In talking with prospective students and parents, we often hear questions or receive comments that reflect inaccurate perceptions about our admissions process and Georgia Tech in general. In hopes of dispelling some of these misconceptions, we have compiled some of the most common myths we hear as we travel and host future Georgia Tech students and families.

1. Georgia Tech has an Early Decision/Early Action deadline.
Unlike some other schools, Georgia Tech does not have either one of these programs. Students are encouraged to apply prior to October 31 for the President’s Scholarship, Tech’s premier merit-based scholarship. (More details available at www.psp.gatech.edu.) All applications for regular admission are due by January 15 (postmarked). Neither of these is binding.

2. Georgia Tech sits right in the middle of the city and does not have a true campus.
First-time visitors to Tech are typically impressed and pleasantly surprised by our campus. While we are in walking distance to the New World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, the Fox Theater, and other world-class attractions, Georgia Tech students can find great things to do on campus as well. With approximately 450 acres, Tech boasts all the natural elements of a traditional campus. Check out www.gatech.edu/vtour to catch a glimpse of our beautiful campus. Come for a visit and see firsthand why our location is one of our greatest assets. www.visits.gatech.edu

3. Georgia Tech makes admission decisions based on the major you select on your application.
Our admissions decisions are made without regard to the major you indicate on your application. Therefore, you do not have a better or worse chance of being admitted if you apply to one major or college versus another. This also allows students the freedom to switch their intended major once they arrive on campus, without having to re-apply to a particular program. www.apply.gatech.edu

4. The application for the President’s Scholarship is different from the regular admission application.
At Georgia Tech there is only one application for admission, found at www.apply.gatech.edu. Students who apply prior to October 31 will be considered for the President’s Scholarship and informed of their status in the Scholarship competition by the middle of December. If a student is not selected as a semifinalist, he or she will be rolled into the regular admission process without submitting additional application materials.

5. Georgia Tech only has engineering majors.
While the College of Engineering is ranked No. 5 by U.S. News and World Report, world-class professors teach and research in all six of Tech’s colleges. Both the College of Computing and the College of Management have recently moved into new, multimillion-dollar facilities and continue to garner national and international recognition. The College of Architecture, the Ivan College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Sciences each boast small class sizes in the context of a major research university. www.admission.gatech.edu

6. Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis.
Students who apply prior to October 31 and are named semifinalists for the President’s Scholarship will receive a letter of acceptance in November or December. At that point, we also make a limited number of regular admission offers. Students who are rolled into the regular admission process, along with those applying between November 1 and January 15 are guaranteed to receive a decision by late March, however the bulk of our admission decisions are made between mid-February and mid-March. www.apply.gatech.edu

7. Georgia Tech is a large, public school.
One of the greatest strengths of Tech is our size. With just over 12,000 undergraduates and approximately 2,600 freshmen, Tech is a mid-sized, public research university. Students enjoy many of the advantages of a bigger school, such as ACC sports and hundreds of student-led organizations, yet our most common class size is between 26 to 33 students. www.gatech.edu

8. During the admissions process, only high GPA and test scores matter.
When we review files for admission, we look closely at your academic background, including the grades and the rigor of curriculum selected. On our recalculated 4.0 scale, a 3.2-plus GPA is typically competitive. Most students applying to Tech are enrolled in challenging courses in their high school, i.e. IB, AP, Honors, etc. Similarly, test scores also factor into our decisions. The middle 50 percentile SAT range of students admitted to Tech last year was 1270-1410 (M+CR) , with a 1200-plus score being generally competitive. Additionally, we read essays and short answer questions and review extracurricular activities, i.e. work and volunteer experience and school, community, and athletic involvement, in order to make decisions.

9. I want to go to medical or law school, so Georgia Tech is not a good choice.
Ranked No. 7 for Public Universities by U.S. News and World Report, Tech’s reputation serves students extremely well as they apply to graduate programs across the nation. At Tech, students can choose any major and also earn a Preprofessional Certificate that will prepare them for a variety of graduate programs. Tech students consistently score higher on entrance exams to competitive graduate programs than the majority of college graduates. www.admiss.gatech.edu/degrees/prepp.php

10. As an out-of-state student, I have less of a chance of being admitted than a Georgia resident.
The acceptance rate for out-of-state students is traditionally very similar to that of in-state students. With more than 40 percent of our freshman class coming from outside the state of Georgia, geographic diversity is another distinguishing characteristic of Tech. This dynamic provides stimulating conversations both inside and outside of the classroom.

We hope this information helps clarify and highlight both our admissions process and Georgia Tech overall. If you have additional questions, please contact our office directly. Our homepage, www.admission.gatech.edu, also features student blogs, specific information for parents and high school counselors, and links to all academic majors and colleges.