<p>I agree with you about the drinking, but obviously your son has a mature attitude towards it. My mother would have the same thing to say. But I can guarantee many students here are not that way. They drink to get drunk and because they now have freedom. And for me it's not about going to bars. NYC offers me museums, millions of cafes, many internship opportunities, different types of areas to explore...all without a car or 2 hour busride.</p>
<p>Rogracer, it's good to hear of your positive experience at Lehigh. I remain a bit confused by all this negativity as my child has excelled at Lehigh, as have her friends and the way people talk here all anyone does there is drink.</p>
<p><<nyc offers="" me="" museums,="" millions="" of="" cafes,="" many="" internship="" opportunities,="" different="" types="" areas="" to="" explore.="">></nyc></p>
<p>So does London.</p>
<p>So because I'm from England I should stay there? Wow...
I don't even know what to say to that.
No, everyone doesn't drink all day/every day. That was a topic of conversation, not the whole thing about Lehigh. And as far as grades are concerned, I have excelled. I got a 4.0 in my first semester. But then at least a third of the class made Dean's List so I'm guessing it wasn't that hard.</p>
<p><<and my="" views="" do="" depict="" reality,="" it="" is="" rather="" patronizing="" to="" say="" otherwise.="" and="" the="" reality="" friends="" have="" experienced.="" i="" wouldn't="" accuse="" your="" child="" of="" having="" that="" not="" "depict="" reality".="">></and></p>
<p>You are saying that Bethlehem is more dangerous than NYC. That does not depict reality. Look at the assault rates, the murder rates. I'll take the peeping tom. You are saying that the campus police are worthless. That is not reality. In actuality, they are very prompt, courteous professional and helpful when there is any problem. You are saying that everyone drinks too much at Lehigh. That is not reality. You are saying there is nothing to do - my child tells me differently day in and day out. Reality has to have some basis in fact, you don't get to manufacture it out of bad feelings and spite.</p>
<p><< Did your mother actually spend her entire weekend in South Bethlehem?>></p>
<p>Huh? You mean did she sleep on the street? No, she stayed in a hotel.</p>
<p>When did I ever say Bethlehem was MORE dangerous than NYC? I said that I- ME Personally- felt safer in NYC. I know crime stats, I know overall NYC is probably higher. And if Lehigh was in NORTH Bethlehem, I would feel safer there than South Bethlehem.</p>
<p>You do not live on campus 24/7 so you cannot say the police are so amazing. I've seen them in action, and I see them do nothing about underage drinking at the frats.</p>
<p>I never said everyone drinks too much, and if I did I overgeneralized (as you are doing now). I think that overall the drinking culture at Lehigh is more prevalent than at other schools, which you will see if you read other threads. You only have your child's opinion (and btw, you keep switching from son to daughter with no explanation).</p>
<p>Reality is to do with one's perception and how they themselves perceive facts. So you have yours (and your child's, apparently) and I have mine. I have not once criticized you (or your child) for your opinion. I am simply giving mine. MY opinion, what I experience, MY reality.</p>
<p>Andy when I asked if your mother spent her entire weekend, I obviously meant did she stay in a hotel in north OR south bethlehem. I knew she did not spend her entire weekend wandering the streets of Bethlehem. Clearly.</p>
<p>And do you think that because I am from England, I should've stayed in London for college? Because you did not explain that seemingly rude and ignorant comment.</p>
<p><<so because="" i'm="" from="" england="" i="" should="" stay="" there?="" wow...="" don't="" even="" know="" what="" to="" say="" that.="">></so></p>
<p>Tally ho?</p>
<p>Yep, a typical, ignorant American. I get a lot of that. Which is ironic because I'm actually half-American, grew up in America, have family here and do NOT live in London (or the 1800's).</p>
<p><<yep, a="" typical,="" ignorant="" american.="" i="" get="" lot="" of="" that.="">></yep,></p>
<p>Well, I think that statement clears up a lot of my confusion as to why your experience was so different than my child's.</p>
<p>Look, you're the one who first said I should be in London and that ridiculously immature "Tally Ho" statement. So that clears a lot up for me too. You WERE being ignorant in those comments. I am really disappointed, as you have not been able to see this entire time that I have posted my opinions, and not criticized anyone for theirs. But I will criticize someone who makes those kinds of immature comments. You think Tally Ho is funny? No, it is immature. Please say something meaningul and mature if you're going to say anything. Your "comments" certainly help no-one.</p>
<p>blueangel:
I'm always sorry to see a student on CC get "badgered" by a parent (who really ought to know better). You've expressed your own personal feelings about Lehigh - as you have a full right to do on this forum. You just have to understand that when parents are shelling out the kind of money they're shelling out at these private LACs they don't want to hear ANYTHING negative about them. Oh well. Good luck on your future endeavors. My son was accepted at Lehigh but isn't going.</p>
<p>I would really love to hear from students who go to Lehigh who really like it. I am not looking for attacks on my comments; they are my opinions and they should be respected, as I will respect you for liking Lehigh (I like Lehigh, I just dont love it). I haven't heard from any students on this entire CC board, I don't think, who love Lehigh and are encouraging others to go here. That would be great....thanks! :)</p>
<p>Oh wow, thank you so much Peacenik! I totally agree with you. I guess I should realize she is probably paying a lot for her child to go to Lehigh. I pay for my tuition loans myself, and I don't feel it's worth it for me. But if her child is so happy the money is obviously worth it and that is great. Well done on your son for getting accepted, I know this year was a tough year. Good going!</p>
