Hi
My son is a Junior at a high school in GA and currently at the top of his class. I understand that Ga Tech and UGA have a program that auto admits the top two students of any accredited high school.
Since he will likely apply in the Fall - can some one clarify if this is based on rank at the end of the junior year or the first semester of the senior year?
Thanks!!
It is based on their rank after the end of the year I believe. If they are not otherwise admitted, I think they are notified in June. At least, that is what I recall when my son was in that position. Unless something has changed, you are not automatically admitted during the EA or RD decision rounds, although you may be admitted on your own merits then. If you were not, the automatic admission comes into play, and you are notified at some later point.
There are several other requirements, including that you graduated from an accredited school with more than 50 students and have taken math at least through pre-calculus.
Thanks for the clarification
Sorry one more followup. I went through the details on GA Tech site it says that the application has to be submitted by normal ED and RD deadline and the Val/Sal have to be named by April 1 hence my question - if this is based on senior year first semester rankings.
It is based on whenever they name the actual valedictorian and salutatorian. It is not based on class rank at a particular time. Most schools don’t name those until late second semester and admission won’t be until after RD comes out. It has to be the final decision for salutatorian or valedictorian and not subject to change. I can’t imagine a school naming valedictorian based on only first semester senior grades, but maybe that happens someplace. It is not class rank. It is that the school actually has to name the valedictorian and salutatorian of the school. At most schools I would think that they would look at not only first semester grades, but also grades through most of the second semester.
Honestly, it’s not something for you to really worry about. Just apply and see where the chips fall. It is possible if you happen to be named valedictorian or salutatorian and are not otherwise admitted, you will get a late admit. My son was valedictorian and admitted early and I can’t imagine there are many valedictorians at state schools of over 50 students that are not admitted to Tech through the regular process.
If I were you, I would just go through the regular decision process. If you are not admitted, see your counselor and see if you qualify for this exception to admission and if you will be named valedictorian.
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