Advice from @rockenman1234

The following information has been taken from Reddit, posted by a Conditional Transfer Pathway Student who transferred to GA Tech in Summer 2023. You can click HERE to read the full post.

My tips and tricks!

• If you haven’t already done it, your first and foremost thing you’ll need to do is get the FAFSA done! You should have already been prompted to do this when you applied to Tech, but if not - get this done ASAP!

• If you’re a Georgia resident, go ahead and count your lucky stars! As you’re in a minority of Tech’s applicants, and now get to experience all my tips and tricks! Firstly, do not enroll at a TCSG school! In the state of Georgia, these are state owned and operated trade schools (like for welding or cooking) - not community colleges where you can go and get credits on the cheap! You will have advisors lie to you about the transferability of credits, as it happened to me. The TCSG is a different educational branch from the USG (the one that oversees Georgia Tech). You’ll need to be looking into enrolling at a USG school - if you’ve already signed up for schools like Kennesaw State, u[sic]GA, GSU, or any one of these schools listed here - you’re okay and can skip the next paragraph!

• If you did enroll in a TCSG school, you need to visit this page and cross reference the transferability of credits. You’re in a really tight place here since you might not be able to take all your credits at a TCSG school - since from my understanding, you’ll likely only be able to take classes GT considers remedial (like college algebra, precalculus or Algebra based Physics). I’d highly recommend you figure out an exit strategy to a USG school, since GT is incredibly picky about the classes they’ll take and the admissions department is really unforgiving about these requirements. For example, taking precalculus (because that's all they offer) and hoping that Tech will take it over Calc 1, will not work and will get you rejected! Your only other option is trying to cross enroll at a USG school to get those credits, but this process is incredibly messy and convoluted.

For instate students...

• I’d highly encourage you to not go to a bigger USG school - like KSU, u[sic]GA, or both GSU’s. This is because, while the transfer pathway from those schools to tech is more established; if you miss your pathway and want/need to REPP transfer into Tech, your chances of getting in from those schools will be lower since there are more people fighting you for your stop. Consider smaller USG schools, especially those at the “State University” level. I’d recommend staying away from “State Colleges” since those schools typically don’t offer all the classes you need every semester. But it’s okay since schools at this level participate in a system called eCore! These are entirely online classes, that are often taught by professors at other USG schools - these courses are incredibly cheap and easy to pass! During my time at Clayton State, I took 3 eCore classes and loved it! I’d highly recommend eCore for students still needing credits for English, or Physics 1 during the spring semester.

• Lastly, get in touch with your REPP advisor! These are people who are here to help you - and despite not being pathway advisors, still know the transfer system inside and out! (Shout out to Dr. Catherine Matos of Clayton State! She was my REPP advisor and is literally the only reason I’m at Tech thanks to her awesome advising coming out of the ACT fiasco I mentioned earlier! For anyone in the south Atlanta area and looking for colleges to start at, I’d highly recommend Clayton State University - and getting in touch with Dr. Matos ASAP! She will be a fantastic way to guarantee your success in college! She’s seriously one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in college, and would give you the shirt off her back if it means she can help you.) These are seasoned advisors who know the classes you need to take, have back channels to Tech’s admissions department to ask questions, and can help get you in touch with other students also looking to transfer! Network and enjoy your time at this school! Take a part-time job, learn good study habits, and even TA for classes you enjoy if time allows! Remember this time is not about getting to Tech, but preparing for Tech - that’s why their requirements are so high.

For out-of-state or international students...

• You need to check out OSCAR’s transfer portal, if your school is accredited by the SACSCOC - most of your 1000/2000 level classes should transfer into Tech. But if not, you’ll need to check each semester before you register for classes to see what Tech tells you to take. Please note that if you’re enrolled at a community college in a state far away like Arizona or California - and can’t find a simple gen-ed to fulfill a non-essential class requirement like English. Get in contact with the admissions department ASAP as they’ll likely be able to give you written feedback that they’ll accept an otherwise non-acceptable class as fulfilling!

• If you can’t find a necessary class like Calculus 2 that will transfer to Tech, you need to contact the admissions department right away to get that squared away ASAP. Remember, when in doubt - always contact Tech’s admissions department! (Phone calls are usually the fastest way when it comes to communicating with them, but emails allow you to get a paper trail).

