<p>I am interested in all three. I love all schools and visited. But academic wise are they all similiar? I want a school with spirit and am looking into majoring in business( econ in lafayette). Pros and Cons... current students can you help out.</p>
<p>Can’t speak about American. Lafayette definitely has the liberal arts college feel. Lehigh felt like a much bigger university than it actually is–had a big school feel.</p>
<p>What exactly is the liberal arts college feel? Are the people friendlier at Lafayette or Lehigh?</p>
<p>Not sure about the liberal arts feel. I think Lehigh is especially known for its engineering, but South Bethlehem is a very eclectic, is sometimes a little poor looking artsy area with a lovely new green belt twisting through it, a new skate park defiantly across from the Sands Casino lots of ethnic restaurants and a large Hispanic population. (16 y o D and I hit EuroYoghert weekly after a dance class she takes there… lots of happy looking geeky types). I was shocked when I learned the undergrad population was actually under 5,000 and agree the school feels larger. Maybe because it is staggered up a MAJOR hill. Great arts events at “The Stacks”!</p>
<p>A friend’s son knew Lafayette was right the moment he saw it, majoring in neuroscience and swimming varsity, couldn’t be happier. Town of Easton a bit of a dump IMO.</p>
<p>The male/female ratio is skewed at both schools, at Lafayette its a barely noticeable 53% men and Lehigh 58%.</p>
<p>American is definetely up and coming and I understand the embassy row location is amazing. But the cost of living is very high!</p>
<p>We looked at a lot of liberal arts schools with my D - she wanted the expereince of a LAC which (at least to her, and I have to agree from the schools we saw) meant going to a smaller schools where you saw people you knew when you wanted anywhere, a school with smaller classes and you would get to know your profs,no TAs, a place where the students were all undergrads so any research opportunities would be given to undergrads. </p>
<p>It is really all about what you want. My S went to a mid-size university (the size of Lehigh/American) and had a fantastic experience. He felt the small size of a LAC was confining where to my D it felt wonderful.</p>
<p>Re: the friendly question, it is hard to beat Lafayette for this. My younger son visited Lafayette during one of their Open Houses and really loved it, in part for the friendly interaction with students, professors and administration. But we always thought, it might be because of the more personal attention in the open house setting. But when my older son was looking to transfer, he decided to look there. For him the friendly atmosphere really locked in his interest. He is now a student there and I know would say that it is perhaps even friendlier than he would have imagined.</p>
<p>go to Lehigh for graduate school.
go to Lafayette undergrad.</p>
<p>OK, thanks for your input. Is Lafyatte’s surrounding area safe?</p>
<p>Pretty much. College hill is a safe place.</p>
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<p>Yes, Lafayette is in a mostly residential area north of the creek. Downtown Easton is between Bushkill Creek and the Lehigh River:</p>
<p>[Bing</a> Maps - Driving Directions, Traffic and Road Conditions](<a href=“Bing Maps - Directions, trip planning, traffic cameras & more”>Bing Maps - Directions, trip planning, traffic cameras & more)</p>
<p>Oh great. How is downtown easton? Does it have a lot of shops, food, or fun places to hang out.</p>