Lehigh University: Off the Record - College Prowler (Off the Record)

Introduction from the Author

Senior year of high school is one of the most exciting times in any teenagerÂ’s life. YouÂ’ve nearly conquered the toughest academic institution youÂ’ve faced thus far in your young life; youÂ’ve presumably got an easy class schedule; youÂ’ve got a great group of friends, and your biggest social concern is who to take to the prom. Oh yeah, and then thereÂ’s a little thing called college.

Not only are you expected to get in to a college, but your parents will want you to get into an academically sound school, and you also have to find a university that you will enjoy spending the next four years of your life at. Sound daunting? It can be, and sometimes your first impressions and gut instinct regarding a certain college can be rash or uninformed. Therein lies the beauty of this guidebook.

Back when I was an impressionable senior participating in a nonstop parade of college tours, I never really had a clear-cut number one college that I wanted to attend. IÂ’ve heard from many students that theyÂ’ll often find schools that they fall in love with, but none of the establishments I visited truly took hold of me. That is, until one fateful Sunday afternoon in November.

My parents and I were returning from a long weekend in the DC area, in which I visited about 10 schools. The last thing I wanted to do was go on another campus tour, but my parents talked me into checking out Lehigh, a school I had never heard of, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The weather was lousy, and despite the fact that the tour guide was very pleasant, Lehigh became more of an afterthought.

I wound up applying to Lehigh among six other schools. I made four, although I got rejected from the one I liked most. Of the four acceptances, Lehigh had the best academic reputation, so I was encouraged to take another look at it. On my second tour, I fell in love with Lehigh. It was another fairly cloudy day, but something about the enthusiasm of the tour guide and the whole aura of the campus, combined with the proximity of the school to my home (New York City) and the fact that one of my best friends was attending, was enough for me to finally choose Lehigh.

Oddly enough, upon entering Lehigh as a freshman, I had no idea that the Greek scene was so enormous and that it would wind up playing such an amazing role in my experience. This book will provide you with the lowdown on Greek life, as well as over 20 other important aspects of the entire Lehigh experience.

So as you hold this guidebook in your hands, congratulate yourself on an excellent purchase. After many hours of writing, researching, and obtaining feedback from students, IÂ’ve created the most comprehensive guidebook on Lehigh known to man. I wish I had had a copy when I was in the midst of the college search. I hope you enjoy!

Larry Koestler, Author
Lehigh University