Georgia Tech: pink parachutes, the shaft, and most likely a good job
Written: Apr 05 '02 (Updated Jan 22 '03)
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Pros: You'll be well prepared for the future; often hands-on experience is gained
Cons: High dropout/flunk-out rate; survival of the fittest
The Bottom Line: Georgia Tech graduates are successful, and a Tech degree garners respect because not everyone manages to survive the rigorous academic atmosphere.
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| pipet's Full Review: Georgia Institute of Technology |
"I survived Georgia Tech."
This is not an uncommon sentiment from Georgia Institute of Technology graduates (GaTech for short). Why, you may ask? Is it really that tough? Why would you go to a school where the graduates felt that way? Let me tell you a little more about GaTech and you can decide for yourself.
GaTech: a degree that garners respect
Although rankings aren't the only thing to think about when choosing a school, they do affect how others may look at your degree. GaTech has consistently been ranked in the top 10 public universities by US News, and it's also a top tier school overall. GaTech graduates tend to do very well after graduation. Of course, how well you do does depend on your major, but most majors (engineering, computer science, math, the basic sciences, and architecture) at Tech lead to good paying careers. Many companies in the Southeast specifically look for GaTech graduates, and graduate and professional programs also recognize the value of a GaTech degree.
Location & Campus
GaTech is located just a few blocks north of the heart of Atlanta. It's conveniently located near art and sporting events, restaurants galore, a few clubs, and many future job opportunities (plus co-op opportunities). It's also near 2 MARTA rapid rail stops, so if you must rely on public transportation (which is hard to do in Atlanta), GaTech's location is at least not a hindrance.
If you don't know much about Atlanta, it really is a fun city. Whether you are attracted to the frat type crowd (go to Buckhead), are into more alternative scenes (check out Little Five), or are looking for something in between (try Virginia Highlands & Decatur), there is a part of Atlanta that caters to you. Delightfully tasty and cheap eateries abound in the city - perfect for the student budget. Students desiring outdoor fun can experience a multitude of activities within a 2-3 hour drive from Atlanta. Outdoor Recreation at Georgia Tech (ORGT) offers organized trips, equipment rentals, and classes. (http://cyberbuzz.gatech.edu/orgt/orgthome.html)
Although there are a few ugly buildings, for the most part the campus is quite attractive, with many old red brick buildings dotting the landscape. Because GaTech was home of the 1996 Olympic Village, there are now some nice modern dorms available as well as modern athletic facilities. The food options on campus have improved drastically since the Olympics; there is actually a food court now.
Price
GaTech used to be one of the best bargains around. In 1996, tuition for a quarter only cost about $900 including fees for an instate resident ($2700/yr), while the non-resident tuition was a little over $2000/quarter ($6000-7000/yr). Currently (2001-2002), tuition and fees are $3454/yr for instate students and are $12,350/yr for non-residents. Although it's not as cheap as it once was, it still is very competitive, and many instate students are able to take advantage of the HOPE scholarship. With HOPE, students can get FREE tuition as long as they continue to qualify by maintaining a 3.0!
The Male/Female Ratio
GaTech is overrun with males. There is about a 70:30 male to female ratio, and that's an improvement compared to the past. If you're male, you may find the lack of females a bad thing. Some guys I know would actually take a class at another nearby school to meet girls (GaTech will let you do this for certain classes). If you're a girl, you may think the abundance of males sounds wonderful, and indeed, many girls do end up with an MRS degree after attending Tech. However, girls, I must warn you that the guys do tend to be a little on the geeky side!
Co-op
GaTech has a co-op program (short for Cooperative Education) that will give you valuable work experience - before you graduate. Typically, students alternate semesters at school and on the job. Although it takes a little longer to graduate, the people I know who co-oped were happy they did. Co-oping also has the advantage of making a student a full-time money earner from time to time, helping to pay for living expenses, etc. While it would be difficult to pay for all your expenses today by co-oping, my grandfather co-oped to pay his way through GaTech during the depression!
The Failures
Remember that I said that GaTech tuition is FREE if you have HOPE? Well, many of GaTech student's end up HOPE-less. Many freshman and even some sophomore classes are considered "weed-out" classes, and quite a few students find it difficult to pass much less maintain a 3.0. Although the number has improved, it used to be that about 1/3 of entering freshmen wouldn't make it through the first year. Part of the problem is that although GaTech is one of the toughest schools in the nation, it is not the absolute toughest to get in, at least for instate students. This is in sharp contrast to schools such as Stanford - which ranks among the hardest to get in - but is much easier to stay in and maintain a high GPA (3.9s and 4.0s are not shockingly uncommon there). I think that GaTech's relatively high acceptance rate and lower graduation rate probably harm its rankings, but the unspoken philosophy of the school seems to be survival of the fittest.
Why is it so difficult to maintain a 3.0? Well, for one thing, many professors are concerned about their personal research and not about teaching. They don't care whether you learn anything or not. There are also some other professors whom seem to take sadistic pride in announcing how many students they plan to fail on the first day of class (this happened in one of my math classes and also in a physics class). These professors are in addition to the many professors who don't have ill intent but just have no ability when it comes to teaching. Teaching skills are not why they are hired to work at GaTech; prominence in the field and research skills are what is most desired. Heck, some of the professors don't even speak English well enough for you to know whether they have teaching skills or not.
