<p>i really really loved lehigh when i visited, and it is the only school i have found offering a degree i pharmaceutical chemistry, and i was sure i was going to apply ED. lately though, i keep hearing bad things about it (ie racism, snobby rich kids, alcoholics, etc prevalent) from various souces on CC and other sites and i'm worried. i knew it was a party school but is it really that bad?
can anyone reassure me? (btw i'm white, middle class, and don't like drinking but have mastered the art of holding a cup)</p>
<p>In perusing the various boards on this site I've been taken aback by how worthless a lot of the information is. For your own sake, don't base any decisions on what you read around here.</p>
<p>As to what you've "heard" ...</p>
<p>Racism: People use the term so cavalierly that I'm at a loss as to how to define it anymore. Does Lehigh have a patronizing, PC student body? No. But my experience was that a certain percentage of minorities chose to keep to themselves from day one while others chose to embrace the larger campus community and were welcomed with open arms. </p>
<p>Snobby rich kids: I grew up middle class. Rich kids are definitely "different" but the only adjustment I had to make was understanding that they tend to be less upfront. You don't always know where you stand with people. But as far as being genuine snobs, not in the least. There are undoubtedly cliques and a social hierarchy like there is in any high school or college but it falls along the usual lines (jocks, nerds, etc) and has nothing to do with money.</p>
<p>Partying: Hell, yes. I'd say that if you think that is a bad thing then Lehigh probably isn't your dream school, but it is a great place to spend four years nonetheless. These aren't idiot frat boys/sorrority girls and an assortment of other meatheads. You're talking about fundamentally serious/smart/driven people who happen to have an extra hobby. There is no pressure to drink at parties aside from the fact that being around drunk people can be a little tedious if you are sober. And when I chose to take the night or weekend off from such shenanigans I was never at a loss for good company, so it is by no means the case that you'll feel isolated or alone if you choose not to partake.</p>
<p>Growing numbers of students are bucking the trend of the party image, as shown by the record number that applied for substance-free housing. Still, there is, as always, a dominant drinking culture. Not all students drink, just as not all join fraternities/sororities. The campus atmosphere seems to be moving in the direction of greater tolerance for individual choice, although, since I'm not a student there, I can't say this is definitely true.</p>
<p>i don't mind partying at all. i've just been hearing that no one does anything but drink there. i guess i should have figured with the selectivity that theres more to it than that.
thank you both for the help!
=]</p>
<p>I know of a frat that kicked off of campus for relatively minor issues (not hazing, not drinking, nothing dangerous, no fighting, no hurting people, no weapons, etc....just fudged some paperwork.... and the school had this frat in their targets!). Many of them live off campus now.....in an area with gangs. Gangs with guns. As in someone came up to one of the frat kids and said "I don't like having to shoot people, but it's just something that we have to be prepared to do"....and things like "I go to school, the school of hard knocks".....</p>
<p>Nice thing the school did to these kids......these kids choose Lehigh because they thought it would be a good school for them. Ha. Did those kids ever get swindled.</p>