Hi everyone
I am recently applying to colleges, and I realised some facts saying that the graduation rate for an undergraduate is 33%?
This really makes me consider of whether I should be applying to this school as an engineer.
What are your thoughts on this fact?
That’s not a correct “fact”
It looks like the 4 year grad rate is in the low 40s, upper 30s. The 5 year grad rate is ~80%.
http://factbook.gatech.edu/academic-information/graduation-and-retention-rates-tables-5-11-5-12/
It looks like most students go 5 years for whatever reason. I don’t know enough about the school to guess why this might be.
A lot of kids at Georgia Tech take co-op jobs. This can distort the 4 year grad rate.
Changing majors and how much IB or AP credits you are awarded will affect your ability to graduate in four years from Georgia Tech or any college. Most state schools seem less concerned with getting students through in four years than private college do. So this is a problem at most large state engineering colleges. Schools like Cal Poly make it so difficult to change majors that students literally drop out over that. Georgia Tech is not as restrictive as the west coast U of Cal or Cal Poly for changing majors but CS is starting to get a little crowded at GT.
It typically takes longer than 4 years to graduate with an engineering degree. Here is a sample flow chart for Aerospace Engineering:
http://www.ae.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/images/ugcurriculumflowchart-new.pdf
You’ll notice that to graduate in 4 years, you’ll have to take 16 to 17 credits a semester, which can be a lot. Also, GT (and other engineering schools) is very rigorous and many of the classes require pre-requisites or co-requisites. If you have to drop a class, it could set you back a semester.
Also, you do have the option of earning a minor (which shows up on your degree) or a certificate (which shows up in your transcripts). All of which require additional classes.
So, one or two drop classes, a fall/spring internship, a co-op, a minor/certificate, all can delay graduation.
Graduating in ~ 5 years is feasible. Keeping your sanity during that time period is the difficult part.
Thanks Gator88NE. Do you know if aerospace students can take any classes over the summer? I figure I’m not likely to get an internship after my freshman year, maybe I could help myself my spreading the workload out a little.
Honestly, I don’t know that many people who took longer than 4 years. My parents made it very clear to me that I had 4 years to finish my degree. I started college in the Fall of 2013, transferred after 2 years and lost a lot of credits setting me back to sophomore status. However, I loaded, took extra classes at the local community college, took summer classes, and I am now set to graduate in the Spring of 2017 again, just like I was at my old college.
Students need to make it their priority to finish on time. Taking longer than 4 years is inconsiderate to whoever’s paying for their education whether it’s their family, an employer, or the school. And it’s not difficult at all. Had I not transferred, I’d probably be graduating early.
@clockadd GT’s 4 year graduation rate is 39%./u
It’s 6 year graduation rate is 85%. (following link was posted above)
http://factbook.gatech.edu/academic-information/graduation-and-retention-rates-tables-5-11-5-12/
@emptyMT GT does offer classes over the summer. No idea how many AE classes are offered, but plenty of core engineering classes (needed to complete an AE degree) would be offered. For the summer, you could look to combine taking a few classes with doing some undergraduate research (or just classes+work)…
@emptyMT Georgia Tech offers a really cool AE study abroad program in Ireland. Some of my DD’s friends who are AE have done it and really liked it. Plus when you are out of state it is really cheap since you pay in-state tuition. Also one friend did research in Ireland as part of the program which lead to other opportunities.
@itsv I have been to Ireland once, and really liked it. In a lot of ways it reminds me of my home state, everybody wears Mountain Hardware & Patagonia, haha it’s also very rural although I’m sure I’d be in the city. I’d like to go there, that would be awesome.
Georgia Tech has a sizable chunk of students do co-ops at companies, which take up a spring semester, fall semester, and summer semester, equating to one year without classes, meaning a 4-year curriculum will take five years. Many students do study-abroad, others do minors. Some students do end up dropping courses, meaning they have to retake them at another time, but many students also graduate early.