r/WPI

Hi everyone,

I'm a student from MIT and I'm doing a couple summer courses at WPI this summer, one of which is Statics (ES 2501) with Professor Zhikun Hou.

However, it's apparently an asynchronous class, and since the E1 term starts tomorrow, I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction for what to expect for how this class will run/be run?

Do you guys typically use Canvas/Blackboard? Lmk bc anything helps.

Incoming freshman trying to figure out housing. Which first-year dorm is best for comfort and social life?

Would love to hear personal experiences : what dorm did you live in, what was it actually like, who did you meet, what did you wish you'd known before picking?

Any stories or advice appreciated.

International student, committing soon, and I keep flip-flopping between these two.

WPI would run me about $45k a year after merit. Alabama comes in around $20k. That’s a $100k difference over four years, which is real money for my family — not deal-breaking, but enough that I need a good reason to spend it.

What I actually care about is ROI in the broad sense. Not just starting salary, but the network, the recruiting pipeline, what doors are open four years from now. I’d happily pay more for a school that genuinely opens things up. The problem is I’m not sure either option clearly does that.

WPI’s project-based curriculum sounds incredible and the engineering reputation is solid, but every single thread and every person I’ve talked to says the social scene is dead. I’m 18, going abroad for the first time, and the idea of spending four years grinding in a lab in Worcester with nothing else going on kind of scares me. College isn’t just about the degree.

Alabama is the opposite problem. The campus life looks amazing, people seem genuinely happy there, and at $20k I can breathe. But I cannot find clear info on what happens to their mech eng grads. Do they get recruited outside the South? Is it mostly Mercedes and local plants, or do aerospace and defense companies actually show up? Is the degree taken seriously in the Northeast or on the West Coast? I’m flying blind on the part that matters most to me.

So I guess what I’m asking:

WPI people, is the social thing really that bad, and did the network actually pay off after graduation? Bama mech eng grads, where do you all end up? And anyone who picked the cheaper school over the “better” one, do you regret it?

Any honest takes appreciated.

Hello, I have a big family and am short a couple of tickets for Graduate Commencement. If anyone has spares, I'd really appreciate them! My family has been very supportive of me getting my PhD, and I'd like as many of then to come as want to.

Thank you!

I graduated in December and wanted ask a question about graduation. I was unaware of the graduation convocation tomorrow and was wondering if it is absolutely mandatory to attend.

I’m transferring to WPI next yr, and I’m coming from BC where we party A LOT

Be real are there parties at WPI fun??
Is there underground house techno/edm or even reggaeton/dembow?

And how is the social life? Ik it’s an engineering school but as an eng student I’m not anti social, and I’m worried WPI is filled with anti social ppl.. pls tell me I’m wrong 😅

And how’s the queer community there? Is Worcester a safe area for queer ppl? 🤞

- a student trying to escape the homophobia of BC