<p>Great post, Stitch. </p>
<p>I’d like to add that I’ve heard Lehigh admissions reps say (multiple times) that the essay is extremely important. They want to get a feel for the person you are. Formulaic or impersonal essays, while not necessarily working against you, will not help. One rep actually said that they accepted a student who was otherwise borderline based on an inventive and mature essay. Know your strengths (creativity, social activism, scientific mind, empathy, leadership, etc.) and highlight them in an interesting context. </p>
<p>Lehigh uses the same kind of admissions evaluation that the Ivies do – that is, they look for ECs that demonstrate passion and leadership that go beyond academic performance. They want distinctive individuals. You don’t have to be a leader in the traditional sense as long as you show initiative by creating your own opportunities. For example, perhaps you are shy and not the type to run for class president, but you are a science geek who contacted a nearby college to work in their biology lab over the summer. There, you learned the importance of scientific rigor, of analyzing results, of working as a team to achieve a single goal, etc. Or perhaps you are a creative writer who has taught herself about the publishing business/procedure, and now you have a story due to be published in the coming year.</p>
<p>Lehigh also seems to use SAT scores the way the Ivies do: they are qualifiers, but they are not going to gain you admission. Get the highest scores you can, but don’t worry if you feel they aren’t high enough. Lehigh is looking for more than high test scores.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, don’t underestimate Lehigh’s selectivity. Some high school guidance counselors seem to be lagging behind the times by suggesting that Ivy-qualifiers use Lehigh as a safety. Lehigh can no longer be considered a safety, for anyone. A match, yes, but not a safety. All you have to do is read last year’s waitlist and acceptance threads to see that many highly qualified applicants don’t make it in.</p>