what's student life like at Georgia Tech?

[Anonymous]

My daughter is interested in it for engineering.
She's a strong STEM kid (physics C, multivariable, etc).
However, things like school spirt, parties, and popular culture are important to her. She wants greek life.

Will she find her people? She doesn't want a school culture that is overwhelmingly driven by science geeks (which my husband and I are--so no slight against them). I recognize that there are 6 colleges at GT so there are definitely kids who are not science majors. But what is the daily culture like? We have yet to visit (trying to figure out now if it's worth a trip). Thanks so much for any thoughts.

[Anonymous]

I hear engineering is hard there

[Anonymous]

My student is extremely social and at Wake. We visited GaTech and she liked it. With Greek life and ACC sports, there seems to be a good social scene for those that want it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My student is extremely social and at Wake. We visited GaTech and she liked it. With Greek life and ACC sports, there seems to be a good social scene for those that want it.

4

My DD has a very good friend at Tech who's an engineering major, and she loves it. She is a great student but also has fun, is social, and feels there is plenty to do besides study.

[Anonymous]

One of mine is a 2nd year at Tech, very much a work hard, play hard school. School is hard, don't get me wrong, but all the students are incredibly driven and as such, make plenty of time for other activities. Based on what you've shared, it sounds like tech could be an excellent fit for her.

[Anonymous]

It’s nerdy and collaborative environment.
DD loves everything except food.

[Anonymous]

I have a relative who is at Georgia Tech and is in a sorority. She loves it there and, judging by her Instagram, there is fun to be had. There is a lot of school spirit at football games, etc. It is very difficult academically. They don’t buy into grade inflation there.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, if “school spirit, parties and popular culture” are important to her, I’m not confident GT is the best fit. I know plenty of super smart STEM girls who opted for other schools because they didn’t think GT had the whole package. And I know a few very social girls who still picked GT and then lived in FOMO of all things Greek at other schools. GT has a small number of sororities and Greek life is nothing, NOTHING like UGA and other popular southern schools. Of course she can have a fun, positive social life. But, GT is just a much different social landscape than other southern schools. And many of the southern schools also have great STEM departments that will lead to similar post graduate jobs but offer a better undergraduate experience for someone who is socially adept.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, if “school spirit, parties and popular culture” are important to her, I’m not confident GT is the best fit. I know plenty of super smart STEM girls who opted for other schools because they didn’t think GT had the whole package. And I know a few very social girls who still picked GT and then lived in FOMO of all things Greek at other schools. GT has a small number of sororities and Greek life is nothing, NOTHING like UGA and other popular southern schools. Of course she can have a fun, positive social life. But, GT is just a much different social landscape than other southern schools. And many of the southern schools also have great STEM departments that will lead to similar post graduate jobs but offer a better undergraduate experience for someone who is socially adept.

Well, yes. If you have a kid who would “live[] in FOMO of all things Greek at other schools” then GaT is not for them. However, if you have an extremely bright STEM student who is qualified for one of the top tech programs in the country, but who still wants Greek life and school spirit, it’s a perfect place.

In fact, Auburn is the only other school that I can think of that would have a similar combo — the trade off there is that the social scene is better, but the school is not as well regarded (although very much on the upswing). And, no, going to UGA for STEM is not the same thing (and I have family members who happily attended all of these schools).

[Anonymous]

Yes, Auburn is a perfect example of a southern school that has excellent engineering and an awesome social scene. Seems like a better fit for her daughter. Yes, GT is higher ranked and has a better reputation. But, both schools will lead to similar job opportunities. My husband is an engineer and we have many engineering friends/connections. Seriously, these kids from GT, Auburn, UGA, Clemson, etc. are all interning together, COOPs at the same companies. Let your child go to the college where they will be happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, Auburn is a perfect example of a southern school that has excellent engineering and an awesome social scene. Seems like a better fit for her daughter. Yes, GT is higher ranked and has a better reputation. But, both schools will lead to similar job opportunities. My husband is an engineer and we have many engineering friends/connections. Seriously, these kids from GT, Auburn, UGA, Clemson, etc. are all interning together, COOPs at the same companies. Let your child go to the college where they will be happy.

You must be joking, no rational person would turn down GaTech for Auburn for social life.

By the way, a quarter of the girls are in sororities at GaTech, that isn’t minor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, Auburn is a perfect example of a southern school that has excellent engineering and an awesome social scene. Seems like a better fit for her daughter. Yes, GT is higher ranked and has a better reputation. But, both schools will lead to similar job opportunities. My husband is an engineer and we have many engineering friends/connections. Seriously, these kids from GT, Auburn, UGA, Clemson, etc. are all interning together, COOPs at the same companies. Let your child go to the college where they will be happy.

You must be joking, no rational person would turn down GaTech for Auburn for social life.

By the way, a quarter of the girls are in sororities at GaTech, that isn’t minor.

+1. Auburn and GaTech aren't even in the same caliber. The job prospects of a tech grad far surpass those of Auburn, Clemson, UGA, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, Auburn is a perfect example of a southern school that has excellent engineering and an awesome social scene. Seems like a better fit for her daughter. Yes, GT is higher ranked and has a better reputation. But, both schools will lead to similar job opportunities. My husband is an engineer and we have many engineering friends/connections. Seriously, these kids from GT, Auburn, UGA, Clemson, etc. are all interning together, COOPs at the same companies. Let your child go to the college where they will be happy.

You must be joking, no rational person would turn down GaTech for Auburn for social life.

By the way, a quarter of the girls are in sororities at GaTech, that isn’t minor.

+1. Auburn and GaTech aren't even in the same caliber. The job prospects of a tech grad far surpass those of Auburn, Clemson, UGA, etc.

Sure thing. Going to Auburn really limited Tim Cook’s career.

I have many GaT and Auburn alumni among my friends and family, and the “job prospects” at GaT do not “far surpass” those at Auburn.

One thing about GaT is that they do not buy into grade inflation. I have a young relative who is doing ok at GaT, but has what would be a middling gpa at most schools. I *hope* the prestige of a GaT degree outweighs the lower gpa, but we’ll see. This kid always dreamed of going to GaT, so I’m glad she got in, but I do think she’d be happier and doing better at Auburn.

Applications to Auburn have more than tripled over the past few years, so they’re doing something right there.

[Anonymous]

I have a family member that attends GaTech. He’s in a frat and they party a lot! Engineering major too. Seems like they have a nice sports and greek culture. I don’t think it’s too “geeky”.

[Anonymous]

Definitely worth a visit! We loved the campus, facilities; Atlanta is great! Hard to pass up the acceptance with lots of merit aid but deciding to go to school with slightly better fit (sports related).