- Acceptance rate: 63% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 670–740 reading and writing, 705–770 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 30–34 composite
- Average net price: $35,940 a year (2022–23)
On this page · 7 sections
How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Calculate your GPA
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute reported: an acceptance rate of 63% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 30–34.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute reviews each application.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute GPA requirements
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute acceptance rate
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admitted 10,901 of 17,175 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 63%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Troy, New York, with 5,741 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 670 | 710 | 740 |
| SAT Math | 705 | 740 | 770 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 33 | 34 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1456 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Required |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $35,940 a year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have a chance at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a 3.0 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admitted 63% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
What GPA do you need to get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
Is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute test optional?
Check Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 49% sent SAT scores and 11% sent ACT scores.
How many applicants get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's acceptance rate was 63% for fall 2024: it admitted 10,901 of 17,175 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hard to get into?
It's moderately accessible: more than half of applicants got in. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admitted 63% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
What SAT and ACT scores do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students have?
The middle 50% of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 670–740 in reading and writing and 705–770 in math; ACT composite 30–34, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
How important is GPA for getting into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
A lot: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute requires high school GPA, high school record, high school class rank, college preparatory program, recommendations, essay or personal statement and demonstration of competencies. It considers test scores and work experience if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute look at legacy status?
No. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accept AP credit?
Yes. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
How much does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute cost after financial aid?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $35,940 a year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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