According to Jack Mahoney, Director of Enrollment and Institute Research, the Institute’s ranking is actually rising. One of the key ranking indexes used by student across the nation is US News & World Report’s annual college guide.

“We were second tier two years ago, ranked 51; last year we were 49 and this year 48. Over the long term, the only way to enhance rankings is investing in the long-term infrastructure of the institution, ” said Mahoney.

Mahoney also mentioned that the way rankings are appraised tend to be unfair to students and colleges alike. A large part of how rankings are determined is by the student selectivity rate—the more students rejected by a school the higher their rankings will be.

Teresa Duffy, Dean of Enrollment Management, echoed this same argument and upheld RPI’s integrity stating that it would be unfair to students and uneconomical to the Institute for Admissions to purposely seek students who they know they will reject. But apparently this is common practice at other universities, done simply to keep rankings high.

US News & World Report in assessing a university also seeks a letter of recommendation from other university presidents, evaluates graduation and retention rates, amount of alumni gift giving, and faculty resources.

A school’s “Best Value,” also ranked by US News & World Report, evaluates the amount of scholarships students receive based upon need, the average cost after grants, and the debt load. RPI has been ranked 31 for three of the past five years.

Last year RPI ranked 20, but this year the Institute’s ranking has fallen to 42; with grants received on need at 72%, average cost after grants $20,209, and average discount 40%.

However, Mahoney and Duffy both agreed that most students tend not to care much about rankings. Duffy said that what is most important is whether the student will fit into the atmosphere of the college.

RPI students gave mixed responses toward the importance of rankings in their college decision making process. Senior Steven Obstein said that rankings were not all that important, but the school of his choice had to be in the top 50 overall and top 20 engineering program.

Sophomore Shakir Wilson, on the other hand, said that rankings were very important. For him, the Electrical Engineering department had to be ranked very high and it was number two.

With all of the new buildings being built and the programs being revamped, a number of students are wondering exactly how the engineering department will be affected. Will the new developments take away from the engineering focus?

Duffy felt that the new programs would add to RPI and become a great asset as well as a way for students in various disciplines to work together toward a common goal.

Duffy added, “We are in a tremendous position of strength. We have programs that are clearly aligned with society’s needs.” Duffy is very pleased with how the Institute is progressing. She remarked that the students that are here now are very creative and realize that there is life outside of the classroom. Hence, after leaving Rensselaer, they have much to offer prospective employers, graduate schools, and research departments.

Duffy also said that students seem to like the expansion of programs, the Institutes retention rate has increased from 84% to 90.1% from 1997 to the present.

A Rensselaer education also carries a large debt load for its graduates. The US News & World Report says the average total indebtedness of 2000 graduating class was $23,300 per student. Although unranked in the Most Debt ranking category, the average indebtedness of $23,300 would have placed the Institute at sixth highest amongst national universities offering doctorates.