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Lafayette College
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Lafayette College - Diversity - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.08

Diversity

B-
Where does this grade come from?View all Diversity rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 5%
Asian American 4%
Hispanic 5%
International 6%
Native American 0%
White 71%
Unknown 9%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 80%
Common States of Residence
  • Connecticut
  • Foreign countries
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey
  • New York
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 2%
18-19: 49%
20-21: 46%
22-24: 3%
25+: 0%
Female Faculty 35%
Male Faculty 65%
Faculty Diversity African American: 3%
Asian American: 3%
Hispanic: 3%
International: 6%
Native American: 0%
White: 81%
Unknown: 5%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

At first glance, Lafayette College is not the most diverse campus on the East Coast. Most of the student body is comprised of upper-middle class, mid-Atlantic Caucasians. The College catalog claims that 5 percent of the student population comes from outside of the United States; however, most international students do not interact with the rest of the student body and vice versa. Even among the American students, instances of racial/ethnic/class segregation are quite prevalent. Social circles are commonly split along the racial/ethnic divide. A saunter through the Farinon College Center will reveal pockets of such behavior; for example, students involved in the Posse program (which draws mostly inner-city ethnic minorities) typically hang out with other students in the program. Likewise, members of the same sports team or the same Greek house will also socialize within their own circles.

The College, for its part, does try to promote campus diversity. While there have been instances of anti-semitic behavior, these issues were promptly addressed by the administration and the student body. Events hosted by the International Students Association (ISA) are widely publicized, as well as programs organized by the Association of Black Collegians (ABC), the Association For Lafayette Feminists, and the campus LGBTQ group, QuEST (Questioning Established Sexual Taboos). However, the campus is not known for having the most LGBTQ-friendly student body. Few people of diverse sexual backgrounds attend Lafayette College. 

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Lafayette Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at Lafayette College

michelleao94

Electrical and Electronics Engineering '16

4.6
A

All Different Types

I've seen at least one student of every race and most every ethnicity on campus and there are a lot of different sexually orientated people on campus with very little judgment.

Apr 20, 2012

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Diversity at Lafayette College

LafStudent5

Civil Engineering '13

3.1
B-

Depends on what you mean by "Diverse"

The campus is definitely diverse in the sense that there's plenty of different races and religions represented, but amongst Caucasians THERE IS NO DIVERSITY WHATSOEVER. All of the white kids are upper-class, North Face-wearing liberals. If you're white and don't fit this stereotype, you won't find friends in the 75% white demographic or the 25% other.

Dec 17, 2011

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Diversity at Lafayette College

Marielag

Neuroscience '15

4.6
A

Lots

There are so many people from different backgrounds and different cultures. A massive number of international students as well.

Oct 13, 2011

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Page 1 of 6
User rating for Lafayette College - Diversity is 3.5 out of 5 based on 18 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

How diverse is the student body in the following areas?

How diverse is your personal circle of friends in the following areas?

How accepting is the campus community as a whole toward someone who falls into the minority (ethnic, sexual, or religious)?

How would you best describe your personal political beliefs?

How would you best describe the political beliefs of campus as a whole?

Facts

Gay Pride

Over the past few years, Lafayette students have become a bit more accepting of homosexuality on campus; with groups like QuEST (Questioning Established Sexual Taboos), there is an outlet for gay and straight students alike to voice opinions. However, the gay community has struggled with a number of problems due to Lafayette's conservative undertones. A number of QuEST members have continually said that it is generally hard to "come out" on campus.

Political Activity

Lafayette is well-known as being a "bubble" in regards to the outside world. The campus is generally apathetic to political events, and it is rare for a protest to ever occur. Generally, however, the campus is a mix between liberal and conservative thinking. Some might say that the students are liberal, and the administration is conservative. However, the school does support the College Democrats and College Republicans, two active political groups on campus.

Economic Status

Yes, those stereotypes are true. Lafayette is generally all white and upper-middle class, with students mostly coming from New Jersey, New York, or Pennsylvania. While the College boasts that more than 50 percent of students receive financial aid, walking on campus shows a different story.

Most Common Religions

Lafayette is very tolerant of all religions and offers a number of options to students. Although the Jewish population is relatively small, the Hillel Society is the most active and well-known religious group. The Newman House and Lafayette Christian Fellowship are also popular, as well as the Muslim Students Association and the International Students Association.

Minority Clubs on Campus

Lafayette's minority clubs are large and thriving on campus these days. The International Students Association (ISA) is popular, and the Association of Black Collegians (ABC) has proved its staying power on campus. ISA also has its annual "extravaganza" that promotes cultural diversity.

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Shehtaz Huq
Hometown
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Major
English, Film and Media Studies
Grad Year
2014

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.