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VERDICT

Should I use Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)?

Not disclosed - rpi.edu

Depends. RPI makes sense for students set on a hands-on STEM degree who can stomach a steep sticker price or secure aid. Skip it if you want a cheap degree or a big-campus scene — and note this is a university, not a software tool.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 20+ public sources. Snippets were truncated, and 'RPI' collides with Raspberry Pi and the UK Retail Price Index — only university-related sources were used.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of useNot applicable — this is a university, not software
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo usable evidence in reviewed sources
  • Security posture

Pricing

Not disclosed

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierNo

Best for

  • Hands-on engineering and CS students
  • Research-inclined undergrads
  • Students wanting a small, focused tech campus
  • Architecture and game-design majors

Not for

  • Anyone shopping for software — this is a university, not a tool
  • Budget-focused students without aid or scholarships
  • Students wanting a big party or liberal-arts campus scene

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Sticker tuition is steep; actual cost swings heavily with aid — run the net price calculator first

medium

May 2021 cyberattack took systems offline; whether student data was compromised was never clearly answered

low

Part-time and graduate tuition rates differ from published undergraduate figures — verify before enrolling

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Students call it a hidden gem with strong STEM reputation
  • Positive sentiment across Reddit, Niche, US News, Princeton Review
  • Recognized as a top research university

Cons

  • Price sparks constant 'is it worth it' debate among students
  • Campus safety concerns appear in third-party reviews
  • Skeptic threads like 'Is RPI really that bad?' persist
  • Local press questioned its handling of a 2021 data breach

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/26/2026 - 11 sources - Hit by a May 2021 cyberattack; press raised unanswered questions about student data. Formal security policies exist.

official x3review x6news x2
  • May 2021 cyberattack, RPI restored network access after a cyberattack on May 7, 2021; systems were down for days.
  • Unresolved data-breach questions, Times Union reported no word on whether student data was compromised; response pace was questioned.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 3/5

    Rating

  • Not disclosed

    Starting price

  • 11

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 3/5. Students openly debate whether the price pays off
  • Ease of use. Not applicable — this is a university, not software
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Deep STEM programs and active research enterprise
  • Support quality. No usable evidence in reviewed sources
  • Security posture: 2/5. 2021 cyberattack; unanswered student-data questions
  • 1824 Founded Oldest technological university in the US
  • Private research university Type Troy, New York
  • Guess: $60k+/yr Cost Sticker tuition before financial aid

Pricing

Free tier: No

Security

Hit by a May 2021 cyberattack; press raised unanswered questions about student data.

  • May 2021 cyberattackRPI restored network access after a cyberattack on May 7, 2021; systems were down for days.⁹
  • Unresolved data-breach questionsTimes Union reported no word on whether student data was compromised; response pace was questioned.10

Formal security policies exist.

Alternatives

Compare Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with each alternative.

  • SUNY flagships

    Far cheaper engineering path for New York residents.

Full analysis

Based on 20+ public sources. Snippets were truncated, and 'RPI' collides with Raspberry Pi and the UK Retail Price Index — only university-related sources were used.

Not software — it's Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Solid but pricey STEM university; great for engineers, wrong for tool shoppers.

Methodology

Based on 20+ public sources. Snippets were truncated, and 'RPI' collides with Raspberry Pi and the UK Retail Price Index — only university-related sources were used.

Sources

  1. Is Rpi a good school : r/RPIreddit.com
    review
  2. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — Nicheniche.com
    review
  3. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — US Newsusnews.com
    review
  4. RPI — Princeton Reviewprincetonreview.com
    review
  5. Is RPI worth going for the price?reddit.com
    review
  6. Is RPI really that bad?reddit.com
    review
  7. RPI Rankings (official)rpi.edu
    official
  8. Cost of Attendance (official)financialaid.rpi.edu
    official
  9. RPI restores network access following cyber attacknews10.com
    news
  10. Questions raised on RPI response to data breachtimesunion.com
    news
  11. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Case Study — Pantheonpantheon.io
    official

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