The whistle signifying the end of class at Georgia Tech sounds like it’s signaling the departure of a tanker. As our tour group stops on the Tech Walkway to learn about the once-a-month farmer’s market booths setting up for business on a recent Wednesday, our student tour guide explains the whistle also sounds after each Georgia Tech touchdown. It’s a quirky tradition on this vibrant downtown Atlanta campus filled with “students who are curious about the world, question why things are the way they are, and believe they have the answer to make them better,” according to Admissions Director Rick Clark.

Georgia Tech attracts students who are passionately solutions-focused—roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-it-done type of students, rather than “smart and lazy.” Admissions readers at GT want to demonstrate in your application that when you leave high school, you will be missed. Because “if you are missed in high school, you’re going to be making things better here,” says Clark.

While many colleges tout their high 4-year graduation rates, Georgia Tech touts its lower 4-year graduation rate (51%) and actively work against students graduating in 4 years. Why? Because multiple co-ops to “test the waters” are encouraged during a student’s time at Georgia Tech, often meaning paid internships (i.e. students are not paying tuition and are getting paid).

“We are way more interested in a student coming out of their time at Georgia Tech with a job, less debt, and a better understanding of who they are and what they want to do than in graduating them in 4 years,” Clark says. Consequently, students can command higher salaries upon graduation. Given the 97% freshman retention rate, it’s safe to say that Georgia Tech is doing something right.

Beyond Engineering & Business: Liberal Arts at Georgia Tech

While it’s renowned for stellar engineering and business programs, you may not know that Georgia Tech is also a beacon for liberal arts. Students interested in Public Policy or International Affairs, in particular, may want to add it to their list as the university is actively trying to grow these programs. Other interdisciplinary liberal arts majors, including History, Technology and Society, were created in response to companies that are looking to hire “bridge” students—those who are both articulate and STEM-literate. That’s why there’s no straight English major at Georgia Tech.

3 Fun Facts About Student Life at Georgia Tech 

1.     Maker Spaces are open to all students and can get crowded near Valentine’s Day when students rush to make metal “roses” under the direction of student Prototype Instructors. 

2.     On the Friday before finals, the diving well in the Olympic pool (built for the 1996 Olympics) is open for students to jump off the high dive to release stress

3.     There's a bowling alley in the Student Center and a space called “Paper and Clay” where students can make pottery and craft creations

Important Application Tips

• Don’t put code in your essay! The system kicks it out.

• Be nerdy, but not too nerdy – they are looking for students who can translate highly technical information into layman’s terms

• Show how you’ve made an impact



• ·Read the Georgia Tech Admissions Blog. It’s not only informative, it’s also funny and reassuring.