Author: rachelblacker

For an engineering major (possibly biomed, idk. maybe electrical. maybe computer science. basically i have no idea), do you have any idea how many H&SS credits you have to take? i got 4 credit hours for 1000 writing elective, 4 credit hours for 1000 STSH science and technology elective, and 4 credit hours for 1000 STSS science and technology elective from AP tests. i’m assuming there’s no point in re-taking these classes. i was wondering how many i’ll actually have to take throughout my time at rpi. and would your recommend re-taking calc, even if i got a 4 on the AP calc AB test and had a great teacher in high school for 3 semesters (two of AP calc AB and one of non-AP calc II)?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

I really don’t want to get into specific questions regarding personal academics. I’m sure many of you have questions about what courses you should take. Fortunately, when you come to Student Orientation in the next few weeks, your SO Advisors will be available to help you with these kinds of questions. You will register for your fall semester with their guidance at Student Orientation.

As a general answer to your HASS credit question, look at the curricula of the programs you are considering. I’ve found BME (biomedical engineering) here. You can find others simply by googling “rpi biomedical engineering undergrad curriculum”. Each program should have it somewhere on their site.

It’s hard to advise students on whether or not to re-take courses for which they’ve received AP credit. Overall, it sounds like you know your stuff and would be bored in Calc I here. I would say to move on to Calc II for this coming fall semester.

Do you know the dimensions of the dorms in the freshman 5? Like, how big the walls are (not like height from floor to ceiling, but width). I have a tapestry and I don’t know if the walls are big enough to bring it with me. I’m in a 188 square foot room in Hall.

rachelblacker Leave a comment

In typical setups, there is a wall for each roommate. The third wall has the windows, and the fourth has the closets/entry.

Your wall is approximately nine feet wide.

Unfortunately, New York State fire codes do not allow for tapestries, flags, or parachutes to be hung in rooms.

I know a lot of colleges don’t let you bring microwaves, but allow you to rent a Microfridge combo for the year. RPI does let you bring a microwave, but does it rent out Microfridges, too? And if so, is it easier/cheaper to bring your own stuff or just to rent it? Also, what are the lounges like and what’s in them? I’m going to be in Crockett Hall, if that helps.

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Yes, you can bring a microwave and/or a minifridge. Fridges have to be no bigger than 6 cubic feet. My personal advice would be to buy your own minifridge and not have a microwave in your room. The microfridge combos are almost as much as purchasing a fridge so you lose a lot of money by not buying that appliance. You can always sell it at the end of the year and make most of that money back.

Crockett (like most of the freshmen five) has a kitchen on the first floor with a fridge, stove, sink, microwave, seating/table, and television. The second floor lounge has foosball and couches. The third floor study room has tables, chairs, and a public printer. There are also a few vending machines in the building.

I’ll be a junior living in Colonie next year, building C to be exact. Should I bring my own shower curtain for the shower? Also, the RA that showed me the room showed hers, and she had brought her own bed (a full size instead of the regular twin). Is it ok for someone who is not an RA to do that? Are we allowed to bring the RPI bed and store it at home for the year? Thanks!

rachelblacker Leave a comment

1. You can bring your own shower curtain if you want. They should provide one, though.

2. I’m going to be brief. Read between the lines. Your RA will do your room condition report at the beginning of the year. This confirms what furniture and defects were in the room at the start of your occupancy. When you check out in the spring, all of that furniture needs to be back. In the mean time, just make sure that you pass your health & safety inspection (i.e. don’t block the door with any additional furniture).

Can you tell me which floors are for freshmen in Quad and how to tell which are doubles or triples? Also, can students bring their own coffee maker in their room? Thanks.

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Quad is very hard to describe exactly where freshmen are and which rooms are triples/doubles. Generally speaking, freshmen will not be housed on the third floor. Most of the rooms on the third floor are singles for upperclassmen. There are a few exceptions for corner buildings like Roebling. It’s also a toss-up on which rooms are triples/doubles. You can kind of look at square footage, but sometimes that doesn’t mean much either. Sorry this isn’t very helpful. I don’t want to mislead you.

You can bring almost any small appliance that you want, the kicker is that it needs to have an automatic shut-off for fire prevention.

I’m bipolar and I obviously need to continue maintaining my health. Do you have any experience/knowledge about how this is handled through the health services at RPI?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Unfortunately, I don’t have much experience with the Health Center, but it is on campus in Academy Hall. This website (http://studenthealth.rpi.edu/setup.do) should be helpful and if you cannot find answers here, call them during the workday at this number: (518) 276-6287. Hopefully they can answer your questions and setup some appointments for you!

Is there a cover on the mattress? Or should I put one on myself? Thanks!

rachelblacker Leave a comment

You should definitely bring your own mattress cover.

