The Institute saw an increase in the number of applicants to Tech for the coming fall semester, a trend that has been continuing for several years. The enrollment for this year’s freshman class is expected to be roughly 2690 students, with around 250 entering during the summer semester. Tech also admitted 1200 transfer students.
The number of college applications rose across the country, making it a very competitive environment for college-bound students.
“One of the reasons we had so many applicants this past year was that this incoming class had the highest number of high school graduates than any other class in American history,” said Rick Clark, the Director of Undergraduate Admissions.
According to Clark, another reason for the increase in applications this year was the state of the economy.
“People see the value in a Tech degree and they recognize that our students get a practical education that can land them a job, and in this climate that is not a given,” Clark said.
In addition, Clark credited a savvy marketing campaign that was launched recently to get more students to apply to Tech.
This year, Tech also saw an increase in the number of applicants from abroad. This was in part because of the weak dollar, which made it cheaper for international students to pursue a degree in the United States. Furthermore, rising population in the Southeast and especially in states where matriculation to the Institute is traditionally high contributed to the rise in applicants.
The Undergraduate Office of Admissions tried several new initiatives this year to streamline the application and admission process.
Unlike previous years, in which decisions were made on a rolling basis, the admissions office posted decisions online on a set of multiple dates.
Once students were admitted, they were given access to their Buzzport accounts, through which they could accept their admissions offer and follow through on other tasks.
In addition, preview programs such as Connect with Tech were enhanced to provide prospective students with more information about the Institute and help them make the decision to apply to Tech or to attend once admitted. Campus tours and open houses also saw an increase in interest from prospective students and their families.
“On-campus programs like Connect with Tech have been with us for a long time, and they are designed for students to immerse themselves into Tech culture and decide whether this is the place for them,” said Leslie Jackson, Program Coordinator for Admissions and Undergraduate Recruiting.
Another recruitment tool that has proved highly useful in attracting new students this year was a blog posted by the Admissions Office to encourage those who have applied or have been admitted to matriculate (actually enroll in classes) at Tech. This website offers student perspectives on a wide range of topics including course load, work periods, and study abroad experiences.
From over 11,500 applicants for the fall semester, around 59% of students were offered admission. That comes out to approximately 6,800 students. The incoming class had an average SAT score of 1366 on the combined reading and math sections, 2 points higher than last year’s class. This year was also the first year that Tech considered the writing section. Taking that into account, the average score on the SAT was 2040.
“Diversity is a very important aspect of Georgia Tech and this incoming class contributes to that tradition,” Clark said.
Over 45 different states are represented in this year’s incoming class, out of a potential 48 in the applicant pool. Citizens from 54 different countries are represented, reduced from a possible 79 countries. Furthermore, the number of female students increased 1.4%, thereby changing the ratio to 33% female and 67% male.