Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Campus Life (2024)

Housing

Dorms

gradeC

Based on housing cost, capacity, student reviews and additional factors.

On-Campus Housing Available

Yes

Freshmen Required to Live on Campus

Yes

Freshmen Live On-Campus

100%

Undergrads in College Housing

57%

Average Housing Cost

$9,119/ year

Poll

55%

of students say overall dorm quality is great.56 responses

Poll

54%

of students say the dorms' social atmosphere is great.83 responses

Food

Campus Food

gradeC+

Based on meal plan cost and student reviews on the food.

Meal Plan Available

Yes

Average Meal Plan Cost

$7,260/ year

Poll

What are the best food options on campus?

Based on

117 responses

  • McNeil Room

    20%

  • Sage Dining Hall

    20%

  • Blittman

    19%

  • Barh Brunch

    10%

  • Union

    10%

  • BARH Dining Hall

    8%

  • Jazzman's Cafe

    7%

41%

of students highly rate the dining facilities.64 responses

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Campus Quality

Campus

gradeC minus

Based on quality of housing, food services, student reviews, and additional factors.

Student Life

gradeB minus

Based on campus diversity, social scene, student reviews, and additional factors.

Poll

What is your overall opinion of your school and the campus community?

Based on

57 responses

  • I love everything about my school and have a lot of campus pride.

    26%

  • I like mostly everything about my school, but there are some things I wish were different.

    56%

  • The school community is okay-we're all just here for an education, nothing more.

    14%

  • I hate my school and have no school spirit.

    4%

Safety

Safety

gradeC+

Based on crimes on campus, local area crime rates, and student reviews.

Poll

78%

of students say they feel extremely safe and secure on campus.55 responses

Poll

How does peer pressure affect students' use of drugs and alcohol?

Based on

36 responses

  • You can have a great social life without drugs or alcohol.

    44%

  • Most people partake in some form, but no one treats you differently if you don't.

    39%

  • You'll definitely feel a little awkward if you don't drink.

    14%

  • If you don't partake, you're left out.

    3%

Poll

How visible are the campus police on campus?

Based on

46 responses

  • Extremely present and willing to assist students.

    24%

  • There if you need them but not overbearing.

    57%

  • Just there to bust up parties or give out parking tickets.

    13%

  • Not very visible.

    4%

  • We have campus police?

    2%

Sports

Poll

How popular are varsity sports on campus?

Based on

93 responses

  • Varsity sports are a big part of campus life.

    25%

  • Varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.

    70%

  • No one pays attention to varsity sports.

    5%

Men's Varsity Sports

All Track Combined, Baseball, Basketball, Diving, Football, Golf, IceHockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field: Indoor, Track and Field: Outdoor, Track and Field: X-Country

Women's Varsity Sports

All Track Combined, Basketball, Diving, Field Hockey, IceHockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field: Indoor, Track and Field: Outdoor, Track and Field: X-Country

Clubs & Activities

Clubs Offered

Campus Ministries, Dance, Drama/Theater, International Student Organizations, Newspaper, Radio Station, Student Government, Television Station, Yearbook

Music

Choral Groups, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Musical Theater, Music Ensembles, Pep Band, Symphony Orchestra

Poll

What are your favorite campus events or traditions?

Based on

65 responses

  • GM Week

    25%

  • Union After Dark

    12%

  • Hockey games

    11%

  • Therapy Dogs

    11%

  • Hockey Line

    9%

  • Movies at the DCC

    8%

  • The Big Red Freakout

    8%

Party Scene

Party Scene

gradeB

Based on access to bars and student reviews on the party scene.

Poll

What is the party scene like on campus?

Based on

61 responses

  • Tons of raging parties almost any night of the week.

    2%

  • Lots of options Wednesday-Saturday.

    16%

  • Some decent frat/house parties, weekends only.

    69%

  • Good parties are few and far between.

    8%

  • Parties? What parties?