“You should definitely get a mattress pad before you come, or plan to purchase one when you move in. There are different styles (eggshell, foam, stuffed, etc.) and fittings (none, elastic straps, fitted like a sheet). You should know, though, that all beds at RPI require Extra-long twin sheets. You should find these in Target closer to August or in linen stores year-round.” [from a question Summer 2010]

1) Do teachers assign and go around checking homework? 2) Do most professors know a student by name? And just a few questions about campus: since I Wont be knowing where any of the buildings are on the first day of school, will the professor kill me if I’m late? How long does it take to get to the farthest building on campus?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

College can be very different from high school; you are much more independent and being nervous is normal. They aren’t idiotic questions.

In college, students are still students, but your ‘teachers’ become professors. Professors do assign homework, but they aren’t going to walk around the classroom to check it. They will assign a due date and you will submit it at the beginning of class (in most cases). They’ll return it a week or so later – usually an older student called a teaching assistant (TA, for short) will do the grading.

Most professors know a student by name, yes. Do most professors know all of their students by name? No way! It’s good to know your professors and have them know you, though. Go to office hours, sit in the front of the classroom, and ask engaging questions. If you want them to know your name, it’s easy to make it happen.

At your orientation, you will learn a great amount about campus. Given that you will know your schedule and courses as of student orientation (course registration is part of this), you will have time in the week that you move in to walk around campus and learn where your classes are each day. But no, the professor is not going to kill you if you’re late! They will be very understanding.

At the worst, you have 10 minutes between classes. Many students have a few hours. It’s easy to get between the DCC and West Hall (buildings at the extreme corners of where classes are held) in ten minutes.

Don’t worry – you’ll have plenty of time to settle in and do well here.

I know you’re a guy, so you really don’t know too much about this… But how do sororities work? Suppose I wanted to join a sorority and i do all the elegibility requirements, etc…how will I get selected to a certain sorority? I heard you get to rank the sororities by preference and if they pick you too, then you’re in… However, what if no sorority picks you? Does that happen often? And are there a lot of mixers with different frats? Thanks!

rachelblacker Leave a comment

**UPDATED Friday, 6/10/2011**

I’m summarizing the information that a friend (who is in a sorority) shared with me.

Parts of the process cannot be revealed, but her first piece of advice is to keep an open mind. You should visit the different sororities and get to know the girls. See what girls you get along with and where you feel comfortable. There will be two invite parties. After the second, you may receive a bid. Then, you can sign your bid and cross your fingers that you are in. As she says, it can seem scary, but there will be great rewards.

[My own feed back on not being picked: I’m sure it happens sometimes. There’s not much you can do about not being picked besides finding new things to do. Although going Greek is great, there is plenty else to do on campus. The Union funds over 150 clubs that offer great events from social things, to government, creativity, leadership, and service. It wouldn’t be the end of the world.]

On mixers: in short, mixers can be a part of Greek life, but she advises that you join for other reasons. Sororities focus on community service hourse, philanthropy and sisterhood. Don’t join just to meet guys, party, and be social.

What is closet space like in the freshman five? Is there any way to get to the train station from campus without taking a cab? Do public buses make stops on campus?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

http://i51.tinypic.com/35lw0g2.jpg

This is the best image I have off-hand of the style of closets that are in the freshmen five. If you take a look at the ‘Room Photos’ tab under Freshman Five Pictures, you can find pictures of all of the rooms. The door with the towel on it in this photo slides from left to right to expose the space for hanging things, as shown in the closet on the right-hand side. I would estimate that there are about 30 horizontal inches of hanging space. If this isn’t helpful enough, let me know and I can hunt down better details and a photo that concentrates on the closet.

On holidays (winter break, spring break, and summer break), campus shuttles make runs to the airport, train station, and bus station for free. You have to sign up with Public Safety and they are only offered on specified dates. Other than that, I would highly suggest that you make friends with some upperclassmen. They might have a car AND could be great mentors to help you figure out how to make the most of your time at Rensselaer. (plus $5 in gas money is much less than $20 for a cab)

Public buses for CDTA do make stops on campus! Take a look at this link and look for RPI towards the right-hand-side of the document. There are actually quite a few routes and stops at RPI: http://www.cdta.org/images/troywaterinset.pdf

What kind of software do the RPI laptops come with? i want to get some sort of photoshop for the laptop but now im holding back on it because im thinking that some sort of photograph editing, etc will come on the rpi laptop

rachelblacker Leave a comment

In the past, RPI laptops have come with Photoshop Elements. I can’t guarantee that this will be the case for Fall 2011, but I imagine it wouldn’t change much.

I’d like to make you aware of student discounts for software. Through the Campus Computing Store, you can get software suites (including a variety of Adobe packages) for VERY discounted prices. I recently got Adobe Design Standard CS5 for a few hundred dollars.

