Parent of Senior's Perspective on RPI

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
1

<p>My S is a senior at RPI. He likes the school very much and has done very well there.</p>

<p>He has a lot of friends and is very active socially. All the friends that his mother and I have met are very smart, friendly, and outgoing.</p>

<p>From a parent's point of view, the thing that has impressed me the most about the school is the support for the students - frequent meetings with academic advisors; an "early warning" system, in which a professor can fill out a form if he is concerned about a student's performance, which is then followed up on by the administration; free tutoring; seminars on studying skills; staff going from room to room at the beginning of freshman year just to make sure everyone is ok, etc. </p>

<p>This is what I am talking about:</p>

<p>Advising</a> & Learning Assistance Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute</p>

<p>My S quickly ended his job search senior year, as he had two great offers from "top in his field" firms early on. Amazing, when all you read about is that half of the kids graduating from college don't have a job. He was done with his job search more than six months before graduation, as were his roommates.</p>

<p>He had a co-op junior year with a leading company in his field. The school was very helpful and supportive throughout the whole co-op process. He missed a semester doing the co-op, but he was able to make up the classes and will be graduating in 4 years. The school was very helpful in making that happen, too.</p>

<p>My wife and I both think very highly of the school and are glad that our S went to RPI. We are big fans of the school.</p>

<p>I hope this provides some information that may be useful to someone considering the school.</p>

2

<p>Thank you! Your experience provides us with very helpful information. It is good to know that it is possible to do a co-op and still graduate in 4 years-other schools we looked at with co-ops were 5 year programs. I was also glad to hear about your S experience socially as well-we have been told that “tech” schools are not always very social.</p>

<p>My son is a medalist and RPI is his first choice. We were very impressed with RPI on our visits. Can you tell us your experience with Financial Aid at RPI? If our son gets in, whether he will be able to attend will depend on our financial aid package. Thank you.</p>

3

<p>As far as the opportunity to do a co-op goes, you can see on page 15 that 82 juniors and 155 seniors did co-ops in 2011-2012:</p>

<p><a href=“Home | Career and Professional Development”>Home | Career and Professional Development;

<p>Also, if you haven’t seen it, the salaries for the Class of 2012 were:</p>

<p><a href=“Students | Career and Professional Development”>Students | Career and Professional Development;

<p>As far as financial aid, for the freshman entering in the Fall of 2011, 820 out of 1,186 received financial aid, with an average of $26,269 in scholarships and grants (page 19):</p>

<p><a href=“http://provost.rpi.edu/sites/default/files/CDS_2011-2012%20April%2016.pdf[/url]”>http://provost.rpi.edu/sites/default/files/CDS_2011-2012%20April%2016.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

4

<p>dadinator, thanks for your message. Could you say a little more about your son’s experience living in Troy NY? There are many things that are positive about RPI. Troy always seems to be the biggest negative. RPI is a possible choice.</p>

<p>thanks</p>

5

<p>to Steve26, I am a current freshman at RPI, and I love it here. So for the president of the school, Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, is making reinvigorating the town of Troy by putting up new buildings. For example, during my first week, the RPI students were a fantastic looking plaza that was just recently built in Troy thanks to Dr. Jackson. Troy isn’t boston, but it isn’t dead. There are popular restaurants that kids go like the Dinosaur BBQ, Brown Bag, Pizzabella, and many others. However, there really isn’t ever a need to leave campus. The main center (called the Union), has its own pool table, hang out spot, and many other things that keep kids entertained if they feel like leaving there room. If you have any other questions about RPI feel free to PM me.</p>

6

<p>Some additional information about Troy may be found at TheGradCafe’s forums, though the posts do have a strong off-campus housing focus.</p>

<p>[Troy</a>, NY - City Guide - The GradCafe Forums](<a href=“http://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/21510-troy-ny/]Troy”>http://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/21510-troy-ny/)
[Troy</a>, NY - City Guide - The GradCafe Forums](<a href=“http://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/33979-troy-ny/]Troy”>http://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/33979-troy-ny/)</p>

