<p>I've narrowed my decision down to Lehigh University and University of Virginia. I have visited both and loved the campuses. I was very impressed with the IBE program and it fits my interests well, but Lehigh is probably not as reputable as UVA. If I went to Lehigh, I would most likely concentrate in business engineering/management or industrial engineering/finance. If I went to UVA, I would likely major in Management Sciences and Information Systems (business school) or Systems Engineering (engineering school). Where should I go? Any information you can give me that can make my decision easier is much appreciated.</p>
<p>I can’t make the decision for you, but let me just say that Lehigh is NOT less reputable than UVA. Perhaps UVA is sometimes ranked higher than Lehigh (maybe it’s even often) but that has nothing to do with anything, really. They’re both great schools, but in all honestly (and perhaps with the slightest bit of bias) if you’re doing engineering than if recommend Lehigh which is, in my opinion, a better engineering school both acedemically and in terms of reputability.</p>
<p>I think it depends what kind of career you want to have. I totally understand your reasoning with UVA. UVA is definitely a more well-known school across the country, not saying thats its better, just more well known. Especially here in calfiornia. I don’t really think you can go wrong but if you want to do like investment banking or something like that Id go with lehighs IBE. I was admitted as well & will hopefully be attending if fin aid works out. I know companies like goldman sachs recruit from ibe, which was a huge thing for me. The lehigh ibe program is just really unique, only upenn and lehigh have it and it gives you an edge over just a normal business degree. But I honestly dont think you can go wrong! Good luck (:</p>
<p>Sent from my SGH-T999 using CC</p>
<p>hey Kwfog17,
Before I leave these pages as I did not get into Lehigh I will offer my perspective. I will always like Lehigh, even though I was flat out rejected. If you are interested in Finance or anything related to business except for accounting then I recommend UVA. I have a few family members that attended the institution, they are currently in wall street getting paid really well and they credit UVA with setting them up for not only undergrad but sending them to the best grad schools in the country. UVA also covers a lot of need aid! If you are interested in accounting, then I would say it is up to you because Lehigh has an amazing accounting program. They recently had three people get one of the highest accounting certifications.</p>
<p>My son is a systems engineering major at UVa. Although UVa is not one of the top ranked engineering programs in the country, the difference between the program at UVa and other engineering programs is that there is a emphasis on strategic thinking and not just on teaching the mechanics of engineering. The programs trains you to be a manager ultimately. UVa systems engineers have a 100% employment rate coming out of UVa for everyone that wants a job (versus going to grad school). My son has an internship this coming summer with Deloitte in their federal technology consulting division. Oh, he will also be graduating with a business concentration (UVa’s minor). UVa’s business school is ranked as the #2 undergrad business school in the country by Bloomberg Businessweek. I can’t speak to the strength of Lehigh’s program, but I think part of your decision should be based on whether a larger or a smaller school is more appealing to you. If you are thinking systems engineering and want to private message me, my son would probably be willing to shed some perspective on it. Have you been accepted to the engineering school at UVa? I know the other consideration if you want a business major at UVa is that you won’t know if you are accepted into the commerce school there until you’ve completed two years and have good enough grades to get in. Lehigh sounds like it would be a definite thing.</p>
<p>Futuredoctor24 - I have been reading your posts and I am so sorry you did not get into Lehigh. Like others have said, wherever you decide to attend, you will have a wonderful college experience…college is what you make out of it. There are terrific students at all of the schools, you will make lifetime friendships. I wish you the best of luck and good luck with the undergrad and medical school track. My brother is a Dr. and it is a long haul but worth all of the hard work. Helping people who are not well is a commendable career. Best wishes!!!</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice everyone. </p>
<p>CRL123 I was accepted to the engineering school at UVA, and would probably do the same thing your son is. Also, I’m conflicted about size… Lehigh seems a decent size, but I’d like a little larger school (like UVA) if the student to teacher ratio could be preserved.</p>
