<p>I just attended the summer days open house and tour. One of the observations I made is that there seemed to be a lack of public spaces for small groups to gather to study or hang out. For instance, the science building hallway was very wide yet no chairs, tables, etc. the buildings we were shown seemed a bit cold and uninviting. Our tour guide told us probably half the students hibernate in their rooms playing video games. Not once on our tour did any professors or graduate research types say hello or make eye contact. Is RPI that nerdy and unsocial?</p>
<p>The campus has great resources but what's with the Noah's Arc like EMPAC center? what is it used for?</p>
<p>How is the school spirit? No one on the student Q+A board knew the hockey or footballs teams records or success.</p>
<p>We were not shown the Cafeteria is it nice?</p>
<p>We were not shown the library, lots of places to study? Chairs? Any places to socialize?</p>
<p>We were not shown the athletic training facility. Is it clean? Lots of equipment? Lockers and bathrooms? Pool?</p>
<p>Thanks. Don't get me wrong I was really impressed with RPI, just have some small doubts.</p>
<p>I have done the tour a couple of times with my daughter who decided to attend.</p>
<ul>
<li> On the Athletic facilities. They are absolutely amazing. Everything is nearly new.</li>
<li> The cafeterias are nice. Pretty much like every other one we saw.</li>
<li> Ditto for the dorms. Probably more in the way of common areas for hanging out there than elsewhere.</li>
<li> I don’t recall the library directly. I saw alot of campuses over the last year and they sometimes blend into one.</li>
<li> As far as the people, we did one tour during an Open House weekend where the labs were all open and staffed with students showing off their work. I think this is what sold my daughter on RPI as we had a chance to talk with probably over a dozen students one on one and got alot of good vibes.</li>
</ul>
<p>It is a venue for new music, digital arts, interactive media. RPI has a major that covers these topics, Electronic Media Arts and Communications. Yes, it is an unusual looking building.</p>
<p>RPI does have an 8-lane 25 yard pool. It is not new, but it is well maintained.</p>
<p>Hockey is very big at RPI. Some seasons are better than others but there is a lot of support for the team. There is a big crosstown rivalry with Union College. They play football against each other, too.</p>
<p>The library is very nice and spacious. There is a lot of seating throughout the library. I don’t recall if there were small study/gathering rooms.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your feedback. I had no idea RPI had an “artsy” side. EMPAC is a strangely beautiful building, very impressive. I just wonder how or when I would ever get anything much out of it. I am the type that will attend an event in a nasty old basement if it interests me :). </p>
<p>I definitely will re-visit this fall. It will be a lot easier to get a better understanding of the vibe than trying to visualize it on the canvas of a near empty summer campus.</p>
<p>My son just finished his first year and really liked it. He is not particularly social but it sounds like there is plenty to do around campus, and the freshman floors seems to hang together often. The times I’ve been to RPI, and communicated with them, both before and after my son going there, everyone was extremely nice, in person, over the phone, and via e-mail. I stopped random students to talk to them, had e-mail discussions with professors, sought administrative help, and had various other interactions.</p>