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<p>Thanks, Dadinator and CSMathAsa1994. CSMathAsia, are you female :)? I have a daughter interested in RPI among other schools, and we will probably be visiting in March after spring vacation. My daughter’s high school is huge, and has about 60 percent boys. She’s very happy there and is looking for something similar in demographics and size, so RPI stood out when I was browsing the Fiske Guide.</p>

<p>We have friends who recently moved from Brooklyn, NYC to Troy and from what they’ve said, it’s a beautiful city architecturally, and on the rebound. No, not Boston and not Brooklyn, but not a snakepit either.</p>

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<p>Sorry oldmom4896, but I am in fact a male haha. But if you or your daughter have any questions about RPI (social scene, rigor, greek life, and etc.) Still feel free to ask me questions. I’ll be more than happy to answer any question you or your daughter may have.</p>

9

<p>Thanks for all your input CSMathAsa1994 - a lot more valuable than my insights as a parent would be.</p>

10

<p>Thanks to both dadinator and CSMathAsa. My daughter was just ED accepted and we sent in the deposit, and your positive comments reinforce her decision. :)</p>

11

<p>My son is a freshman, but we have both even very happy with the RPI decision.
Dadinator and cessium55 both helped last year when we were trying to decide, and I continue to ask them occasional questions. The administration at RPI has been pleasant to deal with. Each time I call or e-mail I get an accurate answer very quickly, and I don’t feel like a number.</p>

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<p>Just wanted to thank dadinator and csmathasa1994 for their posts. We’ve just started compiling a list of possible schools for my hs junior to visit over her February break and RPI is on the list. We don’t know too much about it and hearing these positive comments is terrific. We’ll be turning to logistics next but can anyone recommend a hotel? Also, my daughter is considering mechanical engineering–anyone’s child an engineer at RPI and able to comment on the program?</p>

13

<p>There is a Hilton Garden Inn right near the school, which we have not stayed at. It has gotten good reviews on TripAdvisor.</p>

<p>We have been staying at the La Quinta Inn in Latham, NY, which is about a 10 minute drive away. We started staying there about 4 years ago (before there was the Hilton Garden Inn). They know us there - everyone says hello when we come, so we feel comfortable there. The free breakfast helps, too.</p>

<p>Every time we go to the school, I check the prices of the two hotels and there seems to be a bit of a difference in price between the two, so we continue to stay at the La Quinta.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I do not know anything about the Mechanical Engineering program, other than the average starting salary in 2012 for graduates with that major was $61,000:</p>

<p><a href=“Students | Career and Professional Development”>Students | Career and Professional Development;

<p>and that it must be a very popular major, as 187 students graduated majoring in Mechanical Engineering in 2011.</p>

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<p>To collage1, I am considering dual majoring Computer Systems Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. So I know about the mechanical engineering program at RPI. First off, as dadinator said, Mechanical Engineering is RPI’s most popular major and has a good starting salary of 61,000. Another thing with RPI’s mechanical engineering major is usually the major people can dual degree with another engineering major. For example, it is RIDICOUSLY EASY to dual major in mechanical and aerospace engineering at RPI. (You only need to make your main major mechanical then take 3 aero classes to get the dual since mechanical and aerospace are already very similar.) Another feasible ones are Mech/BioMed, Mech/Electrical and Mech/Nuclear. </p>

<p>If you child is interested in any of the duals with Mech, please scroll down here on these links to see the templates:
<a href=“http://rpi.edu/academics/engineering/files/school/handbooks/mane.pdf[/url]”>http://rpi.edu/academics/engineering/files/school/handbooks/mane.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://rpi.edu/academics/engineering/files/school/handbooks/ecse.pdf[/url]”>http://rpi.edu/academics/engineering/files/school/handbooks/ecse.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Obviously, with more AP credits the easier it is to dual. But these are templates showing that a person can get a dual without any credits and still get the degrees on time.</p>

<p>Another thing we have at RPI, is the Co-terminal program. If your child maintains a 3.3 GPA (B+) then your child can get a Bachelors and a Masters within RPI in 5 years. (It can be 4 depending on the amount of AP credits your child has).</p>

<p>Also, the department for Mechanical engineering is insane at RPI! We have this club pretty much custom made for mechEs. It is called formula 1 SAE. Pretty much we design and fabricate sports cars. And if your kid ever wants to be a automotive engineer that wants to work for Nascar, this club is your best bet! (I had 5 friends who did this club, and they are engineers for nascar. And a few friends who did this club worked as systems engineers for American Car companies like Chryster or Ford)</p>

