Russell Sage College
College name: Russell Sage College
Location: Troy, New York
Time of visit: November 9th, 2005 - 2-5 p.m.
Reason for visit: Transfer Open House
Review: First, some background information on Russell Sage for any students who might be unfamiliar.
RSC is a small (<800)women's college located just outside of Albany, New York that serves primarily undergraduate students. It was founded in 1916 and is the sibling college of Sage College of Albany. It is a "selective" school on the least/less/selective/more/most scale and is typically ranked around 5th in its U.S. News category (Best Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelor's: North). Other colleges ranked around it include Stonehill (1), Elizabethtown (2), Elmira (4), Merrimack (7), and Roger Williams (13), if that helps you get an idea of what the school's like as far as "type."
The first thing you see when you drive into Troy is the "Russell Sage College" banner painted onto the overpass you drive under. Located on top of the overpass? The campus itself! You literally drive right under it, which is actually pretty neat.
The campus, like most of Troy itself, is completely Victorian, which is absolutely amazing. It is enclosed by an iron fence, complete with old-fashioned gates every few hundred yards, and there are old stone roads and brick walkways. My mom remarked that it felt like walking into an old section of Boston, and it was a really good comparison in my opinion. It was gorgeous.
Instead of living in traditional dorms, most students live in renovated Victorian brownstones, each furnished with period antiques and decorated with the old-style wallpaper, gold-framed mirrors, and chandeliers. It's breathtaking. In addition to the regular brownstone housing units, there are themed buildings, like the honors house (where I'd be) and the French, German, and Spanish houses.
The focal point of campus is an old congregational church that has been converted into a common-use building. They put on a capella concerts in there, show movies, hold lectures, and do all sorts of other things. There are something like 20 original Tiffany stained glass windows all around. Connected to that building is a new one they just built in the old style (I can't recall the name; sorry), which houses academic offices as well as commuter student areas, a bistro, and other facilities. It was built in 2001 and I took it as a great sign that the campus is thriving as a women's institution, which I love to see. It's a really majestic place, so check it out. :)
The "quad" area - it's not the typical college quad, but it's so close the differences are negligible - looked gorgeous, but it was too rainy to really appreciate it. It does make for an easy path from one street to the next, however, and seems to serve as the main access route on campus. The library is right off of it, as well as the education, history/poli sci/law, dance, and some other buildings. I believe the president's office was also somewhere in there.
The pre-med/PT/health professions building was pretty neat. They've designed the interior of it to resemble a working hospital. That's an interesting angle to take. :) Not my field, but I thought it was spiffy.
The English department...love. :) The English department, along with the French house, is housed in a little courtyard off the main road. (There are little courtyards and hidden buildings seemingly everywhere. I fell in love a little more each time I found one.) If you have any appreciation at all for old buildings, especially ones with "character," you need to visit the Carriage House, where the English faculty is located. I had a wonderful chat with one of their professors and found him to be a terrific representative for the college.
Other things: There's a hidden door in one room that you'll likely be in if you do an info session. It's very, very close (we're talking within walking distance) from RPI, so you're not far from guys if you're adamant about that sort of thing. There is a shuttle that provides transportation to the Sage College of Albany if you want to cross-register. RSC is also part of the Hudson Valley consortium, so you can take classes at all sorts of colleges, including Williams. (I believe providing your own transportation is a must.) Downtown Troy is full of one-way streets, so you should leave some ample space in your schedule for getting lost the first time around. ;) Everyone was very friendly and laid-back. It's small but not tiny or stifling. The first dorm we were shown was disgusting and a terrible PR move, but that seems to happen at a lot of colleges, unfortunately. It poured most of the time I was there, but the students I did see about were friendly and willing to chat. Absolutely no one had a single thing bad to say about the place - in fact, several were back for their Master's. Class sizes are tiny, especially in the English department (score!).
Most importantly, my mother, Ms. You're Not Going Anywhere Other Than Your Bedroom, loved it. She wants to go. So, when that happens, you know it's good. :)
If you have any questions about RSC, please ask. Do not be scared away by stats or the lack of name recognition. I'm a 3.93/insane ECs/honor societies/etc. kid, and I know this is a good fit. Trust me on this one. ;)
Location: Troy, New York
Time of visit: November 9th, 2005 - 2-5 p.m.
