<p>I agree with the suggestion to visit. My son evaluated a lot of schools and turned down 7 of them to go to WPI because he just liked the “vibe” better there (and the project-based curriculum and the smaller size). So on paper, some of his other choices were technically equal but he just felt more “at home” at WPI. It was an intangible thing.
You may feel this way about *either *one after an in-depth visit to each one.
I agree that the freshman housing at WPI is not that great, way too many triples. But it gets better after that. They are building a suite-style dorm a few blocks off campus to provide more options, will be open this coming fall.
I think NEU has invested a lot in building dorms over the past decade or so, because it is trying to leave behind its old image as a commuter school. So I wouldn’t be surprised if their overall dorm quality is higher due to more of the dorms being newer…
Really, I think the freshmen dorm issue should be pretty low on the list of criteria. What matters more is the people (students, professors, administration too), and the curriculum. You may say the curriculum is equal, but the instructional philosophy is different. So look a little more closely, and again, a visit would help.
Again, they are both excellent schools so you can’t go wrong with choosing either one. But they are sufficiently different that you need to see which one fits you better!</p>