Online Undergraduate Degree Programs
2026 Summer/Fall Transfer Decisions
At 4 pm ET today, March 20, UGA will release the transfer decisions for the Summer/Fall 2026 applicant pool. Just like with our freshman decisions, UGA is committed to ensuring that all students have a wonderful experience during their time Read More >
Conduct and Criminal History Review
Conduct and Criminal History Review The University of Georgia is committed to the safety and well-being of a community of students who demonstrate integrity and respect for others and the campus environment. As members of the University of Georgia community, Read More >
2026 Final Freshman Admit Decisions
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 6th, at 4 PM ET. Congratulations to all of the freshman who were admitted and we look forward to you becoming part of the Bulldog Nation. The Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 6th, at 4 pm ET. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict approximately Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 6th at 4 pm ET. We received roughly 51,600+ applicants, thus making decisions very challenging this year. Unfortunately, we are not able to admit a number of Read More >
Application Fee & Fee Waivers
College Credit Earned in High School Many students begin their UGA journey with college credit already completed. In a typical year, incoming freshmen arrive with an average of four or more college courses earned through a variety of programs like Read More >
Verification of Lawful Presence (VLP)
Verification of Lawful Presence (VLP) Based on requirements from the Board of Regents of The University System of Georgia, admission to UGA is contingent upon the verification of a student’s lawful presence (VLP) in the United States. Prior to enrollment, Read More >
Who is a Transfer applicant? A transfer student is someone who has attended some college after graduating from high school and wants to transfer to UGA to complete their degree. To be eligible for transfer admission consideration, applicants must meet Read More >
Valedictorians & Salutatorians
Valedictorians and Salutatorians Since 2000, the University of Georgia has guaranteed admission to the top two graduates of all SACS-accredited high schools in Georgia by final decision release (mid-to-late March) for the University of Georgia’s First-Year Class for the Fall Read More >
Veteran Applicants The University of Georgia is proud to support military service members and veterans pursuing a bachelor’s degree. We thank you for your service. If it has been some time since you were last in a classroom, the application Read More >
Transient & Guest Applicants To be considered a Transient or Guest Applicant you must be currently enrolled and in good standing at another college or university, seeking to attend UGA for a semester as a non-degree-seeking student, and then return Read More >
Second-Degree Applicants Applicants who already hold a Bachelor’s from another institution and are seeking to take classes and earn an additional undergraduate degree from UGA must complete the Transfer Application and meet the below criteria. Eligibility and Requirements Hold Read More >
Post-Baccalaureate Applicants Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree from another institution, have never attended UGA, and want to take undergraduate courses without earning another degree should submit the Post‑Baccalaureate application. If admitted, it will be with the non-degree-seeking post-baccalaureate Read More >
Nontraditional Applicants If you have been out of high school for several years and are ready to begin or resume your college journey, you may be eligible to apply to the University of Georgia as a nontraditional student.
Georgia Residents 62+ If you are a Georgia resident 62 years of age or older, the University of Georgia welcomes you to continue your education. Per the University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents policy, eligible applicants can take Read More >
Returning UGA Students Undergraduate students who have taken time off from UGA may need to reapply to continue their studies. Former students can explore which category best fits their situation below. Each group has its own path back to the Read More >
Study Abroad & International / National Student Exchange
Study Abroad and International / National Student Exchange Students participating in a study abroad or an exchange program from another institution, who plan to study at UGA, will coordinate directly with both their home institution’s academic department and the corresponding Read More >
Dual Enrollment Applicants The UGA Dual Enrollment program allows exceptional local high school students to take university‑level courses at UGA, while still completing high school graduation requirements at their high school. This opportunity is designed for students who have exhausted Read More >
Griffin and Tifton Campuses Applicants interested in transferring to the UGA Griffin Campus or the UGA Tifton Campus may apply through the UGA Application. This option is for upper-level students who have met the requirements for their campus of interest. Read More >
Everything CBO Partners Need, All in One Place. Thank you for the dedication you bring to supporting students as they navigate their college search and application process. We deeply appreciate your partnership, and we’ve created this page to give you Read More >
2026 First Year and Transfer Final Decision Dates
Let’s make this short and sweet! Currently, we are finishing up our review season, where we are looking at both our First Year applicants for Final Decisions and our Transfer applicants for Summer/Fall 2026. The good news is that we Read More >
Transfer Pathway Frequently Asked Questions Below you will find some commonly asked questions for the UGA Transfer Pathway, an invitation only program offered to a small cohort of students. Please keep in mind that the application process is student managed Read More >
Road Dawgs Road Dawgs is a series of events where current UGA students visit high schools across Georgia to share their personal stories and experiences as college students. During these visits, they answer questions, provide insights, and inspire high school Read More >
Undergraduate Admissions Events In addition to visiting high schools to connect with students, school counselors and college supporters, Undergraduate Admissions hosts a variety of events each year to recruit and enroll prospective students to the University of Georgia.
