About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. is a Private college. Located in New York, which is a city setting in New York, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 6,265 full time undergraduate students, and 1,098 full time graduate students.

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 15:1. There are 420 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate44%
Application Deadline1-Nov
Application Fee70
SAT Range1280-1480
ACT Range28-32

Admissions at RPI are considered More Selective, with ,68% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 9 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

99% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 94% were in the top quarter, and 65% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

22%
“We”re apathetic”
45%
“We know about current events and vote”
31%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
2%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
4%
“We save it for the classroom”
12%
“Sometimes, but not often”
52%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
32%
“All the time, including weekends”
2%
“I”m always terrified”
14%
“I only go out in groups”
50%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
34%
“I feel extremely safe”
15%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
77%
“We bought the gear”
8%
“We live for the big game”
17%
“It”s not really our thing”
43%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
39%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
2%
“We”re a very artistic group”
2%
“Haven”t met them”
11%
“Available in class”
64%
“They keep regular office hours”
23%
“They”re always available”
0%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
18%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
64%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
18%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
2%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
11%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
64%
“We only party on weekends”
24%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
9%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
65%
“There might be people who do”
23%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
3%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
22%
“We”re apathetic”
45%
“We know about current events and vote”
31%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
2%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
4%
“We save it for the classroom”
12%
“Sometimes, but not often”
52%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
32%
“All the time, including weekends”
2%
“I”m always terrified”
14%
“I only go out in groups”
50%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
34%
“I feel extremely safe”
15%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
77%
“We bought the gear”
8%
“We live for the big game”
17%
“It”s not really our thing”
43%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
39%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
2%
“We”re a very artistic group”
2%
“Haven”t met them”
11%
“Available in class”
64%
“They keep regular office hours”
23%
“They”re always available”
0%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
18%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
64%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
18%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
2%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
11%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
64%
“We only party on weekends”
24%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
9%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
65%
“There might be people who do”
23%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
3%
“There”s a huge drug scene”

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute REVIEWS

Write a review, Enter to win $1,000 Scholarship
  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    149 Students rated on-campus housing 3.3 stars. 5 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    116 Students rated off-campus housing 3.8 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    157 Students rated campus food 3.1 stars. 8 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    159 Students rated campus facilities 3.9 stars. 24 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    159 Students rated class size 3.8 stars. 26 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    158 Students rated school activities 4.1 stars. 43 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    158 Students rated local services 3.9 stars. 33 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    159 Students rated academics 3.8 stars. 32 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

