I'll Answer Your Lafayette Questions! Part I - Page 6

candyman92486 · 03-30-2006, 03:57 PM

ediaz,

Thanks for that information on the Mengel Loan...I am not as familiar with admissions for international students as I should be, I guess!

BTW, my name is Justin Sayde...I do not know a Justin Albstein. Is he a student? I checked the Lafayette online directory, and his name does not come up in the results. Is he a Lafayette employee? How did you hear of this "other" Justin?

The campus is very secure. Public Safety, the "police force" on campus (a few actually do carry guns and are real policemen) are very vigilant to make sure all students feel safe at all times. Since we are on College Hill, we are pretty separated from the outside area of Easton just down the hill. A blue light phone system is installed all over campus, so if you EVER feel unsafe, you can use those phones. I do not know anyone who feel sunsafe walking around late at night...the campus is small, well lit, and has other people walking around at all times of the day and night. It is just common sense to go into Easton with someone else, if possible...I have gone into the city on my own so many times, but maybe that isn't the smartest idea. Again, it is best to travel in a group, and that goes for ALL college towns.

Read my descriptions in previous posts about the residence halls at Lafayette. Keefe Hall is an awesome choice...we have carpeting, air conditioning, decent-sized rooms, and great commons areas for each section of the building. It was built in 1999, so it is still in GREAT condition. We like to joke and call Keefe Hall the Keefe Hotel because it is quite comfortable...not what most people would expect from a college residence hall!

The sooner you commit and send in that admissions deposit of $500 (which you will get back) to reserve your spot in the Class of 2010, the better chance you will have of living in Keefe Hall next year. Remember that Keefe Hall holds very few first-year students (about 25-30), so it fills up quickly. Make sure to check the box next to "wellness" because Keefe Hall is an entirely substance-free residence hall. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter what your answers are to the other questions.

To get a "decent laptop", you could spend anywhere from $700-1200 easily. Some of my friends went crazy and spent around $1500-1700 for a high-end laptop, but that is totally unnecessary. I spent about $1300 myself for my Gateway laptop, but that is because I upgraded a few parts (bigger hard drive, more memory, etc.) If you just wanted a laptop that would work well for typing, surfing the web, etc. you would need to spend around $800 with student discounts. That is quite a rough estimation, but take it for all it is worth.

I do not know any Ecuadorian personally, but I am sure there are Ecuadorians on campus. Remember, I have only been on campus for a semester and a half, so I have yet to meet A LOT of people. I know many internatioal students from all over the world (China, Korea, Japan, Russia, Bolivia, Jamaica, Kenya, and more!)

I am so glad to hear that you are excited about Lafayette...make sure to consider all of your choices carefully before making the "big decision".

J

ediaz · 03-30-2006, 04:22 PM

hey justin,

The other justin is someone who wrote a good review about lafayette in a book i have. nevermind.

I have two good fin aid offers so far and I'm still waiting for others. Still lafayette is one of my top choices (even when the other fin aid offer is much better...)

Thanks for the advise of Kefee Hall. I would really like it there i think. And you might just become my RA jaja. How's that going? Did you get the position?
Another thing, do you think you could look up email adresses for ecuadorian students in lafayette for me please? I would really like to have a perpective from someone with my cultural background. Just if you can.

Thanks a lot!

Jimmy2588 · 03-30-2006, 09:46 PM

Hi, I have a question about the student body.

I love everything about Lafayette and the only thing I am really questioning is social life and student body. The main question is... are they friendly and laid back? A lot of things I have read, people have said everyone there (or at least the majority) are the typical rich, upperclass, preppy, and spoiled brats. While I understand that some of "these" might exist at almost all campuses, does this group dominate the campus?

Thanks for any answers.

candyman92486 · 03-30-2006, 10:31 PM

ediaz,

I actually was offered the job of RA of the Dry Surfers floor in Keefe Hall (no first-year students, though) and have decided to take the position. I will be living in Keefe 325 next year...make sure to pay me a visit!

My roommate said he knew the name of at least one student from Ecuador, so next time I get the chance, I will ask him for his/her name and email address. I also have to stop by the Admissions Office tomorrow (Friday), so I'll check there as well for you.

J

candyman92486 · 03-30-2006, 10:50 PM

Hey Jimmy2588,

That is a great question for you to ask. Like many similar colleges/universities (Bucknell, Colgate, Muhlenberg, Lehigh, etc.), there seems to be a decent amount of white preppy students. Are they all spoiled brats? I am sure a good amount are. Does everyone pop their collar? A few people choose to. Is everyone friendly? Absolutely!

This "group" you describe does not dominate campus in any way. Students love to socialize over lunch in Farinon, on their way to classes, and in residence halls. People do tend to gravitate toward people similar to themselves, but that is just human nature.

I am white myself, but I am DEFINITELY not preppy, spoiled, rich, etc. I have a few friends whom you might classify as "white rich spoiled preppy students", but I also have friends of all ethnicities from all kinds of backgrounds and from all over the country/world. Even though Lafayette is not known for its diversity, starting with the incoming Class of 2010, we expect minority student enrollment to increase from 15% of the student population to about 25% within the next few years, an initiative which students seem to really be embracing all throughout campus.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover how laid back most students are at Lafayette. Even though everyone knows how to work hard when it counts, everyone seems to know how to have good times as well.

