<p>So I'm trying to decide between the two. Can anyone tell me what they like more about Lafayette than Lehigh or give me pros and cons for both schools or something? I'm planning to pursue a major in either the social sciences or in business. I've visited both schools multiple times. I'd just like some more perspective. Thanks!</p>
<p>lifeisastage89,</p>
<p>Needless to say, both schools have amazing academic programs in your areas of interest. Lehigh's undergraduate student body is about twice the size of Lafayette's total student body. Lafayette boasts more of a community feel. Lehigh has a better overall reputation. Cost of attending is identical. Social scenes overlap, but differ in degree. Coming from friends who currently attend Lehigh, drinking and Greek life dominates...end of story. Check out these YouTube videos for a "preview" of Lehigh's social scene: YouTube</a> - nettles195's Channel. Lafayette also has Greek life, but it doesn't play as dominant a role on campus. Both Easton and Bethlehem are developing towns with some good spots and some sketchy spots.</p>
<p>Ultimately, you just need to make a gut decision. I know that may seem like a frightening proposition, but feelings need to play a role in your decision. Some people visit Lafayette's campus and love it; others find Lehigh's campus superior. What were your gut reactions? What piqued your interest and what turned you off?</p>
<p>I'm sure my post has only served to confuse you. It shouldn't have. You have two great choices, lifeisastage89, so consider it a win-win situation.</p>
<p>Oh, I should also mention that cost should play a role as well. If one school is offering you thousands more in aid, your choice just might be made for you.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<ul>
<li>Justin</li>
</ul>
<p>thanks justin =]</p>
<p>"Lehigh has a better overall reputation" Not with parents I know it doesn't.
With the on campus incidents this year alone, it should be enough to give any parent or serious student pause. Seems the administration there just can't get the message -
party central doesn't get the tuition check from the folks we know. As for our top students - there were more than a few who didn't care much for the Lehigh scene, and others who wouldn't consider it. Just read past issues of the Brown and White for specifics on Lehigh's "better overall reputation".</p>
<p>DuelingApps,</p>
<p>I meant that in only the most superficial sense. If you were to walk up to some random dude on the street and ask "Have you ever heard of Lehigh or Lafayette?", more often than not, that random dude would have heard of Lehigh and not Lafayette. I'm not entirely sure why this is the case (Lafayette was established about 40 years earlier, too!), but that's just how it is.</p>
<p>Those incidents are a bit unsettling, no?</p>
<ul>
<li>Justin</li>
</ul>
<p>Lehigh is a much better known school for two reasons:
- as a university it confers doctoral degrees, and thus it’s graduates teach across the globe with a Lehigh PhD credential. Lafayette does not confer what are referred to as terminal degrees. Students need to go elsewhere for the doctoral degree.
- Lehigh engineering is world class. Many of the professors there are national or international experts, and all engineers have heard of Lehigh. Lafayette also has a fine engineering school, but once again it is pitched at a different level than Lehigh.</p>
<p>They are both fine schools. If you are looking for a liberal arts experience - go to Lafayette. If you want to go to a university, go to Lehigh.</p>
<p>billpenn,</p>
<p>If you’re looking for a Ph.D. program, Lehigh’s not a bad choice, despite its limited options compared to major universities. If you’d like the focus to be solely on undergraduates during your undergraduate years, Lafayette’s a fine choice. Lehigh and Lafayette are different schools, partly because of Lehigh’s classification as a university. However, the belief that universities are better than colleges is entirely unfounded.</p>
<p>Lafayette’s Engineering program is nationally ranked, and professors are publishing scholars. I’m sure the same can be said for Lehigh’s faculty.</p>
<p>Ignorance is bliss, eh?</p>
<ul>
<li>Justin</li>
</ul>
<p>Lafayette is a much smaller school in terms of students. This could be a big factor in your decision. It is also more selective. I don’t think you would have trouble getting into the grad school of your choice. From my visit, it seemed that Lafayette students were more athletic.</p>
1 Like
<p>My older brother goes to Lafayette, and his best friend from high school goes to Lehigh. They are very different schools except for location. Lehigh is a big university, where Lafayette is a small liberal arts school. In order for you to make a decision between these two particular colleges you may want to first consider what type of school you want. They both have a lot to offer, though, and you could easily be successful at each.</p>