The applications are all in for the 2026 UGA Regular Decision group of students, so here is some detailed information on the total UGA freshman applicant pool for Fall 2026 (EA and RD). Admissions decisions can be overwhelming and confusing, Read More >
Submitting Your Self-Reported Grades All first-year applicants are required to self-report their high school grades on their application for admission through the Common Application. Before you begin, have these things ready: An unofficial copy of your high school transcript Your Common Read More >
Home-Educated Applicants The University of Georgia welcomes applications for admission from students who are educated at home, as well as applicants who attend non-accredited high schools. Per the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG), students who Read More >
Transfer Admissions FAQs Below you will find some commonly asked questions for Transfer applicants. Please keep in mind that the application process is student-managed and that students are responsible for keeping up with dates, deadlines, and items to be submitted.
First‑Year Admissions FAQs These questions all relate to how first-year applications are reviewed and what makes an applicant competitive for UGA Admission.
Top 5 Things Transfer Students Can Do to Plan for UGA We’re excited that you’re considering joining the University of Georgia community! Applying as a transfer student can feel complicated, but with the right preparation, you can set yourself up Read More >
Becoming a Bulldog Starts Here Apply now to become part of the next generation of bulldogs committed to academic excellence, experiential learning, and world-class achievement.
Summer/Fall 2026 Transfer Admissions
The Summer/Fall Transfer Admission application is now open, and with it comes a few changes or updates. For both freshman and transfer admission, UGA has specific enrollment goals for new students to ensure that they have access to the resources Read More >
At UGA, Admissions is in part a numbers game, but probably not in the way you are thinking. Most of the time, when an admissions office is talking about numbers, they are referring to a GPA, a test score, the Read More >
Check Status & Update Application
Your Application Status Page
Everything Counselors Need, All in One Place. Thank you for the work you do every day to guide students through their college search and application journey. We value your partnership, and this page is designed to give you quick access Read More >
Office of Undergraduate Admissions The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is your partner in navigating the path to UGA.
Experience Our Athens Campus Visiting the University of Georgia is the best way to experience what it means to be a Bulldog. From historic North Campus to state‑of‑the‑art learning spaces and vibrant student life, a campus tour gives you an Read More >
Georgia Residency for In-State Tuition The following general descriptions are by no means all-inclusive, nor do they supersede existing regulations concerning in-state residency. This should only be used as an explanatory guide for Georgia residency. Detailed official guidelines are listed Read More >
A Top Value Education We know families are thinking carefully about the cost of college, and at Georgia, we take that seriously. The University of Georgia continues to stand out as one of the nation’s best values, pairing an exceptional Read More >
Other Applicants Whether you are returning to UGA or thinking about joining our community for the first time, we are here to help. If you are not planning to enroll right after high school as a First-Year student or transfer Read More >
Who is an International Student? An international student is an applicant who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and who will study in the United States under a temporary, non‑immigrant visa. You are considered an international applicant if Read More >
Who is a First-Year applicant? A first-year applicant is a student who has not yet graduated high school and has not enrolled as a full-time college student. Only taking dual enrollment courses still qualifies as a first-year student. First-Year Admission Read More >
Top 10 Things High School Students Can Do to Plan for UGA Getting ready for college doesn’t mean giving up fun or stressing out. It means being aware, curious, and intentional as you move through middle and high school. Small Read More >
Where Bulldogs Live Their Best Days The University of Georgia offers countless ways to get involved, grow, and discover who you want to be, from Greek Life to hundreds of clubs and organizations that make campus feel like home. And Read More >
Commit to Academic Excellence At the University of Georgia, you’re joining an academic experience that stands apart. As one of the nation’s top public universities, and the first state‑chartered university in the country, UGA pairs a tradition of excellence with Read More >
Discover What’s Possible, Right Here at Georgia. Life as a UGA student is more than classes, it’s a full, vibrant experience rooted in one of the most iconic college towns in the country. Your days might start in one of Read More >
2026 EA Totals and Out-of-State/International Decisions
Out-of-State and International Early Action decisions will be released at 4 pm EST today, so here are some details about this EA applicant and admitted groups. When you log into your status page, you will see a “View Update” link Read More >
In-State Early Action decisions will be released at 4 pm EST today, so here are some details about the In-State EA applicant and admitted groups. When you log into your status page, you will see a “View Update” link under Read More >
Let’s make this short and sweet! Currently, we are finishing up our Early Action review season, where we are looking at both our In-State and Out-of-State/International applicants for Fall 2026. The good news is that we are at the point Read More >
The applications are all in for the 2026 UGA Early Action group of students, so here is some detailed information on this group. Admissions data and decisions can be overwhelming and confusing, and at times people hear unusual theories, sometimes Read More >
UGA Overall EA Admissions Over the last decade, the UGA applicant pool has grown at a substantial rate. If you look at the number of applicants over the past 10 years, you will see tremendous growth in our applicant pool Read More >
2026 EA Freshman Admission Suggestions
We are roughly three weeks out from the UGA Early Action (EA) application deadline, so here are a few suggestions/recommendations for applicants/parents: Please, please, please (that is 3 pleases, which means it’s important) don’t wait until near the deadline to Read More >
Hitting the Admissions Sweet Spot
