candyman92486

smabe,

I'm glad you're taking the time to re-visit Lafayette. However, with such short notice, I don't believe it possible for Admissions to set up a "true engineering tour." If you had emailed our Visitation Coordinator sometime this past week, she would have gladly found an engineer willing to show you around and share his/her experiences over lunch.

You should, of course, still ask on Monday -- just don't be too disappointed if it can't be arranged.

I should mention that you and your son can explore the engineering building on your own. You won't be able to enter any lab facilities, but you could stop by any open doors in the Civil/Environmental wing to ask questions of professors.

I don't mean to be rude, but with such a disparity in financial aid offered by Cornell and Lafayette, most families would consider this to be a relatively "easy" choice. I hope your family's ties to Cornell aren't factoring into this decision as much as other factors (quality of education, institutional resources, campus "feel", etc.).

- Justin

asadakram

I'm an International Student in the Class of 2013. I was wondering if you could let me in on some inside details on Housing? Like what dorms are good, which buildings are in bad shape, where the party goes on, which dorms are far away from the engineering buildings etc.

Asad

candyman92486

Asad,

I typed up a residence hall "cheat sheet" some time ago, and it has proven quite helpful during the dorm selection process. Here goes, in no particular order:

1. Watson Hall
- 64/130 first-year students, co-ed by floor
- “Wellness” (substance-free) section: 14 first-year students
- Library study space
- Near engineering building
- Condition: nothing special, average rooms, walk-in closets, no A/C, no carpeting

2. Marquis Hall
- 40/60 first-year students, ALL-FEMALE
- Marquis Dining Hall, 24/7 computer lab on ground floor
- Condition: a bit run-down, larger rooms, built-in closets, no A/C, no carpeting

3. Easton Hall
- 50/105 first-year students, co-ed by room
- One large restroom and one lounge/kitchen per floor
- Near Marquis Dining Hall
- Condition: last renovated in ‘02, average rooms, built-in closets, no A/C, no carpeting

4. Kamine Hall
- 90 first-year students, co-ed by room
- Small lounges/kitchens on each floor
- Removed from campus
- Simon’s Café
- Condition: newly built (‘05), average rooms, A/C, no carpeting, hospital-like

5/6. Conway House/PT Farinon House
- 30 first-year students, co-ed by room
- Family atmosphere – get to know everyone with one big lounge
- Isolated from rest of campus
- Condition: a bit run-down, average rooms, no A/C, no carpeting

7. Ruef Hall
- 110/143 first-year students, co-ed by floor
- Small communities
- One large lounge/kitchen on ground floor
- Condition: nothing special, average rooms, walk-in closets, no A/C, no carpeting

8. Keefe Hall
- 16/117 first-year students, co-ed by room
- Family atmosphere within “Wellness” (substance-free) floor
- Overall quiet building
- Private restrooms, lounge/kitchen for each living group
- Condition: built in ‘99, average rooms, A/C, carpeting, hotel-like

9. South College
- 105/220 first-year students, co-ed by floor
- Large lounges/kitchens on each floor
- “Party Dorm”
- Condition: last renovated in ‘02, HUGE rooms, A/C, carpeting

10. McKeen Hall
- 90/182 first-year students, co-ed by floor
- Lounge/kitchen on ground floor only
- Near Farinon Dining Hall
- Condition: newly renovated (‘07), smaller rooms, built-in closets, A/C, no carpeting

11. Gates Hall
- 42/84 first-year students, co-ed by floor
- Lounge/kitchen on ground floor only
- Near Farinon Dining Hall
- Condition: needs renovation, smaller rooms, built-in closets, no A/C, no carpeting

12. Kirby House
- 12/69 first-year students, ALL-MALE, upperclassmen mainly athletes
- Lounges and a library study space on first and third floors
- Near Farinon Dining Hall
- Condition: last renovated in '01, HUGE rooms, walk-in closets, A/C, no carpeting

If you'd like me to provide some floor plans as PDF files to give you a sense for those buildings, just shoot me a PM with your email address.

