marquis Scholars always get the first opportunity to claim their seats. Any tickets left over are offered to the entire Lafayette community.

Just to reiterate, don't worry if your finances are tight...the Marquis Scholar program has a huge budget to play around with! You are correct when you say that spending money is very tight in college, but these trips are one way to get off campus without having to shell out any cash.

The political climate at Lafayette is active, yet not as active as the climates of other colleges. The campus population is just slightly more Democratic. There are clubs and activites representing ALL political viewpoints (College Democrats and College Republicans, of course), so if you wish to get involved politically, go for it! I have found that the campus is very accepting of ALL viewpoints simply because we all know that college is a time for people to voice their opinions on certain issues. Personally, politics is just "not my thing", but that doesn't mean I can't participante in and benefit from the activities held by "competing" political organizations.

The meal plan is annoying...I think that is the number one gripe of all Lafayette freshmen! You have 20 meals each week which are impossible to use up, and that is how the food distributor (Sodexho) maintains a profit. Once you miss a meal, you lose it. I know I'll be switching meal plans next year to a plan with less meals and more flex dollars. It really isn't that big a deal, but we (we being Lafayette freshmen) like to make it a big deal because we feel guilty when we waste our meals. Oh well!

The food is actually really good...I tasted the food at all the colleges I visited, and Lafayette had the best food by far (no joke!). We offer so many options for such a small school. There are FIVE places to eat, each offering so much in terms of variety. A new sub sandwich place just opened up on campus called Simon's with the BEST toasted sub sandwiches, and Gilbert's has the BEST grilled panini sandwiches for lunch.

I am actually arriving back on campus tomorrow afternoon (Spring Break has come to an end), but I am really looking forward to the last few weeks of my freshman year at Lafayette. I have made some great friends and have been blessed with the most interesting, dedicated, and fun professors this semester.

Zach, I have a feeling you have a tough decision ahead of you which you must make by April 1st...my best advice: follow your gut instinct. That is all there is to it!

J

comfortably-numb · 03-19-2006, 04:46 AM

Does Lafayette have any core requirements? If so, what!?

candyman92486 · 03-19-2006, 10:02 AM

comfortably-numb,

Since Lafayette College is a liberal arts institution, students do have to fulfill a common course of study during their four years here. These required course headings make sure that all students are exposed to as many areas of study as possible. It is not resrictive in any way, and actually helps many students decide on a particular major!

Here it is:

You are required to take a First-Year Seminar (FYS) during your first semester here. These courses are designed to introduce all incoming students to intellectual inquiry through close-knit discussions, student presentations, and by writing a few college-level papers. You have a choice of about thirty FYS topics covering all disciplines, and you must rate your top five choices before arriving in the fall. I took FYS 069: Monuments, which was esentially an introduction to architecture course...cool stuff! The FYS is capped at 16 students to ensure everyone actively participates during each course session.

You are required to take English 110: College Writing your second semester here. Again, there are about ten sections, each with a different professor and theme. You choose the one you are most interested in. This class will help you further develop your college-writing skills.

You are required to take a Values and Science/Technologfyg course (VAST) during the spring semester of your sophomore year. This is just like the FYS, except this time, each course has more of a "scientific" topic. Some are about genetics, some about computers and society...you get the idea!

You are required to take three humanities/social science courses. You could take an art course, a course in english, foreign language, music, philosophy, religious studies, american studies, anthropology and sociology, economics and business, government and law, history, or international affairs. This requirement is easy to fulfill and gives students a lot of freedom in doing so.

You are required to take one math course at Lafayette. This could be a calculus course or the easier "Patterns and Order" course for those who really do not like math.

You are required to take two lab sciences...this could be General Bio, General Chem, Physics, Intro to Psychology, Intro to Geology, or any of the upper level courses in these departments.

You are required to take two "writing-intensive" courses, usually taken during the junior and senior years. They are offered in all departments, and are signified by a little symbol [W] in the course listing. They require students to write a good deal (duh!).

