Why is Georgia so popular?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Savannah and suburbs are not liberal. It does have a significant old establishment Irish population that traditionally does not lean left.

Yes, just because Savanah votes heavily Democratic doesn't mean those voters are not conservative.

Boston also has a lot of fairly conservative Democratic voters. Lots of the Boston Irish.

+1

We have family there and spend a lot of time there. It isn't liberal like Athens or Atlanta.

Let's use this litmus test...who will feel more at home in Savannah...the purple-haired kid attending SCAD or some super MAGA person?

My bet is on the SCAD kid...but maybe that's only downtown.

Savannah is more than the SCAD campus.

[Anonymous]

Lots of reasons: fun school, Greek life, big sports culture, scholarship money

Outside of top 10 schools, and even in that case, only for select careers, where you go to school doesn’t matter. Someone going to a #60 school isn’t any better off then someone going to a school ranked #160

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Savannah and suburbs are not liberal. It does have a significant old establishment Irish population that traditionally does not lean left.

Yes, just because Savanah votes heavily Democratic doesn't mean those voters are not conservative.

Boston also has a lot of fairly conservative Democratic voters. Lots of the Boston Irish.

+1

We have family there and spend a lot of time there. It isn't liberal like Athens or Atlanta.

Let's use this litmus test...who will feel more at home in Savannah...the purple-haired kid attending SCAD or some super MAGA person?

My bet is on the SCAD kid...but maybe that's only downtown.

Savannah is more than the SCAD campus.

^ and, FWIW, one of the MAGA people we know in SAV loves the SCAD sidewalk festival

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of reasons: fun school, Greek life, big sports culture, scholarship money

Outside of top 10 schools, and even in that case, only for select careers, where you go to school doesn’t matter. Someone going to a #60 school isn’t any better off then someone going to a school ranked #160

Except this is the peer group for your lifelong college friends...potentially even life partners...

[Anonymous]

Good Fun school that has a relatively reasonable acceptance rate while still feeling that it’s selective for good students.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Maybe I’m just paying closer attention now that my kids are approaching college, but it seems like a big uptick in interest in Georgia. I get that kids want warm weather and big football, but there are a bunch of schools that tick those boxes so curious why Georgia seems disproportionally popular with mcps W schools (maybe privates as well).

Not really though. UF, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, and Clemson are more popular with MCPS. Only 16 kids from these MCPS schools: all the Ws, BCC, Poolesville, and Einstein, are attending UGA from the 2025 class. It is not disproportionately popular by any means compared to other schools.

UofSC, UTK, Clemson are UGA safeties. Those kids you know going to those schools were rejected by UGA.

Not disproportional by any means. Popularity of southern schools based on # of Applicants (W schools, Poolesville, RM, Einstein, BCC):
1. UNC Chapel Hill: 619
2. Duke: 363
3. Univ of Florida: 354
4. Georgia Tech: 335
5. University of South Carolina: 326
6. Clemson: 275
7. UT Austin: 268
8. University of Georgia: 253
9. Emory: 249
10. Vanderbilt: 226
11. NC State: 216
12. Florida State: 199
13. Tennessee: 162
14. Rice: 113
15. Auburn: 93
16. LSU: 78
17. Alabama: 64
18. Ole Miss: 52

Just curious, how do the overall numbers look when you include all schools. What is the #1 applied to school and how many applications?

These are the top out of state schools for MCPS students based on the highest number of applications:

1. Pennsylvania State University: 1071
2. University of Pittsburgh: 957
3. University of Michigan: 766
4. University of Virginia: 730
5. Virginia Tech: 726
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 619
7. University of Pennsylvania: 490
8. University of Wisconsin: 480
9. Ohio State: 468
10. Northeastern: 466
11. GW: 455
12. American: 434
13. Indiana University: 409
14. University of Delaware: 408
15. Cornell: 400
16. Univ of Colorado Boulder: 394
17. Boston University: 391
18. JMU: 377
19. NYU: 366
20. Duke: 363
21. University of Florida: 354

More data here: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/09/10/mcps-students-college/

So, in the grand scheme of things the southern schools outside of VA barely register...it's UNC, Duke and Florida.

