TROY, N.Y. — With acceptance letters in the mail and the May 1 due date for enrollment deposits rapidly approaching, high school students across the nation face a tough decision: With so many choices, how do they pick the right college that is best suited for them? Starting classes, meeting peers, and exploring a new geographical area all at once may seem intimidating for students making the transition from high school to college/campus life. With so little time left, where can students and parents turn to get the answers they need in helping to make this important decision?

Admissions and student life experts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the nation’s oldest technological university, founded in 1824, are making preparations to receive yet another freshman class. To lessen the stress and help make the transition to college life comfortable, Rensselaer experts offer some tips on navigating the vexing questions students and parents have regarding admissions, financial aid, public safety, residence life, student life, health services, mobile computing, and career development, among other things.

• What is campus life like? How do I afford college?  
  “For any first-year student, making the transition from life at home to college/campus life can be intimidating,” says Karen Long, acting dean of enrollment management. “Most college campuses offer various programs scheduled throughout the year that provide students and their families with opportunities to tour the campus, learn about academic programs, and meet current students, faculty, and staff,” Long says. Often the looming question is how to pay for college. “Finding ways to reduce the bite of that first tuition bill requires research, time, and a healthy dose of patience,” says Long. 
  
  For more information about Rensselaer’s Office of Enrollment Management, or its undergraduate and graduate admissions requirements, go to http://www.rpi.edu/admission/index.html. For more information about Rensselaer’s financial aid options for undergraduates, go to http://srfs.rpi.edu/financialaid; for graduate students, go to http://gradadmissions.rpi.edu. In addition, last year, Rensselaer launched RPI PolyBlogs, an online student journal showcasing student life and experience at Rensselaer. To view RPI PolyBlogs, go to http://polyblogs.rpi.edu/.  Rensselaer hosted more than 2,300 visitors to campus for the Accepted Student Celebration on April 8. To view Rensselaer’s Accepted Student Celebration slideshow, go to: http://www.rpi.edu/admission/celebration/
  
  
• How safe is the campus?
  “A college should give parents and potential students peace of mind,” recommends Jerry Matthews, director of public safety and emergency management. Rensselaer’s Department of Public Safety “takes a proactive approach to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all,” he added. The department provides overall campus awareness and safety programs, laptop security tips, safety education and training, among other things. Matthews notes that campus safety information is available through the federal “ Jeanne Clery Act” which requires colleges and universities to disclose their crime statistics and security policies to students automatically, and to prospective students upon request. For more information about Rensselaer’s Public Safety Department, go to http://www.rpi.edu/dept/public_safety/.
  
  
• What is it like to live on campus?
  “Prior to moving to campus, first-year students and their families get an inside look at the residence experience through campus tours and summer orientation programs that address campus housing arrangements and options, campus dining options, and residence hall social/academic programs,” says Peter Snyder, director of residence life. “The mission of Residence Life at Rensselaer is to build a community that values the potential of each individual student and encourages students to broaden their perspectives, enhance personal growth, and prepare for life beyond the campus community,” he added. For more information, go to http://www.rpi.edu/student_life/residence.html
  
  
• What services does the Student Health Center offer?
  “College is an exciting transition for a parent or guardian, and their son or daughter,” says Leslie Lawrence, medical director of the Gallagher Student Health Center at Rensselaer. “While on college campuses, students have to learn to manage their own health for the first time, and may have questions ranging from scheduling appointments to knowing who to contact in an emergency,” he added. Most campus health center services include: medical, gynecology, and allergy clinics, a counseling center, and health education and wellness programs. Rensselaer’s Student Health Center offers a comprehensive, nationally accredited physician directed program providing outpatient ambulatory care. Specialty consultation and a prescription delivery program are also available. For more information, go to http://www.rpi.edu/student_life/health.html.
  
  
• What is there to do on campus?
  “Beyond academics, the college campus offers students an opportunity to complement their academic experience with a variety of extracurricular activities, student leadership opportunities, and participation in cultural, educational, and social clubs and organizations,” says Rick Hartt, director of the Rensselaer Union. In fact the Princeton Review ranked Rensselaer #2 on their 2006 “More to Do on Campus” list. “Such opportunities allow students to make friends, explore their interests, and get involved,” he added. Rensselaer has 160 clubs, sports, and organizations to choose from. The Rensselaer Union – one of approximately 20 in the nation – is a student-run, self-supporting, and self-governing body that controls finances, and organizes student activities. For more information, go to http://www.rpi.edu/student_life/clubs/index.html.
  
  
• I have a laptop, but can I use it?
  “Make sure you can seamlessly connect anytime, anywhere on campus, wired or wirelessly,” says Mark Miller, acting director of academic and research computing. “No matter where you are, a student should be able to use e-mail and instant messaging to communicate with classmates, professors, friends, and family; access the Internet to research assignments and explore new ideas; and participate in computer-enhanced instruction,” he added. Rensselaer’s mobile computing program offers a complete laptop package including a state-of-the-art Lenovo ThinkPad loaded with a special suite of software. Rensselaer was ranked among the top 25 “most connected campuses” in the country, according to a Princeton Review survey. Describing the campuses on the list as “the closest to the cutting edge,” Forbes.com released the rankings in January. For more information about Rensselaer’s mobile computing program, go to www.rpi.edu/laptops.
  
  
• Can I get a job when I graduate?
  “Check each college’s career development Web site for placement and employment statistics,” suggests Tom Tarantelli, director of Rensselaer’s Career Development Center. “For first-year students, the idea of being gainfully employed upon graduation may not be on their minds when they first start college,” says Tarantelli. “However, it’s important for students to know that participation in co-ops, internships, and summer employment during college – what we call experiential opportunities – are what’s giving graduating students the edge career-wise,” he explains. Most campus career development centers offer a range of programs that include career counseling, resume writing workshops, interview preparation, and networking opportunities with alumni and employers. Most recently, Tarantelli was elected president of the Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers (EACE) – the largest regional college and employer network in the country with approximately 1,200 members representing 817 colleges, 250 employers, and 27 associates from Maine to Virginia.  For more information about Rensselaer’s Career Development Center, go to http://www.rpi.edu/dept/cdc/index.html.

Contact: Jessica Otitigbe
Phone: (518) 276-6050
E-mail: otitij@rpi.edu