<p>Hi everyone! For some consistent posters on this page, you may remember me from my previous informational threads. I am starting another thread: this time it is a general discussion regarding the outcome of what you've all been working so hard for: Acceptance Day! Whether you're confident about it, nervous, or somewhere in between, I figured that this thread would be a good way for many of you to share what you are experiencing. </p>
<p>As a former Lehigh applicant of nearly one year, I can tell you all that I was EXTREMELY nervous approaching Acceptance Day. All I could think about for weeks was checking and rechecking my Lehigh Portal. For those of you who may identify with this, I hope that you can use this thread as an outlet for your Acceptance Day nerves. Please feel free to share what you like, and hopefully this community can help you with whatever you need during this process. </p>
<p>For those that don't know, I am a first-year IDEAS major at Lehigh (Computer Engineering and Physics). I made this thread because, from the perspective of someone who is just a year removed from the college application process, I know that I would have liked a place to de-stress and talk about my concerns with others. In addition, I hope that providing you with the resource of a current Lehigh student can give you an even better understanding of what it is like to go through this process.</p>
<p>Just a side note: Please do not write personal statistics or "chance me"-like posts. I do not work with admissions, nor am I a robot. I am not the be all, end all of answers, either. I am here only to to provide you with a genuine, human perspective during a time which for many can be emotional.</p>
<p>In any case, I wish all of you the best of luck! Hopefully this thread will be beneficial for all.</p>
<p>Thanks for making yourself available! May seem silly, but how did the difficulty of your first year classes compare to your expectations (much harder/easier)? And how much more time did you find yourself dedicating to each class as compared to your high school classes?</p>
<p>Hi! I applied for the IDEAS major and I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about it- like how many students are in it; is it really as flexible/interdisciplinary as it is described as by the school? Also, do you remember if you heard back for your admission earlier than other students because you applied to IDEAS? I have heard this but I am not sure if it is true. Thanks :)</p>
<p>Naturally, college classes–especially at Lehigh–are very rigorous. However, their difficulty is often inherent to the student in the class. If you show up to every class, take notes, study, and manage your time correctly, a class with difficult concepts may come easy to you. If you choose the contrary, it may not, and so on. This is where I found the major difference between high school and college classes: there is a much larger responsibility on the student. For example, my current Physics 21 class only meets twice a week. In lecture, we cover the basics of what we need to understand a concept: formulas, definitions, properties, etc. However, it is essential that I not only understand what is going on in class, but also take it upon myself to read the textbook and work on types of problems we may not have covered. Basically, I am given “x” information every week, and I have to use that information to formulate my own thoughts and ideas on more complex homework, quiz, and test problems. The format is much less “plug and chug”, and more application and creative thought.</p>
<p>The IDEAS program has a small class (there are roughly 45 for our year). This lends itself to a much more personalized class experience. The IDEAS seminar (class IDEAS majors take) has the format of a roundtable discussion, as opposed to a one-sided lecture. Here, students often partake in questioning, debate, analysis, etc. of things relevant to the IDEAS program, such as society and engineering.</p>
<p>Yes, the program is very flexible. Naturally, you will take classes in both the College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences. You can even choose a minor as well, which will seamlessly fit into your course load. In addition, it is very responsive to anything you might be doing that may not be IDEAS related: For example, next semester, I plan on doing research in Astrophysics and entering a 4 credit writing assistant program–all of which I can still do thanks the IDEAS flexibility.</p>
<p>Because I transferred into IDEAS this semester, I cannot tell you if IDEAS students hear back at different time than other students.</p>