Hitting the Sweet Spot. This phrase has links to sports, advertising, business, and more, and it is generally defined as achieving the optimal outcome by locating the best possible condition for a situation. In baseball, it’s about hitting the ball Read More >
2026 Spring Transfer Decisions
At 4 pm ET today, August 15, UGA will release the transfer decisions for the Spring 2026 applicant pool. Just like with our freshman decisions, UGA is committed to ensuring that all students have a wonderful experience during their Read More >
The Spring Admission application opened on May 31, and we plan on releasing the Spring Transfer decisions on Friday, August 15 at 4 pm. For both freshman and transfer admission, UGA has specific enrollment goals for new students to Read More >
The UGA 2026 First Year application will be opening up on August 1 on the Common App, so here are a few things to know prior to it going live: Should a student apply Early Action (EA) or Regular Read More >
For First Year students applying to UGA for Fall 2026, we will keep the same longer personal essay (250-650 words) as before, using the essay prompts from the Common App. The shorter UGA specific essay (200-300 words suggested) topic Read More >
After my daughter enrolled as a UGA freshman several years ago, my wife joined several social media groups for UGA parents. She was more of an observer/reader than an active participant, as she knew our last name might trigger someone Read More >
Since the ACT is making some changes to their exam, I thought it best to give some updates on the ACT and redo a previous post about how UGA looks at the ACT. Starting in April 2025 (for the digital Read More >
At 4 pm ET today, March 21, UGA will release the transfer decisions for the Summer/Fall 2025 applicant pool. Just like with our freshman decisions, UGA is committed to ensuring that all students have a wonderful experience during their time Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 14th, at 4 PM ET. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 14th, at 4 pm ET. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict approximately Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 14th at 4 pm ET. We received roughly 47,860+ applicants, thus making decisions very challenging this year. Unfortunately, we are not able to admit a number of Read More >
Enrollment Management, Space and Weddings
This has been the year of weddings for me. My son got married in November down in Florida, and we will be attending four weddings in the next 3 months. I even had to go buy an additional suit so Read More >
2025 First-Year and Transfer Final Decision Timelines
Let’s make this short and sweet! Currently, we are finishing up our review season, where we are looking at both our First Year applicants for Final Decisions and our Transfer applicants for Summer/Fall 2025. The good news is that we Read More >
Summer/Fall 2025 Transfer Admission Updates
The Summer/Fall Transfer Admission application is now open, and with it comes a few changes or updates. For both freshman and transfer admission, UGA has specific enrollment goals for new students to ensure that they have access to the resources Read More >
The applications are all in for the 2025 UGA Regular Decision group of students, so here is some detailed information on the total UGA freshman applicant pool for Fall 2025 (EA and RD). Admissions decisions can be overwhelming and confusing, Read More >
2025 UGA Overall EA Admissions
Out-of-State Early Action decisions will be released at 4 pm EST today, so here are some details about the overall EA applicant and admitted groups. When you log into your status page, you will see a “View Update” link under Read More >
2025 In-State EA Decision Information
In-State Early Action decisions will be released at 4 pm EST today, so here are some details about the In-State EA applicant and admitted groups. When you log into your status page, you will see a “View Update” link under Read More >
UGA 2025 EA Numbers and Information
UGA Overall EA Admissions Over the last decade, the UGA applicant pool has grown at a substantial rate. If you look at the number of applicants over the past 10 years, you will see tremendous growth in our applicant pool Read More >
Early Action Update: Hurricanes Helene and Milton
Hi Everyone! My name is Seth Filkins, Senior Associate Director of Admissions Operations. I have been with Undergraduate Admissions at UGA for over 13 years and have held behind-the-scenes roles in the office during this time. However, David Graves has Read More >
My wife and my daughter are big fans of the Bachelor/Bachelorette shows, so much so that even though my daughter has moved to Arizona, there is a pact between them to not communicate about the show until they Read More >
Senior year of high school is about to start, and UGA is on the list of schools you are considering. But what now? How do you make sure you are giving us the information we want, and how will UGA Read More >
When I was six weeks old, my mother passed away due to complications from a blood clot. Several years later my family grew, mirroring the 70’s sitcom of the Brady Bunch, with two widowed parents with three children each finding Read More >
For First Year students applying to UGA for Fall 2025, we will keep the same longer personal essay (250-650 words) as before, using the essay prompts from the Common App. The shorter UGA specific essay (200-300 words suggested) topic will Read More >
Due to the challenges that every college is facing because of the delay in FAFSA data being sent to colleges (including UGA), the 2024 Wait List process will be different from prior years. First, the deposit deadline for International and Read More >
I am going to tell you secret about me – I love movie theater popcorn. It is my kryptonite. If I go to the movies, I need to have a large bucket of popcorn with the butter layered throughout. For Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 15th, at 4 PM ET. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 15th, at 4 pm ET. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict approximately Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 15th at 4 pm ET. We received roughly 43,090+ applicants, thus making decisions very challenging this year. Unfortunately, we are not able to admit a number of Read More >
Timelines for Final Decisions and Transfers
Let’s make this short and sweet! Currently, we are deep into review season, where we are looking at both our First Year applicants for Final Decisions and our Transfer applicants for Summer/Fall 2024. The good news is that we Read More >
Every year, Georgia has a cold snap, where the temperature gets below 30 degrees, the stores run out of milk and bread (no, I don’t know why), and everyone huddles under a blanket. This year winter really hit in mid-January, Read More >
