Bottom line, I don't think I could stress enough how much I love 'Berg! It's an amazing school where you're going to be able to talk to teachers, build life-long friendships, and spend your college years enjoying yourself!!

Muhlenberg was the perfect choice for me - small classes, individualized attention, and not too shabby to look at either. I've found that I can really be the person I want to be, do the things I want to do, excel both in and out of the classroom, and have memories and friendships that will go beyond my four years at Muhlenberg College!

Overall, I love Muhlenberg and have been extremely happy with my decision to go here.

As previously mentioned, Muhlenberg College professors are going to know the names of their students within the first few weeks of classes. Students are required to take General Academic Requirements in addition to the classes in their major(s) and minor(s). These GARs (as we call them) include two science classes, literature, fine arts, history, religion, philosophy, two behavioral sciences, three writing intensives, diversity, and two semesters of a foreign language. While that may seem like a lot of classes, all of our majors and minors are designed to have many of the GARs within their requirements as well so students can take a wide variety of classes. Also as previously mentioned, conversations definitely go past textbook material as can be seen by our student-faculty relationships - many students house-sit, babysit, or even dog-sit for their professors on weekends, during breaks, or during the summer. Class participation is extremely common and due to our small class sizes, it is pretty much expected that all students will be active members. Studying for classes varies depending on how often the class meets, student preferences, and level of material necessary for each class. As a Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing (and a previous Accounting and Spanish double-major) I can definitely speak for those departments. Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, and Finance majors will all have to take Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics as their beginning classes. For these classes, practice makes perfect - the more students do the problems and read the text, the better they will be in the subject. From there, students can take Financial Accounting where studying daily is a must. The great thing about this class is the experience students will receive in Excel, using the formula toolbar and inputting data. Past this class, students will take either Statistical Analysis or Statistical Methods and then they will begin to take classes more specific to their major or concentration. In Accounting, I was told at least 15 hours per week outside of the classroom would have to be dedicated to studying, doing review problems, and going over class notes - this was definitely not an understatement and students should know that success comes with practice and diligence, especially in the Accounting/Business Administration departments. While it seems to take a lot of time with studies, Muhlenberg students learn to balance studies with extracurriculars quite well. As for classes outside of my major, I must say that it is easy to hop around from department to department getting a little taste of everything you're interested in. Even as I go into my junior year, I am thinking of picking up another minor or even double-concentrating in Business. Education at Muhlenberg is not taken lightly but students are encouraged to take classes that interest them, not just classes to fulfill requirements and what they think will 'look good' to future employers.

I have had great experiences with the student body here at Muhlenberg. Coming from California it was extremely important for me to feel comfortable with the students here. I wanted to find people that I could relate to and create lasting friendships with and this is exactly what I’ve found. Overall, we have a quite politically active campus, especially recently with the Presidential Election. We had Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden all speak on campus in the months before the election. As you may be able to tell we do have mostly students that lean to the left, but we do have an active College Republicans club on campus.

As I said before, Muhlenberg is definitely a very diverse school when it comes to religious, sexual orientation, or even socio-economic class. Approximately 65% of students on campus receive some form of financial aid, ranging from student loans to work study. I would definitely say that the students here at 'Berg are extremely accepting of everyone, and in all honesty, there are very few people that would not be able to find there own niche here. Being a liberal arts school we have so much to offer, I could not imagine finding at least two things that students would enjoying pursuing, studying, or being involved in here on campus. In terms of simple things like what students wear, I would definitely say that each student has their own unique sense of style. Walking talking Academic Row, it's not unusual to pass people wearing their Muhlenberg hoodie or sweats. There is definitely a lot of school spirit, which is definitely obvious when you see so many students wearing 'Berg wear and almost all the cars parked in the student lots with Muhlenberg stickers. The dining facilities are in the middle of being completely renovated. The new student restaurant, which promises to be one of the most state-of-the-art in the Northeast, is set to be complete around August 3rd, 2010. It will include things like a new Kosher station, international station, salad tossing area, and brick oven for pizzas. I can tell you all of the students here are definitely looking forward to this new addition! Most students at 'Berg do tend to come from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, but there are also many students from the Northeast, and even throughout the country. Two of my closest friends are from New Orleans and South Carolina, so it's not unusual to find students from throughout the country attending 'Berg.

Bottom line, I don't think I could stress enough how much I love 'Berg! It's an amazing school where you're going to be able to talk to teachers, build life-long friendships, and spend your college years enjoying yourself!!

After having spent my first year here at 'Berg, I can honestly tell you that this stereotype does not hold true. Coming from the East Village in New York City, I had friends of all nationalities, races, and religions. When I came here to campus last fall, I was taken aback by how many places on campus in which diversity was present, after having read all these blogs. From the Multicultural Center, to clubs like Comunidad Latina and Gay-Straight Alliance(GSA), you can definitely find diversity on campus. One of my favorite parts of Freshman Orientation weekend was seeing a production performed by students through the Sedehi Diversity Project. This project, created by a Muhlenberg Alum who graduated in 2008, deals with questions like "What is diversity?" and "How diverse is our campus?" Various students on 'Berg's campus are asked questions like these, and their responses are all put together into this piece. I absolutely loved seeing the piece and hearing about students' honest responses to diversity here on campus. The pieces highlighted the fact that diversity spans not only the racial spectrum, but also the religious, ethnic, and sexual orientation spectrums, which are all represented on Muhlenberg's campus.

