Testimonials
Click a university below to see blog posts from students about campus life and academics for each school.
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Northeastern University
- Villanova University
- Carnegie Mellon University
Rochester Institute of Technology
RIT does its best to provide students with a wealth of information, great facilities, top-notch academics, and a pretty good athletic program. Living in Rochester for four years teaches students a lot about who they are and what they want out of life (with the lack student-oriented activities, you'll have a lot of time to think). Many choose to drop out or transfer schools, due to the strenuous quarter system and the arduous work hours that come along with it. Many students who come to RIT on academic scholarships end up on academic probation. Many choose to do the drunken-college-student bit, and many choose the studious-bookworm role; but in the end, many students realize that classwork may not always be the most important thing. Most students here will, at one time or another, disagree with their roommates, RAs, bursars, registrars, and their departments. These are all facts of life, though. No two people can see eye to eye on everything.
In the end, four years and one degree later, many RIT students will tell you that they would willingly do it all over again. Every bad grade, every good party (or vice versa) helps students learn what they really want from life. As students move on to their graduate studies, they are mostly confident that what they have learned at RIT will help carry them through life, and most importantly, give them a competitive edge in the job market. I was told my freshman year that getting into RIT was the easy part, and that getting out was the hard part, which is very true. Well, students get out, and their degrees mean a lot to them. Not only is RIT a very competitive school where students do well, they actually learn a thing or two about life along the way. What more can you ask for from a university?
-Alecia Crawford & Amy Cooper
RIT have a great security and safety on campus. We have Public Safety that who tried to prevent students from getting any troubles on campus. Yet, there are many sexual assault on this campus and all of colleges, not only RIT. We have many security and evidences such as hidden cameras if something has occurred on campus. Public Safety would know where and what is going on. There are emergency presses outside on this campus like if you got shot, accident, raped, etc. You can see there is a blue lights outside that you can press it to reach for help. Public Safety will show up really fast as much as they could. They are very friendly and teach our lessons too. This campus is very safe so far, because Public Safety is now have a gun if a stranger came into campus and shooting. Public Safety can face it with a gun when it is necessary. Trust me, I feel safe here on campus.
-College Junior
As a female student, I feel very safe and secure on campus. Public Safety can be reached immediately across campus by a phone call or the blue boxes located across campus. Residence halls and most on-campus living require swipe access to enter the building. This means that if you do not live in the building, you are not granted access. Since RIT has a large student body, you never feel alone outside. At any given time, you can leave a building and students are all around you walking to and from buildings. Campus is well lit at night and the blue boxes are there in case of an emergency.
-College Freshman
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
I think that People should ask the students about RPI before coming here. Not the faculty and not anyone who is employed by RPI, but the students who dont get a pay check to say "omg it's such a wonderful place." RPI has been a nightmare. There are some racist, rude, and blatantly arrogant faculty and people. I wish I would've paid closer attention to coming here than i had before I came. RPI is worst than I had even imagined. The only good social life you will have is if you join a club and or sorority and basically ignore everything else that does on, on-campus. If I could choose another college all over again I would definitely not choose RPI. Talk to members of the student body. See if more people like it or hate it. If so ask why. If not ask why. It's not worth it to see only part of the school when all admissions wants is your money, not you as an individual.
-Male Computer Science Student
RPI is a great school that is home to a unique and brilliant bunch. There is a variety of students that likes to do different things. The faculty is superb and always there to help. Class sizes are on the smaller size so accessing one's professor is extremely easy. The campus isn't too big to the point where you get lost but not too small as to where you are crawling on top of other students. Would rate 9/10.
-Female Mechanical Engineering Student
This is a ruff school not for the faint of heart. Your professors will be the leaders in their given research. I did awesome in high school and community college then got wrecked by my first semester and spent the next 3 years pulling myself back together. If you make it through with a meaningful major you WILL GET A GOOD JOB! Classes are hard!
People are nice and friendly JOIN A CLUB in your first semester and stick with them (Go with Outing Club). Get back tests from APO in the Union. Don't party to hard and if you don't play WOW or LOL all day you will be better than 60% of the guys and you will beat the ratio and find a nice smart girl.Weather is terrible it's cold, rainy and cloudy all year. Troy is coming back, RPI is dumping money into it and it's starting to get nice. Also move off campus. Get a car to enjoy upper NY state.
-Male Engineering Student
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT students have a love/hate relationship with the school. They love the people and the atmosphere and hate the boatloads of work. Correction: Some people like the work and learning things, but most people hate being ignored by certain
research-oriented
professors. Most students who come to MIT had some tough decisions to make about schools before making a final decision, like Should I go to Harvard or MIT?
and Should I go to this in-state school with a full scholarship and a free computer or go to MIT and pay for almost everything?
