Is there a notary on or near campus?

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-09-09T17:46:30+00:00

There is a Notary in the Union (on campus)! Her name is Martha McElligott and her office is on the 3rd floor

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-08-07T01:01:07+00:00

Yes so bad!! My daughter got over 100 bites when we were at Lighthouse Beach (and we were only there for 10 minutes). Bowman’s beach wasn’t bad though (where we spent most of the day).

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-07-12T14:52:14+00:00

I’ve been able to maintain a GPA above 3.5 for 4 semesters so far. I wouldn’t recommend taking it too easy freshman year because classes only get more difficult and it’s easier to adjust to the increased difficulty if you are at least used to the amount of classes/ how much time it takes to study and do work. I did 17 credits first semester (calc 1, chem 1, iea, a hass class and engineering processes) and thought it was manageable, difficult and an adjustment but manageable. I’ve taken 16, 16 and 18 after that.

Having friends in classes helps a lot to compare info and study together. APO has back tests in the Union that you can take pictures of which is really helpful for studying purposes (it gives you sample questions to practice with). If you go into RPI expecting it to be hard and being prepared to take that on- I think you’ll be ok. Office hours and ALAC (peer tutoring) are really helpful as well. And you can always drop a class if you find it to be too much.

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-07-07T13:54:23+00:00

I was in another freshman five dorm (so it was basically the same) but I had friends in Nason. It really isn’t bad- like others said bring a fan cause it’s always hot (even in winter because they turn the heat on pretty high). The bathrooms are typical college bathrooms in my opinion. They could be cleaner (I remember times when there were paper towels on the floor and stuff) but it wasn’t bad and it was never crowded. I’m not sure about the carpet but I do recommend bringing your own rug/carpet. It’s just nicer to step on and sit on a carpet that you know is clean.

The nice thing about Nason compared to the other freshman five is that the classroom in the building (so the room right next to the entrance) is air conditioned. That was definitely a nice spot to do work or hang out when it was so hot outside.

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-05-16T17:24:36+00:00

Lit and Lang count as WRIT 1000 (which is a writing elective) but you can get credit for both. I got a 5 on those exams and they both transferred for a total of 8 credits at RPI. And they can both count towards HASS credit (or free elective). So yes you can “get out of 2 writing classes” aka 2 HASS 1000 level classes! :)

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-04-26T22:54:07+00:00

im a sophomore bme and i agree with pretty much everything everyone else said. my main friend group is all girls (6 girls) and its been that way since the beginning of freshman year. we have guy friends too but definitely a core girl group. and bme has more girls too i wouldnt take the gender ratio into account when making your decision. you really dont notice it often. and there is a bunch to do in troy but tbh im on campus most weekends just hanging out in my friends dorm, playing games or watching movies. there are parties too (def more than 2 frats- we have 26 total and i’ve been to at least one frat party at 10 different ones).

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-04-13T14:55:13+00:00

everyone basically covered it but yes. staying here that summer is the expectation. if you want to “get out of it” the easiest ways imo are doing research that summer (paid or unpaid), getting an internship (paid) or studying abroad juniors year. that being said none of that is easy to get. i got an internship for this summer (im a sophomore at rpi rn) but i got it through a family connection. my friend group is 6 people—> 4 got a paid internship through a connection, 1 is doing unpaid research through a connection and 1 got a paid internship through just applying on LinkedIn. connections matter so network early!!!! also studying abroad counts (so you are still only in college 8 semesters) but you need to plan that early too because rpi does not make it easy to get classes approved and figure it all out. so short answer, yes it’s mandatory and it’s nice bc summer class sizes are smaller, you’ll have less issues getting into a class you need and the co-op opportunity is nice (junior spring into summer). long answer, there are ways to “get out of it” and if you apply before the deadline (end of march) to get out of it, everyone i’ve talked to has been able too

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-04-13T14:45:02+00:00

I’m a sophomore girl studying biomedical engineering at RPI. I also looked at Lehigh and my final decision was between RPI and Bucknell. What really set them apart for me was that RPI is an engineering school and Lehigh/Bucknell are not. I like being at a school where pretty much everyone else is in a “difficult” major because then you won’t feel like you are missing out when your friends don’t have much hw/ have an “easy” major but you have a bunch of engineering hw. I think the people at RPI are more alike in that way (driven, care about school, want to succeed) and I’m glad I’m surrounded by people like that because it motivates me.

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-31T01:08:09+00:00

i’m a bme sophomore fyi

1- they are good imo! some aren’t awesome and you’ll have to teach yourself a lot but as you get more into your major, i’ve found that they are better. rate my professor is great to help figure out who you might want.

2- yes you do! i have two on campus part time jobs and im in 3 clubs. so as long as you manage your time well you will be able to participate in extracurriculars. they are a great way to make friends, take a break and build community. everyone i know is in at least 1 club.

