The second day of the Pennsylvania tour brought us to Lehigh University and Lafayette College.
The joke on Lehigh University's campus is that you won't gain the freshman 15 -- the hill won't let you. They aren't wrong. A small university on a hill overlooking Bethlehem, PA - Lehigh may not be too far back in your memory after their win over Duke this past spring. For a school of less than 5,000 undergraduates, Lehigh is known for being a highly selective school with an emphasis on flexibility. There are no major requirements and students frequently combine courses of study to pursue their specific interests. They are looking for students that do more than just study - they want students that are active in their community and who want to look at the world with a global perspective. More than half of the students hail from only three states (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) but given how easy it was to get to Bethlehem from New York City I can see why. They are one of a growing number of schools that have pledged to remove loans from financial aid packages for students with a household income of less than $50,000. And even for families with higher income ranges they have a track record of minimizing the gap between what families can afford and what they are asked to pay. In line with my blog entry from earlier this summer, Early Decision applicants do make up a huge percentage of their freshman class, so if you fall in love think about applying that round. Unlike ElRo, almost 60% of the student body is male - possibly due to the fact that Lehigh is very strong in the Engineering and STEM fields - areas that still enroll more men than women.
Our last stop in Pennsylvania took us to Lafayette College in Easton, PA. About half of the size of Lehigh, Lafayette is the smallest Division I school in the nation. The admissions officer that we met with took an enormous amount of time out of his afternoon to speak with us and show us the campus - a personal touch that really mirrors the individualized support that Lafayette prides itself on. Strong career services and robust alumni connections a community that goes beyond the bounds of campus. As a school that only serves undergraduates, Lafayette doesn't need to spread its resources across anything other than the undergrad experience. The faculty mentorship is top notch -- our admission officer touted a professor that let him do his laundry at his house and who he still stays in contact with now that he's working at the college. On the tour, I loved the integration of the newer structures among the more traditional buildings. The motto of Lafayette is Cur Non, from Marquis de Lafayette's family motto "why not." (He's the bust pictured above). So if you are looking for a strong liberal arts or engineering experience less than two hours from New York City, get yourself to Lafayette to check it out. Cur non?
(Added Lafayette bonus -- Easton is also the home of Crayola Crayons - scene of my favorite Sesame Street clip ever! I want to major in crayon making!)
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