Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Top Questions

The best thing about RPI is that if you are studying engineering or science, the education is amazing. The teachers are good, the classes are rigorous, but you come out with a great education. The school is definitely on the small side, but not so small as to be uncomfortable. While you can still maintain anonymity, it is not surprising to run into friends while walking around campus. Professors get to develop a close relationship with their students too. The town is making a come-back, so while some will go on about how sketchy downtown Troy is, there's a lot of diverse restaurants: ranging from Cuban to Indian food, as well as several cafes in the area.

The best thing about RPI as a student are the opportunities to get involved in research and participate in student activities. Socially, the best thing is the openness and interaction in residence halls and around campus. One thing I would change is the major focus on engineering, especially as there are five other Schools of study here. Whenever I tell someone I go to RPI, the immediate response is "What kind of engineer are you?" and people seem very surprised when I tell them I am a Chemistry major. I spend most of my time on campus in the Chemistry building (as a graduate student, research tends to consume most of my time). Troy has a number of opportunities for off campus activities. The local restaurants and pubs have a wide variety of live entertainment, seasonal celebrations, and food selections. The year-round Farmer's Market is great for picking up delicious fresh ingredients and items you won't find anywhere else. The biggest recent controversy on campus has been the faculty governance issue, but traditionally tends to revolve around the Greek system and underage drinking.

There is hardly any school pride, but most people not in student government are okay with that. People love to complain about there being nothing to do in Troy. They are wrong. There's lots to do, but you have to actually look. It's RPI, not Rensselaer.

RPI is very reputable and you can find faculty who really do care about students and their learning - although you do find those who are more research-focused. I find RPI to be a very good size, personally - the campus isn't too overwhelmingly large like other larger universities, however it's not intensely small where you feel you can't go anywhere without seeing someone who knows you or you know. Most people don't know about RPI that much - but if they do, they recognize the name as being a very good school, mostly for science, technology and of course, engineering. I'm proud to say that I go to RPI and I definitely know it has helped me when searching for career opportunities. I spend most of my time on campus in the Student Union where most people tend to work in groups. The coursework I've come to have recently many times requires groups to help better learn the material. There is no real "college town". Downtown Troy is not the best neighborhood, however it has great potential - with all the small-town shops and cafes, it's a shame the community doesn't help to maintain a more lively scene. Every-other store is vacant, however you'll find some of the most entertaining and unique shops and coffeehouses sporadically located. If only a developer helps to bring the city back on it's feet and provide the finances to get things running like they had been many years ago - I feel like then students would be more inclined to go downtown and visit the shops and hang out. Although I admit, with the coursework and activities which I am a part of, it leaves very limited time to devote to exploring the neighborhood - but I would still love to see Troy refurbished without RPI taking over all the jobs and basically the entire town living off RPI's employment. I feel like school pride is hit or miss. There are those who are very animate about the school and follow sports teams or do what they can to promote the school. Then there are others who mostly just complain about the same things - too much work, bad male to female ratio, nothing to do on campus. To that - I say it's mostly on the students to make what they want out of college. RPI offers a ton of clubs for any interest, and are even willing to start an additional group with funding if enough interest in forming a group is displayed. I don't have much sympathy for those who are unhappy with where they are but don't do anything to change it - you need to find your own way, things won't always just fall into your lap, you need to be proactive about living a fulfilling and happy life and that starts with how you deal with things in college which you are unhappy about.

I got a good education from RPI. People on the East Coast know the school and it has a good reputation. There's alot of things I would change, but most of it is asking for too much. There's also alot of things that don't need changing. The school is a good size, maybe a little small, but if it were any bigger there would be alot of campus to be walking around. The best thing about RPI is the friends I made while I was there. I was lucky to have met friends Freshman year who I lived with and hung out with for 4 years and we continue to keep in touch. Troy is great. Which sounds lame, but downtown Troy is a treasure that people over look. There are many restaurants, lunch places, bars and of course, there's I loves.

