Review of Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Do you feel you’re learning a lot?
What I've noticed about Tech is that the students here are genuinely interested in learning and that the professors genuinely enjoy what they teach. If I want to meet with a professor to further investigate a topic or to merely ask a simple question, they do whatever they can to meet with me in their busy schedules or to respond to any questions I ask in emails as soon as they possibly can. There are also Teaching Assistants (TA's) for almost every course. It depends on the TA, but I've found that most tend to be helpful and are usually more readily available and respond quicker if I have a question or are confused about something. Because of its rigorous academics, Georgia Tech also provides many opportunities for students to learn outside of the classroom, such as tutoring programs, and the professors even hold review sessions concerning the current week's new material.
Outside the academic arena, I've also learned a lot from the people around me, may it be my friends or just strangers I hold short conversations with on the bus. I pick up tips about practically EVERYTHING, from tips on places I should definitely eat at, tips on how to study for a class, and tips on how to get the most out of my money. The people around you serve as some of the greatest life lessons you can ever know, and they can even help you with your studies!
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
Tech has an intense balance between academics and having a good time. Some people criticize it, claiming it’s too much work and no play. However, that opinion depends on each person and how he or she made of his or her time at the school. There’s a saying Tech students like to respond back with, and it’s that Tech students may study hard, but they also know how to play hard, too.
There are an endless number of options of what else I can do to fill the day, day or night, no matter what day of the week. There’s Tech Rec, which has the school’s own air hockey, pool tables, and even bowling alley, and Atlantic Station, which is about 15 minutes off campus with its multitude of stores, restaurants, and movie theater. I attended high school in a small rural town, so it's a new, yet welcoming aspect to be able to have so many different kinds of people and different cultures so readily accessible to experience for myself for once. Different ethnic clubs host dances, parties, festivals, and cook outs where you can eat food from different parts of the world and learn new dances to different kinds of music. You don’t necessarily have to go out to have a good time, either. I’ve met so many great people with so many different experiences and perspectives. Sometimes I have a blast with my friends just sitting around talking, having a ‘Friends’ marathon, and passing around a bowl of popcorn.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Students from all over the world come to Tech, and for many, Tech is their dream school. Knowing this, it made me appreciate how lucky I was to be able to attend such a highly revered school without having to board a plane. As a senior in high school, my list of prospective colleges and universities consisted of nothing but private schools, even those of the Ivy League. I was super iffy about even the thought of attending a public school because I thought private schools were better. Never did I even think I would be attending to Georgia Tech. But looking back on my first semester here, I don’t regret attending here and I wouldn’t go back. It really depends on each person, because for some, Tech genuinely may not be where they fit in the best or feel most at home. However, what I CAN say is to give this school a chance. As hard as it may be, don’t be discouraged by what others say. As an in-state student, I don’t have to pay as much as out-of-state students and even foreigner students do, but even they will tell you that it’s worth the money. Tech may not exactly be a student’s dream party school; however, the money you pay will be worth spent because you’ll be paying for a school that will do its best to offer you ways to help you to succeed. It’s just up to you take up on those chances.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
The next few things I’m about to say are what I believe to be important, because not only will they help those interested in or planning on attending Tech, but they may also help those who change their mind and end up elsewhere.
#1. One of the greatest struggles I had to fight was whether or not to hang out with my buddies whenever they came knocking at my door. Think about it this way: if you wasted a bunch of time procrastinating, then you have to sacrifice your “fun” time with studying. Which brings me to my next point.
#2. Don’t fall to temptation. Despite how much you love your friends, don’t listen to them no matter how much they push you “take a break.” After all, you know yourself best, and it’s up to you to decide for yourself whether you need those extra hours to study or not. Remember that people learn at different paces, so just because your friend feels prepared doesn’t mean you should feel pressured to, too. Don’t feel “nerdy” just because you feel like you have to hit the books more than others.
#3. Go to class, and don’t fall behind. Short story: just go to class, because in all honesty, the two are tied together. I didn’t attend certain lectures sometimes because I felt like I didn’t learn anything while sitting there. So what’s the point, right? I might as well spend that time “wisely” by studying on my own. However, you may (and most likely) spend more time sleeping in (like I did) than you do studying like you may have planned to. In the end, you fall behind and you even start lacking the self motivation that pushes you to go to class in the first place.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Tech is a great place for students who are genuinely interested in learning and want to make something of themselves. Many of the people you meet are so determined. My first semester into college, I wasn’t completely sure if I wanted to stick with my major, and I even ended up switching. Although a lot of other freshman I met may have been unsure of themselves as well, they were still motivated in succeeding and doing something with their lives. If you have goals, then Tech will help you get there. And while your goals here may slowly end up changing, you’ll find ways at Tech that will still support those newfound dreams.
Georgia Tech is known primarily for its intense focus on the mathematics and sciences. However, I feel one of the greatest programs Tech has to offer is the International Program (IP), a study abroad program. In fact, I know a multitude of students who enrolled in Tech merely because of this program. Personally, I’m in favor of any study abroad program. After all, who has ever come back from studying abroad and said they ever hated it? I feel the IP is specifically great because it’s capable of suiting to any student with any major and any interests. So if you’re interested in a great study abroad program, then Tech is for you!
If you’ve studied properly as a high school student, then you’ll do fine at Tech as long as you don’t lose that mindset and study even harder. The majority of the students at Tech are studious and care immensely about their grades, making the school even more competitive once you enroll. However, if you’re looking for a school that will broaden your mind, not just academically but also socially, then Tech is for you!
