georgia tech essay

Georgia Tech Essay 2022-23

Georgia Tech Essay: Quick Facts

  • Georgia Tech Acceptance Rate: 18%—U.S. News ranks Georgia Tech as a most selective school.
  • Georgia Tech Essay Requirements: 
    • 1 ( ~ 300 word) essay
  • Georgia Tech Application: Students must submit their Georgia Tech application through the Common Application. Make sure to double check all Georgia Tech application deadline and requirements. 
  • Georgia Tech Application Deadline:
    • Early Action I: October 17th  
    • Early Action II: November 1st
    • Regular Decision: January 4th
  • Georgia Tech Essay Tip: In addition to the Common App essay, there is only one Georgia Tech essay to complete. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to thoughtfully and authentically complete the Georgia Tech essay. 

Does Georgia Institute of Technology have supplemental essays?

Yes. In addition to your Common App Personal Statement, you will craft a why Georgia Tech essay that explains why you want to attend Georgia Tech. However, there aren’t multiple Georgia Tech supplemental essays.

Applicants must only complete one Georgia Tech application essay and the Common App essay.

Since the Georgia Tech acceptance rate is rather low, you should ensure your essay thoroughly explains why Georgia Tech best fits your goals.

While this task may seem daunting, the Georgia Tech application essay is not intended to trip you up. Make sure your Georgia Tech application essay shares new information while also explaining specific reasons why Georgia Tech is the place for you. Emphasize specific details that help the reader understand who you are and why you would fit in at Georgia Tech. Successful Georgia Tech essays will answer the why Georgia Tech essay completely and thoughtfully.

How to Write Georgia Tech Supplemental Essay–Question 1

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

The why Georgia Tech essay gives you the chance to state your educational goals within the context of Georgia Tech. Students’ Georgia Tech supplemental essays will resemble those of many colleges. This means that while you won’t be able to reuse your Georgia Tech application essay (after all, that defeats the purpose of the “why school” essay), learning to write a strong response to this prompt might help you in your other applications.

Also, keep in mind that your Georgia Tech application essay should largely look toward your future rather than your past. You can—and should—mention specific ways that your academic interests have developed. However, you should devote most of your Why Georgia Tech essay to why you hope to pursue these interests at Georgia Tech. Below are some ways to ground your why Georgia Tech essay:

Focus on Academic Interests

georgia tech essay

First, and most importantly, you should consider your academic interests. Remember, this Georgia Tech essay prompt asks both why you want to study your chosen major and why you want to do so at Georgia Tech. Your response to the why Georgia Tech essay should address both of these questions—that is, you should explain the origins and development of your academic passions alongside your interest in Georgia Tech.

Think a bit about your future college major when contemplating the Georgia Tech supplemental essays. Which programs at Georgia Tech most interest you? Maybe some courses excite you because they connect to your professional goals. Perhaps there is a professor whose research lights your intellectual spirit on fire. Look for reasons why Georgia Tech is the perfect place for you, and highlight them in your Georgia Tech application essay. 

Your Georgia Tech application essay should be grounded in what intellectually excites you about college and how Georgia Tech specifically quenches that academic thirst. There aren’t multiple Georgia Tech essay prompts; so, make sure that your response to this prompt is unique and passionate about your future academic interests. 

Consider discussing community

Second, successful Georgia Tech supplemental essays will consider Georgia Tech’s community, particularly in the academic sense. Why does Georgia Tech’s campus culture appeal to you? Why would you thrive in an intellectually engaged community like Georgia Tech? 

For inspiration, you might check out Georgia Tech’s admissions office website as well as their YouTube channel. There, you can see what Georgia Tech wishes to emphasize about itself to prospective students. You can also hear from students past and present about their lives on campus. Incorporating these themes will help you prepare an excellent Why Georgia Tech essay.

Keep in mind that, at the end of the day, the Georgia Tech application essay is a snapshot of your current interests. Since there aren’t multiple Georgia Tech essay prompts, students should place special attention on writing strong Georgia Tech supplemental essays. 

Many college students change their major, and the Georgia Tech admissions team understands this. Perhaps your future professors will inspire you to change direction. Or, maybe, an internship or volunteering experience might reveal a new passion. Admissions officers know that your prospective major may shift once you arrive at Georgia Tech. Don’t feel constrained by “choosing” a future major—instead, use the Georgia Tech supplemental essay to reflect on your current interests and illustrate your overall intellect.

