<p>Alright so my wait is over, my choice has been made, (and I am confident that I made the right one) and I know what dorm I'm going to be in (Creswell one of the oldest lol) and I'm stoked about becoming a bulldawg. BUT.. I don't know how the UGA name will carry me after I graduate. I know definetely in Georgia its a wrap. Everybody and their brother knows about this school and therefore getting into any type of buisness down here will be a breeze, but what about out of state? What about global? Will anyone know about the red and black school with a student body of crazy bulldawgs? or will they not even know my school's name? As a prospective medical student, I got to factor this in. I know it's mostly based on student performance and what you do with your education, but truthfully how is UGA's rep? Also for me (I'm a stickler for things like this) how prestigious would you say this institution is? Teir 1, rivaling that of a private school? or just another state school? </p>
<ol>
<li>I’ll see you in Creswell (when’s your orientation?)</li>
<li>Well, if your a medical student, where you go to med school will be what matters, and UGA will get you into a good med school if you get a good GPA and pass those grad school tests. But UGA is more than another state school, but still not quite on the level of the super prestigious schools ie Michigan, UCLA, Berkeley, and <em>cringe</em> GT.</li>
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<p>I agree with rsx. The day you get your doctorate degree, it won’t matter much which undergrad school you went to, but which med school you came from. UGA is a great school; some classes, such as Chemistry, are no joke here. Be ready to work hard. And in the end, all that primarily matters to get into med school is your GPA and MCAT. There are other things that matter, but those two will be the biggest factors they look at. </p>
<p>*Med schools will not say NO to you because you went to UGA. It just depends on you.</p>
<p>If you’re going to med school it doesn’t really matter where you went to undergrad.</p>
<p>But to answer your others questions:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>UGA’s name carries around the south. Outside of this region there is little mobility. Globally…very little to none.</p></li>
<li><p>UGA’s rep: In Georgia it is respected, in the south it is respected. Northerners think it’s just another southern state school.</p></li>
<li><p>UGA’s prestige:
In the south- Duke/Vandy > Rice/Emory/UVa/UNC > GA Tech/UGA/other flagship southern state schools > Georgia’s other colleges.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>In Georgia- Tech/UGA/Emory > Georgia’s other colleges.</p>
<p>I know people on this forum, or people living in Georgia might try to convince you otherwise, but from a national viewpoint UGA is still a moderately good state school in the south- it is not UCLA or Michigan or UVa. However, I live in a very affluent suburb of Atlanta, and most of the people here went to UGA.</p>
<p>I disagree with BigWeight also–within GA, people think it’s definitely a very respectable school. Outside of it, well, it’s a flagship state university and that’s about all people know. I wouldn’t expect its prestige to carry outside of the South.</p>
<p>There is some truth to BigWeight’s post. While most people in Georgia believe UGA is a very respectable school, I’m not sure if they believe it is prestigious. But no matter- by no means will anyone look down upon for going, and there are MANY rich/successful people living around me who went to UGA/UGA law.</p>
<p>I have lived out of the State of Georgia for a long time. I have also had a great deal of professional contact with the west coast, as well as Europe. UGA is still considered “just another State university.” There is name recognition, usually from the success UGA has had on the football field. The name recognition is fine, but it doesn’t carry over into the professions any more than any other State school. </p>
<p>I see that some posts equate UGA’s rep with those of Emory and GT. I am sorry to say that is not the case. Emory is highly respected worldwide. It’s LA and preprofessional programs are considered top notch. Georgia Tech also has a worldwide reputation. A degree from either one carries more weight than from UGA I know that this may hurt some feelings. Believe me, this is not my intent. Hard work and focussed goals are a recipe for success. And, that is what has been going on at GT and Emory for decades. </p>
<p>The good news is that UGA has caught on and has created programs that will guarantee success. I believe that UGA is making great strides and has a bright future. The HOPE scholarships have worked wonders. The honors program is among the best in the nation. Even if UGA’s reputation is presently fair, you should feel that the arrow is pointing upward. If I were choosing a university, I would consider UGA very strongly.</p>
<p>You have chosen UGA and you have chosen wisely. Make the best use of your time. Study hard, much harder than you are being asked. Discover new interests. You will never get another chance to be a college student again. The time will come when you will look back on these years. It is up to you whether that memory is full of regrets or a source of great pride.</p>
<p>I was about to make a similar comment. UGA has always had a good business school and a top notch vet school. However, living in GA for 13+ yrs, it seems that the school itself is gaining notoriety because their admission standards have gone up. Sadly, I believe this to be directly related to the Bulldogs football success over the past decade. The flux of students demanding admissions goes up and they have a larger pool of talent to draw from. But in the time I’ve lived in Georgia I’ve never once heard someone say “ohh wow, your son goes to UGA? He must be really smart!” That’s the response you typically get when someone says their child goes to Georgia Tech or Emery.</p>
<p>Outside of GA i’ve experienced UGAs recognition to be on par with other large state schools. Emory and GT on the other hand carry their weight around the world.</p>
<p>It is this kind of ‘prestigious’ school thread that make successful high school students (and their parents) crazy. It is the student that will make his/her education at any school valuable. My kid could have gone to a number of top 10 schools (yes, they were admitted) but CHOSE UGA because it was a good fit and good value. Many of these top students will continue on to graduate or professional school where the money is better spent on “prestige”. Georgia Tech and Emory are fine schools, but they are not for everybody. Must we slam one school to make another look better?</p>
<p>This is not a slam on UGA. However, school reputation plays a part in the selection process at the graduate level, as well as the job market. That is simple reality. The fact that a highly qualified student chooses UGA over another school is a matter of personal choice. Your kid could and should have a bright future. </p>
<p>What we are talking about is the reputation of various institutions. Those reputations are earned over the decades with hard work and dedication to excellence. One post in this thread puts the academic reputations of GT , Emory and UGA on similar footings. That is not true. Unfortunately, institutional reputations are affected by its lowest common denominator. And, that is why UGA is not in the same league as GT or Emory, or Duke, etc. </p>
<p>Hard work pays off. I don’t have to tell you that. It holds true for individuals as well as academic institutions. UGA has the potential to step up. I hope it does. I say this because I have a son that may go to UGA. I’d like to see the school make a serious move towards academic excellence. It would be a good thing for my son, as well as the entire State of Georgia.</p>
<p>And that is true hard work does pays off. It does not matter where you go, it is all about what you do. I just started this thread to see where UGA is in the world and I recieved honest answers. And I know that at orientation they are going to pump UGA up to crazy extremes. (Which is fine. They have to in order to keep their money lol) but I just wanted an unbiased POV on the school’s general success. I thank you guys who have posted and those who wish to post more on this subject.</p>
(when’s your orientation?)</li>