Enrollment: 5394
Average SAT: 695
Average ACT: 27
Most Popular Majors: Business/Commerce, General,Computer Engineering, General,Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering,
Regular Application Deadline: 01/15
Student Faculty Ratio: 14:1

Undergraduate Receiving Need-Based Financial Aid: 58
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $23,079.00

More to Do on Campus
Professors Get Low Marks

School Says - General Information
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1824, is the nation's oldest technological university. The Institute offers bachelor's, masterÂ's, and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences, information technology, architecture, business, and the humanities and social sciences. Rensselaer faculty are known for pre-eminence in research conducted in a wide range of fields, with particular emphasis in biotechnology, nanotechnology, information technology, and the media arts and technology. Prominent graduates include Ed Zander `68, the chairman of Motorola, Texas Instruments founder J. Erik Jonsson '22, and Nobel Laureate Ivar Giaever `64.

School Says - Student Body
The Princeton Review ranked Rensselaer #2 on their 2007 edition Â"More to Do on CampusÂ" list. From first-run movies, to dances, sports, and parties, to 160 clubs, sports, and organizations, students can participate in events and activities for nearly every interest. There are also countless opportunities to just hang out with friends and to make new friends. For music fans of all types, there are concerts at RPIÂ's Houston Field House. Or, shows at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, a world class concert venue, or the Times Union Center in Albany. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center is just 30 minutes away. Live theater from Broadway to classics is continuously available at ProctorÂ's Theatre in Schenectady, the New York State Theatre Institute (right here in Troy), and our own RPI Playhouse. Students can also balance life and work by improving their physical being while they develop their minds. Healthy lifestyles are easy to maintain at the Mueller Fitness Center Ââ€" right on campus Ââ€" 32,000 square feet for treadmills, cross-training machines, free weights, aerobics, yoga, kickboxing, and more. Major year-round recreational and outdoor facilities are also very close to campus for skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and mountain bikers. RPI is about an hour from the Adirondack Mountains of New York, the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, and the Green Mountains of Vermont. The Capital District of New York is a very college-friendly area with lots to do. One of the largest mega-malls in New York state is a quick car or bus ride away. Within 20 minutes of Rensselaer are Union College, University at Albany, Siena College, College of Saint Rose, Russell Sage College, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Skidmore College, Hudson Valley Community College, Schenectady County Community College, Maria College, and Junior College of Albany. Campus dining is designed to satisfy all appetites, tastes and dietary requirements Ââ€" with all types of menus and meal plans, and at several campus locations. The off-campus selection of restaurants is also varied. Plus, more than 20 pizza, Chinese, and other restaurants deliver to the Rensselaer campus. The Parents of Rensselaer is an association open to all parents of current undergraduate students, designed to keep them involved and informed. Benefits include the Rensselaer Connection newsletter, discounts on travel arrangements (including local hotels and car rentals), 24-hour access to Web site information, and the Family Weekend and other parent activities. The Dean of Students Office supports and assists all Rensselaer students in the achievement of their personal and academic success. Learn more about Greek Life, Minority Student Affairs, Disability Services for Students, and International Services for Students and Scholars. Rensselaer also offers extensive academic advising and learning assistance, writing assistance, counseling, health and wellness, and personal safety services.

School Says - Academics
While each of Rensselaer's schools has its own sequence requirements, the following minimums apply to all students: 124 credit hours and a 1.8 quality point average in all courses; 24 credit hours in physical, life, and engineering sciences; 24 in humanities and social sciences; 30 in a selected discipline; and 24 in electives. Students are strongly encouraged to learn outside of the classroom through independent projects, study abroad, cooperative education, internships, and partnering with faculty members on specific research projects. The Undergraduate Research Program offers hands-on experience to students in hundreds of areas where a full-time undergraduate may participate for credit or pay during the academic year or the summer. Co-op assignments give students the opportunity to add practical experience to their academic study. Air Force, Army, and Naval/Marine ROTC programs are available on an elective basis. Computing is integrated into the curriculum at Rensselaer, and all incoming undergraduates are required to have a laptop computer. Rensselaer's Mobile Computing Program provides students with the latest computing technology choices. Students may bring their own laptops to the campus, but they must comply with Rensselaer's computing requirements.

School Says - Admissions
All applications are reviewed individually by the admissions committee. It is important to note that some differences in preparation and academic background may be considered. The applicants who are best suited for Rensselaer will have completed four years of English, four years of mathematics through pre-calculus, three years of science, and two years of social studies and/or history. In addition, the admissions committee pays particular attention to candidates who demonstrate qualities and talents that will contribute to the richness of the Rensselaer community. Students must submit official scores for the SAT (critical reading, math, and writing); the ACT, which must include the optional writing component, may be substituted for the SAT. Applicants for accelerated programs must also submit scores for SAT Subject Tests in a math and a science; ACT scores, which must include the optional writing component, may be submitted in lieu of SAT and SAT Subject Tests. Portfolios are part of the application process for some students. Electronic arts applicants are required to submit a creative portfolio by November 1 (early decision I), January 1 (early decision II), or January 15 (regular admission). Architecture applicants should submit a creative portfolio by November 1 (early decision I), January 1 (early decision II), or January 15 (regular admission). Students with unusually strong academic profiles may be reviewed without the portfolio. Students expressing interest in product design and innovation who have completed design projects should submit a portfolio or documentation describing program-related work. International applicants' official transcripts must be translated into English, and the international financial statement should be completed and mailed with the application. International applicants who do not achieve a minimum SAT verbal score of 580 must take the TOEFL. Rensselaer expects a TOEFL score of at least 230 on the computer-based test (CBT), 88 on the Internet-based test (iBT), or 580 on the paper-based test (PBT). The early decision application deadlines are November 1 for early decision I, January 1 for early decision II, and the regular admission application deadline for September admission is January 15 of the student's senior year. Rensselaer admits qualified students without regard to race, color, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, or disability.