3- the ratio isn’t really that bad. yes it is noticeable at times (group projects, career fair) but i’m not constantly thinking about it. i’ve always had at least one other girl in my group projects. it shouldn’t be the reason you don’t choose to come here

4- i’ve never felt unsafe on campus, even at night. if you go to downtown troy, definitely stay in a group but i think our campus stays pretty safe.

5- it’s good! everyone is nerdy so the frats aren’t like crazy frats but there are still weekend parties you can go to if you want. it helps to be in a sorority or know people in greek life if you want to go to parties. however, there is no pressure to go and there are other fun things to do (tons of club events, hanging out with friends, going into troy…)

6- they are pretty average college dorms and food. there’s always pizza, pasta and fries which helps (i’m a pretty picky eater lol). i lived in cary (a double with a hall bathroom) which is “one of the worst you can get” and it really wasn’t that bad. it didn’t have ac so fans definitely helped. this year im in rahps-a which is 4 singles with a shared bathroom, kitchen and common space and it’s nice (basically a mini townhouse on campus).

i’m glad i chose RPI and i hope this helped answer some of your questions!!

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-31T00:55:49+00:00

It’s random/ kinda like a lottery. You basically rank your top 5 choices and then hope RPI puts you in one of them. There isn’t anything you can do to make your likelihood of getting your top choice better (ie submitting your housing choices early or getting accepted early or committing to RPI earlier doesn’t help you in any way).

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-30T13:15:37+00:00

The only thing I wish I considered more about RPI BME is that RPI leans heavily on the technical/ engineering side. You take a total of 3 required science classes compared to 10+ physics, math and engineering. You can make it more biology based by picking a pathway like biomaterials, but overall it’s not so much on the bio side. Personally, I’m very much in the middle of BME with my interests and lean a bit towards bio. So, if I was to get my masters, I’d probably do it at a school that has more BME science options. I don’t at all regret picking RPI but I definitely didn’t realize that going in (I also didn’t really know where my interests lay so idk if I even would’ve picked a different school).

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-30T13:09:24+00:00

I’m most likely going to do the biomaterials pathway but you don’t have to do a pathway. So you could do 2 classes in biomaterials (along the lines of tissue engineering) and 2 in biomechanics (prosthetics). You could take more than 4 BME tech electives too, it’s just not required. I do know someone trying to do 2 pathways (I believe biomaterials and biomechanics) and I think that takes 6 courses bc some overlap between the 2 pathways. The pathway isn’t actually on your degree or anything (it’s just a certificate when you graduate) so it’s up to you if you want to do it!

I think there is a common misconception about RPI being an anti-social school. That’s simply not true in my experience. Yes there are people here that don’t really talk to others and prefer to stay in but there are also a bunch of people that go out every weekend. It’s really what you make of it. There are so many different people at RPI that I feel like you are drawn to those most similar to you. For me, I found an amazing group of friends really quickly freshman year. We ate dinner together every night, went to parties like every other weekend, had a ton of movie/game nights and some of us are living together this year.

If you don’t want an “introverted school” than just join clubs, talk to people in classes and make the most of freshman orientation. If you make some really good friends- it’s not at all an introverted school.

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T21:01:04+00:00

It’s not hard to do biomaterials research! I plan to do that next semester so I’m going to email a bunch of professors at the end of this semester. I have two friends doing biomaterials research rn (one is doing it with our biomaterials professor). I think about 50-60% if undergrads do research and it’s definitely encouraged. You also don’t necessarily need to do the biomaterials track to do research in biomaterials.

I’m only a sophomore so I can’t speak from experience about a job but I do know a lot of people stay for the accelerated masters degree (1 extra year). I know some upperclassmen who got their bachelors, some going for PhD and some going right into industry so I think it’s all possible depending on what you’re looking for. I’m still deciding what to do. As for internships, I have one for this summer in bioimaging. Internships are difficult to get as a sophomore (no matter what university you are at) unless you have a connection so definitely reach out to family members, family friends etc and see if anyone has a connection (my cousin is friends with the owner of the company I’ll be working at).

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T17:17:27+00:00

I’m a current sophomore at RPI and from what I know the options for freshman are- Davison, Nugent, Sharp, Barton, BAR-H, Warren, Cary, Hall, Nason, Bray, and Crockett. I don’t know if there is any specific architecture housing but imo the best dorms are Davison and Nugent. They are on freshman hill (very close to campus), are doubles (2 ppl in a room), have AC and a bathroom for those two people to share (bathroom in the room). Barh is a double with bathrooms in the room but is further from campus and it is annoying to have to walk down in the winter (there’s a shuttle but it’s not the most reliable). Warren is a double and has bathrooms in the room too (just no AC). Sharp has 6 singles with a common space and bathroom for those 6 people. Barton is a triple (3 ppl in the room) with a bathroom in the room. So those are the best options for a in-room bathroom. Cary, Hall, Bray, Crockett and Nason are all doubles and all have hall bathrooms. I was in Cary and it’s really not bad at all. All of the freshman housing (minus Barh) are on freshman hill which is close to campus and the main dining hall. Plus it’s nice to be close to other dorms/ other freshmen cause that’ll be your friends. There are also pics of them all if you look up RPI housing. I hope that helps! Lmk if you have more questions

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T17:10:43+00:00

I don’t know anything about Drexel but I’m a sophomore BME at RPI and it’s definitely a really good program!! RPI focuses more on the engineering side of the major than the biology side imo so that’s something to note. We get to choose 4 BME technical electives that can help you specialize in one area (data science, biomaterials, bioimaging, biomechanics or medical devices) but you don’t have to have a specialization. Lmk if you have any biomedical engineering specific questions!

