Enrollment: 3252
Average SAT: 672
Average ACT: 28
Most Popular Majors: Computer Science,Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering,Mechanical Engineering,
Regular Application Deadline: 02/01
Student Faculty Ratio: 14.1:1

Undergraduate Receiving Need-Based Financial Aid: 178
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $16,584.00

Election? What Election?
Happiest Students

School Says - General Information
You want to be on the first Mars mission, find alternative energy sources, or work on cancer research. WPI believes in the power of our students to make an impact. Students do much more than study science and technology in the classroom and lab. They delve into the arts and humanities. They complete projects on campus and around the globe where they connect what they've learned in the classroom with pressing real-life challenges, from human health and the environment to business and engineering. Students grow - personally, professionally, and intellectually - as they discover how to apply their talents and turn ideas into tangible solutions. WPI's aim is to educate students broadly, so they achieve greatly. Though WPI has an over 140 year history, the curriculum, like its students, is both innovative and practical. Small classes, a flexible curriculum, and one-on-one interaction with professors at the top of their fields make learning at WPI an experience unlike any other. WPI has been widely recognized for its academic program. WPI was the only technological university out of sixteen national Leadership Institutions selected by the Association of American Colleges and Universities to serve as models of outstanding practices in liberal education. WPI consistently ranks among the top national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In the National Survey of Student Engagement, WPI ranked number one for student-faculty interactions, a measure of the quality and quantity of time faculty members spend with undergraduates.

School Says - Student Body
WPI has twenty varsity (NCAA Division III) athletics teams and thirty-four club and intramural athletics. WPI won the "Worcester Cup" for the third time in four years, recognizing it as the top collegiate program in Worcester County. WPI has eleven fraternities and three sororities, fifteen music and theater ensembles, dozens of academic clubs, international organizations, religious groups and other organizations. There are more than 200 student clubs and activities.

School Says - Academics
Students take the equivalent of three courses (as either courses or project work) during each of four 7-week terms (two in the fall and two in the spring). At WPI, learning is about more than just theories and ideas. Students learn how to put ideas into practice through its project-enriched curriculum. WPI undergraduates complete two projects: one directly related to your major and one working with a team of students to solve a problem at the intersection of society and technology - helping to bring electricity to remote villages in Thailand, or studying the bioethics of cloning, for example. Students gain valuable professional skills, a talent for team work, the confidence to dive right in, no matter what the challenge. WPI's academic program encourages collaboration - not competition. Students work closely together in project-oriented classes. Learning how to work in teams will prepare students to achieve results and become a leader in life after college - no matter what path they take. WPI's award-winning Global Perspective Program is one of the most comprehensive and highly regarded global studies programs in the nation. About half of WPI students complete projects outside the United States and the majority complete projects off-campus. With WPI's Global Perspective Program, you'll not only experience the challenge of solving real-life problems with your fellow students, you'll immerse yourself in another culture. Complete your projects on campus or at any of our more than 20 project centers located on five continents around the globe including in Thailand, Australia, Costa Rica, South Africa or within the U.S. Recent project sponsors include NASA Johnson Space Center, Johnson & Johnson, Morgan Stanley, Environmental Protection Agency and UNESCO. Top-tier employers seek out WPI graduates for their real-world experience and ability to work collaboratively. With a placement rate of over 90 percent, students are recruited by leading organizations such as Pfizer, General Electric, Fidelity Investments, IBM and Google. Not surprisingly, WPI graduates' starting salaries are higher than those of many other college graduates, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Each year, WPI graduates are accepted at many prestigious graduate schools, including MIT, Yale University, Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University and Tufts University Medical School.

School Says - Admissions
WPI Admissions offers a variety of application options. Students can apply using the WPI application (paper or on-line). We also accept the Common Application. A $60 application fee is required for all applicants. (WPI endorses the fee waiver policy of the College Board, as well as accepts fee waivers from high school guidance or college counselors.) Academic Requirements four years of math (including pre-calculus) four years of English two years of lab science Other requirements include: High school transcript Science or math teacher's recommendation Guidance counselor's recommendation Personal essay SAT I or ACT scores or alternate materials through WPIÂ's "Flex Path" TOEFL or IELTS Exam scores for international students whose first language is not English Interviews While interviews are optional, this is your chance to meet one-on-one with an Admissions staff member or a trained Admissions intern. We'll have the chance to learn more about you, and can answer specific questions you may have. Deadlines Early Action (Round 1) - Nov. 15 Early Action (Round 2) - Jan. 1 Regular Decision - Feb. 1 January Admission - Freshmen and Transfer Students - Nov. 15 (Rolling notification) Fall Admission - Transfer Students - Apr. 15* (Rolling notification)