School Says - Campus Life
Rensselaer is located in the northeastern United States in the heart of New York's Capital Region. The region, which includes the cities of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy and their suburbs, has a combined population of approximately 870,000 and is an important business, government, industrial, and academic hub. There are more than 40,000 college students at fourteen colleges and universities in the immediate area. Overlooking the city of Troy and the historic Hudson River, Rensselaer's 275-acre campus blends recently constructed facilities with a cluster of classical-style, ivy-covered brick buildings dating from the turn of the century. A program of extensive renovation has equipped the campus with ultramodern teaching facilities while preserving the traditional elegance of its historic buildings. Rensselaer retains the quiet and natural beauty of a park like setting while offering many conveniences of an urban campus. Students enjoy easy access to Boston (3 hours away), New York City (2A« hours away), and Montreal (4 hours away). The Adirondacks, the Berkshires, and the Catskills, all within an hour of Troy, offer hundreds of areas for camping, hiking, and skiing. Many student clubs take full advantage of these natural resources.

School Says - Cost Aid
Tuition for 2008-09 is $36,950. Fees are $1040. Room and board costs average $10,730. Books and miscellaneous personal expenses are $1815. A required laptop, offered through Rensselaer, costs $2000. All incoming undergraduate students are required to have a laptop computer that meets Rensselaer's specifications.Nearly all freshmen who have financial need are offered assistance under a comprehensive program of scholarships, loans, and part-time employment that provides annual assistance ranging from $100 up to full tuition, room, and board. Available federal funds include student loans, Federal Work-Study Program awards, and ROTC scholarships.

Students Say - Academics
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which proud students declare "a small research institute making a large impact on the world," is "essentially a hard-core technical school; oriented toward engineering and the sciences, although the school is trying to expand its offerings" in the humanities and arts. The school has already made some headway; as one student points out, "There are a lot of students who are dedicated to their single major in a science or technology field here, which leads to a somewhat narrow-minded type of person…but RPI's saving grace is that it also offers rigorous degrees in architecture and the arts that make this technical institution more like a liberal arts college, as opposed to a strictly technical college." Students in all disciplines face "rigorous course loads" that provide "a lesson in perseverance and innovation to overcome future challenges." Most programs incorporate "a hands-on studio-based method" supplemented by "top-of-the-line facilities…and numerous resources for all students to use." RPI's identity as a research center helps here; according to one undergrad, "The greatest resource for students at RPI are the researchers. It's easy to go to any top-ranked school and take hard classes. It's much harder to find as many professors who are on the cutting edge of their disciplines and actively taking undergraduate students into their labs. RPI excels in this, and any RPI student who wants a research position can usually find one." RPI's co-op program and Career Development Center "are also outstanding, leading to a high placement rate in excellent jobs," although of the latter some warn that "many engineering firms are familiar with Rensselaer, but employers in other fields still have yet to learn of the students available."

Students Say - Campus Life
The academics are challenging at RPI, making life "stressful, but in a good way. Time management is a key to success here." A few students have trouble walking away from the books, but most "enjoy relaxing through various clubs and intramural sports" available to all. The Greek scene is popular, but it's not your stereotypical Animal House variety; sure, "there are definitely a bunch of parties every weekend if you're into that," but "they're all pretty much very responsible with sober bartenders and sober drivers." RPI's Greek organizations also "do a lot of community service in the area and philanthropy events on campus." Greek or not, many here agree that "one of the greatest things to do for fun is to head up to the field house on a Friday or Saturday night and watch some Division I men's hockey." For those who want something a little more active, "Intramural and inter-fraternity sports are a great way to unwind as well as just hanging out in our student-run union." Hometown Troy "is not the best town to live in, although it has a few cool things to do. But, Albany is only a 20-minute drive away (the bus is free), and there's always something to do there."

Students Say - Student Body
There are a lot of very, very nerdy kids here at RPI, as can be imagined at a school with primarily engineering students, but "there are a large number of 'normal' people as well, and each year, the percent of females in each incoming class increases." While the gender gap may be narrowing, it's still pretty wide, meaning that "there [may be] only one typical student at RPI: a white male. They might be into sports, video games, drinking, Greek life, computers, RPG, or whatever, but they're an overwhelming aspect of campus." The minority population includes "many Asian and Indian students." Nearly everyone "comes from the top of their class so they are all very intelligent people" who are "driven and hardworking and think on a global level."

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