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Summary
Lehigh University is a private institution that was founded in 1865. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,869, its setting is city, and the campus size is 1,600 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Lehigh University's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 38. Its tuition and fees are $42,220 (2012-13).
Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, Pa., 50 miles north of Philadelphia and 75 miles west of New York City. The Lehigh Mountain Hawks are members of the Patriot League, and compete in 25 NCAA Division I sports. Their biggest athletic rivalry is Lafayette College, located less than 20 miles away. A third of the student body is involved in fraternities and sororities. All freshmen are required to live on campus, and sophomores are also required to live on campus in a residence hall or Greek housing. Lehigh’s main campus is located on the wooded slope of South Mountain, and half of the campus is preserved as open space.
Lehigh University has four colleges, with numerous undergraduate and graduate majors. Its well-regarded graduate programs include the College of Education and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act originated at Lehigh, requiring colleges to reveal crimes on campus. Lehigh folklore says the school colors of brown and white originated when a woman wearing brown and white stockings passed by a group of men discussing school colors, and the rest is history. Notable alumni include Jesse W. Reno, the inventor of the escalator; and Howard McClintic and Charles Marshall, whose construction company helped build the Golden Gate Bridge, the George Washington Bridge, the Panama Canal, and New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
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Lehigh prepares students and scholars in a rigorous academic environment that thrives on creativity, innovation and interaction. Our students see the world as a dynamic place, where their ideas, imagination and new thinking create positive change. Lehigh has long played a groundbreaking role in interdisciplinary research and education. Faculty work closely with students across disciplines and translate research and theory into practice. This personal contact between students and faculty members across each of our four colleges provides all of our students with an opportunity to learn in a warm and collaborative atmosphere. Students are given the flexibility to explore academic areas outside their major field of study, where they learn how new knowledge comes at the intersection of ideas. Academic life at Lehigh extends well beyond the classroom, and students are engaged in educational pursuits in their local community and the world at large. International learning opportunities and internships help students cultivate skills for global leadership. A highly active campus life offers students countless opportunities through more than 150 clubs and organizations, 25 Division I varsity sports, intramural and club programs and a vibrant arts scene. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1865 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | city |
| 2011 Endowment | $1,077,430,000 |
Applying
When applying to Lehigh University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 1, and the early decision deadline is November 15. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 31. The application fee at Lehigh University is $70. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 33.4 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | most selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 33.4% |
| Application deadline | January 1 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | January 31 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Lehigh University is 10:1, and the school has 47.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Lehigh University include: Finance, General; Accounting; Marketing/Marketing Management, General; Mechanical Engineering; and Psychology, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 94.0 percent.
Student Life
Lehigh University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,869, with a gender distribution of 57.5 percent male students and 42.5 percent female students. At this school, 69.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 31.0 percent of students live off campus. Lehigh University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Lehigh University.
| Total enrollment | 7,055 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Lehigh University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Lehigh University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Lehigh University.
| Students who have cars on campus | N/A |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Lehigh University, 44.8 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $30,479.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $42,220 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $11,230 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
