Logan
I loved this university more than I thought I would, there is so many opportunities presented to you if you choose to get involved.
Katie
URI is a great place academically. The amount of knowledge I gained here far exceeded my prior expectations. The faculty are extremely impressive, and some I would consider life changing. The size of this school is convenient. On campus housing buildings are for the most part grouped along one road, making it easy to socialize. At the same time, the school has around 12,000 students, making it easy to meet a variety of people. Unfortunately the area surrounding URI is pretty dull when its not beach season. On campus however, features numerous free or cheap events such as concerts, dances, movie nights, potlucks and more. Clubs also liven up the campus if you are motivated enough to become involved. At the top of campus is also a plaza called the emporium, which has an abundance of delicious restaurants and a couple stores. The food there definitely makes up for the redundant, underseasoned dining hall meals if you can afford to pay for take out. Most places also deliver. If not, dining hall food can be good if you get creative and maintain enough variety. Overall the students here are friendly and there are many opportunities for good memories on campus.
Katie
URI is a great place academically. The amount of knowledge I gained here far exceeded my prior expectations. The faculty are extremely impressive, and some I would consider life changing. The size of this school is convenient. On campus housing buildings are for the most part grouped along one road, making it easy to socialize. At the same time, the school has around 12,000 students, making it easy to meet a variety of people. Unfortunately the area surrounding URI is pretty dull when its not beach season. On campus however, features numerous free or cheap events such as concerts, dances, movie nights, potlucks and more. Clubs also liven up the campus if you are motivated enough to become involved. At the top of campus is also a plaza called the emporium, which has an abundance of delicious restaurants and a couple stores. The food there definitely makes up for the redundant, underseasoned dining hall meals if you can afford to pay for take out. Most places also deliver. If not, dining hall food can be good if you get creative and maintain enough variety. Overall the students here are friendly and there are many opportunities for good memories on campus.
Ryan
URI is a school full of surprises. I'm constantly encountering situations that make me go "Really?", for good and for bad.
It's surprising how, being from Rhode Island, people naturally assume that URI, the local state school, will naturally never be someone's first choice school. It's the local state university. People must just come here because they have no other choice, no better ideas, because it's cheap, or because they heard about all the things I mentioned above. And then the realization sinks in that people come from all over the world just to come to URI. People from South Korea come to be pharmacists. People from Kansas who have never seen the ocean come to be marine biologists. People who have spent their entire lives reading philosophy come to take classes with professors whose students have no idea how renowned they really are. It's surprising how many GOOD reasons there are to be here.
It's surprising how far URI takes its apparent dedication to freedom of expression. Some other reviews here have mentioned the recent controversy with the anti-abortion protests and their large images of aborted fetuses (foetuses for you British English speakers). This is far from unprecedented, however. Evangelical preachers occupy the quad at least once a year with full permission from the administration to tell everyone all the reasons they are forbidden from entering God's kingdom, to paraphrase it nicely. Part of me wonders if they don't allow this to avoid being seen as too liberal, considering the amount of activist undertones that lay in the presentations of many invited academic speakers and even some of the courses, but I admit that is speculation.
It's surprising just how much bureaucracy builds up over time in any institution. Some of my proudest accomplishments at URI involve conquering this bureaucracy, so to speak, and just getting done what needs to be done without dealing with the systematic hiccups that seem to appear all too often. And yet, the more I complain about this, the more professors who have transferred from more rigorous, academically competitive schools (a fact surprising in itself) tell me that URI has by far the least "red tape" of any institution they've been a part of. It's surprising how bureaucracy can make a person feel good about a decision sometimes.
At the risk of taking this theme too far and stealing content from the following sections, please keep this fact in mind as I describe the encounters I've had with people in my years here. It is entirely possible to "coast" through four years at URI without really thinking about any of this, but you wouldn't be here if you didn't want to really think about this decision, right?
(...Right?)
Jonathan
My overall opinion of U.R.I. is that it is a decent school. It is like any school where the more effort you put into it the more you get out of it. I work at the Union and if you are out of state getting a job on campus is your best bet. They are understanding of classes and breaks.
The best way to describe U.R.I. is that of a miniature UConn. My girlfriend, sister, and best friends from high school attend UConn and the similarities between the schools are impressive. Most people don't recognize the name of the university, unlike UConn. U.R.I. is still a growing school and I believe it will begin to stand on its own and start to make an academic name for itself. They are building more residence and academic halls as well as updating many facilities.
The student life is mostly off campus. As it stand right now you're looking at Eastward or Bonnet Shores. The campus is dry so the majority of students move off campus as soon as they can. This limits sport support and "Rhody Pride".
Overall the school is decent and I think it will be making huge strides forward soon, which will make it a great school and will aid to your portfolio.
Ryan
URI is a school full of surprises. I'm constantly encountering situations that make me go "Really?", for good and for bad.
