Quad

Key differences on Getting in

  1. 1

    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's SAT midpoint is 43 points higher than Fordham's

    SAT midpoint
  2. 2

    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's yield is 2 pts higher than Fordham's

    Yield rate
  3. 3

    Fordham admits 59% vs. 63% at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

    Acceptance rate

Admissions

Getting in, fall 2024

Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.

The funnel

Acceptance rate
Fordham59%
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute63%
Applicants
Fordham43.4K
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute17.2K
Admitted
Fordham25.7K
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute10.9K
Yield rate
Fordham10%
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute12%

Quad's selectivity

  • FordhamVery selective
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteVery selective

Men and women

Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.

Women admitted
Fordham61%
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute60%
Men admitted
Fordham56%
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute65%

Test scores

SAT total,

Fordham
1320–1480
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
1375–1510

Axis runs 1200–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

ACT composite,

Fordham
30–33
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
30–34

Axis runs 26–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

Submitted SAT
Fordham18%
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute49%
Submitted ACT
Fordham6%
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute11%

Test policy

  • FordhamTest-optional
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTest-optional

How they read a record

  • Fordham

    and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both considered. 72% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight.

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

    GPA, the high school record, class rank, and a college-prep program are required.

What they look at

FactorFordhamRensselaer Polytechnic Institute
High school GPA Very importantRequired
High school record RequiredRequired
Class rank ConsideredRequired
College-prep program RequiredRequired
Recommendations ImportantRequired
Essay ImportantRequired
Legacy status ConsideredNot considered
Work experience ImportantConsidered
Demonstration of competencies Not consideredRequired
English proficiency test RequiredRequired
Other tests Not consideredNot considered
All admissions numbers in the table

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why