Legacies

[tsrich]

Just wanted to vent. My youngest just got denied from Ma Tech today admission. She’s a fantastic student, straight A’s, 35 on her ACT, lots of extracurricular, and a bunch of college classes thru a partnership with her high school.

We live in NC so applying out of state. We knew it would be competitive but I am honestly shocked she didn’t even get waitlisted.

It really sucks that being a legacy carries so little weight. Hard to build a big fan base when it’s so difficult for your kids to get in.

Probably makes me a bad alum, but it’s gonna be difficult to not laugh when ma tech comes asking for money next time.

I know about the transfer option; she actually qualified for that without us. But she doesn’t want to change schools after 1 year and I don’t blame her.

I thought Tech was done shafting me

 

[GT33]

We should probably have 4-5k Engineering undergrads coming in every year and another 2-3k or so of others. That would give us an undergrad base of about 30k. Instead we let in 3500 total, we end up with an undergrad base of about 15k. The demand for Engineers is huge & we're stuck on limiting numbers. Meanwhile, every other school we're competing against is amassing an almuni base at twice the rate we are. The "haves" are increasing their size of the overall pie, the GT and "have nots" are going to be left in the dust when the factory Engineering schools start outspending us, stealing our talents, etc just like they're doing in sports. We're digging our own grave & we need to wake up quick.

If it was me, I'd do something like take the elite talent we're recruiting for undergrads and slap an "Honors program" designation on all of the Engineering programs they're part of. I'd build and staff a regular Engineering program under it, you know for the kids who are very smart like your daughter just not extreme Rocket Scientists & others so they can get an outstanding Engineering degree from the top Engineering school in the nation.

We're so protective of our precious academic reputation sometimes it makes you wonder if anyone's watching the world around them.

 

[57jacket]

Just wanted to vent. My youngest just got denied from Ma Tech today admission. She’s a fantastic student, straight A’s, 35 on her ACT, lots of extracurricular, and a bunch of college classes thru a partnership with her high school.

We live in NC so applying out of state. We knew it would be competitive but I am honestly shocked she didn’t even get waitlisted.

It really sucks that being a legacy carries so little weight. Hard to build a big fan base when it’s so difficult for your kids to get in.

Probably makes me a bad alum, but it’s gonna be difficult to not laugh when ma tech comes asking for money next time.

I know about the transfer option; she actually qualified for that without us. But she doesn’t want to change schools after 1 year and I don’t blame her.

I thought Tech was done shafting me

tsrich.so sorry. must be devastating . So much demand for engineers. GT should increase total enrollment. When I was accepted a million years ago all I needed was a B average and a GT graduate recommendation. I wish you and your daughter the best.

 

[slugboy]

My son went through that last year. He applied to transfer in about a month ago. Theoretically, it’s guaranteed.

Yes, it’s frustrating for me and for him, but I think the year somewhere else is a better transition. Even though it’s harder to get into Tech, and it’s supposed to me a more supportive environment than back in my day, the freshmen/fresh women I know at Tech are having stressful first years.

 

[tsrich]

My son went through that last year. He applied to transfer in about a month ago. Theoretically, it’s guaranteed.

Yes, it’s frustrating for me and for him, but I think the year somewhere else is a better transition. Even though it’s harder to get into Tech, and it’s supposed to me a more supportive environment than back in my day, the freshmen/fresh women I know at Tech are having stressful first years.

Thanks. Since we're OOS, I doubt she'd consider transferring. We still have a bunch more 'reach' schools to hear from.

I'm just flabbergasted she didn't get in. She's still in the running to be a presidential scholar (a semifinalist now). It's unbelievable to me that resume wasn't enough. Tech OOS must be as elite as Stanford.

 

[slugboy]

Thanks. Since we're OOS, I doubt she'd consider transferring. We still have a bunch more 'reach' schools to hear from.

