I was recently accepted into RPI but it says classes will start in January of 2016.

So I just found out I was accepted in RPI and I was reading the acceptance letter and happened to come upon the words: Class of 2019 to begin in January 2016. Is this some kind of error or does RPI start in January?

Ohhhh, some schools have two starting dates. My advice is to look into what this entails. They will tell you it doesn’t make a difference but I think it does, to you it might be okay, but you should know the difference it MIGHT make. We just toured MIddlebury who spent a lot of time talking about “Febs”, apparently those who don’t start school until February to take up the residential space oc

BTW, congratulations! RPI is a great school.

same, accepted for January. If you follow link:
Although Rensselaer would love to admit all of our qualified applicants for the fall, due to space limitations, we are only able to admit a select number of students. Since more students take advantage of off-campus opportunities, such as study abroad and co-ops during the spring semester, additional openings are created midyear. In an effort to give an opportunity to as many deserving students as possible, the January Admission program was created.

I know that you have to be prepared for strange outcomes but I was not prepared for my valedictorian son with a 1390 Math/Cr Sat and all the AP science courses offered to be accepted for January instead of Sept. Why would any potential engineering student want to start a semester behind his peers,

@Bummer99‌

He doesn’t have to start behind. If he takes gened requirements at the community college and transfers his AP Science over, he really shouldn’t be behind at all. The program curricula are highly flexible.

I really don’t think the continuation of the link means anything. When you initially click on the link from the acceptance letter, it says “the Rensselaer community is excited to welcome you this fall”. Then when you click on the January link, it says “the Rensselaer community is excited to welcome you to start in January 2016”. Read the last paragraph of your acceptance letter, and it will tell you whether you’re in for the fall or for January 2016. Again, congrats to everyone who was accepted!!

I know that for us, a February start will be a deal-breaker. There’s 700 incoming freshman at Middlebury, 600 in September and 100 in February. Some may be okay with it, but we are not…what are you supposed to do from May 2015 to February 2016? Most students have looked forward to college for many years, I can’t imagine that post-poning it for another six months doesn’t matter to most. Guess it depends how bad you want to go to that particular school?

My son also was admitted for January, he’s bummed but WPI is 1st choice (still waiting). Does anyone know if the January admits have priority over waitlisted students for Fall acceptance…If they have openings for Fall - will the January admits move up first? Only makes sense.

Deal breaker for my son too. It shows the nature of the school to have January admits. the success of those students is not a concern over filling the coffers in place of the students who don’t make it past Christmas.

You should read this:
http://www.middlebury.edu/admissions/admitted_students/530667

And this:
http://www.middlebury.edu/admissions/apply/february/faq

Some schools accept you in HS as a Soph, 1 year wait to start. So one semester seems like no big deal
if this is the school you really want to attend.

I have to agree, I don’t see how offering another way to attend the school is anything but a good thing. If a kid really wants to go there great, if waiting a few extra months is a deal breaker, no harm no foul.

It is certainly better than going elsewhere, hoping to apply as a transfer student later.

Also you can save money, take required courses at a local comm college to graduate on time and save one semester of high tuition.

Just make sure to get cconfirmation of the specific classes so they will be accepted as transfer credits. My S deferred a year to his top choice, but they guided him on course selection. All his year 1 courses were accepted for transfer credit as a result. Some electives and some required courses.