The Georgia Institute of Technology

Date: Jan 24 2003
Major: Computer Science (This Major's Salary over time)
Georgia Tech is a school based on the idea of what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. At every turn they will make your life more difficult, in the thought that eventually you’ll come out knowing you can accomplish anything and that you’ll be a hot ticket for employers. It’s a great idea, and maybe some schools could get away with it, but not Georgia Tech. They do an excellent job of making life difficult, but not as good a job of gaining the respect necessary to follow a principle like that.

GT was a horrible experience for me. Very few take advantage of Atlanta, which, as for being as large a city as it is, I personally don’t think it had that much to offer. At GT nearly everyone is overworked, and stays up late studying. That is all people do there. Unless of course you take one of the non-science/engineering majors, in which case your degree is worthless anyways (who would hire a management major from a Tech school?)

Eventually, I decided to leave (due to them not offering a promised specialization). I then had to argue to get out of a housing contract (they wanted me to pay a few thousand dollars, for housing I wouldn’t be living in). Then I had to deal with their “buzzcard” office (it’s like a school credit card), which lost my form I filled out to liquidate my account, and in the end I was only able to take out less then half of what was left in it. Lots of red-tape and frustration for anyone there, but hey,

it makes you stronger!

;)

Unlike most schools that accept only students who have the potential to succeed at their school, GT accepts everyone. All too often I saw kids there that could have spent their time better at a Junior College growing up a little and preparing. However, since education is free for Georgia residents who receive a 3.5 or higher in high school, many kids simply remain at GT for 6 or more years. An 8 year undergrad with no degree is much more common then it should be anywhere.

The kids are so over-worked and lack so many social skills that the cafeteria is almost always silent. The schools firewall blocks out everything except web, email, and IM. That means no file-sharing, or even legitimate uses such as IRC. The school is over-run with ROTC folk who stifle the voices of any non-conservatives. The school is always under construction… they “have” a lot of great things to offer, but not for another 10 years. Also, prepare to have TAs and teachers who hardly speak English. All in all, don’t attend. Oh yeah, and just a reminder its less then 30% female, and yes this will wear you down, and no, you won’t be spending any time at Agnes Scott or Emory, because you’ll need to study instead.