I'm just flabbergasted she didn't get in. She's still in the running to be a presidential scholar (a semifinalist now). It's unbelievable to me that resume wasn't enough. Tech OOS must be as elite as Stanford.

Did she apply early, or just by December?
(Early seems to help).

Son had a 1500 SAT without the essay portion ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[awbuzz]

After my son wasn't accepted, I ended cutting my GT Alumni donation waaaay back. What I took from that donation got added to my GTAA $. Got some calls/emails/letters the first two years asking for me to match previous contributions. Just told them that was the best I could do at the time. Have not looked back with any regrets.

On the upside, my son did get in the CE Masters and graduated back in December 2022. But I am don't plan to up my GT Alumni donations going forward.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Thanks. Since we're OOS, I doubt she'd consider transferring. We still have a bunch more 'reach' schools to hear from.

I'm just flabbergasted she didn't get in. She's still in the running to be a presidential scholar (a semifinalist now). It's unbelievable to me that resume wasn't enough. Tech OOS must be as elite as Stanford.

My son had the same in 2019. 35 on the ACT, all the grades, coming from one of the best schools in Illinois. Not really sure what the admissions people are looking for. He ran XC and Track, captain of XC. School of 4200 students.

 

[tsrich]

Did she apply early, or just by December?
(Early seems to help).

Son had a 1500 SAT without the essay portion ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Early decision. She had a 35 ACT and 1530 SAT. Out of state kids must be incredible

 

[tsrich]

After my son wasn't accepted, I ended cutting my GT Alumni donation waaaay back. What I took from that donation got added to my GTAA $. Got some calls/emails/letters the first two years asking for me to match previous contributions. Just told them that was the best I could do at the time. Have not looked back with any regrets.

On the upside, my son did get in the CE Masters and graduated back in December 2022. But I am don't plan to up my GT Alumni donations going forward.

I expect I’ll do the same. I don’t think I’ll spend much more to support the academic side. Would have been nice to be a GT family. Oh well, I’m sure she’ll succeed wherever

 

[GT33]

My son had the same in 2019. 35 on the ACT, all the grades, coming from one of the best schools in Illinois. Not really sure what the admissions people are looking for. He ran XC and Track, captain of XC. School of 4200 students.

Prospective GT candidates would be better off not participating in sports. It's just not seen as a worthwhile extracurricular activity by the academics anymore unless you're walk-on material.

 

[Jim Prather]

I’ve been hearing this for a few years now and I’m starting to think it is better NOT to admit to being a legacy. GT seems to think that having the transfer path after one year means they can actually discount being a legacy when it comes to frosh admission

 

[forensicbuzz]

Prospective GT candidates would be better off not participating in sports. It's just not seen as a worthwhile extracurricular activity by the academics anymore unless you're walk-on material.

Forgot to mention he is also an Eagle Scout.

 

[CEB]

I can’t offer much else besides another data point. Mine is IN STATE, so it’s not unique to you out of staters.
Just a lowly 34 ACT and 1500+ SAT (I forget the actual). Basketball and band. From my interactions with admissions through the transfer process, it seems like volunteer and leadership positions are exponentially more valuable than sports / clubs.
I also think HS grade inflation hurts. He had a 4.3 GPA and fell somewhere around the 70th percentile in his class. Some of these kids are leaving HS with nearly 5.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale!
Fingers crossed the transfer works out.
I don’t think my 2nd and 3rd kids even need to bother applying. It’s really quite amazing how competitive it has become.

 

[BainbridgeJacket]

You would think 34+ ACT and 1500+ SAT would be enough. Adding on extracurricular and legacy, it should be a slam dunk. Hearing that sports are discounted by the admissions staff helps explain the types of kids we're graduating nowadays and contributes to why I stopped recruiting GT and upped campus recruiting at Clemson and Auburn.

I've long since cut off my donations to the school and let them know it was because I disagreed with the direction they were taking on a number of issues including the type of kids they were admitting. Legacies being rejected should be met with an immediate cease of donations with an explanation of why.

