The Georgia Institute of Technology (usually just called Georgia Tech) is a popular choice for engineering: duh, it’s right in the name. The public research university and institute of technology in the ATL has impressive programs in all things STEM, including undergraduate engineering through their College of Engineering. Georgia Tech is always competitive to get into; however, how competitive it is depends on where you are applying from. While their overall acceptance rate was around 14% last year, as a public school, in-state students see higher acceptance rates. Last year, their in-state acceptance rate was 33%, while their out-of-state rate was 10% and their international rate was just under 8%. This means if you aren’t a Georgian, you need to be even more competitive. But how? Let’s break it down.
Get the Grades
The first thing you need to get into Georgia Tech is excellent grades. Trust us, when it comes to college, there is no substitute for impressive grades. Last year, over 92% of enrolled students had a 4.0 unweighted GPA in high school. The TLDR is that you need a 4.0 or are incredibly close to it if you hope to get into Georgia Tech. However, a high GPA is only the beginning. You also need an impressive transcript. This means packing your resume with Honors, IB, AP, Accelerated, and/or Dual Enrollment classes. You want to take the most challenging class load that you can while still maintaining a high GPA. For engineers, this especially means taking the hardest math and science classes possible. However, competitive candidates will have high-level courses in as many subjects as possible. The average GPA submitted by applicants was a 4.14 weighted GPA last year, so add those APs to your transcript!
While many schools have been test-optional recently, Georgia Tech has required test scores for the past couple of years and will continue to do so going forward. This means you also need excellent test scores. Last year, their 50th percentile score was 1460 on the SAT or 33 on the ACT. You should be aiming for similar, or ideally, better scores to be a competitive applicant.
Build a Niche
Georgia Tech offers 11 undergraduate engineering majors; it should be clear from your resume which one you plan to pursue. There is a big difference between aerospace and biomedical engineering. Georgia Tech is looking for serious applicants who have already started to explore their intended field. Crafting a history of involvement and knowledge in your field builds an academic niche. There are a couple of steps to do this. Let’s break them down.
Courses and Reading
To start building an academic niche, you need to learn as much as you can about your intended field. Remember, you want to be an expert. A great way to start is simply by reading books. At the risk of sounding like a full boomer, many young people don’t read outside of class. Reading books will help you speak and write about your interests. So make yourself a reading list. You can supplement that list with scientific journals, podcasts, or whatever else you can find, but books should be integral.
Online classes are another great resource to learn more about your intended field. Many universities offer pre-taped (often free) courses through third parties like Coursera. You can also look for summer programs at colleges or community college courses. Taking classes outside of your normal school day shows that you are academically curious and committed to what you hope to study.
School Extracurriculars
Georgia Tech is looking for students who are involved in their school communities. The best candidates do this not by just joining random clubs, but by getting involved in a strategic way. If you do this correctly, you can help build your niche by getting involved in clubs that support your academic goals. Popular clubs for students interested in engineering include robotics teams, science Olympiads, mathletes, STEM tutoring clubs, solar car teams, computer science societies, etc.. Ask about starting your own if your school doesn’t have STEM-based clubs.
Signing up for related clubs is step one. Step two is investing time and effort in your clubs. Colleges are not impressed with one-hour-a-week commitments. You want to take on responsibilities and, ideally, leadership roles in the activities that matter the most to you.
Out of School Extracurriculars
We love students who are involved outside of school all year long, but summers are especially important. We work with students of all high school grade levels (even freshmen) to ensure their summer plans are strategic. Your summer plans should help build a cohesive resume and academic niche.
While there are many opportunities that can help craft a strong resume, Georgia Tech-level applicants will likely have a mix of research, internships, and academic programs during their summers. Finding these opportunities can be tricky, but we can help if you need it. However, if you are trying to strategize your summers on your own, make sure your activities build on your academic interests. For example, internships at science museums, educational institutions, STEM camps, or tech companies will likely look better for most engineering applicants than interning at a bank or a law office.
Build Something Cool
Engineering requires skills. Whether you have computer programming, design, or fabrication skills, you can show them off by building something cool. Even better, challenge yourself with a project that requires you to learn some new ones. In the past, we have worked with students who have built drones, apps, solar panels, computers, robots, and much more. Think about what you would be proud to create, and do it!
Apply Early
Georgia Tech doesn’t have a traditional early decision route. However, they have two opportunities to apply early action: one for Georgia residents and one for non-Georgia residents. While they do not release a separate early action acceptance rate, we generally advise students to apply early if Georgia Tech is a top choice (and especially if you are an in-state student). It shows that you are serious about Georgia Tech. A great college application plan includes ED and EA schools; you need to be strategic and weigh your early options.
Georgia Tech is an excellent school for engineers, but you need to be a great candidate to get in (especially for those outside of Georgia). Reach out today!