georgia tech sat and act scores: what you need to get in

is georgia tech on your college radar? if you’re wondering how to get in to the georgia institute of technology, better known as “georgia tech”—we’re here to help! unsurprisingly, your test scores are going to be a big part of that picture (though not the only part!). read on for everything you need to know about georgia tech admissions, from act scores and sat scores to gpa, acceptance rate, and more!

georgia tech act scores

the average act score for students admitted to georgia tech is 33 (out of 36), which is a highly competitive score!

if you’re wondering what score to aim for specifically, though, it’s helpful to consider percentiles:

• the 25th percentile for composite georgia tech act scores is 31.
• the 7th percentile for composite georgia tech act scores is 34.

what does this mean exactly?

it means that a score of 34 or higher puts you above average compared to other applicants, while a score of 31 or lower puts you below average compared to other applicants. the takeaway? scoring a 34 or higher on the act will significantly boost your chances of getting accepted to georgia tech.

also, it’s important to keep in mind that the act is now superscoring as of april, 2021. what this means, in short, is that the act will now take the average of all of your highest scores across each individual testing section and testing date.

now, not every college or university accepts superscores, but georgia tech does. this is exciting news, because it means you can take the act multiple times to get the highest score possible in each section, and in turn, a higher composite “superscore” that will make you a more competitive candidate! for more information on act scoring, check out our complete guide to act scores.

georgia tech sat scores

the average composite sat score for students admitted to georgia tech is 1465 (out of 1600), which is very high!

but again, let’s take a look at some percentiles:

• the 25th percentile for composite georgia tech sat scores is 1390.
• the 75th percentile for composite georgia tech sat scores is 1540.

so again, this means that if you score a 1390 or lower, you’ll have a below average chance of getting into georgia tech. but if you score a 1540 or higher, you’ll have an above average chance.

the goal then? aim for 1540 or higher on your sat if you want a good chance of getting in. for extra help in this area, check out our complete guide to scoring well on the sat! remember that an sat score in the 75th percentile doesn’t guarantee you admissions to georgia tech, but it will give you a really nice cushion as you go into the admissions process.

now, if you’re wondering about the percentiles for individual subject areas, they shake out as follows:

another thing to keep in mind is that just like with the act, georgia tech superscores the sat, meaning they will make their decisions based on the highest scores you get – even if that means taking the math score from one sat attempt and your evidence-based reading and writing score from another. so even if there’s just one section you could see yourself improving in, it may be worth taking the test again.

finally, there’s a good chance that even if georgia tech is your dream school, you’re probably applying to other schools as well. for that reason, we’ve put together a post covering the sat score range for each of the top 100 colleges and universities in america. more than one goal score never hurt anyone!

georgia tech admission statistics

ok so besides test scores, how hard is it to get into georgia tech and what does it take, according to the numbers? let’s take a look at a few of the ways we can assess your chances of admission.

georgia tech gpa average

the average gpa (grade point average) of students admitted to georgia tech is 4.07, which means you’ll have to pretty much be a straight-a student to get in.

this also means that if you’re heart is set on georgia tech, you’ll want to start getting good grades early in high school. by the time you’re a junior or senior, it can be very hard to raise your gpa, so keep this in mind. and remember, honors and ap courses are often weighted differently, so depending on the scale your school uses, an a in these courses can raise your overall gpa substantially. you can read more about calculating your gpa here!

georgia tech acceptance rate

according to this article about georgia tech’s admissions rate for the incoming class of 2021, the class size jumped 5% this year after an 11% increase in applicants from the previous year.

45,357 students applied and the overall acceptance rate for the class of 2025 was 18%. 32% of georgia applicants were accepted while 14% of non-georgia applicants were accepted.

so as you can see, georgia tech is a highly selective school!

freshman profile

what does the incoming freshman class look like? let’s take a look!

• 42% are female and 58% are male
• 21% applied “test optional” (37% of the total applicant base was “test optional”)
• students represent 113 nations, all 50 states, and 111 counties in georgia
• 23% identify as black, hispanic, or multi-racial
• 9% are first generation to attend college

and according to the above article, “as compared to last year’s freshman class, the 2021 admitted class is both more racially diverse, including 28% more black students and 12% more hispanic students, and more socioeconomically diverse, including 20% more first-generation students.” this is great news that georgia tech is becoming more diverse!

for a more detailed look at georgia tech admissions statistics for recent years, check out the fall 2020 freshman profile, which also details high school activities, future career goals, more detailed background demographic information, and much more.

how to get in to georgia tech: application requirements

when reviewing your application, the georgia tech admissions committee will be looking for the whole package.

the truth is that you will almost certainly need a good gpa, be near the top of your high school class, and have good test scores. however, like many schools, georgia tech also values a student body of diverse, innovative thinkers, and they will accept a ‘good institutional fit’ applicant over one with higher academic achievement.

when completing your application, gt encourages you to demonstrate more than just your intellectual drive. you should also be able to provide examples of your personal responsibility and compassion for others. this could be displayed through your work history, community involvement, family responsibilities, and other informal good deeds. you’re much more than a test score, so make sure the admissions board knows that.

here’s what one admissions expert says about getting into georgia tech:

okay, so what will you actually need to apply to georgia tech?

you can view their awesome admissions field guide and this overview of their holistic review process, but here’s a quick list of what you’ll need for your application:

• transcripts — you’ll need to provide a copy of your unofficial high school transcripts during the application process and official transcripts once you are accepted.
   
• test scores — all first-year students seeking admission for 2022 and beyond will be required to provide a copy of their act or sat scores (you can submit both, but only one is required). during the application process you may self report scores and then supply official scores once you are admitted.
   
• demonstration of your contribution to the community — on your application you will be asked to list and describe activities that you’re involved with that give back to others in some way. don’t leave this component blank and make sure to put thought into how your contributions reflect values like commitment, leadership, self motivation, and intellectual curiosity. also note that georgia tech doesn’t accept separate resumes; you will have to provide this information on their application.
   
• personal essays — as part of your application you must complete a common app essay as well as one georgia tech short answer essay. the link included elaborates on what they’re looking for in your essay, but we also recommend consulting this piece on brainstorming your college essay topic.
   
• letters of recommendation — letters of recommendation are optional, not required, at georgia tech, but if you’d like to include one, please submit one letter from a high school teacher or counselor who knows you well and can speak to your educational aptitude and potential.
   
• an interview — if you’re a non-native english speaker, you may choose to participate in an admissions interview to discuss your academic achievements.
   
• an intended major — on your application you must specify your intended major (though you can change it during fall semester of your freshman year).
   

the takeaway

a well-rounded application is extremely important – scores aren’t everything. however, test prep should be your friend! there are a lot of parts of the admissions process that you won’t be able to control, but your sat or act scores are something that you can have a real say in.

if going to georgia tech is your dream, then you need to start planning early.

• figure out whether the sat or act is best for you.
• take the psat or preact your sophomore year.
• create a study schedule that fits into your busy life. i would strongly recommend finding a test prep program that works for you (consider checking out the free 1-week sat trial or the free 1-week act trial from magoosh).
• think about taking the test twice if you need to.

prepare yourself to the best of your ability – if you’ve done your best, there’s nothing to regret. and of course, don’t forget to complete your fafsa application to help you secure financial aid and pay for tuition and housing!

hopefully, georgia tech will admit you with open arms (and some financial aid!) but, if not, there are many of other amazing universities out there that would love to add you to their community. that’s what happened to me. 😉

but for now, it’s time to get studying!