<p>Well first of all, Lehigh is not a "private LAC" so that alone belies your total lack of familiarity with the college. Second of all, one of blueangel's points that the only reason students choose Lehigh is b/c of the aid they receive somewhat negates your point that it costs a lot to go there. Third, he's 21 not a high school student. While a 17 year old has some leeway to express opinions that he might not be able to support with facts, by 21 a person should be able to support what he says. Fourth, he is unwilling to back up anything that he originally said and is now backtracking and saying he likes Lehigh. He made a lot of very negative points and I have no reason to let his so-called opinions about Lehigh, which he himself has backed down from, stand without correction.</p>
<p>Ok, first of all I'm a she! lol ;) I think you're extremely defensive, there's really no need to be. Your child is happy there, I'm not, so I'm transferring. Everything is working out fine, including for you! Please don't get so upset!</p>
<p>Why should I support my opinions with facts? I don't ask you to do the same! You don't even go to Lehigh, yet you're spouting your's and your child's opinions. Where are there facts about one's perceptions and opinions? There simly isn't. I'm confused as to why you can't let someone simply have a bad opinion/experience with something and not get on their case about it.</p>
<p>Secondly, what am I not willing to back myself on? I never ever said I hated Lehigh. There are things I hate, yes, and things I actually like (some professors, the exercise I get on campus, my dorm room...). So I don't think I'm backtracking, I am simply expressing different opinions about Lehigh. Therefore I am NOT backing down from anything I've ever said. Trust me, no-one is ever 100% happy with a college. Those negative points were opinions, not "so-called opinions" (what is a so-called opinion?!). So you cannot correct my viewpoint, just as I would not try and correct your viewpoint on loving Lehigh so much (or your child's).</p>
<p>FYI, I replied to someone interested in going to Lehigh (see Lehigh vs. BC) and did not spout my own opinions. Well, I guess everyone on this website does that, this is what we're all hear for! What I mean, is that I gave him useful info without ever saying "don't come here". Lehigh suits many people, I never ever said otherwise.</p>
<p>P.S. I would like to correct myself on one point (note: mcdeb, this is not backing down, this is me realizing my mistakes, because everyone makes them!). I said in ONE post that I didn't have anything nice to say. Obviously, that is not true. I don't think there is anything at all to keep me here, but I can say nice things to prospectives who have questions, definitely.</p>
<p>Secondly, mcdeb: I never said "the only reason students choose Lehigh is b/c of the aid they receive". I said that is one of the reasons students come here. You really overgeneralize a lot of things, sorry.</p>
<p>Regarding campus safety....I lived 2 years in the dorms, and two years off-campus in the south side. Never had an incident with any kind of crime. In my 2 years in Cambridge, I was assaulted 3 times...once with a knife. I had my car stolen. I saw deceased people on the subway. As always, YMMV...but you will never convince me Bethlehem is more dangerous than Boston. No comparison.</p>
<p>I guess it all depends on the year and your own experiences. I'm sorry to hear about your assaults though, that's awful.</p>
<p>I'm afraid I can't post as someone who loves Lehigh....as I'm not. I'm also transferring out. I think that giving my reasons <em>why</em> I don't want to stay here might be helpful to people looking to form an opinion about the school. So:</p>
<p>1) I'm an English major; while Lehigh does have some very solid departments (eg: engineering, IR), the humanities (English in particular) is not as well-developed. There are very few course offerings, particularly in spring, making it difficult for some (if not many) English majors to organize their schedules. My advice: humanities majors--look elsewhere.</p>
<p>2) Why am I here then? I was waitlisted at my first-choice school as a high school senior (have since been admitted as a transfer), and--note here that <em>both</em> people saying LU is expense AND people saying the financial aid is a major factor in some (if not most) people's decisions--and LU gave me far and away the best aid package. Could I afford to pay $40,000 a year to come here? No. Does the aid I received make LU more affordable than the average community college? Yes. My advice: think carefully before making a decision based centrally on aid.</p>
<p>3) The drinking here <em>is</em> a big deal. My particular dorm room this semester opens up onto the stairs leading up and down from the Hill (note: I <em>do</em> realize that only about three rooms on the entire campus are in this situation), so I get to witness first-hand the HORDES of people trekking up and down from the Hill EVERY Thursday-Sunday night. Until 3am or later. It is NOT unusual to hear comments on this campus, at random times on WEEKDAY AFTERNOONS: "Ohmygosh, I'm still so drunk! I can't get anything done!" <em>In my experience,</em> the frats are an important aspect of social life here (btw, the sorority girls make it difficult for anyone else to get on exercise equipment at the gym). My advice: LU is great for people planning to go Greek.</p>
<p>4) Other, random things: the administration here is my biggest complaint; I have been treated with nothing less than complete disrespect by many high-ranking administrators, including the Dean of Students herself. This is one of the primary reasons I am transferring. Linderman library was one of my main attractions to the campus; it's being closed for renovations for the next 18 months. The course offerings here are very poor, particularly in the humanities.</p>
<p>There are also things that I like about LU.</p>
<p>1) Even though Greek life does dominate the social scene, I personally have a number of close friends outside the Greek system who enjoy non-drinking activities like movies, events in Zoellner, going running on the towpath, etc.</p>
<p>2) The religious organizations here are a great way to meet people and get involved in campus life. This has been one of my favorite things about the campus.</p>
<p>3) I lived in Taylor College my freshman year. I won't go on about this because it's been changed for upcoming semesters to upperclassmen-only, and a lot of the uniqueness to the College is being phased out. It's a shame, really.</p>
<p>4) Like I said, the aid here is--<em>generally</em>--great.</p>
<p>Hope this helps some people with their decisions. Good luck everyone!</p>