The Georgia Institute of Technology

Tech seems to get a really bad rap a lot of the time, but it's really not that bad. When I was deciding to go here I was scared out of my mind at how awful people were saying the school is. So I want to clear up all of this stuff for people who are like I was. First and foremost: don't come here if you don't want to work hard for your grades. I think part of the problem here is that admission is not nearly as selective as it is at academically comparable schools. Tech accepts ~60% of applicants where as other top notch schools accept 10-30%. So what happens is people get in here who can't really handle the curriculum and they plummet. If you can focus and spend a lot of time on school, you can do well. Personally, I didn't even try that hard in High School and did very well. However, here I'm studying or doing homework between 2 and 5 hours every day. It is also not impossible to do well here and still have fun. I pledged a fraternity my first semester and probably partied 3 nights a week and came out of that semester with a 3.75.

It is true that the faculty at tech won't baby you, but that doesn't mean they are unapproachable/unhelpful/unfriendly. I have actually found the College of Computing faculty to be VERY friendly and helpful. They have always been available and helpful when I have approached them.I also remember worrying quite a bit about the girls here. It is definitely noticeable that the school is only 30% girls, and it's true that a lot of the good looking ones think they're god's gift, but it isn't really that bad. Most of the people who complain about it probably wouldn't be able to get a girlfriend any where else, because all of the guys I know have no trouble. The ratio may be 70-30, but the fact that about 50% of the guys here spend most of their time playing videogames or being antisocial evens out the ratio.

1st Year Male -- Class 2013

Friendliness: A+, Collaboration/Competitive: C

I had a great and memorable college experience. I enjoyed attending the NCAA level sporting events, and also was a member in a fraternity. These provided worthwhile outlets from all of the hours in library and late-night study sessions. You definitely need to be part of a study group throughout your time here, or it will be hard to keep pace.

No question about it, it is a tough school and they don't give out grades.
The GT experience definitely prepared me for a career in engineering as well of graduate school.

4th Year Male -- Class 1989

Education Quality: A, Collaboration/Competitive: C+

For those on this site writing very negative remarks about GT, saying that it is too difficult and their GPA is too low and such, you just don't belong here. I'm sorry to put it so bluntly, but what did you expect? Did you think it would be easy? That you could just go to class, study for an hour the night before the test, and get by? GT is consistently ranked in the top 5 in engineering programs, and the individual engineering departments are all ranked in the top 10, many in the top 5. Obviously, with a reputation like this, you can't expect it to be a cake walk. It's damn hard work. I work 40 hours a week while attending GT. I spend at least 30 hours over a couple of days studying for each test, I spend hours doing homework each week, and I bust my ass. But I can still handle the work load and I have a 3.1 GPA to show for it. What's your excuse? You probably don't have a job, and you still can't cut it? That only means that you don't belong at GT, and you should probably be at GSU where you can breeze by without doing jack. For anyone else reading this who is considering GT, this school is not for everyone. It is extremely difficult, and you are totally inundated with coursework. But the experience, education, and most importantly the reputation and opportunities you gain from this school are unparalled by most. Marathon study sessions are the norm, long homework assignments can be a week-long trepidation, and semester long projects can really weigh you down mentally and socially. But, if you are motivated and hard-working, and you can persevere through it all, you will have great opportunities, not to mention a world-class education and a degree from a worldwide respected university. A good social life is missing here, but there are many fraternities and sororities to choose from, and our football team is finally getting into the spotlight, as we are ranked 11th in the country as of this week. Football games are a blast. Basketball, baseball, and other ncaa sports are also very big here. We have a beautiful campus right in the middle of one of the best cities in the nation, while also being isolated from the city at the same time, giving it a good campus feel. Trust me, I'm a transfer from Georgia State, and that school did not feel like you were in college because the "campus" was shared by businessman and crack heads. There are so many great things to be said for GT, which is why I can't understand someone posting negative comments on here because they can't cut it in a renowned engineering program. If you don't want to work hard don't come here. But if you are smart, and you can work hard, then you will be very pleased with choosing GT. Challenge yourself; you'll be surprised what you can accomplish and how great it feels when you do.

3rd Year Male -- Class 2010

Collaboration/Competitive: A+, Social Life: D+