# 374. Lehigh University - Bruce Bunnick - Director of Admissions Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-college-admissions-process-podcast-4893144/374-lehigh-university-bruce-bunnick-director-of-admissions Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-college-admissions-process-podcast-4893144/374-lehigh-university-bruce-bunnick-director-of-admissions.md Podcast: [The College Admissions Process Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-college-admissions-process-podcast-4893144) Published: 2026-05-11T04:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://www.collegeadmissionstalk.com/lehigh-university-bruce-bunnick-College-admissions-process-college-application-help-college-essays-campus-visits-recommendation-letters-parents-guide-to-college-admissions-college-podcast-application-tips Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/4ba62c86-3cdb-47e5-aac1-d228757af205.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-college-admissions-process-podcast-4893144/episodes/374-lehigh-university-bruce-bunnick-director-of-admissions Duration seconds: 3079 ## Resource 🎙️ It was an honor to welcome back Bruce Bunnick, Director of Admissions at Lehigh University, to discuss how this R1 research university maintains the heart of a liberal arts college. They cover Lehigh’s interdisciplinary academics, holistic admissions process, and strategies for students navigating a test-optional environment. Key Takeaways ✅ The Lehigh Identity: ~6,000 undergrads across Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Health. Interdisciplinary options let students mix majors and minors across fields. Holistic Review & Personal Voice: Essays matter—“give voice to an otherwise voiceless application.” A memorable essay can tip the scales. ✍️ Context is Key: Students are evaluated within their high school context; use available resources rather than feeling pressured to pad your resume. 📚 Strategic Testing: Test-optional (~50% submit). Take exams if helpful, but only report scores that truly reflect your academic performance. 🎓 Support for All Learners: Disability services, writing, and math centers support students with IEPs/504 plans or unique learning needs. 🧩 Financial Literacy: Use the Net Price Calculator early and contact financial aid to explore scholarships. 💰 Notable Quotes 💬 "The personal essay provides a window into that student and their world... I will remember a student because of what they wrote about themselves." — Bruce Bunnick "This is still a decidedly humanistic process... there are people reading those applications. We don't have an algorithm that determines what is the best fit." — Bruce Bunnick Lehigh University Admissions 📬 Join my email list for practical college tips - and a free gift SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS 👉 This episode is brought to you by Prep Expert , a proud sponsor of The College Admissions Process Podcast . Prep Exper… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-college-admissions-process-podcast-4893144/episodes/374-lehigh-university-bruce-bunnick-director-of-admissions/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-college-admissions-process-podcast-4893144/374-lehigh-university-bruce-bunnick-director-of-admissions.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.