<p>I'm a senior at a large school in Texas, and at least twenty percent of my class applied to UGA. This seems to be the new "it" school. It's supposed to be beautiful, getting more selective, and growing in prestige. Is UGA really growing in prestige? What's the deal?</p>
<p>In the '90s the state of Georgia created the HOPE Grant, making tuition free at any state college or university for students who graduate from GA high schools with "B" averages or better. Suddenly, students who would have previously gone out-of-state to selective schools started staying in-state to attend U.Ga. and Georgia Tech. U.Ga. got more selective very quickly because of the rapid growth in applications, but the culture of the campus didn't change much. Huge student body with general big-campus anonymity. Still a lot of reputation for alcohol, football, and alcohol while attending football. It is a pretty campus though.</p>
<p>I live in Georgia, and I wouldn't be caught dead applying there. They are strong in the Poultry Science field, however.</p>
<p>With the creation of the Hope Scholarship, U Georgia moved in a positive direction and it has been a successful spur to keeping more good high school students in the state of Georgia. The university is about the same size as U Michigan (each just over 25,000 undergraduate students), but a lot smaller than U Florida (just over 35,000) and has 86% of its students coming from the state of Georgia. Its student profile as measured by SAT scores (1225) is weaker than U Michigan (1320) and just a touch weaker than U Florida (1260). Just over 50% of its students were in the Top 10% of their high school class and 63% had a GPA of 3.75 or higher. Athens is a wonderful college town and a fun, active place to spend one’s college years. </p>
<p>As far as popularity among high school applicants, I suspect that U Georgia’s athletic scene is part of this. Football games are an absolute festival and the good times start as early as Wednesday for Saturday home games. Next year looks especially promising as the Dawgs will be ranked very highly going into the season.</p>
<p>I also live in Georgia and have many friends whose children attend/have attended UGA. It has definitely become more selective, even for instate students, but I have heard the comment that from an academic standpoint, UGA is an unfortunate combination of a not-so-great school academically that's hard to get into.</p>
<p>UGA does have an honors college program, and I believe that program is the exception to the above-stated rule. You should look long and hard at the academics if your child is so inclined.</p>
<p>You don't happen to attend Highland Park High School where UGA QB Matthew Stafford attended and hence the school has seen a huge increase in applications to UGA do you?</p>
<p>I'll amend what I said before.</p>
<p>I am a bit (actually a lot) biased because I've been a GA Tech fan for a long time. However, to me and the people I know, UGA is seen as a place for rednecks and party-oriented kids.</p>
<p>No, I don't go to his former high school.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your comments. So basically UGA is a selective school that can be afford to be choosy with applicants and is on the rise in prestige. BUT it may leave something to be desired in terms of academics and still has a "party" reputation. What about the Honors Program? Does it have a different or a specific reputation?</p>
<p>UGA has definitely risen significantly from the 'dumb party school" rep it had many yrs ago. They take their academics much more seriously, and the Honors program is truly remarkable. This is being said from a Fla Gator now living, as we say "deep in enemy territory" (in GA). Kids are my s's schoo are told to have at least a 1350 (old) SAT to be comfortably into UGA. I didn't ralize it was becoming a "hot" school outside of GA. Now, all this said, and my heart bel;ongs to UF over UGA, my s applied to neither. He didnt want a huge school. Period.</p>
<p>UGA is a good school, and proximity to Atlanta doesn't hurt (ATL has one of the best job markets in the country right now).</p>
<p>I'm from Georgia as well.<br>
While driving through Athens on a game day many many years ago, I told myself I wouldn't be caught dead applying to UGA either. But now I am. And it is for the exact reason others have mentioned, the HOPE scholarship. I can get free tuition, and especially if I do the honors program, it certainly would be worth while. Also, even though the frats and football and etc are a huge deal, which I don't love, it is a big enough school to find SOMEONE who you can relate to and connect with. Also, as far as selectivity goes, when I applied as a high school senior, I didn't get in, and I had plenty of good enough statistics and a 1350 (old) SAT score. It was actually kind of weird. Maybe I should have appealed that. Anyway, to the original question, mostly yes. I wouldn't really consider it beauuutifull (only my relative perspective) but UGA is certainly growing in selectivity and prestige. It is generally considered to be a good and commendable option by us Georgian folk.</p>
<p>...I'm still hoping to just get a good financial aid package from one of the northeast LAC's I'm applying to, though.</p>