Best thing about RPI: The education. The department of Chemical Engineering is very high quality in course difficulty and professor ability. One thing I would change: The ratio (of men to women). RPI is just about right. Big enough to keep meeting new people, small enough so I'm not just a statistic--I'm an individual who matters. I spend a lot of time in a lot of different places, I can't single out one. Troy Sucks. But at least there is plenty to do on campus, so it barely even matters IMO. Biggest controversey on campus recently: the president/provost shutting down the faculty senate. Yes, RPI has school pride--mostly evident at hockey games, and when we compare the quality of our degrees to other places. Frequent student complaints: the ratio (again) and homework.

The best thing about RPI is definitely the people here. Everyone is smart, at your level or above. If you want to make a dorky science joke, almost everyone here will get it. There's also a ton of activities on campus, from intramurals, to clubs (I think it's over 175 now, and all of the funds for those clubs are student-controlled), to events like movies, dances, lectures, or performances. The one thing I'd like to change about RPI is the lack of communication between the administration and students. The administration doesn't consult with students about important decisions, such as the almost-finished EMPAC building on campus for graduate art students, or the now-being-built Athletic Village. If they bothered to connect about important issues such as this construction and other issues, there would be a lot less unhappiness with the administration in the student body. I love the size of RPI. It's a medium-sized school (about 5,000 students), and it feels like the perfect size to me. I can walk to my classes on campus and see enough people that I know to feel like I belong, but I don't feel like I'm seeing the same old people constantly. I'm fairly local, so when I tell people I go to RPI, they are impressed because it's known for being a good school. Most people first ask if I'm going for science or engineering when they hear I'm at RPI, because it's known as an engineering school. I spend most of my time on campus in the classrooms, and study areas near the classrooms, as well as in the dorms. There is also a lot to do immediately outside of campus. Troy is not completely a college town yet, but it is slowly being revitalized and there are a lot of great restaurants and whatnot to hang out in downtown. There is also Albany, the capital, about a 15-minute drive away. One experience I'll always remember at RPI is the Freshman Orientation program. It really was an amazing introduction to RPI and the people here, and got me so excited for college. I met a ton of people in those 2 days, and I'm still friends with a lot of them. It gives you the chance to meet people right away, so once you move in, you've already made some friends. I became a Student Orientation Advisor this summer because I had such a great experience myself when I went through the program.

RPI is among the best as far as education goes. The professors are some of the leading people in their fields. We get to take part in their research and in their genius. One side effect of this, however, is that they often don't want to be bothered in teaching you. They would rather be doing their research. It's understandable. For someone who needs extra motivation to do well this isn't good at all. If the topic is your favorite flavor in life then you'll be taught by the best of the best. I had little if not any help in my career formation at RPI. One thing they don't do is help guide you. You need to do that on your own. Make friends and ask them about it.

The best thing about RPI is all of the opportunities that it provides. From studying abroad and going on co-ops or internships to simply the vast variety of clubs and activities, there is something for everyone. If there's one thing I would change (besides the painstaking process of trying to spell the school's name right!), it would have to improving the guidance department because they don't really help. For me, the school size is just right. When I tell people that I go to RPI, they tell me about how they know that it's a good school (although one can get the occasional "I've never heard of it."). I spend most of time on campus chilling in my dorm and doing things with the pep band. RPI and "college town" are two phrases that one does not use in the same sentence without be laughed at. Although Brown's is excellent, Troy stinks (literally and figuratively). 'Nuff said (although Albany and especially Latham are really nice and they're both only a short drive away). RPI's administration is at the top of their game. They always know what they're talking about and if they don't, they strive to find the right answer. I suppose the biggest recent controversy on campus would have to be the issue of the faculty senate, but frankly, I couldn't care less. Students take much pride in RPI (try to go one day without seeing ten students wearing an RPI sweatshirt). One thing that's unusual about RPI is that we have two mascots! YEAH PUCKMAN AND REDHAWK (and also Alby, the albino squirrel, may he rest in peace)!! One experience that I will always remember is NRB because I had such an amazing time making new friends and playing games!

