What Is Georgia Tech Known For?

What’s Covered:

• Overview of Georgia Tech Admissions
• Unique Aspects of Georgia Tech
• What Are Your Chances of Acceptance at Georgia Tech University?

If you’re looking for a mid-sized university with competitive admissions, an emphasis on technology, and an exciting football program, Georgia Tech may be the perfect fit for you.

Georgia Tech is a public university located in Atlanta, Georgia. In this post, we’ll outline everything you should know about being an undergraduate student at Georgia Tech—from extracurriculars to traditions, as well as crucial information about the admissions process.

Overview of Georgia Tech Admissions

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Undergrad Enrollment: 16,000

Acceptance Rate: 21%

Middle 50% SAT: 1380-1520

Middle 50% ACT: 31-35

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is a public school in Atlanta, Georgia, with a selective admissions process.

When making admissions decisions, Georgia Tech places significant importance on a student’s: 

• Course rigor in high school
• Academic GPA
• Application essay
• Extracurricular activities
• Character
• Volunteer work
• Work experience
• Level of interest

Georgia Tech requires students to submit an ACT or SAT score; however, the essay component of either test is not required.

Although Georgia Tech does not offer an early decision plan, the university does offer an early action plan that closes October 18 for Georgia residents and November 1 for out-of-state residents. Students who apply during early action have a 28% acceptance rate—which is significantly higher than the average acceptance rate of 21%.

It is also more likely for Georgia residents to be accepted to Georgia Tech than out-of-state students—nearly 38% of in-state students are selected versus 16% of out-of-state students.

The regular admissions deadline for the 2021-2022 school year is January 5. Students can apply using the Common Application and will be required to submit a supplemental essay.

Learn more about Georgia Tech and see your chances of acceptance.

Unique Aspects of Georgia Tech

Academics

Georgia Tech is ranked within the top ten public universities in the United States and is the South’s largest engineering and industrial research agency.

The university offers over 100 technology-focused undergraduate majors and minors that span across six colleges and 28 schools. The colleges include:

• The Scheller College of Business
• The College of Computing
• The College of Design
• The College of Engineering
• The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
• The College of Sciences

Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business and College of Engineering are both highly ranked. Georgia Tech is very active in government and industry research, and their research plays a vital role in the Georgia Research Alliance, which impacts Georgia’s economic development strategy.

Engineering is the most popular major at Georgia Tech, with more than 50% of undergraduate students pursuing an engineering degree. The second most popular majors are Computer and Information Sciences and Business Administration. 

Georgia Tech also offers ample opportunities for students to complete their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in accelerated programs, specifically in the College of Liberal Arts and College of Engineering. These degrees include:

• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Computational Media and Digital Media
• International Affairs
• Public Policy
• Literature, Media, Communication and Digital Media

Notable faculty at Georgia Tech include Annie Antón, who President Barack Obama selected to serve as one of the 12 members on the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity, and Mostafa A. El-Sayed, who won the Priestley Medal in 2016 for his decades of contributions to chemistry research.

Extracurriculars

Georgia Tech offers plenty of opportunities for students to connect outside the classroom. The university offers over 400 student-run organizations, 56 Greek organizations, and 13 honor societies. Georgia Tech also has an award-winning Campus Recreation Center, 43 club sports, and over 100 guided adventure trips every year.

Georgia Tech plays NCAA Division I sports as a part of the ACC. Their 17 men’s and women’s teams are called the “Yellow Jackets.” Georgia Tech’s football team is the most popular at the university and has won four national championships. They were also the first team to win The Rose Bowl, The Orange Bowl, The Sugar Bowl, and The Cotton Bowl.

Georgia Tech also emphasizes the importance of interworking art and technology. They offer nearly 40 student-led arts programs and 28 academic programs that blend technology and art.

Traditions

Georgia Tech has multiple student traditions—many centering around the school’s sports teams.

• Ramblin’ Wreck Fight Song—Georgia Tech’s world-famous fight song originated in the 1920s and was inspired by an old folk ballad, “​​The Sons of the Gamboliers.”

• Ramblin Wreck Model-A Ford—This 1930s vehicle was donated to Georgia Tech in the 1960s by a retired pilot, and it is now seen at all games and alumni events as a symbol of the university.

• RATS Week—RATS (Recently Acquired Tech Students) Week describes orientation week for new students. During this week, first-year students learn Georgia Tech’s history and traditions.

• The Whistle—In the 1890s, a steam whistle called students to their classes. Today, a computerized “steam whistle” blows for five minutes at the end of every hour to release classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and also blows after the Yellow Jackets score touchdowns during home games.

Dorms

Georgia Tech offers three types of housing for undergraduate students: traditional dorms, suites, and apartments:

• Traditional Dorms: Fulmer

• Suites: Harris, Woodruff North, and Woodruff South

• Apartments: Center Street North, Center Street South, Crecine, Eighth Street East, Eighth Street South, Eighth Street West, Graduate Living Center, Gray House, Hayes House, Maulding, Nelson Shell, North Avenue East, North Avenue North, North Avenue South, North Avenue West, and Zbar

Georgia Tech also offers traditional dorms and suites exclusively for first-year and honors students:

• First-year Experience: Armstrong, Brown, Caldwell, Cloudman, Field, Fitten, Folk, Freeman, Fulmer, Glenn, Hanson, Harris, Harrison, Hefner, Hopkins, Howell, Matheson, Montag, Perry, Smith, and Towers

• Honors: Armstrong and Hefner

Although it’s not required for freshmen to live on-campus, the university recommends that freshmen students live on-campus in one of the first-year experience dorms or suites to become acquainted with the university.

Financial Aid

First-year students applying for need-based financial aid at Georgia Tech will need to fill out the FAFSA, the Georgia Tech Application for Scholarships and Financial Aid (GT app), and a CSS Profile. Students must complete these documents by January 31.

The CSS Profile is only required for students hoping to receive institutional funds, like scholarships, grants, or loans. It is not required for students applying for federal funds. In addition to need-based aid, Georgia Tech also offers over 15 merit-based institutional scholarship opportunities.

Students attending Georgia Tech can also apply for the HOPE Scholarship and Zell Miller Scholarship, awarded by The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC). Students who apply for the HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships will need to complete the GSFAPPS in addition to the FAFSA and GT app.

Resources

In addition to Georgia Tech’s main campus in Atlanta, the university also has a campus in Savannah, Georgia, and campuses in France, Ireland, Costa Rica, Singapore, and China. These overseas campuses offer students ample opportunities to study abroad.

Location

Georgia Tech is located in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia. In 2020, Atlanta was rated 26 out of 180 urban cities to find employment, making this location ideal for landing internships during college or finding a job post-graduation.

The university is also located just two miles from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the Atlanta Falcons football team plays, and 12 miles from the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which makes traveling during the school year easy and convenient.

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance at Georgia Tech University?

Even though the Georgia Tech admissions rate is highly competitive, your chance of acceptance may be better than other prospective students based on your unique combination of grades, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and more.

To better understand your admissions chances at Georgia Tech, we recommend using our free admissions calculator. This calculator uses your academic profile, test scores, background, and more to estimate your odds of acceptance. It will also give you tips on improving your profile to provide you with a better chance at meeting Georgia Tech’s admissions requirements.

You can also search for other best-fit schools based on your chances and other important factors like school size, location, majors, and more. This tool will simplify the college admissions process by giving you a reliable strategy to follow.