Current Lehigh Student Here--Ask/Learn Anything!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Lehigh University
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<p>When applying to colleges last year, College Confidential played an enormous role in my decision making process. I felt as if it were the place where every nervous high school student convened to solve the "mysteries" of the college admissions process. I found it especially helpful in my own academic, social, and personal decisions, and it is my objective to spread this help to anyone seeking it. </p>

<p>I am a current Freshman at Lehigh University, and am pursuing a degree in the IDEAS program (Integrated Degree in Engineering and Arts and Sciences). Currently, my concentrations are Computer Science and Engineering (on the engineering side) and Physics (on the arts and sciences side). </p>

<p>This forum is open and welcoming anyone with even the slightest interest in Lehigh. I encourage anyone to post: students, parents, and friends alike. Deep down, I truly want to help anyone with connecting to Lehigh, and I hope that those interested take advantage of this forum.</p>

<p>I can help with anything: Wondering which major to pick? Are you nervous about writing your Common App? Do you want to know about the culture at Lehigh? Just how awesome is our Engineering School? I went through the ups and downs of this process only a year ago, so I can really put myself in your shoes.</p>

<p>Just a side note: While you are free to talk about your test scores, grades, etc., I in no way represent Lehigh Admissions, and really cannot tell you whether or not you will be accepted. I can give you advice about applying (such as working hard and being an awesome person!), but cannot not speak for an admissions counselor, or anyone else associated with admissions.</p>

<p>Lastly, I am going to post a link to Lehigh's "First-Year Engineering" blog. It is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in Lehigh, engineers and non-engineers included. It is co-written by current Lehigh students, and really gives special insight into the everyday experience of a first year Lehigh student. By reading its articles, I hope that you can put yourself in these students' shoes, and maybe see yourself as a future Lehigh student!</p>

<p>First-Year</a> Lehigh Engineers | Life as a Lehigh Engineer from the perspective of first-year students</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Ian</p>

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<p>What are your thoughts on the Computer Science department/program?</p>

<p>I’m applying to the Computer Science and Business program.</p>

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<p>I’m glad that you mentioned this, as I recently switched one of my concentrations to Computer Science about a month ago. </p>

<p>When I first entered Lehigh, I began as a Mechanical Engineer (not in IDEAS). However, I was exposed to some fantastic classes this first semester that convinced me to go in the integrated computer science route. One of the classes was Engineering 05, a lab class that all engineers take (I’m not sure if integrated degree students take this class, though). The class provided us with different projects to choose from relating to every engineering discipline–I chose the computer science lab. I know that I’m just a first-year student, but this class was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had so far. I came in with no programming knowledge, and, in a matter of weeks, I was able the program a functioning Android application. The professor for this class actually worked with primarily higher level comp. sci. classes at Lehigh, I was pleasantly surprised at how dedicated he was to the class, even for first-semester freshman. Another great class I took was was Engineering 10, which gave me some great “real-world” experience with computers. Essentially, throughout the course, we learned to make circuits and program “Arduino” boards in order to solve problems that someone in the field would encounter (just this past week, I made a program that was able to calculate the angular frequency of a structure during stress/an earthquake).</p>

<p>What I love so far about the the Computer Science program is that it was already able to give me valuable skills I need for my career–and I’m only a first-year, first semester student! From what I have gathered throughout my experiences, I can tell you that the professors here are incredibly dedicated and truly care about their students.</p>

<p>In addition, I’d also like to say that many companies–especially Microsoft–have a large presence on campus. Many seniors I’ve seen are going off to top tier computer/business companies. </p>

<p>Even though I’m not in Computer Science and Business, I’ve heard numerous success stories about its graduates. If you love computer science and business, you definitely can’t go wrong with this program.</p>

<p>Hope this helped!</p>

<p>Ian</p>

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<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I’m applying for a CS Major at the college of engineering. My questions are rather diverse (I feel)- </p>

<p>a) How’re the internship/co-op opportunities for computer science majors? </p>

<p>b) How strong is the emphasis on student research at the undergrad level? (A little background- I am looking to get a PhD in CS after college, and would love to get as much research experience as I can just to get a feel of what I am getting into.) </p>

<p>c) How easy is it to get involved with club sports and activities with the burgeoning course load each semester? </p>

<p>d) How closely knit is the student community given the nearly 7k student population?</p>

<p>I think I’ll settle for these for now. Please help out!</p>

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<p>Ian:</p>

<p>Thanks very much for starting this thread and the link you provided. My son applied to Lehigh in late October as ED in Engineering. We’re counting down the days to mid-December for the ED acceptance/denial. He’s been accepted at a couple of other universities (non-ED of course), but Lehigh is his 1st choice, a slam dunk. Hopefully, he’s accepted and then I’m sure he’ll have plenty of questions for you…Thx again</p>

