<p>My daughter was accepted to both schools and is having difficulty deciding between them. We visited both and she loved them both. Rochester may have a slightly better Cognitive Science/Neuroscience program, but Lehigh also appears to have a good program for that. I'd love to get opinions from this forum as to your experiences with either or both schools. Rochester offered $10K in merit aid per year while Lehigh hasn't offered any, so that is a factor, but it is still a difficult decision. Please help!!</p>
<p>Go with the one with the lowest net overall cost. $10,000 in merit aid doesn’t mean much if you still have to pay $40,000/year vs say $20,000/year with no merit aid (made up numbers, no idea of actual costs at these schools).</p>
<p>Both schools cost about the same, so the $10K will make a difference. But I’m looking for input related to academics and social life at both schools.</p>
<p>Can you describe your daughter and what she’s looking for, academically and socially? You might get more feedback.</p>
<p>We have visited both schools. Given the choice between the two, my S would have chosen Rochester, hands down. But it depends on what type of college experience your D wants.</p>
<p>It appears as if Rochester is more serious, very collaborative, very friendly campus. Lehigh also had a very friendly campus…they say they are serious too, at both studying and partying. We ran into a lot more Jock-type kids at Lehigh and they have the “reputation” as a “study hard, party hard” atmosphere.</p>
<p>We liked the surrounding area of Rochester more too. You have a water view and see lots of people out walking and jogging. Lehigh’s campus is very hilly, and more of a small college town. Rochester’s Science program it top-notch. We know someone who majored in Biomedical Eng. and was granted a full PhD scholarship to continue research at UPenn. We also know someone who graduated from Lehigh who is now a well repected Doctor.</p>
<p>Rochester’s campus atmosphere seems to be quieter…not sure if that is true or not!</p>
<p>Are you able to have your D go back to visit each campus again? Spend a weekend or an overnight? Talk to some professors at each school? PS: My S ended up at Tufts.</p>
<p>As a resident of the Bethlehem area, I can speak to the amount of crime that Lehigh has just off campus. Here are just a few incidents in the last year. The University will tell you that the campus is very safe and it might be, but it is not safe just off campus where many of the students live and play. I would definitely take this into consideration.</p>
<p>[Police:</a> Lehigh U. student robbed at knifepoint - Morning Call](<a href=“http://articles.mcall.com/2011-03-10/news/mc-bethlehem-lehigh-robbery-20110310_1_knifepoint-lehigh-u-student-bethlehem-police]Police:”>http://articles.mcall.com/2011-03-10/news/mc-bethlehem-lehigh-robbery-20110310_1_knifepoint-lehigh-u-student-bethlehem-police)</p>
<p>[Bethlehem</a> Lehigh robbery: Police said Lehigh student robbed after getting into car with strangers - Morning Call](<a href=“http://articles.mcall.com/2011-12-09/news/mc-bethlehem-lehigh-robbery-20111209_1_lehigh-u-student-bethlehem-police-bethlehem-paramedics]Bethlehem”>http://articles.mcall.com/2011-12-09/news/mc-bethlehem-lehigh-robbery-20111209_1_lehigh-u-student-bethlehem-police-bethlehem-paramedics)</p>
<p>[Police</a> Blotter: Lehigh Students Robbed at Gunpoint - Bethlehem, PA Patch](<a href=“http://bethlehem.patch.com/articles/police-blotter-lehigh-students-robbed-at-gunpoint]Police”>Police Blotter: Lehigh Students Robbed at Gunpoint | Bethlehem, PA Patch)</p>
<p>All 3 incidents after 2am.</p>
<p>If it’s that close, I would go with the money. With all of my kids, there were clear favorites,but it it ever came down to truly not being able to decide, the money would be pulled into the picture. We set a limit and then take money off the deciding table once all schools that are over that limit in cost are thrown out of consideration. So if there is a tie, we would bring back the money factor, and that would make one school an easy winner.</p>
<p>D2 is a graduating senior at UR in neuroscience. UR’s neuro program is excellent with strong placement into top neuro grad programs (Duke and Yale, esp). There are many research opportunities. If you have specific questions about the neuro program or UR in general–please feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>ClassicRocker-here are a couple of ones that were earlier in the evening. As I said, I live in the area and I would be concerned. Last year the Bloods were actually specifically targeting Lehigh students.</p>
