<p>I'm a High School Senior from NJ - Class of '09 - top of my class - intellectual - typical CC stats etc. etc.</p>
<p>After the ivy slaughter today, I found out that I didn't get into any of my top choice schools. Now that I have all of my decisions I'm going to have to make a choice between Lehigh, Rutgers - New Brunswick, and Carnegie Mellon (CIT wlisted ECE). I'm looking to major in engineering. I'm going to explore Computer Science, Materials Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, and see what works. I want a bit of flexibility in my options, but I also want to be intellectually challenged throughout college. </p>
<p>Financially, Lehigh and Rutgers are practically free to my parents. CMU, however, costs twice as much, which is quite a stretch to me and my parents. I'm going to try to bargain with CMU fin aid to see what I can get from them.</p>
<p>CMU was by far my top choice before I saw their financial aid offer. Rutgers is like where a third of my class goes, but I wouldn't mind going there. I liked Lehigh a lot, but I am a bit scared because they have a reputation for being a very "white" school (I'm Indian American), and a party school (Again I have Indian American parents. I have yet to be exposed to the sin and pleasure of college life). I'm not sure if I will be able to "fit in" well at Lehigh.</p>
<p>But I would like some of your insight to make my decision easier. </p>
<p>yeah i heard the same about Lehigh and I know some kids who go there and the stereotype seems to fit.</p>
<p>the engineering program at rutgers as you have probably read about on this forum is very competitive and difficult. you will be challenged intellectually in this program. </p>
<p>and it sounds like your ethnicity is very important to you and your life; rutgers offers a lot of indian clubs and student organizations from dance groups to bhakti yoga and many other things. you might want to consider that too. </p>
<p>the social life at CMU is also kind of blehh I’ve heard. lots of lan parties and robot-building and the sort. </p>
<p>and if you’re worried about the whole lowering self to go to state school thing, i’ve met a lot of people here who were valedictorians in high school and were accepted to some pretty good colleges of ivy status and whatnot (ie barnard, columbia, bc, nyu (like mee) tufts and etc) and mostly chose rutgers based on price and location. and all of us agree that we couldn’t see ourselves anywhere else.</p>
<p>I know for a fact I will fit in at rutgers if I do end up going there. Picking between Rutgers and Lehigh is really difficult. I know that I can’t really go wrong but I’m trying to figure out which school will have a better reputation.</p>
<p>Hey, I am a current student at Rutgers Engineering and was at the same place where you were. Deciding between Lehigh and Rutgers. Financially they both were great options because I was getting money from both but I ended in Rutgers because its close to home and also because as you said Lehigh is primarily a white school. You will see at Rutgers, even though there are so many Indians, in Engineering you will still hang out with people from different ethnicities. Plus if you got into Honors for Engineering, I will definitely recommend Rutgers because its such a great program. I have friends who got accepted to Cooper Union and Harvey Mudd and other places but they all came here…</p>
<p>Obviously since I am a Rutgers student I will advocate for Rutgers but its always upto you. Lehigh is also a great engineering school but socially you might feel awkward however at Rutgers you will feel at home.</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you have more questions</p>