@GaelRacer #611 Similar experience. Our daughter was accepted, but with virtually no financial aid, a couple of small loans only. The Lehigh EFC was much higher than the FAFSA EFC. We should have researched this more in advance because the clues were out there in various articles. Here are a couple of quotes from the financial aid counselor.
“The Lehigh EFC we have determined for you is significantly higher than the federal EFC. There are many reasons these EFCs are different, but the main reason for your family is related to home equity. For federal financial aid purposes, the equity in the family home is not considered in the EFC calculation. Because our determined EFC is higher than the cost of attendance, you do not qualify for Lehigh need-based financial aid sources.”
“I don’t believe that any appeal for financial aid would change the outcome in regards to need based aid.”
Also, here’s an interesting article on the rapid rise in tuition at Lehigh over the last decade (list tuition is now higher than Princeton, Harvard and Stanford by a few thousand dollars/year). For a few years, they kept the increases “low” (only 3% vs. 4+%) to see if they could attract more middle class applicants.
http://thebrownandwhite.com/2017/04/02/lehigh-tuition-increase/
They must not realize that many middle class applicants with the stats to get into Lehigh will have multiple options at other private schools at or below the FAFSA EFC. They also seem to place an exorbitant value on a mid-40 something ranking with regional recognition only. I guess many middle class applicants don’t want to take out a second mortgage to pay a premium list price for a very selective, but not elite, institution. I can only conclude that it is a two-tier school, and that’s the way they like it.
Harvard Cost of Attendance is slighter higher than Lehigh.
Harvard: https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works/cost-attendance
2018-2019 2017-2018
Tuition $46,340 $44,990
Fees $4,080 $3,959
Room $10,609 $10,300
Board $6,551 $6,360
Subtotal $67,580 $65,609
Lehigh:
uition and Cost Information
The typical costs of attendance for the '18-'19 academic year include the following:
Tuition: $52,480
Typical first-year housing: $7,930
Full meal plan: $5,670
Technology fee: $450
Activity fee: $200
Direct-billed expense*: $66,730
@mmadness “They … seem to place an exorbitant value on a mid-40 something ranking with regional recognition only… I can only conclude that it is a two-tier school, and that’s the way they like it.”
It is not cheap, but Lehigh is doing a lot to improve and expand compared to peers. The cost differences will benefit everyone as those initiatives attract better students and faculty, provide better resources, and enhance opportunities for students.
@LehighHawkDad I was comparing tuition amounts. I agree that fees should be included too. However, I don’t think room and board is relevant. I would hope the room and board is significantly cheaper in Bethlehem vs Boston. I think the comment that Lehigh charges a higher price than some of the most prestigious universities in the world is valid.
@Much2learn The list price at virtually all private universities is high, however the vast majority do not charge list price to middle class families. I was responding primarily to the comment made by Pat Johnson, the vice president of finance and administration, in the article that I referenced.
“Johnson said tuition increases were kept moderately low from 2013 to 2015 because trustees wanted to experiment to see whether the price attracted more applicants from middle-class families. Johnson said their plan didn’t work.”
Keeping the annual tuition increase $800-1,500 less than planned, while all along charging middle-class applicants tens of thousands of dollars more than many other private universities as well as the FAFSA EFC, seems like a feeble attempt to attract middle class applicants that was destined to fail. Johnson sounds gleeful that the plan failed and that high tuition increases could resume, and the trustees seem content with the failure.
You have to drink a lot of the Lehigh kool-aid to rationalize that anything more than a nominal premium to the FAFSA EFC is a fair price and good investment relative to other options. Lehigh Admissions exemplifies all that is wrong in our higher education system today, and why many consider spiraling costs and debt a big problem. The buyer’s remorse of parents cited in the article is a big red flag when considering Lehigh.
“Johnson said tuition increases were kept moderately low from 2013 to 2015 because trustees wanted to experiment to see whether the price attracted more applicants from middle-class families. Johnson said their plan didn’t work.”
