I go in-state to Virginia Tech, but I got a secure transfer pathway to Georgia Tech. Worth it?

Transfer Students
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I applied to both Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech in high school. I was accepted to Virginia Tech and offered a transfer pathway to Georgia Tech. To summarize the transfer pathway, it essentially says that if I go to another school for one year and meet the requirements in the pathway, I will be guaranteed transfer admission to GT in the following summer.

I am weighing whether or not I should transfer, and I’d like to hear some input from others. Especially anyone who’s attended either Georgia or Virginia Tech.

Here are the important things to consider:
I am in-state at Virginia Tech, and I am in the Honors College. My social life is pretty good. I pay about 30k a year to attend here. My scholarships cover some of it and my parents are covering the rest. If I go to Georgia Tech, I will need to take an extra year to finish (so 4 years total there). It will cost me at least 55k a year to go there. My parents can’t afford that, so I will likely be taking out around 25k a year in loans.

Is the difference in education worth 100k in debt?

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No, do not transfer to GATech. $1000,000 in loans will take you many years to pay off. You’re in the H College and have good friends at a great college.

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In general no - but what major are you in?

So loans

A year of lost income

And you already go to a great school.

And you’d want to leave?

Hmmmmm

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If you’re happy and thriving at VT just stay there.

BTW. The saying that you don’t go to GT for the accommodations is true.

Just curious which degree you’re seeking? Seems odd that you would need 4 years at GT after one at VT.

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No.

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Don’t transfer.

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You are happy. You are at a strong and affordable college and will graduate without debt. You can take advantage of the honors college.

The grass is not always greener. Personally, I’d stay put.

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$100k debt is generally a bad idea, especially since it will require parent loans or parent-cosigned loans, which your parents apparently cannot afford (otherwise, they could just pay directly instead of borrowing).

Nothing in your post indicated any dissatisfaction with VT or anything at GT that you consider to be significantly better than VT, so it also does not make any sense to choose something more expensive that gives no apparent benefit.

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If it were MIT or Stanford, I would say yes.

However, there is no job or career path that a GaTech degree offers that a VaTech degree does not offer.

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Absolutely absolutely not. Saying this as a parent with two kids at Georgia Tech. Every job you can get from Georgia Tech you’ll be able to get from Virginia Tech. And in no universe is it worth $100,000 more.

You say you are socially happy and that is worth a lot as well. Transferring is hard. We know several transfer students at Georgia Tech who never found their place socially and regretted making the transfer. Not saying that’s going to be you, but it is difficult and you really have to make an intense effort to meet people when your classmates have already found their group.

Stay put.

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No, it’s not worth the debt. Plus you’d be giving-up a place in an honors college. You’re already a standout student. That’s a tangible accomplishment you can put on a resume, that could easily put you ahead of GA Tech graduates on a job application. My advice is to stay exactly where you are. You’re thriving already.

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I’m in computer science. GT is one of the best schools in the United States for CS, so naturally, I had to consider it. Thank you for your input!

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It’s never easy to transfer - you start again - so that’s socially, knowing the campus, everything- and you have, supposedly the best college food in the country - plus you are on the nicest campus in American - in my opinion.

I get it - but I’m a believer for CS, where you go doesn’t necessarily matter. My nephew works at a very recognizable company as a poli sci major - but he had to pass the tests they gave.

I’m sure Va Tech will do very well - and certainly going into big debt is not worth it, no matter the school.

Keep doing great and you’ll be fine.

For CS, in the 2021-22 class, Va Tech reports a $95K median salary with $10K bonus. Granted, that’s just who reports.

Georgia Tech’s career report doesn’t work. It might be a little higher at the beginning - partly due to placing more in Atlanta and maybe all things being equal, it’d be better - but not to the level you’re thinking. PS - there is no better - these are perceptions or magazines, etc.

The other thing is - one is huge and in the mountains and the environment of Va Tech while Ga Tech is in the city - and not sure which you prefer but that impacts as well.

Ultimately, you and not your school - will make your success. My son is a Bama grad and interned and roomed with two Ga Tech kids. He was invited back a second summer. They weren’t - so there’s no best - unless you are the best, etc. And like I noted, my nephew makes over $200K a year in NYC and has no computer science education whatsoever - poli sci undergrad and a Master in Finance.

I think it’s a no brainer to stay - you’re doing well and so you save that risk as well that you wouldn’t adjust. go Hokies and don’t look back…

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Thanks for your input! I’m in comp sci. There are some extra general education-type classes at GT that I’d have to take, and based on my predictions for my schedule, I think I’ll end up needing at least an extra semester.

Could you expand more on “you don’t go to GT for the accommodations?”

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Thanks for your input. I forgot to include my major in my post, but it’s computer science. I did not want to give my own opinion about either school because I wanted to hear people’s unfiltered opinions about both schools. The reason for considering GT us that it has one of the best CS programs in the country. But rankings aren’t everything, either.

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Thanks so much for giving your point of view as a parent! And congratulations to both of your kids.

I appreciate that you said “Every job you can get from Georgia Tech you’ll be able to get from Virginia Tech.” That’s definitely my #1 priority. I just want to go wherever will give me the best job offers and opportunities. Not to make it all about money, but I’d suffer a bad social life if I knew I could help my parents retire.

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Thank you, that’s much appreciated.

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You made great points, those were all things I was considering as well. For a little background, GT was my #1 pick in high school. I was ecstatic when I got the pathway option. But as time went on, the pros and cons list got longer and more complicated. Thank you for your advice, it makes me feel better about where I’m at.

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The dorms and cafeteria food at GT are subpar. The dorms are mediocre. The food is worse. Most students move off campus after freshman year. Rent is not cheap in Midtown.

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Nope, not worth it. To augment the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t go into debt to fix it.”

I think most people would acknowledge an incremental difference in reputation between VT and GT. But I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion at all that an undergrad degree from GT will give you a competitive advantage over Honors at VT. If there’s any advantage at all, it’s definitely not on the order of magnitude of 100K in debt plus a year of opportunity cost. In that amount of time, with that additional investment, you could finish your undergrad at VT and add a masters from GT or another top school.

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