Nobody talks much about University of Colorado which I will say has become much more popular...nor the Big 10 schools.

I am fairly surprised how popular GW and American are.

Big 10 rules in MCPS. Some kids talk about the southern schools because of the weather and fun football but they get all the fun vibes, greek life, sports, plus reputable academics from a Big 10. Apparently weather isn't as important of a factor.

BIG 10 = Too large, too cold and too dreary.

And still the most popular. Kids are flocking to them. Best football teams, great basketball, large alumni network, great internship opportunities, greek life, fun student experience.

Kids are flocking to them because other than Northwestern and Michigan they are easier to gain acceptance and they admit thousands per year.

Uh huh. That's right, so much easier to get into The Ohio State, Wisconsin, UMD, or Penn State than Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, and Mississippi.

Referring more specifically to the ACC schools in the south.

Duke, Georgia Tech, UNC, Virginia, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I’m just paying closer attention now that my kids are approaching college, but it seems like a big uptick in interest in Georgia. I get that kids want warm weather and big football, but there are a bunch of schools that tick those boxes so curious why Georgia seems disproportionally popular with mcps W schools (maybe privates as well).

Not really though. UF, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, and Clemson are more popular with MCPS. Only 16 kids from these MCPS schools: all the Ws, BCC, Poolesville, and Einstein, are attending UGA from the 2025 class. It is not disproportionately popular by any means compared to other schools.

UofSC, UTK, Clemson are UGA safeties. Those kids you know going to those schools were rejected by UGA.

Not disproportional by any means. Popularity of southern schools based on # of Applicants (W schools, Poolesville, RM, Einstein, BCC):
1. UNC Chapel Hill: 619
2. Duke: 363
3. Univ of Florida: 354
4. Georgia Tech: 335
5. University of South Carolina: 326
6. Clemson: 275
7. UT Austin: 268
8. University of Georgia: 253
9. Emory: 249
10. Vanderbilt: 226
11. NC State: 216
12. Florida State: 199
13. Tennessee: 162
14. Rice: 113
15. Auburn: 93
16. LSU: 78
17. Alabama: 64
18. Ole Miss: 52

Just curious, how do the overall numbers look when you include all schools. What is the #1 applied to school and how many applications?

These are the top out of state schools for MCPS students based on the highest number of applications:

1. Pennsylvania State University: 1071
2. University of Pittsburgh: 957
3. University of Michigan: 766
4. University of Virginia: 730
5. Virginia Tech: 726
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 619
7. University of Pennsylvania: 490
8. University of Wisconsin: 480
9. Ohio State: 468
10. Northeastern: 466
11. GW: 455
12. American: 434
13. Indiana University: 409
14. University of Delaware: 408
15. Cornell: 400
16. Univ of Colorado Boulder: 394
17. Boston University: 391
18. JMU: 377
19. NYU: 366
20. Duke: 363
21. University of Florida: 354

More data here: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/09/10/mcps-students-college/

So, in the grand scheme of things the southern schools outside of VA barely register...it's UNC, Duke and Florida.

Nobody talks much about University of Colorado which I will say has become much more popular...nor the Big 10 schools.

I am fairly surprised how popular GW and American are.

Big 10 rules in MCPS. Some kids talk about the southern schools because of the weather and fun football but they get all the fun vibes, greek life, sports, plus reputable academics from a Big 10. Apparently weather isn't as important of a factor.

BIG 10 = Too large, too cold and too dreary.

And still the most popular. Kids are flocking to them. Best football teams, great basketball, large alumni network, great internship opportunities, greek life, fun student experience.

Kids are flocking to them because other than Northwestern and Michigan they are easier to gain acceptance and they admit thousands per year.

Uh huh. That's right, so much easier to get into The Ohio State, Wisconsin, UMD, or Penn State than Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, and Mississippi.

