Presidential Scholarship Chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Georgia Institute of Technology
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<p>Hey guys, rising senior from Florida here. Georgia Tech is definitely one of my top choices, but as an OOS student, the tuition is a bit expensive. I was wondering if I had any chance of receiving a Presidential Scholarship, or perhaps even a Provost Scholarship? I know there are about 50 Presidential Scholarships awarded, but are there perhaps a number of smaller scholarships which might cover like half the tuition?</p>

<p>Either way, I was wondering how competitive I could be for a scholarship. Here are some facts about myself.</p>

<p>• 34 ACT (36 English 32 Math 34 Reading 35 Science) This was on my first time taking it. I don’t seem to do well on math portions of standardized exams…but I’m not bad at math in general.</p>

<p>• 228 PSAT (might receive National Merit Finalist, don’t quite know yet)</p>

<p>• 4.0 unweighted GPA, 4.5541 weighted (this will go up), and ranked 3rd out of 384 students.</p>

<p>• Participant in the IB program, will have taken a total of 14 AP/IB classes by the end of senior year. </p>

<p>• Taken a total of 6 AP exams thus far, and have garnered 5’s on all but one of them (AP Music Theory, taught by a teacher who had no clue what she was doing).</p>

<p>• I’ve also taken 1 IB exam but I have yet to know how I did on that.</p>

<p>• I have not taken any subject tests yet.</p>

<p>I am a member of the:
National Honor Society
National Hispanic Honor Society
National Science Honor Society
National English Honor Society
Cultural Diversity club
Dental Health club
Mu Alpha Theta
Film Club
Interact Club
and a member of the school’s award winning daily news show.</p>

<p>Extracurricular
• 2 years JV soccer (Co-captain sophomore year and also won Silver Boot Award that same year), 1 year varsity soccer (will be varsity next year as well).
• 3 years playing club soccer during high school (I skipped freshman year due to injuries). Our team is currently ranked 13th in the state and we made it to the quarterfinals of State Cup last year.
• Track and field team freshman year
• Did High-Q team sophomore year, will do it again senior year.
• Around 150 hours volunteer work at the hospital and I will be interning with a doctor there this summer.
• Another 100 or so hours volunteering as a Link Crew Leader
• 80 or so hours volunteering at a local children’s summer camp
• Page turner at the EMMA Concert Association
• Tutoring in all subject areas as a member of National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta</p>

<p>There are other random small pieces of volunteer work I've done, but I can’t remember all of them.</p>

<p>So yeah, looking at the previous winners of these scholarships, I’m really not quite sure if I could match them. I would greatly accept any kind of input from one of you fine folks, be it negative or positive. If there is any another piece of information you need to know, just let me know. Thanks in advance!</p>

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<p>I also placed 5th in my schools Poetry Out Loud competition…if that really makes any difference haha.</p>

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<p>Well, I got into Georgia Tech this year, so I’ll give you my bit:</p>

<p>I got a 2300 on the SATs, 227 PSAT, I don’t know what my GTech GPA was, since they recalculate it, but it was probably around, maybe slightly lower than yours.
I had 9 APs.
For Subject Tests
Math I - 760
Chemistry - 750
Physics - 770
Math II - 800</p>

<p>Captain of the Science Team
Co-Founder of the Homework Helpers Club
Head Programmer of the Robotics Club
National Merit Finalist
Naitonal Honors Society
Various awards for math, science, and technology</p>

<p>I wasn’t as rounded as you, and sports weren’t really my thing.</p>

<p>I didn’t even make it into the first round of the Presidential Scholarship, which surprised the hell outta me. Take from that what you will. Best of luck.</p>

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<p>My D has a friend that got the Presidential. I don’t know her scores or grades but I know they were a little lower than my Ds. Which were lower than yours.</p>

<p>She had loads of ECs, very extroverted, attractive and loads of volunteer work. She is the type that is comfortable talking to anyone and would really do well in an interview.</p>