45 Students rated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Liliana - 01/28/2021

My actual majors were GSAS/EARTs with a minor in Computer Science. I was a student from 2015 to 2019. Short story: Don't bother with this school. Long Story: I'll start off with a rant: Shirley Jackson is a selfish person and has rigged the administration with people on a leash that keep her in power. The campus is kept cleanish and full of flora. Shirley keeps a full security guard around her at all times for whatever reason and gets scared when students do activities/art projects near her precious Troy building (she actually got Pubsafe to try to scare away my friend who was trying to record a 24hr timelapse of himself in front of the building). For one of our first events as freshmen, she had us all go down the giant hill overlooking Troy. She insisted everyone shake her hand on the way down even though she clearly hated it (I believe she's a bit of a germophobe). But what really irked me was how we were supposed to have this nice reception but had to eat off an ok buffet while sitting on the dirty sidewalks of Troy. I particularly hate Troy. While a student, it didn't bother me as much since I didn't leave the Hill as much (the Hill is the neighborhood where RPI presides). I felt relatively safe since I would only walk on campus that was patroled fairly often by PubSafe. But as I got closer to graduation and soon after, I started to really hate the area. I no longer really felt safe with the increase in crime that I started noticing. Troy is also really poor and full of people who live off government handouts so the job market is left to young people who generally leave after graduating. Some stay but not all. I grew up/am still poor so I understand the struggle, but it still doesn't excuse stealing packages off of porches. I also learned that the cameras in the RPI buildings don't really work usually and that the "safety" light/help tower things don't really work either. Those may just be rumors, but it's still concerning. Those shouldn't be rumors. ALSO, since the building was built on a hill, it's actually sliding slowly off of it. The buildings are too heavy and proof of this can be clearly seen at West Hall, where the ground (and part of the building at times) is brimming with cracks that just keep getting bigger. But I bet you that the only building that will get that taken care of is the million-dollar waste of money known as EMPAC. It was built under Shirley, of course. The rooms in there are not the easiest to schedule so it's not usually used. In my experience, it's mostly used for shows and for Shirley to show off to people. Speaking of safety, I once worked for the administration. The people on the bottom are so overworked. When I worked for them, it honestly felt like no one cared. I wasn't trained well, we were told black mold was just dust, and we let weed go by as if it was just a "fruity smell" in the air. That last bit enraged me because I expected a weed-free dorm experience. It gets me nauseated every time I smell it so it bothers me even more than others. Anyways, on to the actual school bit. I had a great time with the people I met and the professors I got to know. Unfortunately, all except two of those professors are gone now. The school was slowly pushing them out with budget cuts and toxicity. Some left due to retirement. The extracurriculars were nice, too. I didn't participate in much because I had to work part-time. But they were nice and fun and I met great people and got to try out cool things. As for the actual academics... eh. Most of the professors I had were great and they knew what they were doing most of the time. At the very least, they could help me with my problems that I would encounter in Maya or Houdini. They also gave great feedback. After RPI, I worked at a VFX firm in the area for a bit before it closed due to loss of work due to Covid-19. Being in that field and looking for work now has made me realize that I was kinda taught Unity for no reason when I should've been taught Unreal Engine 4. Unity is still a good thing to know, but a lot of the companies I'm looking at now are using UE4 in some way or another. Even at the VFX firm, clients would sometimes come in asking if we knew UE4. My favorite part of going there was the access to the big art programs (i.e Maya, Adobe Suite, etc) and the community feeling among the GSAS/EARTs students. Junior and Senior year were filled with group projects and Capstone projects. It was a very fun time filled with people in the same boat and a sense of accomplishment after each project. The most fun of all was Creative Seminar. Although the professor was not awesome, the class was. It was almost like we were a family. And getting a whole gallery space to ourselves where we could even design the space was amazing. I'll never forget it. When it came to career help, there was very minimal help for the Arts departments coming from the CCPD (Career Center for Professional Development). It's been more than a decade (almost 2) since the school obtained a GSAS department and the CCPD still can't find someone that can properly judge a resume for an arts career or a games career, let alone a portfolio or a site. Thank goodness for professors. I think that's all.

queen

Good!

Sarah

RPI is a school with a wonderful environment full of students who come together with a diverse set of ideas for the mutual purpose of pursuing education in science and technology. We all help each other out and stand together as a community through all years and majors. Everyone is different, but we are all there for the same purpose and that creates an environment of nerdiness and academia great for people from all sorts of backgrounds and ideals.

Fariha

It is a good school with an even better reputation. There are definitely perks to going here such as big name company recruiters and top research facilities. Housing and food are not the best on campus but definitely plenty of restaurants in Troy. Professors are usually very helpful. Weather is very cold and geographically it is very hilly. There are plenty of clubs to join.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 44%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    SAT scores and high school GPA's are a common focus among high schooler's looking to find where they belong . Average salaries and companies graduates work for is also seemingly important; but these factors are nothing more than statistics, they provide no information pertaining to the quality of life of the average student. Intellect and future prospects are important factors, but I wouldn't consider them deal making. I strong urge all high school students looking to find the college they belong in to go to campus when classes are in session and visit with some of the students. Talk to them and ask them how they are enjoying the scool and how they get along with their classmates. Find out if the amount of time they dedicate to their studies versus their social life is a balance you are comfortable with. Make sure that you can relate to the students there, that you can connect on multiple levels in multiple ways. Most of what I learned in college wasn't from the classroom, but from connecting with the people I bonded with there and undergoing the pitfalls of life together. Money and grades are transient; expereinces last forever.

    Read all  149 answers
  3. Describe the students at your school.

    Exteremely intellegent.

    Read all  95 answers
  4. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    We are all guys and nerds. There are no athletic people or girls.

    Read all  84 answers
  5. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    For the most part, the nice thing is that there are enough socially ept people who leave there rooms that there's always new people to meet, and always people you know.

    Read all  83 answers
  6. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    For me, the best thing about RPI is snowboarding. Before coming to RPI, I have never snowboarded but now I have the opportunity to go every weekend. Off the top of my head, I can't think of things I would want to change. My school is just about the right size. It is traditionally a "small" campus but I can't feel that. There are times I feel I have to walk far and wide to get to certain buildings. Depending on where I am, people react differently to rpi. If I am talking to people that live near RPI but do not go there, they respond with admiration. I spend most of my time in the student union or at my sorority. I hear students complaining about RIBS. It stands for ratio-induced-bitch-syndrome. I see it very often in females.

