Getting into RPI

Parents Forum
1

<p>my daughter is an RPI medalist, she also was asked to participate in the S.T.A.R program (they get to spend a few days there to see if they like it). She had to show her transcript, complete with grades and SAT/ACT scores. Since they approved of her attending STAR, does this mean her chances of being accepted are very good? Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Your daughter’s chances were excellent when she got the RPI medal, it means that her school considers her the strongest science student in the school (or at least one of them.)</p>

3

<p>Thanks for replying. I’m just worried because our school is not the biggest…only 120 in her class. And there are so many kids I see on here with a gazillion AP courses and perfect SAT"S!</p>

4

<p>Also keep in mind that acceptance rates for women at RPI are almost certainly higher than for men. :)</p>

5

<p>Schools like RPI are dying to get more qualified females to apply. Currently only 28% of the undergrads at RPI are female. WPI, RIT and other engineering/science focused schools all have that problem. WPI’s freshman class this year is 32% female. So females not only get a little boost in admissions, they often get good merit scholarships at these schools.
If she is at all interested in science or engineering she should consider these schools :-)</p>

6

<p>The difference in acceptance rates for men and women at RPI isn’t as much as one might think - for the class entering in the Fall of 2011, it was 38% for men and 44% for women:</p>

<p><a href=“http://provost.rpi.edu/sites/default/files/CDS_2011-2012%20April%2016.pdf[/url]”>http://provost.rpi.edu/sites/default/files/CDS_2011-2012%20April%2016.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>However, the difference at WPI is much more signfiicant, 54% for men and 67% for women:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.wpi.edu/Images/CMS/IRO/WPI_CDS_2011-2012(1).pdf[/url]”>http://www.wpi.edu/Images/CMS/IRO/WPI_CDS_2011-2012(1).pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>As a Medalist, she is entitled to a minimum $15K/year scholarship if she gets in.</p>

<p>If her stats and grades are anywhere close to the averages, she will almost certainly get accepted.</p>

<p>[The</a> Rensselaer Medal :: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.rpi.edu/undergraduate/admission/freshman/rpimedal.html]The”>The Rensselaer Medal | Admissions)</p>

8

<p>A few years ago when my daughter went to the open house for RPI medalists, they were told that approximately 70% of RPI medalists are accepted. I was actually surprised that the number was that low. Since its the high schools, not RPI, that award the medals; the medal itself is not a guarantee of acceptance. That being said, I agree with the others that she does have a very good chance of being accepted.</p>

9

<p>At least the RPI medals are tied to scholarships for students that apply and get in:
"This merit scholarship, with a minimum value of $15,000 per year, is guaranteed for four years (five years for the B.Arch. program) for each medalist who is accepted and enrolls at Rensselaer.</p>

<p>Each participating high school is allowed to select one member of the junior class to be honored with the Rensselaer Medal Award." </p>

<p>Since there is only one award per school it usually gets awarded to the best math/science student unless the school is short on math/science students and has other awards to give out like the ones from U.Rochester. :-)</p>

<p>So ultimately it is mostly marketing to help RPI get applications from highly qualified students, some of whom weren’t considering RPI before that…</p>

10

<p>“A few years ago when my daughter went to the open house for RPI medalists, they were told that approximately 70% of RPI medalists are accepted. I was actually surprised that the number was that low.”</p>

<p>More revealing stat would be what is the acceptance rate for “female” RPI medalists. I bet it is a lot higher than 70%.</p>

11

<p>If she’s interested in the west coast, you might want to take a look at Harvey Mudd in CA (i believe they award merit money)</p>

12

<p>Thanks everyone…it’s been very enlightening! I will just cross my fingers now :)</p>

13

<p>As of a few years ago, Mudd had merit money available , which is unusual for a top engineering school. But…

  • it was only available to the top 25(?)% of a very elite group of applicants
  • max was $10K/year (not stackable with need based FA). </p>

<p>In 2010 they changed from using a slam-dunk predictable stats formula to more subjective criteria.</p>