Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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Scholarships & Financial Aid

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School Says - General Information
You want to be on the first Mars mission, find alternative energy sources, or cure cancer. WPI wants to help you make an impact. Our students do much more than study science and technology. They delve into the arts and humanities. They complete projects on campus and around the globe, connecting what they've learned in the classroom with pressing real-life challengesÂâ€"from health to the environment to global competitiveness. Students grow - personally, professionally, and intellectually - as they discover how to apply their talents and turn ideas into tangible solutions.

WPI's aim is to educate students broadly, so they achieve greatly. Though WPI has been around for more than 140 years, our approach to education, like our students, is innovative and practical. Small classes, a flexible curriculum, and one-on-one interaction with professors at the top of their fields make learning at WPI an experience unlike any other.

WPI has been widely recognized for its quality. It was the only technological university out of 16 national Leadership Institutions selected by the Association of American Colleges and Universities to serve as models of outstanding practices in liberal education. WPI consistently ranks among the top national universities by U.S. News & World Report and in 2009 was ranked number 12 for the highest percentage of classes under 20 students. WPI faculty members have also been recognized as CASE Professors of the Year for the past two years.

School Says - Student Body
WPI has 20 varsity (NCAA Division III) athletics teams and 34 club and intramural athletics. WPI won the "Worcester Cup" for the fourth time in six years, recognizing it as the top collegiate program in Worcester County. WPI has 13 fraternities and three sororities, 20 music and performing arts groups, dozens of academic clubs, international organizations, religious groups and other organizations. Overall, there are more than 200 student clubs and activities.

School Says - Academics
At WPI, learning is about more than just theories and ideas. Students put what they learn into practice through a unique project-enriched curriculum. Each undergraduate complete two projects: one directly related to their major and one in which they work with a team of students to solve a problem at the intersection of society and technology. Students gain valuable professional skills, a talent for teamwork, and the confidence to dive right inÂâ€"no matter what the challenge.

WPI's academic program is built to be flexible. Students take the equivalent of three courses (as courses or project work) during each of four 7-week terms (two in the fall and two in the spring). It is also designed to encourage collaboration, not competition. Students work closely on projects and in project-oriented classes. Learning to work in teams prepares students to get results and become leaders, no matter what path they take in life.

WPI's award-winning Global Perspective Program, with 25 project centers on five continents, is one of the most comprehensive and highly regarded global studies programs in the nation. Most WPI students complete projects off campus; over half complete project work outside the United States in places like Thailand, Namibia, Costa Rica, and Italy. Global project experiences not only give students the chance to work in teams to solve meaningful real-life problems for people around the world, they immerse students in other cultures and give them a powerful sense of self-confidence.

Top-tier employers seek out WPI graduates for their real-world experience and ability to work collaboratively. With a placement rate of over 90 percent, students are recruited by leading organizations such as Pfizer, General Electric, Fidelity Investments, IBM and Google. Not surprisingly, WPI graduates' starting salaries are higher than those of many other college graduates, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Each year, WPI graduates are accepted at many prestigious graduate schools, including MIT, Yale University, Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University and Tufts University Medical School.

School Says - Admissions
WPI Admissions offers a variety of application options. Students can apply using the WPI application (paper or on-line). We also accept the Common Application and the Universal Application. A $60 application fee is required for all applicants. (WPI endorses the fee waiver policy of the College Board, as well as accepts fee waivers from guidance or college counselors.)

Academic Requirements
four years of math (including pre-calculus)
four years of English
two years of lab science

Other requirements include:
High school transcript
Science or math recommendation
Guidance counselor's recommendation
Personal essay
SAT I or ACT scores or alternate materials through WPI's "Flex Path"
TOEFL or IELTS Exam scores for international students whose first language is not English

Interviews
While interviews are optional, this is your chance to meet one-on-one with an Admissions staff member or a trained Admissions intern. We'll have the chance to learn more about you, and can answer specific questions you may have.

Deadlines
Early Action (Round 1) - Nov. 10
Early Action (Round 2) - Jan. 1
Regular Decision - Feb. 1

January Admission - Freshmen and Transfer Students - Nov. 15 (Rolling notification)
Fall Admission - Transfer Students - Apr. 15* (Rolling notification)

School Says - Campus Life
With its beautiful architecture, grassy quad, and ivy-covered walls, WPI has a traditional New England campus. Students stop and chat with friends and professors on tree-lined paths. They play pool or get a coffee between classes at the Campus Center. They study by the fountain in Reunion Plaza, get a group together for bowling at Gompei's Gutters, stop and smell the roses in the formal English garden behind Higgins House, or see a student play at the Little Theatre.

Home to 12 other colleges and universities and over 35,000 college students, greater Worcester is a great college town. WPI is a member of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, through which WPI students may register for courses at other colleges and take advantage of a wide range of cultural programming offered by consortium members. A shuttle provides free transportation between campuses.