It's surprising how, being from Rhode Island, people naturally assume that URI, the local state school, will naturally never be someone's first choice school. It's the local state university. People must just come here because they have no other choice, no better ideas, because it's cheap, or because they heard about all the things I mentioned above. And then the realization sinks in that people come from all over the world just to come to URI. People from South Korea come to be pharmacists. People from Kansas who have never seen the ocean come to be marine biologists. People who have spent their entire lives reading philosophy come to take classes with professors whose students have no idea how renowned they really are. It's surprising how many GOOD reasons there are to be here.
It's surprising how far URI takes its apparent dedication to freedom of expression. Some other reviews here have mentioned the recent controversy with the anti-abortion protests and their large images of aborted fetuses (foetuses for you British English speakers). This is far from unprecedented, however. Evangelical preachers occupy the quad at least once a year with full permission from the administration to tell everyone all the reasons they are forbidden from entering God's kingdom, to paraphrase it nicely. Part of me wonders if they don't allow this to avoid being seen as too liberal, considering the amount of activist undertones that lay in the presentations of many invited academic speakers and even some of the courses, but I admit that is speculation.
It's surprising just how much bureaucracy builds up over time in any institution. Some of my proudest accomplishments at URI involve conquering this bureaucracy, so to speak, and just getting done what needs to be done without dealing with the systematic hiccups that seem to appear all to often. And yet, the more I complain about this, the more professors who have transferred from more rigorous, academically competitive schools (a fact surprising in itself) tell me that URI has by far the least "red tape" of any institution they've been a part of. It's surprising how bureaucracy can make a person feel good about a decision sometimes.
At the risk of taking this theme too far and stealing content from the following sections, please keep this fact in mind as I describe the encounters I've had with people in my years here. It is entirely possible to "coast" through four years at URI without really thinking about any of this, but you wouldn't be here if you didn't want to really think about this decision, right?
(...Right?)
Amanda
The best thing is the classes, I would change the price, the school size is just right. There is no reaction in particular, I spend most of my time in my room or the library. This is a college town. School admissions are alright. There is a lot of talk about how much the drug increase at our school has been. There is some school Pride. There is nothing usual. My experiences at URI athletic events. The most frequent complaint is about the price and dorms.
Amy
The best attribute of the school is the atmosphere. The old buildings with ivy growing along the sides, a beautiful quad, and an awesome location near the beach has got to be one of the best highlights URI offers. It is a good setting to really focus and hone in on one's schoolwork.
I would change the parking situation at the school. Everyday at least one of my friends or myself has a complaint and it often makes many students late to class. Sometimes for important tests or classroom activities I leave my house an hour early just to ensure my timely attendance.
For me personally, the school is the perfect size. It is big enough to meet new people and small enough to have close ties with many people and see them frequently. I can walk to my classes when it is nice out but it is also big enough to have a shuttle for those rainy or snowy days that would make walking unpleasant. It is a good size for people from towns and smaller cities.
URI is still regarded as a good school and many people have positive reactions when they hear where I attend college. Most people have friends that have graduated from the university and/or they themselves have graduated from the school.
I spend most of my time in the library because I need absolute quiet to get my work done. However, on the scarce occasion when I have free time and no work between classes, I enjoy sitting on the quad and talking with friends. It may rain a lot in Rhode Island, but when it is sunny, it is really beautiful out and the quad is a good place to take in the great weather.
The actual town of Kingston where the school is located may not be regarded as a college town. However, Narragansett, otherwise known as "down the line", or "Gansett" is a huge college town. There are bars only a mile down the road and almost all of the students who move off campus reside there. There are two main developments, Old and New Eastward where there are hardly any full time residents and this is where the kids have house parties and create the fun of a college town.
I think the school's administration is extremely helpful, empathetic, and concerned for the student body's welfare. I feel comfortable approaching them and asking for aid, guidance, or strategies for bettering my college and future career. They seem to respond well to problems that arise within campus clubs and organizations. Recently LGBT had issues with housing and safety concerns. Within a couple months our president responded and found them a place near campus. All of the administration acts in the best interest of the campus and the school.
The biggest recent controversy on campus was the graphic genocide posters and images of pro-life protesters on campus. It is fine to voice your opinion, but people that come to the school need to keep in mind that we are college kids, one person walking by that they were screaming at and shoving graphic unpleasant pictures in their face could have been someone who was struggling with the decision of abortion, have already done it and regretted it, has a friend who was contemplating it, or god forbid raped and pregnant. I am all for people having their own opinions, but there are certain ways to go about attempting to spread them and they must also keep in mind the emotions and impact the can induce in others.
We may be a Division 1 school, but not all our sports are up to par. The only sport that our school shows spirit for is our basketball team. We have different events such as a Pink out where students buy a pink shirt and all wear it to the game. Many people have fun at the games and there is even an organization called "The Mob" that has a section for dedicated fans who cheer and root on our players.
