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RPI Admission Requirements

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Chances of getting into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Acceptance Rate

Admitted 
53%
Admission Difficulty for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Exceptional 
Applicant Competition Average 
How hard is it to get into RPI and can I get accepted?

The acceptance rate at RPI is 53%.  It ranks #36 in New York for lowest rate of acceptance. RPI is a more competitive school to get into with a good chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Last year, 9,277 out of 17,498 applicants were admitted.

The school has extremely high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 5 percent on standardized admission tests. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.88. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class. 14% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

The RPI application fee is $70 and applications are due by Jan 15.

Test Optional

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 43% of students submitted SAT scores and 15% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..

RPI SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 
1360-1520
Applicants Submitting SAT 
43%
SAT Scores for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 660
SAT Math 25th 700
SAT Composite 25th 1360
SAT Scores for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 740
SAT Math 75th 780
SAT Composite 75th 1520
Average SAT Score 1440

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a test optional school meaning applicants are not required to submit SAT scores with their application. The position on SAT scores from the school is "considered but not required".

Students who get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute score in the top 7 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 1360-1520.

Find other colleges with similar SAT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1520 and Above Good >68%
1440 to 1520 Avg + 53%-68%
1360 to 1440 Avg - 37%-53%
1280 to 1360 Reach 24%-37%
Less than 1280 Low <24%
Calculate My Chances 
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RPI ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 
32-34 
Applicants Submitting ACT 
15%
ACT Scores for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th N/A
ACT Math 25th N/A
ACT Composite 25th 32
ACT Scores for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th N/A
ACT Math 75th N/A
ACT Composite 75th 34
Average ACT Score 33

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into RPI?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "considered but not required".

RPI regularly accepts students who score 32 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 3 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 32-34.

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
34 and Above Good >68%
33 to 34 Avg + 53%-68%
32 to 33 Avg - 37%-53%
31 to 32 Reach 24%-37%
Less than 31 Low <24%
Calculate My Chances 

RPI GPA

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 
3.88
Typical High School Grades 
A-

What GPA do you need to get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into RPI. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was 3.88 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #6 in New York for highest average GPA. If your high school GPA meets these requirements, there is a good chance you will be accepted as RPI accepts 53% of students who apply.

 What do these ratings mean?

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High School GPA's for admitted Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students
High School GPA Freshmen Within Range Competitiveness 
4.0 33.41% Good
3.75 to 3.99 33.74% Avg
3.50 to 3.74 20.65% Reach
3.25 to 3.49 8.13% Reach
3.00 to 3.24 2.85% Reach
2.50 to 2.99 0.98% Reach
2.00 to 2.49 0.24% Low
1.00 to 1.99 0% Low
less than 1.00 0% Low

GPA Data Source, Peterson's Data 2022

High School Class Rank

55% of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 55%
Top 25% of class 88%
Top 50% of class 97%
Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 5,690 11,794 17,498
Accepted 3,156 6,112 9,277
Acceptance Rate 55% 52% 53%
Enrolled 383 934 1,322
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 12% 15% 14%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Fall 2023 Application Deadline

Applications were Due
Jan 15, 2023
Days left to Apply
None

The application deadline for Fall 2023 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 15, 2023.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is $70.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Application Requirements
Test Scores Considered but not required
High School GPA Required
High School Class Rank Required
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required
Recommendations Required
Demonstration of Competencies Required

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit Yes
Credit for Life Experiences No
Other Colleges to Consider 

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=194824 IPEDS survey data for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

FAQs

Does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute prefer SAT or ACT?

43% of students submit their SAT scores to RPI. 15% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

53% of those who apply are granted admission to RPI. Admission competition is low and the college has exceptional admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.

What SAT score is required for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1360 and 1520. 43% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 32 and 34. 15% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.