Troy, N.Y. —A record total of 19,485 high school students have filed applications to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute this fall, according to numbers released today by the Rensselaer Office of Admissions. This year’s total represents an increase of 5 percent from last year at this time, and nearly a 10 percent increase over the past two years.

“This is the largest number of applications for one year that Rensselaer has ever received.” said Jonathan D. Wexler, vice president for enrollment management. “Last year, Rensselaer received 18, 467 applications.”

To date, 51 percent of the applications received are from students outside of the Northeast region. For Rensselaer, admissions officials note this is due to garnering student interest from their recruitment efforts in states that include California, Virginia Florida, Texas, and Washington.

The incoming Rensselaer Class of 2021 applicant pool also represents a continued expansion of the national and international profile of the student body, as well as a significant increase in applications from women, underrepresented minority students, and Rensselaer “legacies” — students with relatives who attended the university.

In addition, the high achieving group includes students who have been nominated for the Rensselaer Medal, a scholarship awarded to the top math and science students at nearly 3,000 high schools around the world. To date, 5, 643 alumni and alumnae have received the award.

“Rensselaer continues to appeal to outstanding students who are interested in studying at America’s first technological university which was evident when we enrolled more than 1,700 students last year—representing the largest incoming class in the Institute’s history— Wexler said. “Here on campus we know that Rensselaer has historically been a top producer of future leaders and innovators, so it is very encouraging to see external evidence that more and more students value the high-quality academic and co-curricular programs that we offer.”

Rensselaer will host its annual Accepted Student Celebration event on April 8. For information regarding Rensselaer Admissions, visit: http://admissions.rpi.edu/undergraduate/events/index.html

While at Rensselaer, students also will experience facets of The New Polytechnic, an emerging paradigm for teaching, learning, and research at Rensselaer. The foundation for this vision is the recognition that global challenges and opportunities are so great they cannot be adequately addressed by even the most talented person working alone. Rensselaer serves as a crossroads for collaboration—working with partners across disciplines, sectors, and geographic regions—to address complex global challenges, using the most advanced tools and technologies, many of which are developed at Rensselaer. Research at Rensselaer addresses some of the world’s most pressing technological challenges—from energy security and sustainable development to biotechnology and human health. The New Polytechnic is transformative in the global impact of research, in its innovative pedagogy, and in the lives of students at Rensselaer.

About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1824, is America’s first technological research university. For nearly 200 years, Rensselaer has been defining the scientific and technological advances of our world. Rensselaer faculty and alumni represent 85 members of the National Academy of Engineering, 17 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 25 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 8 members of the National Academy of Medicine, 8 members of the National Academy of Inventors, and 5 members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, as well as a Nobel Prize winner in Physics. With over 7,000 students and nearly 100,000 living alumni, Rensselaer is addressing the global challenges facing the 21st century—to change lives, to advance society, and to change the world. To learn more, go to www.rpi.edu.