Georgia Gwinnett College

Georgia Gwinnett College

Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Public
4 Year

Molly's Review

Review of Georgia Gwinnett College

from Lawrenceville, GA

Describe your college in three sentences.

Georgia Gwinnett College is a growing school that gives you the experience of university life without the hefty price tag. The students here are very diverse which helps to showcase many different cultures around campus. New students will find the campus to fit them if they prefer smaller classrooms and smaller walks to classes, many campus events, an assortment of clubs, and school that cares about them.

Do you have any tips for prospective students?

Dorm life is expensive but completely worth the money. If you are living on campus make friends with your RA because they can become one of your best friends for life. Also crockpots are allowed on campus so bring one if you enjoy home cooked meals. There is also a wellness suite downstairs near the POD. The gym is a twenty minute walk so take advantage of the wellness suite (though if you think about the walk as extra exercise it won't be too bad). Make sure you have all of your roommates numbers because there will be days that you will get locked out and it costs five dollars to have a security guard open the door for you. Also speaking of lockouts, your room key (it's a legit key) is 180$ so do not lose that. The dining hall sells togo boxes for five dollars. These are reusable in the sense that you can either wash it or bring it back to the dining hall and trade it in. I highly recommend buying one. If you are a commuter you will get 20 mean swipes for the dining hall, if you live on campus you can swipe up to three times a day. There are food court restaurants on campus and you can use these meal swipes to pay for up to five dollars and seventy-five cents of your meal. If your meal goes over this use your munch money. By using meal swipes and much money you'll save money and end up with more free meals. There are many clubs on campus, I myself am in sociology and music club and plan to be in the game design club this year. There are so many other clubs around campus that will interest you so at least give them a shot. These clubs also plan a lot of events, especially Greenlight. Go to these events not only because they're fun, but because they're culturally inclusive! I went to an Arabian night earlier in the semester that had the most amazing food, henna tattoos, and Bollywood dancing along with learning about Arabian culture from Arabian students around campus. OLAS puts on The Masquerade every year which is the biggest event of the year on campus and full...

Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?

Being culturally diverse there are many professors from many different backgrounds. This means that there may be some language barriers. I have had four professors in my two years of being here that have been tough to understand but I still came out okay. Having small classrooms helps with this however, because if you can't understand the professor, he/she is more likely to come help you one on one in class. The AEC is also a tool to help but it's pretty hit or miss. They're amazing with helping with papers, but other subjects depends on the tutor you are assigned. The library is also a resource to take advantage of. If you cannot afford books for the semester the library has them for students to check out for an hour. Galileo is part of the library and an easy way to access articles the library has but from the comfort of your laptop. All the computers on campus also have programs that professors require for class that way you don't have to buy them for your own personal computer. There are four computer spaces around campus and a library resource center in A building to take advantage of.

Describe the dorm life at your college.

There are two buildings, 1000 and 2000. Guys and girls do not live in teh same dorm but they do live in the same building. I live in the 12 bedroom suite. This suite gets a lot of flack but it is not as bad as everyone make it out to be. There are 12 bedrooms, six bathrooms, 2 kitchenettes, and a common are/living room. An RA will always live in this dorm with the other residents. Every person has their own bedroom with a bed that can be lofted if the resident wishes too (they put a railing on the bed after a certain height so you don't fall off). There is also a desk, dresser, and nightstand. The closet is full length and has a light in it. The kitchenette has a microwave, dishwasher, fridge, cabinets, and even the kitchen sink! In the common room, there are enough seats for all the residents with chairs and a sofa. There is also a coffee table, television stand, and a television. There are two room inspections throughout the semester where they only check the room, bathroom, kitchenette, common room, and if the closet light works. They're not going to go through your stuff to look for banned items but if they're laying out they will confiscate them. Only painters tape and command hooks are allowed on the walls and nothing is allowed to hang from the ceiling. Plants and animals, including fish, are also not allowed. Residents are also allowed to bring their own televisions, mini fridges, futons, and chairs. There are heating and A/C units that the residents control to suit them. The RAs in dorms are a tight knit team who know what they're doing. They are very kind and always happy to help but not to be taken advantage of. They have anywhere between twelve and twenty residents as opposed to 40-60 that most universities have. Having such a small number makes it easier for RAs to get to know residents one on one and makes them more approachable to others. They also always know the answers to my questions and if not they can find someone who does. They also throw aw...

Describe the food and dining at your college.

