<p>I just visited WPI and loved it. Funny because earlier in my college search, I wanted to delete WPI from my list simply because of the men/women ratio. I am glad I did not because WPI had some really nice features. The engineering program was very strong, the doubles were larger than any other college I have visited, there is a brand new sports complex opening in the fall of 2012, WPI has a great hiring reputation in the northeast, and the quarter system allows me, as a prospective engineer, more freedom in my course selection and the ability to study abroad fairly easy. The IQP seemed to me almost like a built in study abroad. Every other school I am looking at has a strict curriculum that maps out what engineers take when and leave you with only 2 free electives at most.</p>
<p>Upon leaving WPI, the only negative I still had was the male/female ratio. But, I am wondering if that is such a big deal. No lie, WPI had the cutest tour guides out of any college I have visited this summer. Next, the incoming class was more than a third women so hopefully the trend is leveling out a little. Also, there are many other colleges in the Worcester area, the big ones being WPI, Holy Cross, Clark, Assumption, Becker, and Worcester State. Out of these other 5, holy cross was 50/50 and the other 4 were all at least 60% women. I am sure there are some spots in Worcester where students from all these schools go to at night. (well maybe not to clark) </p>
<p>So really I am just asking for some student perspectives about the school with particular attention paid to whether they see the ratio as a negative/problem?</p>
<p>S is going into his sophomore year. He has never mentioned “the ratio” as being a problem - he’s friends with lots of women. WPI has a lot going for it, (as you’ve mentioned) so don’t sell it short over this one thing.</p>
<p>Strictly speaking, the academic program at WPI is not on a quarter system. That’s my understanding.</p>
<p>^^^ Well, there are 4 terms – isn’t that quarters?</p>
<p>WPI is not the usual quarter system. They have 4 “half terms”; at least that’s the way I think of them. California schools have what I consider the “true” quarter system. Fall, winter, spring and summer quarters, with the usual school year being the fall, winter and spring quarters.</p>
<p>From what I hear, there are plenty of opportunities to date women from the other Worcester colleges, though mainly I have heard about WPI guys dating students from Assumption and Becker, which I believe are geographically closest.</p>
<p>S spent lots of time over at Clark his first year (where the ratio I am told is the opposite) but he has a girlfriend this year from on campus (WPI).
It is called a quarter system. A,B,C, and D terms. But they have 2 semesters, each with 2terms. They are graded per quarter, but advising does not send out warnings (if they need to do so) until after the semester. So advising looks closely at grades after B term and after D term. There is an E term as well - offered in the summer - for those who may need to make up some work. Though I suppose anyone could take advantage of this term if they wanted to spend the money.
I agree that you should not let the ratio dictate. My S is not all that outgoing. He found a girl to hang with (she is cute too). I think the ratio induced issues mostly affect the freshman - at least that is how it seems looking from the outside in.</p>