The Rochester Institute of Technology

If you are a normal student, and are looking for a good school for a decent education, RIT is not the place for you. RIT's education is average, and is just as good as a state school, only the prices are jacked up here.

Once you get here, you realize what a shithole the place is, and how many creepy kids wander around, and you feel like you don't fit in because you were a normal kid in high school, not a super nerd who plays video games all day.

Then, you feel like transferring, because you feel that you are not getting the education you expected, and you realize that your credits do not seem to transfer to another school...period, nor do they transfer to a different major within RIT.

Also, the dorms seem very run down, and their roommate selection process is quite random. Whenever someone has a problem, basically that person is on his/her own to fend for himself/herself. The RA's are basically worthless, and are just here for the money, not to solve problems on the floor. Also, most of the facilities, after you have been here for a few weeks, seems to be quite filthy because students ruin things, and nobody cleans things up.

NTID is one of the worst things that have happened to RIT, if you are a hearing student. Ellingson is one of the worst dorms to live in (you must share one bathroom with 6 people, and the showers are 1/2 the size of any other dorm building at RIT, and you must listen to deaf students yelling at all hours of the night. Deaf students seem rather pushy, and ignorant. They tend to ruin things, including other people's clothing at their laundry facilities.

Additionally, if you like a place to study that's nice and quiet, and are thinking about signing up for Intensified Study, think again. This is a very loud floor, and if you complain about people being too loud on the floor, the RA basically ignores you because it isn't her problem, it's yours.

The quarter system is also a bad way to handle a college. Students at RIT have more class time per week, go to school 5 weeks longer than most other schools, have less break than most other schools, and graduate later than mnost other schools.

Financially, we all know that students do not have a lot of money, for the most part. RIT does not support this fact. The tuition increase per year is about $3-5,000, the food prices currently are close to $4,000 per year, and is required for all first-year students who reside on campus, and RIT does not give decent financial aid to normal middle-class students who need it, compared to other schools.

The average student at RIT is rather loud and obnoxious, has not learned manners, is very immature (worse than elementary school kids), rude to others, plays video games during every second of free time, watches anime, and is socially illiterate.

Also, if you think that you will have time to do sports or join activities, you won't. With the quarter system that RIT offers, there is not much of a chance for free time outside of classes and homework. At first (the first couple of weeks of classes), it seems like you will, but all of a sudden, the work just piles on like it will never end.Overall, I am not impressed with RIT at all. I haven't found anything positive about my experience after being here a few years, and my college life has been miserable because of my decision to go to RIT. I was lied to often, both about the school and about my major, and wish that I could transfer, but realize that I would have wasted a lot of time and money due to the fact that none of my credits will ever transfer to any other school in America. I have had several problems dealing wth others here, just because I want to learn, get a good education, and be a normal college student, so if these are your goals (which are the goals of most college students), RIT is not the place for you. Lastly, for art students, if you were ever told that it is easy to get a job out of RIT or that you will have an internship or co-op, you were majorly lied to. I have friends who have gone to state schools who can get better jobs than me and can get internships for free (because it's built into their program, but not into ours), a dean's list achiever at RIT...how pathetic is that?

1st Year Female -- Class 2010

Innovation: B+, Education Quality: F

To go to RIT it takes a special kind of person, as other reviews have said. RIT is definitely an academic school, and thus most things are focused around that. The social life is great if you are in with other socialites. If you want to go out and go to parties and have fun, you need to find people who like to as well. There are actually a lot of on campus parties, but for the most part they're "closed" meaning they invite their friends, and friends of friends but not everyone. So like I said find people who like to do that and you will have parties, dinner outings, ect. However, there are usually parties on Barton St. or in the Highland drive area as well if you're looking for open parties and willing to pay $5.

Academics here are very good. RIT is known all over the world for it's programs, and is often considered having some of the top programs. You'll get a job because of this. So you can thank RIT later.

Many people complain that you don't get a true college experince and that the people on campus are rude, snotty, and introverted. But did they ever stop to think maybe they are the same way? I have been yes, many a times annoyed by fellow students, who hit you with the large backpacks because theyre not paying attention, or who wear headphones with music blasting from them so other people can hear. But for the most part, people are friendly. They'll hold doors, and help you out in class. I work a very high-traffic job on RIT's campus and meet many students through it and I find most of the current RIT students are pleasant and easy to deal with...it's the incoming students and their parents who are often the rude ones.

