The first college interview I experienced was at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), last August. WPI isn't very far from Boston (about forty-five minutes), and though I only stayed for a few hours, the campus seemed pretty nice. It was very compact, not spread throughout the city, and the students (all freshmen during their first week) seemed to feel at home. The buildings were clean and impressive, and the athletic fields seemed well-kept, too.

Worcester as a whole isn't a very appealing city, but WPI in and of itself seemed like a nice community. The admissions and tour staff were both enthusiastic and helpful. I enjoyed my interview, and though I was unable to attend classes, I spent some time walking around the campus. The students were happy and involved in a wide variety of activities.

WPI is a first-rate engineering school and has been acclaimed as one of the best up-and-coming schools in the country. One aspect of their program that interested me was the required project, which can be done locally or at interesting locations around the world. This project requirement gives the students real experience in design and makes for a challenging curriculum. Though I eventually decided not to apply, many of my friends did and some will be going there next year. Overall, I was impressed with the school and would encourage anyone interested to go and visit.




Reviewed in 1990