Overall, every student, at some point, will think that they made the wrong decision, but it's the fact that these people made the decision to attend MIT that sets them apart from the rest. Whether they knew what MIT was like or not, students here were willing to take the chance. As a result, the people at MIT are the most creative, helpful, brilliant, and unique in the world. MIT admissions doesn't admit people accidentally - no matter how dumb you may feel when you fail your first exam. Everyone at MIT is incredibly down-to-earth, and everyone has the potential to do great things, even if everyone is deprived of sleep. It's okay - you'll find that some of the best work happens between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.
MIT will teach you how to survive on your own in the real world, and it will teach you more about yourself, too. Don't expect to be babied - MIT is one of the most challenging schools in the country, but it is also one of the most rewarding. It is an opportunity that few are given, so don't waste your time. While you are here, you will grow up and become an adult. You will form some life-long relationships, and if you survive, you will thrive anywhere.
-Sun Kim (Mechanical Engineering), Susie Lee
I absolutely love my school and I wouldn't change it at all! It's probably the most stressful, hard, and demanding thing I've done up to now but that's what I love about it! It's a challenge and it really is intense but the people I've met, my friends, help me through it all and I love that! The community at MIT is amazing too, there are so many different people on campus both mainstream and off-stream (I guess that's how you say it?) but that makes everyday much better in an open and accepting campus.
-College Freshman
Dude, MIT Rocks.
Ok, now that I have that out of the way, and anyone who judges reviews by the first line has stopped reading: MIT is actually pretty good. The coursework is difficult, true, and it can feel like you're drowning, but overall the experience can actually be pretty positive.First, you have to make sure that you have good friends; a good support group. It may seem like you won't have time at MIT for friends and fun, but it's critical that you don't just lock yourself away and expect to succeed in isolation. That's a surefire way to go crazy. Trust me - I did. I had to drop out (medical leave of absence). However, unlike (at least) one of the previous posters, the deans were very helpful and supportive of me getting back in, once I got therapy and help and showed I had a support network and proper plans in place. They want you to succeed (they want every student to succeed), but not at the cost of your health. [Sidebar: Whether that comes from truly caring about students or a fear of lawsuits, I could not say. I got back in after taking 2 years off, finished off my degree, and learned a lot from the experience. If you take things to excess, whether studying or partying, you'll regret it.
If you survive MIT, anything the "real world" throws at you will be a piece of cake. On an unrelated note to all of this, I found that, like anywhere, most of the professors were helpful, but some decidedly sucked. Most of the TA's had open door policies, but some were jealous a-holes and would mark bright students down (easy to get around if you just acted fumbling around them as asked for help) for minor errors. Most of the students are very friendly and feel just as unsure as you (or anyone), but some are arrogant snobs who need their kneecaps kicked in. There's not going to be a one-size-fits-all experience, but as long as you find people with similar interests, you work diligently, but not all-consumingly (not a word, I know) at your studies, and you ensure that above all, you take care of yourself, going to MIT will be one of the best experiences of your life. And the fact that it's right next to Boston doesn't hurt either.
-Male Computer Science Student
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
WPI is a great place to have flexibility to pursue what you want in learning especially with a focus on science and technology. The IQP or the junior year project is a great way to work in an interdisciplinary team on a social issue abroad. Many students are able to travel abroad and work on a real world problem. I worked for an NGO in Africa. The Faculty are very accessible and they have office hours to get help. They are approachable and as a faculty they pride themselves to be reachable for the undergraduate students. Even though they are hard at work with research, they understand that WPI is about the students and their learning. The WPI plan is a unique education system that is different and innovative for STEM education. The project work really helped me in the long run in preparing me for the professional career.
- 4th Year Male
WPI's curriculum of Theory and Practice is still unique in its field, and is the best aspect of the University. No where else can you gain a unique perspective on the impact of technology on society. Their education with industry options are fantastic, and the opportunities to do industry sponsored projects as part of the Major qualifying Project (MQP) are second to none.
-Logan B.
This school is amazing. The pace seems just right for me, with a mixture of fast paced and moderate workload. I have learned a lot more than I thought was possible in so little time. The people here are great too. I have made so many friends and met so many amazingly talented people. I would choose this school again a million times.
- Sophomore
Northeastern University
The nursing program at northeastern was exceptional. the coop advisors were great resources for finding valuable work experiences. I, like many other students at the time was all able to work in the fields of nursing that i had interest in. I networked and learned so much first hand on co-op. I really dont know where my career would be without co-op. Just to have the opportunity and access to the top hospitals in Boston and around the nation was a big help. Having done 3 coops in boston, my only regret was not taking the opportunity to work/intern "anywhere" there was a job... Some people in my class went to hawaii, wherever their homestate was ot even out of the country. Both the classroom and clinical experiences provided a comprehensive education for the nursing profession. I am a proud alumni of Northeastern and it's nursing program.
