Student Profile
Equestrian Club Gal
- Class: Freshman
- Major: Engineering
- Gender: F
- High School: Aiken High School
- Transfer Student: N
Big Picture
The best thing about Georgia Tech is the community. Knowing that everyone is going through the same thing as you is very comforting, and people are so willing to help each other out. It's teamwork at its best. The school is just the right size, in my opinion. People's reactions seems to be regional. In the south, when I tell people I do to Tech, they are impressed because they know what an awesome engineering school it is. However, in the north, people do not really know about Tech's reputation for being an excellent school. I spend most of my time in the dorm, because most of my friends live in the same dorm as I do. Atlanta is by no means a "college town", but the campus itself and a few surrounding streets feel very much like a little college town. I think Tech's administration is great. We're very sad to lose Clough as President, but he is moving on to head the Smithsonian, a great honor. That's probably the most recent controversy. On game days, school pride is almost tangible. It's that strong. I'll always remember sneaking into the stadium one night and going to the top of the bleachers to stargaze. The skyline was gorgeous. Students frequently complain about the workload and the lack of girls, since the ratio is 7:3.
Academic Life
Most professors know us by name, but it depends on the class size and how dedicated the professor is. My favorite class is my intro to nuclear engineering class. I love the subject matter. I hate Physics, though. Students study all the time. Really. Class participation isn't great, but sometimes it's mandatory, with the personal response systems. We certainly have many intellectual conversations outside of class! Students are generally competitive, but there are exceptions. The most unique class I've taken is a seminar about the origins of life on Earth. It's sort of a biochemistry/biology/evolution class. Very interesting. My major department, nuclear engineering, is very small. I feel like I get a lot of attention for being in that major since it's so small, and I can approach the professors easily. Georgia Tech's education is definitely geared toward preparing you for any career you may pursue while also encouraging learning for its own sake.
Student Body
Campus is very diverse, but I've never really seen any clashing between ethnic groups or anything like that. We had some evangelical religious protesters last semester, but there were counterprotesters, too. I don't think there would be any type of student that could feel out of place here, except someone who wasn't willing to do any work to earn their grades. People wear a lot of Georgia Tech clothing to class-- sweatshirts, free t-shirts, sweatpants, whatever. It shows spirit. In the dining hall, everyone pretty much sits with whomever they want. It's very common to see friends in the dining hall. I'd say about 70% of Tech students are from Georgia, with Florida being the next-best represented state. There are a lot of international students, though! Financial backgrounds are usually middle-class. Many students are politically aware and active. We have a smattering of Libertarians, but most are either Democrats or Republicans, predominantly towards the right since we are in the religious south. Students do talk about their eventual salaries, but not terribly often.
The Best Things
the people
The Worst Things
workload