Referring more specifically to the ACC schools in the south.

Duke, Georgia Tech, UNC, Virginia, etc.

Yes, but there are many, many other southern schools that are an easier admit than these 4 schools that no one is running to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I’m just paying closer attention now that my kids are approaching college, but it seems like a big uptick in interest in Georgia. I get that kids want warm weather and big football, but there are a bunch of schools that tick those boxes so curious why Georgia seems disproportionally popular with mcps W schools (maybe privates as well).

Not really though. UF, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, and Clemson are more popular with MCPS. Only 16 kids from these MCPS schools: all the Ws, BCC, Poolesville, and Einstein, are attending UGA from the 2025 class. It is not disproportionately popular by any means compared to other schools.

UofSC, UTK, Clemson are UGA safeties. Those kids you know going to those schools were rejected by UGA.

Not disproportional by any means. Popularity of southern schools based on # of Applicants (W schools, Poolesville, RM, Einstein, BCC):
1. UNC Chapel Hill: 619
2. Duke: 363
3. Univ of Florida: 354
4. Georgia Tech: 335
5. University of South Carolina: 326
6. Clemson: 275
7. UT Austin: 268
8. University of Georgia: 253
9. Emory: 249
10. Vanderbilt: 226
11. NC State: 216
12. Florida State: 199
13. Tennessee: 162
14. Rice: 113
15. Auburn: 93
16. LSU: 78
17. Alabama: 64
18. Ole Miss: 52

Just curious, how do the overall numbers look when you include all schools. What is the #1 applied to school and how many applications?

These are the top out of state schools for MCPS students based on the highest number of applications:

1. Pennsylvania State University: 1071
2. University of Pittsburgh: 957
3. University of Michigan: 766
4. University of Virginia: 730
5. Virginia Tech: 726
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 619
7. University of Pennsylvania: 490
8. University of Wisconsin: 480
9. Ohio State: 468
10. Northeastern: 466
11. GW: 455
12. American: 434
13. Indiana University: 409
14. University of Delaware: 408
15. Cornell: 400
16. Univ of Colorado Boulder: 394
17. Boston University: 391
18. JMU: 377
19. NYU: 366
20. Duke: 363
21. University of Florida: 354

More data here: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/09/10/mcps-students-college/

So, in the grand scheme of things the southern schools outside of VA barely register...it's UNC, Duke and Florida.

Nobody talks much about University of Colorado which I will say has become much more popular...nor the Big 10 schools.

I am fairly surprised how popular GW and American are.

Big 10 rules in MCPS. Some kids talk about the southern schools because of the weather and fun football but they get all the fun vibes, greek life, sports, plus reputable academics from a Big 10. Apparently weather isn't as important of a factor.

BIG 10 = Too large, too cold and too dreary.

And still the most popular. Kids are flocking to them. Best football teams, great basketball, large alumni network, great internship opportunities, greek life, fun student experience.

Kids are flocking to them because other than Northwestern and Michigan they are easier to gain acceptance and they admit thousands per year.

Uh huh. That's right, so much easier to get into The Ohio State, Wisconsin, UMD, or Penn State than Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, and Mississippi.

Referring more specifically to the ACC schools in the south.

Duke, Georgia Tech, UNC, Virginia, etc.

Yes, but there are many, many other southern schools that are an easier admit than these 4 schools that no one is running to.

True

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not that common for VA kids.

Athens is cute, but it's still in a red state so not on the list.

VA has better instate options than MD. GA schools are cheaper OOS than VA schools, for the most part. UVA is not a good deal OOS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our public, Georgia has fallen off. South Carolina has picked up. I think kids thought Georgia has become too difficult and they had a shot at South Carolina.

It's this. SC is easier to get into. So is Tennessee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because college admissions have become so competitive, people are starting to consider a broader range of locations.
Also, the US News public school rankings and Georgia’s relatively cheap OOS tuition help.

But it’s still THE SOUTH!!!

Yeah, but Atlanta's like a little piece of the atlantic seaboard that floated down and lodged itself in the craw of the south. And retained its identity.

