Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania

ACCEPTED

SETTING

Small city in Lehigh Valley

SIZE

Small (~2,700 students)

ACADEMIC RIGOR

High

Environmental Programs

Civil & Environmental Engineering

B.S. (ABET-accredited)

  • ABET-accredited engineering program
  • Focus on infrastructure, water resources, environmental systems
  • Liberal arts and engineering combination
  • Hands-on laboratory and field work

Environmental Science

B.S.

  • Interdisciplinary science program
  • Field and laboratory research
  • Environmental policy and management

Environmental Studies

B.A.

  • Liberal arts approach to environmental issues
  • Policy, society, and environmental challenges

Campus & Nature

Lehigh Valley setting with access to Delaware River and nearby nature

  • Delaware River nearby
  • Lehigh Valley location
  • Access to hiking and outdoor recreation
  • Between NYC and Philadelphia

Academic Rigor

Selective liberal arts college with strong engineering programs

  • Selective admissions
  • Balance of liberal arts and engineering
  • Strong academics across disciplines
  • Good faculty-student relationships

Liberal Arts Access

  • Liberal arts college with engineering
  • Full economics, government, history, philosophy departments
  • Complete liberal arts breadth alongside technical programs
  • Strong humanities and social sciences access

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ABET-accredited environmental engineering
  • Liberal arts and engineering combination
  • Multiple environmental program options
  • Good location between major cities
  • Strong alumni network

Cons

  • Smaller than research universities
  • Less research-intensive than R1 schools
  • Small city location (not urban or rural)
  • Less name recognition than Ivy League

Student Voices

Real perspectives from students and alumni on third-party review sites

What Students Love

"I really feel like Lafayette is a hidden gem amongst college applicants. I had an amazing experience here, had excellent professors, and made life long friends. We were a 'work hard play hard' school."

— Alum, 4 months ago

What Students Love

"I was able to participate in the theater community, study robotics engineering with undergraduate research, and compete in D1 athletics. Anything you want to do, you can do here."

— Senior, a month ago

Common Complaint

"The food on campus has definitely had its issues while I've been a student, but the college has done a fairly good job at listening to complaints and improving based upon feedback."

— Junior, 6 months ago