<p>I'm asking on behalf of my friend. She's loves both, and wants to go to one or the other, but is afraid that one -or both- may be too much of a culture shock for her (she grew up in NorCal). </p>
<p>So...she wanted me to get your insight. Which of the two is more progressive, or at least moderate, in views? If you were her, which would you choose? </p>
<p>She's also looked at Georgia Tech, which she loves, but she isn't sure that she'd have a chance (She has a 3.51 GPA - stronger in English and history, while noticeably weaker in math; attends a college prep private in NV; low 600s on the math SAT, but broke 700 on the reading SAT; a fairly impressive resume with leadership and awards.) </p>
<p>Any input would be great.</p>
<p>From my limited exposure to those two schools, I would say UGA is probably the better option. Knoxville is a fine college town, but I found Athens surpisingly hip. No list of top college towns would be complete without Athens. Both have great music scenes and very spirited Football traditions. Academically, both are solid, but Georgia probably more so. One criterion that may affect your friend's decision could be the gender ratio. UGA is roughly 60% female if memory serves.</p>
<p>Politically, both schools are conservative, but as in most university settings, there will be an element of tolerance and even at times, liberalism. However, your friend must understand that by California standards, both UGA and Tennessee are conservative.</p>
<p>One interesting fact about those two schools is that they are among the oldest. Both schoos were founded in the late 17th century.</p>