For everyone...

• Pathways are not Holistic, and admissions only cares about three things - the classes you’ve taken, the credits you have, and your GPA. Notice that I separated “the classes you’ve taken”, and “the credits you have”. This is because Tech also requires that you apply for entry into your sophomore year or later, so they require that you take at least 30 credits after high school graduation. AP or CLEP credits do not fulfill this requirement - and Tech will know if you try to pass them off as classes you’ve taken at your transfer school! This leads me to the next category, “the credits you have” - while yes, Tech does want to see 30 post-high school credits, you can totally use credits from your AP tests as credit for classes, you just need to do it wisely and make sure that you don’t run out of transferable classes! For example, if you took AP Calc and got credit (even if it's a 3) as long as your transfer school will take it - feel free to use it and skip calc 1 or 2! You’ll just need to make sure that any classes you do take will transfer to Tech, and can be used to fulfill those 8-9 credit hour gaps that skipping a math sequence gives you. Tech wants to also see 30 transferable credits, this is separate from the 30 post-high school requirement! (I used a link for the Conditional pathway, but it's the same requirement for all pathways) This means if your AP credits transfer, or you can CLEP a class for credit, you should be able to fulfill this requirement easily - as long as you’ve taken 30+ credits post highschool.

• Lastly is your GPA, Tech needs a minimum of a 3.3 STEM GPA, and a minimum of a 3.3 overall GPA. This means you cannot expect to make a C in both Calculus I/II, and pad your GPA with easy arts classes. For in state students - if you're interested in knowing what classes count as a STEM GPA, try to find somewhere in your university where it list’s HOPE (or USG) STEM GPA. These are typically counted by Tech as STEM classes for the purposes of GPA calculations. You may also be able to check out this directory to find more classes at your school Tech considered STEM.

• This pretty much covers the basics - I’d also recommend you go ahead and make sure you know what classes you’ll be taking in the fall. Have this in writing, as most universities love setting prerequisites high to milk more money from you for classes you don’t need. So just because you took Calculus in high school, doesn’t mean your advisor will want/let you take calculus in the fall. If this is the case with you - you need to try to find a way to talk to someone and get them to perform a “faculty prerequisite override”. Use those words exactly, and explain your situation with your pathway and time restraint. Otherwise, you might need to take a precalculus class over the summer like I did.

Should I transfer to Tech?

• If you’ve got a pathway - congratulations! Tech sees you as an accomplished student, and just needs some more time to make room for you!

For instate students...

• You probably know Atlanta, consider yourself lucky as there are people who come here from the other side of the planet. I'd highly recommend that you take a self guided tour if time allows! I'm going to keep this section light on purpose as you likely know Atlanta, or have family that knows Atlanta. Tech is in a bubble in midtown, and is usually very safe compared to the rest of the city.

For out-of-state or international students...

• Atlanta is a wonderful city! Full of amazing people - you're probably now getting a little worried about the possible move to Georgia - and that's okay! I’m here to help ease some of these concerns you may have.

• Firstly, let's address the elephant in the room and talk about student well being - and possible issues with racism being in the South. Georgia is a much different place than it was in your history books. Georgia is a purple state now, filled with a lot more different views and opinions - and alot closer to Florida’s political landscape in the late 1990’s to early 2000’s (mostly progressive socially, but fairly conservative fiscally). Let me go ahead and state that Georgia Tech is an incredibly diverse school, and is typically always well above the pack when it comes to making ground breaking and influential decisions. For example, Tech was the first school in the South to desegregate - peacefully, and without court order in 1961. There was not even so much as a recorded ‘peaceful’ protest during this period against desegregation. The three brave men who first enrolled at our campus have a statue on campus, and mind you this all went down before Alabama’s Governor George Wallace gave his famous “segregation now, segregation forever” speech in 1963. Ivan Allan, who the College of Liberal Arts is named after, is an Alum of Tech and was famous for stating as Atlanta Mayor that Atlanta was “A City Too Busy To Hate”.

