How to Write the Georgia Tech Supplement Essays 2017-2018
Situated in the bustling city of Atlanta, Georgia Institute of Technology (or Georgia Tech) is one of the premier research and technological universities in the nation. Known for its engineering and computer science programs, Georgia Tech maintains a rigorous curriculum that helps prepare students for high-paying jobs in STEM fields.
With an acceptance rate of only 25% and median ACT scores of 30-33, Georgia Tech’s admissions process is competitive. But beyond test scores and grades, the school also emphasizes essays.
With this comprehensive guide, we will provide you with all the tools necessary to tackle Georgia Tech’s supplemental essays.
Georgia Tech Application Essay Prompts
Prompt #1
Beyond rankings, location, and athletics, why are you interested in attending Georgia Tech? (max 150 words)
Prompt #2
Please choose ONE of the following questions and provide an answer in 150 words or less:
A) Tech’s motto is Progress and Service. We find that students who ultimately have a broad impact first had a significant one at home. What is your role in your immediate or extended family? And how have you seen evidence of your impact on them?
B) Georgia Tech is always looking for innovative undergraduates. Have you had any experience as an entrepreneur? What would you like Georgia Tech to provide to further your entrepreneurial interests?
C) We challenge our students to ‘be comfortable being uncomfortable.’ Tell us about a time in high school that you felt outside of your comfort zone and the resolution.
‘Why Georgia Tech?’ Essay
Beyond rankings, location, and athletics, why are you interested in attending Georgia Tech? (max 150 words)
With this essay, Georgia Tech gauges if applicants are truly interested in the university’s offerings or are simply intrigued by its name value. The key here is to showcase to the admissions officers that you see yourself thriving at Georgia Tech. Don’t let the low word count lull you to sleep. This question is vital to demonstrating your interest in the university.
But remember, this question is still about you. Ensure that you discuss topics such as how you will fit into the campus community or how you will improve the university. There are three foundational steps to taking on this essay: research, pinpoint, and personalize.
Research
For this step, find out as much about Georgia Tech as you possibly can. The more that you know about the university, the more easily you will be able to express why you want to be a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket. Georgia Tech rewards applicants who demonstrate thoughtfulness in expressing why they want to attend the university.
Helpful resources for this include:
- Family or friends who are either alumni or current undergraduates
- Campus tours/Information Sessions
- Their website http://www.gatech.edu
- Follow Georgia Tech Admissions on social media
Remember, the essential aspect here is to learn how you can take advantage of Georgia Tech’s opportunities and unique characteristics.
Pinpoint
Since this essay is only 150 words, there is no space to waste. This means that you should focus on one aspect (at most two) of Georgia Tech that resonates with you. Your essay shouldn’t read like a list, but rather should give admissions officers a compelling idea of what you will bring to Georgia Tech. This strategy is most impactful if you choose something distinctive about the school.
The aspect of Georgia Tech you choose to hone in on does not need to be academic. For example, Georgia Tech is known for its school spirit. A powerful essay could describe how an applicant who planned and promoted school events during high school strives to cultivate a school identity similar to that of Georgia Tech.
If you’re looking to highlight a strength of Georgia Tech’s engineering culture without sounding cliché, you could bring up the Invention Studio, describing how much you’re looking forward to tinkering around with new gadgets. Connecting this to your desire to create and innovate new technological masterpieces would be a great way to add a personal element. In this way, you can showcase that your personality blends perfectly with Georgia Tech’s school atmosphere and values.
Personalize
Now that you have an idea of what to write about, you should express something about yourself.
One way to do so is to discuss an extracurricular activity you participated in during high school and how you plan to delve deeper at Georgia Tech. For instance, an applicant interested in the environment might discuss her summer internship researching solar energy and how she plans to continue innovative research through Georgia Tech’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
Georgia Tech seeks students who are passionate and authentic. To demonstrate these qualities in your writing, strive to show, not tell. If writing about your interest in Georgia Tech’s study-abroad program, don’t tell the admissions officers that you like traveling and going to art exhibits. Rather, share an anecdote about how visiting the Louvre in France changed your perspective on the importance of art in society.
‘Your Choice’ Essay
With Georgia Tech’s second supplementary essay, you choose one of three diverse options. Keep in mind that there is no “best option.” Simply choose the question that jumps out at you or that you feel most comfortable answering.
With each of these three essay options, Georgia Tech wants to assess how you will mesh with the university’s core values and interests. Don’t be afraid to use this essay to highlight something unique about yourself that will help your application come to life.
Option One
Tech’s motto is Progress and Service. We find students who ultimately have a broad impact first had a significant one at home. What is your role in your immediate or extended family? And how have you seen evidence of your impact on them? (max 150 words)
This prompt invites you to get personal and is ideal for someone who has taken care of his elderly grandmother, encouraged a family member to complete her education, or worked a part-time job to support a family. With this essay, Georgia Tech wants to identify individuals who have made an effort to improve the lives of those around them and will continue to do so at their university.
However, your impact doesn’t need to be something massive to be significant. For instance, you could write about how helping a younger sibling with his math homework has helped him to improve his multiplication skills. No matter the situation, don’t forget to discuss the impact that you have had on your family. In many cases, it’s also helpful to reflect upon what you learned from this experience.
Since this prompt is specific, it may not be the one for you if you can’t identify a significant influence you’ve had on your family.
Option Two
Georgia Tech is always looking for innovative undergraduates. Have you had any experience as an entrepreneur? What would you like Georgia Tech to provide to further your entrepreneurial interests?
As a university interested in providing its students with a variety of opportunities to gain work experience and innovate freely, Georgia Tech actively seeks students who can take advantage of its entrepreneurial offerings.
Don’t be afraid to answer this prompt if you haven’t had any direct business experience. An entrepreneurial approach to an existing problem comes in many different forms. For instance, you could explain how your experiences in Virtual Enterprise, FFA, or software development have led to a desire to launch new programs in these areas.
You can also answer this question by discussing an innovative approach you have taken to solve a problem. A yearbook editor could describe a creative approach she pioneered to use social media to promote publicity for the yearbook.
No matter the situation, ensure that you also emphasize how Georgia Tech will help you to bring your ideas into the real world. One of the many ways Georgia Tech fosters innovation is through its Capstone Design course, in which undergraduates work as a team to design, create, and test prototypes that will have real-world applications. A student interested in creating a device that more reliably detects liver cancer could express their interest in the Capstone Design course as a vehicle to help them bring their product into production. Learn more about Georgia Tech’s varied entrepreneurial support here.
Option Three
We challenge our students to ‘be comfortable being uncomfortable.’ Tell us about a time in high school that you felt outside of your comfort zone and the resolution.
As this prompt is vague, it provides a perfect opportunity for you to write about any number of topics. Don’t be afraid to break the mold and discuss something that is out of the ordinary or uncommon.
An essay for this prompt excels when it highlights an aspect of your identity you didn’t discuss in your other essays. For example, a basketball player could write about her experience as a supporting actress in her school’s production of the Wizard of Oz. In the same way, an introverted applicant could describe getting outside of his comfort zone by taking the initiative to organize a team for Relay for Life.
When writing this essay, remember to discuss both the situation and the outcome of being outside of your comfort zone. Reflection also plays an essential role. Answer questions such as why you decided to get outside of your comfort zone, what you learned about yourself by doing so, and how this decision has impacted you. By answering these types of questions, you will write both an informative and compelling essay.
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