School Says - Campus Life
With its beautiful architecture, grassy quad and ivy-covered walls, WPI has a traditional New England campus. Students stop and chat with their friends and professors on tree-lined paths. Play pool between classes at the Campus Center or get a coffee with friends at Dunkin' Donuts. Study in the sun by the fountain in Reunion Plaza. Get a group together for bowling at Gompeii's Gutters funky Galactic Bowling Nights. Stop and smell the roses in the formal English garden behind Higgins House. See a student play at the new Little Theatre. Home to twelve other colleges and universities and over 35,000 college students, Worcester is a great college town. WPI is a member of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, through which WPI students may register for courses at other colleges and may take advantage of a wide range of cultural programming offered by consortium members. A shuttle provides free transportation between campuses. Late-night diners, clubs, museums, concert venues and theaters are right down the hill from WPI in Worcester's vibrant downtown. Boston is less than an hour away by commuter rail if you want to catch Red Sox fever. There's great skiing and boarding at nearby Wachusett Mountain. If you want to go a bit farther, Worcester is centrally located with easy access to Providence, New York City, the Berkshire and White Mountains and Cape Cod.

School Says - Cost Aid
2007-2008 Tuition and Fees Tuition: $34,300.00 Social Fee: $250.00 Health Fee: $280.00 Total: $34,830.00 Typical Room: $6,104.00 Typical Board Plan: $4,306.00 Books and Supplies: $1,000.00 Personal Expenses: $1,000.00 New Student Orientation: $200.00 Total: $47,440.00It's no secret. A great education costs a lot of money, but think about the return on your investment. College graduates in general earn over the course of their careers at least $1 million more than those without a degree. For WPI graduates, starting salaries frequently exceed the national averages and graduates are able to move quickly up the ranks to positions of influence as a result of their excellent preparation. Applying for Financial Aid Students should file the FAFSA and CSS Profile on or near their admissions application deadline. WPI should receive all financial aid materials by February 1. Applications after this date will be reviewed subject to funds available. Most applicants (including early applicants) will receive a financial aid package within two weeks of their acceptance. We'll inform you of the Financial Aid Committee's decision no later than April 15 for regular decision admissions, and you'll have until the Candidates Common Reply Date (May 1) to either accept or decline the offer. Academic Scholarships WPI offers academic scholarships to freshman applicants based upon academic performance, standardized test scores, leadership, extracurricular involvement and community service. All admitted applicants are considered and there is no separate application required. Scholarships vary in amounts, but typically range between $10,000 and $25,000, and are renewable for four years. Valedictorians and Salutatorians are guaranteed a minimum scholarship of $12,500. National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Recognition Finalists are guaranteed a minimum of $17,000.

Students Say - Academics
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, students boast, "is revolutionary with its approach to teaching," employing a "project-based curriculum that stresses the importance of both theory and practice." Students here must complete two projects, "one relating to the impact of technology on society, and a final senior project" that is typically a "group project done in cooperation with industry; i.e., not an 'academic' project." The Project Enhanced Curriculum ensures that students get "real-world industry experience before getting into the real world by applying what you learn in the classroom into projects." Students typically travel abroad to complete at least one of their projects, allowing them to "help another community on the other side of the world." As yet another added bonus, "the projects program looks excellent on your resume." Students also love WPI's quarterly academic calendar. One writes, "If I don't like a class but have to get through it, it's only seven weeks. If I love the material, I can get out in seven weeks and jump onto the next class!" Students warn that "the terms are pretty intense and go by so quickly that there is little room for error" but add that "it is very easy to get in touch with the professors after class, and they are very willing to help." A lenient grading system-"You can only receive an A, B, C, or an NR"-reduces the pressure somewhat, although it does little to mitigate the "immense workload." Independent students are especially well suited to WPI, which "fosters a can-do attitude that allows students to pave their own ways, create their own degree programs, and arrange their own degree requirement projects."

Students Say - Campus Life
During the week [at WPI], most of the attention is focused on school activities, whether it's homework, clubs, or other extracurriculars, while "on the weekends, people try to relax after the week that has just ended and prepare themselves for the upcoming week." The campus enjoys "a strong sense of community, probably because of the campus set-up. The campus is on a hill, so we are separate from the city, and we are our own community with its own issues, and we deal with issues as a whole." Students tell us that "the Greek life on campus holds a big presence, and it is hard to find other activities to occupy your free time without at least socializing with members of the Greek community." Of the intercollegiate sports, "Basketball is big. The men's team made it to the NCAA Division III national tournament in the last five years." Though in the past students have noted that "Worcester isn't the greatest town this may be changing-it was named the 9th most liveable city in the US by Forbes.com." Students tend to stick close to campus for fun, although "we also make trips to Boston and other better cities," including Hartford and Providence.

Students Say - Student Body
The WPI student body spans two extremes, from "the students who do not come out of their room and are very nerdy" to those who "are very involved and meet everyone and fit in." One student writes, "WPI is an experiment in social interactions the likes of which the world rarely sees. For every typical frat guy and girl, there's a computer nerd or D&D guru who could write this entire response in COBOL coding for you." Nearly everyone here was "an atypical high school student" who "did very well in high school" while also being "really good in X (where X is a sport, club president, highly active student)." Finally, the "one thing that binds everyone at WPI is their love for technology. Within that major division of technology-loving people, the campus is filled with diverse students."

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