<p>[Police</a> accuse Bloods gang member of ordering attacks on Lehigh University students | lehighvalleylive.com](<a href=“http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2011/04/police_accused_blood_gang_memb.html]Police”>Police accuse Bloods gang member of ordering attacks on Lehigh University students - lehighvalleylive.com)</p>
<p>“On Saturday Mikael Borneo, 23, was robbed at knife point by three men. He was walking about 9:10 p.m. near Polk and East Morton streets when he was approached. One man pulled out a knife and robbed Borneo of his cell phone and wallet. The robbers are described as dark skinned, possibly Hispanic or Dominican, in their late teens or early 20s, 6 feet tall and about 180 pounds. Two of the robbers were wearing black hooded sweatshirts and blue or black jeans. The third robber had a thin mustache and was wearing a purple shirt and dark jeans.”</p>
<p>OCTOBER 14, 2011</p>
<p>"At 10:45 p.m., Friday night, two Lehigh students, one female and one male, were robbed at Vine and 4th Streets. Two male suspects approached both victims. The male was struck in the face and the female was struck to the ground. Both victims were treated by medical personnel and released. No description of the assailants is available.</p>
<p>The investigation of this incident is being led by the Bethlehem Police Deaprtment, with assistance from the Lehigh University Police Department."</p>
<p>Shameless plug for the U of R here. My husband and I both majored in Cognitive Science (how we met!) there back in the dark ages when the U of R was one of the few schools to offer such a major. We loved Rochester so much that after we graduated we chose to live in one of the suburbs.</p>
<p>One strength of UR is the emphasis on undergraduate research opportunities, which are there if you choose to take advantage of them. As a student, I was able to get a job in a psych lab, helping the professor conduct his experiments. This led to an independent study with a graduate student which led to my being published and presenting the research at a conference, which led to a full fellowship for grad school. My husbands work in the lab (I got him job there) led to his becoming well-known to the other professors in the department. So when Xerox Corp. called one of the professors to ask if he could recommend someone for a job, he mentioned my husband. He has now been employed at Xerox almost 25 years. </p>
<p>I know there is still a focus on undergraduate research opportunities because they mentioned it when I took my son there for a tour and info. session last summer.</p>
<p>I think the only drawback to the school is the lack of any sort of college town surrounding the campus, although they are currently working on building one if the funding comes through from the city of Rochester. However, there are buses that take students to the local mall as well as to the city, where there are plenty of concerts, museums, festivals, sports, shops, restaurants, etc. And of course you need to keep in mind the Rochester winter weather, but the underground tunnel system makes this bearable. I dont know if you had a chance to see them, but the tunnels connect most of the academic buildings so its possible avoid being outside too much in the really bad weather. They dont connect to the dorms, though, for safety reasons.</p>
<p>Please let me know if you have any questions about the college or Rochester in general.</p>
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<p>I think the terrain of Lehigh lends itself to an athletic crowd. Those hills are for the young and fit ;-)</p>
<p>As far as the crime goes, I am with knitkneelionmom. I don’t think the Lehigh police do enough to keep the students safe. There needs to be more cooperation between Bethlehem PD and the Lehigh PD. Like it or not, reality of a college student is late nights out, whether they are coming home from the library, a friends house, a party on the hill or a bar. To blame the victim, or say the students should have to hide in their house after hours because it isn’t safe doesn’t cut it for me. The place needs to be safe and crime has to be managed for the lifestyle of the residents even if they are out at 2 am.</p>
<p>JoanAndTed, how is the decision making process going?</p>
<p>Those were 2 of my sons choices. He picked UR. For him I felt the vibe at rochester suited him better. Frat life seems to be huge at Lehigh and we got the impression it was go Greek or go home. They seemed like much different schools to me with a much different group of kids. Lehigh seems more athletic party vibe and roc seems more off beaten smart kid vibe. UR is also even split male female ratio, Lehigh has more men. I think if she really likes both she could flip a coin and whichever one she hopes comes up while the coin is in the air is the favorite.</p>