Bell curves are taken very seriously at Tech, and let me assure you that the "F"-side of the bell curve is not ignored. I even know of a professor who was asked to give out more bad grades by his department! He was one of the gems who was genuinely interested in teaching, and in his class he really tried to challenge the students. When it was time for grades, I think he didn't want to penalize students, and plus, I think he thought that most of the class actually did learn something and didn't deserve to fail.
Although it doesn't regularly occur because most professors have to curve up significantly for anyone at all to pass (hooray a 40 = an A!), I do know of instances where people had an "A" average in a class but received a "B" because they were downgraded due to the bell curve grading system. Even GaTech knows it's hard to maintain a high GPA: if you make it through GaTech with a mere 3.2, you graduate with honors (3.4 gets you high honors and 3.6 gets highest honors). At many other respected schools that I know of, your GPA will be in the range of 3.8-4.0 before you receive any type of honors.
Recently, the Princeton Review ranked the 10 hardest schools in the nation. Guess who showed up on the list? Yep, GaTech ranked #4. The schools that were ranked ahead of GaTech were 1. MIT, 2. US Coast Guard Academy, and 3. CalTech.
Here's the link to read the article:
http://encarta.msn.com/collegeArticles/NeverStopStudying.asp
Perks
Even with all the failures, GaTech does have some perks if you survive. You can learn to apply your knowledge and gain some hands-on experience. The GaTech atmosphere encourages this, and many majors have some type of senior project where they actually do research, design and/or make something.
Student Life
The student life does reflect the pressure to maintain a passing GPA. However, that doesn't mean that Techies don't party. Techies just have to be careful not to overly neglect their classes so as not to flunk out. About 30% or so participate in Greek life, and there are many other clubs and activities to fill your valuable free time. How much partying you can handle depends upon you. It would be difficult for even the brightest of students to get by without a certain amount of studying - it's just the nature of some classes to require some hard work. Other students find they must constantly study just to pass. Studying is often a bonding experience for Tech students, and in its way it becomes a social substitute for more fun activities.
Of course, I should mention sports when I speak of student life. GaTech is in the ACC and plays some of the top college teams. There's nothing like a good game to take your mind off your classes.
My experience
I was a Biology major. Biology at GaTech? GaTech certainly isn't famous for its Biology program (although it does have an up and coming Bioengineering program). The vast majority of students major in undergraduate biology at GaTech because they hope it will help them get into medical school. In my case, I had my sights set upon graduate school. For career purposes, it's the strength of your graduate program and your postdoctoral research that really matters, and you need a solid and preferably rigorous undergraduate education to get into the top tier graduate schools. A Biology degree at GaTech requires more math, physics (calculus based, of course), and chemistry than many other biology programs, and I used my some of my Biology elective options to take even more math and chemistry. Since the Biology department is rather small, I found it easy to get to know (and actually like) some of the Biology professors. Many professors were willing to let you participate in undergraduate research in their labs if you were interested.
All the things that GaTech provided for me were key to being accepted into graduate school. Grad schools need letters of recommendation, and I knew and liked professors who were more than happy to write one for me. I had a solid educational background, and I also had undergraduate research experience. I interviewed and was subsequently accepted at several top institutions for graduate school. I had my choice of graduate schools!
Although it was not my intent, I also met my future husband at GaTech. He was a computer science (CS) major, and he asked me out when I was working in a Sun computer lab (he worked there as a User Assistant). GaTech provides such opportunities for romance! Speaking of CS majors, I can personally attest that they do quite well after graduation:)
I was pretty happy with GaTech at graduation, mostly because I knew it had given me the opportunities I needed to get into graduate school. My husband, on the other hand, was just glad to get out. Now that he's been in the workforce for a few years, he has really come to appreciate his Alum, too. He went through the co-op program, so when he graduated, he already had job experience. His transition to a real world job was easy because it was such a breeze compared to GaTech. He appreciates the educational aspect of Tech since he has now seen how well-prepared GaTech CS graduates are compared to some other CS graduates.
Some tips for success at GaTech:
Find out who the good professors are. Even though I bashed many of the professors, they are not all terrible. When you register for classes you can also find a link with student reviews. Don't get shafted by a horrible evil professor.
Word: If everyone has it, you may be at a big disadvantage without it. Although I certainly don't recommend cheating, some professors are starting to provide copies of old exams (Word) freely to all students to even the playing field. Encourage professors to do this. In the land of the Bell Curve, tread carefully in this area.
Pink Parachute Day is the last day to drop a class without failing. It occurs right after the first mid-term exam. If you have no hope of passing a class, go get your own pink parachute. A "W" is better than an "F" as long as you're not dropping classes right and left.
Study some; play some. You need to find your own balance in this area, but you still need to have some fun during college. Some students get physically ill because of stress; don't let this happen to you. Many students learn to live with "decent" grades so they can have a little bit of a life.
www.gatech.edu
Recommended:
Yes
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pipet
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Location: San Diego, CA
Reviews written: 17
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A baby, school, and a new house; lots to write about but no time.
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