<p>D1 was initially interested in Lehigh, Laf and Buck - - but after visiting found each to be too Greek and too conservative, also thought Lehigh had too much of a "trade sch" focus. </p>
<p>D loved the LAC "fee" of URoch, which was also far less Greek and far more progressive than the PA schools. She also like CWRU, which give generous merit aid. </p>
<p>In the end though, she chose ED applicat to a LAC.</p>
<p>I checked Lehigh website and they say merit awards are renewable for 4 years, and yet I distinctly remember the director of admissions stating that merit awards are for freshman year only. I may have to call and ask how I got that (apparently) wrong impression.</p>
<p>My D was accepted into the engineering program. She is very excited about Lehigh, but I wonder about the social life. She is somewhat conservative - I can't imagine her particpating in Greek life. Is the campus safe?</p>
<p>Didn't apply to Leigh but Bucknell only gave me half tuition and some stafford but also some bs 2500 in Work study. Lafayette made one of the best offers, 30,000 in grant followed by stafford/perkins and a HELP loan with only a 1000 in work study. the cost out of pocket for my parents would be about 5500, less than my private school now. But I will be attending Wesleyan, more money out of pocket but I like it better. Lafayette was a close second though. The campus is awesome and they has a sports culture I really liked and will miss at wes</p>
<p>My son was recruited by Lafayette. He was extremely impressed with the campus and the library, but not with the coach of his sport. He spent a weekend at Bucknell last fall and thought it was boring and dead (even on a big concert weekend). Our tour guide at Cornell had transferred from Bucknell to Cornell because Bucknell was dead and isolated. I grew up in the Phila area and have never been a huge fan of the ABE area (Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton), but there HAVE been lots of improvements. I like Colgate better, but it is also isolated.</p>
<p>For up to date info on Lafayette, if you have a specific question, go to the "colleges" section and click on Lafayette. Justin (aka Candyman) is a sophomore who works in the admissions office and answers tons of questions.</p>
<p>FYI, my son was accepted at Union and Lafayette. He also got $10k from Union, which is 2 hours closer to our home and closer to good skiing, a passion of his. He went back to both schools, sort of expecting a tough decision but leaning toward Union. After touring Lafayette in last weekend's Nor'easter - POURING rain - he came home, thought for a day, compared pros and cons, he scored it 21-13 in favor of Lafayette. He says he's 90% sure that's where he's going and he's very happy about it.</p>
<p>My son is looking at Economics as a major, but if your kids are engineers you might also consider Union. It's in Schenectady, outside of Albany, shares many of the small school LAC attributes of Lafayette & Bucknell, but may be just slightly easier to get into.</p>
<p>You could also visit Moravian. It's a lovely school, also.</p>
<p>I'm a Lafayette alum and also have visited the school recently with my '10. I think the college's strength is in their small class size and interaction with professors, as well as their innovations in interdisciplinary projects and courses.</p>
<p>When I attended, students almost never went into Easton, so if your D wants action off campus, I don't think Lafayette is for her. Frankly, none of the three schools are ideal choices if she wants a great college town. The campus environments of Bucknell and Lafayette seem similar and college-y. Lehigh is a university and feels bigger. Bucknell is less accessible transportation-wise.</p>
<p>Lafayette was very generous with aid for me, and S was offered the Marquis Scholarship plus some aid. It was one of the best packages he got. </p>
<p>As for academics, my best friend from Lafayette studied chem. engineering undergrad and then got a masters at Lehigh. She felt the chem. engineering program and faculty at Lafayette was superior. But that was years ago.</p>
<p>Since you specifically asked about social life and frats in particular, a friend whose D attended Lafayette advised against schools w/ large Greek presence. He insists that a Greek campus is cliquish. </p>
