Questions About GA Tech?

[nighthouse66]

Originally Posted by #1MARTAFan

GT is a great Engineering school.

About transferring in... I would not expect a lot of credits to transfer in. I know they have agreements with local community colleges and other GA colleges, but out of state can be very difficult to get credit for classes already taken.

Southern Poly is a good place to start IMO. Heck, even Georgia Perimeter is a good place to start.

I am a two time graduate (undergrad and grad school). My advice, go to Southern Poly or Georgia Perimeter for 2 years. Satisfy the transfer requirements and go to GT for your final 2-3 years. Be prepared to work. It is not easy. The people there are very smart. Nearly everyone there was among the smartest people in their high school. It can be a humbling experience suddenly being average to below average academically. Some people can't deal with the stress of having to work hard after having coasted through high school by being smarter than everyone else. The school isn't for everyone, but for those that can work hard and put in the work, the pay off is very, very good. Even if you go into a little student debt, this is a school where you can still get a great return on investment. Sure you might be paying back some student loans for a few years, but you graduate making $60,000 (on average) and by 30 years old, you should be pushing $100,000. It isn't like you would be going $100,000 into debt for a sociology degree from Podunk University.

The safety stuff is a bit overblown. The crime rate has declined several years in a row, but a few years ago the reporting requirements changes so that every time there was a crime on campus, the staff and students got an e-mail about it. Reading a few times a month about a kid getting his books or laptop stolen makes it seem unsafe, but when you think about 20,000 students and several thousand faculty members around campus, some crime will happen. If you are smart (ie, don't walk around just off campus along unlit streets in Home Park at 3AM, odds are you'll be fine).

If you have any more questions, feel free to shoot me a direct message.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by starfish27

Another option might be to finish up your general ed at a community college in GA. Georgia Perimeter College has five campuses in metro Atlanta and has a transfer admission guarantee program (TAG) with Georgia Tech (and many other schools). If you maintain a certain GPA you secure admission. For Ga Tech the GPA requirement for transfer into the engineering program is 3.3 for GA residents and 3.5 for non-residents. GPC is affordable if you're paying out of pocket - $99 per credit plus student fees.

Here's some links for info about the TAG program if you're interested:
http://depts.gpc.edu/tag/#.Ua0U8CKBofw

And more specifically the GA Tech TAG requirements:
http://depts.gpc.edu/tag/GaTechIntent.pdf

thank you SO much, both of you, for this information.
luckily, or unluckily as the case may be, i am almost 40 years old. i have been attended Los Angeles CC for a year, and i have a 4.0, but i have been taking electronics classes that i knew weren't transferable being as they were for a certificate program. but once i got in there and realized that what i really wanted to do was invent circuits and that was exactly what an engineer does, i decided to go for that. i have worked TERRIBLY hard for that 4.0 and i KNOW i can succeed, but i expect to work as hard if not harder in the future for my education. being that i intend on supporting my mother in her retirement, i have no intention of backing down. i want the very best education i can get, and was very impressed to find GA Tech third after MIT and Caltech- its like a blessing.

i am really glad to hear that there are sort of tunnels set up with the community colleges in georgia to get into ga tech. i definitely intend on getting my gen-ed stuff out of the way at a cheaper school. i REALLY want honors of all sorts, and plan on getting every penny of scholarship money i can get my hands on. if i HAVE to accrue some sort of debt, i will, as long as it isn't in the tens of thousands. my sister is STILL paying off student loans from 20 years ago, and the school she got her degree from isn't even open anymore!

anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH for these great replies. you have definitely set me on the right track.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by nighthouse66

hey folks, i am from GA originally but i have been living in CA for about 7 years and i am considering moving back.
i have decided to become an engineer, and i have been in college for about a year. i was pretty impressed to read that GA Tech is THIRD in the nation in terms of engineering schools, and i am really eager to apply there.
i have only been going to a community college (Los Angeles City College) but i have a 4.0.

What is the campus like in terms of safety?

what are some recommended local schools that one would recommend to apply to that have a good transfer program/relationship with GA Tech?

Any graduates on here, and what was your impressions? Any general advice or thoughts on the school?

Thank you in advance!

Honestly, unless you are really really bright...I'd consider another school. GT is very tough, and I mean tough beyond studying hard.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

Achieving residency is nearly impossible if you are under 24. Earn your degree where you are and then relocate here. GT doesn't give much money to out of state students...

Very good advice. California has great schools and if you really want to get to GT, go for a graduate degree. And if your school has a co-op program, go for that. As was stated earlier, experience counts more than a degree.

[Tarzanman]

GT grad here. Do whatever you can to get residency before you start school here. You will literally save thousands of dollars a year.

Also, Tech's engineering program really is challenging. It is not impossible, but I remember Tech as being one of the few places in the world where I regularly felt stupid. You *should not* compare the curriculum at Tech to that of a community college.

[VJP]

I am also a tech grad (EE '04). If you were younger i would say no worries on the debt, even the whole amount....because pushing a hundred grand or crossing it by thirty is an actual reality.

In your case, sadly, do not discount age discrimination in the tech industry. If i were you, i would come up with a solid game plan for being an entry level engineer in your mid forties....that is a tough proposition. I would look at older industries..oil and gas, metals, old line manufacturing.

[Tarzanman]

Originally Posted by VJP

I am also a tech grad (EE '04). If you were younger i would say no worries on the debt, even the whole amount....because pushing a hundred grand or crossing it by thirty is an actual reality.

In your case, sadly, do not discount age discrimination in the tech industry. If i were you, i would come up with a solid game plan for being an entry level engineer in your mid forties....that is a tough proposition. I would look at older industries..oil and gas, metals, old line manufacturing.

I don't disagree about age discrimination, but the industries you are suggesting are more appropriate for a ChemE than an EE (and she would almost certainly have to leave Atlanta to work in those industries).

[VJP]

If defense wasnt on a cyclical downturn tht might have been a good option....might have to leave atlanta any way,