My favorite thing about RPI is the campus layout and the people here. I can't wait to come back at the end of the summer because I miss the people. The size is small, which to me is great. When I tell people I go to RPI, most assume I'm an engineer, which I'm not, but its still fun going to a highly recognized school. Troy isn't quite a college town, but there is still plenty to do. The experiences I'll remember most is working with the RPI Annual Fund, calling alums, which also happens to be the job I met my fiance at. Most frequent complaints are the ratio, and there is nothing to do. Once again, college is what you make it. If you're complaining about a ratio, chances are the ratio isn't really what your problem is.

RPI has a really good name, and that helps everyone get a good paying job out of college. The tuition and room and board costs are ridiculous, even with all of the scholarships available. College kids have not usually heard of RPI unless they are local, but business know the name. I spend most of the time hanging out in dorms or up at fraternities. RIBS (ratio induced *WITCH* syndrome) posters were the most recent, because they were 'attacking' a set group of people, but it was worked out.

I love the sense of family and community at RPI. Since there aren't too many students you always see someone you know when walking between classes. It is really nice to recognize people and to have people looking out for you and to have your best interest at heart. I would not change the size of the school. Any more students, and it would lose its personal feel, any fewer and it probably would be boring, or just there wouldn't be enough to do. Most people don't know about RPI, unless they know someone that has gone there. It is an amazing school that provides a great education, yet it is really unknown. I spend most of my time on or near campus. On the weekends I go to a lot of friends' apartments that are a few blocks from campus. The whole area is really just a bunch of college students. There is a lot of school pride when it comes to Hockey, but the other sports are kinda forgotten about.

I would say Greek Life is the best thing about campus. I would have to say it was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Especially being a girl at RPI where there are not nearly as many girls as there are boys it was a great way to meet people. For someone not wanting to ever leave highschool or all my friends, its hard to beleive that I have made such close friendships with the girls that I know call my sisters. I would have to say I have stronger and closer friendships with them from just knowing them a year or two than I have with my friends from highschool.

RPI is awesome. And insane. And insanely awesome. I love the elective classes they offer here. I love the teachers. I love the lab opportunities. I love how well I fit in with the other people who chose to go here. Ok, so the core classes are kind of big--I'd take Intro to Bio and split it up, making bio for bio majors and bio for other majors, both to make it smaller and to make it more interesting for biologists without murdering everybody else. And the Ochem class is huge. But for the most part, now that I'm through almost all of my core classes, the elective classes are a perfect size. I have about 25 in my Extracellular Matrix class, and there's only 9 in my Advanced Cell class. I know I'm not a typical student, being a bio major, but it's ok--other engineering classes are like this too, or so I'm told. The one thing I did face on entering RPI is that, when everyone asked where I was going, the first reaction was, "Isn't that like 3 guys to a girl? Why would you, as a girl, want to go there?" This is a totally unfounded question, at least for me. I am never the only girl in a class, and I do have a lot of girl friends, as well as my guy friends. When I'm here, I spend a lot of time in two places (outside of class, of course): the library and the biotech center. The biotech doesn't really count, since I have a job there, but the library is an amazing place to hang out, even if you're not doing work. I only wish they had a better fiction section. Last week I was in the library with a friend of mine, and we'd had such a stressful week that she and I just made paper airplanes out of scrap and played with them. We didn't bother anyone and they didn't bother us--we were just able to relax. I've had some really special times here, but the one I'll remember the most was when all of my friends dressed up and brought a tablecloth and wineglasses and fancy plates and candles and flowers and grapejuice in wine bottles to Commons dining hall and had a formal dinner. It was a totally random day, but one of my friends suggested it so I planned it out. I heard some people did it again this year, too, but it wasn't my friends. I'll always remember walking to Walmart to buy a frying pan, baking cookies in the dormitories, and our insane library parties freshman year. I love that this school brought us all together, not to sound all sappy and everything, but seriously, I am so thankful. The community here is amazing.