@mmadness
“Johnson sounds gleeful that the plan failed and that high tuition increases could resume, and the trustees seem content with the failure.”
I do not believe that Ms. Johnson is gleeful. I do agree with you that whoever drafted this could have chosen better words. Characterizing an attempt by the Lehigh Trustees to manage the size of tuition increases as an “experiment” and a failure isn’t optimal.
@mmadness “Lehigh Admissions exemplifies all that is wrong in our higher education system today, and why many consider spiraling costs and debt a big problem. The buyer’s remorse of parents cited in the article is a big red flag when considering Lehigh.”
I understand your frustration. I wish your student had received a better financial package and would be attending Lehigh too. Many of us (including me) are under a lot of financial stress and not just at Lehigh. Surprisingly, however, I don’t think that rising costs are the biggest issue in education. I believe that the most important thing for university administrations to focus on is finding ways to improve the percentage of students who are retained and graduate. As long as they graduate, it will all be worth it.
@Zaehen How much is a Trustees scholarship?
And for anyone else who has received merit aid, how much was offered?
my S was a high achieving 2021 and got in by going ED - not sure he would have gotten in RD.
he sent in several EAs and was getting good $$$ but early December he decided, just before ED II date, to go for it because Lehigh became his first choice.
we applied for no FA and he could have scored merit aid but if you are aren’t a special population that is being looked for and you apply EA with no financial need then good look getting merit. If your student really wants to attend a certain school then apply ED and really bind yourself and unfortunately likely take yourself out of contention for merit aid. This is not the case everywhere - some EA programs are rather generous with high scorers on the merit side. But generally EA or ED is the way to show you have done your homework and are down to 1-3 schools.
It is unpredictable unless you are willing to limit yourself or are from a special targeted population but such is the world of admissions the last 15 years.
a note of reality - I have worked in college admissions (at an elite school in the 1980’s) but still stay very active with universities and I see kids (and more likely parents) crushed by S or D not getting into a certain school etc. college is what you make of it. these kids are going to have fun and work hard if motivated and learn a ton. Most if really motivated will go to grad school or beyond. Where they went for undergrad is not likely to be as important as the adults they become and how they took advantage of that time on campus. most students, mine included, would be just as well or better off going to a less expensive college than Lehigh (like a really good state school) and saving that 30K per year for a down payment on a house or to pay for the next degree. some kids do transfer because of unhappiness but it is not a large number. most can find their ways and do great a college that was not his or her top pick or two.
@mmadness In wake of the low financial aid offer from Lehigh, my son has decided to attend the University of Alabama. His NMF is worth $167,000 there with five years of full tuition, annual NMF stipend, room for one year, plus allowances for foreign travel and technology. He was also awarded an engineering scholarship and accepted into the Honors College and STEM Path to MBA program. UA has also given him 43 hours of credit for his AP course work. This will allow him the opportunity to earn degrees in business and engineering plus MBA in five years with no debt! Even though we are 8 hours from Tuscaloosa (closer than Lehigh actually), he already has 24 schoolmates who are attending UA.
@GaelRacer : wow, that is a very compelling package, and one that would be hard to turn down. I’m sure UA engineering is ABET accredited and the AP credits sound generous. Yes, it’s an SEC school with attendant rabid focus on sports (I attended UGA), and I cannot speak for the academic rigor of whichever engineering discipline he’s targeting, but being in the Honors College will make the school feel smaller, plus introduce him to a cohort whose intellect is likely similar to his. If UA has an honors dorm, suggest he aim for this, as that would also enable close contact with a good group of students who are equally serious about their studies. All the best; Roll Tide!
@“Idaho Father” My son has requested the Honors Dorm. UA Honors Dorm has 4-man suite with 4 single bedrooms, fully furnished living room, fully kitchen, furnished dining area and two baths.
