Lehigh University (LU)

Lehigh University is an "academically rigorous school that challenges you to adapt to realworld scenarios." Students appreciate the many resources and opportunities offered, including "extremely advanced and high-tech" lab facilities and equipment and numerous "research opportunities for undergrad students looking for field experience." There are many standout programs, including fully funded study abroad opportunities, Impact Fellowships that match students to sustainable development projects, and the United Nations Youth Representative Program, which allows students to work with NGOs and speak on the floor of the General Assembly. Professors here are "extremely helpful" and many "will allow you to get involved in their research, even as a first-year student." Professors also "try to incorporate their personal research or experiences into [the] lecture, which makes it extremely engaging." As one student elaborates, "There is nothing quite like seeing someone talk about something they are truly passionate about." Professors offer "lots of opportunities for students to get extra help," including "plenty of office hours and group study sessions." Some "will slow down or adjust their course plans to ensure students are learning." The school also offers an "incredibly strong" alumni network that "helps many current students prepare for and land career opportunities." All in all, the "academics are tough and definitely make you work hard, but they one hundred percent make you better."

Students here are “incredibly academic and driven but also love to have fun,” with one student adding, “Students are just as passionate about having fun as they are about their grades.” During the week, “the library is always packed,” and on the weekends, students “tend to let off steam.” Lehigh is “not huge, so you become quite close to your peers, especially in your class/major.” Students note that many of their peers are from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York but that the school is “becoming more diverse and every class [is] bigger than the [last].” Another student agrees, saying, “There is a growing presence of students internationally and from other states in the U.S.” Students are “open to meeting new people and trying new experiences, which creates a great environment for personal growth.” It’s a place where “most people are welcoming and friendly, especially when you join a club that links you to people with shared interests.” As one student sums up, “Whenever I am confused or need guidance, the person sitting next to me is always happy to help. Lehigh is very challenging academically but offers a very supportive and friendly environment for us to succeed.”

Lehigh’s “stunning and beautiful” campus offers students plenty of activities and a thriving social scene. There is “a club, organization, and society for just about every type of student.” Some popular standouts include Cheese Club, where “all we do is eat cheese and learn about cheese,” and the Outing Club, which offers “a lot of very cool off-campus trips, from camping to whitewater rafting.” Many students also enjoy intramural sports, cultural clubs, and working out at the gym. While “Greek life is pretty popular” and some students “enjoy their weekends by partying,” there are also plenty of substance-free events. For example, on the weekends, Lehigh After Dark hosts “fun events like carnivals, movie nights, trivia nights, and Wingo (wings and bingo),” which “often have a full house.” Lehigh’s “school spirit is high,” and its athletic traditions bring students together, like “Rivalry Week” when the football team plays against their longstanding rival, Lafayette College, brings students together. The plethora of activities offered on campus allows “you to find your people easily.”

Lehigh University’s priority “is giving students the best chance for professional success.” The Center for Career & Professional Development works with students on their individual plans every step of the way; the Class of 2021 had 97 percent of students as employed, continuing their education, or pursuing military service or volunteering within six months of graduation, and 94 percent completed at least one internship or experiential learning opportunity. Fall and spring career expos help students make connections, and the alumni network “always reaches out to the school and are willing to help out current students.” The school offers a Career Success Studio for juniors and seniors. It’s a microlearning course that integrates career development into a learning community that includes employer perspective and feedback and results in a career management credential that can be displayed on a student’s resume or LinkedIn profile. Of the Lehigh University alumni visiting PayScale.com, 49 percent report that they derive a high level of meaning from their jobs and report a median starting salary of $82,500.