Georgia Tech Essay Reflection Questions:

  • Does your Georgia Tech application essay provide specific examples that show you have researched why Georgia Tech is a good fit for you?
  • Do you avoid extended lists of reasons why you want to attend Georgia Tech and instead focus on one or two specific things?
  • Will your Georgia Tech application essay stand out amongst a pool of competitive applicants?

How do I write the Georgia Tech essay?

georgia tech essay

Writing the Georgia Tech essay can seem challenging at first, especially because you don’t have multiple chances to get the essay right with various Georgia Tech essay prompts. Still, there is a method to the madness. Students should begin these Georgia Tech supplemental essays by brainstorming what about Georgia Tech appeals to you. As you draft responses to the Georgia Tech essay prompts, a structured outline will help focus your thoughts.

Keep in mind that your Why Georgia Tech essay isn’t just about Georgia Tech—it’s about you. Your Why Georgia Tech essay should not only highlight the specific resources and opportunities that draw you to the school; it should also speak to how you hope to develop your interests and passions in college. Georgia Tech supplemental essays should demonstrate that students have thought intentionally about their ideal college environment and how it relates to their goals. In evaluating your Georgia Tech essay, the Georgia Tech admissions team will consider both what sort of student you will be and what you will bring to their college community.

As the Georgia Tech acceptance rate continues declining, admissions officers sift through more and more applications. As there aren’t various Georgia Tech essay prompts, this makes it even more important that your one Georgia Tech essay shines. Your Georgia Tech application essay should capture your accomplishments, your goals, and why Georgia Tech is an ideal next step.

Why School Essay: Three tips for researching Georgia Tech

When writing your why Georgia Tech essay, or any why school essay, you should be as detailed as possible. The biggest mistake students can make when writing Georgia Tech supplemental essays is being too general. Therefore, one of the first steps in writing your why Georgia Tech essay is to do some research on Georgia Tech. You may have some useful information from your college search that led you to complete a Georgia Tech application. For their Georgia Tech supplemental essays, students can use that initial research as a base for the why school essay, especially if a certain academic program initially caught their interest. 

Your why Georgia Tech essay should aim to impress Georgia Tech admissions while still being authentic. Georgia Tech admissions is selective. Your why Georgia Tech essay is only a small portion of your overall Georgia Tech application, albeit a very important portion. Before even beginning your why school essay research, check out our guide on how to get into Georgia Tech. You’ll also want to read all about Georgia Tech admissions to understand the selection process. Without multiple Georgia Tech essay prompts to respond to, you have time to put all of your focus on this why Georgia Tech essay. 

You may already have an idea of a major or program that you want to pursue. That’s great. Students who know their intended major have an easy place to start researching when starting their Georgia Tech essays. However, maybe you’re still choosing a major. That’s no problem. Georgia Tech essays aren’t meant to be a formal declaration of your major. Rather, Georgia Tech admissions just wants to get to know you and your academic interests in relation to Georgia Tech and its programs. 

Three tips to get you started when researching for Georgia Tech essays: 

#1- Start with the mission statement

Georgia Tech admissions wants you to show in this why Georgia Tech essay how your goals align with their values. Georgia Tech states that the institution is “committed to improving the human condition through advanced science and technology.” You’ll need to demonstrate, through your chosen major, how you would fulfill that mission. Students who write successful Georgia Tech supplemental essays will keep that mission statement in mind as they research academic programs for the Georgia Tech application essay. 

#2- Find a major

When writing your Georgia Tech essay, search through the majors offered at the university. You’ll likely have an area of interest even if you are still undecided on a major. In order to write impressive Georgia Tech supplemental essays, students should lean into those intellectual interests in order to find a major that they can passionately and authentically write about. Students should use their Georgia Tech essay prompts to reference specific opportunities only offered at Georgia Tech. These could be the research facilities, faculty, or internship opportunities. 

#2- Learn about the campus culture

Georgia Tech admissions wants to see through students’ Georgia Tech supplemental essays how you align with their mission and values. Showing how you would excel on the campus is important. Georgia Tech supplemental essays may reference clubs or organizations that you would get involved in. How would those opportunities add to your intended major?

Take your time

Once you’ve done all the research, focus your attention on answering the prompt in its entirety. There aren’t multiple Georgia Tech essay prompts so give yourself all the time it takes to answer exceptionally. Expand on your most relevant research for your why Georgia Tech essay by relating it back to you and your goals. How do the specific values, programs, and campus community relate to you? What will you bring to this academically rigorous program? How will you apply that to your future career? Students should think about all these questions as they write their Georgia Tech supplemental essays. 

