<p>Lafayette is, culturally, a preppy northeastern LAC, from way back. That is good news or bad news, depending on your perspective. It has engineering, of course, but culturally, it’s a very upscale LAC. I was under the impression that their merit aid went to pretty high stats kids – borderline Ivy candidates. Maybe the merit aid trickles further down the academic totem pole than I realize. Lafayette also needs to “feel the love”, as I understand it. They’ve turned down some very high stats kids from around here, definite Ivy candidates, perhaps because they didn’t want their yield undermined, being used as a safety by Ivy-bound kids?</p>