While the focus this time of year seems to be all about freshman admission, January/February is the time of year when we receive a majority of our transfer applications and our Evaluation Team begins to work on our transfer reviews, Read More >
2024 UGA Overall EA Admissions
Out-of-State Early Action decisions will be released at 4 pm EST today, so here are some details about the overall EA applicant and admitted groups. When you log into your status page, you will see a “View Update” link Read More >
Parents – I have been where you are. I have survived the late night feedings, the endless soccer/swimming/dance/whatever else events, the lengthy “discussions” about cleaning their rooms, and teaching them how to drive a car. Don’t even get me started Read More >
2024 UGA In-State EA Decisions
In-State Early Action decisions will be released at 4 pm EST today, so here are some details about the In-State EA applicant and admitted groups. When you log into your status page, you will see a “View Update” link under Read More >
UGA Overall EA Admissions Over the last decade, the UGA applicant pool has grown at a substantial rate. If you look at the number of applicants over the past 10 years, you will see tremendous growth in our applicant pool Read More >
For UGA Admissions, early October brings out a wide range of questions about the UGA Early Action process, so here is an FAQ on the most prevalent questions out there at this time. Should I apply Early Action or Regular Read More >
Updated Transfer Consideration Levels for Spring 2025
In admissions, our role is not just to admit students, but also to analyze enrollment numbers, review UGA student success using academic data for admission decisions, and to work with our campus partners to help develop a strong UGA community. Read More >
As fall approaches and conversations about colleges enter your home, I want to share some tips from a parent’s perspective. I am a dad. I am not saying I’m a good dad, a bad dad, or whatever, but I have Read More >
New Information for 2024 First Year Applicants
For the Fall 2024 First-Year applicant group, there are three updates the UGA Admissions Office wants to make known when students are preparing to apply to UGA. We will be exclusively using the Common App for our First-Year applicants. We Read More >
In reviewing the deposits we received as of May 1, we are close to but under the number of students we plan to enroll for Fall 2023 (the projected new freshmen number is 6,200 students), so we will be admitting Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 17th, at 4 PM EST. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 17th, at 4 pm EST. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict approximately Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 17th at 4 pm EST. We received roughly 43,700 applicants, thus making decisions very challenging this year. Unfortunately, we are not able to admit a number of Read More >
2023 Transfer Admission Update
While the focus this time of year seems to be all about freshman admission, February is the time of year when we receive a majority of our transfer applications and our Evaluation Team begins to work on our transfer reviews, Read More >
UGA 2023 Freshman Applicant Pool
The applications are all in for the UGA Regular Decision group of students, so here is some information on the total UGA freshman applicant pool for Fall 2023. The total application numbers (EA and RD) are roughly 43,600, which is Read More >
Defer Decision – Myths and Reality
Defer: For many applicants, this tiny little five letter word should be added to the long list of swear words. It is never fun to be told to wait and see, from having to go standby for an airline flight Read More >
Early Action decisions will be released later this afternoon, so here are some details about the EA applicant and admitted groups. I will also add a comment to the top of this post when decisions go live (4 pm EST), Read More >
2023 UGA Overall Admissions & Early Action
UGA Overall Admissions The UGA applicant pool has grown at a substantial rate recently. If you look at the number of applicants over the past 10 years, you will see tremendous growth in our applicant pool both in size and Read More >
2023 EA Applicants – Random Q&A
Every year prior to the Early Action (EA) deadline of October 15, students and parents have a lot of questions concerning the process, timelines, and materials, among other things. As such, here is an FAQ for many of those questions. Read More >
When people start talking about college admissions and numbers, a wide range of different ideas start to bubble up in the conversation. You have test score numbers and GPA’s, admit percentages and yield data, and a wide range of other Read More >
Fulton County Students & New Material
As a part of the admissions review at UGA, our team recalculates a GPA for all freshman applicants using core course grades and any additional AP/IB non-core grades. We do this in large part because every school or school district Read More >
For the Fall 2023 class, UGA will be keeping the same essay questions as have had for the past few years. UGA will require two essays, a longer personal essay (250-650 words) and a shorter essay (200-300 words). In addition, Read More >
Every year in the second week of May, the SEC Enrollment/Admissions leaders meet at one of the member University’s campuses to talk about the year, plan out any group events and commiserate over the challenges that each of us have Read More >
Demonstrated Interest – A Grand Gesture
I am a child of the 80’s. I wore corduroy pants and a jeans jacket, and even had a Member’s Only jacket. My family had some of the ugliest cars possible, from a dirt brown Chevette (not a Corvette Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 18th, in the late afternoon time frame. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 18th, in the late afternoon timeframe. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict Read More >
2022 Freshman Denial Decisions
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 18th in the late afternoon time frame. We received almost 40,000 applicants, thus making decisions very challenging this year. Unfortunately, we are not able to admit a Read More >
The final two decision dates for UGA freshman applicants are now set (unless some major issue impacts our office), with the smaller February wave of decisions will be released on Friday, February 18, while the final decisions in March will Read More >
UGA 2022 Freshman Application Details
The applications are all in for the UGA Regular Decision group of students, so here is some information on the total UGA freshman applicant pool for Fall 2022. The total application numbers (EA and RD) are roughly 39,700, which is Read More >
Hogwarts Admissions Committee – page 3
