Lehigh

[Blue Hen]

We headed north this morning for a full-day visit to Lehigh University (http://www3.lehigh.edu/default.asp). I could walk this campus all day long. Beautiful. And if I did that I would NOT need to visit the Y ever again. The hill the campus sits upon will give you a better workout then any stair-stepper ever could. Did I say beautiful? The buildings, the trees, the grass, just lovely.

We started off with a group information session in a lecture room built for 100 students, stuffed with 150 people and there were more waiting in the wings outside the door. We heard all the normal stats, when to apply, # of students, history, majors,...... cost! oh my---I knew the cost before we headed there.

Jackie a Sr gave us our student-guided campus tour. It seemed that every time we turned the corner we came upon another dining spot or another study spot. While our group easily had 40 people Jackie kept us all together and moved us from one building to the next, giving us little tidbits here and there about life at Lehigh as she showed us the library, a dorm room, a lecture hall and the fitness center. Somewhere on this tour DS remarked that he could enjoy this chilly hillside and racing up all these stairs. Yes, I could see him here.

Our reason for traveling to Lehigh on this day was to join the 'Specialty Tour' Engineering Your Health and Fueling your Life. DS is interested in Biology / genetic engineering and this tour focused upon Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering at Lehigh. The tour started shortly after lunch and the group filed into FOUR large, yellow school busses! We randomly picked one. Our tour guide began to talk.....

He is a bioengineering senior and will be heading to UPenn to work on his PhD in (blah, blah, blah) Somewhere as I was listening to this senior DS turned to me and with a big grin on his face mouthed---'that's what I want to do' Our bus took us to Lehigh's Mountain Top campus to listen to two introductions, one on bioengineering and the other on Chem Eng. The bioengineering talk began, and, well, we now have a name for the area DS wants to study: Bio-Pharmaceutical Engineering. :hurray:

The price-tag for Lehigh is steep, way steep........ at least DS is now thinking about Engineering again as a major with Biology as a minor or vice-versa.

Carole

[Jane in NC]

My husband attended Lehigh so this was an early college visit for us last year. Unfortunately, there was an intense rain the day we were on campus--not a day for wandering. That said, the admissions officer with whom we met was forthcoming on expectations from homeschoolers. He, in fact, visits homeschool groups to recruit for Lehigh.

One of the things that I like about Lehigh is how many of the liberal arts or business students establish their roots in science. For example, they have a business degree program which includes all of the basic courses in engineering.

Yes, Lehigh is expensive, but they have a healthy endowment. More than half of their students receive institutional grants of some form.

This is not the school for my son who is interested in ancient/medieval history and archaeology, but we think highly of Lehigh. Actually for American history, Lehigh would be a great choice. The historic Moravian settlement of the area has been a source for a number of interesting projects.

Thanks for the report, Carole.
Jane

[Blue Hen]

Sorry to hear about the rain. The mass of people we encountered did not permit us to have a 1-1 conversation regarding their homeschooling policy. I was able to ask whether or not they had additional or alternative requirements for homeschoolers. The woman only replied that we would need to complete the additional homeschoolers page on the common application. Since I haven't looked at that I do not know what it includes.

DS plans to apply to Lehigh however a sweet merit aid package would be needed to make this school possible for him.

Carole

[JennW in SoCal]

My 14yo and I spent some time looking at the campus photos on their web site and we both think the place looks like Hogwarts! It looks like an exotic and magical place compared to the suburbs of Southern California!!

Definitely a place to keep in mind as he continues through high school, especially if he maintains his science and engineering interests.

[Paz]

I love Lehigh! When I was in high school my parents ran cheerleading camps and one of the camps was at Lehigh. I really enjoyed that camp. It is a beautiful campus.

[mcconnellboys]

Wow! What fun! Did you get to see Michael Behe? I'm reading his latest book now (which I didn't even know came out in 2007)..... It would be great to take classes from him!

[Ria]

Sorry to hear about the rain. The mass of people we encountered did not permit us to have a 1-1 conversation regarding their homeschooling policy. I was able to ask whether or not they had additional or alternative requirements for homeschoolers. The woman only replied that we would need to complete the additional homeschoolers page on the common application. Since I haven't looked at that I do not know what it includes.

DS plans to apply to Lehigh however a sweet merit aid package would be needed to make this school possible for him.

Carole

My ds was admitted to Lehigh but chose to attend elsewhere. I don't recall him having to do anything special for his application, but it's been a few years...

Ria