On campus, there is a Chick-Fil-A, Panda Express, Moe's, Starbucks, Einstein's, and the dining hall. There is also the POD. Chick-Fil-A, Panda Express, Moe's, and one of the PODs are located in A building. Chick-Fil-A had terrible service my freshman year but has since hired new, friendlier people. The food hasn't changed and was good at first but after three semesters I have eaten so much I can't eat Chick-Fil-A at all. Panda Express is not very good at all. The food is not decent and the fried rice always tastes off, but because it's one of the healthiest options on campus it's always busy. The people who work there are usually very slow and not always polite. This is probably one of my least favorite places on campus. Moe's is the newest restaurant and was always busy at first. The food is always good, but it is very expensive. The managers were also very rude. A majority of the people who worked there quit because the management was just so bad. The workers were always the nicest but they put up with a lot. Starbucks is always nice to go to. Itâ??s right next to the library so you can get your caffeine before a hefty study session. The people that work there are some of the nicest. When itâ??s not busy, theyâ??re sometimes trying to make new drinks like Southern Iced Tea. They also make your drinks very fast and work to get you out. Einsteinâ??s isnâ??t my favorite but Iâ??m also not the bagel type. When I do go they are very kind and usually fast. I have triggered an allergic reaction thereâ?¦twiceâ?¦but that was my fault. I forgot to tell them I was allergic to banana and hazelnut. They will accommodate to things like this even if it means cleaning a blender. The dining hall is a good place to go when youâ??re finally sick of everything else. Thereâ??s an assortment of healthy options for everyone. There are so many options such as stir-fry, southern kitchen, Mexican food, omelet bar, yogurt bar, grill, pizza buffet, pasta bar, salad and soup ba...

What’s there to do for fun at your college?

Campus always has events going on thanks to Greenlight. Res Life also does their best to put on stellar programs to keep residents entertained and help meet others. There are two formals, one per semester. There is also an assortment of clubs to join. GGC isnâ??t exactly in walking distance of anything but it is in driving distance. The Lawrenceville Square is just a five minute drive and there is always something going on. There are many restaurants and shoppes and the Aroura Theater. Being a student at GGC can also get you discounted or even free tickets to shows at the Aroura. Twenty minutes away is the Mall of Georgia and Buford. Atlanta also isnâ??t a far drive and most residents enjoy to go there for a taste of city life for the night. Being a smaller (but growing campus) itâ??s easier to make friends so some nights youâ??ll have more fun staying in and binge watching Family Guy on Netflix.

Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?

Most people who go to Georgia Gwinnett go because of the cheap price. You are definitely getting your moneyâ??s worth because it is a growing school. GGC offers university quality at community college price. Itâ??s a beautiful campus with so many features such as a game room or counselling services or the gym. If you look at all the different things youâ??re being charged for and then notice that itâ??s only a little over 2000 dollars, youâ??ll find yourself impressed.

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

There is a tradition called March through the Arch. All freshmen are required to attend because they will march through the arch as freshman and walk out during graduation with a degree and a new outlook on life. People also donâ??t know about the counselling services. They will talk to you about anything from the stress of finals to life issues and try to help in any way they can. Behind the student center is a fountain that people know about but not many people go to though it is calming. In the dorms, there is a wellness suite for those who think the gym is too far to walk to. Parking is never easy but always check H lot. Most everyone tries to park there but it never hurts to try. B building is known for being where the nerds hang out. Donâ??t worry they call themselves nerd too. They are very loud but they are also very kind and love when random people want to play Magic with them. Sometimes someone will bring a Wii and monitor and there will be a Smash Bros tournament.

Which types of students will excel at your college?

Students who want university life but with smaller classes would find GGC perfect for them. Youâ??re really getting the best of both worlds here. Itâ??s easy to become known around campus if you plan to get involved. GGC is a community and we always stick together. Weâ??re Grizzlies and we arenâ??t afraid of hard work. Georgia Gwinnett College prides itself on the four pillars, leadership, scholarship, creativity, and service. Even if you donâ??t think you fit these characteristics, by the time you leave you will exemplify them. GGC is a growing school just like its students but it is all worth the hard work.

Are you involved in any clubs or activities?

There are a hundred different clubs on campus to join. The biggest are Greenlight and OLAS. Greenlight gets all the student fees so they can throw so many wonderful events. OLAS is the Organization of Latin American Students. They throw the Masquerade every year and is one of the biggest events on campus. I myself am part of the sociology club and music club on campus. Since my schedule will accommodate it this year, I plan to join the game design club. There is no Greek life but there are clubs that try to mimic the values of certain Greek life houses. Clubs cannot turn anyone away for any reason and are the easiest way to meet people.

Are you involved in any clubs or activities?

There is no Greek life but as mentioned before there are some clubs that try to mimic their values. By doing this they canâ??t turn away anyone but it still isnâ??t the same.

How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?

Campus safety is important to everyone. There are many security officers on duty and student patrol. GGC has itâ??s own police to call in the event something happens. There was an instance where a man who shot his wife tried making his way to campus but that was handled in the best way possible. The campus was on lock down for almost five hours until the shooter was found but no one was hurt. Security is also posted at every usable doorway of the dorms to keep people on the trespass list out. Security is everywhere to ensure nothing fishy happens and the police are a minute away. If anyone needs to find the GGC police they can be found in the admissions building. The dorms also have a fire drill at least once a semester. In the event of bad weather everyone is required to go to the lower level to wait out the storm. In the other buildings, there are severe weather signs posted outside classrooms and bathrooms deemed protective for severe weather. Fire alarms and extinguishers are easily accessible. In the event of another shooter there are many designated areas to go to stay safe.