<p>Obviously very competitive. I have a 35 ACT and 800 Math 2 and I wasn’t selected. Maybe an in-state bias (I’m in CA.)? This probably means I won’t attend. GT wasn’t super high on my list anyways, and now I won’t be able to afford the out-of-state tuition.
Regardless, congratulations to all the semifinalists. Clearly a very distinguished group of people.</p>
<p>yeah does being out of state have a disadvantage? i have 35 ACT, 2330 SAT, full IB/AP schedule with perfect GPA, lots of science fair awards (won awards at ISEF, went to JSHS), applied for a patent, president of the state academy of science and the youth red cross chapter in the county and more…and i didn’t get it. i’m from AL; do they tend to pick GA residents?</p>
<p>Probably being from Georgia has some weight, Ga Tech being a State-funded University. But we are actually OOS. I would also think that someone coming from CA -like Rentacop- will have a tougher time than others, knowing how many good Engineering schools you have in CA, and knowing that most of their scholarships are open only to Californians. I can’t be sure, but it just makes sense.</p>
<p>ps is a recruitment program for top students (whatever gt considers as “top”). i doubt that they have is/oos bias this early in the game. things may be balanced out at the final selection, if anything.</p>
<p>I thought there was a ‘rule’ that the ratio is/oos is 50/50 - at least that’s what I remember from 2 years ago, when my son applied (and got the PS!). But I don’t remember anymore if the 50/50 ratio applied only for the ‘offers’ (since GT can’t predict who is going to accept the offer). </p>
<p>And yes, the PS is VERY competitive - having met some/many of my son’s PS-friends, I am impressed with this group of people! There’s some AMAZING talent there, and I definitely don’t envy the admission people who have to take this decision! </p>
<p>Grades are only a small part of the equation - I like to call it ‘the entrance ticket’ to the PS-pool. Much more important (because they carry you through the interview from semi-finalist to finalist) are your personality (incl. your ECs) and how well you interview! </p>
<p>Good luck to all semi-finalists for the upcoming interview and then the PS-weekend !!</p>
<p>My D also is a semifinalist! We were shocked and elated! Based on what I’m seeing on here from others accepted to Georgia Tech, it definitely wasn’t her test scores. She had a 29 on the ACT. She is OOS, is first in her class, has a 4.0 Unweighted GPA, don’t know what it is weighted, but it’s high. Several very solid, time consuming, leadership positions in school. Great volunteer activities, and I thought her essay was outstanding, but then again, I am her biggest cheerleader! I’m even more impressed with her now that I see some of the test scores of those that didn’t make the cut. In this case, I guess it’s not just all about the test scores. Congrats to all of you who got accepted to Georgia Tech and to the semifinalists!</p>
<p>For more on how little the SAT truly matters in predicting success, check out this link: [WFU</a> | Window on Wake Forest](<a href=“Wake Forest News | Wake Forest University”>Wake Forest News | Wake Forest University)</p>
<p>So, everyone should be much more proud of how hard they worked for their grades than for how high they scored on a test. :-)</p>
<p>My Daughter is a semi-finalist and has had her interview. When do they hear if they’ve made it to Finalist status? And what does the Finalist weekend entail? Specifically, what occurs on Friday night and would it be acceptable to miss that and arrive on Saturday morning?</p>
<p>Thanks for any info!</p>
<p>The PS website says “by early February” semi finalists will be notified of their status.</p>
<p>February 6th 5:00 pm from the email. Just had my interview! It was really easy and only took like 30 minutes, good luck to all you semi-finalists!</p>
<p>Charliemom:
Here is the schedule from last year:</p>
<p>Friday
7:30 AM Registration, through 10:00 AM Student Center, Third Floor
Bring your luggage if staying on campus.
8:00 AM Attend a Class with a President’s Scholar (Optional) Student Center, First Floor
or
8:30 AM Campus Tour (Optional) Student Center, First Floor
or
9:00 AM Attend a Class with a President’s Scholar (Optional) Student Center, First Floor
10:15 AM Welcome Session Student Center, Ballroom
Featuring: Randy McDow, Director of the President’s Scholarship Program
Dr. Anderson Smith, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
11:00 AM Academic Major Tours Student Center, First Floor
Feel free to attend a different tour from your parents if you are interested in multiple majors.