Yes, more like Philly and Boston than any major Southern metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I’m just paying closer attention now that my kids are approaching college, but it seems like a big uptick in interest in Georgia. I get that kids want warm weather and big football, but there are a bunch of schools that tick those boxes so curious why Georgia seems disproportionally popular with mcps W schools (maybe privates as well).

Not really though. UF, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, and Clemson are more popular with MCPS. Only 16 kids from these MCPS schools: all the Ws, BCC, Poolesville, and Einstein, are attending UGA from the 2025 class. It is not disproportionately popular by any means compared to other schools.

UofSC, UTK, Clemson are UGA safeties. Those kids you know going to those schools were rejected by UGA.

Not disproportional by any means. Popularity of southern schools based on # of Applicants (W schools, Poolesville, RM, Einstein, BCC):
1. UNC Chapel Hill: 619
2. Duke: 363
3. Univ of Florida: 354
4. Georgia Tech: 335
5. University of South Carolina: 326
6. Clemson: 275
7. UT Austin: 268
8. University of Georgia: 253
9. Emory: 249
10. Vanderbilt: 226
11. NC State: 216
12. Florida State: 199
13. Tennessee: 162
14. Rice: 113
15. Auburn: 93
16. LSU: 78
17. Alabama: 64
18. Ole Miss: 52

Just curious, how do the overall numbers look when you include all schools. What is the #1 applied to school and how many applications?

These are the top out of state schools for MCPS students based on the highest number of applications:

1. Pennsylvania State University: 1071
2. University of Pittsburgh: 957
3. University of Michigan: 766
4. University of Virginia: 730
5. Virginia Tech: 726
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 619
7. University of Pennsylvania: 490
8. University of Wisconsin: 480
9. Ohio State: 468
10. Northeastern: 466
11. GW: 455
12. American: 434
13. Indiana University: 409
14. University of Delaware: 408
15. Cornell: 400
16. Univ of Colorado Boulder: 394
17. Boston University: 391
18. JMU: 377
19. NYU: 366
20. Duke: 363
21. University of Florida: 354

More data here: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/09/10/mcps-students-college/

So, in the grand scheme of things the southern schools outside of VA barely register...it's UNC, Duke and Florida.

Nobody talks much about University of Colorado which I will say has become much more popular...nor the Big 10 schools.

I am fairly surprised how popular GW and American are.

Big 10 rules in MCPS. Some kids talk about the southern schools because of the weather and fun football but they get all the fun vibes, greek life, sports, plus reputable academics from a Big 10. Apparently weather isn't as important of a factor.

BIG 10 = Too large, too cold and too dreary.

And still the most popular. Kids are flocking to them. Best football teams, great basketball, large alumni network, great internship opportunities, greek life, fun student experience.

Kids are flocking to them because other than Northwestern and Michigan they are easier to gain acceptance and they admit thousands per year.

Uh huh. That's right, so much easier to get into The Ohio State, Wisconsin, UMD, or Penn State than Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, and Mississippi.

Michigan State and Nebraska say hi

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our public, Georgia has fallen off. South Carolina has picked up. I think kids thought Georgia has become too difficult and they had a shot at South Carolina.

It's this. SC is easier to get into. So is Tennessee.

They would choose UGA over SC and Tennessee if they got in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our public, Georgia has fallen off. South Carolina has picked up. I think kids thought Georgia has become too difficult and they had a shot at South Carolina.

It's this. SC is easier to get into. So is Tennessee.

They would choose UGA over SC and Tennessee if they got in.

Yes, but a lot of kids can't get into GA. Many can barely get into SC or TN!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our public, Georgia has fallen off. South Carolina has picked up. I think kids thought Georgia has become too difficult and they had a shot at South Carolina.

It's this. SC is easier to get into. So is Tennessee.

They would choose UGA over SC and Tennessee if they got in.

Yes, but a lot of kids can't get into GA. Many can barely get into SC or TN!

It's the other way around.