There are definitely a ton of clubs and activities that you can get involved in on campus! Everything from political groups, to Greek organizations, to even a knitting club can be found here. And if there is ever a group that we don't have, you are more then able to start your own group, with just a few signatures and student support. I personally am involved in a ton of things on campus, with being a Tour Guide and Resident Advisor my two top favorite activates to be a part of. I was a tour guide all throughout my four years in high school, so I knew that was something I wanted to keep with when I came here to 'Berg. I absolutely love, love, love this school, so I enjoy showing other families around and sharing my pride of the college. I was also fortunate enough to be chosen to be a Residential Advisor(RA) in one of the freshman dorms next year - it's something I'm really excited about! There are a bunch of different housing options on campus throughout your four years here. Freshman year there are three dorms you can live in, two of which are co-ed (Prosser and Walz) and one a single-sex female dorm (Brown). I would definitely say that each of the three dorms has their own unique personality. I lived in and will be an RA in Prosser for the 2010/2011 academic year. Brown is a gorgeous dorm building in itself, with huge windows and high ceilings. Don't worry, even though it is an all girls dorm, guys definitely so spend of lot of time in Brown too! Prosser is the largest dorm on the entire campus, and has two sections, a main and annex part. Walz, is the final freshman dorm that is known for being the only freshman dorm with air-conditioning and an elevator. I would say that freshman year especially, people generally tend to keep their doors open, with friends and visitors always stopping in to say 'hi'. Many of my best friends are people that I met through living on the same floor, so I would encourage you to get to know the people living around you, when you do get to college! One of the most important things about meeting people in college is talking to people. Just saying 'hi' or starting up a conversation might feel weird at first, but you're going to find everyone here at 'Berg is so nice and it's a great way to meet people. One of the things that I have come to love about 'Berg throughout this past year are all of the traditions we have. One of the best memories that I have is attending what we called "Chef's Fair". Each year, chef's from the other colleges in the Lehigh Valley visit for one night and them, along with 'Berg chefs of course, prepare a meal for all the students. Once done sampling everything, the students vote on which chef/meal they liked the best. Not only was the food amazing, but the atmosphere and look of the entire packed student restaurant that night really made me just smile and think "here's another reason why I'm glade I came here". On the weekends here, there is honestly never a dull moment. From student performers in the Red Door to events planned by Muhlenberg Activities Council like bowling at the nearby alley, you will never find yourself without something to do. We also have four fraternities and four sororities, so if you do want to join a Greek organization, you definitely can. While you will find plenty of students walking around with Greek letters on, this isn't a campus where if you're Greek, that's your only identity. Student that are in Greek organizations are also very active in all other areas on campus, from theater to biology.

Overall, I have been very happy with my studies here at Muhlenberg. While it has been a rigorous curriculum, it has been a very rewarding. I have found that my professors have been well qualified and extremely helpful for all of the courses that I have taken, even when they fall outside of my major. Also because Muhlenberg is a small school I have been able to foster relationships with my professors even after the classes have ended which is something I have found particularly helpful.

While the majority of students on Muhlenberg's campus are Caucasian, and about a third come from New Jersey that definitely does not describe Muhlenberg students as a whole. We also have many students from Pennsylvania, New York, a growing population from New England and even a few from the West Coast. As far the stereotype of wealthy, white, Jewish students - we have a freshman class with a racial diversity of 12% and over 70% of our students get some form of financial aid. In addition, our traditionally Lutheran college is 1/3 Catholic and about 1/3 Jewish, although I recommend going to Hillel even if just for Shabbat dinners and bagel brunches! Prospectives should feel assured that Muhlenberg students are extremely down to earth and search for other forms of diversity other than skin color and religious backgrounds. Also, while we rank 4th in the nation for our Theatre & Dance program as well as having about an 85-90% acceptance rate to medical schools - Muhlenberg students are also excelling in other areas such as Business Administration, Psychology, Media & Communication and English just to name a few. Lastly, Muhlenberg students would be proud to say that the stereotype of a welcoming and caring faculty, staff, and administration is one hundred percent TRUE! As prospective students may see on tour or when coming for our Campus Visitation Program where they may sit in on classes; students, faculty, and staff will always hold the red doors open for anyone walking by and greet them with a smile.

Muhlenberg was the perfect choice for me - small classes, individualized attention, and not too shabby to look at either. I've found that I can really be the person I want to be, do the things I want to do, excel both in and out of the classroom, and have memories and friendships that will go beyond my four years at Muhlenberg College!

One of the things that I mention on every single one of my tours is my love and pride for Muhlenberg. Coming from a small private school, I knew that I wanted a smaller college where there would not only be classroom interaction with the teachers, but they would actually know my name and be invested in my education. It is safe to say that 'Berg faculty and staff definitely fit this description! From holding office hours every week, to going on short trips abroad to places like Costa Rica, China, and Peru, the teachers really spend a great deal of time with their students and really want you to succeed. While 'Berg is a small school, with about 2,200 students, there are constantly new people to meet and friends to make! Never a day goes by here on campus that I'm not being introduced to someone through one of my friends, or meeting someone new through one of my activities. Situated in Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania, there is always plenty to do both on and off campus. Whether it's getting something to eat in Downtown Allentown or going to the Rave movie theater at the Saucon Valley Promenade, there is plenty to do in the Lehigh Valley area. On campus, however, you'll find that there's never a dull moment! From a capella performances, to football games, to theater productions and bagel brunch, there's always plenty to do. I would definitely say that if you could see yourself at a smaller school, taking classes in all areas from neuroscience to printmaking, enjoy attending sports games and theater productions, and simply want to have an amazing four years at college, then Muhlenberg could definitely be for you!