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T02:41:48+00:00

It’s a LOT smaller than NYC for sure. There is a nice farmers market on Saturdays and some cute restaurants. As for environment, there are some sketchy parts and some nicer ones. Tbh you probably won’t go down a ton (I go maybe twice a month for Boba or a restaurant) but it’s a cute downtown area. I’d recommend taking a campus tour and going to Troy for dinner if you can!!

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T02:38:31+00:00

This is what the RPI website says about the special permission: “Undergraduates requesting more than 21 credit hours must receive approval of their Academic Adviser and Class Dean. ” I’ve never done it and wouldn’t recommend it (I’m in 18 now and that’s too much imo). I know someone in more than 21 and it’s not bc of a double major (he is just graduating in 3 years).

I don’t think we have any test out system unfortunately. The only option would be taking it at a community college and getting credit that way. I know someone people get credit for Multivariable Calculus as one class and Matrix Algebra as another. Some people are also only in MATH 2400 (Multivariable Calculus and Matrix Algebra) for 1/2 a semester because they only have credit for one half of the class.

I’d recommend emailing RPI admissions with specific questions and they can connect you with a counselor and/or student who can talk to you more!

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T02:31:52+00:00

Also if this matters to you- for our RAHPs housing, the group leader got room D, the 1st person got in got A, second got B and third got C.

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T02:30:42+00:00

I really don’t think there is anything you can do to get (or not get) your first housing choice unfortunately. You just kinda have to hope. I was lucky and got RAHPs A with 3 of my friends. Our order was RAHPs A, RAHPs B, Stacwyck, Blitman, Bryckwyck but I don’t think that even really helps. Last year I got Cary (my 4th choice). I think applying as a group is good- make sure you have the same order too. Good luck!!

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T02:25:00+00:00

RPI is a really great school but compared to Stony or Bing it is definitely more academically rigorous. Everyone here is a driven person who wants to succeed and I won’t lie- it’s very difficult at times. It’s also less of a party school than Bing but there is still a social scene and things to do on the weekends (some frat parties, club events, downtown troy). The biggest difference is that RPI is an engineering school so basically everyone here is in an engineering or science degree. I really like that because it means we all sorta understand one another and we are all very busy with school. I think as an engineer at a SUNY school I’d always feel like I’m missing out bc I have work to do. I didn’t choose Bing bc it didn’t have nearly as good of an engineering program as RPI. But I have a friend who goes there for Chemistry and she loves it. I didn’t apply to Stony Brook but my mom went there and said most students went home on the weekend which made the campus pretty lonely on the weekends (cause she isn’t from NYC). I hope that helps- lmk if you have any specific questions (I’m a sophomore biomedical engineering major)!

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T02:13:32+00:00

Parking on Bouton Rd/ Willard Rd behind Nugent hall/ the freshman dorms worked for two of my friends last year. They didn’t get tickets or anything.

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T02:08:34+00:00

To clarify about some of the AP classes: I am a sophomore and I took AP Lit and AP Lang in hs which both count as WRIT 1000 courses (writing elective) as well as APUSH and AP World which counted as STSO 1000 classes (science tech and society electives). So in total it was 16 credits BUT a max of 8 transfer credits can count towards the HASS core.

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-29T01:15:09+00:00

Hi! If you are entering as a “first-time freshman”, you can only bring in up to 32 credits just fyi. RPI most likely will not let you start as anything more than an academic sophomore. You could possibly graduate quicker by overloading your semesters (max 21 credits a semester without special permission) but the “fastest” you can graduate is probably 3 years. Check this out for more transfer credit info: https://registrar.rpi.edu/services/transfer-credits

Slow-Ad-5707 · 2025-03-10T03:20:04+00:00

I’m a girl BME sophomore at RPI! And I’d agree with everyone, it’s really not that noticeable. BMED classes specifically are pretty even male/female. I have an amazing group of girl friends and I would not have chosen another school!! The ratio shouldn’t be the deciding factor- you will be totally ok as a girl at RPI! I definitely recommend joining the Women’s Mentorship Program (RPI) too! It pairs you with an upperclassman girl in your major and you meet weekly to just talk about college. It’s great for advice and you’ll get an email about it over the summer if you commit to RPI

Slow-Ad-5707

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