The lower portion of this page describes software that came with the Fall 2010 Laptop: http://www.rpi.edu/laptops/laptops10/specs10.html.

I want to live in a pretty social dorm that has non-communal bathrooms, (meaning at most 2 rooms per bathroom), not too far from classes, and mixed gender. Which is the best dorm for me?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

All dorms are mixed gender.

The Quad is closest to classes. Hall, Cary, Barton, Bray, Crockett, and Nason follow closely in that order (they’re all within about 100 yards of one another). BARH would be the farthest.

Quad and Barton are the only ones for freshmen that have non-communal bathrooms.

So, it sounds like you want to live in Quad… but do some of your own research. I’m not a match-making service.

What is the temperature like in each building? Are there any that are especially hot or especially cold? As someone who can’t stand the heat, are there any dorms that I should try to avoid living in? Thanks!

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Barton and Quad have central air conditioning. In Barton, each room has a thermostat and in the Quad, you control the temperature and amount of heat/AC. It’s really only hot outside for a few weeks in the early fall and a few weeks in the late spring (if even).

From what I’ve heard, the other freshmen five (Hall, Crockett, Cary, Bray, and Nason) are heated the same – some people say they are overheated/hot, so maybe avoid those. They also have no central AC.

Does RPI have study rooms of some sort? I know some schools have privatized rooms for you to be by yourself and study with no distractions-if the library/your dorm is too noisy for you

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Short answer: yes.

First of all, the library has rooms that you can get for studying both individually and as a group.

In addition, most residence halls also have lounges or rooms that students use to study and do homework.

Beyond this, there are places all over campus to study. While the McNeil Room can get loud, it is very popular. There are cafés all over, empty classrooms you can get, and student study lounges in almost every academic building on campus.

Finding quiet places to study shouldn’t be a problem.

Right now im under undeclared engineering, is it possible that when I go to the student orientation and choose courses, I can declare that I want to be chemical engineering right away? or do I have to take the ‘undeclared engineering’ courses for the first year/semester?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

When you register for courses during SO, you will not have an immediate opportunity to declare your major. However, you can take care of this very early on in your first semester, if you choose. You’ll have to fill out a form with your academic advisor and submit it.

HOWEVER, I want to clarify that there are not ‘undeclared engineering’ courses. All first year engineering students are taking most of the same courses anyway. A student who has declared ChemE will likely take the same courses as an undeclared student who is considering ChemE. (I say likely because the courses you take are up to you.) I hope this makes sense.

Is there a possibilty of renting a minifridge/tv? And do you prefer suite or floor bathroom?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

You can rent mini fridges from a company called the Refrigerator Leasing Company. You should receive more information about this opportunity when you receive your housing assignment (typically about mid-July, I believe). From my experience, it is more economical to buy your own.

I am not aware of any opportunities to rent a television, sorry.

I prefer suite bathrooms.

How helpful and resourceful is RPI in finding you internships and jobs?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

We have the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) which is a great resource for job and internship searches. There are two career fairs annually, one in each of the fall and spring semesters. At these events, there are typically over 100 companies seeking interns and full-time employees for the full range of majors.

The CCPD also offers help with your resume and can connect you with companies. They arrange for companies to come give info sessions which is a good opportunity for you to get an interview.

Neither RPI nor the CCPD will do the work for you, but they’ll certainly make the process a little easier.

Does RPI provide mattresses? Are they new each year? Can I bring my own?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Yes, RPI provides mattresses when you live in a residence hall. I’m not sure that they’re new each year, but they’re in good condition. If you have an issue with it, you should be able to arrange getting a replacement with Residence Life. I would estimate that they are replaced every 2-4 years.

If you want, you could bring your own, but you would be responsible for storing the one that RPI provides. I suppose that if your parents will be driving you up to move you in, you could have them take the provided one home. I’ve never heard of someone using their own mattress though.

I would strongly advise that you get a mattress pad.

How many credits do we have to have, and on average how many classes per week? Im a lil worried about the workload in RPI. :( Do you suggest people to waive their AP credits?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

The number of credits required for graduation depends on your degree program (your major). For Civil Engineers, this is 128 credits, which I believe is pretty standard. Simple math for 8 semesters gives you 16 credits per semester, which is the norm here at RPI. 16 credits is most commonly achieved with four 4-credit courses.

At most schools, a credit (or credit-hour) is directly the number of hours of class per week. At RPI, this can sometimes vary, but we’ll say that it’s the same for now. So, a 16-credit semester would leave you with 16 hours of class in that week. Think of your high school courses… about 40 hours of school a week, probably. So, you spend a lot less time in class. If you manage your time outside of class wisely, you should have plenty of time to be social. See how I made that bold and italic? It’s very important.

