Thoughts on Union, Lafayette, and F&M?

[Anonymous]

DC is looking to be a STEM major with a pre-med focus. These are all schools we plan on visiting. Thoughts on these, and maybe some suggestions for additions to our list? 1350, 3.7UW.

[Anonymous]

Lafayette is a reach.

[Anonymous]

One of these is not like the others. Lafayette and F&M are much more competitive than Union. And none are reaches with that GPA, probably.

[Anonymous]

Lafayette>F&M and Union

[Anonymous]

You’ve picked 3 very fine schools. I like all 3 a lot. Lafayette and Union are unusual in that both have long established engineering schools within a liberal arts college. I know that’s not what your DC is looking for, but I think it says something about how those schools were froward thinking a long time ago and we’re willing to break out of the LAC mold for the benefit of their students.

All 3 have Greek life. I haven’t heard of it being a problem on these campuses as it is on some, but I still think that it would be useful to add one or two other similar schools which don’t have frats and sororities just to have something for comparison. Greek life isn’t for everyone and on some campuses it’s hard to avoid. Comparable colleges in the same general region without Greek life for comparison might be Skidmore and Connecticut College.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of these is not like the others. Lafayette and F&M are much more competitive than Union. And none are reaches with that GPA, probably.

They’re all reaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lafayette is a reach.

I would actually put Lafayette at the bottom of the three, especially for STEM. Union probably has the strongest STEM programs of those three.

[Anonymous]

It was last year but we had a kid with similar stats get into FM and Lafayette - 29 ACT and 3.6uw (11 AP/IBs). Not pre-med but environmental science/studies.

We did look at Union but Schenectady was a hard no and did not apply. Although we thought Union was most stem oriented.

We also looked at Rhodes and Sewanee. Have not looked at the pre-med programs closely but knows Rhodes touts having a relationship with St Jude's Research Hospital. Sewanee mentioned having some cool internships including some with Vanderbilt.

[Anonymous]

My child with slightly higher stats was admitted to all three. Potential engineering student. Significant merit from Union and some merit from F&M. None from Lafayette.

[Anonymous]

I believe F&M provides need based aid ONLY. Not sure about the other two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was last year but we had a kid with similar stats get into FM and Lafayette - 29 ACT and 3.6uw (11 AP/IBs). Not pre-med but environmental science/studies.

We did look at Union but Schenectady was a hard no and did not apply. Although we thought Union was most stem oriented.

We also looked at Rhodes and Sewanee. Have not looked at the pre-med programs closely but knows Rhodes touts having a relationship with St Jude's Research Hospital. Sewanee mentioned having some cool internships including some with Vanderbilt.

If you don’t mind sharing, where did your kid end up? My DC (with similar stats to OP) got into Lafayette for Environmental Studies without merit. We are trying to decide what to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child with slightly higher stats was admitted to all three. Potential engineering student. Significant merit from Union and some merit from F&M. None from Lafayette.

What year was that? F&M only provides need-based aid now and no merit.

[Anonymous]

If you like….

Lafayette, then take a look at Lehigh and Bucknell.

Union, then take a look at St. Lawrence and Trinity.

F&M, then take a look at Dickinson and Gettysburg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you like….

Lafayette, then take a look at Lehigh and Bucknell.

Union, then take a look at St. Lawrence and Trinity.

F&M, then take a look at Dickinson and Gettysburg.

The three bolded repulsed my kid from our tours and what we heard. YMMV. I know 4 kids who’ve left Bucknell in the last 3 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child with slightly higher stats was admitted to all three. Potential engineering student. Significant merit from Union and some merit from F&M. None from Lafayette.

What year was that? F&M only provides need-based aid now and no merit.

This year. They call it an "institutional grant" on the admissions letter.