<p>As a parent whose son is beginning his college search, I wanted to know: Why did you apply to Georgia Tech? Where else did you apply? The "tech" schools must have a different vibe than a "regular" university, i assume. Do students still get a well-rounded education? Georgia Tech is clearly one of the most highly ranked colleges. What, in essence, sets it apart in terms of the college experience? </p>
<p>Sorry if this sounds ignorant. I am asking for your impressions because i have never had exposure to this type of school and am not sure if it is in line with our expectations of a college experience.</p>
<p>I value your individual takes on these questions :)</p>
<p>I am currently a senior in high school and didn’t ever consider applying to Tech until late in the college process (mid-November), but I just got accepted and I couldn’t be happier that I applied.
Why I applied: As a female doing a liberal arts major, I certainly don’t seem the most likely candidate for GT. However, going to an engineering school is appealing to me because I feel that, as a liberal arts major, my degree will be more well-rounded than a liberal arts degree from a liberal arts school. For my major, which is Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, I am required to take math classes as well as technology classes, neither of which are my favorites, but they give me an edge and introduce me to fields I wouldn’t have previously considered.
Another reason why I applied is that I loved the vibe I got there. I have a friend who is currently a freshman there, and I spent the weekend with her a few months ago. Everyone I met was extremely open and willing to talk to me (about how much they love Tech, or anything else really), and the diversity of the people there was incredible. While I am aware of the stereotypes of people at Tech, that they’re all nerds and have no social skills, that was certainly not the case with the people I met. Yes, there may be more of those types at a school like Tech, but I am a very social person and loved the atmosphere there. Everyone there seemed happy to be there, although I did hear a lot of complaints about the level of academic expectations. That’s to be expected though, it’s Georgia Tech.
I also applied to UGA, Cornell, Brown, Duke, and Vandy. Most of these are reach schools for me, and are very different from Tech, but I will have no problem going to Tech if I am rejected from all of them. Academics are the most important thing to me, and all of these schools, including Tech (not so much UGA…that’s a backup), offer me very high academic standards.
I would say that in order to survive at Tech, you HAVE to be willing to put in the time and effort that goes into the academics there, which are really hard. Social life, however, is a lot more prominent than many people might think, and I loved the feel of Greek Life at Tech (when I usually shun it). If that sounds like your son, then I definitely think applying to Tech is worth his while. I was definitely hesitant about applying there, but I fell in love with it upon staying with my friend.
Hope that helped! :)</p>
<p>I’m a senior in high school accepted into Tech’s IE program. I planned on majoring in liberal arts, so I’d never given Tech a whole lot of thought but a friend convinced me to visit back in the fall and I just loved it. Other than Tech, I’d seen Vanderbilt, Duke, Davidson, and UCLA. I liked them all but Tech for sure has the best vibe. The campus has this great modern feel and the students are super helpful and nice. There’s no question it’s nerdier than the average college but the Greek life seems fun and accessible and the athletics are stellar, so I’d say it balances out. I’m not sure what your son’s major is but in IE, the curriculum seems well-rounded enough. Students have to take two English courses, a general psychology course and a history course their freshman year. There’s also a good amount of opportunities to study and work abroad. What’s your son’s intended major?</p>
<p>Sorry it took so long to respond. I didn’t realize this thread had been answered. CF35B, I guess by “regular”, I meant “non-tech” or the more conventional type of college experience. Since “tech” schools have a preponderance of students majoring in STEM fields, there will, no doubt, be a different feel to the school than at a place where there is a greater variety. I think an important part of the college experience is interacting with many different types of people who have a range of interests. My concern was that that might be lacking in a “tech” school. </p>
<p>Thank you, GeorgiaPeach and SilentCloud, for your impressions. My son is planning on majoring in Computer Science. He would be fine with a nerdier tone to the school It is heartening to hear from you both that the students are friendly, and that you both were impressed with the college. Clearly Georgia Tech has outstanding academics. Like Georgiapeach has said, I just felt “hesitant” because I don’t know exactly what it means for a school to be “X-tech” in terms of the day-to-day experience. I am also a little concerned about GA Tech’s reputation for such a heavy workload. I think we will have to visit as it sounds like GA Tech may be a viable option for my son.</p>
<p>GT sometimes seems to have two kinds of people–those who like to work, and those who hate it. Those who do brag on how hard they work (even though they love tackling problem sets, working on projects, pushing themselves, and reaching goals (whether it’s earn an A or train for a triathlon!). Those who don’t like to work complain about the workload, sometimes loudly. GT is not recommended for the slacker types. It is an awesome place for those who are well prepared and looking to prove themselves as being of national quality.</p>
<p>Thanks, GPBurdell32, for the perspective. My son is not a slacker. But he is a slow worker. It makes me worry a bit that if the workload is too great, he will not be able to keep up. But I think GT is definitely worth a closer look!</p>
<p>The joke is: At GT, what matters is, “I do”, not so much your “IQ”. Meaning: it’s about stepping up and doing the work. Persistence gets you much further than just having smarts (without a corresponding work ethic).</p>
<p>Okay. Can you describe the typical week with regard to work? ie how many hrs, when do people work or break? Obviously, it will be different for each individual. But are we talking “work every night til 2 am” or that the party scene is more subdued than at other universities? Can you give me a better idea of what this looks like up close? It’s difficult to assess what it really means when a school has a reputation for a notoriously heavy workload.</p>
<p>Difficult question, mommeleh. The answer depends quite a bit on your work-style … </p>
<p>I sat in classes with my son and realized that a lot of kids (predominantly those in the back rows) are more interested in reading the newspaper, their facebook updates or girls/boys than in what the teacher says … (seriously, I was negatively surprised). Those kids probably have about 2-3 hrs homework per class per day. </p>
<p>My son (2nd year) tells me, he gets by with about 1-2 hr per day/class; if he has a big/difficult project, it might be a bit more. My son takes more than usual classes (average 18/19 credits per week), and he also has some hobbies that keep him busy. He says he hasn’t pulled a single all-nighter yet, the longest he ever stayed up for school was 2am. </p>
<p>Yes, he learns quite easily, I know that (I wish I had his speed!). But even if your kid had only my speed in learning you would still have the option to reduce the classes per week. </p>
<p>Bottom line, if you do your homework in time (don’t wait for the last minute) and regularly, and if you pay attention during class, you will have enough time for your hobbies and still find enough sleep.<br>
(I know this comes only from a parent, but I believe after talking to quite a few friends of my son I can make this statement).</p>
<p>Thanks, eml. That really helps me get something of a picture. If staying up til 2 am is more of a rarity than a routine necessity, I think my son will be alright.</p>
<p>Math and science have come pretty easily to my son thusfar. The unfortunate consequence of this is that he never really learned how to STUDY for these subjects. I’m hoping that, as the material gets more difficult, he will figure out how to do that!</p>
It is heartening to hear from you both that the students are friendly, and that you both were impressed with the college. Clearly Georgia Tech has outstanding academics. Like Georgiapeach has said, I just felt “hesitant” because I don’t know exactly what it means for a school to be “X-tech” in terms of the day-to-day experience. I am also a little concerned about GA Tech’s reputation for such a heavy workload. I think we will have to visit as it sounds like GA Tech may be a viable option for my son.</p>