Make sure to visit campus so that you can see the student body first-hand. Are you planning on attending the Experience Lafayette Day on Sunday, April 23? That might be a great idea for you.

All the best,

J

ediaz · 03-31-2006, 08:49 AM

Hey J!
i was looking for info about the bathrooms in the dorms on Lafayette's website, but i couldn't find it. Can you explain me how bathrooms work please? are they shared by floor, by 2 rooms, private? I guess it depends on the residence hall, co could you detail this please. Thanks again!

Thanks for looking up ecuadorian "leopards?" (how do you call students from lafayette??? jaja)

candyman92486 · 03-31-2006, 12:45 PM

ediaz,

As you predicted, the bathroom situation is different in each residence hall. In Keefe Hall, for instance, bathrooms are private and can be locked. There are bathrooms with one toilet, one sink, and one shower, and bathrooms with one toilet, two sinks, and one shower. Usually, there are about 8-10 people of the same gender sharing two bathrooms, which isn't as bad as you may think. Since we are all on different schedules, there is always an open bathroom within a few steps.

I believe I spoke about bathrooms a few times before in my posts, but just to reiterate, most bathrooms are smaller communal-style facilities. There may be 2-3 stalls with toilets, 2-3 sinks, and 1-2 showers in each bathroom. Of course, there are bathrooms for each gender. All bathrooms are cleaned each weekday by a custodial staff in each building, so they NEVER get really gross. Most of the time, you will be sharing a bathroom with around 10 other people (on average) on your floor or in your wing of the building.

I really do not think it is necessary for me to describe the "bathroom situation" in each residence hall...just rest assured that they are clean and accommodate all the students who need to use them.

I hope that helps...see if you can get into contact with her, and if not for whatever reason, I'm sure I'll be able to find someone else willing to answer your questions.

Later,

J

Jimmy2588 · 03-31-2006, 03:14 PM

Do the residence halls have single rooms for first year students? If yes, are they hard to get?

danashu · 03-31-2006, 03:30 PM

Justin:

Congrats on being asked to be an RA! I look forward to meeting you in a few weeks when we are at the college for our visit. I'm taking the SATs for the first time tomorrow. Hope I won't be an April fool.

Regards,

Dana

candyman92486 · 03-31-2006, 05:10 PM

Jimmy2588,

I may have mentioned this in a recent post, but just to reiterate, there are a FEW single rooms available for first-year students. However, the school encourages all freshmen to go for a double and experience life with a roommate. If you really do not think you could handle a roommate, or just value your privacy very highly, a single might be right for you. If so, get in contact with the Office of Residence Life after sending in your residence hall preference sheet by phone at (610) 330-5335 and ask to speak with the the Director of Residence Life, Annette Diorio. You could also email her at diorioa@lafayette.edu to request a single room. If I remember correctly, the housing preference form does not have the option for a single listed, but don't let that prevent you from pursuing a single.

Securing a single is harder than securing a double simply because there aren't that many available for first-year students, not because there is a huge demand for them. Get in contact with Residence Life ASAP if you seriously want a single. I would recommend going for the double, if only for your first year at Lafayette.

Good luck with that decision.

J

JesusLovesYou · 03-31-2006, 08:03 PM

Questions
How is IR regarded?
Is the campus more liberal/conservative?
How many close freinds do you have as a student at LaFayette? just something I am asking people from schools I got into. I know it is completely arbritrary, but I like numbers. Thanks

zmromanano · 04-02-2006, 12:42 AM

Hi Justin,

This may seem like a silly question, but if you went to Marquis Scholar Day last year, did you notice how the students there were generally dressed? I'm not sure how formal this affair is meant to be, and I'd like to avoid any awkwardness haha. Thanks again for your help.

Zach

candyman92486 · 04-02-2006, 12:46 PM

Hey Zach,

Silly question that is not!

I vaguely remember attending the Marquis Scholar Day. From what I can recall, I wore a nice pair of pants and a polo shirt. Dress nicely, but don't go overboard. You have already been accepted, so if you chose to go in a bathrobe and slippers to Marquis Scholar Day, it really wouldn't make a difference. People might look at you funny, but that's about it!

Most students choose to dress up JUST A LITTLE, if only to impress any professors they might meet during the day.

I'll see you at lunch. FREE FOOD IS AWESOME!

J

ediaz · 04-04-2006, 01:18 PM

Hey J,

I'm having a really hard time with my decision: LAFAYETTE or CONNECTICUT COLLEGE ??? What do you think. I clearly like Lafayette better, but it represents graduating with a 14k student loan. What do you think?

Also, some few questions:
Is there a rock climbing wall in lafayette? About clothing, should I buy it there or should I buy it here? I'm asking this because I don't own any winter clothes (I live in Ecuador!) and I don't know if it is cheaper in USA. Besides clothing, what should I consider bringing to Lafayette?
Thanks.

ediaz · 04-04-2006, 01:56 PM

just adding a question:

do you get paid for the campus job? I mean do youget money and choose what to spend it on? I emailed the guys at the admissions office and they didn't clarify this. How much doy you think I will need for monthly expeses?