The average 4-year graduation rate per GT statistic (http://factbook.gatech.edu/academic-information/graduation-and-retention-rates-tables-5-11-5-12/) is only about 40%.
It is really bothering me and like to know the reason why it is such low.
Co-op jobs. Hard classes. Lots of credit hours required.
The 6 year graduation rate is 82%-not at all shabby. And, yes, co-op jobs, being a state school and having a very rigorous curriculum adds time. 82% ultimately graduate. That is a high rate.
I am OK if it is due to the Co-Op. But it could be a big problem for the students and their parents if it was due to
the “very rigorous curriculum” or someone mentioned, the “artificially deflated grade” culture, because any additional year means additional $50K cost plus the time. I just warned my son who already paid the deposits that he will be better graduated in 4 years or he will have to find the money by himself to pay the additional year or two.
The good news so far is that he seems very confident that he will be part of the 40% who graduate in 4 years.
Lots of engineering students take 5 years at other schools, but I am guessing their graduation statistics get watered down by having a lot of other majors.
After digging more at the GT’s website, I find the grade distribution data for 2015:
http://factbook.gatech.edu/academic-information/distribution-of-grades-table-5-13/
Although the average grade for the undergraduate in engineering is lowest one (3.17), interestingly, still there are more than 90% students will get a grade of C and above. This data does not match the 40% 4 year graduation rate. So I hope that major causes are due to either co-op or international study program.
It has been my DD’s experience at GT that it really is due to co-op/internship and study abroad. However you have to remember that it is the co-op/internship experience that really makes the student attractive for hiring post graduation since companies look at the practical experience favorably.
I also think your $50k figure is a bit high. I am doing my taxes and we got out the door for around $40ishk this year and they are not raising tuition rates this year. My DD meets with her advisor every semester and from the start she planned out a plan for how to do it in four years. We however told my DD it was OK to do it in 4 1/2 or 5 because the opportunities she has been offered or too good to pass up. I hope your son loves GT as much as we do. If he is coming from out of state I recommend he do wreck camp. It is a lot of fun, a good way of meeting people early and doesn’t cost a lot.
Ditto. Its the co-ops making graduation commonly at 5 years
@itsv Thank you for the good advice. With further digging, I found the evidence that there is average 30% of students in GT who take the Co-op opportunities. As we know that the normal Co-op will take a year and some may take longer. Therefore, it explains the low 4 year graduation rate.
At the moment, my son has the Ph.D. degree in his plan. Would it still be a good idea or path forward for him to spend a year time for Co-op? I thought that it had less incentive to do the Co-op if the end degree was aimed as Ph.D. But I could be wrong.
@prodparent3S It depends on what field you son will study, and his career goals. In general in any engineering field, industry experience is very positive for getting into graduate schools. For math, bio, physics or chemistry majors , students often will do a NSF REU, at another university or go to a DOE or DOD government lab. These government labs would count too for experience to get into PhD programs.
Any math, science or engineering PhD program will require research as an undergraduate and that can happen on campus, at a company or at a government lab.
Keep in mind, many PhDs eventually decide that academia is not for them, or find out they are not willing to do a three year post doc for additional publications that may be required to land that coveted academic post. So they make a decision to pursue an industry career. So YES co ops are essential for the student to figure out his career interests.
There are a lot of PhD engineers in biotech, in pharmaceutical industry, Phd Biomedical or PhD materials scientists in the aerospace or medical electronics industries, and PhD Electrical engineers in the semiconductor industry and a large number of PhD computer science/applied math folks in the computer, robotics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence companies out there!
See Georgia Tech Research Institute on GT’s campus, non profit that works on many different technologies, to get an idea of on campus opportunities.
Georgia Tech is a match for your son if he wants a PhD because there is a strong emphasis on research and a lot of on campus research options, as well as superb industry opportunities.
@ProdParent3S Gatech 3rd year here and the site you posted the link to includes the inflation of Graduate school grades.
I’d say most people who don’t co-op and use summers to intern (so taking classes every fall and spring) graduate in 4-4.5 years on average. And Those who co-op 5-5.5 years.
