This fall, Georgia Tech’s Office of Undergraduate Admission continued a streak of expanded travel efforts to share information about Tech with high schoolers across the state and beyond. During this year’s travel season, Undergraduate Admission counselors connected with an estimated 9,134 students across nearly 400 schools, encompassing 129 Georgia counties.
This marks an increase of 31 counties and 119 schools visited, and 4,648 more students engaged than last year. Undergraduate Admission’s increased travel has been an ongoing effort to continue expanding access to a Tech education in Georgia.
“Georgia Tech was present in more than 80% of Georgia’s 159 counties this travel season, far more than we’ve ever visited before,” said Mary Tipton Woolley, interim executive director of Undergraduate Admission. “Our team has spent many days on the road to engage with more Georgians than ever.”
The season began with the Peach State Tour, an annual joint recruitment effort by Georgia Tech, Augusta University, Georgia State University, and the University of Georgia, to share information about their institutions with students, counselors, and parents. The tour began in late August and continued through mid-September.
This year, the tour saw 2,844 attendees with 13 in-person programs and 11 virtual programs.
For Christina Scott, Undergraduate Admission’s assistant director of rural initiatives, the Peach State Tour and returning to southwest Georgia in her travel felt like a homecoming of sorts.
Scott enjoyed connecting with the students and people in her travel area – some of the students from her travel territory who now attend Tech have even gone out of their way to say hello on campus. For her, being welcomed into these communities over the past couple of years has emphasized the interconnectedness of schools and towns across Georgia.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of returning is seeing familiar faces and reconnecting with school counselors, secretaries, and other faculty and staff,” said Scott. “Picking up conversations where we left off reminds me of the strong relationships we’re building. And, of course, the students and families at the Peach State Tour events continue to leave lasting impressions on me.”
Georgia Tech admission counselors on the road across Georgia.
This fall also featured drive-in visits to campus for select counties, as well as programming for high school counselors across the state to visit campus and learn more about Tech.
A new Small Town and Rural Students (STARS) College Network program coordinator has also joined the Undergraduate Admission team as part of Tech’s involvement with the STARS College Network. The new position will contribute to further expansion of Tech’s efforts in rural areas, including the 115 counties in Georgia considered rural.
As travel season wraps up, the Undergraduate Admission team turns towards reviewing more than 8,000 Early Action 1 applications, a 15% increase over last year. This decision round focuses solely on Georgia applicants.
“Our work to connect with students and counselors has continued to result in more Georgia students than ever seeing Tech as an option,” said Katie Mattli, senior assistant director of Undergraduate Admission. “Serving our state means ensuring students in all communities see Georgia Tech as attainable. Having students from all corners of the state means their perspectives are represented on campus.”
Decisions will be released for Early Action 1 on Friday, Dec. 6, and first-year applications will continue to be received through the Regular Decision deadline of Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
For more information about the undergraduate admission process at Tech, visit the Office of Undergraduate Admission website.