<p>Hey, got accepted to both with money from RPI so the cost is not really the issue with these schools. What I want to know is if you have any suggestions? What can I do at RPI outside the campus? How hard is the workload at Cooper, like will I be stressed all the time?</p>
<p>A couple of years ago RPI was 2nd for more to do on campus. We always have events and activities going on - if you can't find something to do here you never will anywhere. If you want to get off campus you can do what I (and most of the school) do and head into Albany and the areas surrounding Troy. Troy is in the capital district which is by far a college area. There are like 15 schools within 20 miles so there are tons of students around. Albany ends up being the big central meeting place and there is all kinds of stuff to do there. We use Troy mostly for resturants/coffee shops/music venues. I am also a big outdoors person so I spend a lot of time with our outing club going hiking, rafting, diving, etc in the surrounding mountains.</p>
<p>I don't really know much about Cooper Union so you'll have to get feedback from someone else on that.</p>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>
<p>LOL! Princeton Review rates RPI as 2nd for more to do on campus "Based on students’ assessment of the surrounding city or town." In other words, "more to do on campus" is the opposite of "great college town." Not exactly an honor, IMHO.</p>
<p>^ Well, I don't know. Seems like better than nothing to do either place.</p>
<p>Ratio (Stuff to do on campus)/(Stuff to do in Troy) --> inf</p>
<p>Troy is not a college town no doubt about it. But Troy is located in the capital region of NY which is definitely a college area. There are like 15 colleges within 20 miles of each other. There is stuff to do all around and with other schools with Albany being the big central place. I personally go into Troy for food places (it has a ton of great ones) but outside of that I make use of programs RPI offers and within the clubs I am involved in I make use of just about everything else. People go everywhere, it's not like your chained to Troy. Also it's nice the school has stuff right here so if you don't feel like going anywhere you have options. I like to think of it as the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>Does RPI provide transport to Albany?</p>
<p>Well, RPI students get free CDTA transportation, which are public busses that go to places like downtown Troy, Wal-Mart, Crossgates Mall, and I believe downtown Albany too. The crossgates bus takes awhile though (so I've heard)</p>
<p>Other questions you might want to ask - is what is housing like at Cooper Union. How much do you like big cities? New York is very different from Troy. Are there frats at Cooper Union? I know there are at RPI.</p>