I’m just starting my junior year at an all boys college preporatory school in Pennsylvania. I would really like to go to Lehigh, and it being in state is a real advantage. My grades are fairly decent- I have a 3.6 unweighted GPA and a 4.7 weighted. I have taken a few AP and honors classes, and this year I am taking 3 AP and three honors. In addition to this, I’m part of an very scholars program that only accepts 20 of the top students in each grade (out of 200 students in each grade). I also am a member of the newspaper, Latin club, and culture club, and have played varsity lacrosse since freshman year. I took a PSAT and got a 1260 (not great, but it was my first time ever taking one). Was just wondering what my chances of getting into Lehigh are?
I think you have a solid chance. You will need to keep your grades up and try to improve your SAT/ACT score a bit, but it is all very doable.
Be sure to visit when you can and show interest at some point, because demonstrated interest is very important to getting admitted to Lehigh.
Lehigh takes 50% of their class from early decision. It is the ultimate demonstrated interest. I recommend requesting an interview and applying ED if you know this is the school for you.
@lacrosseplayer45 : How does your school compute weighted GPA? Most schools I know add a point for AP, half a point for honors. By your own admission, you’ve “taken a few AP and honors classes”. So how is your weighted GPA more than a point higher than your unweighted?
By a few I mean I’ve taken 4 AP’s so far and 5 honors combined through freshman and sophomore year. They weight honors classes out of a 5.00 scale and AP out of a 6.00 scale. Those combine with the normal classes im taking (4.00 scale).
Look at Bucknell and others. Lehigh used to be a beer and grain school. LU PD has been cracking down so hard on Frasor parties that drug use (pharm, pot, coke) is sky rocketing. Not the same vibe as just 5-7 years ago. A once classic “work hard party hard school” now reduced to “work hard” or maybe changed to “work hard drug hard”.
I would think the kids and most in America would prefer if they mostly emptied kegs and buckets of jungle juice back up on the hill. This sad commentary is coming from a '91 grad with a '19 grad finishing up.
Hey, I’m a current freshman at Lehigh University. Like the others have said (and looking at your repertoire) you definitely have a solid chance at Lehigh if you continue on this path. However, like Much2Learn said, you should work on increasing that SAT a little. If you don’t mind me asking, what do you think you’ll want to major in? I noticed during orientations that most if not all freshman there had some kind of passion that made them stand out, most of which had something to do with their major.
As for the party scene, (with no intention of disrespect to Trytofigureitout) I haven’t seen much drug use other than pot among underclassmen. Beer and grain are still present, however those kinds of parties moved off the hill in favor of “registered/non-drinking” parties held by the frat houses. These off-campus parties include the jungle juice and whatnot. Most of the students here still adhere to the work hard play hard mentality and still favor alcohol over drugs (as it’s easier to come by). Only the richer/crazier/older students do pharms or even coke.
However, if you don’t plan or intend to get into that kind of scene, no one is forcing anyone to go party. The campus is large enough that if you don’t ask, you won’t even know parties are happening that night. So with that in mind, I wouldn’t worry too much about exposure to drugs.
Early Decision has a higher admission rate because that is when the recruited athletes apply. Please understand that an early admission application is binding. You are not able to compare other financial aid offers. And whatever aid the school decides to give you is what you have agreed to accept. This is an important decision you need to make with your parents so you have a clear understanding of how much your parents are able to help you. Every year there are students who get accepted early admission and then panic when the financial aid offer is not what assumed they would receive. I would recommend you take a prep class to help you get your scores up. Best of luck to you!
Update: I took the SAT in December and got a 1400 (730 English 670 Math). How much does this improve my chances? I also am visiting campus is the spring and will interview in the summer.
In my opinion, that is a significant improvement and should improve your chances accordingly. I believe that the middle 50% have an ACT in the 29-33 range. Your initial SAT would be about a 28 so in the bottom quartile. Your improved score would be about a 32, so above average. That should shift your odds a lot.
I think you have a very good chance if you keep your grades up, show interest, and apply ED.
@lacrosseplayer45 Congratulations on improving your scores! Sounds like you are working very hard!!!
But I would not recommend apply ED if you are needing a lot of financial aid. ED is a binding agreement regardless of the financial aid package. Over and over again I see kids that apply ED and then are upset they didn’t get the aid they needed.
Good luck to you!!!
Not enough financial aid is an acceptable reason to back out of an early decision agreement. The last thing Lehigh, or any school, wants is for you to accept the spot and then not be able to pay the bill in August and not matriculate