It may be helpful to look at what works when writing a why school essay. Many schools require a why school essay. Students responding to the Georgia Tech essay prompts will make their answers specific to Georgia Tech, however, the basic goal and structure of the why school essay will be the same. Check out the why school essay examples for Yale, Northwestern, and NYU to see how to ace the Georgia Tech application essay. 

Is the Georgia Tech essay required?

Yes—all students must complete the supplemental Georgia Tech application essay.

The Georgia Tech admissions team uses a holistic application review process. This means that your how to get into Georgia Tech strategy will require presenting a cohesive application narrative. When reading Georgia Tech supplemental essays, admissions officers want to understand your academic potential as well as who you are as a person. 

In addition to thoughtful Georgia Tech supplemental essays, the Georgia Tech admissions team wants to see demonstrated interest (DI) from you. Demonstrated interest is a tool of measurement that universities use to gauge how enthusiastic students are about attending a particular school. Essentially, if an admissions officer has two similar candidate profiles in front of them—similar test scores, extracurriculars, and achievements—the final decision may come down to which student better demonstrates their interest in attending. In a Forbes article on how best to use DI in your college applications, they highlight the power of the essay. In this case, your Why Georgia Tech essay can be a powerful tool to demonstrate your interest in attending.

Recently, the Georgia Tech acceptance rate has become increasingly competitive. Many students are vying for a spot at this top science, technology, and engineering school. Given that there aren’t multiple Georgia Tech essay prompts to respond to, make sure to make the most of the 300 word count as you show the Georgia Tech admissions team what makes you unique. Remember, well-written Georgia Tech supplemental essays can make or break your admissions odds.

Is the Georgia Tech essay important?

Students’ Georgia Tech supplemental essays are absolutely important. The Georgia Tech application essay helps readers understand who you are beyond your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars. In fact, Georgia Tech supplemental essays can even provide important context to grades and activities. This can help you stand out to admissions officers.

As you write the why Georgia Tech essay, remember to share both the exciting features of Georgia Tech and how they connect with your own experiences and goals. Georgia Tech admissions are not only looking for your academic credentials in this Georgia Tech application essay—they also want to see who you are and how you can contribute to the campus culture. Given the low Georgia Tech acceptance rate, students want to do all they can to maximize the impact of their Georgia Tech supplemental essays.

What is the Georgia Tech acceptance rate?

As a public institution, Georgia Tech has a commitment to educating Georgians as well as students from all over the country and the globe. This means the Georgia Tech acceptance rate is twofold.

For in-state applicants, the Georgia Tech acceptance rate this past year was 35%. As for non-Georgians, the Georgia Tech acceptance rate was only 13%. Georgia residents may also want to consider applying to Georgia’s HOPE scholarship, as it’s only available to them. It’s a merit-based scholarship largely based on your GPA. 

Whether or not you’re a resident of Georgia, students who make the most of the Georgia Tech application essay, will have a better chance against the low Georgia Tech acceptance rate. Since the competition is so keen, you should give it your all when crafting your Georgia Tech essay. There aren’t multiple Georgia Tech essay prompts. That makes it even more important for applicants to write the best Georgia Tech essays possible. It’s your chance to show admissions who you are and why you deserve to be a part of the Georgia Tech community. 

What are the admissions requirements for Georgia Tech?

As a globally recognized research university, Georgia Tech provides excellent educational opportunities to its students. The Georgia Tech acceptance rate has decreased in recent years, and Georgia Tech admissions have become increasingly competitive. Successful applicants will not only have impressive Georgia Tech supplemental essays, but also strong GPAs, standardized test scores, and extracurriculars. 

Considering applying to Georgia Tech? Keep in mind that Georgia Tech admissions exclusively accepts undergraduate applications (including students’ Georgia Tech supplemental essays) via the Common App

The Georgia Tech admissions requirements include:

  • Strong standardized test scores (SAT/ACT)
  • High grades/GPA
  • Evidence of academic rigor in high school courses
  • Strong Common App Personal Statement and Georgia Tech application essay
  • Evidenced contribution to your community
  • Optional recommendation letters from your high school counselor and one teacher in a core academic subject

While many schools have opted to go test-optional, Georgia Tech does require standardized test scores. Be sure to plan early in order to get the strongest score possible. Extracurriculars are another vital piece of your application narrative. Check out tips on crafting the best extracurriculars list possible. 