If you are confident with your abilities in that AP class, I would recommend that you accept the credit. For instance, if you take BC Calculus and get a 5 on the AP exam with a AB sub score of 5, you’re probably safe to waive out of at least Calc I at RPI. If you take AP Physics B and get a 4 on the exam, you may still want to take Physics I, even though you could get automatic credit at RPI if you wanted. Some people decide to waive receiving credit to reinforce the material. In short, if you had a good AP teacher and know the material well, I would recommend that you accept the credit.

How much room you should typically expect in classes (ie. desk space). When I toured I remember visiting an auditorium, maybe a science lecture hall, where the desks were tiny and confined to the area around the seat. Are most classes going to offer you more room? Does it depend on your major? My question stems from the fact I need to make the decision to either keep or sell my 15″ laptop in the next month or so and am wondering whether I will be able to use it to take notes or whether it will dominate my work space.

rachelblacker Leave a comment

It depends on the classroom. Most of the lecture halls use the tablet arm (where the little desk folds up from the side of the seat). In other cases, you’ll be in a classroom, where you will have a rather large table with ample space for a computer and a notebook. I think most students would agree that you will always have space for either a computer or a notebook on your desk, sometimes both.

I think that you should base your decision more on whether or not your current computer is powerful enough for RPI standards. Unless you’re planning on having two laptops (which isn’t exactly rare), you should make sure that the 15” laptop has the power you need. Take a look at the specs for the laptop that students joining the program in Fall 2010 received: http://www.rpi.edu/laptops/laptops10/specs10.html.

Don’t worry about it fitting on the desk. My class has 15.4” displays and it fits well.

I’m not sure what I want to major in, and that might be a problem at RPI. I know I want to major in the sciences, just not sure what yet. Suppose I go in to RPI with an engineer major, when is too late to switch my major–meaning I’d have to stay longer to complete my major? Do I know what I want my major to be, right from first semester frosh year? Or will I be taking general ed requirements first before even getting to select the courses I need for my major?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

In your first semesters, it’s relatively easy to switch between majors and even schools. By taking courses like Calculus I, Chemistry I, General Psychology, and maybe an introduction course to a potential major, you leave yourself with options. You will have an academic adviser and there will be programs to help you make this decision. Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to study, you will get a feel for that in your first few semesters!

I was selected as an athlete to RPI and honestly saying Im not that smart to last in RPI, in all honesty. I dont have the same academic stats as some other people who are going have. Will academics be really killer?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Your academics will not be easy, but you won’t be alone. Many students, athletes and non-athletes, struggle to get a hold of their course work at RPI. With determination, they get through it and become better students. I would encourage you to utilize the campus resources available for help outside of class. The best thing you can do is maintain your focus on school. Athletics are fun, but keep in mind that you are coming here for the education.

Are you in a frat? If so, whats the selection process to get in? Is it relatively easy to get in? Is there any hazing?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

No, I am not in a fraternity.

However, I did get involved in the rush and pledge process with a fraternity last spring. When you arrive in the fall, you will have an opportunity to get involve in an overwhelming amount of activities on and off campus. Among these opportunities is what we call “Greek Life” – you probably know of it as fraternities and sororities.

When you move in, you will likely have brothers from fraternities helping the freshmen get all of their stuff in the building. Part of this is service, but they also want to get their name out to the freshmen. Almost all of the fraternities will “dorm storm,” or go through the freshmen residence halls passing out “rush calendars” and inviting you to their rush events. Rush is a period (usually about two weeks) where fraternities hold open-invitation events with their brothers. Some of these events are at their houses and some involve going some place. You’ll hear about movie nights, poker tournaments, throwing old televisions off of roofs, cliff jumping, barbecues, trips to play laser tag… the list goes on and on. These are called rush events. The general purpose is 1) for you to get a feeling if you feel like you get along well with the brothers and 2) for the brothers to get a feeling if you fit in well with them. Towards the end of rush weeks, you may be extended a “bid.” This means that the brothers have agreed (usually unanimously, if I’m not mistaken) to invite you to pledge. If you get a bid, you will be invited to a bid dinner where you can sign your bid. From here, the pledge process begins.

Pledging is a period of education and continued camaraderie. For most fraternities, pledging runs from the end of rush (mid-September for fall pledge classes) to the end of the semester. During the pledge process, you will be educated in the values and traditions of your fraternity. You will do activities and challenges with your pledge class (the students who are pledging the fraternity at the same time) that will build the brotherhood between you. I won’t go into specifics, as many fraternities take pride in the secretive nature of their pledging process, but you will learn a lot about the history and traditions of the fraternity as well as get to know the brothers and pledge brothers.

When the fraternity feels that you have shown that you are worthy to be a brother, you are extended membership and you “get your letters.” At this point, you are a member of the fraternity!

