Enrollment: 3019
Average ACT: 24
Most Popular Majors: Architecture (BArch, BA/BS, MArch, MA/MS, PhD),Computer Science,Mechanical Engineering,
Student Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Undergraduate Receiving Need-Based Financial Aid: 36
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $8,761.00

School Says - General Information
Lawrence Technological University is a private, fully accredited university focused on providing superior education through cutting-edge technology, small class sizes, and innovative programs. Leadership is an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum, and students in all programs are exposed to leadership activities throughout their four years of study. The 4,500-student university offers more than 80 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs in Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Management. Founded in 1932 on the site where Henry Ford perfected the first moving assembly line, Lawrence Tech has traditionally provided students a challenging, high-quality education with an emphasis on theory and practice. The University, including the graduate programs in business, architecture, and engineering, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and schools. Lawrence Tech placed in the top tier category of Best University-Masters-Midwest in the U.S. News and World ReportÂ's 2009 AmericaÂ's Best Colleges rankings. Lawrence Tech's student-faculty ratio is 12:1. Most undergraduate classes have 19 or fewer students, and less than 1 percent of the classes have more than 50. More than 500 students live in University housing. Women make up 24 percent of the student body, and 25 states and 38 nations are represented on campus.

School Says - Student Body
More than 50 student clubs and organizations, including fraternities, sororities, honor societies, and student chapters of professional groups, are active on campus and sponsor a variety of activities during the year. The Student Government sponsors and supports a variety of campus activities. Recreational facilities include the Don Ridler Field House, which features a fitness track, gymnasium, racquetball courts, game room, saunas, and weight and conditioning room. Intramural and club sports teams in basketball, billiards, cricket, curling, flag football, hockey, racquetball, soccer, softball, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, and wallyball are active throughout the academic year. The Lawrence Tech Blue Devils ice hockey team competes in the North Region of the American College Hockey Association.

School Says - Academics
The University is involved in a number of innovative applied research partnerships with industry and government that offer students, even as undergraduates, remarkable hands-on experiences solving real-world problems. Students designed and built a solar-powered home which is permanently displayed in Troy, a nearby suburb. The home serves as an educational center and is part of a two-year long research project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. In another project, Lawrence Tech students are educational partners with the regional utility and assess the operation of the first and largest hydrogen technology park of its type in the world, a pilot project developed with support from the U.S. Department of Energy. Lawrence Tech is the recipient of a grant from the State of Michigan for the development and implementation of materials and practices that are expected to double the lifespan of bridges using box-beam construction. Student engineering teams design, build, and race Baja and Formula-style vehicles. Each year students also compete in bridge building and assembling, designing zero energy homes, and in airplane design, robotics, and concrete canoe competitions. The Lear Entrepreneurial Center teaches engineering students how to create, promote, and bring to market products and services. Co-op, part-time work, internships, student projects, and participation in professional organizations provide opportunities to network with industry leaders.

School Says - Admissions
A high school diploma or the equivalent is required of all students applying to baccalaureate or associate degree programs. Most baccalaureate applicants must have a minimum 2.5 overall GPA in academic subjects; architecture students must have a minimum 2.75 overall GPA. Applicants to associate degree programs are required to have a minimum 2.0 average in four academic areas (English, mathematics, social science, and natural science) combined. ACT or SAT results are required of all entering freshmen. An essay and a letter of recommendation from a mentor or high school teacher or counselor are required. Lawrence Tech's ACT code is 2020 and SAT is 1399. Required high school courses vary with the curriculum, and Lawrence Tech offers a number of basic studies courses designed to augment incoming students' backgrounds if deficiencies exist. Programs start in August and January. An optional summer semester begins in May. Entry in the fall semester is advised but not required. Students must submit transcripts from all schools attended, along with a nonrefundable $30 application fee. To obtain a digital viewbook and an application form, students should visit ltu.edu or contact: Lawrence Technological University Office of Admissions 21000 West Ten Mile Road Southfield, MI 48075-1058 800.CALL.LTU or 248.204.3160 admissions@ltu.edu ltu.edu

School Says - Campus Life
The University is located in Southfield, a suburb of more than 78,000 people. Lawrence Tech's campus is conveniently close to major freeways and about a 30-minute drive north of downtown Detroit. Southeastern Michigan offers a rich variety of recreational and cultural activities, with public transportation making most areas accessible to students. Research, manufacturing, scientific, and business enterprises also are located nearby, aiding students who work full- or part-time while attending classes as well as those working in co-op and internship programs.

