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Summary
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private institution that was founded in 1824. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,322, its setting is city, and the campus size is 284 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 41. Its tuition and fees are $44,475 (2012-13).
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was founded on the principles of bringing science to everyday life, and that ethos is still prevalent today. About a quarter of students are involved in Greek L.I.F.E., as the fraternity and sorority scene is known at the school, which stresses Leadership, Innovation, Fortitude, and Evolution. More students—about three fourths—play sports at the varsity, club, or intramural level. True to the school’s mission, the varsity athletes are known as the Engineers, and compete in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. There are also more than 175 student organizations. Freshmen must live on campus, usually in dormitories that only house first-year students. RPI’s campus, in Troy, N.Y., is nestled in an ideal location for nature lovers. The school overlooks the Hudson River, where waterfront activities abound, and is close to Grafton Lakes State Park, Lake George, and the Adirondack Mountains. For an urban experience, Albany is 9 miles away.
In accordance with its specialty, RPI has a highly ranked engineering program. The school also uses its scientific specialties to offer unique accelerated programs such as the B.S./M.D. Physician-Scientist Program, completed in seven years, and the B.S./J.D. in Science, Technology and Society Law, which takes six years to finish. The university hosts technical events like the annual GameFest, a showcase of computer games designed by students. These kinds of technical skills have led Rensselaer graduates to successful careers as entrepreneurs, inventors, scientists, and more. Notable RPI alumni include George W. G. Ferris, creator of the Ferris Wheel, Howard P. Isermann, inventor of sunscreen, and Myles Brand, president of the NCAA.
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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the nation's oldest technological university. Since 1824, Rensselaer faculty, researchers, graduates, and students have been at the forefront of leading technology advances, ranging from engineering some of the nation's first suspension bridges in the 19th Century to helping to lead evolution of the Worldwide Web into a core foundation of how we interact with each other. Since 2001, Rensselaer has been guided by The Rensselaer Plan. Under this plan, the university's accomplishments in just the last five years ranges from critical advances in energy security and nanotechnology to important pharmaceutical and biotechnology advances in the war against so-called superbugs and other infections. Rensselaer faculty are known for pre-eminence in research conducted in a wide range of fields, with particular emphasis in biotechnology, engineering, energy and the environment, nanotechnology, information technology and the Worldwide Web, and media arts and technology. Students are encouraged to work in interdisciplinary programs that allow them to combine scholarly work from several departments or schools. In 2011, the university launched its first undergraduate degree in the field of sustainability. The new Sustainability Studies degree weaves together techniques and insights from the humanities and social sciences with knowledge from the natural sciences and engineering to address environmental problems. In addition, the university's four-year-old video game design program was again ranked as one of the best in the nation by the Princeton Review. During the last 12 months, four Rensselaer professors earned sought-after CAREER awards from the National Science Foundation. The CAREER Award is given to faculty members at the beginning of their careers and is one of NSF's most competitive awards. During the last year, Rensselaer also recruited senior leaders in diverse fields to become deans at three of the Institute's five schools: former NASA scientific leader Laurie Leshin for the School of Science, former University of Michigan Associate Dean Mary Simoni for the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and former University of Dublin Business School Dean Thomas Begley for the Lally School of Management and Technology. Rensselaer provides students with an educational approach distinguished by experimental study; research and entrepreneurial partnerships with faculty; and a lively and intellectually engaging campus environment. The university is home to cutting-edge facilities and research platforms that accommodate and advance research. The Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies houses more than 400 Rensselaer researchers in biotechnology and related disciplines who work in functional tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, integrated systems biology, bioinformatics, biocatalysis, metabolic engineering, and more. The Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations is among the world's most powerful university-based supercomputers. The CCNI is designed to advance semiconductor technology to the nanoscale, while also enabling key nanotechnology innovations in the fields of energy, biotechnology, new materials, arts, and medicine. The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, opened in October, 2008, provides a platform for exploration and learning at the nexus of research, technology, and the performing arts. The building houses a 1,200-seat concert hall, a 400-seat theater, flexible black box studio spaces, and production facilities to support visualization, simulation, and animation studies. During 2009-2010 academic year, Rensselaer opened the new $92 million East Campus Athletic village, the most extensive athletic construction project in Rensselaer history, offering athletic and recreation facilities that will change the student experience dramatically. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1824 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | city |
| 2011 Endowment | $621,916,000 |
Applying
When applying to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, it's important to note the application deadline is January 15, and the early decision deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due December 31. The application fee at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is $70. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 39.6 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | most selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 39.6% |
| Application deadline | January 15 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | December 31 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 15:1, and the school has 45.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute include: Engineering; Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Architecture and Related Services; and Biological and Biomedical Sciences. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 92.5 percent.
Student Life
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,322, with a gender distribution of 70.9 percent male students and 29.1 percent female students. At this school, 63.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 37.0 percent of students live off campus. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
| Total enrollment | 6,914 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA III |
Campus Info & Services
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 40 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
| Students who have cars on campus | 40% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | Yes |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 64.5 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $23,722.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $44,475 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $12,450 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