I will be graduating in 4 years (next spring) and have done 1 internship during a summer. For perspective, I am a pre-med biomedical engineering major with a minor in chemistry. I take between 15-19 hrs a semester Which is on the high end, most students take between 12-16 which is why it takes the 4.5 or 5 years to graduate.
@ProdParent3S - DS is in his third year. I suppose it is possible to graduate in 4 years and do a co-op IF a student comes in with a decent number of AP credits. However I think in reality it is more like 4.5 or 5 years for engineering. One thing that DS has run into is that for example this year he worked the co-op in the spring and will again in the fall so he is only going to school this summer. Not all classes are available in the summer so even if he wanted to it would be extremely difficult to graduate on time and would have required planning earlier on. If your son wants to graduate in 4 years it would be better to do internships in the summer instead of co-ops that rotate every other semester.
@MichiganGeorgia Just talked to my son that he should not take co-ops but summer internships only.
This topic was discussed at GA Tech admitted students day program. While students are on co-op they do not pay tuition fees which helps out-of-state students particularly. Also, several students we talked to felt that they could graduate in 8 semesters, unless they were double majors (which would take 5 years in many cases) or took other interruptions. Co-ops extend the time to graduate, but students would be able to complete their degrees in 8 semesters.
Different programs have different degree requirements: BME has 129 + 2 wellness credits;Computer Science 124 credits + 2 wellness credits. Also, up-to 6 credits can be taken as pass/fail basis; Mech Engg requires 127 + 2 wellness. Check the requirements for your major. Coming in with AP or IB credits will help lighten the course load also. They encourage you to take credits for AP/IB classes. Many programs have a sample study plan also that you can check against.
Taking 15 credit hours each semester is considered appropriate work load for most undergraduates. So, if students come with AP/IB credits they should be able maintain a good workload and graduate in 8 semesters.
My student, if he decides to attend GA Tech, expects to have 20-23 credit hours going in as a freshman.
@motheshow I saw that you have been a student at ga tech for a long time now. I am currently a junior in HS and am debating whether to apply or not. Well, most likely I will apply but I am not sure about the chance of me getting in. I am planning a tour and would like to know what time you think would give me the best idea of what the campus is really like when I tour. I would also like to know how you like it and anything that you would recommend and maybe a rundown of your years as a yellow jacket so far!
@ProdParent3S - I’m not sure which major your son is going for and I don’t want to completely discourage your son from doing a co-op. DS13 has made good money and has learned a lot so far with his co-op. DS13 is EE which requires 132 credits. DS’s GF is AE which also requires 132 credits. GF is graduating in 4 years by doing research and internships in the summer. So I know that is a good way to go. Someone up thread said you can still do Co-ops and get out in 8 semesters. Which can be done IF you plan ahead and don’t change your major like DS did from BME to EE. If your son decides to do co-ops instead of internships he will just need to plan more carefully because again certain classes aren’t offered in the summer. For example DS’s last semester could be summer 2018 however senior design II is not offered in the summer so he will either take classes that summer & fall or do an extra rotation of his co-op next summer and graduate in fall 2018. So he will be graduating in 4 1/2 years total time. But if he goes to school next summer it would be an extra semester of tuition… I hope that makes sense…
We hire a fair number of interns/co-ops from Georgia Tech. It is considerably easier to get a position during a regular semester than in the summer. We have at least 10 times as many applications for summer than for fall or spring.
@MichiganGeorgia At the moment, he picked BME as the major. Getting 132 credits in four years should not a problem even without any summer course because he will get about 21 credits from 7 (at least) AP courses to start with. Assume that he will enroll the maximum 18 credits per semester, then in 6 semester (3 yrs), there will be another 108 credits which becomes 129 after adding the 21 AP credits. So theoretically speaking, there are only less than 3 credits left in the 4th year to complete. However, we know that it may not able to enroll 18 credits every semester or not all the earned credits will be counted as the required for the degree. But still, with so many AP credits to start with, graduate in 4 yr should be not problem (hope).
@DoyleB You raised a good point. So probably another option is to have 1 Co-op in spring or fall then take 1 or 2 summer courses.
@ProdParent3S - I would not recommend 18 credits his first semester in college. Unless it’s padded with the Health class,an English class. or some other easy A class.