ADVISERS AND ADVISING SYSTEM

Students pursuing a B.S. program are assigned to advisers in the department or area of their interest by the Dean of Studies. First-year and sophomore candidates for the A.B. degree are assigned to advisers whose scope of interests suggests that they can be helpful in encouraging the students to develop programs which will provide the breadth of study generally associated with the A.B. degree and to leave them in a position by the end of their sophomore year to have a reasonable basis upon which to choose majors. Juniors and seniors are assigned advisers in their major departments by the major department head.

Scholarships, Fellowships, and Postgraduate Studies:
The undergraduate education provided by Lafayette opens the door to many opportunities including prestigious scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate or postgraduate study/ research as well as attendance at a top tier graduate or professional school. The Office of the Dean of Studies assists students and recent graduates in fulfilling their intellectual and professional goals by promoting awareness of external scholarship/fellowship and preprofessional opportunities while providing the advice and support necessary to compete successfully. Included among the scholarships/ fellowships are postgraduate programs, regardless of academic discipline, for international destinations such as the Marshall, Rhodes, and Gates Cambridge scholarships to the United Kingdom, the Mitchell to Ireland (Northern or Republic of), DAAD-sponsored programs for study in Germany, and Fulbright and related grants to more than 140 countries worldwide. Scholarship/fellowship programs for undergraduate and/or postgraduate study in the United States include Jack Kent Cooke, Goldwater, Truman, and National Science Foundation, among others. Students of all disciplines who are interested in external scholarships and fellowships may contact the Office of the Dean of Studies.

Health Professions:
Any of the majors in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science curriculums provide the necessary background for entrance into the health professions, including schools of medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, and veterinary medicine. Health professions students should follow their own intellectual and academic interests provided that the program of study includes two semesters of biology with labs, physics with labs, and writing intensive coursework, as well as two years of chemistry with labs. Some health profession schools require or recommend one year of college mathematics, including a semester or full year of calculus and/or statistics, and recommend courses in physical chemistry and quantitative analysis. No course should be taken on a pass-fail basis. It is advisable, but not necessary, that students planning careers in the healing arts take more than the minimum number of science courses, which can be arranged regardless of major.

Health professions students work with the Dean of Studies Office, Career Services, and the Health Professions Advisory Committee in preparation for admission to a health professions school. First-year and sophomore students should register to meet with a Gateway adviser in Career Services. The Dean of Studies Office is available to assist students in areas related to health professions school admissions, preparation for the MCAT, VCAT, and DAT, and selection of a school. The Health Professions Program sponsors a number of related activities as well as informational meetings to assist students. Any student interested in health professions should contact the Dean of Studies Office as well as consult catalogs from the schools in which they are interested. Reference materials are available in the Dean of Studies Office, Career Services, and the reference section in Skillman Library.

Legal Professions:
While no particular courses are required for admission to law school, legal professions students need to develop strong reading and writing skills, as well as the ability to think logically, analyze critically, and express oral and written ideas clearly. These skills are not obtained exclusively in any field of study. Many majors accentuate these skills, but for those that do not, elective courses should be selected with these qualities in mind. A strong academic record is required for admission to law school.

The Legal Professions Program sponsors a number of related activities as well as informational meetings to assist students. They have the opportunity to participate in debate competitions as part of the Forensics Society and play roles on the College's Mock Trial Team. Any student interested in legal professions should contact the Dean of Studies Office. First-year and sophomore students should meet with a Gateway adviser in Career Services. Members of the Legal Professions Advisory Committee are also available for consultation. The Dean of Studies Office is available to assist students in areas related to law school admissions including preparation for the LSAT and selecting a school.