-Female Nursing Student
The Good:
I got a job one month after graduation, at a top five in the nation hospital. I feel well prepared from a character point of view for the real world and am grateful for my co-op experiences. I have maintained my connections to my Career Advisor (They are fantastic, something to definitely take advantage of). I was a tour guide and loved every minute of it.
The Bad:
I was not prepared intellectually for my job. Luckily, I am a fast learner, but my friends and I agree that many of our professors didn't care to have us learn, only to keep their tenure. Also, I am up to my ears in debt, even though I got a decent scholarship and grants. Think about what happens after college-feeling like you are drowning in bills is not a feeling I wish on anyone. Finally, I am sure you have heard of the "Northeastern Shuffle". This means that no one seems to know the answer to your question, and you get shuffled from department to department, getting no where. BE PROACTIVE with the administration, that is the only way around the shuffle.
The Ugly:
The president's salary is currently 7 figures. Think about that for a second....and tuition is now over 50K. There's a bureaucracy going on here...Bottom line, if you are excited about college and want to make the most of it, this is a good place for you.
-Female Biology Student
Villanova University
Everyone's academic experience will vary depending on major, but if you stick with your interests Villanova surely has a strong program in your field! The business kids are highly sought after, and Villanova's Accounting, Finance, and International Business programs (from my limited business school knowledge) are especially strong. (The internships and opportunities these kids get are seriously high-profile). The engineering schools and nursing schools I know less about, though I know that they have very strong programs as well (and are more competitive application-wise). For liberal arts, I can only really speak to the phenomenal political science dept. (ranked #8 undergrad poly-sci by USA Today), but communications is huge and they have some really cool resources. Biggest majors (appear) to include communications, political science, biology (huge pre-med population).
Organizations are huge, and where you're bound to meet most of your friends! I was involved with Special Olympics and it was most fun experiences I?ve had ? no exaggeration. There are a bazillion other organizations to suit your interests! Service is HUGE on campus. If you attend Villanova it is highly likely you will be involved in some type of service event or organization at some point in your college career. The University puts a commendable emphasis on this in part of its message of UNITAS, VERITAS, and CARITAS. Large and well-known organizations include Blue Key (tour guides) Orientation, Band, A Cappella, but there are literally HUNDREDS of organizations to suit your every interest!
-Second Year Male Student
Villanova has an extremely strong East Coast influence, reflected by the student body. If I had to guess, I'd say at least 75% of the student body is from Philly, NJ, NYC, and Long Island. If you are from west of here, really make sure you do your homework and make sure you fit in here before committing here. I made the mistake of coming here, and after 2 years of trying to force it to work I am finally transferring out.Outside of the student body and social side of Villanova, the academics are excellent. This is clearly evidenced by the faculty, who really care that their students are successful in and beyond the classroom.
-Second Year Female Mechanical Engineering Student
Villanova is an amazing university if you take advantage of all it has to offer. The University offers many programs and chances for you to network that will help you get into the business world and hopefully jumpstart your career. Most people are friendly, approachable, and eager to meet people. Some faculty members are intimidating, but for the most part they are there to help you succeed. The coursework is easier than expected and is strongly based in theory, reading, and discussion. The school is accepting of all religions; however, if you are non-christian this may not be the school for you. Service is highly valued.
-First Year Female Student
Carnegie Mellon University
It is a college where, unless maybe you're in Tepper, you are going to be working day and night. 3-4 hours of sleep a day is often very common for weeks at a time. Be sure you are ready to constantly challenge yourself. If you are tired there will be a party happening almost every weekend, mostly in frats but you won't really want to go every weekend. it is not a party school but honestly all this hardwork is totally worth it. the faculty and your friends will inspire you support you and push you to be your best and as an alum put it. This will be "The best time of my life I never wanna relive"
-First Year Female Student
Students at CMU spend a lot of time working and professors have high expectation. This makes the social life not as good as a less rigorous college. However, I came out of CMU a much smarter person and better problem solver than I came in as. It is very easy to get involved with research, and there are a lot of students clubs. Pittsburgh is a decent city to go to college in. CMU also is a bit less bureaucratic than many other top tier universities is. CMU is a great size. It's big enough that there's lots of opportunities and recruiters know about the school, but small enough that you will be able to get to know your classmates and professors.
-Fourth Year Female Biology Student