For 20+ years, I have tried to envision how Hogwarts made their admissions decisions (this is the type of odd thing admissions people think about). While I am sure others have written about this, I have not seen it, so Read More >
Early Action decisions will be released late this afternoon, so here are some details about the EA applicant and admitted groups. I will also add a comment to the top of this post when decisions go live, and I Read More >
2022 EA Applicant Pool Information
As we stated earlier this month, UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the Status page on Friday, November 19 in the late afternoon unless some serious problem arises, which I do not expect. If this changes, we Read More >
This morning the UGA Admissions Office announced that our Early Action decision release date would be Friday, November 19 in the late afternoon. If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know not to ask when Read More >
By mid October, I expect that UGA will have received roughly 15,000-20,000 Early Action applications for Fall 2022 (roughly 40% will come in during the last week), and by then the UGA Admissions Office will be in full file review Read More >
There is a myth about a sea captain and a jeweler living on the island of Zanzibar, and it goes something like this: A long time ago, a retired sea captain lived on a remote area on the island of Read More >
Fall 2022 Application and Essay Information
For the Fall 2022 class, UGA will be keeping the same essay questions as have had for the past few years. UGA will require two essays, a longer personal essay (250-650 words) and a shorter essay (200-300 words). The Common Read More >
Haircuts, Admissions Offers, and Careful Cutting
Roughly fifteen months ago, as most everyone transitioned to COVID-19 regulations and limiting their time at places outside their home, I bought a Wahl clipper hair cutting kit and my wife started her in-house barber shop with one client, me. Read More >
The Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia (USG) announced this week that the twenty-six USG colleges and universities for the state of Georgia will be requiring submission of an SAT or ACT score for admission for Read More >
In reviewing the deposits we received as of May 1, we are extremely close to the number of students we plan to enroll for Fall 2021 (projected new freshmen number is 5,800), but since we always project about 2-4% of Read More >
While this year in admissions and higher education has been unusual, we are slowly transitioning to some on campus admissions actions. This is a transition time as more vaccinations are occurring, and the CDC guidelines are being updated for different Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 19th, in the late afternoon time frame. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to Read More >
2021 Freshman Wait List Decisions
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 19th, in the late afternoon timeframe. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 19th in the late afternoon time frame. We received almost 40,000 applicants, thus making decisions even more challenging this year. Unfortunately, we are not able to admit Read More >
Admissions Causation and Correlation
Fifteen plus years ago, I did a presentation at a local library just north of Atlanta for a parent group, talking about admissions in general but also going into detail about the UGA admissions process. The room was full of Read More >
2021 Transfer Admission Update
While the focus this time of year seems to be all about freshman admission, February is the time of year when we receive a majority of our transfer applications and our Evaluation Team begins to work on our transfer reviews, Read More >
The final two decision dates for UGA freshman applicants are now set (unless some major issue impacts our office), with the smaller February wave of decisions will be released on Friday, February 12, while the final decisions in March will Read More >
January 2021 Admission Thoughts
January in Admissions means two things: Exhausted admission counselors reading files, and nervous applicants waiting for a decision. I can’t do much about the first one (especially with almost 40,000 applications), but I can try to help with the second Read More >
2021 Freshman Application Information
We have now closed the 2021 Fall Freshman application, and we will be very busy over the next few months. We have a large number of materials and test scores to connect with applications, transcripts to review and files to Read More >
2021 Initial Scholarship/Honors Offers
On Friday, December 11 in the late afternoon, UGA Admissions will release the initial merit scholarship offers and Honors acceptances through the admissions status page, and then later through a mailed letter. Please remember that these are only the initial Read More >
Early Action decisions will be released late this afternoon, so here are some details about the EA applicant and admitted groups. I will also add a comment to the top of this post when decisions go live, and I will Read More >
2021 EA Decisions & Suggestions
As we stated earlier this month, UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the Status page on Friday, November 20 in the late afternoon unless some serious problem arises, which I do not expect. If this changes, we Read More >
This morning the UGA Admissions Office announced that our Early Action decision release date would be Friday, November 20 in the late afternoon. If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know not to ask when Read More >
Uncomfortably Comfortable Owning the Admissions Process
I remember when my wife and I bought our first house, a small 3-bedroom home in a little starter neighborhood less than a mile from downtown Duluth, GA. We were able to determine the color of the house/rooms, the look Read More >
For the last four years or so, UGA Admissions has given out an award every year to the Georgia High School whose previous year’s class has the highest GPA for their freshman year at UGA. We have a requirement that Read More >
The UGA Freshman application opened up on September 1, and in the first 4 days, thousands of students started an application. We generally have a small spike of students start the application right away, but only about 200 have actually Read More >
UGA is Test Optional for Fall 2021
Due to the continued challenges facing prospective applicants concerning access to standardized tests caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the University of Georgia has decided to make SAT or ACT test score submission optional for the Fall 2021 application process. UGA Read More >
I have always been very comfortable with telling people “I don’t know”. I am a father of two kids, so according to them I haven’t known much for a long time. Even in Admissions, I am comfortable saying I don’t Read More >