    Read all  81 answers
  7. What are the academics like at your school?

    There are some really phenomenal professors here, and some that are not so great. The one nice thing is that if you are looking for help, there's always someone who can at least point you in the right direction. You get out of it what you put in.

    Read all  74 answers
  8. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    A cappella is the most popular student group at RPI.

    Read all  70 answers
  9. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    It is a highly esteemed engineering school (also one of the oldest engineering schools.)

    Read all  60 answers
  10. What's unique about your campus?

    It offers a lot to those who seek more. There are over 300 clubs to choose from! For those who are research inclined can get researach as a freshman. The coursework is challenging and fulfilling if you are in the right major.

    Read all  36 answers
  11. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    Ok.

    Read all  31 answers
  12. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    The facutly-student-administration dynamic.

    Read all  26 answers
  13. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    My school is known for engineering

    Read all  25 answers
  14. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    Liberal arts majors. Sorry, but RPI just doesn't cater. Also, if you want to take a foreign language, forget it.

    Read all  25 answers
  15. What kind of person should attend this school?

    A strong-minded person who is focused on academics but knows how to still have fun socially.

    Read all  24 answers
  16. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    The work load is super hard, and sometimes to the point of it being discouraging. There is a disconnect between some of the teachers and the students but overall its just a hard school with hard classes.

    Read all  21 answers
  17. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    We work hard and we play hard.

    Read all  20 answers
  18. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    That most other students here came from schools with AP programs. If I knew I could have taken AP tests in high school and gotten out of "gen-ed" type courses, I would have pushed for more AP classes in my high school.

    Read all  17 answers
  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    As a tech school, RPI is usually seen as a geek school. While there are the usual geeky things that happen, RPI is a diamond in the rough. Everyone is their own person. I have found some of my best friends here and I can say that there is no fair way to stereotype this school.

    Read all  12 answers
  20. Tell us about the sports scene on campus.

    As far as athletic spectatorship, men's hockey is the most popular sport. Season tickets are popular and are sold at a celebration called the "hockey line." Hockey games are a blast! I love hockey, but I have friends who disliked sports and have been converted to hockey fans. The pep band is lively and humorous and the fans are enthusiastic. Men's and Women's are the only division I teams at RPI; all others are division III. For athletic participation, about 70 percent of the student body participates in an athletic endeavor. Options include varsity sports, club teams, intramurals, and athletically inclined clubs (which are not club sports since they do not compete against other schools). Walking around campus, I typically see a group of students playing a pick-up game of frisbee or soccer or football. I personally do not play on a team, but I run almost every day, so I include others like myself as part of the sports scene.

    Read all  2 answers
  21. Tell us about the food and dining options.

    We have four dining halls on campus. each has different hours of operation, but none serve dinner past 8pm. One does have a service from 10:30 to 11:30 on weeknights.There is not large variety from day-to-day and from week-to-week, especially for picky eaters, but the food is decent and sometimes really good. As for allergies, one dining hall offers a specialized room that requires specialized access, so only students that make known their allergies can utilize this room. The Student Union houses some food court style options which have much extended hours of operation. These options include sandwiches, pizza, chicken tenders, and the like. The Union and one residence hall also have small convenience stores. There are four, maybe five, cafes in academic buildings, which serve soups, salads, snacks, baked goods, sandwiches, drinks, coffee, and tea. One uses meal swipes in dining halls and flex dollars to purchase items in cafes, the Union, and the convenience stores.

    Read all  1 answers

Student Body

Students

32%

female

68%

male

6,265

Total Undergrad Enrollment

1,098

Total Grad Students

60%

Out-Of-State

29%

In-State

11%

International

Organizations

205

Student Organizations

31

Fraternities

5

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

52%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
11%
% Black or African-American
3%
% Hispanic/Latino
9%
% White or Caucasian
56%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

89% of students attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute receive some sort of financial aid. 17% were awarded federal grants. While 59% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$50,797

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,264

Books and Supplies

$14,630

Room and Board

66,691

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$21,531
$30 - $48K
$21,787
$48 - $75K
$28,882
$75 - $110K
$32,740
$110K & UP
$40,214

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

FIND SCHOLARSHIPS

Find your perfect match from over 3 million scholarships!

START YOUR SEARCH

CAN YOU GET INTO Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

Complete your profile to see if this school is a fit for you, and what your chances of admitance are.

START YOUR SEARCH