Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

If you are thinking about applying to RPI, the deadline for Fall 2023 admissions is January 15 and the application fee costs $70.

Students who submit their applications to RPI for fall semester should hear back from RPI by March 12.

RPI Admissions Stats at a Glance

The following is an overiew of some of RPI's admissions stats.

RPI 2022	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.9
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	55%
Mean SAT Score	1393
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	67%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	29%
Waitlist	Yes

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 1	December 11
Early Decision II	Yes	December 15	January 15
Early Action	Yes	December 1	January 29
Regular Decision	Yes	January 1	March 12

---

Applying Early to RPI?

---

RPI offers early decision and also offers early action. Early decision is binding, which means you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.

🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 1 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 11.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due December 15. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before January 15.

🗓️ The Early Action deadline is December 1. RPI will release EA admissions decisions no later than January 29.

The early decision acceptance rate at RPI is 70%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 57%.

RPI accepts roughly 96% of early action applicants and 57% all applicants for all deadlines. Last year, RPI admitted 413 of the 588 students who applied early decision. In 2021, RPI admitted 658 of the 687 who applied early action.

Some students apply early to help their chances of getting in. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase the chance of admission, since it demonstrates your interest in a school.

➡️ Find a list of some top colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

---

More on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admissions

---

Transferring to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

It is very difficult to be admitted as a transfer student.

For Students Waitlisted to RPI

RPI has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What's Most Important for Getting Into RPI?

Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are given the most weight when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that prioritize the areas where you're strong.

Admissions Factors at RPI

Curious about the factors that are considered by RPI during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Academic GPA	Very Important
Class Rank	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Standardized Test Scores	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Application Essay	Important
Recommendation(s)	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered
First Generation	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
Talent/Ability	Considered
Volunteer Work	Considered

Make sure to check with RPI for more information on admission factors.

RPI Application Requirements

To apply to RPI, all applicants must submit the following items. Check in with RPI's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Written Essay or Personal Statement			√
Minimum High School GPA (On 4.0 Scale)		3
Interview			√
Other Requirements			√	portfolio for electronic arts
Letter(s) of Recommendation		1
Transcript(S) of College Record
Transcript of High School Record			√
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)

---

GPA and Testing

---

What GPA Do I Need To Get Into RPI?

Students admitted to RPI have an average unweighted GPA of 3.9.

Out of all students that were admitted, 34% submitted a class rank. At RPI 55% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 88% were in the top 25% and 97% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	33.41%
3.75 and 3.99	33.74%
3.50 and 3.74	20.65%
3.25 and 3.49	8.13%
3.00 and 3.24	2.85%
2.50 and 2.9	0.98%
2.00 and 2.49	0.24%

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to RPI directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

RPI considers ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process.

RPI has a test optional admissions policy. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 67% of RPI's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 29% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for RPI?

To be competitive with other RPI applicants, you should strive to earn between 1310 and 1460 (or higher!) on the SAT. At RPI 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1460 and 25% of scored lower than 1310, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a RPI student is 1393.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of RPI students scored 780 or higher and 75% of students scored 620 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of RPI students scored 720 or higher, and 75% scored a 620 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for RPI?

To be most competitive at RPI, you should strive to earn between 29 and 34 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 34 means you fall in the 75th percentile for RPI's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 34, and three out of four students scored lower than 34 on the ACT.

A 29 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for RPI students. Only one out of every four students scored below 29.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

More Information on Transferring to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

For transfer students, it is very difficult to get admitted to RPI.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is June 1.

Transfer students can enroll in RPI during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term

• Summer Term

---

RPI Admissions FAQs

---

Can I defer my acceptance to RPI?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to RPI.

Does RPI accept transfer credits?

✅ RPI accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Does RPI accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ RPI accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to RPI?

❌ No, RPI is test optional, so you can make the call whether or not to send your standardized test scores. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you may want to send them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is RPI's acceptance rate?

✅ The acceptance rate for RPI is 57%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at RPI?

✅ RPI's early decision acceptance rate was 70% in 2021.

What is the early action acceptance rate at RPI?

✅ The early action acceptance rate at RPI was 96% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About RPI?

To learn more about RPI, choose from the options below:

Overview

Student Life

Academics

Tuition & Aid

Visit the College Confidential forums to join the conversation about RPI

Explore other colleges in New York or use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting into some of the top colleges and universities in the U.S.