Reason for visit: Transfer Open House
Review: First, some background information on Russell Sage for any students who might be unfamiliar.
RSC is a small (<800)women's college located just outside of Albany, New York that serves primarily undergraduate students. It was founded in 1916 and is the sibling college of Sage College of Albany. It is a "selective" school on the least/less/selective/more/most scale and is typically ranked around 5th in its U.S. News category (Best Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelor's: North). Other colleges ranked around it include Stonehill (1), Elizabethtown (2), Elmira (4), Merrimack (7), and Roger Williams (13), if that helps you get an idea of what the school's like as far as "type."
The first thing you see when you drive into Troy is the "Russell Sage College" banner painted onto the overpass you drive under. Located on top of the overpass? The campus itself! You literally drive right under it, which is actually pretty neat.
The campus, like most of Troy itself, is completely Victorian, which is absolutely amazing. It is enclosed by an iron fence, complete with old-fashioned gates every few hundred yards, and there are old stone roads and brick walkways. My mom remarked that it felt like walking into an old section of Boston, and it was a really good comparison in my opinion. It was gorgeous.
Instead of living in traditional dorms, most students live in renovated Victorian brownstones, each furnished with period antiques and decorated with the old-style wallpaper, gold-framed mirrors, and chandeliers. It's breathtaking. In addition to the regular brownstone housing units, there are themed buildings, like the honors house (where I'd be) and the French, German, and Spanish houses.
The focal point of campus is an old congregational church that has been converted into a common-use building. They put on a capella concerts in there, show movies, hold lectures, and do all sorts of other things. There are something like 20 original Tiffany stained glass windows all around. Connected to that building is a new one they just built in the old style (I can't recall the name; sorry), which houses academic offices as well as commuter student areas, a bistro, and other facilities. It was built in 2001 and I took it as a great sign that the campus is thriving as a women's institution, which I love to see. It's a really majestic place, so check it out. :)
The "quad" area - it's not the typical college quad, but it's so close the differences are negligible - looked gorgeous, but it was too rainy to really appreciate it. It does make for an easy path from one street to the next, however, and seems to serve as the main access route on campus. The library is right off of it, as well as the education, history/poli sci/law, dance, and some other buildings. I believe the president's office was also somewhere in there.
The pre-med/PT/health professions building was pretty neat. They've designed the interior of it to resemble a working hospital. That's an interesting angle to take. :) Not my field, but I thought it was spiffy.
The English department...love. :) The English department, along with the French house, is housed in a little courtyard off the main road. (There are little courtyards and hidden buildings seemingly everywhere. I fell in love a little more each time I found one.) If you have any appreciation at all for old buildings, especially ones with "character," you need to visit the Carriage House, where the English faculty is located. I had a wonderful chat with one of their professors and found him to be a terrific representative for the college.
Other things: There's a hidden door in one room that you'll likely be in if you do an info session. It's very, very close (we're talking within walking distance) from RPI, so you're not far from guys if you're adamant about that sort of thing. There is a shuttle that provides transportation to the Sage College of Albany if you want to cross-register. RSC is also part of the Hudson Valley consortium, so you can take classes at all sorts of colleges, including Williams. (I believe providing your own transportation is a must.) Downtown Troy is full of one-way streets, so you should leave some ample space in your schedule for getting lost the first time around. ;) Everyone was very friendly and laid-back. It's small but not tiny or stifling. The first dorm we were shown was disgusting and a terrible PR move, but that seems to happen at a lot of colleges, unfortunately. It poured most of the time I was there, but the students I did see about were friendly and willing to chat. Absolutely no one had a single thing bad to say about the place - in fact, several were back for their Master's. Class sizes are tiny, especially in the English department (score!).
Most importantly, my mother, Ms. You're Not Going Anywhere Other Than Your Bedroom, loved it. She wants to go. So, when that happens, you know it's good. :)
If you have any questions about RSC, please ask. Do not be scared away by stats or the lack of name recognition. I'm a 3.93/insane ECs/honor societies/etc. kid, and I know this is a good fit. Trust me on this one. ;)