<p>Visited both very recently with son interested in engineering. Came away with how influenced we were by insights (or not) from tour guide, opportunity to say overnight, experience the community and thus gather more info, whether or not school offered info session that day or engineering tour, and how reassured we felt about the questions we had. Both are great schools and to us one seemed a bit more homey…Lafayette is small but has great dorms, many spots to relax, great student center, good food (a matter of opinion), in addition to the high caliber academics where it seems student support in being successful is a high priority. Lehigh is bigger and the cozy spots were harder to see, but probably are there too…the dorms were a tad more dated but adequate and clean and we weren’t sure where the spots for hanging out were, but a guide on the tour said the dorm common rooms were full of students/socializing etc. She also said Lehigh spirit was really great and gave examples of spirit week (bed races, turkey trot, etc…see the Lehigh website) Lehigh academics are fantastic with tons of research opportunities undergrad. We didn’t mind the Lehigh hill and all the steps…could imagine getting used to it. Deciding between the two would be tough. If you have more specific interests, seeing what faculty research involves could help. Lafayette could feel more like a large high school only in the sense that people are more aware of one another and their goings-on due to the smaller size…but had the sense that folks there are pretty accepting and friendly. Also felt Lehigh was super friendly and non-competitive…example of having a physics problem set and needing help…tons of help available from classmates or individual tutors or groups or faculty or TAs. Quote from tour guide: “Lehigh helps you get through”. So blessed you are if you have these two schools to choose between. In our opinion, hard to go wrong.</p>
<p>I have never heard that Lehigh has a better reputation than Lafayette. I have no connection with either but I think they are both good schools. I tend to mentally associate Lehigh with engineering (and drinking) and Lafayette with liberal arts but maybe that’s just me.</p>
<p>A lot of people associate Lafayette with engineering also, as it is one of only a handful of liberal arts colleges that offers ABET-accredited engineering programs (others being Bucknell and Union) in addition to traditional liberal arts majors. The big difference in my mind is that Lafayette is an undergraduate-only school, while Lehigh is a research university replete with graduate programs (and graduate students) in engineering, arts and sciences.</p>
<p>i was actually in the same dilemma! im a transfer student and i couldnt decide. after i visited though, it was obvious i wanted to go to lafayette. personally i was not a fan of lehighs campus but others love it. its just VERY hilly and there are trees everywhere so its kinda dark and gloomy and i visited on the nicest day of the year so far. also even though theyre both small, lafayette has more of a community feel to me and the layout of the campus just makes more sense to me than lehigh. theyre both very good schools academically and im majoring in business so it was tough to turn down lehighs nationally ranked business program but you have to know this, anyone who will be hiring KNOWS of lafayette and KNOWS that its a very good school. sure not every person on the street has heard of it, but honestly a lot of the top liberal arts schools i hadnt even heard of until me and my friends were applying and these are top schools! also even though both bethlehem and easton arent the best of towns, lafayette is more isolated on the hill and lehigh is smack down in the middle of bethlehem and if you go three blocks over youre not in a good neighborhood at aaaaall. so theres that also! easton has the cute little square with the crayola factory and i didnt know that was there until i visited last week and was pleasantly surprised! and even though theyre both party schools i have friends at lehigh and it seems CRAAAZY. although im sure you can find people who are less crazy! haha okay thats all i can think of now! but i picked lafayette and im very excited! good luck in your decision!</p>
<p>You mentioned business. I don’t believe Lafayette has a business major per se. They do have an economics dept. Lehigh has notable business major. Please check this out if you are looking for both business and engineering.</p>
<p>nstonerocks, this thread is from 2 years ago. I’m sure the original poster has made his/her decision. However, if someone else is reading this, your point is correct - Lafayette does not have a business department, although they do have an Economics dept with some business classes.</p>