<p>I went to Lehigh ages ago. Lehigh earns its study hard party hard reputation. At the time it was a small school with the largest fraternity system in the nation (+30), so the social scene was almost only fraternities for all the good and ill that came with that. The male/female ratio is more balanced now, but it’s history is as a military school and it was definitely male oriented. </p>
<p>The terrain is South Mountain and it is a mountain. It tends to make people stay at home, since the resident locations are above the rest of the school, so anywhere you go requires a trek “back up the mountain.” It gets really interesting in the winter. But frankly you adjust quickly and miss being away from it. The campus is beautiful and the mountain seasons are wonderful.</p>
<p>Lehigh is also very conservative. Those with liberal tendencies stood out and were not in general well though of. The school has a well deserved reputation for graduating hard working engineers, for graduating just about everyone who gets in, for finding jobs for everyone who graduates and, oddly based on your letter, for being very strong in financial aid. </p>
<p>The city does not love the school. Bethlehem has had a hard life with the failing of Bethlehem Steel. While there was no reason to blame the students, they are the outsider rich kids, and are easy to target. In fairness on my dorm hall was the son of the president of Chase Bank and the son of Panama’s US Ambassador, but in general this is not a silver spoon kind of place (hence the financial aid). So we were always careful in the town, went infrequently, and never went alone. However I can say that about every other place I’ve gone to school as well. The major difference was at that time there was no place for students to congregate in town, no university square or drive, and the drinking age was 21 so it was easier to get alcohol on campus.</p>
<p>Students who graduate tend to be fiercely loyal to the school, and are coveted by east coast employers (out west here few know of the school but that is changing as it takes on a more entrepreneurial role).</p>
<p>I don’t recall Lehigh being that powerful in the biological sciences, but I do believe UofR is. I also know that most of the people I’ve met from UofR loved their college experience. </p>
<p>This will sound sexist, and it is, but if it were my son going I would say the choice was a close one but I would go with the money. If it were my daughter, UofR.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your input everyone. My daughter ended up deciding on U of R, though it was a tough choice for her. We all really liked both schools, but I’m happy with her decision. The Cog Sci/Neurosci programs at U of R do seem a little more robust and the $10K in aid also helped. She spent the night in the dorm there last week and really had a good time. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to do the same at Lehigh, but we did spend a few hours on the campus and did a tour there, and then went to an admitted students event in the evening, which was very nice, but not enough to swing her over to Lehigh.</p>
<p>Someone here mentioned that Lehigh is very conservative…any comments on the political leanings at U of R??? We are quite liberal, so a conservative atmosphere would not be ideal. Though my daughter is less concerned with the politics than I am :(</p>
<p>My son is conservative and the most he was hoping for is what roc seems to be…a bit apolitical. Generally colleges tend more towards liberal so I’d never worry about that on a college campus unless specifically noted otherwise.</p>
<p>URochester hands down for someone interested in the sciences. Much better research facilities and opportunities there. Lehigh is a nice LAC, but Rochester also allows for a solid classic education thanks to its concentration program allowing a student to explore three subject areas in depth.</p>
<p>My guy will be part of your D’s class. He’s heading to U of R for Neuro/Brain too (we’re very pleased with his decision). He also had a great time in the dorms and told us there were students of various political thought who all got along together well. To me, that’s a big plus for the school. He liked it too.</p>
<p>LouCostello:
My impression is that Lehigh is not as generous with FA as they used to be…but that’s just an educated speculation on my part.</p>
<p>Joanand Ted:
Congratulations to your D for making a decision! Hope she has a wonderful experience there. We were very impressed with the profs that we met, the students all were quite friendly and inclusive, and the overall impression we got from that school was favorable.</p>