<p>Ok that makes me feel a lot better about my decision! Another question-on my application I put bioengineering as intended major. I’m beginning to lean away from that though, can I switch my major to undecided engineering for now? Does it really matter for the first year or would I take the same classes regardless of which type of engineering I chose?</p>
<p>First years always are considered undeclared engineering and are exposed to all types of engineering in Engineering 1 and 2. You will also take a one credit seminar in the engineering you are leaning towards so that you can determine your track. My son is attending a engineering majors fair next week and will have to declare a major and if Boengineering, declare a track - cell/tissue, mechanical, pharmaceutical.</p>
<p>Wow, I really neglected this thread. Subscribe like isn’t working or something.</p>
<p>I’ll answer some of the questions later.</p>
<p>First year business students usually don’t start working on their majors yet so you will have time to switch/declare when you get here. Keep in mind that you will need a solid four year plan to make sure you meet all the requirements for both majors but it is completely doable.</p>
<p>What are the girls in each sorority known for?</p>
<p>You’re asking me to stereotype the sororities 
I think that if you want to know more about each sorority and you’re going to be attending Lehigh in the fall, you should definitely go out a lot and get to know girls from every sorority. Finding your best fit and who you like is way more important than basing where you want to rush off of a guy’s opinion of the sororities. Seriously. For as grown up as that makes me sound it’s so true.</p>
<p>So I’ll tell you, but definitely take it with a grain of salt. Number one, I’m a guy, so what I see is way different from how it might actually be. Number two, I only see outward personalities. Number 3, I ended up dropping out of rush because of schoolwork (personal choice, other IBE-ers are pledging now and doing fine), so I haven’t partied with sorority girls in months. Number 4, I’m a guy… I don’t pay too much attention to what a sorority is like.</p>
<p>K A Theta, aka Theta. I don’t know too much about them, haven’t partied with them at all, hear they’re pretty much avoided by the frats because the girls aren’t hot or something. That’s only what I’ve heard though, don’t take my word for it. I also hear they are very dedicated to school and community service and stuff.</p>
<p>Zeta Tau Alpha: They’re literally just forming. One or two of my friends is going to be a Zeta. She’s told me it’s basically half and half - girls who liked what Zeta stood for, and girls who just wanted to be in a sorority but didn’t get bids.</p>
<p>AOPi: Fun girls, good looking. Haven’t partied with them too much and so don’t know too much about them. They do have a really nice house though.</p>
<p>Pi Beta Phi: Have a few friends in Pi Phi. They’re all very nice, love to party, and decently good looking. I love partying with Pi Phi, have some great stories from them. I know that there are a couple of premed students in Pi Phi at the moment, the sorority seems to have a good balance between work and play.</p>
<p>A Chi O: Smart Girl sorority. They’ve got an awesome balance going: intelligent, good looking, and fun. I haven’t partied with them too much though.</p>
<p>Alpha Gamm: One or two friends here, party sorority from what I’ve seen/heard, but they’re all still nice and they keep it in control mostly.</p>
<p>Delta Gamm: … they’re in a lot of trouble right now. Like, triple double probation and stuff. Not good. In trouble for hazing; they had a girl go to the hospital two nights in a row or something.</p>
<p>If I’ve left out any sororities, it’s because I know absolutely nothing about them.</p>
<p>Mbira…I was also accepted to Lehigh and plan to major in Bio. I have the same concerns that you do regarding the social scene at Lehigh. I feel like I will be a social outcast if I don’t want to just go to parties and get drunk. I am definitely not a nerd type in fact I am considered to be pretty mainstream kid but I have big goals for my life and am not going to school to become a professional drinker. The sorority thing is not for me, I find them clique and I hate to see how they treat people outside of the club. It’s a shame because I love everything else about Lehigh but just don’t think I will be happy in that environment. I am going to check out accepted students day to see if I’m wrong about what I’ve heard. It would be nice to know that there are more people like us who are looking to have a great college experience but don’t want to become an alcoholic in order to have fun!</p>
<p>Would I be a complete social pariah if I have no interest in greek life and drinking? I still want to have fun, but I’m not into that kind of stuff. If I do decide to go to Lehigh, which is looking iffy because of the financial package, I think I’d really want to try CHOICE housing.</p>
<p>I’ve also heard that Lehigh is full of arrogant, rich, white guys. Is that really true? As an Asian female this is not the type of environment I’m looking for.</p>
<p>Also, what do you know about music ensembles (Wind Ensembles, Marching Band, etc.)? One of the reasons why Lehigh was among my top schools is because of the emphasis the admissions office seemed to put on it.</p>
<p>@LN1281 I have the same feelings as you! Lehigh was my number one until I heard about the party scene. I’m hoping to have a better opinion about it when I stay over night during Diversity Life Weekend.</p>
<p>My son had the same concerns - he likes to socialize, but does not like to drink or be around drunks. He signed up for CHOICE housing the first year. What a great decision it was - he has a fantastic floor - they are not geeks, nerds and social outcasts - they are well rounded, good looking, talented young men who do not want to get sh@@faced every night. Next year he is getting an apartment on campus with three others he has met through CHOICE housing and his major.</p>
<p>THe CHOICE Gryphons have a nice big budget and do lots of social things for their kids. They also have undefeated intramural teams! Soccer and ultimate frisbee are the two my son participates in. </p>
<p>CHOICE housing is growing each year in popularity and number of kids. For Sophomore CHOICE housing, there is a lengthly waiting list. For freshman, the CHOCIE wings in Dravo increase each year.</p>
<p>To address the concerns of being a social outcast if you don’t drink:</p>
