Rochester Institute of Technology vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private research university in the town of Henrietta in the Rochester, New York, metropolitan area.

RPI's 275-acre (111 ha) campus sits upon a hill overlooking Troy and the Hudson River. The surrounding area is mostly residential neighborhoods, with the city of Troy lying at the base of the hill. The Institute runs a 15-acre (6.1 ha) campus in Hartford, Connecticut, and a distance learning center in Groton, Connecticut, the latter of which was closed in 2018. 

In addition to its academic and athletic endeavors, RIT has over 150 student clubs, 10 major student organizations, a diverse interfaith center and 30 different Greek organizations. The university's Gordon Field House and Activities Center is home to competitive and recreational athletics and aquatics, a fitness center, and an auditorium hosting frequent concerts and other entertainment. RIT's dormitories are home to six "Special Interest Houses" — Art House, Computer Science House, Engineering House, House of General Science, Photo House, and Unity House — that provide an environment to live immersed in a specific interest, such as art, engineering, or computing. Members of a special-interest house share their interests with each other and the rest of campus through academic focus and special activities. The College Activities Board, frequently abbreviated as CAB, is a student-run organization responsible for providing "diverse entertainment and activities to enhance student life on the RIT campus." CAB is responsible for annual concerts, class trips, movie screenings, and other frequent events. RIT Dining Services manages a large number of restaurants and food shops, along with the sole dining hall on campus. There are multiple cafeterias and small retail locations throughout the campus, including near the Residence Halls, in the Student Alumni Union, Global Village, and in certain academic buildings. Dining Services at RIT is completely internal and run through the university. RIT Dining Services also provides opportunities for international students to work on campus.

The students of RPI have created and participate in a variety of clubs and organizations funded by the Student Union. About 170 of these organizations are funded by the Student Union, while another thirty, which consist mostly of political and religious organizations, are self-supporting.RPI has around twenty intramural sports organizations, many of which are broken down into different divisions based on level of play. Greek organizations compete in them as well as independent athletes. There are also thirty-nine club sports. Given the university's proximity to the Berkshires, Green Mountains and Adirondacks, the Ski Club and the Outing Club are some of the largest groups on campus. The Ski Club offers weekly trips to local ski areas during the winter months, while the Outing Club offers trips on a weekly basis for a variety of activities. Another notable aspect of student life at RPI is the "First-Year Experience" (FYE) program. Freshman begin their stay at RPI with a week called "Navigating Rensselaer and Beyond" or NRB week. The Office of the First-Year Experience provides several programs that extend to not only freshman, but to all students. These include family weekend, community service days, the Information and Personal Assistance Center (IPAC), and the Community Advocate Program.

Kate Gleason – engineer and businesswoman known both for being a revolutionary in the predominantly male field of engineering and for her philanthropy
Ralph Peo – engineer, inventor, chairman and CEO of Houdaille Industries, 1957 alumnus of the year
Patricia Moore  – industrial designer, gerontologist and author of Disguised
Steve Capps  – noted computer programmer and designer of the original Apple Macintosh computer
Steven Van Slyke – co-inventor of the Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) displays used in smartphones, digital cameras, HD and Ultra HDTVs

John J. Albright (1868), businessman and philanthropist
Marshall Brain, founder of HowStuffWorks.com
Gary Burrell, founder of Garmin
Dan Buckley (1991), president of Marvel Entertainment

Truman H. Aldrich (1869), civil engineer, also briefly a US State Representative
Karthik Bala, co-founder of Vicarious Visions
Garnet Baltimore (1881), first African-American engineer and Garnet D. Baltimore Lecture Series honoree
Peter Bohlin 1958, architect of the famous 5th Avenue Apple Store