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<p>@Lolface849 </p>

<p>a. From what I know, the internship/co-op opportunities here are pretty expansive, especially for Comp. Sci. majors (you can do anything from website design, to systems management, to software programming–all of these are in high demand now). Many, many students take part in these programs, and there are a good amount of companies that have a large presence on campus. A senior I know was able to get an internship at Yahoo (which is highly coveted).</p>

<p>b. Research plays a large role at Lehigh, and there are many opportunities. I plan to go to grad school as well, and I can tell you that every person at Lehigh has told me that the MOST important part of getting into grad school is having research experience (along with good grades). Professors here are incredibly approachable, and love when students ask them to do research.</p>

<p>Also, I was recently at a seminar where current seniors spoke about their research experiences. Lehigh has a program where–as opposed one going on an internship–a student goes to another university to conduct research (and it’s paid!). I believe that one of the students there said that either he or a fellow student recently spent a semester at UPenn doing robotics research.</p>

<p>c. Getting involved in a club/sport is incredibly easy. Every Fall and Spring, Lehigh’s clubs set up booths all across the front lawn (it’s almost like a carnival day). What’s great, also, is that Lehigh ends almost all classes before 4 pm so that students can socialize and attend club meetings. I’ve never heard of someone not being able to attend a club because of their course load.</p>

<p>d. The student community here is closely knit with the common thread of a love for Lehigh. The school can feel a bit small at times (5000 undergrad), but it’s definitely been a good, comfortable number for me. I know that recently almost the entire student body came together for an event combating racism and bigotry (something amazing, considering that it was not mandatory).</p>

<p>Hope this helped. Do me a favor and visit the engineer blog I posted above. It really gives a fantastic insight into the culture of Lehigh.</p>

<p>Ian</p>

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<p>@Polecat No problem, and thank you. If your son has any questions, tell him to ask away.</p>

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<p>Thanks Ian. Yes, I visited the blog last night. I loved what i saw, especially about the marching band 97’s. haha. </p>

<p>Another quick question- I know this is a little vague, but how is life in Bethlehem ? In the sense, what do Lehigh students usually do when they’re not involved with school ?</p>

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<p>I was wondering how big your classes are freshman year. I also wanted to hear about the drinking culture and what you usually do on weekends. Thanks for answering questions.</p>

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<p>@Lolface849 From what I know, many students occupy their time with (the following are “university activities”) sports, academic/fun clubs, and community service. These play a large role on campus, and pretty much dominate the campus’ daytime activities. </p>

<p>Like almost any other college, Lehigh does have “nighttime” life as well. Parties are pretty big on campus, especially with freshmen. I am not a partier or a drinker, so I’m not really involved in many of the “nighttime” activities here. Although I would say non-partiers are in the minority, I wouldn’t say that a social life for them doesn’t exist. I always see non-partiers I know just hanging out in the dorms, library, etc. doing anything from talking, to playing cards, video games, sports, etc.</p>

<p>Contrary to what many people hear about Bethlehem, it is a very “new-era”, hopping place. What was a “bad” area a few years ago has become a solace for quaint shops, delicious, multicultural food, and arts centers. Bethlehem is also home to the Steel Stacks, an entertainment center that holds anything from concerts to movies to comedy acts. I can see it becoming even better in the coming years.</p>

<p>Ian</p>

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<p>@stemmmm Every freshman at Lehigh has to take certain “core” classes (such as general Chem, Calc, Physics, etc.), which causes some classes to be large in nature. This is usually only evident for a first year student during the first semester. Other than that, Lehigh is home to primarily small classes (20 or less), which allows an intimate learning experience. As an example, I’ll tell you the amount of students in my schedule:</p>

<p>Chemistry: about 120
Calculus: about 80-100
English: 19
Computer Methods: about 35-40
Engineering Seminar: has a one day a week lecture with a lot of students, but the actual class is a lab. The lab has about 20 students.</p>

<p>As I said in the last post, partying is a large part of campus life. I find that freshmen are the biggest drinkers, as they are all experimenting, with some trying to “fit” in with certain social groups. I’m pretty sure that drinking levels off in the later years, as everyone has their own group of friends that they feel comfortable with. </p>

<p>This does not mean, however, that drinking is the only social life on campus, and that all people feel compelled to drink. </p>

<p>I am not a drinker, and do not participate in the party/fraternity scene. To be absolutely honest with you, I felt a little lonely on the weekends during the first few weeks of school. However, you come to realize that there are always other people out there like you. Now, I definitely feel more comfortable as a non-drinker here, and am beginning to find my own niche. Keep in mind that everyone adjusts to college differently, and you have to work it out at your own pace.</p>

