By JENNIFER SAYLOR
FOR RED
Georgia Tech
Atlanta, GA
RED's teamed up with CollegeProwler.com, which talks to real students about their schools ... and when we say REAL students, we don't mean the goody-goodies giving the campus tours.
A top-ranked research institute, Georgia Tech is saddled with a top-heavy guy-girl ratio of about 8 to 3. Engineering dominates, with 53% of undergraduates as engineering majors. This is no surprise, since U.S. News and World Report ranks Tech as the #5 undergraduate engineering program nationwide.
And as the campus is in Atlanta, expect sunny southern weather, big-city nightlife and a winter all but free of snow.
Now here's the scoop on what we really think makes Tech really stand out:
Welcome to what U.S. News called the #7 public university in the nation and one of the top engineering schools around. If you're interested in engineering, computing, architecture or the sciences, Tech is gonna feel like home.
Classes are challenging and students say there's not much hand-holding from professors. In general, students are expected to do a lot for themselves and take the initiative to learn.
Some instructors tend to be distant and methodical, or more interested in their research than in their students. But that's the fairly low price Tech students pay for the really good instructors -- especially the ones in the engineering department who are some of the best in their field.
Done with your mechatronics homework? Check out a game from one of four major-league sports teams, including the Atlanta Braves. Is it the weekend already? Spend your Saturday at Six Flags (one of America's biggest theme parks), White Water (a giant water park) or Buckhead and Little Five Points, nearby neighborhoods full of shopping, clubs and culture.
There's a downside to big-city life, though. Look out for shady areas and travel in groups, as the Big Peach has its rotten spots.
On the upside, don't forget Atlanta's Fox Theatre, one of the biggest performance venues in the Southeastern United States. At the Fox, look for anything from George Carlin's stand-up to touring versions of hot Broadway shows to musical acts like Ben Harper and Tori Amos.
Tech's intramural sports scene is also popular. IM sports change from year to year, but look for teams playing basketball, lacrosse, soccer, Ultimate, racquetball and flag football. Some dorms even have their own IM teams, with res halls battling it out on the world's largest Astroturf field for championships in dodgeball and whiffleball.
A cool perk: For students, football games are ticketed (limited admission) but free. (For non-student fans, home games are $30+.)
We hear that plenty of undergrad guys are willing to do almost anything to find a girl to hang out with. So some lucky Tech women may find themselves with all the male attention they ever dreamed of.
And despite the gender imbalance, we hear two good things. One, the imbalance is leveling out. And two, if you're looking for intelligent dating partners of either sex, you'll definitely find them at Georgia Tech.
CollegeProwler.com offers guidebooks on hundreds of schools, or you can sign up for an online account and get access to everything instantly!
A top-ranked research institute, Georgia Tech is saddled with a top-heavy guy-girl ratio of about 8 to 3. Engineering dominates, with 53% of undergraduates as engineering majors. This is no surprise, since U.S. News and World Report ranks Tech as the #5 undergraduate engineering program nationwide.
And as the campus is in Atlanta, expect sunny southern weather, big-city nightlife and a winter all but free of snow.
Now here's the scoop on what we really think makes Tech really stand out:
The Academics
Classes are challenging and students say there's not much hand-holding from professors. In general, students are expected to do a lot for themselves and take the initiative to learn.
Some instructors tend to be distant and methodical, or more interested in their research than in their students. But that's the fairly low price Tech students pay for the really good instructors -- especially the ones in the engineering department who are some of the best in their field.
Local Atmosphere: Hot-Lanta!
What helps an engineering major take the edge off after a rough week of differential equations? An escape into the vibrant urban environment that is downtown Atlanta.Done with your mechatronics homework? Check out a game from one of four major-league sports teams, including the Atlanta Braves. Is it the weekend already? Spend your Saturday at Six Flags (one of America's biggest theme parks), White Water (a giant water park) or Buckhead and Little Five Points, nearby neighborhoods full of shopping, clubs and culture.
There's a downside to big-city life, though. Look out for shady areas and travel in groups, as the Big Peach has its rotten spots.
On the upside, don't forget Atlanta's Fox Theatre, one of the biggest performance venues in the Southeastern United States. At the Fox, look for anything from George Carlin's stand-up to touring versions of hot Broadway shows to musical acts like Ben Harper and Tori Amos.
The Athletics
Although Georgia Tech is a research institute, its sports scene rocks, too. Home games are fun and well-attended, the Tech baseball team is consistently one of the nation's best, and the football team has taken four national championships. And despite its male-dominated student body, Tech has women's varsity sports including basketball, softball, swimming and volleyball.Tech's intramural sports scene is also popular. IM sports change from year to year, but look for teams playing basketball, lacrosse, soccer, Ultimate, racquetball and flag football. Some dorms even have their own IM teams, with res halls battling it out on the world's largest Astroturf field for championships in dodgeball and whiffleball.
A cool perk: For students, football games are ticketed (limited admission) but free. (For non-student fans, home games are $30+.)
Boys vs. Girls
We've already mentioned that Tech has a male/female ratio of about eight guys to every three girls. But is that a drawback or an advantage? You decide.We hear that plenty of undergrad guys are willing to do almost anything to find a girl to hang out with. So some lucky Tech women may find themselves with all the male attention they ever dreamed of.
And despite the gender imbalance, we hear two good things. One, the imbalance is leveling out. And two, if you're looking for intelligent dating partners of either sex, you'll definitely find them at Georgia Tech.
Summing It All Up
As well as warm weather, expect the demanding academics that come from a tough, top-ranked tech school. Expect to live it up in a major Southern cultural center. Expect to find that even tech schools have game when it comes to intramural sports and varsity athletics. And have we mentioned the Georgia beaches are only a few hours away?Craving More Info?
Visit CollegeProwler.com, where you can purchase Georgia Tech: Off the Record, a for-the-students, by-the-students guidebook on more than 20 aspects of Tech life.CollegeProwler.com offers guidebooks on hundreds of schools, or you can sign up for an online account and get access to everything instantly!
Game
Go ahead. Go berzerk.
Celebs
Fame, cash, love. (Yawn.)
Surfing
Could you win the dream?
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