• Atlanta was also the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and the civil rights movement. With that being said - I won't pretend that racism doesn’t happen on campus, but when it does happen it’s no more common than a normal college campus. I personally don't feel too entitled to speak on this topic, but I'd recommend you reach out to some student organizations on campus to get their opinion on things - here's a link to the directory!

• Let's talk about Georgia’s climate and some things you need to know about living in Atlanta. Firstly, Georgia’s climate tracks closer to a swamp than a normal city. So expect a lot of humid and muggy days - for those of you coming in from China, I’ve heard some of my international friends say that Atlanta’s climate is basically that of Chongqing to give some point of reference.

• When discussing Georgia’s climate, remember this phrase I heard from my grandmother - “There are two seasons in Georgia, summer - and Christmas”. Expect cost of living to be higher than a college town but lower than a city like New York, Philadelphia, Boston, or San Francisco. Many students out of state students decide to go greek (rush a fraternity or sorority) due to the fact that it gives them more sense of home while studying at Georgia Tech - and also provides better food and (typically) better housing for less money.

• If you expect to come into Tech and not need a car, please be aware that Atlanta is a very spread out city. So if you plan on getting outside of the city (or as locals call it - going OTP, outside the perimeter), expect needing a car. MARTA, Atlanta’s public transit system - is very underfunded and is incredibly limited in its outreach. One of the few places it can go from campus however, is the airport - but this is the last stop on the Red line and it stays at ITP (Inside the perimeter).

• If you do decide to bring a car, please be aware that parking passes are currently about $800 a year - so I’d recommend visiting campus and seeing if you actually need one before committing. There is a Publix (a Southern chain of large grocery stores) across campus in midtown, so groceries will likely be a nonissue - especially if you plan on getting a meal plan while here.

• Also, note that in the state of Georgia we offer tools for car owners that you’ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere. The HERO/CHAMP programs - these are emergency response vehicles provided to you by the state free of charge for use. They are equipped with repair tools, patrol almost all parts of major highways in Georgia - and can easily be called through dialing 511 (the Georgia DoT’s traffic reporting system) for help with anything from flat tires to accidents! (Fun fact, but they were created in 1994 for the Olympics - and were established in order to promote Southern Hospitality! These are men and women that work long, thankless, hours all to help us feel more safe on our roads.) You’ll need to call HERO for most highways/interstates in Fulton county (the county containing Atlanta) - and CHAMP for highways outside of the metro area.

What can I expect from Tech?

• For most students, Tech functions just like a normal university. There are some of the brightest people here, and some people you'll have no idea what the admissions department was thinking.

• Most in-state students will also have been used to using D2L for their LMS (learning management system) at public colleges. However, Georgia Tech uses Canvas. Canvas is more user friendly, but also has features from lockdown browser built in - like off-tab detection, etc.

• Truthfully, I'm not sure what I can really put here besides what to look out for. Tech is a wonderful place, but it's what you make of it. There have been successful people that went to Tech, and successful people that didn't - I'd highly recommend that you not put so much pressure on yourself to get here. If you're happy at your previous school, that's great! You'll probably be happy here too, but there's no reason to force yourself to transfer if you feel that you won't be happy or won't take advantage of all the perks Tech has to offer.

FAQ's

• The following are FAQ's that I've seen a number of times on the admissions mega-threads. I'll try my best to answer them below:

  • My class isn't offered at my college, but is listed on the major transfer requirement sheet - can I still get in without it?

    • Probably not, GT is very picky about the classes they'll take and what they won't. You should reach out to the admissions department first before asking online since admissions can bend rules or find equivalent classes.

  • Are out of state students able to earn the HOPE/Zell scholarship? And how do I obtain Georgia residence?

    • Out of state students are unable to earn the HOPE/Zell scholarship, or any state funded scholarship. In order to obtain Georgia residency, you need to meet the requirements listed here. Be aware that attempting to lie about your residency is considered fraud! The easiest way to earn in state residency under the age of 26 is by having your parents move (or buy property) in Georgia in order to file taxes here.

  • I'm an instate student at another University, and a required class I need to take to make my pathway isn't offered during my next semester - what do I do?

