First off, congratulations!

The only apartment I rented in Worcester was found through a friend, so I can't help much there, but Craigslist is probably a decent place to start looking. WPI will likely also have resources to help you find housing.

To echo what everyone else is saying, you'll need to be prepared for it to get quite cold in the winter (consistently below 0°C December through the first half of March, with dips down to -20°C and a couple days even colder). In the summer it can be really warm (25-30°C with the occasional day that gets to 35 or so).

If you aren't familiar with the cold, the best advice I can give you is to make sure you have layers, including a base layer (merino wool ideally). Get a solid pair of warm gloves, a warm jacket, some decent boots, and beanie or two. The best time to buy this stuff is between now and September or so, as it will generally be on sale. Locally, most stores won't carry much in the summer but you can always shop online.

You 100% need a car or reliable access to a car. The bus system is not great and Ubers/Taxis will add up quickly. Also, one of the things that's great about Worcester is easy access to the places and outdoor activities nearby but outside the city and those can be tough or impossible to get to without a car. It would be a a shame to live here and not get to experience the rest of New England.

Best of luck with the move.

Congratulations. WPI is a pretty decent school.

- There are apartments near WPI. You'll want to look in the area near Park Avenue/Main Street/Highland Street/Elm Street. This area is ideal if you do not have a car.

-There are also renovated and brand new buildings in Downtown Worcester and the Canal District and other areas scattered throughout the City. You might need a car if you live around here since it's not exactly walking distance to WPI.

-Public transportation is mediocre. There is a bus system that goes throughout the City. I'm not sure how frequent the buses run. A car would be ideal if you don't live near the campus. You can definitely get by without a car, though. You might need to rely on others for rides or take Ubers when you need to travel further away.

-Weather ranges from hot to very cold. Fall and spring will be warm to hot and you'll need only light weight clothing, shorts, t-shirts, etc. As you enter winter, you'll need various layers - sweatshirts, hoodies, flannels, thermal shirts, and probably a few jackets of various weights. You'll also want to be sure you have a good pair of boots or winter footwear, some gloves, scarves, hats, etc. You buy winter clothing anywhere. You can go to a place like Marshall's or TJ Maxx and find stuff for a good price.

​

-I am sure that WPI has resources for people like you. Your best bet is to reach out to them. They probably have some sort of coordinator that can help you with all of this stuff.

>Where should I get an apartment if I'm attending WPI and don't want to spend a lot on rent?

What are your plans for nightlife and weekends? Do you want to hang out with people more or will you be mainly studying?

>I'm from India, what should my wardrobe look like, and where to buy winter clothing?

You'll need some warmer clothes for winter. On average, it's about 20-30⁰F during the winter and 80⁰F during the summer. There are some days in the winter where it will be really cold, but it's not often. Same with summer and the heat; there will be some days that get close to 100⁰F but it's not often. So have a mix of clothing items to be able to make outfits for 0⁰-100⁰ to factor in those outlier temperatures.

As for getting clothes, there's lots or shops in Worcester, plus a few malls within about 30 minutes drive time. You can even get to Boston from the Worcester train station and Boston transit is pretty good.

>Can I travel around using public transportation or will I require a car?

In Worcester, transit isn't that great. You'll need to use Uber, your legs, or get a car. My opinion is bias though since I'm from a city in the Midwest that had a really good transit system, closer to what Boston has without a subway.

Personally, I'd get a beater car just to be able to go where you want and when you want.

I don’t know of anyplace here where you won’t spend a lot on rent for your own apartment. I pay 1k for my 350 sq ft shoe box in a not so great neighborhood with no off street parking. Your best bet if you want to save on rent would be find roommates close to WPI.

If you can be within walking distance to campus, your life will be a lot easier. Otherwise, find a place as close as you can to avoid our terrible traffic and not-great public transit.

Also, long underwear (cotton, not synthetic) will be your best friend when winter comes. Buy 2 sets.

Good luck!

Definitely get some insulated / wool socks and a nice winter jacket.