School Says - Cost Aid
Tuition for all undergrads includes a high-powered laptop or tablet computer. The 2008Ââ€"09 tuition for students majoring in arts and sciences and management is $660 per credit hour for freshmen and $702 per credit hour for sophomores. The tuition for juniors and seniors majoring in arts and sciences and management is $733 per credit hour. In architecture and design and engineering, tuition for freshmen and sophomores is $733Ââ€"$740 per credit hour; for juniors and seniors, it is $757Ââ€"$764 per credit hour. A normal course load is 12Ââ€"17 credit hours per semester. The undergraduate registration fee is $115 each semester. International students on temporary visas must have sufficient funds to pay for an entire year of tuition, room and board, and books at the time of first registration. Additional fees for specific labs and studio courses vary. Room costs vary by residence hall and occupancy rate (single, double, or multiple), but average $5,417 per year. Average board is $2,654, with a variety of meal plans available.Approximately 70 percent of students receive some form of financial assistance, and the University awards approximately $30 million in scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study funds each academic year. The average annual financial aid package is nearly $15,000. Many privately funded scholarships are awarded to qualified students, based on need and/or scholastic performance. Part-time employment is available at the University on a first-come, first-served basis for full-time students. Student loans are also available from a variety of sources Ââ€" state, federal, and private. Prospective students are urged to contact the Office of Financial Aid for information on deadlines and requirements for eligibility (ltu.edu/financial_aid).

Students Say - Academics
Offering majors in computer science, architecture, engineering, design, and other technical fields, Lawrence Technological University's challenging academic programs are designed to prepare students for life in the real world. Academics are tough, and you can expect "rigorous class loads and demanding professors" in every major field. A current student informs us, "When the blood drive came to campus this year, the nurse commented that she had never seen so much high blood pressure at a school!" A practical, hands-on education is Lawrence Tech's selling point, with a faculty that brings real-world experience directly into the classroom. An undergraduate enthuses, "The professors are awesome; they all have either worked in the field they teach, or [they] are currently working in the field." Students admit that some LTU instructors have more practical know-how than teaching ability; even so, "most professors are very enthusiastic about teaching and are very good at what they do." A junior attests, "Mathematics transformed from tedious and complicated to the enjoyable and understandable when I came to LTU." What's more, you won't need to memorize theorems and formulas in a lecture hall: "normal classroom sizes do not exceed 15 people, which makes access to your professors easy."

Students Say - Campus Life
Given the school's overwhelming workload, it is not surprising that "the majority of LTU students are goal-oriented, focused individuals," with an eye on their career after graduation. You'll meet a lot of "gear heads, computer nuts, and design freaks" at LTU; otherwise, the student body is a bit of a mix. The school attracts "lots of foreign students from Asia and the Middle East," as well as "a lot of part-time students at night." Despite diversity, LTU is a professional and accepting environment. With plenty of homework to fill up their free time, "people are too busy worrying about their projects; they do not have time to worry about social inequality or being judged." A current student testifies, "I'm 48 and feel comfortable around all other students." The school is largely male dominated; "there are very few females, especially in the engineering field."

Students Say - Student Body
Schoolwork is definitely the top priority for "studious and hardworking" LTU undergraduates. Even so, students make the best of their busy college life. A senior shares, "Many of my friends and I all do our homework in the same vicinity, so that we can all interact and have fun... That way life doesn't get too serious at school." In addition to group study sessions, most students "are also involved in some kind of extracurricular activity (theater, sports, a fraternity or sorority)." There are plenty or "intramural sport opportunities," and "events are offered on campus frequently, such as comedians, movies, and casino nights." There are Greek organizations and a small party scene at LTU; however, many prefer a mellower lifestyle, playing video games or ping-pong, going to the movies, or just hanging out with fellow students in the dorms. In addition to school, "many students also hold a part-time job" to help cover expenses.

University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
Michigan State University

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