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Best thing: the people. Bright ambitious people go to RPI.

One thing I'd change: the administration. It seems to care more about itself and less about people.

School size: we could be larger. We could use more women. MANY MORE WOMEN.

People's reaction to RPI: they have no idea where it is, or they are slightly impressed.

Where I spend most of my time: In my dorm room. That's just a statistic, though; nothing important happens here, just sleeping.

College town status: not. There's a lot of pent up resentment in the local community that inhibits the college's influence.

Opinion of RPI's administration: indifferent. Maybe I'd have an opinion if they paid any attention to us.

Biggest recent controversy: The administration's overnight policy change regarding Greek life and alcohol, without consulting the student body.

School pride: not really. People are more proud of themselves than of RPI.

Unusual bits: We've got tunnels connecting buildings. Many buildings on campus are either sliding downhill or sinking into the ground. And there is perpetual cloud coverage over Troy.

An unforgettable experience: I can't remember one.

Most frequent student complaints: administrative negligence of some sort.

My profs try to know my name, and many of them know me personally. That's nice. My favorite classes have always been independent study courses, where I can work on long, envelope-pushing projects. Apart from those, I did enjoy Hypermedia: Art in Fiction with Pat Search. My least favorite class so far has been Multimedia Century, not because of the course or even because of the professor, but because of the classroom environment. I don't "study" study too often, but I strengthen my understanding by applying what I do in class (so highly theoretical courses don't surmount to bupkis). Class participation is much mroe common in small sections. RPI students' conversations are ALWAYS either intellectual or completely stupid, with about a 50-50 split. We are competitive.

My most unique class at RPI has been IEE, a 1-credit electronics foundation course. That was a lot of fun. My major is Electronic Media, Arts and Communication, the 2nd-best major on campus. RPI is like Emerald City for EMAC-type folks. Our department is overflowing with ambitious creative types.

I tend not to hang out with professors outside of class, but when I do, it is usually due to social or cultural events with some regard to my professors' specialties. RPI's academic requirements are intended to round us out as individuals, and I think it works. Our education is sometimes career-focused, but some majors (like ARTS and CSCI) are highly theoretical.

There are some crazy Republicans on campus. Not all Republicans are crazy; some of them, including ones here, are nice and agreeable people. But we've got some crazy backwater bigot baboons here, country boys who were raised in barns. College should be a wake-up call for them, but sometimes it isn't. Our on-campus Republican organization is one of our stupidest student collectives.

Who'd feel out of place here? Floridans. Liberal arts majors. Literature majors. We're a polytech, with a very small number of women. Do the math.

Most students wear coats and backpacks to class. Smart ones wear boots.

Students tend to interact with other like-minded students. We're a stubborn bunch, I think, and very proud. Most of us form sets of small friend circles that overlap.

People come from many financial backgrounds here, and RPI has a work-study system that allows less monetarily endowed students to earn some dough.

We're predominantly liberal, politically. And we tend not to talk about money, unless we're blasting the tuition costs.

GROUND ZERO is a music venue on campus that ROCKS. There's also RPI Hockey, though the crowd tends to be more interesting nowadays than the game. Some dorms have an open-door policy, other's don't. Athletic events are typically unpopular- hockey being the exception. We have guests from other colleges and industry tycoons, a comedy group or two, a "playhouse" (that's theater) with a whole frat dedicated to it... a movie theater... we got activities covered.

Dating can be tough. Where do you take your date in Troy? The pizzeria? And where are you going to find a date?

I met my closest friends in freshman year. We were on the same floor, and either had compatible personalities or an overwhelming number of shared interests, usually both. I've got a lot of friends.

At 2AM on Tuesday, I'm either doing homework, sleeping, or burning some midnight oil on an evil scientist type of project.

Annual traditions include the Big Red Freakout (a hockey fan event), the walk for cancer, GM week (where we hold union elections), and a few other neat events. Family orientation day counts, I guess.

I don't do frats. A lot of other people do, though, so, whatever boats your float.

Last weekend I chilled out, prepared for an interview and acted as a host for my visiting parents.

The most common stereotype is that a typical RPI student does not want to socialize with other people- that is, not in the conventional way. And mostly not at all. The RPI stereotype is a white male virgin, who is talented but scatterbrained, and avoids other people lest they discover these things about him.

Four other stereotypes include the hard-working Archie major, the idiotic Management major and the "Easy-Mac" lazy EMAC major.

They weren't pulled from thin air, I'll tell you that much. We have some social barriers at RPI, which accentuate the awkward elements in students' personalities. That said, most of the major-specific stereotypes are either shared with other colleges and originate from popular culture, or are generated by ignorance.

RPI might not be a famous Ivy League constituent (anymore), but we're making a comeback. I have never met so many ambitious people. We've got serious drive.