Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy,
NY
•4-Year Private•
RPI Student Life
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Student Activities
Interested in Greek life?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has the Red Army Spirit Club. In fact, more students participate in the Red Army Spirit Club than any other on-campus activity.
Other popular student organizations at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute include Outing Club, Indian Student Association, Chinese American Student Association and pep band.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students' favorite campus traditions are Grand Marshal Week, Big Red Freakout and Fall Fest Weekend.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Housing
This table offers information on housing at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
| Housing Options | Offered? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| On-Campus Housing | Yes | – |
| Guaranteed Housing | Yes | Guaranteed for freshman |
| Co-ed Housing Available | Yes | – |
| Housing for Students with Disabilities | Yes | – |
| Percentage of Students Living On-Campus | – | 56% |
| Spots Available in On-Campus Housing | – | – |
| Number of Students Living On-Campus | – | – |
| Percentage of Students Living Off-Campus | – | – |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers housing for students. Students are required to live on campus. First year students are guaranteed on-campus housing.
The majority of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students live on campus. In 2023, 56% of undergrads at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute lived in some kind of on-campus housing and 44% of students lived off-campus or commuted to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. First year students are not allowed to park a car on campus.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers coed housing and housing for students with disabilities.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Athletics
At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute there are a variety of athletic options for students interested in joining a sports program.
Intercollegiate sports are the highest tier of college sports and can be very competitive. Intercollegiate teams are regulated by the NCAA, funded by the university, and compete against teams from other universities. The division of a sports team depends on the size of the university, funding, and competition level. An intercollegiate school team will be Division I, II or III, with Division I being the highest level.
Club sports are not regulated by the NCAA and are a great option for students not interested in trying out for an intercollegiate team. Club sports are usually student run but can also be funded by the university.
Intramural sports are the most casual and informal. Intramural sports are often free and require very little time commitment.
Let's take a look at the athletic options available at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute:
| Sport | Men's Intramural | Women's Intramural | Men's Division | Women's Division | Men's Scholarships | Women's Scholarships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basketball | √ | √ | NCAA Division 3 | NCAA Division 3 | – | – |
| Ice Hockey | √ | √ | NCAA Division 3 | NCAA Division 3 | – | – |
| Lacrosse | √ | √ | NCAA Division 3 | NCAA Division 3 | – | – |
| Soccer | √ | √ | NCAA Division 3 | NCAA Division 3 | – | – |
| Swimming And Diving | √ | √ | NCAA Division 3 | NCAA Division 3 | – | – |
| Tennis | √ | √ | NCAA Division 3 | NCAA Division 3 | – | – |
| Track And Field | √ | √ | NCAA Division 3 | NCAA Division 3 | – | – |
| Cross Country Running | √ | √ | NCAA Division 3 | NCAA Division 3 | – | – |
| Archery | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Badminton | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Crew | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Equestrian Sports | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Fencing | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Racquetball | √ | √ | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Riflery | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Rugby | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Sailing | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Squash | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Table Tennis | √ | √ | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Ultimate Frisbee | √ | √ | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Volleyball | √ | √ | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Weight Lifting | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Water Polo | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
| Skiing (Cross Country) | – | – | Intercollegiate Club Teams | Intercollegiate Club Teams | – | – |
Safety at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
College is like a home away from home. Whether you're walking to class or coming back from late-night studying (or partying!), it's important to feel safe on campus.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is patroled 24 hours a day by trained security. The RPI campus has emergency telephones or alarms for students to use anytime of day or night.
RPI offers late-night transportation or safety escorts for students. Dorms can only be accessed with secure key cards so that students can feel confident that they are safe in on-campus housing.
Additionally, RPI has campus foot patrols at night.
Plan a Visit to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Visiting colleges is one of the best ways to get a sense of the campus and student body. If you'd like to visit Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, take New York State Thruway to Troy, NY. If you need to fly, book your flight to Albany International airport.
While you're planning, check out other schools in New York you may want to visit too. Click the heart at the top of each school's page to save it to your college list.
Want to visit but can't make the trip? Explore Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's campus without leaving home by taking a virtual campus tour
Keep Reading About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.
Join the conversation about about RPI in the College Confidential forums.
RPI Students
31%
Women69%
Men99%
Full Time1%
Part Time37%
In State63%
Out-of-StateEthnicity
43%
20%
12%
11%
5%
5%
5%
0.07%
0.02%
Undergraduate Students
5,895
Graduate Students
1,096
Non-Resident / International Students
688
RPI Campus Services
Student Services
- Counseling
- Health Clinic
- Women's Center
- Veterans Affairs
- Career Planning
- Alumni Networking
- ESL
Campus Security
- Late-Night Transport / Escort
- 24-Hour Emergency Phone / Alarm
- 24-Hour Security Patrol
Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
Quick Facts
Total Enrollment
6,991
Campus Setting
Suburban
Acceptance Rate
64%
Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline
Jan 15
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