Anonymous wrote:Pretty sure my kid, at least oldest, cannot get into UGA -- the freshman class AVERAGE SAT is 1344 and GPA of 4.0. Wow.

There has to be grade inflation. So nobody had one freakin B in HS?

OP. A good friend of mine is from ATL and is a UGA grad. I know UGA's reputation, but it's also important to remember that it's a big school with tons of opportunities...so the individual student matters.

My friend is smart, funny, outgoing, and is about to complete her PhD and has some amazing opportunities. If it matters to you, she's a devout Christian (I'm not, but it's an important part of who she is) who is very level-headed. I know she drank and had fun in college, but she didn't let it impact her studies. She decided somewhat serendipitously that she wanted to pursue research in the field of her STEM major, and she was able to find great research opportunities at the university.

As with many large publics, the experience you have there will depend on what you make of it. There are some great opportunities at UGA if it's the right fit for your kid.

-- signed Stanford alum, so I've got no dog in this fight

Anonymous wrote:Ga. born UGA grad school grad here. Thriving school. Probably, 3rd "best" overall SEC school top to bottom after Vandy and Florida (though Alabama is gaining). New engineering programs, new emphasis on STEM, top j-school, top grad schools, about as diverse and cosmopolitan as a student body can get in the SEC (LOTS of suburban ATL Yankee transplants in the mix), progressive better than average college town, decent racial atmosphere for students of color, good pipeline in ATL corporate world and decent pipeline into DC/NYC media worlds. Getting very difficult to get into in state with mid-tier students being funneled in to growing schools around the state (The GSUs etc).

I appreciate your honesty UGA grad.

Thanks from a Florida grad.

OP, I think when it comes down to it your more recent update really tells the story: huge amount of money for Tulane or more reasonable amount of money for UGA honors?

Pick.The.Cheaper.One.

ANY state schools' honors program is going to be good. They're set up as a way to keep the best and brightest (but not wealthiest) in-state. No way is whatever Tulane offers in terms of fanciness and brand going to counteract the huge amount of money you'd save.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ga. born UGA grad school grad here. Thriving school. Probably, 3rd "best" overall SEC school top to bottom after Vandy and Florida (though Alabama is gaining). New engineering programs, new emphasis on STEM, top j-school, top grad schools, about as diverse and cosmopolitan as a student body can get in the SEC (LOTS of suburban ATL Yankee transplants in the mix), progressive better than average college town, decent racial atmosphere for students of color, good pipeline in ATL corporate world and decent pipeline into DC/NYC media worlds. Getting very difficult to get into in state with mid-tier students being funneled in to growing schools around the state (The GSUs etc).

This is extremely biased. UGA is hardly a stem school.

The poster said "new emphasis on STEM.

Pretty sure my kid, at least oldest, cannot get into UGA -- the freshman class AVERAGE SAT is 1344 and GPA of 4.0. Wow.

Anonymous wrote:International relations seems like you would want to be near DC if you were serious about it .

I think being able to live at home and do internships in DC in the summer is just as good.

Anonymous wrote:International relations seems like you would want to be near DC if you were serious about it .

My DH is on the faculty at a top-5 RI in international relations and not a single one of his faculty peers has any degree, undergrad or otherwise, from a DC school. You can get your undergrad IR degree anywhere, although you probably will want to do an internship in DC or NYC at some point.

Anonymous wrote:Ga. born UGA grad school grad here. Thriving school. Probably, 3rd "best" overall SEC school top to bottom after Vandy and Florida (though Alabama is gaining). New engineering programs, new emphasis on STEM, top j-school, top grad schools, about as diverse and cosmopolitan as a student body can get in the SEC (LOTS of suburban ATL Yankee transplants in the mix), progressive better than average college town, decent racial atmosphere for students of color, good pipeline in ATL corporate world and decent pipeline into DC/NYC media worlds. Getting very difficult to get into in state with mid-tier students being funneled in to growing schools around the state (The GSUs etc).

This is extremely biased. UGA is hardly a stem school.

Anonymous wrote:Ga. born UGA grad school grad here. Thriving school. Probably, 3rd "best" overall SEC school top to bottom after Vandy and Florida (though Alabama is gaining). New engineering programs, new emphasis on STEM, top j-school, top grad schools, about as diverse and cosmopolitan as a student body can get in the SEC (LOTS of suburban ATL Yankee transplants in the mix), progressive better than average college town, decent racial atmosphere for students of color, good pipeline in ATL corporate world and decent pipeline into DC/NYC media worlds. Getting very difficult to get into in state with mid-tier students being funneled in to growing schools around the state (The GSUs etc).

OP here.

Thank your - this was helpful.
H

Anonymous wrote:Did she apply to Wash U? I feel like that's one that might offer good merit aid for those stats but is more a brand name. Your DD sounds like she is going to do great academically and professionally regardless of where she goes so I think it should come down to where the culture and atmosphere feel right to her.

Op here.

Thank you for your kind words and sentiments. She did not apply to Wash U. She did apply to a wide variety and I have explained that she is likely to be pleasantly surprised as well as disappointed as the decisIons roll in. I do very much admire my DD. She is incredibly hard working and I do believe her hard work will create opportunities for her. Given her work ethic though I do want to ensure she has a little fun and doesn't find herself at a pressure cooker. That's why I wanted to keep an open mind about UGA as I thought it might be a fun place.

Did she apply to Wash U? I feel like that's one that might offer good merit aid for those stats but is more a brand name. Your DD sounds like she is going to do great academically and professionally regardless of where she goes so I think it should come down to where the culture and atmosphere feel right to her.

Ga. born UGA grad school grad here. Thriving school. Probably, 3rd "best" overall SEC school top to bottom after Vandy and Florida (though Alabama is gaining). New engineering programs, new emphasis on STEM, top j-school, top grad schools, about as diverse and cosmopolitan as a student body can get in the SEC (LOTS of suburban ATL Yankee transplants in the mix), progressive better than average college town, decent racial atmosphere for students of color, good pipeline in ATL corporate world and decent pipeline into DC/NYC media worlds. Getting very difficult to get into in state with mid-tier students being funneled in to growing schools around the state (The GSUs etc).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm originally from Atlanta and had many friends who went to UGA's honors college. Especially if the price is right, I wouldn't hesitate to send your kid there. The program is very well resourced, and my friends had amazing opportunities while they're there. Most of them no longer live in GA, multiple lived abroad for stints, many continued on to great grad school programs. And if the worst case scenario is that your kid lives and works in Atlanta, well, Atlanta is way better than DC is many, many ways.

Atlanta is a giant soulless suburb filled with very average people.

The suburbs may be soulless, but the neighborhoods inside the perimeter (aka Atlanta's equivalent of the Beltway) are not.

Right but even the intown neighborhoods are essentially suburbs. Atlanta isn't at all walkable.

I looked at UGA for grad school (chose Tennessee-Knoxville instead) and ended up teaching at UGA a few years later. Athens is a great town. The people are nice, there’s lots to do, close a few other cities (and close enough to the beach). I felt safe and comfortable.

Don’t worry about her getting arrested for drinking. It’s a college town. Minors get drunk in dorm rooms and frat parties. She might get an MIP at some point, but most don’t. Unless she’s drunk and acting like an idiot in public, cops will be too occupied to bother with her.