<p>How good is the PDI program? Can you describe it? My son is very interested in PDI and mechanical engineering. If he goes to Renssselaer he will be in PDI. </p>
<p>PLease help him decide!</p>
<p>Try to post this in the engineering forum too. </p>
<p>There's quite a bit of info here:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pdi.rpi.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://www.pdi.rpi.edu/</a></p>
<p>I know the info on the website. I would like to hear from a student who is in the program and what they are getting out of it, pros and cons etc.</p>
<p>Sorry,
Thanks for your suggestion. We are interested in finding out what the students who are in the program have to say about it.</p>
<p>Why don't you just visit the school? I'm sure admissions has students in the program that you could meet with and talk to. I am not in engineering but I know that there are many people who are and like it (it was a deciding factor for them).</p>
<p>I'm not a PDI student myself, but a friend of mine from my RPI days was a PDI. He graduated a couple of years ago, but would probably be willing to answer some questions or put you in touch with people who could. You can email him through his website <a href="http://www.christopherrees.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.christopherrees.com/</a></p>
<p>One of my suitemates is going for a dual major in PDI and Mechanical. Its a pretty broad courseload, with a lot of writing in PDI and and also a lot of math and stuff on the Engineering side. He came to RPI specifically because of the PDI program, and seems to be enjoying it a lot. Apparently the RPI program offers a lot of hands on experience with different design tools. He mentioned something about a 3D carving/sculpting system that sounded really cool. Apparently RPI has several of these things, whereas many other schools only have one... but other than that I don't know any real specific about the labs.</p>
<p>I met a kid at the admitted students program today who was doing PDI. He was very enthusiastic about the major. (I think he was also doing Mechanical - maybe he is delton's suitemate?). He'd put together a very professional looking game with an RPI theme that he is hoping will be part of the admitted students package. It sure sounded like a fun major to me! Something my younger son might like depending on what happens with his math and science grades.</p>
<p>Mr. Weenie here ... we just got back from the admitted students session (4/14) where they had an information session on PDI. It sounded very interested to both me and my son (!) who is interested in either CSE or EE. The program is not geared towards that, but they put us in touch with a student who was doing EE and PDI. He was very enthusiastic about it. It was the reason he wound up at RPI. (He too had seen it at the admitted students day ...). </p>
<p>When we got back, I went to their web site where they had a great deal of information. Check out the description of the studios (one each semester) and the curiculum. We will be getting in touch with them to see if there would be any issues with doing a mixed curiculum between CSE/EE and PDI. My impression from talking with them is that the answer will be "no problem," but it would be good to see that in writing since it may well be a deciding factor for RPI.</p>
<p>If you want to get in touch with a student, I'd suggest mailing to the chair of the program for a referral to a student. I think they'd provide it.</p>
<p>I have a friend who is actually doing PDI right now. She likes it a lot. There's a lot of designing inolved. She said it's like Engineering and architecture. Classes involve a mix of architecture classes, but mostly Engineering classes. She's a freshman but PDI students take classes freshman year that engineering majors take as sophomores and juniors. She really likes it though. I've seen her carrying posters around that she's printed. Also she has to take some engineering classes that other engineering majors take also as Freshmen (i.e. CAD). she really likes it. </p>
<p>ps, I am a finishing my sophomore year at RPI if you were curious who i was</p>