I personally LOVE the earth and environmental sciences department (EES), there are some great professors, they always have food, and everyone in the department undergrads, grads, and professors just enjoy being at RPI, and treat you like you are a friend and not just some numbered undergrad. A lot of people come here for school, hoping when they get out they will be making $$$$, they need to learn to follow what they want to do instead of following their wallet. (thats what i would change). I think the size of RPI is excellent. My classes in the EES department, range from 5 people to a max of 30 people. The freshman classes can tend to be larger. Other departments can have larger/smaler classes depending on who has to take the class (all the engineers or just the civil engineers... ). Its a good mix of large and small, and its really easy to meet people in your classes, you start to recognize them, or become friends with them. When i tell people i go to RPI, they say, oh man you must be smart/a nerd. Its not really the case, i just work hard and get things done. Most of my time on campus is in my classes, being an RA in my hall, or with friends. Some parts of TROY, can be considered a college town, however there are a lot of residents of Troy. It's not a total college town, but its a decent mix between the city of troy and a college town. RPI's administration, well, there are some problems, but i think they will get worked out, like every school. Biggest recent controversy on campus was with RPI's administration, if you are interested please read about the faculty senate. (2007-2008). For school pride, it depends. You can find people who have a lot of it, and you can find people who dont. Just go to the hockey games, and you will see that the people there have a lot of pride, while singing school songs and chants. However, not all students go to the hockey game, and not all students participate. Its mixed. RPI, everything is unusual, you'll get used to it. Most frequent student complaints, well, recently its the city of troy and rpi not plowing roads or closing campus when it needs to be closed, the school has a lot of commuter students and they dont really do a good job at plowing the roads, and school doesnt get closed.

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.

RPI is a school designed to funnel rich white kids with no ambition into generic high-paying jobs they don't care about. It's exceedingly good at this, and most people here have no problem with this system (and actively promote it). There's no "campus community" outside of this goal, and the surrounding area makes it hard to get away from the system even if you want to. The only significant political activity in the past four years has been when they tried to ban drinking from public areas in fraternities, and these four years include the board of trustees dissolving the faculty senate. You'd think the students would care about that. If you have no goals for college that aren't "party a lot" or "get a high-paying job," RPI is the perfect school for you. I'm not being facetious - for most of the student body, this is exactly what they're here for, and they're getting it in spades. There are some pockets of the institution that aren't like this, like the arts department, the cognitive science department, and I assume the architecture department (even though I've never actually met any of them). For everything engineering or management, though, this is exactly what's going on, and this culture permeates the entire school such that it's impossible to escape no matter where you are.

RPI does offer many opportunities. You really have to go out and get them though. The very first thing I would change is how much control the President and her cabinet has on the Institute. The school is the appropriate size for a college. Big enough so that there is diversity. Small enough where a lot of people know your name. I get mixed reactions when I tell people I go to RPI. I spend most of my time at the Union. It is probably the building with the least control from the Institute. School pride needs work.

The best thing about RPI is the amount of activities and fraternities that they have available on campus. There is always something going on and you should never feel as if there is nothing to do. I think the size of the school is just right. When I tell people that I went to RPI, the majority of the time I get no reaction from them. Most likely they have never heard of the school if they are not academics themselves. Some people who are in the science world however are impressed with where I go to school, because they know about the reputation it has within the engineering and scientific community. The place to spend most of your time on Campus is in the student union. The library is quiet and it's for hardcore studiers. The union is for people who want to work and talk with their friends while they are doing it. College town? Maybe. There are some locations downtown which do draw students down, but rarely on an individual basis. There are some nice coffee shops which are pleasant if your friends are willing to go with you. Don't expect to go down there and see other students just hanging out. There are some good pizza places and one bar which you will see filled with college students on weekend nights. RPI has just bought the Best Western hotel downtown and they are going to convert it into dorms, that will help to make it more of a college town. The campus and downtown is currently separated by a very steep hill. It's no picnic to go downtown and then have to walk back up. The most frequent student complaint is that there aren't enough girls at RPI.

RPI's size is just perfect! It's small enough where you can get personalized attention from professors and constantly run into friends on campus, but large enough to not feel trapped in a small social environment. Troy is a pretty crappy town, but RPI has been putting a lot of money into it recently and it's really improving! It will take some time, but I've been here 4 years and am seeing many improvements. It is a cheap place to live, so many artists who can't afford to live in big cities like New York are coming in. More and more coffee shops and galleries are opening up downtown, and it's slowly turning into a nicer place. The president, Shirley Ann Jackson, is corrupt and full of awful policies that will drive RPI down. We are known for our engineering and science departments, and in trying to make RPI a University, she is taking money away from these departments and giving them to the Art department instead. While it would be great to improve art at RPI, it should not happen as a detriment to the programs that are RPI's strengths and selling points. They are trying to change the name to Rensselaer University; this is met with disagreement from students, who like the RPI name. Furthermore, she recently stirred up controversy with faculty for cutting their pensions, and students for placing harsh restrictions on their social life.

