How to get into Lafayette College
How to get into Lafayette: engineering + LAC hybrid, ED is the lever
31.5%
Acceptance rate
$65,398
In-state cost
What makes Lafayette College admissions different
Lafayette (Easton, PA, ~2,700 students) is one of the few small liberal arts colleges with a serious engineering program (ABET-accredited engineering offered alongside humanities). Admit rate ~32%. ED admit rate is substantially higher than RD. Strong financial aid (meets full need for U.S. students).
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply ED I (Nov 15) or ED II (Feb 1) if Lafayette is your top choice.
- 2.
Write a specific 'Why Lafayette' supplement — name programs, the engineering + LAC combination, specific opportunities.
- 3.
Take rigorous courses; engineering applicants should have Calc BC, physics, chem.
- 4.
Strong test scores still help (test-optional but submitters fare well).
- 5.
Apply for the Marquis Scholarship by Lafayette's deadline if eligible — full-tuition merit award.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Treating Lafayette as a Lehigh backup. The cultures are different.
- ✕
Missing ED. RD odds drop materially.
- ✕
Generic LAC essays that ignore the engineering offering.
The specifics for Lafayette College
Application deadlines
- Early Decision INovember 15
- Early Decision IIFebruary 1
- Regular DecisionJanuary 15
What makes this admissions process distinctive
Engineering at a small LAC
ABET-accredited engineering programs alongside a traditional liberal arts curriculum
Notable scholarships at Lafayette College
Marquis ScholarshipFull tuition
Top admits; auto-considered with timely application
What graduates actually do
Lafayette graduates feed engineering, finance, consulting, and law. The college's strong engineering program (unusual for a small liberal arts school) anchors a tech and corporate pipeline. Median early-career earnings run around $62-68k per Scorecard, among the highest of small liberal arts institutions. Lafayette's alumni network is particularly active in NYC and Philadelphia finance and engineering firms.
Notable alumni
- Stephen Crane — novelist (The Red Badge of Courage, attended)
- Robert E. Mercer — former Reaganomics architect, GM CEO
- James Cattell — psychologist
- Mukesh Aghi — U.S.-India Business Council CEO
- Frank Kane — Marvel Comics editor
- George Reeves — actor (original Superman, attended)
Transfer pathway
Lafayette admits transfers for fall and spring entry. Applicants need at least one semester of college work. The application requires the Common App transfer form, official transcripts, college report, and academic recommendations. Engineering transfers face additional course-prerequisite requirements.
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App. Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
Lafayette ED + a clear story about why engineering + liberal arts together = real shot. Marquis Scholarship is the named-merit lever.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.