@GaelRacer #630
Congratulations to your son. It sounds like he has chosen the best investment, far and away. Our daughter is still in the throws of her decision with admitted student visits coming up. To assist her in evaluating the financial component of her choice, we have come up with a couple of metrics. While they can be applied to any set of schools, we thought it fitting to name them after the school that inspired them.
Lehigh EFC Inflator (LEI) = Net Price minus FAFSA EFC
(This represents how much more a college expects you to spend versus the federal government, which is not known for setting a low contribution amount. Used Net Price = Tuition + Fees + Housing/Meals)
Lehigh Gouge Factor (LGF) = Net Price minus Average Net Price of other Choices (This represents the premium a college is charging relative to other options. For a state school, we used the OOS tuition for a fair comparison.)
For our daughter, these were the metrics for Lehigh. All other options had negative metrics (i.e. better than the government EFC and better than average for the choices available)
.
LEI = $24K/year (57%)
LGF = $30K/year (a whopping 82%)
We also mentioned to her that looking ahead, undergrad may not be the only thing where she is looking to mom and dad for financial assistance or needing to borrow money. There might be grad school, a house down payment, wedding costs, etc. It is always good to consider the tradeoffs in advance.
@“Idaho Father” @mmadness Alabama just notified us that they have increased the NMF package to include four years of on-campus housing. This increases their offer to $194,100 (4 year full-ride plus 5th year of full tuition)! Roll Tide!
@GaelRacer part of the analysis has to include anticipated career earnings post college. Lehigh kids do pretty well. Forbes includes Lehigh on one of their lists that rank (let’s call it) “expensive schools worth every penny.” That said, $195K is nothing to sneeze at but potential higher earnings over a 40 to 50 year career has to be annuitized. I can’t give you an algorithm; it’s based more on probability without guarantees. But companies that come to campus to recruit are known. Starting salaries and mid-career salaries are also known. What also is known…'Bama football is stronger.
@Lehighdad you raise excellent points. The four years go fast…after that it’s what the education you invested in affords you.
I think if you want a career in the Northeast, Lehigh would be a better choice. If you might stay in the South, Alabama might be completely fine. But the differences in projected income are pretty huge.
@Lehighdad @collegemomjam The Lehigh offer would require us to go into deep debt (maybe 6 figure). UA offer is now a full ride for four years plus full tuition for fifth year. Also, UA will allow him to double major in both business and computer science and earn a MBA in 5 years. He does not have that opportunity at Lehigh. The other big difference is that UA will give him 45 hours of credit for his HS AP and dual credit courses. Lehigh was likely to only approve around 20 hours. UA is now considered a national university. The freshman class is 70% OOS with over 200 NMFs and don’t even get me started on the weather or the fully furnished full kitchen and living rooms in the freshman dorms (4 person suites with fully furnished living rooms, full kitchens, four single bedrooms and two baths)! We loved Lehigh but the campuses do not compare!
Has anyone attended a Lehigh Life Day?
My husband and I are flying in with our son so he can attend, but it looks like the day is geared toward students. It does not say that parents should not attend at all (as some schools do), but is there anything for parents to do at Lehigh that day? We will also be there the next day for Candidates’ Day, which does include parents. Just wondering what to expect.
Just did the Life Day on Friday…plenty to do for both students and parents. Did you get the itinerary? I can’t copy and paste ours (it was a PDF and all the text is actually IMAGES of text, can’t copy it out).
Students break off into a class visit, panel, and lunch; while parents do a panel, lunch, then another panel. Then you get back together for a dessert and optional tours.
Thanks @JWilsonNJ ! That’s good to know. We haven’t gotten an itinerary yet. Hopefully they send it out this week.
@stardustmom I did a life day last friday and it was really cool. There is informational meeting for students and parents and then students go to a class while the parents go to a panel of their choice. Then parents go to lunch while students go to a Q&A panel. Then students go to lunch and parents go to another panel. They meet up at the end for a reception at the presidents house. Most people had parents with them.