I love RPI. I came from a small private school, and RPI seemed to be the perfect fit. The campus and community are small enough to where you know certain people, but not small enough that you always know everyone. If I could change one thing about RPI I would change its location. I like to go to hockey games, we are not that good, but there seems to be a lot of school spirit associated with it, and it is fun.

RPI, that conjures all kinds of images in my mind, some good, some bad. Here is a list of the good and bad things at RPI Good: The fact that RPI is the perfect size for a university with 6,000 undergrads. The fact that at RPI you will find like minded inviduals no matter what your interests are. At RPI everyone is of a certain caibur and you know here that you can have an intelligent conversation with anyone on campus. RPI has a lot of events to go to on campus. Since RPI is not in a college town, a lot of what goes on happens on campus. That means something you want to do is always within walking distance. Bad: Troy, NY is one of the worst towns I have ever been to, it looks very run down and hardly anyone from RPI goes down there for anything. Troy is not a college town and is just kind of a shitty place. The ratio is somewhat of a problem. Having 3:1 men to women means that finding a girl will be a challenge but not impossible. You would be surprised about how many single girls there are. RPI is a great school in my opinion, and the only real problem with it is the fact that it is located in Troy, NY.

People who have heard of the school tend to be impressed as the school is well-known as being prestigious. Pretty much everyone is at least a little bit nerdy in some way. I spend a lot of time at home with my friends, partly because the town RPI is in (Troy) is a pretty terrible area for just hanging out.

When I tell people I go to RPI, most people look at me like i am nuts. Mostly because not many people out on the west coast have heard of the school, people in the engineering, and science field are the ones who have heard of the school. When I am on campus i spend my time equally between the Union and the Mueller Center (the gym). With the clubs i run on campus are located and so I am madly running between all of them. The best thing about RPI is the people, there are many things to dislike and hate about RPI, from the administration to Troy, to classes, TA's that don't speak english, but at the end of the day the reason you stay year after year is the people are what make the school. I came from a small private school, and so I think the student body at RPI is just the right size, smaller enough to make a group of friends but big enough to not know everyone. Troy is not a college town, don't try and let anyone convince you otherwise. Students stay for the most part on the hill and party and hang out at the surrounding apartments or frat houses. Albany is a college town, but for the most part RPI students don't venture that far. If i could change one thing about RPI, it would be the surrounding town. I wish Troy had businesses that attract college students. For example, a few stores like Gap, American Eagle or some boutiques, a couple of cheap chain resturants and a movie theatre would be nice. It would encourage students to stay in troy then to have to travel to Albany or Latham for these things. Troy doesn't even have its own Starbucks!

RPI has a good name. There are a buttload of clubs, and it's not hard to be involved if you try. There's always something going on, even if it seems like theres not. Movies almost (if not every) weekend. The town of Troy is not very great, and everything shuts down early, but it is nice to walk in sometimes. There is not much to do around in the area within walking distance. It can be a bit boring at times, but it's not unbearable.

Best thing about RPI - easily the friends I've made over my years here. One thing I'd change - the weather because a lot of winter sucks. The size of RPI is just right. When I tell people I go to RPI they normally say I am super smart! I spend most of my time on campus (when not in class) at the gym. It's not a college town environment, but Troy does have a lot to offer and is a ton of fun. I haven't had much contact with RPI's administration. There's school pride when it comes to men's hockey - but that's about it. I will always remember my experiences with field hockey. I would have to say as an Arts student, by biggest complaint is West Hall. It's an extremely old building and it's falling down the hill. It's so noisy and it's distracting. I wish there was a newer building for Arts students - and EMPAC is not it to clarify.