“Everything’s been said, but it needs saying again.” Ernest Gaines Everything in college admissions seems cyclical, with each new year seeming to be an updated version of the year before (except of course when Covid-19 throws a wrench into the Read More >
Information on the UGA 2021 Application
Big News!! For the UGA Freshman 2021 application, the UGA Admissions Office will accept the Common Application as an option for prospective student applicants. Okay, now that you have recovered from your shock (it only took us 10+ years to Read More >
At this time, we are currently making a small number of decisions for students on the Wait List. Because of the unusual circumstances that we have seen this year, I cannot predict when we will complete our Wait List review, Read More >
Admissions in a Changing World
While this year in admissions and higher education started out as normal, it is going to end up as anything but normal. We are still in a state of unknown surrounding the actions that will need to be taken in Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 13th, in the late afternoon time frame. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 13th, in the late afternoon timeframe. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 13th in the late afternoon time frame. Unfortunately, we are not able to admit a number of strong applicants as we are limited in the size of Read More >
Admissions Urban Legends and Conspiracy Theories-the 2020 version
For some reason, people love an urban legend or conspiracy theory. Are there really aliens being kept at Area 51? Do Bigfoot and the Lock Ness Monster really exist? Was there really a second shooter on the grassy knoll? When Read More >
The final two decision dates for UGA freshman applicants are now set (unless some major issue impacts our office), and the smaller February wave of decisions will be released on Friday, February 14, while the final decisions in March will Read More >
2020 Transfer Admissions at UGA
While the focus this time of year seems to be all about freshman admission, February is the time of year when we receive a majority of our transfer applications and our Evaluation Team begins to work on our transfer reviews, Read More >
January 2020 UGA Admission Thoughts
We have now closed out the 2020 Fall Freshman application, and we will be very busy over the next few months. We have a large number of materials and test scores to connect with applications, transcripts to review and files Read More >
December 2019 Admission Thoughts
It is early December, and as such we are about two weeks removed from the Early Action decision releases. At this point in time, we are getting a wide range of questions from admitted freshmen, deferred EA applicants, Regular Decision Read More >
UGA 2020 EA Decisions and Data
Early Action decisions will be released late this afternoon, so here are some details about the EA applicant and admitted groups. I will also add a comment to the top of this post when decisions go live, and Read More >
As we stated earlier this month, UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the Status page on Friday, November 22 in the late afternoon unless some serious problem arises, which I do not expect. If this changes, we Read More >
This morning the UGA Admissions Office announced that our Early Action decision release date would be Friday, November 22 in the late afternoon. If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know not to ask when Read More >
I am not sure what this says about me, but I think traffic lights are awesome. Maybe I just played Red Light/Green Light a little too much as a kid. But traffic lights bring order to what could be chaos, Read More >
So The Application Is Open, Now What
The UGA Freshman application opened up on September 1, and in the first 4 days, roughly 7,000 students started an application. We generally have a small spike of students start the application right away, but only about 200 have actually Read More >
Hoosiers There are a few movies everyone has where, if it appears on-screen when you are channel surfing, you have to stop and watch at least a few scenes. Hoosiers, where an underdog basketball team from the small town of Read More >
Study Abroad – Student and Parent Perspectives
This May, my daughter Amelia (rising junior majoring in International Affairs and Political Science and applying for the Double Dawgs program in Public Administration) participated in a month long Study Abroad program in Stellenbosch, South Africa. She was able to Read More >
New Blog Look, Same Great Taste
Stranger Things-One of the best shows on TV right now, at least for me that is. It brings back all my old high school memories, from Dungeons & Dragons, Back to the Future and being a teenager in the 1980’s. Read More >
Last week, I volunteered for my 23rd year as a cabin counselor at Camp Sunshine, a camp for children with cancer. The campers during my week range from 7-12 years of age, and there is a wide range of situations Read More >
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants. Based on Read More >
This past weekend, I was driving my father to the Atlanta airport, and as is usual, the topic of college admissions came up. There was a recent opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal which discussed the SAT. In one Read More >
Starting today (May 3), we will begin to finalize our decisions for students on the Wait List. I expect that all decisions will be completed sometime in the next few weeks, but I do not have an exact date. Due Read More >
April/May 2019 Random Admission Thoughts
Late April/Early May is always a challenging time in Admissions, and it always brings about interesting questions. We are at the end of one cycle of admissions for the freshmen and transfers starting in Fall 2019, and we are starting Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 15th, in the late afternoon time frame. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 15th, in the late afternoon timeframe. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 15th in the late afternoon time frame. Unfortunately, we are not able to admit a number of strong applicants as we are limited in the size of Read More >
Admissions, Baseball and the Land of Statistics
When I was growing up in Connecticut, baseball was my passion. My sister was a NY Yankees fan, so naturally I became a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan. I lived and died (mostly died) with the Red Sox, and my Read More >
The Past and Present of College Admissions
You hear it all the time – “Back when I was applying to college …”. Yes, things have changed over the last 20+ years in admissions, but trust me, that is actually not a bad thing in many cases. I Read More >
The final two decision dates for UGA freshman applicants are now set (unless some major issue impacts our office), and the smaller February wave of decisions will be released on Friday, February 8, while the final decisions in March will Read More >
