The Rochester Institute of Technology

Before coming to RIT I was kinda skeptical about whether or not I was going to like it, especially hearing and noticing some things that caused me to think it was going to be terrible. Though so far I've enjoyed my time at RIT and have had the time of my life. Its really all about who you meet and what you make of it.

At RIT you're there to get a degree which in the long run will land you with excellent job placement and salary. Academics are great and so are the professors who are always willing to give you advice on your career goals and help you with any problems you may have in regards to a class or RIT issue.

In terms of social life, RIT doesn't have the title of being a party school, but there are always parties going on every weekend. If you're not in the mood to party there is always other stuff going on at RIT and throughout the Rochester area. All in all, I know that after RIT I will be reaping the benefits of having gotten an excellent education making good money !

1st Year Male -- Class 2015

Education Quality: A+, Campus Aesthetics: B

RIT is a great school for any fine arts studio major looking for something a little different from what the typical art school offers. When I was researching other schools (Pratt, the Art Institutes, etc) I found that a surprising amount of them didn't offer many non-art classes. For someone who wants to graduate knowing about more than just the arts, that was a deal breaker for me. RIT is also a great school for those who get along better with nerds and geeks than with hipsters (although we have both!). The honors program here is competitive and stimulating, you'll be provided with a lot of great resources and you'll meet a ton of interesting people. If you have the opportunity to join and live in the honors dorms I would recommend it. We have a lot of really fun art electives (non-majors can take classes in glass, metals, ceramics, woodworking, printmaking and more!). All of these things--the classes, the people, and the overall environment--make RIT a unique school for the arts.

I can only guess that RIT is going to continue to grow and develop their arts department. Based on information from my professors (Who are pretty much excellent across the board) the department has vastly improved since it first began, and it looks as though it will keep on improving. The art department is really what you make of it. If you work hard and pursue the opportunities that come your way you'll learn a lot. If you slack off and try to work the system, you might do well in school but you're not going to do well once you graduate, not to mention how much money you'll have wasted. From what I can tell, the teachers in the art department don't care if you're a slacker, because you're really only screwing yourself.

I would understand not loving RIT if you were looking to go to a party school, but honestly, it's about who you know. If you have a good group of friends there will always be something for you to do. And for those complaining about the ratio, just... Stop. There are a lot of really awesome single women at RIT (Have they never been in the art building?). The people complaining about how they're single because of the ratio generally are the type of people who would be single at any school.

While RIT is not exactly a thriving metropolis, we are close to the city of Rochester, where there are many galleries, museums, and theatres to keep you busy. RIT itself has Gallery R, a student run gallery featuring student and alumni work. We recently changed locations and the new place is very close by to some of the bigger Rochester art spots. RIT also participates in First Friday, which is a city-wide event the first Friday of every month, in which galleries and other artsy locations hold openings with great artwork, free food and drink, and entertainment. You might walk in to a stunning photography exhibit or into a crowded rave. Either way, it's fun and it's free (RIT even provides a free bus to students to shuttle us downtown and between the different buildings!)One warning: If you're not sure what you want to major in, this is not the school for you. Unless you're wavering between art and technology, you should probably go somewhere else where you'll have a lot of options.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2014

University Resource Use/ spending: A+, Campus Aesthetics: D

I loved it here my first year. The faculty was great, the classes really useful and interesting, and the people in the Honors Program were really friendly and fun to hang out with. I'm not a partier (unless you count D&D parties?) but I've been told that that party scene at RIT is severely lacking. The ratio does suck, for both genders. Boy can't find enough girls to hit on, and girls get sick of being stalked. Other than that though, it's a wonderful school with a beautiful campus, that really prepares you for a solid future.

1st Year Female -- Class 2014

Education Quality: A+, Collaboration/Competitive: B