The school is a great size, I think, not too big but not too small (hey Clarkson). It's also great to have on a resume that you went or go here, but you definitely work for it. The administration gets old fast, but I'm pretty sure it's the same with all schools. Hockey's really big here, and almost everyone goes to the hockey games (unless you're playing WoW or something). One of the worst things though is that, for being an architecture and engineering school, everything's built AWFUL around here.

Just right. the surrounding town is not too nice and is snows alot. Im am not a fan of cold and snow but there are plenty of people that ski and enjoy it.

The best thing about RPI is definitely the people here. The people that go here are generally the types that were the “smart kid” in their high schools. The only difference between that and RPI is that here everyone is like that. You won’t have to dumb yourself down just to have a conversation, so you can pretty much be yourself and no one will have a problem with it. Overall, the people at RPI are the smartest, nicest bunch of people you’ll ever get to know. Outside of New York, when I tell people that I go to RPI I usually get a response of, “Oh, that’s in Rochester, right?” or “what’s RPI?” Actually, I had never heard of RPI before my high school guidance counselor suggested that it might be a good fit for me. Around the area though, RPI has a reputation for being an excellent school, and is especially well known by employers. People hang out in the Union a lot to do homework. The school has tried to renovate the place to give it more of a social atmosphere, but it’s not quite at the point where people will generally hang out there to do anything besides homework. Other than that freshman dorms are generally open-door unless you’re completely antisocial, and are the other big place to hang out on campus that isn’t a dining hall. Speaking of dining halls, make sure you eat dinner at Sage dining hall Monday-Thursday as Tofu Tim, the resident chef, is always cooking up something good. RPI is located in Troy, NY, but in reality it is completely isolated from the city of Troy. The school is built on a hill next to downtown, so it’s always a close walk. You’re most likely not going to want to go too far north or south in Troy, especially at night as those places can get to be a little sketchy. Downtown is pretty safe though, and while on campus I’ve never felt unsafe at night, even walking alone. In this way Troy is a college town, but not so much yet that Troy is synonymous with RPI. School spirit on campus is the same as most other things on campus – either you have it or you don’t. There isn’t a whole lot of middle ground here, as people that have a lot of school spirit can be very hard core when it comes to supporting the school and its athletics, and those that don’t have school spirit are apathetic in general. These two groups of people coexist pretty peacefully, but neither really understands the other. The one exception here is the Big Red Freakout game, which is the biggest hockey game of the year on campus. Here everyone typically gets out and shows school spirit for at least one day (the parties definitely help with this). Food at the Commons dining hall usually draws a lot of complaints. The food isn’t terrible, but the food will destroy your insides for a couple weeks until your body gets used to it. I don’t know if there’s any real reason, but fewer people tend to feel like this after eating at Sage or BARH dining halls, so that’s probably something to look out for.

The best thing about RPI is that it is a great school if you want to do engineering. If you don't want to do science or engineering, go elsewhere because the Career Center will be of no help to you. Because I am not an engineering or science major, when I was looking for a summer internship several interviewers said they have never heard of RPI and questioned my school choice. RPI is located in Troy, NY, a downtrodden area with dismal weather. However, Albany and Saratoga Springs are nearby, and downtown Troy is improving with new restaurants and cafes located in beautiful historical buildings. President Shirley Ann Jackson is on a mission to increase RPI's prestige but there is considerable discord between the faculty and administration. The administration disbanded the faculty senate earlier this year and is notorious for its authoritarian stance. Jackson has also preferred to spend millions on a new athletic facility and performing arts center while classrooms and upperclassman dorms are in need of repair. There isn't a great sense of community past freshman year since upperclassmen are allowed to move off campus and many do to save thousands of dollars in rent.

RPI is kind of a bubble. The student body is comprised mostly of middle- to upper-class individuals, and the surrounding area isn't exactly the most affluent. However, Troy tends to be what you make it. Despite its somewhat unforgiving appearance, there are actually quite a few interesting shops and areas to explore. But, most students spend most of their time on campus, working, socializing, or wasting time (pick accordingly by due dates of projects). Despite the amount of complaining we can do, most of us are rather proud to be here and happy to spend our time in the company of those who share the same passions (or can commiserate over certain classes and whatnot).