ADMISSIONS

With more than 15 different cultural groups, Lafayette offers a diverse atmosphere. Students come from 42 states, as well as the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia, and 72 countries. The number of African, Latino/a, Asian, and Native American (ALANA) students is growing, and the college is committed to furthering recruitment efforts and the continuous representation of ALANA students on campus.

Every effort is made to achieve diversity within each entering class and to ensure increased access to higher education by traditionally underrepresented groups such as racial and ethnic minorities. Each admissions decision is based on the individual.

Each year selected minority student applicants and their parents are invited to Prologue, a special two-day event that enables them to experience the academic and cocurricular life firsthand. The admissions office encourages current students to help plan Prologue and assist with minority student recruitment through the Advisory Committee on Multicultural Recruitment.

Lafayette has had a longstanding emphasis on factors other than standardized tests. The focus in the review process is on your high school record, the quality of courses taken (advanced placement, honors, other accelerated courses), and grades earned.

Extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and an essay are also evaluated. The submission of SAT scores is required. Applicants deemed capable of succeeding in a most competitive academic environment are admitted.

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

Each year, Lafayette gives Marquis Scholar and Trustee Scholarship awards to the college’s most promising applicants, those who have shown academic excellence and intellectual curiosity. Sixty Marquis Scholars and 32 Trustee Scholars are named. Marquis Scholars receive a minimum of $16,000 or grant to full need if need exceeds $16,000; Trustee Scholars, $8,000 or grant to full need if need exceeds $8,000.

In addition, Lafayette awards four prestigious Simon Scholarships each year to first-year minority students. This scholarship eliminates the loan portion of an aid award so that the student receives a grant based on need, with a modest on-campus work expectation. All minority students are considered for the Simon Scholarship.

To apply for aid, file the College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile), the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and tax returns and W2s for both students and parents by Feb 1.