Last week, members of the Class of 2012 participated in a series of events, team-building adventures, and festivities — called Navigating Rensselaer and Beyond — designed to help make the transition to college life more comfortable. Pictured here, students receive a personal greeting and handshake from Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson and head to downtown Troy for the annual Welcome Festival. Photo Credit: Rensselaer/Kris Qua

The incoming Class of 2012 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute promises to be an exceptional group, with an increase in average SAT scores and more than 65 percent of the students coming from the top 10 percent of their high school classes. The class comprises approximately 1,370 students. The high-achieving group also includes nearly 400 women — the largest number of females enrolled in the last three years — and a significant increase in the national and international profile of the student body.

More than 28 percent of the students are from areas outside of the Northeast. The first-year students hail from 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and more than 19 countries.

Competition was tight for the more than 1,300 spots in the incoming class, with more than 11,200 students filing applications this year. This record number is a more than 10 percent increase over the previous year and represents a growth of 100 percent since 2005. 

“Our freshman class adds to the rich tapestry that has been a hallmark of Rensselaer’s 184-year history,” said James Nondorf, vice president for enrollment and dean of undergraduate and graduate admissions and financial aid. “The Rensselaer community embraces the talent, achievements, curiosity, and imagination of our incoming class, and all of us will benefit from the energy that they will bring to campus.”

The class includes more than 160 underrepresented minority students — nearly 12 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.

According to Nondorf, the Class of 2012 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.

The class also includes a published author since the age of 9 who was named Cosmo Girl of the Year, the 2007 Champion in the Junior Iditarod dog sled race, a national judo champion, an internationally ranked synchronized figure skater, the leader of a Latin fire band, a ballerina who has performed at the Kennedy Center, and the Goldman Sachs Business Plan competition winner who has received a provisional patent for an independent research project titled “Apparatus for Magnetic Levitation and Sustained Propulsion,” to name a few.

There are 151 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.” 

“The academic quality of applicants also continues to rise,” Nondorf noted. “And applicants have been showing a greater interest in opportunities for undergraduate research. A growing number of students have been involved with research projects in high school, and they see Rensselaer as a place to continue pursuing discovery with faculty who are at the top of their fields.” 

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. 

New facilities and initiatives have fueled this increased interest across the board, according to Nondorf. 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. The upcoming Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), which will open in October 2008, is drawing the attention of artists and scientists from around the world. 

In 2007, Rensselaer broke ground to launch the first phase of the $114 million East Campus Athletic Village. 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. 

Nondorf  noted that construction of the East Campus Athletic Village sparked interest among members of the incoming class who participated in varsity athletics while in high school. More than 759 students participated in sports activities overall with more than 55 serving as captains of their athletic teams.  To date, Rensselaer has had more than 50 students ranked as National Academic All-Americans. 

“Members of the Class of 2012 clearly see what Rensselaer is doing to provide a stellar education for our students seeking an opportunity to learn and grow into world leaders in their chosen fields,” Nondorf said.

Last week, members of the incoming class participated in a weeklong program of welcoming events and team-building adventures, known as “Navigating Rensselaer and 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.