    5%

Poll

What is the biggest social event of the year?

Based on

31 responses

  • RPI vs. Union hockey game

    55%

  • GM week

    29%

  • Halloween

    6%

  • The Buff

    6%

  • We don't party

    3%

Greek Life

Men in Fraternities

30%

Women in Sororities

16%

50%

of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join.82 responses

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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Campus Life (2024)

FAQs

Does RPI have a good social life? ›

Overall RPI is great it has a lot of opportunities for fun and enjoyment and meeting new people and making lasting friendships.

Does RPI have parties? ›

Party Scene

Lots of options Wednesday-Saturday.

What do RPI students do for fun? ›

RPI has a Division I hockey team and the games are a lot of fun on the weekends. They generally get 3000-4000 people to each game even though the team hasn't been too good recently. Other than that intramurals are a lot of fun and really popular and there are a ton of different clubs. partying is kinda wack...

Is RPI campus good? ›

RPI is a terrific school that really challenges the students! The professors are always there to help with their classes, and ways to better your future on your career path. The students are also very helpful, and sticking around the campus really enhances your knowledge of the student culture.

Why is RPI ranked so low? ›

In S&P's 2017 press release announcing the downgrading of RPI's rating to BBB+, it cited RPI's high debt burden and low financial resources as primary reasons.

What is the crime rate at RPI? ›

RPI On-Campus Crime Stats

In 2019, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute reported 298 incidents related to crime and safety that involved students on campus. Since the number of students at the school that year was 7,528, that's 39.59 incidents per 1,000 students.

What is the ratio of guys to girls at RPI? ›

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,614 (fall 2021), with a gender distribution of 69% male students and 31% female students.

Does RPI allow cars on campus? ›

All Rensselaer parking lots and vehicles parked on campus require a valid virtual parking permit. All vehicles with a valid virtual parking permit must park in the designated lot associated with your permit to avoid potential parking fines.

Is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute liberal or conservative? ›

The oldest technological research university in the country was established in 1824 and is named Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Is RPI liberal or conservative? RPI has a highly stereotypically liberal culture with no evidence of opposition.

What is the average student GPA for RPI? ›

Average GPA: 3.91

The average GPA at RPI is 3.91. This makes RPI Extremely Competitive for GPAs.

What is RPI College known for? ›

RPI was established in 1824 by Stephen Van Rensselaer and Amos Eaton for the "application of science to the common purposes of life" and is the oldest technological university in the English-speaking world and the Western Hemisphere. Coat of arms designed by Richard Clipston Sturgis in 1904.

What is the most popular major at RPI? ›

The most popular majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute include: Engineering; Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services; Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians; Physical Sciences; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Mathematics and Statistics; Business, Management, Marketing, and ...

What are the pros and cons of RPI? ›

ProsCons
Affordable (price starting at $35)Limited functions
SmallSlow
Low power consumptionNot ideal for multitasking
Great for small tasks and limited goalsBad for larger tasks
1 more row

Is RPI a new Ivy? ›

Rensselaer Named One of America's "New Ivies" by Kaplan/Newsweek College Guide. Troy, N.Y. — Kaplan and Newsweek announced today that Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been named to the elite “New Ivies” list, published in the 2007 Kaplan/Newsweek “How to Get into College Guide.”

Does RPI require freshmen to live on campus? ›

Residency Requirements

As part of CLASS, all students are required to live in Rensselaer residence halls (and participate in a dining plan) during the freshman and sophom*ore years, and while participating in The Arch summer session.

Is Rensselaer LGBTQ friendly? ›

Rensselaer provides a variety of resources for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) campus community.

Is RPI nerdy? ›

Being a school that has a huge focus on academics, specifically science, most of our students would be considered "nerds." And most of are students actually are nerds, at least to some degree.

How diverse is RPI? ›

There are 123% more male students than female students enrolled at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a gender ratio of 69% men to 31% women. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, RPI has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is less inclusive of females.

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