Georgia Tech Admissions Director: Life Isn't Fair

[LucieTheLakie]

I remember a lengthy discussion a while back about the admissions process at Georgia Tech (and whether or not it was fair) and thought this might be of interest to prospective families. The link is to the coverage in “Inside Higher Ed”; from there you can link on the actual blog post.

Clark said in an interview that the focus of admissions guidebooks on overall numbers helps to perpetuate an idea of what is “fair” and who is entitled to admission. And the problem with that focus, Clark said, is that those numbers don’t tell of the incredible credentials of those getting rejected. At Georgia Tech, the entire applicant pool has an SAT average of just under 1400 and each applicant has taken and done well in an average of eight Advanced Placement courses. So credentials associated by some with assuring admission are really just about assuring that one is logical in the applicant pool. About 85 percent of those who apply to Georgia Tech could succeed there if admitted, Clark said. Admission at competitive colleges has long since ceased to be about weeding out those who can’t succeed.

https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2017/06/05/admissions-dean-tries-change-discussion-admitting-admissions-isnt-fair

[Coloradomama]

This is useful information that 42% of in state GA applicants are accepted but only 18% of OOS applicants get into GT, for an average of 23%-25% of applicants accepted in the last few years. So OOS students need to be aware that GT is harder than it looks to get accepted, given these numbers. Thanks for posting this. I think it is fair for a pubic school to favor its own in state students. Georgia taxes are subsidizing this fine school.