Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private school founded in 1824. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,945 (Fall 2023) and a 296-acre campus located in the city. The university operates on a semester-based academic calendar. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is ranked 70th among national universities in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges. Its tuition and fees are $64,081.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was founded on the idea of "bringing science to everyday life," an ethos that still prevails today. About one-quarter of the student body participates in Greek L.I.F.E. (the university's fraternity and sorority), an organization that emphasizes leadership, innovation, resilience, and evolution. More students (over 80%) participate in varsity teams, clubs, or intramural sports. In keeping with the school's mission, varsity athletes, known as "Engineers," compete in the Eastern College Athletic Conference and the Liberty League. In addition, there are more than 200 student organizations. Freshmen are required to live on campus, usually in dormitories for first-year students only.RPI's campus is ideally located in Troy, N.Y., for nature lovers. The school overlooks the Hudson River, with plenty of riverfront activities, and is close to Grafton Lake State Park, Lake George, and the Adirondacks. For a taste of city life, Albany is 9 miles from the school.

Based on its specializations, RPI has a highly ranked engineering program. The school also uses its science majors to offer unique accelerated programs, such as the seven-year completion of the B.S./M.D. physician-scientist program and the six-year completion of the B.S./J.D. program in science, technology, and socio-legal. The university also hosts a variety of technology events, such as the annual GameFest, which showcases student-designed computer games. These technical skills have led to Rensselaer graduates becoming successful entrepreneurs, inventors, scientists, etc. Notable RPI alumni include George W. G. Ferris, creator of the Ferris Wheel, Howard P. Isermann, inventor of sunscreen, and Myles Brand, former president of the NCAA.