Lafayette College

Easton, PA · Private · 2,757 undergrads

• Admit rate: 31.4% (9,874 applicants)
• SAT middle 50%: 1350–1500 (ACT 31–33)
• Undergraduates: 2,757 (6.9% international)
• Average net price: $34,433 (per year after aid)
• Graduation rate: 88% (within 6 years)

Deadlines

• Early Decision: Nov. 15, 2026
• Early Decision II: Jan. 15, 2027
• Regular Decision: Jan. 15, 2027

Essays

Why Lafayette? (optional) (20-200 words)

The Marquis de Lafayette lived by the motto Cur Non or Why not? Your Cur Non spirit manifests our namesake who altered the course of world history. Your application moves you closer to releasing that same energy into life. Charge on! 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?

Editor's notes

• Interview, and do it before mid-December. Lafayette's CDS rates the interview Important, and its FAQ says the interview carries considerable weight for Marquis and Cur Non merit scholarships. You get one per cycle, so don't burn it before you're ready.
• Write the optional Why Lafayette answer. The CDS rates level of interest Important, and 200 words is a small price. Be specific about what you'd do there.
• Rank your activities, don't stack them. Lafayette focuses on your top six, so put the ones you care about most and spend the most time on first.
• Weigh ED against merit honestly. Lafayette admitted 356 of 937 ED applicants in fall 2025 and lets RD applicants convert to ED II until Feb. 1. But its own scholarship page says that if enrolling depends on a merit award, apply Regular Decision.

Sources

1. Lafayette College, Common Data Set 2025-2026
2. Lafayette Admissions, Apply
3. Lafayette Admissions, Deadlines and Forms
4. Lafayette Admissions, First-Year Applicants
5. Lafayette Admissions, Early Decision I & II
6. Lafayette Admissions, What We Look For
7. Lafayette Admissions, Admissions Interview FAQs
8. Lafayette Admissions, Scholarships
9. Lafayette College, Class Profile (Class of 2029)
10. Lafayette Admissions, Financial Aid
11. Lafayette Arts, CaPA Scholars