<p>I was a huge partier first semester. I partied hard until I dropped out of rush this semester. 90% of my friends went to fraternities - this is not an exaggeration. I did not.</p>
<p>Not being a pledge = no fraternity parties for me this semester.</p>
<p>I’m not a social outcast by any means. I still manage to spend <em>some</em> time with my friends even though they are pledging. I’ve started playing pickup soccer. IBE has some great social events and I’ve gone to those too. I have friends on the frisbee team that I spend time with. I still keep in touch with the rugby team and I go to the occasional social.</p>
<p>==</p>
<p>Lehigh is not full of rich, arrogant white guys.</p>
<p>There’s been a decent amount of discussion on that in this thread.</p>
<p>There is diversity at Lehigh.</p>
<p>==</p>
<p>Attending Lehigh and choosing to go to parties =/= becoming a professional drinker. Parties do not revolve around one’s ability to get blacked out. Believe it or not it’s actually frowned upon to get that drunk. Parties are more about socializing, meeting people of the opposite sex (or I suppose same sex if that’s what you’re into, cool by me), and generally having a good time. Alcohol is a social lubricant, seriously. I know that I freeze up at dance parties unless I’ve had a drink or two and I’ve loosened up a bit.</p>
<p>To specifically address you, LN1281:
</p>
<p>Okay, you just described 60-80% of Lehigh’s student body right there. We’re all dedicated to what we’re doing in school and where we’re going in life… it’s why we’re at Lehigh and not flipping burgers at some fastfood place. We don’t attend Lehigh simply to party on Mom and Dad’s money and get completely blacked out and act foolish and go to the hospital… which unfortunately is a reputation I have heard and read about Lehigh which is completely unfounded.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that unless you choose to attend a school simply because it has no drinking and no parties, it doesn’t matter where you go. There will still be parties.</p>
<p>Parties are a huge part of socialization at every college - every single one of my friends from high school has been to at least one party in college and has made friends. Even the ones going to schools with like 80% male populations in the middle of nowhere, the same kids who were the “uncool” high school kids that were “nerdy”. That doesn’t mean that you’ll have to “become an alcoholic in order to have fun!” Having enough drinks to have a buzz and be responsible is in no way alcoholism…</p>
<p>Partying is all what <em>you</em> make of it. If your goal is to become an alcoholic and outdrink everyone there and end up in the hospital, you’ll accomplish that. If your goal is to meet people, socialize, and generally have a good time, you’ll accomplish that. </p>
<p>I just want to repeat: partying =/= getting blacked out every night. I went to one party this week. I had a few drinks and remained in complete control of myself, had a great time with my roommates for next year, and then went to Hawk’s Nest with a friend of mine from orientation. Please note: one party this week, not 4 or 5, and a few drinks with complete control of myself. That’s hardly professional drinking ;)</p>
<h1>(beating a dead horse I feel, so I’ll move on)</h1>
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<p>Close, tight knit group of music people. They all know each other and they all are good friends. Marching Band is especially talented. One of my friends tells me it’s nice and they have a good time.</p>
<p>Non drinkers attend parties as well, my son does and is a non drinker. There are sanctioned parties which stick to the drinking age rules/laws and have music, dancing etc… He goes to those. He does not usually attend the non sanctioned parties because they tend to revolve around drinking - he has been to a few for social reasons though. He has had no pressure to drink, so do not be worried about that. At Lehigh, everyone is cool with whoever you are!</p>
<p>Copaman is so right, Lehigh is not filled with spoiled white rich kids - one reason my son chose it was because the students and faculty are warm, friendly and inclusive!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input. I was starting to feel really worried after reading a bunch of bad reviews about Lehigh, but I paid attention in AP Stats. Those reviews were obviously biased, from a voluntary response sample. I think Lehigh is still my top choice if the money works out. Gosh, I’m such a band geek! That’s what I wrote about for my essay, and now that it’s been confirmed again, I really still would like to continue marching band in college, especially at Lehigh.</p>
<p>Hi Copaman,
Thanks for your response. I really do love Lehigh but it’s hard to figure out if all of the reviews on ***** and College ******* are fact or fiction. I’ve also heard stories from friends who went there. I really do like to have a good time and I am not a social mis fit I swear! I just get worried when I read so much negative stuff about the party scene. I’m looking forward to coming up for accepted students day. I still have other schools I am considering too. Thanks for your perspective.</p>
<p>I don’t think you’re a social misfit!</p>
<p>The party scene can get a bad rap, definitely… but there’s a small group of people that cause it to be that way. The majority of partiers are responsible people and it ends up being a good safe time with friends, even though alcohol is involved.</p>
<p>Do engineering students typically join greek life?</p>
<p>Well… ~33% of the student body is greek, depending on what time of the year you’re looking at the numbers.</p>
<p>Simply statistics wise, no, 2/3 of engineering students don’t go greek.</p>
<p>That being said, I met a lot of engineers in fraternities. They are represented well within the greek system but the greek system is not necessarily represented heavily within the engineering population. Make sense?</p>
<p>Yes, makes sense. I’m just wondering if engineering majors really have time for greek life, you know?</p>
<p>i know youre a business/engineering student, but hopefully you know some kind of information related to this question. well, more than one question.</p>
<p>okay first: i know lehigh is known as more of a math/sciences driven school, but how would you describe the english/journalism/communications type departments? sub-par, decent, or good but not given much recognition?</p>
<p>second: does lehigh have a program for students hoping to customize their course of studies, like an individualized program?</p>
<p>Typically what should a freshman expect out of the first couple of week’s night life?</p>