Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Date: May 08 2015
Major: Computer Science (This Major's Salary over time)
There are many universities that make students vastly overpay for room and board, but none more so than RPI. Firstly, the food that the dining halls provide is often undercooked, from a can, or run of the mill cafeteria garbage. And I don't ask for much, I realize I am an undergrad and I am on the

low end of the totem pole

, but consistently undercooked chicken and pork is a real health hazard. Not to mention that every dish available is only 70% clean.

Secondly, the freshman and sophomore dorms are in such a state of disrepair that the air is heavy with mold spores and dust. There is an infestation of ants and mice that the university just "hands out traps" to students to correct. The carpets aren't even properly anchored to the ground - I could, and have, pulled up squares in my room (BAR-H) only to discover an alarming amount of mildew. All in all, I have done much research on the city of Troy's residential building code and each building(and room for that matter) contains 3-7 building code violations for maintenance and habitability.

The real kicker is the price - one might assume that all of this is at least cut-price for the trouble. But the average student ends up shelling out close to 14,000 a year for room, board, and a 5,000 dollar meal plan. That's almost 8 dollars/sq.ft. Nowhere in Troy, New York is property worth 8 dollars/sq.ft.

My advice: come here for a great academic challenge, but do not come here for the quality of life because quite frankly, it is a point blank robbery and students shouldn't have to worry about the stuff that we worry about.