Georgia Tech Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

Georgia Tech has always been an excellent university where one could receive a top-notch educational experience. However, it was not always a highly-selective institution on the admissions front. In fact, back in the days of the Clinton White House, Georgia Tech accepted over two-thirds of those who applied. In 2023, this is a school that only admits 12% of out-of-state applicants and 29% of freshmen were the valedictorian or salutatorian of their high school class (let that sink in a moment…). It’s fair to say that an applicant to Georgia Tech today is playing a completely different ballgame than applicants in 1995, 2005, or even 2015. Even students with nothing lower than an A- on their transcript and an SAT/ACT score above the 95th percentile still need a compelling application in order to have strong odds of becoming a Yellow Jacket. That brings us to the Georgia Tech supplemental essays…

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into Georgia Tech? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into Georgia Tech: Admissions Data and Strategies for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Although it only has one general essay prompt, Georgia Tech’s supplemental section still affords applicants an opportunity to illustrate what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below is Georgia Tech’s supplemental essay for the 2022-23 admissions cycle. The College Transitions team also dishes advice on how to pen a winning essay.

2022-2023 Georgia Tech Essay Question

Why do you want to study your chosen major specifically at Georgia Tech? (300 words max)

This is part “Why Us?” and part “Explain Your Major” and your aim is to seamlessly touch on both topics in a tightly-woven 300-word composition. Georgia Tech is very forthcoming in its essay-related advice to applicants. They wisely advise all applicants to demonstrate “authenticity & self-awareness,” “thoughtfulness”, and to “display attention to topic, style, and grammar.” For a deeper dive, let’s examine the list of common pitfalls followed by a list of characteristics of a winning Georgia Tech supplemental essay:

Common components of a mediocre “Why Georgia Tech?” essay

• Georgia Tech’s engineering/business/computer science program is atop the U.S. News rankings, is prestigious, and has a great reputation.
• Generalities about why Atlanta is an ideal location for your college experience.
• Generalities about why Atlanta is an exciting/cosmopolitan/diverse/culture-filled city.
• Too many generic expressions of feeling (e.g. I know with all my being that Georgia Tech is the school for me…).
• Recycled statements from your other “Why Us?” essays that come across as stale, impersonal, or worst of all–irrelevant/inaccurate.

How to write a needle-moving “Why Georgia Tech?” essay

• Demonstrate how your goals align with the school’s mission statement. “The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university established by the state of Georgia in Atlanta in 1885 and committed to developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.”
• Cite specific academic programs, professors, research opportunities, internship/externship programs, study abroad programs, student-run organizations, etc.
• How will you be an active, contributing member of the academic community at Georgia Tech?
• Show evidence of how your past/current endeavors will carry over onto Georgia Tech’s campus.
• How will you take advantage of Georgia Tech’s immense resources both inside and outside of the classroom?
• Lastly, address why Georgia Tech is the perfect fit for you. Also, touch on why you are the perfect fit for Georgia Tech.

Big-picture thoughts on a “Why this Major/College” essay

In any “Why Us?” composition, you need to show that you’ve done your homework on a given school. Yet, you don’t want it to read like a robotic list of items that you Googled ten minutes before writing the essay (even if the timing of the Google search is roughly accurate).

In addition to the pure research element, a lot of the time and skill required in creating a stellar Georgia Tech essay will involve connecting the classes, professors, opportunities, etc. of interest that you have uncovered to your distinct values, talents, aims, proficiencies, and future goals.

How important is the essay at this school?

Eight factors are “very important” to the Georgia Tech evaluation process. The Common App and supplemental essays are among them. Additional factors considered “very important” are: rigor of coursework, GPA, recommendations, extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, volunteer work, work experience, and the level of the applicant’s demonstrated interest.

Georgia Tech Admission Essays – Personalized Assistance

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Georgia Tech supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote today.