Administrative Experience

All students need to spend some portion of their time conducting the transactional business of their college experience, such as registering for classes, dropping and adding courses, applying for and paying for student loans, purchasing books, and so forth. Services can be mediated over networks to make these processes easier and to avoid the lengthy lines that historically characterize all too many campus experiences.

What information about admission and financial aid is available online? Can necessary forms be submitted electronically?: The Undergraduate Admissions Web site contains a wealth of information about WPI, its programs, and the application process, as well as a discussion board for prospective students and their parents and an online chat series. Students are encouraged to apply online for undergraduate programs, and the $60 application fee is waived for those who do.

The Graduate Admissions Web site is home to information about all of WPI's graduate programs and the application process. Students may apply online for admission to all graduate programs, but the application fee is not waived.

The Financial Aid Web site houses information about scholarships, loans, and all the ways that students and parents can finance a WPI education, including downloadable forms in PDF.
Are college catalogs, including important campus policies, available on the Web?: Yes, the Undergraduate Catalog and the Graduate Catalog are available online in both Web and PDF formats.
Can students access their own personal student information/data online?: Through WPI's Web Information System, students can not only access their personal information, but also submit updates to it.
Can students find out their grades online or by phone at the end of a semester?: Students can access their grades online via WPI's Web Information System.
Is registration, including dropping and adding courses, processed electronically?: Course registration, adding and dropping are all processed electronically via WPI's Web Information System. Registration for independent studies, projects and some seminars is still processed via paper forms, which are available in PDF on the Projects & Registrar's Office Web site.
Can students pay bills, receive loans, make campus bookstore purchases using online procedures?: Students can pay bills online using the WPI Web Information system. In addition, they can apply for financial aid and check on the status of their award, including all loans, online. Many loans can be received electronically, but it depends on the lender. More information regarding these online services can be found at the Financial Aid Web site. Students can also purchase books and other merchandise online at the WPI Bookstore
What campus and community services are covered by "smart cards" or "debit cards"?: WPI students use their ID cards to check out library books and to purchase residence hall meals on campus and at several nearby off-campus restaurants. Students can also deposit money on their ID card to be used at residence hall laundry machines, vending machines, and copiers and printers in the library and several public computer labs on campus. Finally, students can gain access to residence halls and certain facilities, such as computer labs, using their ID card.
What student information does the campus provide routinely to parents?: WPI sends semester grade reports home in December and May, while term grade reports are sent to the student's WPI box in October and March. WPI also sends home letters indicating changes in a student's academic standing.

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Last modified: Jul 16, 2009, 21:25 EDT