The winters are cold yes, so get a good coat, some warm gloves and a pair of boots. People who complain about the winter are one's who don't dress properly. I see so many kids in light weight jackets freezing because they dont want to look dumb in a puffy coat. I grew up in the warm south and was never exposed to winters like these, and they don't bother me at all.

The professors are generally nice, there are some yes who don't speak english well and are hard to understand. RIT has a thing called office hours for each professor, where they allot a certain portion of their day to being in their office and being available to help students. the rest of the time professors are generally unavailable. This sucks because more often than not, their office hours are during popular class times.

Since RIT is so academic based, most of the professors assume you can and will read the textbooks, and for the most part teach yourself, with some guidance from them....It takes again, a certain kind of person, to learn this way. Almost all of my class have been this way. It's a lot harder to make it through the science courses because of this-- physics, chemistry, bio...and A LOT of kids end up taking those courses at MCC (community college about 5 min away) because they simply can't pass it at RIT.

RIT has a lot of resources, for tutoring as well as personal issues, roommate issues, legal issues. just about any kind of issue you can have. the KEY is you have to LOOK to find them. Most of the time they are not jumping out at you, and RIT really doesnt advertise them.

There are multiple tutoring centers for every subject, as well as most departments have specialize tutoring times as well. RIT has a lawyer, psychiatrist, nutritionist and counselors available for student use as well.

In terms of clubs, and sports, you'll definitely want to look at those before deciding you want to come to RIT. Not many are really offered, and the ones that are and generally geared towards a specific race, like the asian deaf club, or towards hearing or deaf.

So if clubs and sports are something you really want to get into check out the website before coming here. I was really disappointed that I hadn't before I got to RIT, I figured there was something for everyone, but i've gone to the club fair both of my years here and have been disappointed in the selection available...though supposedly that is to start changing...

Food on campus is decent. a Quizno's is on campus for you quizno lovers. McD's BK, IHOP and others are a short drive. Commons or Crossroads is where I like to go. Though once you have an apartment you have a kitchen and are free to cook whatever you like!!

Housing is something most people complain about...but i've never had a problem. I got an apartment my second year through the lottery, and im fine with it. I know people get stuck in the RIT INN but again the people that complain about it are the ones who complain about RIT in general. It's not that bad I stayed there when i was visiting RIT when i was in high school. I mean at the INN they clean your room and do linens for you!! whats so bad about that?

One thing I'd complain about is RIT's snow removable, theres been many a times ive slipped or come close because snow and ice isnt properly removed, or salted. and PARKING! wow does parking suck. a lot of people resort to using the handicap and vistor parking and risk getting a ticket because theres no where to park...especially when RIT has events and blocks of parking lots and tells students to "plan accordingly" or when there is an open house and prospective students take up the spaces.

RIT also costs a lot, but most kids here mommy and daddy pay for anyhting and everything so they dont care. Im paying my way through RIT and luckily i got a scholarship, and am only about $16,000 in debt right now (after 2 years) YES that is a lot. but I like RIT and its worth it to me.So basically don't listen to people who complain. I've found in my 2 years here, through talking to and meeting people, the people who complain about RIT are the ones who make no effort to do anything in terms of friends, going out, or making use of resources.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2010

Education Quality: A, Useful Schoolwork: F

RIT is not for everyone. Honestly. It is career-focused, teaching you things you need to know once you get out of college. If you graduate from RIT, you are pretty much guaranteed a job right there because RIT has mandatory co-ops (kind of like paid internships but more serious) so you get set up in the kinds of jobs you'll be looking for after you graduate.

This is not a big party school. You can find big parties if you look for them, but this isn't the the place if you're looking for that. However, the college activities board is really good and there is usually some sort of event every night, and there is *always* something to do. Not everyone is a total reject geek. Not everyone sits in their room in the dark playing WoW. Sure, there's a small population that does, but most people are friendly and looking for the same amount of social interaction you are. RIT is a good school, but people who come here for the wrong reasons tend to complain about it louder than the people who like it can praise it.

1st Year Female -- Class 2010

Extracurricular Activities: A, Campus Aesthetics: D+