I wouldn’t describe it as necessarily easy to get in to a fraternity. Getting a bid is something that can be accomplished relatively easily if you fit in well with the brothers and they like you. Some fraternities are more selective than others. The pledge process is time consuming and challenging, but your pledge brothers will help you along the way.

Hazing is illegal and looked down upon. The fraternity that I pledged, and most others as far as I know, allow pledges to abstain from an activity if they feel that it will harm them (physically, mentally, academically, etc.). Fraternities know that if they are caught hazing pledges, they can have their charter revoked in addition to consequences with the school and law. Does it happen? Well, I haven’t tried pledging all of the fraternities, so I can’t be confident in saying no.

I hope this answers your questions. There will be events in the fall run by the IFC (Interfraternity Council) to help inform you about the process further (though I gave pretty complete details) and to provide you with information about the fraternities at RPI, of which there are 28.

Last thing: I want to explain briefly that I opted to de-pledge from the fraternity that I was pledging last spring because I decided that I would enjoy my time at college more in other ways. This was a personal decision, something that I decided wasn’t right for me. I value the concept of a fraternity and think that they make great contributions to the campus environment.

I’m coming from the South, and down here people are super nice. I haven’t heard the greatest things about NY, so I’m a little scared to head to RPI since it’s right near the state’s capital. I know you included a friendliness chart (props to you for that by the way), but since I am from the south, do you think I’ll experience a little tough love? In the south, you can ask anyone anything, even a random stranger–but I hear in NY people don’t really answer you that well and snub you when you talk

rachelblacker Leave a comment

As a Texan, I understand your concerns. I spent my teenage years learning to say “yes, m’am” and hold doors open for anyone. I know about the “southern hospitality” that you’re used to seeing every day.

But, having lived in 7 states across the country, I have a good feel for the dynamics of our nation. Don’t be scared! You’re not going from a small town where everyone knows everyone to NYC. You might be coming from a small town, but RPI is a great, welcoming community of students, faculty and staff. You might not hear the familiar “yes, m’am” “no, m’am” and “y’all.” Everyone probably won’t hold the door for you, but you’re not going to be snubbed for asking for directions. If it’s any more comfort, you won’t be the only one from the South, either. I know of at least 6 of my classmates (just in my year) that are from Texas; I’m sure you’ll have plenty, too!

How helpful are RPI students. Suppose you don’t get material, is it easy to ask a classmate for some assistance? Reason why I’m asking is bc. I come from a super exclusive high school and nobody is willing to help anyone else for selfish reasons. So I’m wondering if classmates will help you with your studies if you need help.

rachelblacker Leave a comment

I’ll say that you have an unfortunately selfish high school class! At RPI, you will have tons of resources for help with class work. We have campus resources like drop-in tutoring, your Learning Assistant (LA) in your residence hall, the Advising and Learning Assistance Center (ALAC), and much more. Professors are required to hold regular office hours (usually at least 4 hours a week) where you can go in to ask questions and visit. Take advantage of these!

Your classmates will also be very helpful. Upperclassmen can offer tutoring or provide you with back work, back tests, and sample problems. I would advise that you use these as a study tool – don’t just copy your homework! I’m certain that your peers will be able to help you when you need it, too. Make friends in your classes and set up a time to meet in the Library, Union, or any of our dozens of study locations to go over homework or prepare for an exam. The people who live near you will also likely have many of the same classes and you can look to them for assistance.

RPI students are very helpful to one another, for the most part – we’re studying to work in the real world. That means doing group projects and working as a team!

1) What’s the party scene like at RPI? I heard there are frat parties most weekends. 2) Are you friends with any sorority girls? If so, how do they like being in a sorority at RPI? 3) How easy is it to switch your major and still get all your credits in four years? I kind of want to study engineering, but I also kind of wanted to do computer science and cognitive science. I was wondering if I could try both at first to see which I’d like better.

rachelblacker Leave a comment

1) Party scene at RPI: Yes, there are parties at the fraternities almost every weekend. Many students choose to make partying an every weekend thing, some choose to never “go out”. It can be a good way to relax and meet people, but you should be responsible about your decisions.

2) Sorority girls: Yes, I’m friends with quite a few sorority girls. I think almost all of them are very happy with their decision to “go greek”. Joining a sorority (or fraternity) is a great way to meet a strong network of friends. You will be provided with opportunities to grow in many ways. These groups will support your academics, social, extracurricular and athletic adventures. Look forward to rush weeks at the beginning of your fall semester!

3) Switching majors: It sounds kind of like you want to study three different majors, which might be a challenge to do throughout. But, don’t be discouraged. You will definitely have time to test the different waters without too harsh of repercussions. Consider taking Introduction to Engineering Analysis (IEA – our “statics” course), General Psychology, and Comp Sci I in your first semester. SO advisors will be available to help you register for your courses when you come for orientation. As for switching majors later and still graduating on time: it’s possible, but it takes some coordination. AP credits and summer school make it easier, but you’ll have plenty of time to make these decisions!

