Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Top Questions

What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

Chris

The work load is super hard, and sometimes to the point of it being discouraging. There is a disconnect between some of the teachers and the students but overall its just a hard school with hard classes.

cheryl

The Internet server overloads late at night when all of the students are done with homework and begin their online gaming obsessions.

Nathan

The most frustrating aspect of RPI is the required math and science courses that I need to graduate but do not affect my future career plans, and don't interest me. If I didn't have to take those, I would have been able to take more video / audio classes.

Michelle

There is no language department and a lack of English/Literature classes due to recent cuts. Also, this is a very hard school to transition into if you come from a small school with few AP/IB classes. The classes are very challenging and you are competing with some of the most intelligent students in the nation and around the world. There are many foreign professors and students and sometimes it is hard to bridge the language barrier.

Maureen

Some of the professors at RPI frustrate me. RPI hires brilliant, talented professors who are involved in and bring to the university ground-breaking research; however, some do not seem to have the correct techniques to teach students what they know. Some lecturers can be difficult to follow because they use overly-sophisticated vocabulary, or because they jump around in their thoughts. I believe this is due mostly to their not being accustomed to talking to people who do not yet have vast knowledge of the subject at hand.

Lucas

It was difficult to adapt to the teaching styles at my school compared to high school. I didnt get much assitance during the year and didn't do as well academically as i had hoped. It is difficult to meet grils at my school because of the 3:1 ratio.

Theresa

Engligh was not the first language for most Professors and TA's so they are often difficult to understand. Also, they usually were more interested in their research than their students.

Grace

the weather and everything is drinking

Stephanie

A few frustrating things are the weather (it rains and is quite windy all the time) and sometimes the unsociable males on campus.

Rashad

The heavy cousre load at my school puts alot of pressure on students. Most students are tired all the time & often lack sleep. Many professors do not understand what the students go through. Keep in mind financial aid & the rising tuition are factors that play into the growing and maybe past frustration towards the school.

Elisha

The most frusterating thing is probably how a students progress is measured. It is measured based solely on tests.

Michael

The faculty and staff tend to help only up to a point. Tech support only goes so far to help with your computer problems; if they can't figure it out then they just drop it. Professors are the same way, if they can't figure out the problem on their own and they're not the type to compromise with their students than the student is left to fend for themselves. At this school, it's very easy to coast but as soon as there's a major problem, it's hard to find the help you need.

angela

has a really strong architecture program but not liberal arts department

Adam

A lot of the undergrads that go here aren't as socially confident as one would expect from a school known for being so innovative. People resort to drinking or playing video games, rather than trying new things, which can be very frustrating to students who are looking for relationships that promote growth and happiness, instead of the same drinking scene I got bored of in high school. Overall, I like it here and I have found people I consider good friends, but I just wish peopel wouldn't be so close minded.

Steven

The workload

Dan

The resistance to doing anything practical shared by faculty and students.

Benjamin

obsene amounts of work and a complete lack of girls

Sara

It's a lot of work in a short period of time and a lot is expected from you.

Jamel

The most frustrating thing is trying to find a job while also worrying about my work.

Hannah

There is a TON of focus on prospective and first-year students. Much more funds and efforts go toward getting students to want to come here, than towards getting students to want to stay here. Freshman get favored, with financial aid packages that just get taken away after they enroll, and with special programs just for them. All the academic assistance disappears after freshman year.

Jesenia

The gloomy weather!!! Our school is located on top of a hill overlooking the town of Troy, so students rarely go down into Troy unless they have a car.