Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (StudentsReview) - How to Get into RPI (Undergraduate)

...loading...

*** reported for attending students

...loading...

*** reported for attending students

Your Chances at RPI
(on ACT score alone)

Your Chances at RPI
(on SAT score alone)

	Men	Women
# Applicants	11,273	4,877
# Admitted	4,377	2,277
% Admitted	38.8%	46.7%
% Overall	41.2%

Students who got into RPI:

Tips mention: Interview (3), ACT/SAT (27), Grades (29), Sports/Extracurriculars (13), College Essay (6)

“If you want to go to RPI, you probably

Dec 18 2017Aerospace Engineering
If you want to go to RPI, you probably know all the big things. Have a high GPA, have high SATs ect.

The lesser known thing that I would recommend is applying to less popular departments. Each department is allowed to accept a certain number of students. For example Mechanical Engineering can accept say 300 students and Electrical can accept 100. However, 30000 students can apply to mechanical where 500 students might apply to electrical. This means that each department will have a different acceptance rate, and therefore some departments will be easier to get into than others. I am not entirely sure which department is easiest to get into but I'm pretty sure its one of the less popular departments.

Therefore, if you want to be a mechanical engineer, do not apply to mechanical engineering. Instead apply to an field that is easier to get into (yet still within engineering), and then when you become a student transfer. Provided you are already in an engineering discipline, this is extremely easy to do. I personally, not knowing this, applied to the school as an Undeclared Engineer and then declared Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering (a common dual major). I do not know if this was the deciding factor, but I know I was better off as an Undeclared Engineer compared to a Mechanical Engineer because the acceptance rate is higher for undeclared.
SAT: 2220 Male

“I'm female, got a 30 on my ACT, got a 4

Jun 05 2015Mechanical Engineering
I'm female, got a 30 on my ACT, got a 4.5 GPA in HS (with AP classes factored in), took numerous AP classes, was involved in two sports and three clubs in my HS. I displayed interested for math and science.
ACT: 30 Female

“High test scores and a high

Feb 11 2013Aerospace Engineering
High test scores and a high GPA are the only way to go. Take plenty of AP courses. Look into the Rensselaer Medalist Scholarship if you are seriously interested and ask about it at your high school if they award it.
SAT: 2150 Female

“Common app, decent SAT score and decent High school

Jan 18 2013Accounting
Common app, decent SAT score and decent High school grades and youre good to go
Male

“I'm not sure how I got in haha

Oct 12 2012Architecture
I'm not sure how I got in haha. I'm smart but not a genius. I had a 2090 for SAT score (A 1400 for Math and Reading). RPI gives out a lot of scholarships which is great. I got a 25,000 yearly Leadership Award which really helped. I had a lot of extracurriculars coming out of high school: Debate, National Honor Society, Unified Sports, etc. I'd suggest mainting a relatively good GPA (doesn't have to be superb), I had a 3.75 on a 4.33 scale, unweighted. I did well on AP exams (both AP calc and AP physics), and I wrote some solid essays. When you apply, just make sure you present yourself as a well rounded, motivated student. Don't be afraid to take a risk with the essays.
SAT: 2090 Female