Supplemental essays · 2026–27 application
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute supplemental essays.
All 2 essay questions Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute asks this year, word for word, with the word limits and how to approach each one.
Checked against admissions.rpi.edu and the Common App application on October 17, 2026
What you write: Answer “why Rensselaer.” The activity question is optional.
Why Rensselaer
Question 1 of 2 · Up to 250 words
Why are you interested in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
How to approach it
- Name things you could only find at this college: a class, a professor, a program, a tradition.
- Tie every detail to something true about you.
- Swap test: if another college’s name fits your sentence, it’s too general.
Optional: an activity or job
Question 2 of 2 · Up to 300 words · Optional
Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences.
How to approach it
- Pick one activity, not your whole resume.
- Show one moment of what you actually did.
- Say why it matters to you, not only what it is.
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