Need Help Selecting a College in Georgia!!!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am just finishing up getting my Associates Degree in General Studies at a 2-year college (GA Highlands College). I have a 4.0 GPA, am a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and have MANY professors who would write me amazing recommendations. So, more or less, I should be able to get into any college in GA. </p>

<p>Here's the thing: I have NO IDEA what I want to major in, and I am honestly very flexible in this area. My obsession is this: I want to get into the most prestigious university possible.</p>

<p>I have basically narrowed it down to these 3:</p>

<p>UGA
GA Tech
Emory</p>

<p>UGA seems like the obvious choice, but right now I live in Atlanta. Not a huge huge fan of moving to Athens.</p>

<p>GA Tech and Emory are MUCH better location-wise, and it sorta seems I would enjoy them more. I am much more into the studious/downtown vibe than the frat/huge school vibe.</p>

<p>Only thing is, it seems GA Tech is ONLY a good school if you want to be an engineer. And Emory, well... Emory is REALLY REALLY expensive. I can't afford it.</p>

<p>With all that out of the way, I suppose these are my basic questions:</p>

<p>1) If I am open to ANY major, what is the most prestigious school in GA?
2) Is it true that GA tech is only prestigious for engineering majors? Is their liberal arts stuff more or less a joke? Would it be stupid to go to their liberal arts college over UGA?
3) I probably won't qualify for extreme need-based scholarships or grants. But, with a 4.0, is it at all realistic that I could get scholarships/grants to make Emory somewhat affordable?
4) Am I missing any schools here? Any others that should be on my radar?</p>

<p>Really, any help is greatly appreciated. I am lost here. Never been too good at understanding the college system. If I accidentally left out any important information, feel free to ask. Thanks guys!</p>

<p>EDIT: I am also aware of GA State, but if I took that route... well, I'd rather just suck it up and go to UGA. UGA seems to be the same type of school, but better.</p>

2

<p>1.) Emory, though UGA’s Honors College is quite good.
2.) Yes, it’s a joke. One of my friends told me that if you want to add a liberal artsy class, it has to have some sort of math/engineering tie-in; that might’ve been a joke, though it tells you how much they, uh, don’t focus on the liberal arts?
3.) Hm, I’m sure Emory has some pretty good scholarships floating around. I’m not too familiar with the school, though, so I can’t tell you much.
4.) Well, those three are pretty much the top three schools in Georgia right now. I can’t pull out any more out of the top of my head (and I live in GA too).</p>

<p>If you don’t know what to do and you’re worried about Emory’s cost, then go to UGA. Yes, it’s known as a party/frat school, but if you don’t want to get into that scene, then you just won’t get into it. College is what you make of it and, quite frankly, you can find people with similar interests as you wherever you go. UGA’s Honors College likely contains some people like you who like to study.</p>

<p>G’luck! :)</p>

3

<p>Thanks for all the advice. So Emery is better than UGA, even if I was to choose a major like Journalism or Business? Or, is it just better for medical fields?</p>

<p>Also, any advice on emery financial aid is greatly appreciated.</p>

4

<p>1) Probably Emory if you’re looking at “general studies”.
2) Neltharion is mistaken. GT has many good programs outside of engineering including the sciences, math, architecture and business. You’re right, GT is probably horrible if you want to major in the history of celtic poetry, but really the offerings are wide enough that few people would transfer out due to lack of options.<br>
3) I doubt you’d qualify for scholarships. You probably have HOPE anyway, right? A state school is a no brainer.
4) Probably not besides GA State which you mentioned later</p>

5

<p>Emory does not give scholarships to transfer students. </p>

<p>Any degree from Tech is impressive because of Tech’s reputation, but you will have to have two courses of calculus and a lab science sequence to even get into Tech, I believe. That information is available on their web site.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for all the help, guys. It really is good information.</p>

<p>I will set up an appointment with a counselor to confirm some of this information. I’ve already taken 2 sequences of Bio lab, but only one calculus. I’ll go talk to them to see if I need to take another calculus in my final semester.</p>

<p>Also, hopeful, why would I not be illegible for scholarships? I have a 4.0, and am doing community service. Also, I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa. What the hell do the kids who DO get scholarships do?!?! </p>

<p>And yes, I do have Hope, but unless I plan on working full-time and going to school full-time, I’m going to need some help paying for housing/food…</p>

7

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<p>Because scholarships are there to entice people who were at the top of the applicant pool to go to a school because competition for their enrollment is fierce. As a transfer applicant, they know that they don’t have to compete nearly as hard for you because transfer yield rates are so high (and the acceptance rates so low, usually). You have much less leverage than you did as a freshman, and they know it.</p>

<p>It’s all fine and well that you’re involved in the community and are in whatever the heck phi theta kappa is, but those things are really irrelevant in transfer admissions. A 4.0 is about as much as you can do to show you’re competent for admission anywhere. I don’t even think I had to give recommendations for transfer applications; maybe it’s different if you’re applying from a 2 year school.</p>

8

<p>Hmmm, ok. Thanks for all the info man (or woman).</p>

<p>Sucks, ima have a hard time without scholarships.</p>

<p>Oh well, thats the name of the college game I guess.</p>

9

<p>I spoke with my counselor and did some additional research, and I have knocked Emory out of the running.</p>

<p>I am now deciding between UGA and Tech.</p>

<p>Basically, if I went to tech, I’d probably major in Civil Engineering and get a masters in something more specialized.</p>

<p>If I went to UGA, I would probably enter Grady College and major in telecommunications and get a master in something more specialized.</p>

<p>Do either of these two seem like a much better idea than the other?</p>