Use Cases
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Background
Off Campus Technologies (OCT) LLC partnered with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to develop a fully customized, best-in-class platform to support students in their search for off-campus housing. The result: RPI Off Campus Search, a user-focused solution designed to meet the unique needs of RPI students.
The Challenge
The previous housing platform suffered from an outdated user interface and low student engagement. It lacked the analytics necessary to understand student preferences and offered no customization options to better serve the RPI community.
The Solution
OCT collaborated closely with the Associate Dean of Off-Campus Commons at RPI to identify key requirements and features that would solve students’ most pressing pain points. Through several development cycles and extensive beta testing with RPI students and local landlords, the RPI Off Campus Search platform was refined and launched in February 2025.
In a short period of time, the new platform achieved higher adoption rates among students and landlords than the legacy system had in several years, effectively doubling student engagement and setting a new standard for off-campus housing platforms.
The Results After Going Live:
100% Increase
Average monthly student viewership on RPI Off Campus Search compared to the legacy platform (From 4,000 student views to 8,000 student views).
210% Increase
In the number of landlords advertising on RPI Off Campus Search compared to the legacy platform (From 27 landlords to 84 landlords).
$5,000
Projected annual revenue share to help fund educational events, a student food pantry, and other helpful benefits for students.