Acing the Georgia Tech admissions requirements

Want to stand out in Georgia Tech admissions? Make sure to take challenging courses at your high school to demonstrate your academic drive. You should also consider including optional recommendations from your high school counselor and a teacher (ideally from a core academic subject, which generally is a course you need to take to graduate, such as English or math). 

Keep in mind that Georgia Tech admissions officers use a holistic application review process. This review process includes your contributions to your community and, importantly, your personal essays. You will submit all materials for your Georgia Tech application—including your Georgia Tech essay—through the Common App.

You will also submit letters of recommendation from your teachers through the Common App platform. Additionally, the Common App will allow you to address any notable disruptions due to COVID-19, if applicable.

Keep in mind that although the Georgia Tech admissions process considers all aspects of your application, a weak Georgia Tech application essay can prevent you from getting in—even if you have high grades and scores. To maximize your admissions odds, you should put as much thought into your Georgia Tech essay as possible. Well written Georgia Tech supplemental essays will maximize your chances of admissions. 

Five Tips for Writing the Georgia Tech Essay

The why Georgia Tech essay can seem vexing. You don’t have multiple Georgia Tech essay prompts, so you may feel even more pressure to get this one right. How do you craft an answer that reflects both your own interests and specific details about Georgia Tech? 

Five tips for writing the Georgia Tech Essay: 

Start early

There aren’t multiple Georgia Tech essay prompts for applicants to answer. There is only one Georgia Tech application essay (in addition to the Common App personal essay). However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give your Georgia Tech essay the time and care that it deserves. Successful Georgia Tech essays will take more than a night to complete. Your essay is extremely important when considering how to get into Georgia Tech. You need time to brainstorm, research, draft, edit, and repeat. To stay organized, check out these tips on building your college application timeline

Do your research

The key to successful Georgia Tech supplemental essays is being specific. To make your essay count, research how you can explore your interests at Georgia Tech. You might incorporate a quote, a specific course, or a faculty member to boost your essay’s impact.

Connect the dots

In your “Why Georgia Tech” essay, make sure each detail about your interest in Georgia Tech that you include to highlight your interests also gives the reader a sense of your identity. For instance, the courses you mention could link back to ideas you have studied outside the classroom. A professor’s research that excites you could connect to a club you run or a project you did. By building these connections, you can use your Georgia Tech supplemental essay to show both the depth of your intellectual engagement and how you’ll fit in at Georgia Tech.

Be authentic

While understanding what Georgia Tech admissions is looking for in its applicants is important, you don’t want to write a Georgia Tech essay that is just what you think admissions wants to hear. Write about your genuine interest in academic programs at Georgia Tech. And show through your authenticity and passion why you’re a perfect fit for the program. 

Make sure to proofread

Georgia Tech supplemental essays are evaluated not only for content, but also for mechanics and writing style. Make sure that you carefully proofread your final draft of the Georgia Tech essay before submitting. Have someone else read it over for grammatical errors and content. If implementing someone else’s feedback, be sure to maintain your own voice and style. 

Georgia Tech Essay – Final Thoughts

Grades and numbers can only do so much. Your Georgia Tech application essay has the power to illuminate where you have been, where you are, and where you hope to go. Without various Georgia Tech essay prompts to respond to, admissions will be carefully examining each why Georgia Tech essay. Do everything you can to make it stand out. It may be helpful to find inspiration in other successful essay examples.

It is natural to see the low Georgia Tech acceptance rate and wonder how to stand out. Still, keep in mind that the Georgia Tech admissions team uses a holistic review process that extends beyond grades and test scores. This gives you the power to curate a strong Georgia Tech essay—and application—that sheds light on why you’d be a great fit on campus.

Who you are and what matters to you

The Why Georgia Tech essay lets you share both who you are and how your passions align with Georgia Tech’s offerings. Going in with a plan, such as an outline or brainstorming sheet, can help you get off to a strong start. You might also ask another person to proofread your Georgia Tech application essay and offer feedback. 

Remember that outstanding Georgia Tech supplemental essays can lead to an acceptance letter. There aren’t multiple Georgia Tech essay prompts, so admissions is looking for excellent responses to this one essay. Keep focused on creating the best Georgia Tech essay possible and hopefully you’ll be looking into Georgia Tech enrollment by spring. Good luck!


georgia tech essay

This Georgia Tech essay guide was written by Sarah Kaminski. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.