2015
http://admission.gatech.edu/images/pdf/2015_freshman_profile_web.pdf
Admit rate : 32%
Mid 50%
SAT: 2060 – 2250
ACT: 30 – 33
2016
http://admission.gatech.edu/images/pdf/2016_Admitted_Freshman_Profile_web.pdf
Admit rate: 25%
Mid 50%
SAT: 2060 - 2280
ACT: 32 - 34
Yikes. I don’t even want to think about what is going to be like when my son applies in 3 years…
I am a former GT employee, and have worked with students and faculty extensively. I love everything about the institute, and its certainly was a great place for me while I was there. Admissions though, in my opinion, is another story. I have witnessed in front of my eyes this year Georgia In-state students with high GPA’s and great SAT/ACT scores, being waitlisted and even denied Freshman admission. To me, this is not right, as GT is the only currently reputable and affordable engineering school in the region. I think that its time for parents and GT Alum and employees like myself to lobby for a bill to increase the enrollment at Tech, and make a policy like Virginia Tech where GT must compose of a minimum of 70% in state students (although I would like to say 90%). Additionally, I support the reopening of the GT Savannah Campus, as well as other satellite campuses to accomodate more deserving GA students. To all GA residents: let’s keep in mind that we are paying taxes for GT, and our politicians will listen to us if we apply pressure on them to pass such bills. It is not fair that our GA tax paying students are being essentially thrown out for out of state students with regional engineering schools. While this doesn’t effect me personally, I am concerned about the future of our state, and it is important that we make some changes.
That’s crazy. Even as we see such big increases each year, that’s crazy.
Wow, well that makes me feel a little better as a homeschooling mom.
@Bravo450 - couldn’t agree more.
@college450 That’s all well and good, but to increase enrollment the university would have to hire more faculty, build more facilities, and expand student services - all of which would be hugely expensive. Not only that, but the out of state students that you decry are the ones who foot a large part of the bill for GT’s annual operating costs. The amount that GA residents pay towards GT is minuscule; state appropriations (your tax dollars) only account for about 15% of GT’s annual revenue.
Good and legitimate points. The GT Savannah Campus, although was not successfully while it lasting as an undergraduate campus, showed that a second campus could be sustained. I firmly believe that today, this campus would have been highly attractive to students, and want to see it reopened.
You are right about the costs, but I do think that GT is obligated to take more in state students, to some extent. Please don’t get me wrong though, OOS students are important and have contributed much to GT. My only source of contention is that alot of other states have multiple decent engineering schools, whereas we have three, but GSU, UGA and KSU and not really where GT is or even close right now. This is about supporting our students, and one must keep in mind that GT has a large sponsored research revenue, recently at $642,135,023
I’m not sure they need to increase the total enrollment. Just enrolling a higher percentage if in state students would be nice. My 9th grader is well aware that he even if he gets all A’s, great test scores and EC’s he may very well not get in. Knowing that he is going to have to apply and perhaps go to an OOS college when there is a great in state one less than an hour away stinks. Right now he is very happy they have conditional enrollment for kids who have siblings or parents that went to GT. But that doesn’t help the smart in state kids who won’t have that option.
@college450 - I would agree that Georgia Tech should take more students in state, but I would disagree that it is “the only reputable and affordable school in the region.” It certainly is the highest ranked school, but Auburn also has a very good engineering program, and is only 2 hours from Georgia Tech. If you have the scores to get into Georgia Tech, you certainly can get a decent scholarship from Auburn. My opinion is based on the the fact that my husband owns an engineering company, has over 30 years experience, and hires engineers from both Georgia Tech and Auburn. He has found both sets of graduates to be well prepared and talented. Our son has been accepted into both schools, so this has been a highly analyzed topic in our house. What kind of engineer you turn out to be has a lot to do with the skills, talents, and work ethic you bring to the college. Georgia Tech is a great school and certainly should accept more in-state, but it is far from the only option to become a successful engineer in the southeast region. Nor, would it have the reputation it does if it did not reach out to a diverse national and international population.
Thank you for your insight. I agree that Auburn is not only a good, but a great engineering school. I should have clarified my words better, so I apologize for this. For a GA in-state student, GT is indeed the only reasonable and affordable school in the region for engineering. At Auburn, the maximum scholarship an out of state scholarship can receive, a Presidential Scholarship, is $16,000 per year. This leaves Auburn’s tuition at $31,410, which would need to be covered by loans, parents, the student working himself, etc., Additionally, keep in mind that this 16K is only for the top students. Students with lower ACT scores (29-30) only get 6K a year, making this price go up to $37,410. A 29 or 30 on the ACT is a very respectable score, but how are these students supposed to pay this price, and quite frankly, Why should they? GT is responsible for educating Georgia’s engineers, and if they can’t, then the state needs to invest in other programs and allocate more funding to schools like UGA. This price is not practical at all. I agree that Auburn is a great school, and its engineering programs are top notch, but is it worth it for the OOS price? Certainly not. Many students who are applying to GT to become engineer’s come from middle class families in state, GT is their only realistic option if they want to realize that dream. Granted, the University of Georgia (UGA) has great Agricultural and Environmental Engineering programs (their other programs aren’t as good), which have the potential to produce graduates that can compete with GT students on Graduate School seats and on the Job Market, but that’s about it.
