Your sat score isn’t high enough.
Jk. It’s probably tufts syndrome. I think your self rated mediocre essays give the adcoms the impression you’re not really trying that hard to get into Georgia tech in terms of interests and you’re just putting it off as a safety.
Yes colleges are allowed to make it based on major, they usually do on division dvidied by Engineering, Arts and Science and Business but some uni’s make it down to the actual major like the type of engineering or other major. However, even if they don’t, and I don’t know that GA Tech does or not, they often will consider your major in the sciences and math and see if you have taken the ‘most rigorous’ available in the Core coursework.
I think the main explanation to your question is that there are more qualified applicants than seats and you did not quite stand out enough although you seem to have an extremely good record excepting the mysterious lack of rigor in core work.
Here is the Common Data Set which shows what GTech uses for admission. http://www.irp.gatech.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/CDS_2013-2014_04292014.pdf Look at section C7. Level of interest is not included; rigor, ECs and GPA are very important. Important are essays, state residency (as in NOT a GA resident), and volunteer/work experience. Those may have bitten you.
You probably should add a true safety if it isn’t too late.
Why would anyone, particularly an OOS student think that GT is a safety???
Your GT essay was about progress and service, right? You have zero service? What did you write about?
Otherwise kid also deferred, but never thought GT was safe. They say the RA rate is 20% though, is that right?
Yep, GTech should not be considered a safety by any unhooked OOS male, regardless of stats.
For those wondering why I considered Georgia Tech a safety, it was because based on the statistics of previous years, my GPA and SAT were well over the acceptance average (those above the acceptance average all got admitted and they constituted about 30% of applicants). There are, of course, a few people that got deferred and then accepted. Now, I am not saying that I was not wrong to have considered Georgia Tech a safety, but that was how I came to my conclusion. I also do think Georgia Tech is an amazing school and would be honored to be accepted. Any additional feedback would be very much appreciated.
But the best way to get a well-rounded class is by getting students that are individually well-rounded.
Sure, larger schools can make do with one-dimensional students but is GA Tech large enough to afford a few one-dimensional kids without affecting the well-roundedness of the class?
GT is not a safety especially if you didn’t take AP science courses/BC Calculus. Neither is UGA.
There are lots of great schools where you can major in Physics. Many schools have January 15 deadlines. If the rest of your schools are on par with Cornell and Duke, i.e. extremely selective, you might want to do an additional app.
Don’t overlook highly ranked small liberal arts colleges that may have excellent Physics departments and have a high interest in attracting STEM applicants, where you might be able to have a more intimate learning experience and get a lot of attention from faculty members. Also look at your in state flagship where you’d have an advantage as a state resident.
For example, Case Western has a Jan 15 app deadline, also Kenyon, Macalester, and Grinnell- good LACs but don’t know about their Physics departments in particular. Go to the Departmental websites, and browse the course listings.
BTW- your strong interest in chess shouldn’t hurt you, as a previous poster suggested. The conventional wisdom about college wanting well rounded kids is no longer true, as colleges celebrate students who pursue a specific passion. Your accomplishments in chess convey your dedication and tenacity, implying you could bring these qualities to bear in any area of focus.
Look at the stats as to how many students they take from any given high school in GA. They publish the data.
As others have pointed out, you still have the possibility of being accepted. Many of the OOS students who were accepted may not be able to afford to attend. That was our ds’s reality last yr. I’m sure his situation was not unique. Top kids apply hoping for merit $$, and when they don’t receive any, the school becomes unaffordable.
As to why, it could be b/c your course load is heavy in the liberal arts instead of the sciences, yet you applied as a physics major.
FWIW, there are lots of great opportunities for physics majors. You will find a great landing spot.
As for well-rounded vs. sharply-angled, it really depends on the school (and also how well-rounded vs. how sharply angled, etc.).
One thing to note is that adcoms are human and are thus prone to human biases (many aren’t even aware that they are).
Someone with high stats, is great at chess, has done well in quant classes, and wants to pursue physics simply isn’t going to stand out as much at GTech vs. many LACs (some of which have great track records at sending kids on to get PhDs in physics). Reed, Carleton, and Lawrence come to mind. All have 1/15 deadlines, BTW.
Check out the tables in this article: http://www.thecollegesolution.com/the-colleges-where-phds-get-their-start/
If you look at the G Tech acceptance thread, lots of students with high stats got deferred for some reason. I don’t really understand it, but I think you will probably still get in RD. But I agree with everyone else, G Tech is not a safety for anyone, and you definitely need some real safety schools, and quick! Is it too late for U of Alabama? There is also U Pitt and others I’m sure…sorry I’m not an expert here! But I do know that you should be scrambling for at least one solid safety school immediately!
@shawnspencer
well-rounded students and well-rounded class are not mutually exclusive.
Georgia Tech does not consider intended major for admissions.
Some have already been mentioned here but just about every [url="<a href=“http://theaitu.org%22%5DAITU%5B/url”>http://theaitu.org"]AITU[/url] school has a good physics program and send students on to graduate school.