After a middle school robotics competition held on campus and a lifelong fascination with engineering, second-year aerospace engineering student Kevin Rangel knew he was destined to be a Yellow Jacket. Staring at a sky full of stars in rural Mexico only confirmed this, and Rangel knew he would need to save some money to make his dreams come true.
Financing Tech
Rangel loves the stars, space, and everything about aerospace engineering. After finding out that Georgia Tech had the perfect program for his aspirations, Rangel quickly began saving money. Throughout his time in high school, Rangel and his father both set aside money from their construction jobs with the goal of making sure Rangel could pay for college.
The mantra of saving where he can still holds today: Rangel saves most of his money from his job working in the Office of Undergraduate Admission on the Hispanic Recruitment Team for future college expenses. Rangel’s father also continues to save where he can so that he can contribute, and Rangel still occasionally returns to his hometown of Dalton to work and contribute further to his savings.
On top of savings, Rangel uses his federal Pell Grant, a grant awarded to undergraduate college students who demonstrate financial need, to cover his expenses. His tuition is paid for by the Zell Miller Scholarship.
As he continues through college, he’s also thinking of ways he might cover his expenses. Right now, he’s considering co-ops and internships to gain expertise — and build his tuition funds.
Advice for Future Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Rangel’s top tip for prospective students is to start saving early, and to identify what their financial needs will be. As demonstrated by Rangel’s approach to work, it’s always important to save when and where you can.
“I usually split my checks — half goes to savings, half I can use now,” he said. “It’s not cheap, so my father and I have been preparing for a long time to have money ready for it.” To hear more about financing an education at Tech, visit the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid or read more student stories.