The unusual thing about the school is that there is rumors that asbestos was discovered in the library and that is why they are doing construction and have areas blocked off. Funny enough, there was a case study done on the Chaffee building due to mold and asbestos. This seems to be an unusual trend at URI.
One experience I will always remember is when I forced all my roommates to come with me to go see Jerry from the famous Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream factory speak at a building in our school. We hadn't known each other that long and I really wanted to go see him because I had worked at Ben & Jerry's for 4 years at that time. Needless to say they all made fun of me and didn't want to go but came anyway. We all got free ice-cream samples, went back to the room, ate ice-cream and stayed up all night bonding and talking. That little event sparked a great evening and I'll never forget it.
The most frequent student complaints are (as I said before) the parking, or lack there of. The second biggest concern would be the amount it rains in Rhode Island. The third would be the line to wait at the dining halls and that there is only one entrance that both commuters and dorm residents share. The fourth would be not enough study rooms in the library during finals season. The fifth and last most frequent complaint would be that you can't take food or drinks out of the dining hall, not even a cookie.
Amy
The best attribute of the school is the atmosphere. The old buildings with ivy growing along the sides, a beautiful quad, and an awesome location near the beach has got to be one of the best highlights URI offers. It is a good setting to really focus and hone in on one's schoolwork.
I would change the parking situation at the school. Everyday at least one of my friends or myself has a complaint and it often makes many students late to class. Sometimes for important tests or classroom activities I leave my house an hour early just to ensure my timely attendance.
For me personally, the school is the perfect size. It is big enough to meet new people and small enough to have close ties with many people and see them frequently. I can walk to my classes when it is nice out but it is also big enough to have a shuttle for those rainy or snowy days that would make walking unpleasant. It is a good size for people from towns and smaller cities.
URI is still regarded as a good school and many people have positive reactions when they hear where I attend college. Most people have friends that have graduated from the university and/or they themselves have graduated from the school.
I spend most of my time in the library because I need absolute quiet to get my work done. However, on the scarce occasion when I have free time and no work between classes, I enjoy sitting on the quad and talking with friends. It may rain a lot in Rhode Island, but when it is sunny, it is really beautiful out and the quad is a good place to take in the great weather.
The actual town of Kingston where the school is located may not be regarded as a college town. However, Narragansett, otherwise known as "down the line", or "Gansett" is a huge college town. There are bars only a mile down the road and almost all of the students who move off campus reside there. There are two main developments, Old and New Eastward where there are hardly any full time residents and this is where the kids have house parties and create the fun of a college town.
I think the school's administration is extremely helpful, empathetic, and concerned for the student body's welfare. I feel comfortable approaching them and asking for aid, guidance, or strategies for bettering my college and future career. They seem to respond well to problems that arise within campus clubs and organizations. Recently LGBT had issues with housing and safety concerns. Within a couple months our president responded and found them a place near campus. All of the administration acts in the best interest of the campus and the school.
The biggest recent controversy on campus was the graphic genocide posters and images of pro-life protesters on campus. It is fine to voice your opinion, but people that come to the school need to keep in mind that we are college kids, one person walking by that they were screaming at and shoving graphic unpleasant pictures in their face could have been someone who was struggling with the decision of abortion, have already done it and regretted it, has a friend who was contemplating it, or god forbid raped and pregnant. I am all for people having their own opinions, but there are certain ways to go about attempting to spread them and they must also keep in mind the emotions and impact the can induce in others.
We may be a Division 1 school, but not all our sports are up to par. The only sport that our school shows spirit for is our basketball team. We have different events such as a Pink out where students buy a pink shirt and all wear it to the game. Many people have fun at the games and there is even an organization called "The Mob" that has a section for dedicated fans who cheer and root on our players.
The unusual thing about the school is that there is rumors that asbestos was discovered in the library and that is why they are doing construction and have areas blocked off. Funny enough, there was a case study done on the Chaffee building due to mold and asbestos. This seems to be an unusual trend at URI.
One experience I will always remember is when I forced all my roommates to come with me to go see Jerry from the famous Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream factory speak at a building in our school. We hadn't known each other that long and I really wanted to go see him because I had worked at Ben & Jerry's for 4 years at that time. Needless to say they all made fun of me and didn't want to go but came anyway. We all got free ice-cream samples, went back to the room, ate ice-cream and stayed up all night bonding and talking. That little event sparked a great evening and I'll never forget it.
The most frequent student complaints are (as I said before) the parking, or lack there of. The second biggest concern would be the amount it rains in Rhode Island. The third would be the line to wait at the dining halls and that there is only one entrance that both commuters and dorm residents share. The fourth would be not enough study rooms in the library during finals season. The fifth and last most frequent complaint would be that you can't take food or drinks out of the dining hall, not even a cookie.