Chance me for Georgia Tech EA?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Georgia Institute of Technology
1

Hi all,

I’m an in-state senior that just sent in her application for Georgia Tech last week. Was hoping to get a second look at my stats; I know on paper my GPA is a little questionable, but I’m wondering if I still even have a chance.

For reference, though I know it may not mean much for a public school, I’m a Hispanic female GA resident applying to their public policy major.

GPA: 3.66 weighted // school doesn’t calculate unweighted
SAT: 2280 (770/760/750)
AP: World History (5), APUSH (5), English Lang (5), Spanish Lit (5), US Gov’t, Macroecon, Statistics, English Lit, and Spanish Lang
Senior courseload: AP Lit, Physics, Pre-Calc, AP Stat, AP Spanish, and Forensic Science. AP Macro and Gov’t online.

Extracurriculars:
Hostess (12)
-20-25 hours a week
Journalism Editor-in-Chief (10,11)
-Speaker at National JEA Conference, 11
-Honorable Mention at National JEA Write-Off, 9
DECA (11, 12)
-Placed first and fifth in California last year
Mock Trial (10, 11)
-Assorted local awards
Diversity Committee (10, 11)
-selected by our principal to help coordinate a weeklong, schoolwide celebration of diversity
-earned all-expenses-paid trip to the Los Angeles Museum of Tolerance
Secretary, National Spanish Honors Society

Please let me know what you think!

2

The Pre-Calc will hurt you. 96% of all GT applicants take AP Calc or above. You have good honors, but your app lacks leadership. Your demographics and in-state residency will help you, but your GPA is on the low side. What’s the rest of your course-load from freshman-junior year? What do your essays look like? Recommendation letters?

3

I think you will make it. I don’t think public policy is too much of a competitive major at tech. Your ECs are fine. Since you are instate, you dont have to worry a whole lot. Like ^ said, AP Calculus is pretty crucial.

4

I also think the Pre-Calc may hurt you. I don’t think applying as a public policy major will negate the lack of calculus. The GPA is low for GT, but an upward grade trend through high school would be a positive. Where you go to high school will also make a difference. If you go to a large metro Atlanta school, gaining admission may be more difficult for you since you likely have many classmates also applying. If you are at a high school with fewer applicants, it may help. A high class rank could also help. I can tell you’ve worked hard through high school! Best of luck to you!

5

@IroncladBobcat Really? I didn’t think I would look like the type that lacked Leadership, being the editor-in-chief of my school’s journalism program and the founder of my school’s ethics club (may have forgotten to mention, sorry!). Had I not moved to Georgia for my senior year, I would’ve also been the president of my school’s Mock Trial and the VP of DECA. I wish I’d expressed that more concisely. :frowning:

To answer your questions, courseload breakdown:
9: Journalism, Honors Global Studies, Honors Geometry, Biology, String Orchestra, Honors English, PE
10: AP World, Honors English, Honors Algebra 2, Journalism, Chemistry, Spanish 3
11: AP Spanish Lit, APUSH, AP English Lang., Journalism, Criminal Justice (dual enrollment), Economics of Business Ownership (dual enrollment)

If it helps, I’m expecting straight As this semester. (My old school was a little tougher on grades than my new one!)

I actually felt pretty good about my essays – on the Common App I wrote about failure when one of my Journalism articles received strong negative feedback from a few teachers, and how I gained confidence and stopped making my decisions based solely on what others think. I thought it was fairly well-executed, and I had my English teacher and a few peers look it over, but I guess we’ll see, haha!

I got a LOR from my counselor, which was honestly a little generic for my liking, and one from my former APUSH teacher, also my mock trial advisor. I haven’t seen it but I’m hoping she spoke highly of me – she offered to write it for me, saying she thinks the world of me, so I thought it made sense.

6

@3567monroe @indy101 Thanks so much for the input, I really appreciate it! I was worried about the precalc as well – the reason I’m not currently in AP Calc is that my old school often allowed people to skip pre-calc and take AP Calc right after Algebra 2, but my new school requires that I take precalc. I didn’t anticipate moving and being in this situation, but I’m doing really well in the precalc class I’m in right now, so maybe that’ll offset things?

Honestly, I don’t know how this is going to pan out, but I’m hoping for the best. Thanks again! :slight_smile:

7

Forgot to mention, I’m also a National Merit Semifinalist and a National Hispanic Scholar! AFAIK, Tech doesn’t offer merit money for those things, but I put it on the application anyway.

8

Never mind, I misread. You should be fine.

9

@IroncladBobcat I really appreciate your help, thank you so much!