<p>This is the most difficult decision of my life–but it seems like I can’t go wrong. I just want you people to tell me a school so I can be over with it! Everyone I’ve talked at both schools love it. UVA and Lehigh both have programs that I am very interested in. They both have a great social scene (awesome parties and greek life). The main differences are the size and the location. UVA wins with location, Lehigh kind of wins with the size… so it’s still a tie. ****!</p>
<p>Kwfog7, I asked my son about class size for the systems engineering majors at UVa. He said his general courses had on average about 100 students and the classes in his major have about 40. Either way they are both great schools. My daughter will be entering Lehigh this fall. Good luck with your decision and of you have any other questions about UVa feel free to post them and I’ll try to get you an answer.</p>
<p>About the Student:Teacher ratios, at UVA it is 16:1 whereas at Lehigh it’s 10:1.</p>
<p>Again, like everyone has said, they’re both amazing options. I’d recommend you visit them both again if time permits. Then, just pick the one that you LIKE more - the quality of education at both schools isn’t all that different. They’re both top tier schools with excellent engineering programs.</p>
<p>Thanks @RKMH</p>
<p>Kwfog, how are the FA packages??</p>
<p>Futuredoctor24 - you are most welcome. Please post and let us know where you decided to attend.</p>
<p>My daughter was in the same position last year - accepted to both UVA school of engineering and Lehigh IBE. She was also very conflicted, but ultimately decided on Lehigh and says that it’s the best decision she ever made. She met with a dean of engineering at UVA who told her that the engineering major/business minor is a newer program and very good, but that it is very popular and the engineering students have lower priority for getting the business classes. He inferred that most students end up taking the classes over the summer. As of last year (don’t know if this has changed), this program only included 4 business classes over 4 years. I don’t have much more info on the UVA program, but I can say that my daughter loves IBE and Lehigh.</p>
<p>I’ll throw my 2 cents in as a Lehigh alum, and I am not attending UVA. It really does come down to fit at this point. You have two outstanding programs. They will get you to wherever you may want to go in the future. You really shouldn’t decide along prestige/academic grounds at this point since their both on par for what you want to do. </p>
<p>My experience at Lehigh was amazing. As a student coming from the south, I knew it would be an adjustment moving up north. Since the 4 years since I graduated, my alma mater has helped me in so many ways than I would have ever thought. I have literally had job interviews and the only reason I had the interview was because of the school’s name. People always look at me a little differently (in a good way) when I say I graduated from Lehigh. The day I visited UVA for my program, the dean of admissions said to me “I remember you! You’re our Lehigh candidate” and then, proceeded to tell me all about his various family members who had gone to Lehigh. So, Lehigh is great, but it is not for everyone. I can say if we have managed to hold on to our “party school while kicking butt academically” reputation. While I was there, it literally was “party hard, study even harder.” Some people feel uncomfortable with that, and that’s okay. If you want to go to a school that truly embodies what an all American college experience is, Lehigh is it. </p>
<p>Now, for UVA: I have a limited experience since I am rarely over on Central Grounds. UVA is a wonderful place, and students love it. The one thing I caution any student is that they find their group here at UVA. It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle, but the school is big on tradition and honor. They take being an “honorable’ person to a new level — the only other school I have seen come somewhat close is Rice down in Houston. You better like Thomas Jefferson because you’d be amazed the number of times someone has said to me, “well, Mr. Jefferson said…” You would think he was the only president the US ever had. The undergrad does have the feel of southern old money and the “raising of the south” is impending (but Lehigh, at least while I was there, had to contend with “spoiled rich northern kids”). If you have never been around this group, it can be an adjustment. That being said many kids love Charlottesville & UVA and refuse to leave after (if you can believe it). </p>
<p>So, like I said, it’s coming down to fit. You must have had a feeling when you visited the schools, and I would go with that. Remember as much as college is about the academics, you can’t succeed if you don’t fit in/don’t like the school.</p>
<p>Thanks again everyone… I chose Lehigh! (the program seemed too good to pass up.)</p>
<p>Congratulations! That was a great decision and hopefully we’ll all get too new next year at Lehigh.</p>
<p>@kwfog7
I’m also enrolling in the IBE program! I guess I’ll see you in the fall (:</p>