<p>If you are interested in the party scene, though, I would say be safe and focus on your schoolwork first. Many students in my hall who party always put their studies first.</p>

<p>On an average weekend, I would say that I often just chill in my room or with fellow hallmates. We have a group of 3-4 people that like to play video games together, so we often convene on that. Occasionally, I have club meetings on the weekends, which I attend. </p>

<p>While I often have work to do on the weekend, I never feel that it is overwhelming. If you can balance your work correctly, you can do whatever you want on weekends.</p>

<p>In all, please keep in mind that regardless of your decision about partying, there is always a group that has something in common with you.</p>

<p>Ian</p>

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<p>Thanks Ian. </p>

<p>I’m not sure you can help me out with this one, but I’ll give it a shot anyway- </p>

<p>I was looking through all the threads from the class of 2017 decisions, and I noticed that Lehigh’s been pretty stingy with aid. Being an international student, I know financial aid puts me at a massive disadvantage. But, is it possible to get nearly 80-85% aid (for an international student)?</p>

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<p>@lolface849 Yeah, I’m sorry, I really couldn’t tell you what kind of aid package you would get. Each package is inherent to the student. I do know that Lehigh is home to many international students, though.</p>

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<p>Well, that’s reassuring. Thanks!</p>

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<p>I’m just going to bud in here if that’s okay!
To Jibler,
I’m also a first year student. For the first two months of school I was a CSB student so I can shed some light on the program. If you are interested in CS and B, this is a superb program. (Coming from the person who dropped it). I realized pretty quickly that computer science is not something that interests me and I knew that I did not want to continue my career at Lehigh in the program. I ended up withdrawing from CSE001 and CSE002 (Each two credits).
I have a fair number of friends still in CSB, though, and they love it. The best part of the program is their so far 100% job placement rate. Since the program is small, you will get to know the two advisers, Korth and Hall, really well. They will be your advocates and they will help you tremendously throughout your years at Lehigh. The program is demanding if you had no previous cs experience. The average GPA for a CSB student is, from what I have heard from current students, is on the lower side because of the demanding courseload (You will be at maximum capacity for credits, 18, for a few semesters).
If you have any other questions about the program, feel free to message me!</p>

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<p>Here are links to some recent posts on Lehigh’s student-run blogs. Also, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! Please enjoy:</p>

<p>(On Extending Home During Thanksgiving to International Student)
[Heading</a> Home | First-Year Lehigh Engineers](<a href=“http://luengineer.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/11/25/heading-home/]Heading”>Heading Home | First-Year Lehigh Engineers)</p>

<p>(On Taking Finals)
[Finals</a> Time | First-Year Lehigh Engineers](<a href=“http://luengineer.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/12/02/finals-time/]Finals”>Finals Time | First-Year Lehigh Engineers)</p>

<p>(On Class Dynamics)
[My</a> Last Class | First-Year Lehigh Engineers](<a href=“http://luengineer.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/11/27/my-last-class/]My”>My Last Class | First-Year Lehigh Engineers)</p>

<p>(On College Confidential)
[Welcoming</a> College Confidential | First-Year Lehigh Engineers](<a href=“http://luengineer.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/12/03/welcoming-college-confidential/]Welcoming”>Welcoming College Confidential | First-Year Lehigh Engineers)</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Ian</p>

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<p>Hi :slight_smile: I’m an international student who has applied to Lehigh for ED. I’m from African and after doing some research I started finding posts about diversity and how minortities such as myself are being discriminated against and don’t feel comfortable. Is this a prevalent attitude on campus?</p>

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<p>Hi Tunasmile, </p>

<p>Diversity has been a hot topic at Lehigh this Fall. Unfortunately, there have been a few events on and off campus that have pervaded discrimination. However, keep in mind that these are the actions of a few in a campus of many, many accepting people. I can assure you that this campus does not breed discrimination against any people; rather it is a place where different cultures and customs are appreciated and shared throughout. </p>

<p>Moreover, these events are being reacted to with great integrity and solidarity. In response to a recent incident, a large portion of our campus came together to support combating discrimination–it was an event that really cemented the “oneness” of this campus and its overwhelming repudiation of hate. In addition, the University is taking administrative steps to educate the student population about diversity.</p>

<p>Please understand that the actions of few do not represent all. If you are still concerned, maybe contact the Office of Multicultural Affairs and speak with them.</p>

<p>Sorry for taking a few days to get back to you. Hope this helped, though.</p>

<p>Ian</p>

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<p>Ian,
Great posts! Keep up the good work.</p>

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<p>LUbioE and Ian, I just wanted to thank you both for the great answers. </p>

<p>I wasn’t really sure I’d be comfortable attending, but Lehigh is now a realistic option for me depending on money. Before, I didn’t have it high on my list and kind of disregarded it, but now I have to take it into serious consideration.</p>