7 Best Mfa Programs In Allentown, PA (2022 Updated)

The Campus is clean, and well maintained. The food isn't too bad. But aside from these constants, you will have a different experience depending on your worldview going in. The theology and philosophy courses you will be required to take will be authentically Catholic, which will either encourage or enrage you depending on if you are a practicing Catholic or not. Other general ed's will be standard, but sufficent. DeSales University is going to be a decidedly different experience depending on your major as well. If your major is in the arts and you are a practicing Catholic, you will have a tough time since most of the people in that major will be agnostic or atheist (and professors may be geared towards that). However-the actual theory and practical application of the discipline you are studying is going to be very good and useful. The people you meets will likely be very nice, and you won't have a tough time finding friends if you try. The faith life of campus is pretty good, with various to groups to encourage you. There's a small community of students who attend daily mass, which is always a help. The Mass itself however (Sunday and weekday), leaves a bit to be desired. The music especially will sound a bit 1970's, instead of having the timeless characteristic of a liturgically accurate mass. Gregorian Chant or Polyphony would sure help here, but the choir director is a protestant at the moment (for some reason) so that is unlikely. All in all, whether you are a practicing Catholic or an unabashed pagan you will have some issues with DeSales, but the academics themselves are good and you will likely be prepared for your field upon graduation.JP Kloess

It seems incredible that they are a university with "Christian principles" and today February 22, 2021, they announced a snow day and did not cancel classes or offer them online to students who commute to campus. My daughter is in college and she cannot come back to my home because it is snowing very hard and she drives a small car that cannot be driven in the snow because it may cause and or have an accident. You should be more empathetic with the students who commute. It seems that they are only interested in the money and not in the lives of the students. And now you close campus at 3:00pm and my daughter can’t drive to my home. Who will solve that?Wanda Rodríguez

Enjoyed a few Basebal Games. Not a bad seat in the house. When One arrives at The Stadium Complex, there's an opportunity to watch Men's Baseball or Women's Softball. The fields are "SUPER" nice. They are well maintained and down right beautiful. Bring an umbrella for shade. It can get a bit hot. This is a "GREAT" Family Event. Unlike other places, there's NO COST to get in. Parking is free , however it can get a little tight w/ games going on at both fields simultaneously. This being said, If you're a Baseball Fan, it's an experience to be had. Visit soon….. PLEASE LIKE, RATE AND FOLLOW ME…..Eugene Moneyman Brown

First of all, I have no connection to Cedar Crest College. I did not attend school nor do I know anyone that attended school there. On June 7 2018 I made a journey to the Lehigh Valley to photograph the campus of Cedar Crest College in Allentown Pennsylvania. I was inspired by a vintage early 50’s video of the school that I saw on YouTube. When I arrived I was not disappointed. The campus is so well manicured that it almost seemed like I was exploring a country club. Parking was easy and the campus was easy to find. My self-guided tour took me to all points on the campus from the aquatic center to the Da Vinci Science Center. I would like to come back to the science center when it is open. The centerpiece of the Cedar Crest College campus is Blaney Hall. The historic old building photographed well and it is surrounded by gardens in bloom. I saw the theater, cafeteria, and the art gallery. The art gallery is open limited hours and I was not able to go inside. The theater was also closed but the cafeteria was open for business and the prices were great. Cedar Crest College is 151 years young and it is truly a gem in the Lehigh Valley.Richard K

Honestly the worst school for nursing. So many people get kicked out of their school for pointless reasons. You have a better bet going to a different nursing school in the area. Cedar Crest nurses are always unconfident even when they are knowledgeable because of the environment they’re put in. If you ask working nurses in the area, they’ll tell you that they’ve only heard horror stories from Cedar Crest. People only look at their pass rate, but not their drop rate and how many people they let go for nothing. They have to take proficiency exams every semester and have to score 90% or higher on things they have not been taught yet. Go to a school that doesn’t have that! More than four professors have left within the last year and there’s a reason for that. Some quit in the middle of the year!! All the students will tell you that there’s always broken or used equipment and that the staff never values mental health of their students. Students are expected to be at a doctorate level and teach themselves. This school is extremely unorganized and there are other places that respect their nursing students and encourage teaching!Emily Snyder

I am afraid of my daughter committing suicide over this school!!!! She is so stressed and anxious because they only care about the money. When over half the class fails a test it’s not the student as much as it is the teacher!! Barely anyone gets through the nursing program without failing… a few times!! She is in so much debt but I cannot talk her into transferring because she would have to start the program over! They expect the best of the best out of the students but have the worst of the worst professors!!! They should be ashamed of themselves! They do not tech you. They expect the students to teach themselves and to know what they are doing. If the students ask questions they are made out to feel stupid. They need to clean house and get people in there that care! I’m sick of all the greed!!!!!!!Andrea Stoner

Pretty nice mid sized place. Everything is so Gothic looking. Seems like a nice safe place to be for students. There are emergency call buttons all around and it's a quiet mix sized place. They have their share of high tech and old tradition. I thought the place was beautiful in general and they seem to have a lot of options for students like overseas study, internships, while also being somewhat local to the Philadelphia and New York area.Thompson JT

Attended a baseball showcase at Legacy Park on Lehigh's beautiful campus. What a great college stadium tucked in the hills of Pennsylvania. Lehigh was a wonderful sports complex on top of being a top flight school.Robert W

Pretty campus but for some reason this school drops in academic rankings every year. I remember looking at this school when US news ranked this uni in the low 30s. Now Lehigh can barely reach low 50s.John Smith

