With the 2015 Early Action freshman class averaging 1488/2196 on the SAT and 32 on the ACT, the admission’s rate statistics for each class at Tech continue to be even more impressive than the last. This class also averaged taking 9.9 classes on Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or other college-credit classes. Many Tech students reflected on the new data while remembering their own application process.
A major change contributing to the decreased admission rate was the switch from Tech’s individual application to the Common Application. This has caused some concern among Tech students that not everyone who applies has a genuine desire to be here.
“When I applied to Tech, they had their own application, and as an out of state student majoring in engineering, you didn’t really apply unless you wanted to actually go to Tech and take on the rigor of the program. You had to have some sort of interest, or else you wouldn’t bother,” fourth-year CHBE Sam Leach said.
“Now with the Common App, students only need to click an extra button and pay a little more money. So on the surface, we’re getting more selective but I think many of them don’t really have a lot of interest in Tech and don’t end up coming here,” Leach said. “In the end, what makes our student body so amazing is our passion and commitment to what we do, and I would hate to think that some students who have that passion are pushed away because of students who are smart but don’t really have an interest in coming.”
Ben Ashby, a second-year BME, has a similar line of thinking: “Since the application now is just an extra click, I imagine there are some students who don’t research Tech before applying.”
The acceptance rate for admitted 2014 students was 36.8%, which is only slightly higher than the national university average of 34.1%, as reported in US News.
The 2014 freshman class also has an impressive academic profile. The middle 50% SAT range was 2050-2240; The middle 50% ACT range was 30-33, and the average freshman took between 6 and 11 AP, IB or other college-credit classes in high school.
“It’s a great thing that the younger people who are coming behind us are smarter than us,” said third-year EE Theresa Enimini Obot.
Hailee Greenfield, a third-year BME, agrees. “I think the quality of students at Tech will continue to increase in the all years to come.”
In addition, the 2014 freshman class is fairly diverse. It draws its members from over 1,300 high schools, 63 countries, and 47 states. Regarding gender, 39% of the class is female and 61% is male, which is a slight increase in female students from 2013’s freshman class. Similarly, diversity has increased incrementally throughout the years and is expected to increase among the Tech 2015 freshman class. “It’s an exciting time to be here,” says first-year BA, Meghan Devine. “It’s
great to live and work with enthusiastic peers.”