Summer/Fall 2019 Transfer Application
The Summer/Fall transfer application will open today, January 22. While the application opens today, please take your time completing it. Make sure you are applying for the correct program, the correct campus, the correct term, etc. Here are a few Read More >
Random UGA Admission Thoughts for 2019
It is the start of 2019, and a wide range of things are happening in the UGA Admissions Office. We have just closed down the freshman application for admission, we will open the transfer application for summer/fall 2019 on January Read More >
It is mid-December, so most of the US is in full holiday mode. My favorite radio station has been taken over by holiday music, the houses in my neighborhood are full of lights and inflatable animals, and the tracking of Read More >
UGA Holistic File Review Process
It is almost December, which means our large scale holistic file reading process will begin soon. Instead of giving you a nice “slice of life” story which then transitions into our reason for reading files, I will just go straight Read More >
Early Action decisions will be released late this afternoon, so here are some details about the EA applicant and admitted groups. I will also add a comment to the top of this post when decisions go live, and I will Read More >
As we stated earlier this month, UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the Status page on Friday, November 16 in the late afternoon unless some serious problem arises, which I do not expect. If this changes, we Read More >
Yesterday the UGA Admissions Office announced that our Early Action decision release date would be Friday, November 16 in the late afternoon. If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know not to ask when late Read More >
In our admissions recruitment system, we have 39,427 organizations listed as high schools. We have schools with 1,500+ seniors and schools with one senior. We have Syrupmakers and Sea Kings, Jaguars and Leopards, Dragons and Wolverines, and even Jem Bears Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts- September 2018
Sometimes when writing the admissions blog, I have a specific topic to present based on the time of year, what is happening in our office at that time or something in the news that is timely. Other times, I just Read More >
Changes. They happen all the time in all areas of life. David Bowie even has a song about it. It is a fact of life, an Admissions Offices are no different. Every year we look at what has happened over Read More >
My daughter, who is a sophomore International Affairs major at UGA, probably thinks she can hold her own in a hospital operating room. Why? Because being a Grey’s Anatomy fangirl has taught her all the medical lingo she would ever Read More >
I will tell you right now, I love the podcast for NPR’s “Hidden Brain” by Shankar Vedantam. I hope that one day I might be a part of a story about college admissions on this podcast (I know, keep dreaming). Read More >
What should I take? – Course rigor and a balanced life
In College Admissions, there is an ongoing struggle with trying to relay information concerning a high school applicant’s course selection. How do you relay the idea to students that colleges want you to challenge yourself in preparation for college classes, Read More >
It is that time of year again, when K-12 schools are starting back, students (and teachers) groan and parents quietly celebrate. Colleges are beginning to open their applications for the Class of 2023 (UGA’s app will open on September 1), Read More >
Etiquette for Visiting Colleges
Like many parents in our community, my wife and I had our two children go to an after-school etiquette program during the fifth grade. We got past the actually moaning and groaning and had them ready to learn more about Read More >
About a month ago, I wrote a blog post about how students should be able to handle the application process on their own, with a limited amount of guidance from parents/counselors friends. This month, the focus is on how parents Read More >
Spring 2019 Transfer Admission Update
This week, our office started reviewing Spring 2019 transfer applications. This is earlier than I expected, but we are progressing well with Summer/Fall transfer updates and final HS transcript reviews for freshmen. The 8/15 application deadline for spring has not Read More >
For the last few weeks, my shower has suddenly started to drip water, even with the handle set at full off. I could live with a tiny leak, but this was becoming a steady leak, leading to other issues. So Read More >
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants. Based on Read More >
Starting this past Monday (5/7) and ending in the late afternoon today, we will finalize our decisions for all students on the Wait List. Due to the fact that our deposit numbers are slightly above the level that we predicted Read More >
Freshman Denies – A Post Mortem
My wife loves Grey’s Anatomy. She is a nurse, and can handle seeing blood spurt out, people impaled on poles, and limbs sticking out at seriously wrong angles. Me, I can’t even handle the site of the scalpel cutting into Read More >
I will admit it, I have never used an online dating app. I am old. But there has always been one constant in the world of dating: Accentuate your strengths and de-emphasize your weaknesses. Athletic? Show some pictures of you Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 16th, in the late afternoon timeframe. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 16th, in the late afternoon timeframe. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 16th in the late afternoon timeframe. Unfortunately, we are not able to admit a number of strong applicants as we are limited in the size of our Read More >
AP/IB vs DE Courses-the Pros and Cons
Every year, one of the most asked questions for UGA Admissions concerns whether students should take Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate courses or Dual Enrollment courses. As you can guess, our standard reply is “It Depends”. This is not a cop out Read More >
Upcoming, Decision Dates for UGA Applicants
The final two decision dates for UGA freshman applicants are now set (unless some major issue impacts our office), and the smaller February wave of decisions will be released on Friday, February 23, while the final decisions in March will Read More >
Summer/Fall 2018 Transfer Application
The Summer/Fall transfer application will open today, January 22. While the application opens today, please take your time completing it. Make sure you are applying for the correct program, the correct campus, the correct term, etc. Here are a few Read More >
Admissions, Russell Wilson and the NFL Draft