It becomes harder every year to feel a positive connection to Tech.

 

[CEB]

It becomes harder every year to feel a positive connection to Tech.

This is sad but true. I’ll begrudgingly admit the same!

To put it briefly / mildly, I was quite disappointed...

Since this is a sports board, I will stick to sports perspective and say that Tech’s policies in admissions don’t play well with building a fan base. These big state schools with huge fan followings are full of families that have multi-generational ties... it’s just a given that the next generation will cheer for and attend said school. Even if a couple of them don’t attend, they’ll have brothers, sisters, cousins, parents who did and the whole family will remain loyal.
Tech has zero interest in that on even the smallest scale, in my opinion. I don’t think Tech even cares for it’s alumni to have an ongoing allegiance to Tech. I say that in the sense that it expects it’s alumni to have national influence and global impacts, not a regional presence. Not many places have that capability / pedigree, but those that do aren’t typically synonymous with large rabid sports fan bases. The problem with being elite and exclusive is that (by its very nature) it becomes discouraging and off-putting to most. It’s not a bad quality for an academic institution, but it’s an awful trait when it comes to appealing to a larger group and fostering allegiance.

 

[BuzzStone]

My buddy here in SC went through the same thing with his daughter. She was valedictorian at her high school. Great test scores great GPA. All the extras. Didn't get into tech and instead she is went to Princeton. Vanderbilt, Wofford, Princeton list goes on of schools that wanted her. Just seems odd to me how difficult the out of state requirements are.

 

[CEB]

My buddy here in SC went through the same thing with his daughter. She was valedictorian at her high school. Great test scores great GPA. All the extras. Didn't get into tech and instead she is went to Princeton. Vanderbilt, Wofford, Princeton list goes on of schools that wanted her. Just seems odd to me how difficult the out of state requirements are.

Interesting on the out of state comments from so many of you.... I convinced myself that out of state students would be more attractive because of the increased tuition. I had rationalized that my son, with in state tuition covered by state scholarships (Zell), would be less attractive than a student paying out of state tuition. Guess I am just cynical and making excuses!

Nice to see the schools on that list that did accept her though! Princeton is a solid back up!

 

[AUFC]

You would think 34+ ACT and 1500+ SAT would be enough. Adding on extracurricular and legacy, it should be a slam dunk. Hearing that sports are discounted by the admissions staff helps explain the types of kids we're graduating nowadays and contributes to why I stopped recruiting GT and upped campus recruiting at Clemson and Auburn.

I've long since cut off my donations to the school and let them know it was because I disagreed with the direction they were taking on a number of issues including the type of kids they were admitting. Legacies being rejected should be met with an immediate cease of donations with an explanation of why.

It becomes harder every year to feel a positive connection to Tech.

The poster who indicated participation in sports hurt your acceptance criteria was speculating and does not work in the admissions office.

Participation in athletics is indicative that someone has at least some level of experience with several skills that encompass a holistic, well-rounded candidate. That is the type of person who could be a part of an undergraduate student body that would further the Georgia Tech mission. I would be very surprised if admissions is penalizing anybody for that.

To the other point, I do think Georgia Tech has some obligation to Georgia residents. Georgia residents are more likely than OOS/international students to stay in the Atlanta metro area after graduation and contribute taxes and jobs back to the state of Georgia.

What are your qualms with the "type" of kids being admitted? Demographics of the student body have definitely changed, which is likely some combination of cultural shifts and further research about how to assemble a class that furthers the Georgia Tech mission, like I mentioned above.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Interesting on the out of state comments from so many of you.... I convinced myself that out of state students would be more attractive because of the increased tuition. I had rationalized that my son, with in state tuition covered by state scholarships (Zell), would be less attractive than a student paying out of state tuition. Guess I am just cynical and making excuses!

Nice to see the schools on that list that did accept her though! Princeton is a solid back up!

Acceptance still has 60% in-state, 30% out-of-state, 10% International.