Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
100 Institute Road Worcester, MA 01609-2280
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private university in MA, founded in 1865 and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 4,892, and the graduate enrollment is 2,028. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a highly selective school, receiving 11,269 applications and accepting 59.0% of applicants. Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s athletics teams compete at the club, intramural, and varsity levels. Additionally, Worcester Polytechnic Institute employs 408 full-time instructional staff (91% of whom hold doctorate degrees) and has a 13:1 student to faculty ratio.
Empowerly Score®
69
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
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Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Applicants applying to Worcester Polytechnic Institute will apply through the Common Application. Applicants will be required to write one personal statement based on a set of prompts within the application and will also be required to answer an additional supplementary essay question.
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Action I Application Deadline
November 1st
Early Decision I Application Deadline
November 1st
Early Action II Application Deadline
January 15th
Early Decision II Application Deadline
January 15th
Regular Application Deadline
January 15th
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Academic GPA - Very Important
- Rigor of Secondary School Record - Very Important
- Extracurricular Activities - Important
- Character/Personal Qualities - Important
- Class Rank - Important
Average Acceptance Rate
59.00%
STUDENT LIFE
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, also known as WPI, has been in existence for 156 years. During this time, it has grown to attain the status of a private research university, with R2 Doctoral Universities for its high research activities. The school became the first engineering university in the nation to provide students with the best instruction and research for applied sciences and technical arts; this goal prompted the university to provide students with the best, adequate campus facilities. The school contains several buildings for its students to enjoy, from academic, administrative, recreational, and residence centers, all connected to ensure the campus is privately owned and ungated, with no public roads passing through. In a bid to maintain its standards, Worcester Polytechnic University avoids the manipulation of curriculum associated with other higher institutions’ academic curricula under the complete jurisdiction of the government.
The school’s academic curriculum is distinct from other universities worldwide, allowing it to offer undergraduate, graduate, and professional workshop programs on a four-term basis. These are completed through a mandatory seven weeks of tuition per term and an optional term, making the curriculum move quickly. Additionally, WPI ranks 66th and 1,131 best universities nationally and globally.
Housing
- 60% of students live on campus
- Guaranteed housing for freshmen
- Freshmen required to live on campus
Worchester’s Polytechnic institute housing is fashioned to offer various building designs to all campus students, including dormitories, Greek housing, and apartment styles. Its residential life includes the provision of dining halls, reading centers, and recreational centers for access to students. The school also offers off-campus residence for graduate and professional students.
Life as a Student
The Worcester Polytechnic University campus lifestyle offers a variety of traditions, Greek societies, student organizations, research centers, and athletic centers for students to participate in. One of the landmarks on campus includes a statue of the school’s mascot, a goat. The school’s academic tuition is only restricted to local tuition within the state. Nonetheless, the school also offers a series of online programs that provide quality education (like what students would receive on the main campus). The most popular organizations on campus are the student media (Tech News) and the athletic team (Engineers). The Engineers represent the school across 20 varsity sports in the NCAA Division 1 and other competitions.
TOP MAJORS
Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Robotics and Automation Engineering
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
SERVICES
Health and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Student security patrol
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Health Center
- Psychological Counseling
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Baseball
Basketball
Crew
Football
Rowing
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Track and Field
Wrestling
Cross-Country Running
Basketball
Crew
Field Hockey
Eowing
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and Diving
Track and Field
Volleyball
Cross-Country Running
Club
Club
Badminton
Cheerleading
Fencing
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Rugby
Sailing
Skiing (Downhill)
Squash
Tennis
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Water Polo
Wrestling
Badminton
Cheerleading
Fencing
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Rugby
Sailing
Skiing (Downhill)
Squash
Tennis
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Water Polo
Intramural
Intramural
Basketball
Football
Soccer
Volleyball
Basketball
Soccer
Volleyball
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
Worcester Polytechnic Institute automatically considers all accepted students for academic scholarships and is ranked #16 in the nation for best value college without financial aid by the Princeton Review (2020).
*All costs below are estimates and may differ based on your circumstances.
- Tuition - $56,000
- Undergraduate Student Life Fee - $316
- Health Fee - $580
- New Student Orientation Fee - $200
- Room - $9,482
- Board (Meal Plan) - $7,062
- Books and Supplies - $1,200
- Personal Expenses - $1,200
- Total Estimated Cost of Attendance - $76,040
HISTORY
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, also known as WPI, was founded by John Boynton and Ichabod Washburn. John Boynton, a self-made tinware manufacturer, envisioned a science school that would promote the study of mechanic and manufacturer professions free from the hands-on experience needed within their practical applications. In contrast, Ichabod Washburn, owner of the largest wire mill at that time, envisioned teaching his skills to others through a sophisticated apprenticeship system with lesser emphasis on theory.
Finding themselves in disagreement, they both sought the advice of a pastor, Seth Sweetser, on how to realize their visions. Sweetser’s idea was a mix of diplomacy and wisdom; he agreed to foresee the building, furnishing, and endowment of a Department of Practical Mechanics at Boynton’s school, provided the students could blend the theory learned in classrooms with practice in workshops. To support his idea, Sweetser sent letters to 30 business people within Worcester County informing them of Boynton’s and Washburn’s visions and the intent to found a free industrial science school in Worcester. Later that month, he also called for a meeting in his letters to those individuals. After the meeting was held, an anonymous gentleman donated $100,000 to support the establishment of the scientific school in Worcester with a request that the citizens support the furnishing of lands and building of the school. Boynton and Washburn received additional funding and land grants from an individual named Stephen Salisbury II, and a further 225 citizens contributed to constructing the school’s buildings.
On 10th May 1865, the school came into official existence after the Commonwealth recorded the institution as a legal corporation with approval from the House and Senate. The school finally opened on the 11th of November 1868 as the Worcester Institute of Industrial Sciences with its two buildings: Boynton’s Hall and Washburn’s Shops. The university would be used for defense program training during the World Wars to train young soldiers recruited for the war. Following the Wars, the school experienced a series of expansions, including introducing women into the academic system, the geographical growth of the campus, and an increase in programs offered by the school. Today, the school is known as the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and has contributed to the growing biotechnology industry in Worchester through its bioengineering innovations.