College Knowledge

I have written before about how colleges don’t make differentiation easy

Brochures show warm sunny days that are not too breezy

Students of various ethnicities study happily under trees Student and Professor

Or gaze pensively into the distance wearing school hoodies overseas

They smile while throwing a Frisbee- not an easy task, my friends

Or sip a smoothie while making a point… but we all know how it ends

With the picture that must be included, especially if for a STEM school–

Two students in lab coats examining something, while still looking remarkably cool.

 

Normally we keep this blog broadly focused on admission and college

In an attempt to provide some insight, advice, levity and insider knowledge

National Poetry Month

But in honor of National Poetry Month, we are taking a different approach here

To hit on some specifics of Georgia Tech and make a few points clear

My hope is to tell you a bit about our size, location and ideal student

However, rattling off too many statistics in rhyme simply won’t be prudent.

 

To understand who we are today you need to know about our founding

It was 1885, Reconstruction South, Atlanta had recently been burned to the ground…ing

What did the future hold? How would the city remain viable? Commerce was in question

So a few former generals turned politicians had a suggestion

Let’s start a place to imagine and Create the Next— to look ahead

We’ll bring young men to Atlanta, teach engineering and give ‘em a bed

Our motto of Progress and Service was as true then as it is today

A deep conviction to improve the human condition has always led the way

We want students who like to be challenged and stretched. Of hard work, they’re not afraid

They want to create, explore, collaborate, and innovate–and not just for a grade

Some call this Type A or confuse their passion with being slightly crazy.

A rare combination of character, purpose and vision: We seek not the smart and lazy.

 

“We attract, develop, and graduate white collar talent with a blue collar work ethic.”

A quote from Tech alum and College of Computing colleague, Cedric.

Tech students are skeptical, critical, analytical–they quickly raise an eyebrow.

Why are you wearing that? Why did you just say that? Why do you believe that? And then they ask HOW…

ARE we going to make that happen?

The solution isn’t just going to fall into our lap…pen.

 

Georgia Tech

Atlanta continues to thrive and our students are very much in that mix

With a traditional campus of grass and trees and squirrels, they still get their urban fix

Restaurants, theaters, and professional sporting events can quickly be found

Opportunities for internships, co-ops, and start-ups abound

There is a furiously entrepreneurial and progressive vibe in Midtown

Incubators, accelerators, innovation hubs and Fortune 500 companies all around.

 

It is important to give you a few facts and stats– a quick overview

15,000 undergraduates. 29,000 students total. Some call it a lot, others a few.

We are a mid-sized public school in the landscape of Higher Ed

With 35 majors and 6 colleges, we are streamlined, focused— our curriculum is limited

Many know us for Engineering, which is even in our fight song.

But the colleges of Business, Computing, Design, Liberal Arts and Sciences are also strong

We are not all things to all people as you can clearly see

Our approach is to teach what we believe the world needs– it’s simple really

60% of our undergrads are from Georgia, 40% non-resident

So whether you are from Marietta or Massachusetts don’t be hesitant…

…To apply- I had to work that in of course

(Did it disrupt my flow? It felt a bit forced.)

 

Our retention rate is 97% from first to second year. Among the highest nationally

If someone tells you Tech’s too tough, or students don’t succeed, they’re not speaking rationally

By every measure, list or metric our reputation continues to grow

Upon graduation, our students have options and choices–it’s a name people know.

 

Hopefully I’ve given you a sense of our campus— and into our students some insight

If not please visit or contact our office. We also have a website.

If you are not a big fan of couplets or rhyme- good news- this blog is now through

You can go back to thumbing through the college brochures that say it is all about you.

 

If you would like to subscribe to receive blog entries when they post, please enter your email address above, or click the “Subscribe” button in the header at the top of this page. We also welcome comments or feedback @gtadmission on Twitter.

2018 Class(y) Prophile

For Immediate Release, April 1, 2018

ATLANTA — After assessing strategic goals, institutional priorities, and industry best practices, Georgia Tech is pleased to share our admitted student profile.  

“We are extremely proud of our newest piece,” said Institute spokesperson Lapri Sloof. “We believe it tells an important story about both our culture and mission. Previously outsourced to a local marketing firm, Buzz Illions, this year’s piece was created by first-year student George P. Burdell, who earned the honor by winning Tech’s first annual Confefe Challenge.

In order to create what he calls “a beautiful profile,” Burdell (known for his ostentatious socks and ability to cite obscure poetry) consulted hundreds of school counselors, made home visits to prospective families, and met with both engaged as well as married and single alumni.

“The 2018 profile is a departure from previous years, but we believe it to be a more accurate and detailed portrait of our incoming class,” noted Sloof.

Incorporation into online collateral, daily presentations, theme songs, and official Tech puppet shows is imminent.