WPI over RPI ?

I know there are such discussions on the RPI forum.
Wanted to hear from those who got into both, and chose WPI over RPI and why you did so ?

There is a lot of overlap between these two schools, and you can go back and forth as far as which would be your son’s preference. For everyone who says they prefer WPI, you can find someone who prefers RPI.

You can learn a lot from their websites and YouTube videos. Check out the specifics of the major he is interested in. WPI of course advertises their IQP/MQP. They are on a 7-week term system. Does this appeal to him? RPI has more of a national reputation, and a more traditional semester-based curriculum. Is this important to him? Has he visited both campuses?

However, unless you are trying to whittle down his list of schools he is applying to and you feel compelled to eliminate one, I would have him apply to both. The RPI application is especially simple, no additional essays. Assuming he is admitted and gets merit or financial aid packages, he will have more to go on.

My daughter preferred WPI, but that is based on her personal preferences and wouldn’t necessarily matter to someone else.

May have to make a choice early in the process due to athletics.
Coaches sometimes support your application, but often
early decision is required, at least at schools that offer it.
RPI does have it, WPI does not.

Leaning towards WPI, after visiting both schools,
but planning to go back once more soon.
Probably will apply to both, just a matter of deciding if
ED is the way to go for RPI. I agree RPI has more
name recognition, and as an athlete, more competitive
in sports. But really liked many things about WPI that were
unique.

Main drivers are fact that we think merit scholarship and varsity
athletics are realistic at WPI, less likely at RPI. Like the 4 terms,
the grading and hands on aspect of WPI. Liked coaches
at both schools for various reasons, but WPI coaches
have their priorities correct, academics first. Not totally
opposite at RPI, just seemed a bit more interested
in winning and less interested in the academics.

My daughter was a recruited varsity athlete at both schools and placed on lists that went to admissions. She was not asked to apply ED by either coach. And she would not have done that anyway. I don’t know if baseball is different. She received merit at both; no idea what role her sport played.

My daughter found both coaches were about academics first. In fact, every D3 school she spoke to said all the right things. There was a lot of academic support at both schools; upper class athletes helping out the younger athletes, and a strong culture of wanting all those on the team to maintain good GPA’s. That said, athletics is a big commitment, even at a D3 school.

if you feel he needs the ED to get a little boost, then I can understand feeling like he needs to decide.

VMT. Thanks for the info. S invited to RPI campus just before ED deadline.
Glad to hear they did not pressure ED. I am not sure if my S has a preference,
sonI do not think ED is right. Maybe after next visit will think differently.

Both are good schools which attract similar employers in career fairs and have similar starting salaries. RPI is a larger school with a stronger national reputation and is likely more competitive, which could be either a pro or a con depending on your personality. The MQP and IQP are unique to WPI though RPI, at least when I applied, does offer design based capstones courses that are somewhat similar to WPI. Also, if you are interested in studying abroad, WPI is likely a better choice: https://m.wpi.edu/news/20156/2015preview.html

f you are interested in research or grad school (PhD), I would suggest RPI. In general, schools with higher ranked graduate programs have more research opportunities. But the choice should ultimately come down to where you feel you can be most successful. For a job or masters, both schools are comparable.

Which one would be cheaper and more likely to give financial aid/merit scholarships? My ACT is a 32 and my gpa is a 4.08, my parents make 30k a year.

No one here can give you that answer. Try the online net price calculators for financial aid. Also note that RPI’s calculator accounts for merit aid as well. But, until you apply, you can’t know for sure.

Oh okay that explains why RPI gave me a significantly cheaper npc than WPI

Does WPI give merit aid? I’m defintiely applying to RPI, but I’m not sure if I should apply to WPI.

