High school seniors, this one’s for you. As spring rolls around, decisions about college are at the front of everyone’s minds, and I get it… it can be really stressful. However, we are here to hopefully make this process a little easier. At this point in time, many people have either decided on schools or are cutting their lists down to the final few. Even if you’re not ready to decide quite yet, I hope this article will show you how great Lafayette is and why current students decided to attend this amazing school!
First, I’ll tell you my story. My decision was made quite early on as I was an early decision applicant. So, by the end of December, I was already repping my Lafayette sweatshirt any time I could. While the second half of my senior year was pretty relaxed, the decision on where my early decision application would go was truly a hard one. I visited Lafayette twice, both on the the most cold and rainy days I could imagine, yet there was still something about this school that pushed it forward. On both tours, my mom decided to pull over any person we saw (it was humiliating) and asked them the same question: Why Lafayette? And I can’t say with enough enthusiasm how kind and responsive everyone on campus was to my overly excited mother. If there is one thing to sell you on this school it truly is the people, because no matter who you are, there will be people who you will connect with and create bonds that will last. Just as well, as a Psychology Major and Theater Minor, I can attest to the fact that even though it may be such a small school with most of its reputation surrounding engineering, Lafayette never fails offer opportunities of all kinds for people with different majors and interests.
I posed the question “Why Lafayette?” to many people and here are some their responses:
Lizzie Gumula ‘22 – Theater/English Double Major
“I originally believed Lafayette would be my last choice. However, I chose Lafayette because I personally needed a place where I could both grow and enjoy my college experience. When I came to XLC day, the signs were all there: the beautiful quad, the peaceful campus, the outgoing and friendly students, and the caring professors. Professor Westfall, whose class I observed down the hill, even drove me up to meet my mom when I inevitably missed the shuttle. The caring environment, combined with a great liberal arts education, just made sense.”
Lauren Stango ‘22 – Neuroscience/Theater Double Major
“I found the college process really scary because I didn’t know what type of school I wanted. Lafayette was the smallest school I applied to, and I assumed I’d pick a larger one. However the small size made it feel like more a warm and cohesive community than anywhere else I’d been accepted, and I decided to commit on XLC day because of that feeling”
Michael O’Connor ‘22 – Biochemistry Major
When he visited he “felt at home here” and honestly “did not want the tour to end.” But what sold him in the end was the fact that Lafayette sent “the most personalized acceptance letter,” making him feel like they really reviewed his application and emphasized the close and personal community at Lafayette.
Sabrina Sicilia ‘22 – English Major and Chinese Minor on Pre Med Track
“I’ve always gone to small schools and this was larger in the sense that I felt I could express myself and have the assets to follow paths I wanted both academically and in terms of opportunity for my future but it was small enough where I felt I would actually be cared for and valued in my community.”
Christian Romero ‘20 – Psychology/Anthropology + Sociology Double Major and Spanish Minor
“I chose Lafayette because the teachers, faculty, and alumni care about you and would do whatever is possible to help you succeed. Additionally, Lafayette allows you to be a well-rounded student by offering a variety of ways to get involved on campus and in the community”
I hope some of these responses assist in the final decision making process! As always, I wish everyone good luck in the final weeks of decisions and I know that wherever you choose will be so lucky to have every one of you!