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<p>We have onlY stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn and it’s been fine. I’ve always been able to get the govt. Rate so it’s as cheap as others. Best Western is also very close.</p>

16

<p>Both the Hilton Garden Inn and the Best Western are nice hotels and convenient when visiting RPI. We stayed at one hotel during my daughter’s first visit, and then the other hotel during her second trip for the medalist open house. I believe that the Hilton was a little less expensive, but they are both reasonable and comfortable.</p>

17

<p>Since there was a call for the female perspective, I thought I would add my $0.02. My daughter is a varsity althlete and was recruited by many fine schools. RPI offered her merit aid, but they also added some incentive to offset the DI athletic scholarship she walked away from. First semester, she maintained a 3.5, trained hard, and even became vice pres of a club that requires significant time. </p>

<p>Because there is no PE or language requirement, she was able to jump right into some very intersting classes. She has some challenging engineering classes (CAD almost killed her), but her classes in the Science, Tech, and Society were very thought provoking and challenged her in different ways. She has very accomplished professors, and her course load has exposed her to upperclassmen and grad students as well. Daughter has met with her advisor regularly. </p>

<p>Troy is safe if you are in a group. The architecture is lovely and the school is working with the state and the city to revive it. There are world class restaurants and a wonderful farmers market. The Hudson Valley region offers all kinds of outdoor fun. The campus and the streets boarding it are relatively safe. However, read RPI Reddit. Some students have had issues with laptops and bikes being stolen.</p>

<p>The roommate situation is always challenging regardless, but because daughter’s forms were lost (really, paper dorm selection at a tech school?), she got thrown into a room at the last minute. Her roommate is an international student who speaks little English and refuses to interact with kids who are not from her country. </p>

<p>Some kids really never leave their rooms, never shower, only interact virtually. However, my daughter says she just finds other friends. Interestingly, one of the guys on her team was like that until his junior year, when he decidede to try sports. So I guess some of the students do grow out of it. </p>

<p>For a tech school, sometimes the place is lacking in technology! The freshman room selection is an example, but so is upperclassman room selection. I have been to sporting events where the computers are always down. </p>

<p>If you do chose to attend, there are a couple of financial items I wish we had known about. Appearantly there is a computer scholarship. If we had known to ask, it sure would have been nice. Also, like more college bookstores, the prices are outrageous. Have your kid ask around on campus or facebook about books from the previous semester. Also, Amazon is usually cheaper.</p>

<p>All in all, daughter made a good choice for her. I recommend anyone do an overnight without mom and dad. Because she was an athlete, this was an opportunity she had at several schools. She had all but committed to a different school, but the overnight showed her that she would never have fit in there. Her overnight at RPI was amazing. On a friday night, she attended a lecture by Myth Busters instead of being taken to parties with drunken frat kids. She said the lecture was standing room only. She did go to a party, but it was more her speed (and under 21 were stamped and refused alcohal).</p>

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<p>Of course she was refused alcohol, she was under 21… just like any other minor would be. I’m guessing she went to a hockey or football party though due to being an athlete-- she should not have been allowed in without at least being a college student. If it were a fraternity party she would be turned away.</p>

<p>I would shy away from treating the RPI reddit as gospel. We all go on there to rant occasionally and shouldn’t be treated as a true representative of our community.</p>

19

<p>My S applied RD after visiting RPI and liking it very much. He was a bit dismayed recently to learn RPI offers no foreign language courses. The cross-registration process looks cumbersome, and without a car, difficult to have daily classes at two schools miles apart, with different academic calendars. </p>

<p>Does anyone have experience trying to take Japanese or any other language while attending RPI? S is already fluent in French. The closest school, offering 1 year of Japanese, is Hudson Community, 4 miles, 11 minutes away. The next is Union College in Schnectady, with a major in Japanese, 14 miles 30 minutes away.</p>

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<p>CSMathASA1994, thanks for all of the great information. My D will be in the mechanical engineering dept, and she is very interested in automotive/NASCAR, so your tips are very helpful.</p>