Choosing The Right College School Spotlight: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Written by Elyse Krantzon July 9th, 2019 I became interested in the college admissions process after serving as a student tour guide in the admissions office of my alma mater. After graduating, I accepted an admissions counseling position at Bennington College in Vermont where I evaluated applications and reviewed art portfolios from students across the country. Three years later, after pursuing my master's degree in New York City, I joined the admissions staff at Barnard College where I served as a senior admissions officer. At Barnard, I directed Long Island and Boston recruitment in addition to managing the College's alumnae interview program, coordinating admissions statistics, and editing various college publications. Having also served as an alumni interviewer for Dartmouth College and visited over 75 colleges, I feel especially well-equipped to help students prepare for admission interviews and campus tours. Learn More About Elyse choosing the right college, college lists, There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school! School Spotlight: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY What do the inventor of the Ferris Wheel and the digital camera have in common? They both attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Situated on the Hudson River just outside the state capital of Albany, Rensselaer is a techie heaven. The university’s 6,600 undergrads can choose from an amazing array of STEM majors – such as aeronautical engineering, business analytics, and computer science – but the humanities, arts, and social sciences are alive and well, too. The popular Games & Simulation Arts & Sciences major, with courses like History and Culture of Games and Experimental Game Design, is perfect for students interested in interactive digital media. And even philosophy majors learn to appreciate the sciences here, with unique classes such as Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence and Minds and Machines. On Rensselaer’s 275-acre campus, there are over 250 organizations for students to get involved in, including Design Built Fly (the university’s remote control aircraft club), Rensselaer Cheerleaders, and the 8th Street Swing Band, not to mention 23 varsity athletic teams! Fun fact: high achieving math and science students may be awarded the prestigious Rensselaer Medal by their high schools, guaranteeing them a $100,000 scholarship if they matriculate at Rensselaer. Image Credit: Top, Courtesy of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Related Resources Read | Posted on December 10th, 2024 Navigating Medical School Applications: The Three Types of Letters Applicants Send Read | Posted on November 12th, 2024 Unlocking College Admissions: The Power of the Common Data Set Read | Posted on October 3rd, 2024 Does Where You Go To College Matter?
