The incoming Class of 2013 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute promises to be an exceptional group, with an increase in average SAT scores and roughly 62 percent of the students coming from the top 10 percent of their high school classes. They represent the next generation of leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, patent holders, and innovators, in fields ranging from engineering to architecture, from fine arts to science, and from management to information technology.;

The class comprises nearly 1,340 students, including a total of 111 transfer students from various institutions The high-achieving group also includes nearly 363 women, and a significant increase in the national and international profile of the student body. 

More than 30 percent of the students are from areas outside of the Northeast. The first-year students hail from 39 states in addition to Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and 13 foreign countries, reinforcing Rensselaer’s belief that a university must have global reach in order to have global impact.

Competition was tight for the 1,350 spots in the incoming class, with more than 12, 350 students filing applications this year. The current record total represents a growth of more than 117 percent since 2005, when the Institute received just over 5,500 applications.

“The rising application and student quality trends have run parallel with the exciting transformation that has occurred at Rensselaer over the last decade,” said Paul Marthers, vice president for enrollment and dean of undergraduate and graduate admissions at Rensselaer. Marthers, who has more than 25 years of experience in higher and secondary education and administration, served as the dean of admission at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. He joined Rensselaer on August 1.  

The freshman class adds to the rich tapestry that has been a hallmark of Rensselaer’s 184-year history. The class includes 125  underrepresented minority students — nearly10 percent of the class — and those interested in new areas of Rensselaer’s expanding curriculum, including biotechnology, game studies, management, information technology, and the arts. Expanding participation in undergraduate research is a key part of The Undergraduate Plan, which calls for challenging, engaging, and highly relevant academic programs that combine theory with experiential learning.  

The Class of 2013 also includes students who are focused on reaching new heights through their accomplishments — there are 80 students who were valedictorians or salutatorians of their high school, and many actively involved in music and the arts. Members of the class come to Rensselaer having demonstrated extracurricular achievement and leadership, ranging from sports captains and class presidents, to entrepreneurs, Eagle Scouts, and Girl Scout Gold Award winners, among others.

Of special note, the class also includes a student who plays the shakuhachi (a Japanese flute made from bamboo)  and the didgeridoo (a cylindrical instrument made from a termite hollowed Eucalyptus tree);  a student who is the youngest person ever to make a presentation to the American Psychiatric Association Assocation; a student whose marching band was in the movie “Spiderman 3”; an avid juggler who started the juggling and unicycling program their hometown; a score of talented musicians who have performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, along with the lead guitarist for a band called Mortal Wombat; athletes including the Massachusetts state shot-put champion, a student who became a member of the U.S. Hockey Team at age 16, and a runner who averages 50 miles a week; and a world-ranked Dance Dance Revolution dancer, to name a few.

The class also includes 100 legacies (students who are related to Rensselaer alumni). “This is a wonderful message about the Rensselaer education and the impact it has on alumni long after they’ve graduated from Rensselaer,” said Karen Long, director of undergraduate admissions. “The number of students following in the footsteps of family members demonstrates the longstanding connection Rensselaer makes with graduates to educate men and women who are the leaders of tomorrow.”

New facilities and initiatives have fueled this increased interest across the board. In 2004, Rensselaer opened a new Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, and in September 2007, Rensselaer celebrated the grand opening of the Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations (CCNI) — a $100 million partnership to create the world’s most powerful university-based supercomputing center. In October 2008, Rensselaer celebrated the grand opening of the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) with three weekends of symposia, performance events, and guest artist appearances. EMPAC is an unprecedented experimental center dedicated to the integrated pursuit of creativity at the nexus of the arts, technology, and science.

In 2007, Rensselaer broke ground to launch the first phase of the $114 million East Campus Athletic Village (ECAV). With the grand opening scheduled for October 3, the East Campus Athletic Village is the most extensive athletic construction project in the Institute’s history. The new athletic village will improve dramatically campus athletic facilities, expand athletic opportunities, and enhance the overall student experience at Rensselaer. 

“EMPAC, ECAV, CCNI, and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies show that Rensselaer has facilities that are second to none. The exceptional resources those facilities provide will attract many outstanding students to Rensselaer in the coming years,” Marthers said.

From August 25-30, members of the incoming class participated in a weeklong program of welcome events and team-building adventures, known as “Navigating Rensselaer & Beyond.” The events are designed to help ease the transition to college life by connecting new students to each other and to resources available on campus and in the local community.