I attended Oregon Institute of Technology as a freshman and genuinely regret my decision…read more
The dorms were filthy, poorly maintained, and constantly felt unsafe. There were ongoing concerns and rumors among students about asbestos in the buildings, and regardless of the technical truth, the fact that students were worried about it at all says a lot about how little transparency or reassurance we were given. It smelled terrible on the floors, there was NO SAFETY PLAQUE IN THE DORM ELEVATOR, i would walk into the shower to be met with people having sexual intercourse and other times used stained undergarments hanging on the towel hooks. Basic cleanliness was lacking, and maintenance issues were slow or ignored. And as for the village apartments, they are a bit cleaner but in my short time living there in my second year (before i was fed up and tired of it) a couple wasps were in the bathroom when I moved in. In the dorm study rooms, there were also a few times you could hear people having intercourse on the new couches they installed in the study rooms . Laundry room often floods and has issues. My
mail looked tampered with a couple times i went to pick it up.
The town itself is miserable. It's extremely cold most of the year, isolated, and there is nothing to do socially. No decent water to swim in, no real nightlife, and very few places students actually want to spend time. The only cool place in the entire town is the park on the outskirts of town. If you care at all about having a social life or not feeling trapped, this is not the place. The isolation seriously affects mental health.
While I was there, I heard repeated concerns from other women about allegations involving certain peers on campus with serious criminal histories, including allegations involving underage images and sex offenses. Whether all of this was officially verified or not, the fact that so many women openly talked about feeling unsafe and uncomfortable around certain men on campus was extremely alarming. There was a strong sense that concerns from girls were brushed off or normalized instead of taken seriously.
Academically it was very hit or miss. Anatomy & Physiology and Anthropology professors were genuinely good and clearly cared about teaching. Outside of those classes, however, I often felt like I was teaching myself entirely. there are student tutors available but were mostly booked up. Lectures were weak, organization was poor, and support was minimal. If you're paying for college, you shouldn't feel like you're on your own for most of it.
The food situation is awful. Sudexo was tolerable for maybe the first month or two, then it became repetitive, low-quality, and honestly gross. Undercooked looking/ cold food, limited options, and no consideration for dietary needs. It felt like an afterthought, despite how much students pay for meal plans.
There are no real music programs. If that matters to you at all, look elsewhere. The band is mediocre at best and mostly does bad rock covers. Clubs are poorly run and feel thrown together last minute. Some clubs, like Formula and Baja, were especially unwelcoming, and as a woman, it was very clear that you were not taken seriously or made to feel included on building the vehicle for the clubs.
Socially, I never felt like I belonged. I dressed in alternative/goth clothing daily, with dyed hair and long black skirts, and stood out heavily among the overwhelmingly white, "basic," Lululemon-and-Stanley-cup culture that dominates the campus. This isn't about insecurity -- it was very clear that anyone who didn't fit a narrow, conventional mold was subtly othered. There was little diversity in self-expression, and it made campus feel unwelcoming and judgmental. Everyone is either a dental student, civil engineering, computer science, or medical imaging.
Overall, the campus feels underfunded, socially dead, and dismissive of student concerns. If you're looking for community, safety, support, or even basic enjoyment during college, I would strongly recommend going somewhere else. I'm not sure about the Portland campus, I've heard better things about it but this is just for Klamath campus.
Please, if you choose to go to this school, get a detailed tour of the school and don't just look at the school, but talk to the students. See if they even look happy or not to be there.
