The “power of and” philosophy

Our tour guide for Lafayette College announced, “Here, we believe in the power of and.” In other words, at Lafayette, which offers both the liberal arts and engineering, you won’t be pegged as just an athlete or an engineer or a theater person. You can hold as many roles as you wish at this college in Easton, PA, nestled in the Lehigh Valley.

Academic flexibility and offerings

Engineering is a major at Lafayette, not its own college, and there’s no special requirements to make it into engineering. In fact, there’s no pressure to decide your major before your sophomore year. You’re admitted to Lafayette, not the program. To help you decide if engineering is for you, the department holds 50 to 70 lunchtime talks about the engineering programs to help you decide what you want to declare as a major if engineering is your thing.

Interesting majors at Lafayette:

• Computer Science 
• Government and Law
• Government and Law & Foreign Language
• Mathematics-Economics
• Neuroscience
• Religion and Politics
• Theater

• Plus seven ABET-certified engineering majors, including:
• Chemical Engineering
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Integrative Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• and a dual-degree program, Engineering (B.S.) and International Studies (A.B.)

Core curriculum

Lafayette’s Common Course of Study, which for the class entering in 2025 will be slightly different from before, seeks to develop graduates who show “engaged, informed citizenship in the world” and who can “collaborate and communicate both within and across disciplinary boundaries” (https://ccs.lafayette.edu/the-common-course-of-study/ccs-requirements-and-learning-outcomes-2029/).

The CCS calls for students to take courses in each of the following categories: 

• Humanistic or Artistic Inquiry, Analysis or Creation
• Study of Social Activity
• Study of the Natural World
• Human Interaction with the Natural World 
• Global Perspectives
• Critical Engagement with Culture and Society
• Quantitative or Computational Reasoning
• Elementary Proficiency in a Second Language
• First-Year Seminar 
• Writing

Look into the Common Course of Study to get a good idea of what Lafayette values. Though the Common Course of Study seems very prescriptive, many classes will satisfy the CCS requirements.

Residential life and community

Lafayette is highly residential, with housing guaranteed all four years and 93% living on campus. Learning occurs not only in the classrooms and labs but in the dorms, in thematic living groups, and in extracurricular activities. (When I visited in late March with a group of around 50 independent educational consultants, the Side Hustle Fair was going on where students could market their creative products and services.)

First-years live in residence halls, but upperclassmen can choose from suites, apartments, Greek houses, and thematic living spaces like the LGBTQIA+ Lavender House.

Campus involvement opportunities

One-quarter of the Pards (they’re the Leopards) participate in Division I athletics; Lafayette has 23 DI teams. More engage in intramural and club sports. Greek life doesn’t dominate, but 39% of upperclassmen belong to a fraternity or sorority. At Lafayette, you cannot rush until fall of your sophomore year. They feel that freshmen need a full year to acclimate and really become part of the whole community. The college has over 130 organizations, including club sports and intramurals.

Campus traditions and location

School spirit at Lafayette is strong, but when it comes to playing arch-rival Lehigh, it’s over the top. In September, Lafayette holds a formal dance for first-years, marking 1,000 nights until graduation. The Office of Sustainability helps with move-out day by running a community yard sale of gently used household items.

Easton, PA, is a quaint town only an hour and a half from New York City or Philadelphia. It hosts the longest-running open-air farmers’ market in the country, holds two restaurant weeks each year, and has street festivals celebrating bacon and garlic.

Admissions and financial aid

If you’re one of the lucky 29% to get an acceptance letter, it will be personalized to you, mentioning something about your activities or your essay or both. The admissions representative who writes that letter will also follow through with you once you’re on campus.

Lafayette meets 100% of demonstrated need with a no-loan initiative for families that make $200k or less. They will offer $1000 in work-study and the rest in grant aid. Only 70 institutions in the U.S. meet 100% of demonstrated need.

The Net Price Calculator on Lafayette’s website is a “sibling” of the CSS Profile (which Lafayette requires) and should be fairly accurate. Use it to get an idea of what you’ll pay. Of course, garbage in = garbage out.

Lafayette filled 47% of its 2025 class with those who applied Early Decision 1 and 2. Athletes are often admitted through ED. ED can also get you an early read on financial aid.

Demonstrated interest matters a lot to Lafayette and can affect your merit aid offer. Lafayette encourages interviewing. It’s not evaluative, but the write-up does go into your file.

The class that entered in 2025 had an average recalculated GPA of 3.67 on a 4.0 scale. The middle 50% SAT for those who turned in test scores ranged from 1350 to 1470; ACT scores in the middle 50% ranged from 28 to 33. However, with a 29% admission rate, don’t expect to be accepted even if you meet or exceed the profile. Their mission is rooted in access and opportunity.

Advising

Lafayette provides career exploration and planning through a robust advising program. You participate with an adviser in a four-year career planning program called Gateway. Signature programs include individualized counseling for career and graduate or professional school; networking with alumni and parents; workshops focused on job and internship searches; and experiential learning such as job shadowing and internships. Pre-professional advising for medical, dental, veterinary, and optometry school yield better-than-average rates of acceptance. One hundred percent of applicants to law school are admitted from Lafayette.

In my opinion. . .

Lafayette has the athletic spirit of a larger school with a desirable location, in a small town but close enough to get to two big cities in just 90 minutes. It’s a true liberal arts and sciences school with ABET-certified engineering and a nearly even split between males and females. If you want to be known by your professors, if you want to explore who you can be, Lafayette may be the place for you.