<p>My daughter's been accepted to GT and Clemson's Honor College, but is looking for advice that might help with her decision where to go. She's toured both and definitely liked the intense academic focus and urban setting of Ga Tech much better than Clemson. She intends on majoring in nuclear engineering at GT because she's interested in that field and that major will qualify her for in-state tuition. The issue arises if she finds after a year at GT she wants to change her major from nuclear engineering, at which point GT out-of-state tuition becomes unaffordable, resulting in her likely transfer to Clemson to take advantage of in-state tuition and a $10,000/yr Clemson scholarship.</p>
<p>Are you sure Clemson will give her the scholarship if she doesn’t enroll as a freshman?</p>
<p>It sounds quite risky for your daughter to go to Tech, in your situation. Many people find that engineering is not for them pretty early on, and by then she may be out in-state tuition at Tech as well as a scholarship from Clemson.</p>
<p>In her first year, she should be mostly taking general engineering prep courses (Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, CS) which should transfer to Clemson if she decides to go pursue a degree there at a later time.</p>
<p>But the schools are like night and day when it comes to the quality of the engineering program and the companies that recruit from the school. I would think very long and hard before attending Clemson over GT.</p>
<p>As gthopeful alluded to, your daughter cannot transfer after attending Tech AND receive Clemson’s current scholarship offers. Those offers are contingent upon enrollment as a freshman in the fall. She can, however, always transfer to Tech and still receive the in-state tuition offer for nuclear engineering. So, from the standpoint of financial risk, your daughter would be best advised to attend Clemson, unless she is positive she will not switch out of Nuclear Engineering. Of course, I am sure there are other factors besides finances that may shape your decision.</p>
<p>I really appreciate the inputs. I should clarify though that the $10,000 scholarship to Clemson is for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship which is actually paid for by the State of South Carolina, not Clemson. The scholarship can be reapplied for if transferring back to a South Carolina 4-year institution. However, she recognizes any scholarship monies offered by Clemson this year would not be available later.</p>
<p>In the case, I would pick Ga Tech. Ga Tech will exit common market by summer of 2011 (no more in state tuition for OOS student).</p>
<p>[Georgia</a> Institute of Technology :: Undergraduate Admission :: Academic Common Market (ACM)](<a href=“http://www.admiss.gatech.edu/acm/]Georgia”>http://www.admiss.gatech.edu/acm/)</p>
<p>Georgia Tech has made the decision to withdraw from the Academic Common Market on the undergraduate level. Undergraduate students who begin enrollment starting in the summer semester of 2011 or later at Georgia Tech will not be eligible for the Academic Common Market. Prior to the summer semester of 2011, Georgia Tech will participate in the Academic Common Market in the following undergraduate degree programs and states listed below. Any student who enrolls prior to summer semester 2011 and is eligible for the Academic Common Market will be grandfathered into the program as long as the student remains eligible.</p>
<p>Georgia Tech participates in the Academic Common Market in the following undergraduate degree programs and states:</p>
<pre><code>* Bachelor of Science in Nuclear and Radiological Engineering : Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia
- Bachelor of Science in Polymer & Fiber Engineering : Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
</code></pre>