Late-night diners, clubs, museums, concert venues, and theaters are right down the hill from WPI in Worcester's vibrant downtown. Boston is less than an hour away by commuter rail if you want to catch Red Sox fever. There's great skiing and boarding at nearby Wachusett Mountain. If you want to go a bit farther, Worcester is centrally located with easy access to Providence, New York City, the Berkshire and White Mountains, and Cape Cod.

School Says - Cost Aid
(2009-2010)
Tuition: $36,890.00
Social Fee: $250.00
Health Fee: $300.00
Total: $37,440.00
Typical Room: $6,530.00
Typical Board Plan: $4,630.00
Books and Supplies: $1,000.00
Personal Expenses: $1,000.00
Total: $50,600.00It's no secret. A great education costs a lot of money, but think about the return on your investment. College graduates in general earn over the course of their careers at least $1 million more than those without a degree. For WPI graduates, starting salaries frequently exceed the national averages and graduates are able to move quickly up the ranks to positions of influence as a result of their excellent preparation. In fact, Forbes.com recently ranked WPI No. 9 on a list of the "Top Colleges for Getting Rich."

Applying for Financial Aid
Students should file the FAFSA and CSS Profile on or near their admissions application deadline. WPI should receive all financial aid materials by February 1. Applications after this date will be reviewed subject to funds available.

Most applicants (including early applicants) will receive a financial aid package within two weeks of their acceptance. We'll inform you of the Financial Aid Committee's decision no later than April 15 for regular decision admissions, and you'll have until the Candidates Common Reply Date (May 1) to either accept or decline the offer.

Academic Scholarships
WPI offers academic scholarships to freshman applicants based upon academic performance, standardized test scores, leadership, extracurricular involvement and community service. All admitted applicants are considered and there is no separate application required.

Scholarships vary in amounts, but typically range between $10,000 and $25,000, and are renewable for four years. Valedictorians and Salutatorians are guaranteed a minimum scholarship of $17,000. National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Recognition Finalists are guaranteed a minimum of $17,000.

Students Say - Academics
Learning "is project-based and very hands on" at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a prestigious engineering, mathematics, and science university located in central Massachusetts. Here, "students are encouraged to do some hands-on work in almost every class" through a "project-based curriculum," in which "students are given the opportunity to work on projects with minimal guidance from their advisors." Students describe this approach as "a good and realistic experience that is helpful for future career plans." The project-based system "emphasizes the understanding of technical concepts, the practical implementation of these concepts, and also an appreciation for how technological advances can benefit mankind." WPI's unique grading system of A/B/C/NR-"fail a class and it won't show up on your transcript," one student explains-means "there is a lot of freedom to take riskier classes" and the school "promotes a culture of cooperation over competition." "Even though the curriculum is hard, [and] even though we have homework due every day, we are all happy because we know that failing is just another chance to try again. It's a good philosophy." A quarterly academic calendar "allows students to take a more diverse array of classes, and forces them to learn quickly or fall behind," but also means "if you're sick for two weeks, you have lots of make-up work to do." "Incredible technological resources" are the cherry on the sundae here.

Students Say - Campus Life
Students are very involved with schoolwork, studying, and homework during the week at WPI, where a heavy workload and rapid-paced academic calendar keep kids busy ("With classes that last only seven weeks, midterms hit fast, and then by the time they're over, it's already time to start up on finals," one student warns). Intense weeks are the rule of thumb at pretty much every top engineering school, but where WPI breaks rank with some of its peer institutions is that when the weekend rolls around, "the social life is unbeatable." The campus hosts "a very large amount of active clubs and organizations," including a student-run social committee that "is always holding really outrageous and fun events," including "concerts with really good and popular bands." WPI also has a well supported "sports scene-football and basketball are pretty popular," and intramurals draw plenty of participants as well. WPI's "awesome," "strong and very popular" Greek life, however, is probably the biggest factor. Parties "are really fun," drawing "people from all the neighboring schools," and students insist that the parties "are always fun-themed and not sketchy. You can have a fun time and not have to be concerned about your safety" due to "a driving service with a no-questions-asked policy" and "a detail cop so nothing goes wrong." Many here even find time for a little fun during the week; as one student explains, "On Tuesday nights, many people go out since there are typically only labs on Wednesdays and not everybody has labs."

Students Say - Student Body
We have a very nice mix of students here who do not fit the typical engineering student [profile], which "stands us apart from other engineering schools," one student writes. Even so, most here concede that "the typical student is nerdy." "We're all nerdy in our own way, whether it be a love of calculus or getting excited over video games," one undergrad relates. Another student breaks down the population this way: "There are four groups of students at WPI. One group consists of the kids who are involved on campus, one consists of kids who never leave their rooms because they are playing video games, one consists of kids who spend all their time studying, and the final group consists of kids who go to class but just want to go to parties the rest of the time." Nearly everyone here is "very driven and self-motivated," because you can't survive WPI long without those qualities. The population includes "a lot of stereotypical Massachusetts or general New England people" and "lots of international students," with China and India especially well represented.

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