I just returned from a tour of a number of colleges and the first college I visited was Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), in Troy, New York.
RPI is the country’s oldest technological university with five separate colleges including engineering; science; architecture; humanities, arts and social sciences; and management and technology. RPI also offers an interdisciplinary degree in information technology.
The 5,500 students at RPI have 145 degree programs to choose from and the college offers a bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. Approximately 80% of students major in engineering and sciences, although the university is looking to increase the number of majors in the humanities, arts and social sciences. As you can imagine at a technological institute, the science and research facilities are extensive and state of the art.
The college has 23 varsity teams that play Division III sports although men’s and women’s ice hockey is Division I. The college just opened a new athletic facility that frankly is one of the most impressive athletic facilities I have ever seen in a Division III school.
In addition to the new athletic facility there are a number of other new buildings on this beautiful campus. The most impressive of these is the EMPAC, which stands for the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center. The EMPAC has several spaces for performing arts including the main hall which is acoustically one of the most sophisticated in the country. The facility is also used for research in acoustics and lighting by the students and faculty of the university.
RPI is a highly selective college with the average admitted student having a A- to B+ high school GPA and mid range SAT scores of 1,270 to 1,450. The college has substantial financial aid available for students including a number of merit based awards.
RPI is also one of the colleges that has a BS/MD program with Albany Medical College. This is a seven year BS/MD program with an emphasis on training physicians who also have a strong background in scientific research.
I was impressed with Rensselaer and would not hesitate to recommend it for the right student. Interested? Check it out.
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