Is it hard to walk from class to class? How many classes do you have in a week?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

I’m not sure what you really mean by the first question.

Is figuring out where your classes are a challenge? Not after the first week – you’ll learn your way around campus quickly. Most people, even seniors, still print their schedule to see what buildings and classrooms they’re in for the first week.

Is it hard to navigate the foot traffic? Is it congested? No, not at all. Some people ride bikes, roller blade, long board, or skate board around campus.

Is getting between classes in as little as 10 minutes hard? Nope. You just pack up your backpack in one class and head towards your other. You can probably be from one side of academic campus to the other in less than 10 minutes, and you probably won’t have to do that.

I’m taking 19 credit hours and I have 21 hours of class a week. I have 3 classes on each of Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. 2-3 classes a day is pretty average.

I’m a girl and I’m just a little nervous about going to RPI because of the ratio. In my h.s, I have tons of pretty much only girl friends, so the ratio scared me a little. I know you’re a guy, but do you know what your girl friends think about the ratio? Do they wish there were more girls at the school or do they feel comfortable enough with the guys at school? Thanks in advance!

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Since you asked your question, I’ve talked with some of my girl friends to get their opinion on this topic. Of the five young ladies I spoke to, they all said they were very comfortable with the ratio. It was kind of funny: two of them said that the only time they notice the ratio is when they sit in class and count the number of guys. For the most part, we as students don’t really notice the ratio in our normal day-to-day activities. The girls said that they feel completely comfortable with the ratio because everyone is so friendly and it’s easy to make friends.

On the topic of making friends and making girl friends, you will have great opportunities when you come to school in the fall to find social groups. You can start now by finding some classmates on Facebook. If you’re coming to Accepted Students Day (April 9) that’s another good opportunity. Unless you attend SO (Student Orientation) #5, you’ll room with some girls that you can get to know at SO. These will probably be different than your roommates for the year.

As things pick up, you’ll see how many opportunities there are to get involved on campus and make friends. You can look into joining a sorority or playing on a sports team. Both of these are great opportunities to have a group of exclusively girls to get to know and appreciate. If neither of these interest you, we have many, many service groups on campus. You’ll probably find that the service groups tend to have a more even (or even reversed!) ratio. I serve on the Relay For Life Committee; we have a 35:65 ratio. Thats male:female!

While I understand your concern, I think you’ll discover that it’s not as bad as you expect. You’ll find that a lot of the guys are gentlemen and I think you’ll find it easy to find and make friends with girls. Plus, guys are a nice break from all of the drama and girl stuff!

Do majority of students even keep TVs in their room-do they even watch tv or are they very studious and don’t want to bother with one in their room?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Haha, we’re not zombies. I personally don’t have much time to watch television, but I would say I’m an anomaly. We still have one in my apartment anyway, and my roommates use it all the time. If you watch television in your life today, you should probably count on watching it in college. I suppose that if you only watch movies, your laptop would suffice, though.

** My roommate says he has never seen a room without a television.

How friendly, overall, is the student body? Do people tend to keep their rooms open, or are people more private?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

I would say the student body, on average, is pretty friendly. There is a large spread in the friendliness – we have some unfriendly people and quite a few very friendly people. As I’m an RPI student, I just decided it would be most fitting to show you this in graphical form. Please laugh, very hard, haha! I would say people tend to keep their room open, or encourage you to knock and say hello (perhaps they’re trying to focus on a Sunday afternoon, you know).

212viw8

Aren’t people more likely going to choose rooms with floor baths, due to the fact that the cleaning people clean the floor baths everyday, whereas the ones with suite style baths are only cleaned once a month?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

I have no idea how the demand for rooms turns out each year.

However, I will clarify that suite bathrooms are cleaned by the Environmental Services staff once a week, not once a month. Also, keep in mind that 4-6 people use a suite bathroom and sometimes up to 30 people use a floor bath.

Is there a nurse/doctor, etc on campus?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Short answer: yes.

We have the Student Health Center located on the 3rd floor of Academy Hall. It’s not a hospital, but you can make appointments to be evaluated if you’re sick, etc. Their site says they offer (in addition to appointments): medical, gynecology, and allergy clinics, counseling services, and health education and wellness programs.

Also, Samaritan Hospital is a short walk away from campus (just across from the ice house) and we have our own ambulance service in case of emergencies.

