Lesley University

Date: Jan 14 2008
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
First off, I will admit that I did not do as much research as I should have about LC. I came to this school from a rural town and I was undecided about my major. What I found at LC was an unintelligent student body, under qualified faculty and a high tuition rate, (including expensive room/board)for very little education and living. This may be long and detailed, but it is also an honest opinion that you should take time to consider before you apply…

#1: Academics

Don't fool yourself, Lesley is a school that centers itself about its education majors, and no one else. If you want to come to Lesley to "find yourself" or what you're interested in academically, you can do it more effectively (and at a lower cost) somewhere else. Basically every major (English, Math, History, ect.) is done in conjunction with an Education Major. If that isn't you, then you will basically get the middle finger and the cold shoulder from Lesley.

As a prospective English major, I was extremely disappointed with the faculty in the English department. My English Comp. teacher was a formally practicing veterinarian, presently taught Biology to 5th graders and frequently read us children's books in class. If you're looking for a challenge, don't look here.

#2: Cost

Lesley is quite costly (roughly 38 thousand for tuition, room & board) for what little is offered in Education, living situations and overall activities. The only two people I knew that went to Lesley, transferred to UMaine Farmington to major in Education at a much smaller cost. $11,000 for room & board, plus a gross meal plan that is mandatory to pay for if you live on campus, is ridiculous. I rarely eat in the dining hall because of the poor, tasteless, over (or under) cooked food. There are several residence halls, one that I had the displeasure of staying in for an overnight, which are loud, unmaintained, over-heated with small rooms. My freshman year, Lesley was at maximum capacity housing and many students were put in a hotel in Boston and shuttled into Cambridge for several weeks. Because it is such a speck in the grand scheme of Cambridge, Lesley has no other means for housing expansion than to buy up residential housing in the Cambridge area. This, however, works as one of the only pluses to the college. I got lucky, being able to living in a house made going to LC only slightly more bearable. Unless you can get into a house, don't expect any 5 star recommendations here.

#3: Campus Life

If you haven't heard it before, Lesley is a HUGE commuter school. Only about half the student body lives on campus, and the student population is also made up of students from the Art Institute of Boston, LC's affiliate, who live on the Lesley Campus. This means that come weekends, the campus is desolate. There are never any activities on the weekends, leaving you (and whoever is left on campus) to yourself in Cambridge or Boston for entertainment. If you're looking for parties, look elsewhere. Harvard is literally next-door for the occasional party, but don't expect to have much of a social life here. #4: Random things that you may want to consider

Since becoming co-ed only about 5 or so years ago, Lesley has become very lax on their standards of admitting guys. The female to male ratio is about 75:25. LC also expanded their management major to include sports management, expanded men's sports, and began except literally every man that applied, resulting in a less than academically motivated male population.

Faculty availability is scarce. Most, if pretty much not all faculty is adjunct. Every professor I had taught at either one or more college, private school or other. Some were also present grad students in the Boston area. This meant one, sad, sorry thing: none of them had offices, and they all had extremely limited availability. If you need help or clarification, student resources is your only bet.

While most schools have a multitude of choir, dance or art groups, LC has one of each…and starting a new one? No one really seems to get the point. If you're an avid dance student or singing buff, you'll either have to make due with what LC offers or go off-campus. Start your own groups is possible, (they say), but not really welcome.

Yes, the Art Institute of Boston is available to you if you're interested in more serious art study, but be warned, classes are VERY limited. I came out of High School as a serious photography student, and even though I didn't want to make that my major, I was still interested in photography courses. Photography courses, however, are rare for non-majors to get into, as are most courses at AIB. Because the school itself is so small, classes are reserved for majors, so don't expect choices.

In conclusion:

The only reason I am sticking out a second semester at LC is so that I can better my chances of getting the hell outta here. Most schools want to see a full year of college from transfers. Come sophomore year, Lesley will be a distant memory for me.

If you're still considering applying, I would put a lot of thought and research into your choice. Lesley has a lot of opportunities for overnights, visits and tours. If you're an Education major, Lesley just might be the right place for you, but DO YOUR RESEARCH.