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Lehigh University

Three short 200-word Lehigh supplements: academic fit, why Lehigh, and a "celebrate the good" prompt that rewards genuine specifics.

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Required supplemental essays

3

Word limit each

200 words

Personal statement

Common App, 650 words

Testing policy

Test-optional

What Lehigh rewards

Lehigh asks first-year applicants for three supplemental essays, each capped at 200 words, on top of the 650-word Common App personal statement. One is an academic-fit prompt tied to the exact college, program, or major you selected. One is a classic "why Lehigh" question framed as how you first heard about the school. The third is unusually warm: it asks what is genuinely going well in your life right now. Lehigh is test-optional, and fewer than 40% of enrolled first-years submitted scores in the most recent cycle.

The core challenge is compression. Two hundred words is roughly one tight paragraph, so there is no room for throat-clearing or a list of clubs you might join. Lehigh rewards applicants who can name something concrete in a few sentences and make it feel true. Three short answers also means you cannot repeat yourself, so each one needs to surface a different side of you.

01Concrete fit over flattery. The academic prompt names the specific college, program, and major you chose, so Lehigh wants to see that you understand what you applied to. A named course, lab, professor, or the Mountaintop summer program beats a sentence about Lehigh's strong reputation every time.
02Real reasons you applied. The 'how did you first learn about Lehigh' framing is Lehigh's way of testing whether your interest is genuine. A campus visit, a relative, a sport, a specific program you stumbled onto. Honest origin stories read far better than rankings language.
03Genuine joy and self-awareness. The 'celebrate the good' prompt rewards sincerity, not achievement. A small personal win you actually care about lands better than a polished trophy moment. Lehigh is explicitly inviting your real voice here.
04Specificity inside a tight box. With only 200 words per answer, every detail has to earn its place. Lehigh rewards students who pick one image or one moment and render it precisely rather than trying to cover everything.

Essay prompts for 2026-2027

3 prompts for Lehigh, each broken down with annotated examples.

Academic fit200 words

How will the unique combination of college, program, major and/or 4+1 program that you selected above allow you to achieve your educational or professional goals?

Why Lehigh200 words

How did you first learn about Lehigh University and what motivated you to apply?

Celebrate the good200 words

At Lehigh, we believe in pausing to celebrate the good, meaningful moments that bring joy, pride or motivation. What's something great happening in your life right now? It could be an accomplishment, a personal win (big or small) or something you're genuinely excited about. If it matters to you, we'd love to hear about it.

See all 3 prompts and get a read

Your chance

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Add your GPA, test scores, and profile to estimate your odds at Lehigh and build a balanced list.

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Deadlines

Early Decision INovember 1
Early Decision IIJanuary 1
Regular DecisionJanuary 1
CSS Profile + FAFSA (ED I)November 15
CSS Profile + FAFSA (ED II / RD)February 1

Cost

Sticker price$78,650
Avg net after aid$33,289
Meets full needPartial
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How to get inAcceptance rate, the GPA and SAT profile, and what Lehigh weighs most Supplemental essays3 prompts, each broken down with annotated examples Cost & financial aidAverage $33,289/yr after aid · net price by income + calculator InterviewDoes Lehigh interview? Format, tips, and practice The Lehigh Reader ProScore your draft against Lehigh's exact prompts
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Lehigh FAQ

What is Lehigh's acceptance rate?

About 26% overall, with Early Decision running closer to 45%. Lehigh fills a large share of its class through binding ED, so applying early is the single biggest lever most candidates have. At Lehigh, a strong application essay and a well-balanced school list matter alongside your grades and test scores.

What supplemental essays does Lehigh require?

Lehigh requires 3 supplemental essays on its application. On EssayLens each prompt is broken down with annotated examples, and you can get a free admissions-style read of your draft against the exact prompt.

How much does Lehigh cost?

Lehigh's published sticker price is about $78,650 per year, but the average family pays $33,289 after financial aid. Your net price depends on your family income; use the calculator to estimate yours.

Does Lehigh require SAT or ACT scores?

Lehigh is test-optional: you can apply without SAT or ACT scores, and strong scores are just one factor among many when you do submit them.

When are Lehigh's application deadlines?

Lehigh's application deadlines are Early Decision I November 1; Early Decision II January 1; Regular Decision January 1; CSS Profile + FAFSA (ED I) November 15; CSS Profile + FAFSA (ED II / RD) February 1. Add Lehigh to your plan on EssayLens to track its deadlines automatically.

Campus photo via Wikipedia.

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