So I’m trying to figure out my housing preference, but I guess I’m not clear on a few things. 1) For suite style-the bathrooms: how many people share that bathroom, 3 (for one room) or was it (6 for 2 rooms)? In that bathroom, is there only one shower, toilet, etc? Or multiple, in in the bathroom? 2) If I decide to go for suite style, and if a roomate is in the suite style bathroom, am I still allowed to use the floor bathroom? And another thing: I heard there are printing rooms in the housing itself, so I wouldn’t have to walk to the computer lab, is that the case for all housing: do all of them have that? There seems to be no facebook group, or anyway to contact future rpi kid: all there was, is a form that asks simply 6 questions and randomly pairs with you someone, so I’m a little worried.

rachelblacker Leave a comment

1) It depends on what hall you’re discussing. In the Quad, almost all of the suite bathrooms are shared by 4 people (2 in each room). In Barton, all of the suite bathrooms are shared by 6 people (3 in each room). As far as I know, each suite bathroom (no matter where) has only 1 toilet stall, 1 shower, and 1 sink. Good question.

2) Yes, you can use floor bathrooms whenever you want.

Printing) I believe that the Quad is the only freshmen residence hall without an in-house printer. However, to clarify, there are printers all over campus not just at the “computer lab” (which you are probably referring to the Voorhees Computing Center (VCC). There are also computer labs all over campus. For a full list of public printers that students can use, take a look at this: http://helpdesk.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=301 . You should recognize some of those as names of the freshmen residence halls!

Freshman year roommate) When I was admitted two years ago, there was an admitted students site operated by RPI. If you’re not aware of this, they’ve probably done away with it (and moved to Facebook). This is where we went to find out (electronically) if we had been admitted, and we each had a profile. There were forums and chat rooms, etc. I found a guy on there who had similar interests as me and we made the arrangements. If this doesn’t exist, I would encourage you to make use of the RPI Class of 2015 Facebook group. Perhaps you could organize something off of this and get things moving?

What is Troy like? I’m weary of attending due to the fact that there is nothing you can do in Troy, and the nearest place you can go is in Albany-> but you would either have to take a bus for that or bring your car to campus. Is there any surrounding things to do there that is walking distance? (Ex. Clubs, Mall, strip malls, etc..)

rachelblacker Leave a comment

“there is nothing you can do in Troy”

… I hate to be so rude, but you’re wrong. There is plenty to do on campus, in Troy, in the Capital District, and in the surrounding areas.

1. On campus: I leave campus maybe once or twice a week and I always have something to be doing. First off, there are academics: classes and homework. Throw on top of this your choice in 170+ clubs through the Student Union. I personally am currently involved in Relay For Life, Rensselaer Outing Club, Red & White, as well as a few other things in the future. Keep in mind all of the athletics going on: you can be watching (or maybe playing in) a varsity game, running and working out at the Mueller Center, playing racquet ball or rock climbing in the ‘87 Gym, or participating in one of our intramural sports programs. I can’t talk enough about how much there is to do on campus.

in Troy: downtown Troy has a ton of little stores, shops and restaurants. There are always shows going on at Revolution Hall (and Ground Zero or EMPAC – on campus). On the last Friday of every month, the stores in downtown Troy stay open late for students and residents to hang out, jam with musicians on the street, and walk through the art galleries. It’s very easy to get to the grocery stores and strip malls up Hoosick street by getting on the CDTA bus (free with your RPI ID) and riding for a few minutes. “Having to take a bus” isn’t that bad, and if you can’t handle that, join some student groups to get to know upper classmen with cars.

in the Capital District: I don’t even know where to start. There are two pretty large malls (Crossgates and Colonie), continuous events at the Times Union Center, Union College (booo! – one of our rivals), art galleries, and any other thing you can imagine.

in the surrounding areas: I make relatively frequent trips to the Adirondacks to go hiking, students can go to NYC or Boston on occasion, or any other cities nearby.There’s tons to do.

I don’t want you to feel like I’m mad at you for asking this question, but I want you to understand that there is a ton to do, even within walking distance. In the warmer months, students like to walk to the local gorge and go cliff jumping (be careful!) or sunbathe. As it warms up this spring, students will be outside of all the residence halls and houses playing frisbee, listening to music, and getting tan. People walk to Pizza Bella’s and Pizza Di Vinci for some yummy pizza all the time (we also go to restaurants in downtown Troy – wooo! Dinosaur BBQ!). If walking is a challenge, there are campus shuttles that get you all around campus, and CDTA buses (I know, I know – it sounds so scary!) are really easy to use. Really, there’s plenty to do!

How competitive are RPI students?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Academically: From my experiences, college is not at all like high school in terms of competition. I don’t know what background you come from, but in my high school students were very focused on their class rank. At RPI, I feel confident saying that almost no one cares about rank.

In college, most students aren’t trying to get the best grade in the class on an exam. I would say that people try to get higher than the exam average. RPI students tend to work harder when things weigh more towards their semester grade (… makes sense, right?).