You can go almost anywhere to get one. I have just a standard fake wool coat from Old Navy and an Adidas branded skiing jacket and do just fine. The socks help. Boots will help as well. I recommend insulated boots. Most can be bought online or at a local store, but you'll get better deals online.

This is my exact jacket: https://www.amazon.com/adidas-Soccer-Condivo-Winter-Jacket/dp/B09V1V674G/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=adidas+winter+coat&qid=1677514085&sr=8-3

This is my other jacket: https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=473482012&vid=1&grid=Bloomreach_4_14_1#pdp-page-content

These are my boots: https://www.amazon.com/North-Face-Mens-Snowfuse-Insulated/dp/B00T3JAHRK/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3UEDBI7KVW640&keywords=north+face+boots&qid=1677514144&sprefix=northface+boots%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-5

Dick's Sporting goods and LL Bean are nearby and they'll have better winter gear. It all comes down to your personal preferences.

I wouldn't spend TOO much on winter clothes though - The REALLY cold weather only lasts a short period of time and like last winter, it never came. A couple weeks ago here, it was below 0F, but then a few days later, you could go outside with a tee shirt on. I wouldn't spend more than $100 on boots or a jacket, and those are going to be the most expensive purchases for winter clothes. If you're starting in the fall, you can even wait until next November's Black Friday sales and just buy something then. October - December are moderately cold and you can usually get by with a lighter winter jacket or some hoodies.

Public transport and apartments I cannot help with as I drive and live outside of the city.

Congrats.

I'd probably buy warm, but cheap clothing. Worcester is getting better every day, but there's still a decent chance you might get mugged.

While it's not impossible to live in Worcester without a car, you'll probably want one. Not having one will severely limit your options for employment. If you're just coming here for school then it's much more manageable.

You can see the public transit routes on Google Maps, by the way. If you pick a route, they're all mapped out with fairly accurate travel times.

Worcester is all bus lines with a train that goes from worcester <---> Boston.

There are plenty of rentals near the campus and there is no need for a car if you stay close. Clothing you can get on Amazon. Food shopping up the street at Price Chopper. Plenty of restaurants around as well.

Buy winter clothing when you get here. About a month after the fall semester starts, Walmart will have a bunch of winter clothes. So will Target and other stores so you’ll have options. It’s so much easier to buy things in store when you get here.

I am an undergrad near WPI and I love having a car. To my knowledge, transportation on the bus is free but idk how many bus stops are around or if there’s one close to WPI. Having a car would make things a little easier but it’s not a necessity, especially since you aren’t from the US.

Only comment I have that others haven’t said is that WPI used to (may still, I don’t know) have a reputation for never canceling classes for weather. They did it once when I was an undergrad, when we got like 2 feet of snow and it didn’t get above freezing for over 10 days, and even then classes were only cancelled for a day or two while the snow got cleared. All the other colleges and the public schools were closed for a week at that point. So the cold weather gear is that much more important.

Maybe contact WPI to see if they will connect you with another Indian student who has already made the transition? You'll get relevent information and meet a fellow student...

There's a lot located near WPI. You're just west of downtown Worcester and there's at least a few grocery stores within walking distance of campus.

Bus access to WPI is at least a 10 minute walk best I can tell. They're predominantly up park Ave and Grove Street.

I can't remember where those bus lines take you, but they are located close enough to be usable.

Don’t leave the campus😂

I can help with your second two questions.

Your wardrobe should at least have a few items for all weather conditions. Three weeks ago it was -30 here. One weekend last spring it was 98 and incredibly humid. Throughout the year it can, and will, range like that. For winter clothing, be discerning. There are stores like LL Bean and Columbia that will have good products and stores that cater to outdoors people like Cabela's or REI will also have good options. Don't cheap out on your big, heavy winter coat. It might not be the most stylish but you'll want something that will keep you warm in the winter and the truly good ones can cost a bit.

There is a bus system in the city, and it's free, but it's not the most all-encompassing route system. I would highly highly recommend a car.

Your wardrobe should be stylish, because it pays to dress well! (Also you will need layers for the Winter)

[removed]

[removed]