boston_man_2009

Hey Candyman,

I submitted my application in mid-december.....is there any chance I will hear back earlier than April 1st? Its just too long man!!!

boston_man_2009

Also I was wondering how generous Lafayette College is with financial aid? Anything you know about would be greatly appricated!

candyman92486

boston_man_2009,

If you are awarded a merit-based scholarship, you'll hear back in mid-March. If not, expect to hear back during the days leading up to April 1.

Lafayette is committed to meeting the demonstrated need of all students. Most financial aid packages are a combination of grants and loans that make it possible for each student to attend. Our revised financial aid policy for those families with household incomes less than $100,000 is particularly generous: Lafayette College - Financial Aid.

I should also mention that Lafayette has a number of scholarships available each year specifically for minority students.

- Justin

HeyBabyDontUWory

Hey Candyman

I'm sure a lot of people have asked this question before, but it was really hard to search through the 1000+ posts and find it! So i hope you dont mind.

I applied to Lafayette this winter hoping for admission as a freshman. I'm really worried that the social scene at the college will not suit me. These are the problems i'm worried about:
1. Do people party? I'm not interested in some penn-state type party school, but i would really like a college where in general people like to party, and i can find places to party on the weekend.
2. Is there any social life off campus? clubs, etc...
3. Is the campus clique-ish? I'm pretty outgoing and socially apt... and i hope making friends will be easy?
4. Will i fit in? I'm a male thats not white and not at all rich. I'v heard a lot of the campus is the exact opposite of me... im hoping its just a stereotype.

Thanks!

Thanks

Rue666

How do you check the application status? I just got my student # in the mail, but can't find where to put it.

candyman92486

Rue666,

A link will be placed on the Admissions webpage entitled "Already Applied?", just below the current link "Apply Online" (see Lafayette College Admissions). Once the link goes live, you'll be able to sign in to a secure system to review the status of your application.

- Justin

GoGBPackers_4

Candyman I had a few questions. I don't know if you remember me but I was accepted ED in December. Anyway I was reading through the older questions thread and it provoked a few more questions of my own. I read about housing and I thought I read somewhere that you make your choice when you send the $500 form in. Since I was ED I already sent that in, and have no memory of housing being on that form. Will I receive it later?

I also thought I read somewhere that Lafayette has a foreign language requirement (which as a future Engineering student isn’t an attractive requirement, though I realize Lafayette is a liberal arts college). My dad, a Lafayette grad, told me he doubted that was necessary for Engineers, but I told him times change. First of all is there a requirement? Second if there is: I took 4 years of Spanish in High School, none of which were AP but one of which was dual credit with my local community college. Will that transfer to Lafayette?

My final question is if I am to receive a merit scholarship (which unfortunately seems to have a slim to none chance because of my stats) would I have already received it because I am ED or is there some chance a miracle might happen and I could receive a scholarship?

Thanks

candyman92486

HeyBabyDontUWory,

1. There are a number of students who like to hang out and "party" -- sometimes with alcohol, sometimes without. There's never any pressure to binge drink, as is often the case at a Penn State-type school. Rest assured there are parties every weekend for students to let off some steam after a hard week of schoolwork.
2. There isn't much in the way of off-campus hangouts. Mainly bars within walking distance, but no clubs. The closest place Lafayette has to a club is "The Spot" just down College Hill, which runs school-sponsored dance parties.
3. If you're open to others, you'll make friends without a problem. There are all sorts of personality types on campus for you to interact with. Thankfully, cliques are much harder to come by than in a typical high school. While you may develop a close network of friends, you'll constantly be meeting new people in and out of classes.
4. Again, if you come to campus with an open mind, you'll more than likely "fit in". While the majority of campus is White (about 80%), very few fit the "white rich preppy snob" mold.

So, don't you worry!

- Justin

candyman92486

GoGBPackers_4,

In previous years, the housing/roommate preference form was sent with the ED acceptance materials. You might wish to contact the Office of Residence Life at reslife@lafayette.edu to get a more definitive answer.

As part of Lafayette's Common Course of Study (CCS), students pursuing an A.B. (Bachelor of Arts) degree must fulfill the Foreign Culture Requirement. As a prospective B.S. Engineer, you would not have to worry about it.

Those applicants accepted ED receive separate notification in mid-March if a merit-based scholarship has been awarded.

- Justin

Moxy

Hi Justin, can you give us any idea what they mean by "....whose financial assets are typical of families with this annual income level.?" We may have more saved than is typical for families earning $70,000, but we're in our upper fifties and need what we have for retirement (no traditional pension plans) We didn't put everything into IRA's like we should have, so am wondering if this will negatively impact any need based financial aid offer.

candyman92486

Moxy,

That's a very fishy statement, isn't it? Typical of financial aid...

I won't even attempt to provide an explanation. I honestly have no idea what that means. If I were to guess, it sounds like a polite way of saying "We can do whatever we deem necessary when allocating funds."

Why don't you email the Office of Financial Aid at financialaid@lafayette.edu? They should get back to you in a few days, most likely with some equally-ambiguous response.

Good luck!

- Justin

mary s

Hi Justin! I hope that you and your family had great holidays!
I was wondering if it matters if my son returns to campus on January 25th or is it mandatory (or is there some benefit) to return on the 24th?
-mary s

candyman92486

mary s,

Students can return as early as the Friday before classes. The only benefit to returning early is having time to get settled and buy books before classes begin.

- Justin

mary s

Thank you!
-mary

acmmom

Is it too late to switch to ED II?