WPI does give merit aid.

http://www.wpi.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply/merits.html

My oldest son went to WPI. Now my yougest is looking at engineering programs. As we look at other programs the structure of coursework is largely the same – Chemistry/lab, Calc/DiffEQ, Physics, English and maybe C++/Matlab – for the first two years. Lots of required courses in the major thereafter. There is very little room for electives outside your major. I have not done a course by course comparison, but it seems that with WPI’s term system – 3 classes in each of 4 terms per year – you gain some flexibility, especially if you have some AP credits coming in for Calc I&II. You aren’t reqired to take Chemistry. You can take another science. No English or foreign language requirement. You have some depth and breadth requirements for Arts & Humanities, but it’s not overly restrictive. 3 of your 12 classes during junior year are your IQP. Likewise, you use one class each of the first three terms of the senior year for the Major Qualifying Project. With careful planning you can distribute a few lighter classes among the technical courses. Of course it is very rigorous. Yet, if you can hack it, you can graduate in 4 years.

I don’t know that son #2 will go to WPI. He might stay closer to home. If he doesn’t I hope he finds a program with either a co-op or senior project requirement. WPI’s MQP was a very valuable experience for my son. He landed a job before graduation and has found ways to apply things he learned as part of the MQP in his work. I think this speaks highly of the WPI Plan.

Both my oldest D and my S were accepted to both schools with generous merit. In a hair splitting last minute decision, D chose WPI. She is now a senior and has had an incredible experience. No regrets. S chose neither as he decided that he was more interested in pure science / math than engineering and felt that he had other stronger options. He is a sophomore and he, too, has no regrets. Here is a link to an older thread that discussed the two schools in some depth:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/worcester-polytechnic-institute/1472123-wpi-vs-rpi-p1.html

GraniteStateMom
Thanks for the info and links to your prior advice. I agree that both are excellent choices, and would be happy
if my S2 is lucky enough to attend either. Applying 10+ schools but these are my personal 2 favorites for him, for a variety of reasons. He just got his WPI app out, now working on RPI. Can’t wait to hear back.

Best of luck to you son! I hope he finds himself in that happy predicament where he needs to choose between 2 schools he loves.

S just accepted to WPI. Waiting until spring for RPI. Exciting to have WPI as an option.

Congrats @blevine. It’s good to have one in the bag, and choices in the spring!

To address #11, I think there is a lot of flexibility in the curriculum. The only gripe is there aren’t a lot of sections of the humanities offered. You do have to do some planning once you figure out your depth area. On the other hand, my daughter was waitlisted for her philosophy class for B-term and got in. I think they add sections or add seats to accommodate the waitlist. It seems most do get off the waitlist, it’s just a little nerve-wracking.

It is nice to be able to add one of the arts/humanities/social sciences in with the STEM classes, though my daughter’s philosophy class was hardly watered down. The readings were very challenging, and there was no evidence of easy grading. The course was thought-provoking and she learned a lot. I think there is an assumption that at a tech school, the “softer” classes will be just that. They are different in that math is not involved. But, still a lot of work. I’m sure this varies from teacher to teacher, and course to course. Her music course A-term was quite easy, though she came in with a good music background.

Regarding the liberal arts requirements, to me that leans me towards RPI. Don’t want foreign language beyond HS anyway, and other than that, RPI seems more flexible. Social science and liberal arts, and more relevant options. Not a major factor, but combined with varsity sports situation, RPI is in the lead as of now. Merit could change that, waiting to hear.

RPI is bigger and probably does have more liberal arts offerings, though I have never compared the two. Just to clarify, there is no foreign language requirement at WPI, though foreign language is available. I don’t know if you are responding to another comment. Also, if it’s important to you, I would be sure to check how often the LA courses are offered.

RPI is a great school. You really can’t go wrong. Attend accepted students days, meet people and ask questions. I think those events usually do help students sort out the pros and cons of each. You have a lot of time. Last year, we were in the same exact boat. We just put it out of our minds until she had all of her offers in March.

My D picked RPI and is very happy there (engineering freshman). (To clarify, she didn’t actually end up applying to WPI, but picked RPI over WPI prior to applying. In the end it came down to a choice between RPI and Carnegie Mellon and she choose the former because they gave a more generous merit aid package. We actually later found out that Carnegie Mellon will match RPI’s aid [along with a select few Ivy league schools] but she’s happy and doesn’t want to transfer.)