I will also be heading to RPI in the Fall, and would love to hear some opinions. There isn't a lot of RPI activity on the forum!
Firstly, I have heard a lot of people say negative things about Troy, but from what I can find on the internet it really doesn't seem that bad. (Although I don't expect the internet to give an accurate reflection of how it is to live in a place, and also my perspective might be different, coming from a third-world country.) I have heard that the cost of living is cheap, which should help to stretch that grad student stipend a bit further ;-) So two main questions here:
1.) How is crime around the RPI area, and specifically, how safe is the campus after dark?
2.) How is the public transport, and specifically, would one be able to do grocery shopping within walking distance from the campus?
Secondly, how is the weather and how much snow can one expect? Where I currently live, anything below 10 degrees Celsius is pretty much considered arctic weather , so I fear I might be in for a very cold time! I have found other topics on dressing for and getting around in very cold weather, but would specifically like to know how the seasons are in upstate New York.
Unfortunately I don't have the opportunity to visit beforehand, but I would appreciate any insight, even if it's just a quick story about your thoughts on the city