- Justin

Buzz87

Justin -
First of all, thank you for your tireless assistance!
Second, could you please describe generally your classroom experience at Lafayette.? More specifically, are the students actively engaged in every class...what percentage of class time is spent discussing as opposed to lecturing...do the discussions spill outside of the classrooms? What method of learning is emphasized or encouraged...or how did you learn the most...books, lectures, outside discussions with students, with professors, independent studying?

Thanks again!

candyman92486

Buzz87,

Students have no choice but to be actively engaged in most courses due in part to the small class sizes and also to the high expectations of professors. You can't sit back, listen, and expect to do well in a course and/or gain the respect of your professors and peers.

The amount of discussion that goes on in the classroom vs. straight lecture depends heavily on the type of course. Introductory science courses are primarily lecture-based because so much information needs to be covered, but students are of course encouraged to ask questions. The bulk of the humanities and social science courses are discussion-based. Upper-level courses in any department are rarely, if ever, straight lecture.

I'd say that, yes, discussion does spill beyond the classroom. I think the small communities formed in our residence halls facilitate this "extended learning," as do our numerous student academic interest groups and invited guest speakers.

What "method of learning" do you have in mind? Like I said, those students who get the most out of a Lafayette education are those who "get out there" -- that could mean studying abroad (which is EXTREMELY popular with students of all majors), conducting independent or collaborative research, gaining internships with alums, and more.

I think anyone who has ever conducted research would tell you that those sorts of opportunities, which are available to all interested/motivated students, are the most valuable learning experiences on campus.

- Justin

Traveldude50

I know that lafayette is known as an enginerring school, and that political science type majors are always some of the most popular majors in most every school. Knowing this how strong would you say the Policy Studies + Government and Law majors are at Lafayette?

candyman92486

Traveldude50,

Lafayette's engineering program is well-known, yes, but that doesn't mean our other majors aren't worth your time.

The Policy Studies program is fairly new, but it's fast becoming one of the more popular interdisciplinary majors. See the program's website for more information: Lafayette College - Policy Studies.

The Gov't/Law program is equally strong. An entire building is dedicated to the department, and students routinely gain employment in D.C. and admission to top law schools.

- Justin

Leopard03

I was a Govt major at Lafayette and it is a top notch program. It will prepare you very well for law school and many of my classmates are now successful attorneys. I pursued business and I believe it gave me a great core for that as well. Government at Lafayette is a great Liberal Arts major and will prepare you for a variety of careers.

Traveldude50

Thank you both leopard and candyman, sorry if i hit a nerve. Lafayette has just becoming more and more attractive to me and i think it would just be smart to look at all aspects of the college before eventually applying next year.

GoGBPackers_4

Hey Justin I have a kind of specific question. Is there anywhere that you know of at Lafayette or maybe in Easton that is kind of like a sports bar/a place with a bunch of TV's that normally plays sporting events? I figure there is some sort of place in Easton but I wouldn't be sure if I could get in until I'm older (I wouldn't be looking to drink just see games that I might not be able to in the dorms), is there possibly a student friendly one?

candyman92486

GoGBPackers_4,

That's an interesting question -- one I've never been asked before!

There's a restaurant just north of campus in Forks Township called Big Woody's Pizza & Sports Bar. It's a very family-friendly place, and there are more TVs there than you can count. A jumbo projector displays the most important game of the moment, and TVs at individual booths are under your control.

- Justin

GoGBPackers_4

That sounds like a good place. Do you know about how long it takes to walk there?

candyman92486

GoGBPackers_4,

It is a good place! Affordable food, too.

It'd take about 15-20 minutes to walk there.

- Justin

Leopard03

No need to apologize travel dude. Lafayette is certainly strong in engineering but at its core it is a liberal arts school. The engineering program has a strong influence and many students study engineering, but the liberal arts atmosphere is always present.

YankeesChamps09

Hey i'm transferring from a large university and i am deciding between lehigh and lafayette. i have two concerns about lafayette, one being that there is no business school and only a business and economics major. i wanted to major in marketing but i would have to choose the business/economics major. what do you know about the major? would it sufficiently equip me for the business world as well as lehigh's business school would? also i am hearing bad things about greek life and the social scene overall. whats going on?