Asking for feedback! My ds has been accepted into Georgia Tech as a Global Economics and Modern Languages major.
We initially thought Tech would be a no-brainer choice, but after visiting South Carolina and their honors college, ds is not so sure. We are in-state (Georgia), so he would qualify for Zell Miller which covers tuition. There are concerns, of course, that it might be difficult to maintain the 3.3 GPA needed to keep Zell Miller at Tech.
We do not know final award amount for South Carolina, yet, but it is at least an out-of-state tuition waiver plus some. A 3.0 GPA is required to keep scholarships at South Carolina. Honors college students may gain immediate admission into the Classic International Business track (#1 ranked IB School) but must have a 3.65 overall GPA through the fall of sophomore year to be enrolled in the program.
From what I’ve heard, an engineering degree from Georgia Tech opens doors. Can the same be said for a liberal arts degree? We were so impressed with both schools when we visited. Ds is planning to attend a GT Liberal Arts Shadow Day in March, and I told him I would take him back to SC if he would like to visit again.
They are both strong programs with good outcomes for students, based on the below links. Many consulting firms and top companies recruit heavily at Tech and the Ivan Allen College has a strong history of placing their graduates in good jobs. This is all likely less of a concern if your DS plans to attend graduate school immediately after undergrad, but I suspect a much broader range of top companies and top consulting firms recruit at Tech vs. USC.
@itsgettingreal17 GT is certainly better known for its engineering program, but when we visited the school, we were so impressed by the internships the liberal arts students were securing. One of the students had interned at the NSA and another at Facebook offices in NYC. The link shared by @InPursuit shows some excellent job placements. Everything I’ve read, though, about SC’s IB program points to a very strong program (as you point out!).
@Captain229 - That’s great to hear about the GT’s students’ internships. My son is interested in Tech as an in state option even though we have been concerned that it may not be the best fit for him. If he goes, he would likely study economics/languages or business.
I think this is definitely a preference question. Georgia Tech’s social sciences programs are actually quite good; many of them have some kind of connection to science/tech/engineering (e.g., the psychology major has a pretty strong focus on engineering psychology, cognition and perception, and human factors). And yes, a social science degree from Georgia Tech can open doors; I work with a lot of Georgia Tech social science majors. But USC can, too.
On the other hand, your son will be a minority in the sense that most other majors at GT will be engineering and science/technology majors. The environment is going to be quite different than attending USC, a more comprehensive public university. Columbia is also a smaller city than Atlanta, so the city will influence his experience. What kind of experience does he want? What is it that made your son more unsure after his visit to USC?
If it is the International Business program at South Carolina that requires study on different continents, then that would be hard to pass up. I am confused, however, with respect to OP’s reference to the South Carolina Honors College. Need clarification as to which USC IB program OP has been accepted to.
Okay. I see why there is a lack of clarity with respect to South Carolina’s program(s).
OP: If your son has been selected to/or will elect the program with the 2 year study abroad component–as opposed to the single semester abroad option–then USC is the better option.
If only in the IB program with a semester abroad, then it is a toss-up based on personal preferences & personal goals.
@juillet Thank you for the specific info regarding GT social sciences programs. Ds definitely wants to be in an urban environment. He believes he would enjoy either Columbia or Atlanta. One thing that is on the plus side for Georgia Tech is the Zell Miller Scholarship. Being in the minority at Tech may not be a bad thing…a LAC “feel” within a larger campus setting! I think that’s why he likes the honors college at SC so much. Your indication that it probably comes down to preference is encouraging! @Publisher Yes - Ds is looking at the Classic IB track (auto admit as a honors college student and with a 3.65 GPA) vs. the Cohort IB track. It’s good to hear that it is more of a preference choice - can’t go wrong, then, right?! Thank you for your advice!
Either way your son is almost certainly going into a program (at either university) whose graduates enjoy choice job prospects & offers. Hard to imagine better college options than these for one interested in International Business.
We visited GT on Friday for a Liberal Arts Shadow Day and South Carolina on Monday for an admitted Honors College Students tour and business school info session.
Friday at GT eased any concerns I had regarding the liberal arts school - sharp students, outstanding advisors, small class sizes (1:5), and plentiful resources. If these two visits had not been scheduled so close together, we most likely would not have been making a second trip to South Carolina. But…we did, and ds wants to go to South Carolina. My husband believes that ds likes whichever school he visits last. I’m glad I canceled the visit to Tulane this Friday - lol!
My only issue with South Carolina is money - it will cost about $10,000 more a year to attend South Carolina. What we decided is that he may go to South Carolina, but he has to pay the $10,000 difference. Personally, I just don’t see the point in taking out loans to go out-of-state when such excellent options are available in-state. It would be different if he had received the Top Scholars Award at USC-Columbia - but he didn’t.
Since I first posted, ds has been accepted into UGA’s Honors College, but he has no interest in visiting. I feel he’s being a bit close-minded, but I am keeping my mouth shut. Having to do that a lot these days!
Ds believes South Carolina’s number one International Business ranking will be worth the extra money. I disagree, but I have encouraged him to call a young friend of ours who went to Wharton and is now working in finance in NYC. The young man had considered GT, so hopefully, he can offer some advice.
I was so looking forward to putting down a deposit this week!
Do you mean that usc Columbia would need a 3.65Gpa sophomore year to get into the IB program? Because that’s a very high GPA. I’d be very wary of this - would he still like usc if he couldn’t get into the international business program? Has he applied to a Cohort program?
Caveat: i know nothing about the GT program outside of engineering. My oldest son is a Sophmore at USC. Love the school, but hate the fees. Make sure you are reading the fee sheets on the bursar’s website very carefully to account for the extra annual fee for Darla Moore, and for the honor’s program. Make sure that the cost differential is accurate in case it would impact your son’s decision.
The link for jobs seems to be more broadly focused than HC, which hopefully has better placement stats. More importantly, it would hopefully give him access to professors for research projects etc.
Good luck.
@MYOS1634 - I found out Monday that the 3.65 GPA has to be maintained thru the end of freshman year, not sophomore year, to matriculate into the IB program - still no easy task. He was so burned out from college apps that he did not apply to the Cohort program. If he goes to SC, he will be following the Classic IB track. We discussed choices again tonight - sounds like he just wants to go someplace different.
@VAMom23 - I’ve heard that about the fees. It definitely will impact the decision! After subtracting the out-of-state waiver and a $2000 scholarship, I’ve come up with $28,662/year (before any impending tuition hikes). Am I close?!!
Is he ok with another major if he doesn’t get into the IB program? 3.65 likely means top 15%, perhaps top 20% of all pre-IB /Business students, some of whom are Top Scholars and other scholarship winners. Would he be able to double major in a modern foreign language and a Business subject?