<p>I don’t think it is about the grades and scores so much.</p>

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<p>PS is given to the top 2% of students in a class at Tech. The top 5% are interviewed. If you get to the interview process then it is all about your interpersonal skills from there and you better hope youre a good interviewer .</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone for the responses. I’ve been away for a little bit, so I haven’t been able to respond until now. Uh, does anybody know if Georgia Tech gives out smaller scholarships though? Like if the Presidential Scholar semi-finalists get perhaps a half-tuition scholarship?</p>

<p>FreelancerMaine: Dang man, that’s rough, sorry to hear about that. That would have surprised the hell out of me too haha, I mean, you got some good stuff going on there. Did you end up deciding to go to Georgia Tech anyways?</p>

<p>veruca: Yeah, it seems like the grades and such only really serve to decide if you will be selected for an interview. After all, the kids that are applying now probably all have perfect scores on every standardized test ever created, so they need other factors (interview) to select those they deem worth.</p>

<p>GTJacket: I think that I’m a decent interviewer…I do have a tendency to kind of ramble though (I don’t know if this would hurt me or not). Does anybody know what kind of questions they ask during the interview? Are they like 5th grade essay questions such as “Who would you consider to be your role model?” or are they more questions directed toward your everyday life and achievements?</p>

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<p>^ GT is very stingy with scholarships. It’s basically Provost, PS, or bust if you’re out of state.</p>

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<p>^ There are some smaller alumni scholarships available. But yes there are only so many large scholarships.</p>

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<p>@onlygoingup, yeah I decided to go anyways haha. My parents have no problem paying for it, for me, I guess it was just disappointment that GTech didn’t think I was good enough for the scholarship.</p>

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<p>^ “I was just disappointed that GTech didn’t think I was good enough for the scholarship.”</p>

<p>I feel you. D1 just graduated from Tech in May with a 4.0 in ChemE. However, not only did Tech not give her second look for PS, Tech didn’t even feel her worthy of their Honors program freshman year! Outright rejected. (She did however receive a very generous OOS alumni scholarship.)</p>

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<p>Please keep in mind that the PS program is not just looking at academics. They are looking for students who embody progress, service, scholarship, and leadership, and who are typically exceptional across several, if not all, of those areas. </p>

<p>Nowadays 25%, or more, of applicants have tests scores and coursework that meets the rigorous scholarship requirements of the program, but far fewer have shown exceptional progress, service, and leadership. </p>

<p>It is not uncommon for a PS freshman to have performed research at the university level, to have started a non-profit to help those in need, or to have founded and led clubs that have a significant impact on their campus and in their communities, etc, etc… When PS freshman interview, they usually show that they are mature, passionate, knowledgeable, and considerate of others, have a deep understanding of how their actions and efforts have impacted their communities, and have a well thought out story about how their time at Tech will allow them to continue to make an impact. They are not merely people who checked all the right boxes for academics and extracurricular activities.</p>

<p>Because of the extremely high caliber of applicants to Tech, having outstanding academics, lots of service hours, and a list of leadership positions is not enough to stand out. This does not mean that an applicant with this profile isn’t exceptional. They are. And as noted above, they can go on to graduate with a 4.0 and be very successful. However, the PS program is not looking for a shiny resume with titles. They are looking for dedicated, thoughtful, and globally aware people with a history of results (not titles), who will continue to be impactful at and after Tech.</p>

<p>As the program states, they “are looking for students who recognize that President’s Scholarships are not rewards for four years of accumulated achievements, but they are an investment in a lifetime of accomplishments. When applying to Tech in hopes of being considered for this Scholarship Program, you must convey this idea to us in the presentation of your involvements, the successfulness of your academics, and the communication of your story.”</p>

<p>This story has to differentiate you from thousands of brilliant, well-rounded applicants. With only 50 scholarships available, and the subjectivity of measuring some of the desired qualities, it is inevitable that some outstanding applicants will not be selected. However, whether selected or not, exceptional people tend to go on to do exceptional things. All you can do is thoughtfully put together your application and essay, and strive to convey your story through any interview you may be given. The rest is out of your hands, and the results are not a reflection on your worth or future successes.</p>