What I've noticed about Tech is that the students here are genuinely interested in learning and that the professors genuinely enjoy what they teach. If I want to meet with a professor to further investigate a topic or to merely ask a simple question, they do whatever they can to meet with me in their busy schedules or to respond to any questions I ask in emails as soon as they possibly can. There are also Teaching Assistants (TA's) for almost every course. It depends on the TA, but I've found that most tend to be helpful and are usually more readily available and respond quicker if I have a question or are confused about something. Because of its rigorous academics, Georgia Tech also provides many opportunities for students to learn outside of the classroom, such as tutoring programs, and the professors even hold review sessions concerning the current week's new material. Outside the academic arena, I've also learned a lot from the people around me, may it be my friends or just strangers I hold short conversations with on the bus. I pick up tips about practically EVERYTHING, from tips on places I should definitely eat at, tips on how to study for a class, and tips on how to get the most out of my money. The people around you serve as some of the greatest life lessons you can ever know, and they can even help you with your studies!
Tech has an intense balance between academics and having a good time. Some people criticize it, claiming it’s too much work and no play. However, that opinion depends on each person and how he or she made of his or her time at the school. There’s a saying Tech students like to respond back with, and it’s that Tech students may study hard, but they also know how to play hard, too. There are an endless number of options of what else I can do to fill the day, day or night, no matter what day of the week. There’s Tech Rec, which has the school’s own air hockey, pool tables, and even bowling alley, and Atlantic Station, which is about 15 minutes off campus with its multitude of stores, restaurants, and movie theater. I attended high school in a small rural town, so it's a new, yet welcoming aspect to be able to have so many different kinds of people and different cultures so readily accessible to experience for myself for once. Different ethnic clubs host dances, parties, festivals, and cook outs where you can eat food from different parts of the world and learn new dances to different kinds of music. You don’t necessarily have to go out to have a good time, either. I’ve met so many great people with so many different experiences and perspectives. Sometimes I have a blast with my friends just sitting around talking, having a ‘Friends’ marathon, and passing around a bowl of popcorn.
Students from all over the world come to Tech, and for many, Tech is their dream school. Knowing this, it made me appreciate how lucky I was to be able to attend such a highly revered school without having to board a plane. As a senior in high school, my list of prospective colleges and universities consisted of nothing but private schools, even those of the Ivy League. I was super iffy about even the thought of attending a public school because I thought private schools were better. Never did I even think I would be attending to Georgia Tech. But looking back on my first semester here, I don’t regret attending here and I wouldn’t go back. It really depends on each person, because for some, Tech genuinely may not be where they fit in the best or feel most at home. However, what I CAN say is to give this school a chance. As hard as it may be, don’t be discouraged by what others say. As an in-state student, I don’t have to pay as much as out-of-state students and even foreigner students do, but even they will tell you that it’s worth the money. Tech may not exactly be a student’s dream party school; however, the money you pay will be worth spent because you’ll be paying for a school that will do its best to offer you ways to help you to succeed. It’s just up to you take up on those chances.
The next few things I’m about to say are what I believe to be important, because not only will they help those interested in or planning on attending Tech, but they may also help those who change their mind and end up elsewhere. #1. One of the greatest struggles I had to fight was whether or not to hang out with my buddies whenever they came knocking at my door. Think about it this way: if you wasted a bunch of time procrastinating, then you have to sacrifice your “fun” time with studying. Which brings me to my next point. #2. Don’t fall to temptation. Despite how much you love your friends, don’t listen to them no matter how much they push you “take a break.” After all, you know yourself best, and it’s up to you to decide for yourself whether you need those extra hours to study or not. Remember that people learn at different paces, so just because your friend feels prepared doesn’t mean you should feel pressured to, too. Don’t feel “nerdy” just because you feel like you have to hit the books more than others. #3. Go to class, and don’t fall behind. Short story: just go to class, because in all honesty, the two are tied together. I didn’t attend certain lectures sometimes because I felt like I didn’t learn anything while sitting there. So what’s the point, right? I might as well spend that time “wisely” by studying on my own. However, you may (and most likely) spend more time sleeping in (like I did) than you do studying like you may have planned to. In the end, you fall behind and you even start lacking the self motivation that pushes you to go to class in the first place.
Tech is a great place for students who are genuinely interested in learning and want to make something of themselves. Many of the people you meet are so determined. My first semester into college, I wasn’t completely sure if I wanted to stick with my major, and I even ended up switching. Although a lot of other freshman I met may have been unsure of themselves as well, they were still motivated in succeeding and doing something with their lives. If you have goals, then Tech will help you get there. And while your goals here may slowly end up changing, you’ll find ways at Tech that will still support those newfound dreams. Georgia Tech is known primarily for its intense focus on the mathematics and sciences. However, I feel one of the greatest programs Tech has to offer is the International Program (IP), a study abroad program. In fact, I know a multitude of students who enrolled in Tech merely because of this program. Personally, I’m in favor of any study abroad program. After all, who has ever come back from studying abroad and said they ever hated it? I feel the IP is specifically great because it’s capable of suiting to any student with any major and any interests. So if you’re interested in a great study abroad program, then Tech is for you! If you’ve studied properly as a high school student, then you’ll do fine at Tech as long as you don’t lose that mindset and study even harder. The majority of the students at Tech are studious and care immensely about their grades, making the school even more competitive once you enroll. However, if you’re looking for a school that will broaden your mind, not just academically but also socially, then Tech is for you!