So is is the only option to become a successful engineer in the southeast region? For a Georgia In-state student - likely. I think that UAH is also a great option, but students don’t really know about it and it doesn’t carry the same reputation as GT nationally. If you are from Alabama, Auburn is no doubt the better option that GT. One can go to Auburn and become an extremely successful engineer. If you are from GA, then going to Auburn is unjustifiable. Nearly 32K for a starting salary of ~60K? That’s not ROI.
Anyways, I appreciate your insight, and I hope the best for your son in this decision.
Georgia’s Hope/Zell Miller scholarships are also forgiving and allow makeup semesters and even reinstatement of the scholarship for as many times as you earn it back after 1 semester. It really is a great deal for Georgia students. And yes, there are many, many Georgia engineering students at Auburn. Son’s Camp War Eagle they asked how many “gave up HOPE” to attend Auburn and half the camp stood up.
It no longer matters for my son but it continues to be unfair for the future of Georgia students and Georgia engineers.
I know the post is not about cost at Auburn. So, I don’t want to get the thread off in the weeds. But, Auburn OOS tuition is $28,040, so if you can get the $16,000 (and many who can get into GT will be able to do that) you are down to $12,000 tuition, the rest of the cost is room and board, books, misc. which you will have to pay at Georgia Tech anyway. Room and board are actually about equal at both schools. Another thing that Auburn does is offer college/departmental scholarships typically worth another $2500 a year. National Merit will also get you room and board for a semester. So, for students who fit GT profile you have a good shot of attending Auburn for about another $10,000 a year which is not peanuts but is doable for many with loans, co-op, parental support, and/or FASFA. Not saying Auburn would be as affordable as GT for in-state, or that everyone can get the tuition down that low but it is an option worth checking out if you are among the 65% of Georgia residents who don’t get into Tech. Auburn is by far more generous to OOS than Tech. And, with the acceptance rate so low at Tech, it is an option I would check into if I was a Georgia resident who did not get into Tech and wanted to he an engineer.
Hence the high Georgia enrollment at Auburn. The departmental scholarships (for engineering anyway) are highly competitive and not many freshman receive them. There are a number of 1-off scholarships but they usually have some element of need base.
Auburn engineering scholarships are competitive, but for those who are qualified for GT they should be within reach. But, back to the point, GT should do a better job of serving the people of Georgia. That should be their highest priority, but colleges have become about their brand, and how to market themselves to get the highest ranking and most research dollars they can. GT is following the national trend. The common app was the beginning of this, and, unfortunately it will probably only get worse.
Momof3kidsau -those departmental scholarships are few and limited and Auburn has a rather large engineering population so you are competing against all existing freshman thru seniors and the newly admitted freshman to start in the fall -that’s a really large group. These are not a guaranteed stat base - you may be qualified to get those scholarships but so are a lot of other engineering students.
I am going by what engineering school told me, which is with my son’s grades and stats, he would be highly competitive, if he chose to go there. However, they have not been awarded yet. So, we don’t know anything for sure. We do know average ACT score in Auburn engineering is 29, so you want to be above that.
@college450 We live in Atlanta and my son applied to GT early action. He was deferred and has now been accepted as long as he starts in the summer. I can tell you though, Tech went from being his 1st choice to being his 3rd choice. It has nothing to do with the deferral, but he just decided the fit was better elsewhere. The one thing that I have learned about Tech is that their admissions office needs to do a much better job regarding outreach with their applicants. They have done nothing at all. My son also applied to four other schools and every single one made some effort to create interest and excitement about their school. He has received handwritten notes from alumni, emails talking about fun events, posters, and the opportunity to interview with an alumni. We went to several college fairs during his sophomore and junior year, and Tech wasn’t at a single one. One school told us that they just didn’t show up - no call or explanation, and it was a pretty big event. I might understand if we lived in another state, but I’m talking about college fairs in the Atlanta area. Again, my son would NEVER ultimately choose a school based on what the admissions office did or didn’t do. He has chosen another school because he loves it. Overall, I’m just very unimpressed with the admissions office. It’s a shame they don’t do a better job considering what an excellent education Tech provides.
@bahiablue - don’t know where your son is going, but my son had an excellent recruitment by Mississppi State, he has chosen not to consider them, but they have been wonderful. - Calls, notes, scholarships, dinners, lunches, ice cream socials, honors priority housing and registration, invited to alumni houses, etc. It is nice to be wanted! GT has sent many emails since my son was accepted. Some are social and some are very in depth from ME, honors, and grand challenges. He has also been invited to alumni event, and notified he was in 2nd place for alumni scholarship. So, GT has kept in touch, but I also know what you mean about a college really wanting your son and how nice that is.
@Momof3kidsau - Yep, very large pool of competitive applicants (would assume most GA students are above 29) small number of scholarships but they are by department and each department has their own criteria including “need based”. The smaller the department, the better the chances of being awarded the scholarship. I hope you do get some add’l funding - my son didn’t know anyone in his freshman class that received an engineering scholarship - there may have been some but he didn’t know any.