Bethlehem Fails as College Town, Says Princeton Review

Lehigh University made Princeton Review's annual rankings of colleges, but not as a party school this time.

This year Lehigh came in No. 3 in the "Town-Gown Relations are Strained" category and No. 17 in the "College City Gets Low Marks" category, according to a story in the Express Times. The results are based on student 122,000 student surveys collected by Princeton Review for the latest edition of the book, a senior editor said. 

Lehigh University Spokesman Jordan Reese disputed the findings, saying that relations between the city and the university are strong, with Lehigh taking part in 150 service programs with Bethlehem. 

He also pointed to the city's festivals and recreational amenities as big draws for Lehigh students. 

Princeton Review ranks colleges in 62 categories in its "The Best 377 Colleges, 2013 Edition." 

In the past, Lehigh ranked high on the Review's list of party schools. Other categories in the ratings include such aspects as "most accessible professors," "great financial aid," and "students study least."