As we near the halfway point in the school year, college planning is a crucial topic that many Schreiber students are thinking about. Although it is an exciting time for many, choosing a college can be a very stressful decision to make. For those who prioritize great academics and extracurriculars, and are still looking at options, Lehigh University may be the place to apply.
With only about a two hour drive out west, Lehigh can be found in Bethlehem, PA. It has been consistently ranked as a top 30 school in the nation.
Founded in 1865, Lehigh was originally a technical school that blended science and engineering for the industrial age with liberal arts. It is now an esteemed and prestigious private university that offers many opportunities for programs, research, and education.
Tessa Rudegeair, a Schreiber class of 2025 alum, is currently a freshman at Lehigh. She chose to go to Lehigh because of their amazing business school and a diverse and extensive accounting program. She also thought the campus was absolutely breathtaking and felt very welcomed after she visited.
“When visiting I learned that this school had so many opportunities and I realized it would get me a great education and help me succeed after school in the work field. I also loved the campus which was so beautiful and after visiting I really felt welcomed and felt that everyone was so nice there,” said Rudegeair.
Lehigh currently has roughly 7,000 students enrolled across all four of its campuses, with about 25 percent of those being in-state students. Lehigh also has an incredibly wide variety of academics; with over 100 majors, minors, and programs, including nearly 90 undergraduate majors in fields like business, sciences, arts, interdisciplinary studies, and many more, students are bound to find something they are interested in within this array of options.
The main campus of Lehigh has two main library buildings. There is the Fairchild-Martindale Library (FML) and the Linderman Library. The FML is more catered towards science-related studies while Linderman is more history-related.
“My favorite place to study is Linderman Library because it is so gorgeous and quiet. There are a lot of spots around the library that I can sit and study at and it is not too far away from my dorm,” said Rudegeair.
Another place Rudegeair enjoys studying is the Health Science and Technology building (HST) because they have individual cubicle desks that go perfect with the quiet and studious atmosphere. A bonus of the HST building is that there is a cafe there so people can grab a snack or a drink to keep them going while studying.
A big part of the college experience is the dorm system. Most residence hall rooms are doubles, but there are also a number of single and triple rooms. At Lehigh, the main residence areas are the Lower Centennials, Upper Centennials, and The Quad. The Lower Centennials are located below the dining hall, while the Upper Centennials are right above with the dining hall in the middle. Lastly, The Quad is three housing buildings which are more off towards the edge of the campus.
“I live in the Upper Centennials and it is so nice having the dining hall right next to me! I would say the dorms are a lot bigger than what I would expect, especially the closet space! I have 11 other girls on my floor with a shared bathroom and my floor is all girls but some buildings in the quad have co-ed floors,” said Rudegeair.
Students at Lehigh are offered a variety of options when it comes to dining on campus. Foods that are vegetarian, international, halal and gluten-free are all readily available. There are three main dining halls, as well as numerous other cafes, grab-and-go locations, and retail spots. Rudegeair particularly enjoys the Hawks Nest, a food court inside the Lamberton Dining Hall with many different food options.
Besides studies, students go to college to have fun and create new experiences, which a majority of those new things come from trying out different extracurriculars. Lehigh has over 200 student clubs and organizations that welcome all. Those 200 include clubs, sports, and fraternities and sororities.
“I am involved in the Accounting Club which has been great for finding opportunities for recruiting and networking. I have heard that the sports here are a great thing to be a part of and about 30 percent of the students at Lehigh participate in Greek life” said Rudegeair.
“I would say Lehigh has a lot more school spirit than I thought it would, especially during rivalry week! The football games are not too popular but during rivalry week (the football game against Lafayette) there are many traditions the school has including bed racing and hanging posters out of windows with funny things about Lafayette on them. Some advice I would give to Schreiber students if they want to apply to Lehigh is to show a lot of demonstrated interest. One good idea is to try to get an interview,” said Rudegeair.