Love it, new park next to it to enjoy nature, the Allentown art museum is right across the street, the morning call is up the street and there's a dunkin doughnuts not even a block away. It's small but loaded with amazing talents. They have a dark room for photography, computer labs, jewelry classes, fashion classes, classes for kids and discounts for families so everyone can be creative. There is just to many amazing things, you'll just have to experience yourselfAshley Busch (ashes)

Rosemary Gesseck has a unique talent for bringing out your artistic voice without inflicting her own. Just amazing. Good people. Each teacher has a different style. Just rotate through them to find your fit. Amazing talent.Verity Langan

Great learning environment. Attended 2 sessions of painters studio. Rosemary G . is extremely knowledgeable. Great teacher- . Have granddaughter there in summer camp…she loves it. The right place for creative artsy kids!Cathy Matson

The Lehigh Valley MSW program through Marywood is a great addition to Marywood's satellite campus. We are located at DeSales and this is much closer than commuting to Scranton for a 1-3 hour time frame. I love that it is close by, and that we are a close knit community. I enjoy the smaller environment, and the perks that our program has to offer. I recommend getting involved in LVSA to make your time even more worthwhile while a student. Being involved keeps me connected to others, especially since we don't live on campus and just commute for classes and then go home. Being a part of the LV Marywood community has been a great bonus for me as a graduate student. I've noticed graduate school is much different than my undergraduate education, but I have a love of learning. Our program director at the LV campus- Christina Gigler is fantastic. She is very approachable, friendly, and wiling to help students in any way she can. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to be a part of this program, as well as be a part of LVSA for 2 years.Lindsay Glass

Marywood University has given me the opportunity to continue my education, but at my own pace. They offer a supportive learning environment and many opportunities to grow and network within the surrounding communities. The various learning platforms allow individuals like me to balance work, school, and home life. I highly recommend Marywood to anyone looking to pursue a career in social work!Kaitlyn Brown

I began teaching Research in the Lehigh Valley MSW Program in 2010 and I'm still at it. I love the strong feeling of camaraderie that is palpable among the Lehigh Valley students. The students know they are building networks and friendships that will last throughout their careers and their lives. As their teacher, it is my honor to help them learn how to evaluate and build knowledge.Lynn Hutchings

PAFA is on my top 10 places to take visitors who enjoy innovation and the arts. The museum was a pioneer in training and celebrating female artists since the 1800s. This commitment is reflected thoughtfully in how they curate their collection and offer multicultural programming as well.They change exhibits 4 times a year, and talks are free with a membership. The museum is accessible to public transportation-just a few blocks from City Hall.Barb Hauck-Mah (barbhmphilly)

Free admission on President’s Day, the day we visited. This art museum is spacious, neatly laid out, and well-curated overall. The ‘World War I and American Art’ exhibition was of particular interest, showing the public response to the war and what life in the battlefield was like, especially for those who experienced it first-hand. Stayed for two hours, which was enough to see all exhibits on two floors.G Aquino

What a great museum! The architecture is beautiful. Love the sculptures and fountain in front of the museums. Also, the Rocky statue and the famous Rocky stairs!! This is a popular tourist attraction stop. All the hop-on hop-off tour bus stop at this location. Definitely a must visit place!I Love Food Coma

I graduated from this school with a degree in psychology in 2012 and I am currently studying to get my information technology degree. When I was originally studying psychology, I transferred in from Penn State main. This school is a mixed bag. Let's get one thing straight: it is in the middle of nowhere and the social atmosphere sucks. When I transferred in several years back, I absolutely hated it and was very depressed for a long time. It is NOT a party school. Even to this day I still don't like it but I'm just there for the education. A large portion of the student body does commute to campus from their parents house. The cost of going here is about half of what you would pay to attend PSU, temple, or Pitt. The whole area is very Pennsyl-tucky and outdated. The school does have major funding issues and us students got a few days off of school when the professors went on strike. The school has strong programs in teaching, art, and computer science/IT. We do get an email every few weeks during the semester that an alleged rape or robbery took place, but this is a far cry from what other schools deal with. The school is definitely more female oriented and socially liberal. All of the bathrooms, even for us guys, have monthly feminist posters that get put up. If you don't believe me come see it with your own eyes.Piotr Terasz

Honestly probably the worst university in Pennsylvania I didn't want to send my daughter there at all with their high std rates and every other week it seems as if she gets an email from the campus alerting her of a sexual assault or other violent crimes. She lived in a dorm where one of the CA's sexually assuaged one of the residence. If those are the types of people they let become a CA you can see why I'm not a big fan of the school. Her education was very limited. Her first semester of her freshman year she was given a schedule of a part time student and we we're unaware until second semester. Kutztown made her schedule and cheated her out of credits. Also it always smells like cow poop. There's nothing around for miles. The housing office aswell as the office of surdent accounts are sloppy and unhelpful. Don't send your child to this place.Bernadette Semple

To apply for general education courses, then its easy. But for any specific major good luck trying to get in. The administration personnel, especially the head department woman from the New Media department has an attitude going on. I talked to her twice, two months apart, and she just always seemed to be annoyed that you called her for any specific questions. The admissions people seemed not to have a clue what was going on either. For a school that is rated as a 68% acceptance rate, they don't do a fine job telling you the exact requirements in how to get accepted, especially for art students. Don't bother asking them why you didnt get accepted because they'll just give you an attitude about it..Gustavo Adolfo