Recent/current experience at Muhlenberg college?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Not sure for the extreme hate of the area. Yes, it isn't the most exciting place on earth. But being near Allentown also means that there is a major hospital nearby (Lehigh Valley Health is excellent), at least some basic shopping nearby, and it isn't an awful drive from Philly, NYC or even DC. So if someone wants a SLAC, it is actually in a more densely populated area closer to civilization than a lot of the alternatives.

Unfortunately, it seems that some people here just can't wrap their arms around why a kid would choose a SLAC. If you are dumb enough to go in expecting to live in a city and/or go to a big school, it will be awful. But not everyone wants NYU or Ann Arbor. Different strokes for different folks. Don't yuck my yum.

NP. This isn't an anti SLAC or anti rural or anti small town view. My kid was looking for a SLAC in a rural area close to nature. He hated
Allentown as did we. It was the worst of all worlds.

Well said.

It’s niche is a SLAC in a semi-depressed small city. If that’s your thing…it’s the school for you.

And for many kids the isolation of a rural SLAC is a huge turnoff so being away from a city but in an area where there are some signs of civilization is a big positive. To each his own. It's one thing to be realistic, which is great. It is another thing to be a hater. Not cool. Just because it isn't for you doesn't mean it isn't for others. And it is closer to home for a lot of kids, which could be appealing. And is unappealing to others.

Right but OP asked for experiences so people are posting their experiences with the area. Some are not positive. That's not being a hater. Why are you so against people posting their candid experiences? Are only cheerleaders for the school allowed?

I think honest appraisals are helpful - describing the area in an honest but relatively neutral way is what DCUM should be all about. But the tone presented was "why would anyone want to go here" which is not OK. Some people like Bates. Some people like NYU. That is the great thing about higher ed in America - lots of options.

Correct…so folks are being honest that this school is located in a downtrodden 100,000 person city. If that’s what you want, then great.

Nobody can claim Allentown is not that. Worcester, MA is also similar and someone on another thread literally said that was good for their college experience because local restaurants and other things to do were cheap as a result (and college students like cheap).

I don’t know much about the area where Bates is located, but of course NYC is a completely different experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure for the extreme hate of the area. Yes, it isn't the most exciting place on earth. But being near Allentown also means that there is a major hospital nearby (Lehigh Valley Health is excellent), at least some basic shopping nearby, and it isn't an awful drive from Philly, NYC or even DC. So if someone wants a SLAC, it is actually in a more densely populated area closer to civilization than a lot of the alternatives.

Unfortunately, it seems that some people here just can't wrap their arms around why a kid would choose a SLAC. If you are dumb enough to go in expecting to live in a city and/or go to a big school, it will be awful. But not everyone wants NYU or Ann Arbor. Different strokes for different folks. Don't yuck my yum.

NP. This isn't an anti SLAC or anti rural or anti small town view. My kid was looking for a SLAC in a rural area close to nature. He hated
Allentown as did we. It was the worst of all worlds.

Well said.

It’s niche is a SLAC in a semi-depressed small city. If that’s your thing…it’s the school for you.

And for many kids the isolation of a rural SLAC is a huge turnoff so being away from a city but in an area where there are some signs of civilization is a big positive. To each his own. It's one thing to be realistic, which is great. It is another thing to be a hater. Not cool. Just because it isn't for you doesn't mean it isn't for others. And it is closer to home for a lot of kids, which could be appealing. And is unappealing to others.

Right but OP asked for experiences so people are posting their experiences with the area. Some are not positive. That's not being a hater. Why are you so against people posting their candid experiences? Are only cheerleaders for the school allowed?

I think honest appraisals are helpful - describing the area in an honest but relatively neutral way is what DCUM should be all about. But the tone presented was "why would anyone want to go here" which is not OK. Some people like Bates. Some people like NYU. That is the great thing about higher ed in America - lots of options.

Correct…so folks are being honest that this school is located in a downtrodden 100,000 person city. If that’s what you want, then great.

Nobody can claim Allentown is not that. Worcester, MA is also similar and someone on another thread literally said that was good for their college experience because local restaurants and other things to do were cheap as a result (and college students like cheap).

I don’t know much about the area where Bates is located, but of course NYC is a completely different experience.

But does that need to be the constant focus? Every time Allentown is mentioned we must call it semi-depressed or downtrodden?

There are more places to eat than I care to count a short walk from campus, and a bunch of them look really good. There's a performing arts theater, a movie theater, fairgrounds, market, Cedar Creek Park and gardens... And that's just a short walk. There's stuff to do for those that care. The city's defining quality isn't its economy.

[Anonymous]

My friends son is at Muhlenburg. He is an athlete and a STEM major. He loves the community and the supportive faculty. He’s planning on graduate school and the counselors are apparently very helpful, in a way that sounds amazing. He is having a great experience. He wanted a smaller school that was not a pressure cooker and is happy with his choice.

[Anonymous]

Colleges do not lean left they lean educated that is their job!

If you don’t want a college education go to any of the idiot schools like Liberty or university of Alabama or Idaho or Oklahoma

[Anonymous]

Worcester is not down and out. To the contrary it is thriving with much redevelopment, minor league baseball team, nationally known art museum, growing UMass Med School and a top 25 SLAC school, Holy Cross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC was just accepted. DC is a very strong straight-A student at a magnet DCPS and is still applying RD to more competitive schools. But I was curious about what the school is like if anyone has recent experience there. TIA

Here is a thread discussing Lehigh Valley PA colleges and universities :
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1198517.page#27265368
Many from outside the L Valley may have heard of Lehigh University (research university phD programs etc.). There are other smaller colleges/universities around there too: 2Ls and 2Ms: Lehigh and Lafayette, Muhlenburg and Moravian.

[Anonymous]

My child was accepted ED to Muhlenberg. Loved it since day 1. We both think there will be enough going on to keep busy. The city itself wasn’t such a concern. It’s not perfect because no school is but it’s the best fit for my child. If your student wants an exciting city or a very hip area this is not going to be the school for you. All the factors have different weights for different families.

[Anonymous]

OP here: thank you to everyone who shared their children's experience with the school, this has been very helpful. We will go visit when the time comes, but I am glad to hear that there are many positive reactions to the school if not to the town!

[Anonymous]

Chiming in late. We toured Muhlenberg and dc loved it. Campus is lovely, and the surrounding area has a few nice restaurants, plus there is a free bus to get to downtown Allentown and other towns and shopping areas all around the valley. The students and professors we encountered were welcoming and warm.