Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Scientific theory and social issues collide on the campus of Worcester Polytechnic Institute -- and that's exactly what this school in Worcester, Massachusetts, wants for its some 6,500 students. All 4,300 undergrads start their time at WPI in the Great Problems Seminar, a collection of courses aimed at connecting scientific or technological skills with challenges related to health, energy, transportation, or housing. Then, when students become upperclassmen, they combine theory with practice through two major projects. During junior year, for example, small teams of students work with a faculty member to research a specific problem and design a solution. The projects take place in Worcester and at the school's more than 50 project centers around the world, such as in Morocco, where students recently set up a GPS system to document and evaluate the needs for building rehabilitation in Rabat's historic district. Also unique at WPI is the grading system and term schedule. There are no D or F grades; students simply don't receive credit for anything below a C. And there are four seven-week terms instead of two semesters or three quarters. Academics are demanding, but students still find time to relax, with popular events including movie nights that happen every Friday and Saturday --- in one of the science labs.