    • Firstly, don't panic! You're probably okay - get in touch with a REPP advisor at your college and ask them what they think your next steps are. For 80% of your required classes, you can also take them online through eCore as well!

  • How do I plan for the classes to take before getting to Tech?

    • The new way: (credit to u/lolxdxdjklol for both creating this tool and letting me know about it!) use TransferToGATech. Just punch in your school and desired major, and the tool will find almost all the classes you need to take in order to transfer!

    • The old way: make a spreadsheet - find your classes listed on the major required courses page, and then use the transfer credit equivalency tool to find out what course numbers are listed as equivalent to Tech's courses.

  • How can I contact the admissions department?

    • You can contact them by going here and choosing to either email or call them. Calling typically gives you same day answers, while emailing allows you to form a paper trail.

  • Can I switch majors after coming to Tech as a transfer?

    • Yes! You may have seen something from GT about how transfer students can't change their major - however this is only for transfer students who've earned less than 30 credits at Tech. Unlike freshman entry students, transfer major's must earn the permission of their destination major. This can either be fairly easy for majors not in much demand (such as LMC, Public Policy, etc) - or very difficult and competitive (for CS, MechE, CompE, etc).

  • I got an arts and sciences pathway for GT - can I switch my major after coming here for CS or engineering?

    • No, you won't be able to switch your major into any engineering or CS program once you accept your offer under arts and sciences. However, there is a loophole - Math majors at GT can double major in CS and gain automatic admission into the program. Math is covered by the arts and sciences pathway, so this may be the way to go if you're okay with taking a few more semesters to graduate.

  • Are pathways guaranteed entry?

    • Effectively yes, there is no reason you should pick a non-competitve major (like Public Policy or LMC) if you've got a pathway offer that covers your desired major. As long as you've meet the requirements I listed above, you'll earn a secured spot at Tech for your major.

  • Does my major at my old school affect my ability to transfer to Tech? As in, do I need to be a mechanical engineering major at my old school in order to apply to Tech as a Mechanical Engineer?

    • No, your major at your old school has no effect on your ability to transfer to Tech. You could, in theory apply to Tech as an English major and be granted entry for Electrical Engineering as long as you meet the prerequisites listed above.

    • It’s important to note though that not all majors are created equally, and it’s important to pick a major at your university that allows you to complete all prerequisites in a timely fashion. Instate students on Zell-Miller or HOPE should enroll in a major that requires the classes Tech does to transfer, as those scholarships do not pay for non-required non-major classes.

    • When picking a major to transfer from, I'd recommend you choose something similar to the field you want to apply to Tech as. For example, choose biology if you want to transfer into Biomolecular engineering - or computer science for Electrical/Computer engineering. Math and Physics degrees also work if your university offers them, as they'll allow you to enroll in all the same Gen-Ed's GT requires.

  • I’m on REPP, does community involvement (such as clubs, community service, etc) affect my transfer application?

    • Yes! When you apply on REPP, you’re effectively placing yourself in a smaller pool of applicants - all competing for spots at Tech through a holistic review process. This means that things like community service, awards, and work experience will all make an impact on your likelihood of being accepted! From conversations with some admissions officers I've had at Tech however, work experience (this includes volunteer work) single handedly has the biggest impact on this category.

  • Help! Nobody is responding to me on the subreddit's megathreads! I'm not sure what to do as I have a specific question or need advice!

    • Don't worry! I'd recommend you reach out to the GT discord, or call (not email) the admissions office as you should be able to get incontact with an admissions officer that same day via phone!

  • My class isn't listed on the GT transfer table (or is listed as "Departmental Review Required"), what should I do?

    • Firstly, please note that the table is not a definitive be all end all guide - all classes listed on your transcript are required to be reviewed by the registrar. As a result, save all of your syllabi! When the table lists "Departmental review required" - this just means the registrar hasn't seen this class before and needs to know what was taught and how it should evaluate it as. If the class you're taking isn't listed - that just means they haven't had a chance to update their internal database of classes yet.

    • If the class you need is required, or you're just concerned as it's not listed on the registrar's website - go ahead and contact admissions and see what they can say! When I was transferring into Tech (this policy may have changed), you should be able to start the review process early by contacting the admissions department before you submit your application!