<p>I was accepted into Lehigh and on its class of 2016 Facebook page, it linked to info. about the South Mountain College? I looked into it, but I’m still sort of confused since it provides the generic “why you should come here” info:</p>
<p>What’s distinctive about the South Mountain College, and what makes it different from Lehigh University itself? Does it provide more opportunities?</p>
<p>Thank you! :)</p>
<p>South Mountain College program is 100% part of Lehigh University and an innovative initiative in the College of Arts and Science. </p>
<p>The thread [url=<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/lehigh-university/464094-south-mountain-college.html]'South">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/lehigh-university/464094-south-mountain-college.html]'South</a> Mountain College’<a href=“SMC”>/url</a> collects a lot of useful links on the program.</p>
<p>To address the question “What’s distinctive about the South Mountain College…?”, the following is from the perspective of a parent of a graduate of the program. You’re encouraged to directly contact the current director and/or the school and ask to speak with SMC students/graduates:</p>
<p>Cross-disciplinary studies is the founding philosophy of SMC. As a member of the ‘college’, you’re committing yourself to a very active role in directing your studies. As a student, you should be prepared to bring/nurture your curiosity in a seminar format as oppposed to a lecture. You should also feel comfortable with not following a detailed syllabus and energized about exploring unknowns for both you and the professors guiding the discussions. </p>
<p>If during the seminar discussions, you pose a question/inquiry that may not have an answer, the responsbility more than likely will be on you to research the issue and bring back to the group want you learned, other ideas spawned by your research and/or dead-ends which may point to an area that has yet to be looked at with rigor.</p>
<p>For a freshman, the opportunities are to engage in self-directed inquiry very early in your college experience in the true spirit of a liberal arts education.</p>