12:30 PM Lunch Student Center, Ballroom
Featuring: E. Roe Stamps IV, Stamps Leadership Scholars Benefactor
2:00 PM Faculty Roundtable: Group 1 Success Center, Skyboxes
Student Activites Fair: Group 2 Success Center, Press AB
3:00 PM Student Activities Fair: Group 1 Success Center, Press AB
Faculty Roundtable: Group 2 Success Center, Skyboxes
4:00 PM Academic Information & Opportunities Fair Student Center, Ballroom
Major Representatives
Co-op/Internship; Study Abroad; Undergraduate Research; Pre-Medical Advising
5:00 PM Meet & Mingle with Fellow Recruits and Hosts Student Center, Third Floor
6:30 PM Dinner Georgia Tech Hotel, Ballroom
Featuring: Elijah Riddle, University of Michigan Medical School Student and PS Alum
8:00PM Concert with Hosts LeCraw Auditorium
Featuring all-male a cappella group, Sympathetic Vibrations
9:00 PM Ice Cream Social with Hosts Junior’s Grill
Saturday, March 5
8:00 AM Breakfast Student Center, Ballroom
Featuring: Miller Templeton
9:30 AM Interview: Group A Success Center, Skyboxes
Student Panel: Group B Success Center, Clary Theater
10:30 AM Interview: Group B Success Center, Skyboxes
Student Panel: Group A Success Center, Clary Theater
11:30 AM Taking the Next Step Success Center, Clary Theater
Hosted by Fall Retreat Leaders
12:00 PM Checkout Student</p>
<p>Friday is full day so you really can’t miss it. There are optional events on the Thursday night. Since we live 25 mins from campus we decided not to attend those. It is really for out of town people that need to fly in Thurs night for the 9 am start.</p>
<p>How does the process work? If you make it to Finalist, do you then get another interview at the PS weekend and then after that find out if you will receive the scholarship? It’s not very clear on the website but it looks like about 110 students are finalists and go to the weekend and then there are about 66 (last year anyway) that receive a scholarship?</p>
<p>everyone selected as a finalist will receive a scholarship but required to attend an on-campus “interview” process, following which your scholarship level will be determined.</p>
<p>Just got an email invite for next saturday to join an info session for PS semifinalists and a basketball game. It says not attending does not affect chances of making it as a finalist, does anyone have any thoughts on this? Has anyone in previous years attended? Thanks for any input.</p>
<p>My d was heavily recruited last year by Tech. She did attend a basketball game and a football game in the fall. It is a positive sign that you are invited. In my view, the more you can be on campus and interact with other students and staff the better. You can get a good feel if Tech is a good fit for you. If I am remembering correctly by the time she went to the basketball game she already knew she was a finalist. Some of the kids she met there, she met again at the interview weekend.</p>
<p>My D was invited also; but we are out of state (14 hour drive). As the event is Sat; and as the decisions are due Monday the 6th; I cant see this affecting the selection. However, we are torn up to miss this opportunity. We’d actually do the trip except my D is booked saturday at an event she runs.</p>
<p>We got an email early on saying the decision would be monday 2/6 not 2/3 as orginally planned. at the interview, they told my d 2/3 but i figured they had old info. however, after thinking this through, knowing the decisions are due ‘friday or monday’ and the invite is for saturday; it is hard to believe they would invite kids down on saturday and disappoint them monday. so, this could be a good sign, but i sure can’t get too excited as we are already nervous as heck. this program is my D’s #1 choice.</p>
<p>i would assume the game invite you guys mention of is probably a mass invite to all semifinalists!?? it;s another recruiting effort.</p>
<p>it shouldn’t affect anyone’s chances. go only if you like and can, not to improve your chances.</p>
<p>Finalist decisions come out at 5pm today! Good Luck everyone!!!</p>
<p>the waiting is brutal! GT will either remain #1 on the list or go to the bottom based on the result. cant really afford it w/out the PS. being out of state limits the # available which hurts.</p>
<p>we didn’t make the game Saturday - anybody go to the event? </p>
<p>good luck to all!</p>
<p>@Doctorzzz, there are so many other awards. Please don’t think it’s PS or nothing. That’s a bit short-sighted, IMHO. With so many community and other scholarships, there are quite a few routes to piecing together several awards to pay for college. Putting all of one’s eggs in one basket is not usually an effective strategy in this arena.</p>