Finally, you are required to reach intermediate proficiency in a foreign language by passing two full years of one particular language. You could also fulfill this requirement by taking three history courses related to one region of the world if you are really no good at learning a second language (this is called a "culture cluster"). Placement tests are offered during the June Academic Advising Session to ensure you are placed in the correct course level coming into Lafayette.

As you can tell, there are course requirements...let me assure you that they are not limiting in any way. Also, keep in mind that Lafayette accepts all AP credits (a 4 or 5 on most exams will get you out of these requirements) and IB credits (a 5 or above on most exams). I came in with many AP credits and got out of the math requirement (BC Calc), the English 110 course (English Lang/Lit), and the two lab sciences (AP Bio) requirement. This allows me even more freedom in selecting courses each semester...I am able to double-major even easier now thanks to my AP credits. Even for those coming in with no high school credits, fulfilling the requirements isn't that big of a deal...people discover interests they didn't even knew they had (I am taking a religous studies course called Religions in West Africa this semester, and it is so interesting!)

We offer placements exams to place out of the foreign language requirement, the lab sciences requirement, and the math requirement during that June Academic Advising Session I mentioned, and a lot of students will take those to determine placement and/or place out of courses.

I hope my little explanation has answered your question completely. If you think of anything else, post away!

J

waleedk87 · 03-19-2006, 12:20 PM

I got a 690 on my SAT II German w/listening .. does this exempt me from the foreign language requirement?

comfortably-numb · 03-19-2006, 01:16 PM

Thanks for the detailed reply! Also i'm an intel, so i know my native lang plus english, would i still have to meet foreign lang requirements? Wouldn't English be treated as a foreign language for me?
Moreover, what are the chances of a freshie getting a single?
Thanks a lot

candyman92486 · 03-19-2006, 01:20 PM

waleedk87,

I believe a 600 or higher on any of the foreign language SAT II's will fully exempt you from the foreign language requirement.

You will be receiving a packet in the mail very soon to help you decide on courses for the fall semester of 2006, so don't worry about having to figure out which courses to take just yet.

Great job!

J

candyman92486 · 03-19-2006, 01:30 PM

comfortably-numb,

I think the common course of study says that you have to demonstrate intermediate proficiency of a language other than English THAT WE OFFER AT LAFAYETTE. If you can prove that you are proficient in one of the languages we offer (Spanish, German, Russian, Greek, French, Italian, Japanese, etc.) by taking one of our placement tests and scoring over a 600, I believe you are good to go.

What is your native language? If it is something we don't offer, you will have to work toward satisfying the requirement like everyone else.

International students who speak English get the short end of the stick on this one, but is it THAT bad learning another language?

The chances of a freshman getting a single are very good. Give Residence Life a call at (610) 330-5335 or email them at reslife@lafayette.edu if you really want one...there are only a few available in various buildings, but if you really wanted one, I'm sure they could secure you one.

J

Raynor46 · 03-19-2006, 07:29 PM

I am just starting my college search, and I am interested in knowing what division athletics Lafayette College is in?

Do they give athletic scholarships?

Do you play any varsity sports?

Thanks for your help!

(justin smells)

candyman92486 · 03-19-2006, 09:07 PM

Raynor46,

Go read the books I so graciously ordered you from B&N. I refuse to force feed you the answers...do your own research you lazy bum!

How about that???

And get your work done...don't give mom a heart attack while I'm gone.

J

HiLine · 03-20-2006, 02:01 AM

Ha ha, are you brothers?

biofan · 03-21-2006, 08:27 PM

Justin,

Its me, Stephanie again. I was just wondering if you have any "insider information" on when the admissions office will be mailing out acceptance/rejection letters. Thank you

Steph

candyman92486 · 03-21-2006, 09:48 PM

Hey Steph,

It's great to hear from you again. Admissions is fully expecting to mail out all decisions so that everyone receives their notifications by April 1. Since you live pretty close to campus, you very well may receive it a day or two before April 1. If not, rest assured that it will be in your mailbox no later than that date.

I'm rooting for you...keep your hopes up! As soon as you find out, let me know.

J