What is the number one tip to getting into Georgia Tech, and getting it paid for as a non-resident of Georgia?

Answered

Georgia Tech is a great STEM public research university. Some would put it on par with UC Berkeley or UMich or UNC or UT-Austin.

As a junior from Kentucky, if you apply to any public university system you will be considered an out-of-state applicant.

So there are 2 major problems being from Kentucky

1.) The Tuition is 3 Times higher at $31,370 vs $10,258 so your total cost will be more than $20,000 than in-state admits.

2.) The Acceptance rate is much lower at 16% versus 38% so like UVA and other great public institutions, being out-of-state puts you at a great disadvantage.

CollegeVine has a good article on GeorgiaTech but it is somewhat outdated by 2 years. Last years out of state admit rate was 16%, not 19%, and this year I imagine that might get lowered to 12-14%, which is super low compared to the in-state rate.

https://blog.collegevine.com/what-does-it-take-to-get-into-the-georgia-institute-of-technology/

Another article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution -

https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/with-close-000-applicants-georgia-tech-admits-about/2EHBwB9k4NGRfVkmsZBQvK/

THEREFORE, I have some great advice for you.

1.) Apply only to need-blind colleges because your acceptance will not be affected by your ability to pay. Lucky for you, 95% of the best colleges in the US are all need-blind. You want to do this because if you are smart and deserving of a spot, the college will accept you based on your merit or accomplishments not based on your family's ability to bankroll you. To ensure you can attend, I would also suggest you pick colleges that meet 100% of your financial need. Some need-blind schools only meet say 80% or 90% of your need and you have to take out a loan to make the difference. However, colleges like Colgate University a top liberal arts college in upstate NY has a no-loan policy for families earning $125,000 or less.

2.) Since you are not from a wealthy background, you may qualify for great financial aid from private colleges and universities. The best financial aid ironically is available at the very best private colleges in the US. So all Ivy Leagues, Elite colleges like Notre Dame, Stanford, Rice, JHU have the best need-based financial aid such that if you meet certain income thresholds, you don't pay tuition. For example at Stanford, if your family makes $150,000 or less with average assets, you get free tuition, and if your family earns $65,000 or less, then you pay no tuition, no room, no board, just books, and supplies and you might have to have campus job for like 10 hours a week. Rice, Yale, Harvard, Duke, Vanderbilt are all the same.

https://blog.collegevine.com/a-guide-to-need-blind-schools-complete-list/

https://blog.prepscholar.com/need-blind-colleges-list

3.) You want to make sure you are a contender to apply to all these types of schools so do the following:

- Keep getting top marks

- Try to challenge yourself with the hardest classes

- Take SAT/ACT if you can and get 98%-99% board scores

- Hone your ECs and make them as good as possible and close any gaps or drop ECs that have nothing to do with your passions.

- Have an excellent rapport with your teachers and admin. because they have to advocate for you.

- If there is a course or two missing from making you a top student, consider taking an online college course to make it up over the summer.

Best of luck and there are hundreds if not more, useful tips on other top schools on CollegeVine. And CV does a great job on how to get into those schools and will help you write college-specific essays when you get to that place about a year from now.