Lafayette College is a small liberal arts college in the city of Easton, Pennsylvania along the Delaware River just about between Philadelphia and New York City. They say they are small enough to offer personal attention, while large enough to offer the resources and opportunities of a larger institution — and we have to agree. The tight-knit student body of 2729 represents 44 states and territories, and 60 countries, and have access to a vast array of academic programs, extracurriculars, and student events. The overall acceptance rate is 33.6%, and the Early Decision acceptance rate is 43.4%.
93% of Lafayette students live on campus, and the school calendar is chock full of fun traditions like the 1,000 Nights formal, Rivalry Week, and Lafapalooza. Students enjoy a balance between enjoyment and achievement, with over 50% of students doing research with a faculty member and strong outcomes for students who go on to apply to medical school, dental school, and law school.
The college has continued the test-optional policy that they implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and they also say that they take Spring 2020 grades and extracurriculars with a grain of salt. They understand that students had diverse experiences and challenges during the pandemic that sometimes resulted in report cards that were not reflective of their full potential inside and outside of the (virtual) classroom. If you are considering submitting test scores, it’s helpful to know what numbers will stand out in a positive way. The middle 50% standardized test scores for admitted students are:
ACT: 30-33
SAT Math: 670-750
SAT ERW: 660-730
If your scores are not at the top end of these ranges, or above them, we do not recommend submitting them.
If you’re planning on applying to Lafayette, send us an email. We help students get into the top colleges in the country.
Lafayette has one supplemental essay, and it is required. The maximum word length is 200, which means you’ll have a lot of information to fit into not a lot of space. First, though, the question.
Students identify Lafayette as an excellent fit for countless reasons. In your response, be deliberate and specific about your motivation for applying to Lafayette. Why do you see yourself at Lafayette?
This is a classic “why us” essay. Lafayette knows from your application that you are smart, qualified, curious, and driven, but that doesn’t tell them why you want to be at Lafayette. This is where you make the case for yourself not just as a future-college student, but as a future member of the Lafayette community.
To do this, you need to start with research. In order to write about why Lafayette is your perfect fit, you need to understand Lafayette, and especially the programs you are interested in pursuing both inside the classroom and outside the classroom.
After you spend some time snooping around the Lafayette website, pick one program, tradition, or other aspect of Lafayette as an institution and community to focus in on. What you pick shouldn’t be random. It should tie into your day-to-day life now, whether at home or at school, and relate to something that is currently important to you.
You also need to find at least one class you want to take, and a professor in your proposed area of academic focus that you’d like to study under.
Once you have this information gathered together, it’s time to start writing. Build a bridge between yourself and Lafayette through story, featuring that program or tradition you selected earlier. You only have a few sentences to do this in, so you’ll need to be concise. For example, if you love that Lafayette has such a strong focus on service, you may start by telling the story of a way you serve your community now that is (ideally) also connected to what you want to study. Then, transition into how you’d be able to build upon and even expand this work at Lafayette.
As you write, you need to go deep and be specific. In addition to the ‘big picture’ culture side of Lafayette, you need to reference at least one class you are hoping to take and a professor you want to study under.
Close out your supplement by reiterating what it is you’ve decided to focus on as a key aspect of Lafayette that appeals to you, and remind the reader that it is your top choice school and that you can truly see yourself on campus come fall.
Lafayette is a small but mighty school that offers world-class academics in a small-city setting. As you prepare to apply, remember that Lafayette wants to feel like a priority. One of the best ways to communicate that is by showing the research you’ve already done.
If applying to Lafayette is feeling overwhelming, send us an email. We’ve help students like you sail through the college application process.