<p>He also warned that b/c some of the schools don't permit rush until soph year, the number of students eligible to join who actually join is far greater than what the number schools report. The schs report Greek enrollment based on total population, thus at a sch w/ student body of 1000, if 250 students join frats/sors, shc will report 35% [350/1000] Greek. In reality, freshmen can't join, so of the pool eligible, 47% [350/750] of students who participate. And probab an even greater level of Greek interest in the freshman class (since not everyone who rushes is admitted).</p>
<p>FWIW, Bucknell most conservative - and the most isolated - of the 3 schs.</p>
<p>Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs
(At schools whose highest degree is a bachelor's or master's)
Rank/School Peer
assessment
score
( 5.0 = highest)</p>
<ol>
<li> Harvey Mudd College (CA) 4.4
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN) 4.4 </li>
<li> Cooper Union (NY) 4.0
United States Military Academy (NY)* 4.0
United States Naval Academy (MD)* 4.0 </li>
<li> Cal Poly–San Luis Obispo * 3.9 </li>
<li> Bucknell University (PA) 3.7
United States Air Force Acad. (CO)* 3.7 </li>
<li> Embry Riddle Aeronautical U. (FL) 3.5
Milwaukee School of Engineering 3.5
Villanova University (PA) 3.5 </li>
<li> Kettering University (MI) 3.3
Lafayette College (PA) 3.3
San Jose State University (CA)* 3.3
Swarthmore College (PA) 3.3 </li>
<li> Calif. State Poly. Univ.–Pomona * 3.2
Embry Riddle Aeronautical U.–Prescott (AZ) 3.2
United States Coast Guard Acad. (CT)* 3.2
Univ. of Colo.–Colorado Springs * 3.2 </li>
<li> Baylor University (TX) 3.1
Bradley University (IL) 3.1
Gonzaga University (WA) 3.1
Loyola Marymount University (CA) 3.1
Rowan University (NJ)* 3.1
Union College (NY) 3.1
University of Michigan–Dearborn * 3.1
Valparaiso University (IN) 3.1
Webb Institute (NY) 3.1 </li>
<li> Santa Clara University (CA) 3.0
Seattle University 3.0
St. Louis University 3.0
Trinity University (TX) 3.0
U.S. Merchant Marine Acad. (NY)* 3.0
University of Portland (OR) 3.0
University of San Diego 3.0 </li>
<li> Boise State University (ID)* 2.9
California State U.–Los Angeles * 2.9
California State U.–Northridge * 2.9
The Citadel (SC)* 2.9
Mercer University (GA) 2.9
Northern Arizona University * 2.9
Purdue University–Calumet (IN)* 2.9
Smith College (MA) 2.9
Univ. of Massachusetts–Dartmouth * 2.9
University of Minnesota–Duluth * 2.9
Virginia Military Institute * 2.9 </li>
<li> California State U.–Long Beach * 2.8
California State U.–Sacramento * 2.8
Indiana U.-Purdue U.–Fort Wayne * 2.8
Miami University–Oxford (OH)* 2.8
Oregon Inst. of Technology * 2.8
University of Detroit Mercy 2.8
University of St. Thomas (MN) 2.8 </li>
<li> California Maritime Academy * 2.7
Hofstra University (NY) 2.7
Maine Maritime Academy * 2.7
Manhattan College (NY) 2.7
Northern Illinois University * 2.7
Ohio Northern University 2.7
Univ. of Wisconsin–Platteville * 2.7 </li>
<li> California State U.–Fullerton * 2.6
Cedarville University (OH) 2.6
Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. (NJ) 2.6
Grove City College (PA) 2.6
Hope College (MI) 2.6
Loyola College in Maryland 2.6
Montana Tech of the Univ. of Mont. * 2.6
New York Inst. of Technology 2.6
Norwich University (VT) 2.6
Penn State–Erie, Behrend Col. * 2.6
Texas Christian University 2.6
Trinity College (CT) 2.6
University of Alaska–Anchorage * 2.6
Univ. of Arkansas–Little Rock * 2.6
University of Evansville (IN) 2.6
Univ. of Missouri–St. Louis * 2.6
Univ. of Tennessee–Chattanooga * 2.6
University of the Pacific (CA) 2.6
Widener University (PA) 2.6
Youngstown State University (OH)* 2.6 </li>
<li> California State Univ.–Chico * 2.5
Calvin College (MI) 2.5
Grand Valley State University (MI)* 2.5
LeTourneau University (TX) 2.5
Minnesota State University–Mankato * 2.5
Murray State University (KY)* 2.5
North Carolina A&T State Univ. * 2.5
Pennsylvannia State U.–Harrisburg * 2.5
San Francisco State University * 2.5
Southern Illinois U.–Edwardsville * 2.5
St. Cloud State University (MN)* 2.5
SUNY–Maritime College * 2.5
Texas A&M Univ.–Galveston * 2.5
Tri-State University (IN) 2.5
University of Hartford (CT) 2.5
University of Wisconsin–Stout * 2.5
Western New England College (MA) 2.5
West Virginia U. Inst. of Tech. * 2.5 </li>
<li>denotes a public school.</li>
</ol>
<p>Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs
(At schools whose highest degree is a doctorate)
Rank/School Peer
assessment
score
( 5.0 = highest)
43. Lehigh University (PA) 3.2
Michigan State University * 3.2
University of Notre Dame (IN) 3.2
Vanderbilt University (TN) 3.2
Yale University (CT) 3.2</p>
<p>Interesting data, collegemom. I bet a lot of future engineers would find this useful. Where did you find it?</p>
<p>US News from the premium edition.</p>