Athletically: We have some very good sports teams. We have 23 varsity teams (all division III, except M’s and W’s hockey), some junior varsity teams, and many, many intramural sports. I personally have played intramural ice hockey and soccer. Our Division I Men’s Hockey Team just got seeded in the NCAA tournament, so we’ll be playing in Green Bay this weekend!

How many parties are there? Frequently?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

My roommates and I just had a discussion. I think that between small gatherings, house parties, and fraternity parties, there have to be near 700 parties a year. There are usually a few major parties every weekend (probably 3-4) and often on Tuesday nights (Wednesday is a low-load class day). If you want to party, you can.

That being said, don’t make the story of your career at RPI a semester of partying. If you do it too much, you won’t last long.

Are students generally wealthy at RPI (due to the high tuition), I know it depends but overall?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

As I’ve only been to a private school, I don’t really have a solid comparison. However, I would say that RPI doesn’t really carry an image of students flaunting wealth. Some 90% of students receive aid – many of us also take out loans and search for scholarships. Don’t be under the impression that you’re going to meet a bunch of people who are spending $50,000 + a year out of pocket to be educated here.

I would say that most of my friends and classmates are the standard “poor college student.” We work in the summers and on breaks (and during the school year, for some of us) and spend our own earnings on food, books, clothes, and leisure.

You’re not going to be overwhelmed with wealth.

Is the laundry room free? Or do you have to pay for that? What about printing: is that free?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

When you live on campus, you have access to free use of the laundry facilities. Most halls have about 6 washers and 6 dryers, but it depends on the size. You have to purchase your own detergent and any fabric softeners, etc.

You are allocated $12.50 of printing (black and white) each semester using campus printers. Prints are $0.08/page + $0.02/job. We also have color printers and plotters available. Paying for the charges is really easy since it automatically goes to your Student Account. I encourage you to check out this for more information: http://helpdesk.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=303

Hows the diversity at RPI?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

Honestly, I feel that diversity is lacking at RPI. I would say that we have student from many different places, but there are not MANY students from many different places. I recently read that the Class of 2014 has students from 42 of the 50 states, all four territories (I believe) and from 14 countries. However, only 27% of the students are from outside of the northeast. I tried to find specific numbers for the student body, but couldn’t.

However, the students that we do have from diverse backgrounds are pretty active. We have a ton of multicultural student organizations which you can see here:  http://home.union.rpi.edu/landings/view/1# . I would say many, but not all, of them are active.

In your 2 years at RPI, which dorms have you roomed in, and what were your likes/dislikes about them? If you could have picked differently, which dorms would you rather have had?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

I lived in the Quad (a double in Church I) my freshman year.

Last fall, I lived in the Quad (a single in Hunt III).

This spring, I live in an on-campus apartment at STACWYCK.

I chose to live in Quad again because I liked the atmosphere and proximity to campus. As a freshman in Quad, you still have friends who live nearby, but it is a little quieter (I’ve heard) than living in the long and connected hallways of a hall on Freshman Hill. Another neat thing about living in the Quad is having upper classmen nearby. I definitely feel like I knew a few more older students because I lived in Quad my freshman year. On the contrary, Freshman Hill halls do tend to be a little more social. Just think physically: the long hallways are very inviting to people wandering (or running) around and chatting. But, you are a little bit further from academic campus, and older students are in other buildings.

After a third semester in Quad, I decided I wanted to be try out apartment style living. I enjoyed Quad still, but some friends had a spot open in their apartment and none of my good friends lived nearby. I found myself spending a lot of wasted time sitting around in my single room. I think that, as a sophomore, I enjoy the apartment style more. There are always people around, but I still have privacy when I need to sleep or do work. Plus, we have our own kitchen and living room.

Do girls tend to be asked out fairly early in to the school year since they’re in high demand (due to the bad ratio of m/f?)

rachelblacker Leave a comment

It’s probably fair to say that if you’re looking to be ‘asked out’ early in the year, you can definitely make it happen. Go out the first weekend and I’m sure you can find more than one person who is interested in you.

That being said, you can also avoid this if you want. One way would be to not go out and be social (which I wouldn’t recommend). The alternative would be to just tell anyone who asks that you’re not interested.

Do a lot of people ride bikes around campus? Can we bring bikes into the dorm rooms? Is Troy a place with a lot of things to do – if so, do people ride their bike to get around Troy?

rachelblacker Leave a comment

In warmer weather, there are quite a few people riding bikes. In no sense do a majority of students ride bikes, but it’s not uncommon. Yes, you can bring bikes into your rooms. There are also bike racks outside most of the residence halls and event inside in some of them (I believe). Troy does have plenty to do – feel free to ride your bike down to check it out. Getting back up the hill will be a great workout!

Also, check out our cycling club if you are interested – http://cycling.union.rpi.edu/News/News.html