Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA · founded 1865 · 7,000 students · private research university · NEWMAC

Known for: Its project-based curriculum, centered around the WPI Plan, which emphasizes solving real-world problems through interdisciplinary projects, global experiences, and qualifying projects in humanities.

Rankings

U.S. News national: #82
QS World: #801
Times Higher Education: #601
ARWU Shanghai: #701
Forbes: #126

Top programmes

Engineering (Robotics, Biomedical, Mechanical)
Computer Science
Interactive Media & Game Development
Business
Biology & Biotechnology
Aerospace

Notable alumni

Robert H. Goddard — Father of modern rocketry
Dean Kamen — Inventor of the Segway and iBOT
Nolan Bushnell — Founder of Atari
John Woodman Higgins — Industrialist and founder of the Higgins Armory Museum
Harold Stephen Black — Inventor of the negative feedback amplifier
Jeanne B. McCoy — Former CEO of New York Blood Center

Traditions

Goat's Head Rivalry (with RPI)
Touchdown (freshman orientation)
Gompei's Gait
Winter Carnival

If Worcester Polytechnic Institute were…

As a food: A perfectly engineered Cubano sandwich from Worcester's own BirchTree Bread Company — Like WPI, it's a meticulous, layered integration of distinct components (pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, mustard) into a greater functional whole—engineered for portable, hands-on satisfaction without pretension.
As an athlete: Tim Duncan — The unflashy 'Big Fundamental'—methodical, team-oriented, consistently excellent at executing the basics, and quietly building a legacy of championships through systematic improvement rather than highlight-reel theatrics
As a person alive today: Adam Savage — The ultimate maker and project-based problem-solver—combines deep technical knowledge with contagious enthusiasm for hands-on creation, always testing, iterating, and explaining the process with collaborative joy.
As a historical figure: Nikola Tesla — The brilliant, practical inventor obsessed with applied projects over pure theory, working in relative industrial obscurity (like Worcester vs. Boston/Cambridge) while producing revolutionary technological implementation
As a movie or TV show: The Martian — A story about an engineer using systematic project management, interdisciplinary knowledge, and sheer grit to solve a series of life-threatening problems—'I'm gonna have to science the shit out of this' is the WPI motto.
As a US president: Herbert Hoover — The engineer-president—pragmatic, problem-solving, and organizationally brilliant, but whose legacy is defined more by technical projects (humanitarian relief, dam building) than political charisma.
As a city: Pittsburgh — A resilient, blue-collar industrial city that reinvented itself through tech and education (robotics, medicine), embracing its gritty, practical identity while fostering innovation—no coastal glamour, just getting things
As an element: Tungsten — The metal with the highest melting point—unflashy, incredibly durable, and essential for practical applications (filaments, alloys, tools). Like WPI, it's the reliable, high-performance element you build industrial solut
As a car: 2020 Honda Ridgeline — Practical, innovative, and designed around real-world problem-solving rather than flashy theory—WPI's project-based engineering ethos mirrors this truck's clever in-bed trunk and unibody utility. It gets the job done wit

Campus life

A collaborative, hands-on campus culture focused on teamwork and project work. Social life is driven by academic projects, over 200 student clubs, and Greek life. The campus is residential and self-contained on a hill overlooking Worcester.