The NFL Combine – Four days set aside for potential pro football players to show their skills, and for team scouts and fans to drool over odd statistics such as the 3-cone drill, the Wonderlick IQ test and 40 yard Read More >
The Holistic Review Process-Beyond the Numbers
It is December, which means our holistic file reading process will begin soon. Instead of giving you a nice “slice of life” story which then transitions into our reason for reading files, I will just go straight into the process Read More >
ACT Site Closings and Test Scores
As sometimes happens in Georgia, we are hit by a snowstorm, which means people flock to the grocery store for break and milk, schools are cancelled for a period of time, and testing centers for the SAT and ACT have Read More >
2018 Early Action Decisions are Available
Early Action decisions are now available online! For students who were deferred, please understand that this is not a denial decision. We want to be able to have a more in-depth review of you, including short essays, activities, recommendations, etc. Read More >
2018 Early Action Decision Timeline
For all of you who are waiting anxiously by your computer/mailbox, nervous about your Early Action decision, here is some good news. UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the Status page on Friday, November 17 in the Read More >
With the Early Action deadline having just passed, here are a few updates about the process: Total EA Applications: 14, 979 applications submitted Complete Early Action Applications as of today: 10, 577 (72% of the group) # of EA Applicants Applying within Read More >
Sharks are terrifying. They are big, they have huge pointy teeth, and and they like to eat. But the chances of you dying from a shark attack are pretty small. I mean one in eight million or so small. So Read More >
My son is a junior at Georgia Tech (yes, a UGA admissions person has a child at GT), where he is studying Aerospace Engineering with a Certificate in Astrophysics. My wife and I have trouble even comprehending his courses now, Read More >
The Coalition Application and Pizza
For those of you who don’t know (or who have not read many of my blog posts), I am a great believer in analogies. I find that most times, the easiest way to explain the sometimes complicated world of admissions Read More >
Summer is a time for vacations, part-time jobs, and relaxation. But for rising HS seniors, it is also time to prepare for the college application process. I am not suggesting you have everything ready to submit an application on opening Read More >
I will be out of the office for the next two weeks, so I will not be able to reply to any comment until after I return. If you are not able to wait until then for an answer to Read More >
Today, our office started reviewing Spring 2018 transfer applications. This is earlier than I expected, but we are way ahead of the timelines we have predicted for Summer/Fall transfers updates and final HS transcript reviews for freshmen. The 8/15 application Read More >
Our Admissions Office receives a number of calls each day, with questions that range from the traditional (“When does your transfer application open up this year?”) to the unconventional (“What are the tinted window laws in Athens, GA?”). Recently, one Read More >
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants. Starting this Read More >
2018 Freshman Application Changes
With each new year of admissions comes changes to the application and/or application process so that we can make better decisions every year, and also make sure that we are able to release decisions in time frame that works for Read More >
UPDATE: We now expect to release final WL decisions on either Monday, 5/22 or Tuesday, 5/23. We were hoping to release them earlier, but issues came up that delayed these decisions. Starting today and going through the early part of Read More >
I can still remember one of the most terrifying moments in life as a parent, the day my son turned 16 and received his official driver’s license. We could handle the learner’s permit, as we could sit in the passenger’s Read More >
2017 UGA Merit Based Scholarships have been Awarded
Over the last several months the Admissions staff has carefully reviewed all our newly admitted First Year students to consider them for University of Georgia academic merit scholarships. (See the list and our discussion of merit and need-based aid at Read More >
Admissions and Forrest Gump’s Box of Chocolates
As Forrest Gump says, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you will get.” Undergraduate Admissions, especially during decision time, has some real connections to this this quote. Our post-decision interactions (mostly with denied students and Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available late afternoon on March 17th. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please remember that Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available late afternoon on March 17th. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict approximately how many Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available late afternoon on March 17th. Unfortunately, we were not able to admit a number of strong applicants as we are limited in the size of our freshman class. Read More >
Yes, the question that all freshmen applicants (and their parents) have been asking again and again can finally be answered. Final decisions for freshman applicants are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 17 (unless something catastrophic occurs). Decisions will Read More >
Summer/Fall 2017 Transfer Reviews
In mid-February, our office started reviewing Summer transfer applications, as well as a small number of fall transfer decisions. The deadline for summer has not passed and we are still receiving applications and documents, so we cannot say how long Read More >
2017 February Freshman Admit Group
The February freshman admission offers will be available late afternoon on Friday, February 17.. UGA will offer admission to a group of roughly 1,600 freshman applicants. This group of decisions is made up of only offers of admission, and if Read More >
For the last fifteen years or so, my family has made an intentional decision to try and have birthday events and gifts be focused on an activity. We have planned scavenger hunts, rafter down several Tennessee rivers, hit the ski Read More >
Summer/Fall 2017 Transfer/Transient Applications are Open
The Summer/Fall transfer and transient applications opened on Tuesday, January 24. While the application is now open, please take your time completing it. Again, please take your time, as it is much easier to submit a correct application than fix Read More >
December/January Admission Notes
The Holiday break is coming up, which means a large number of students will be completing their application (or part II of their deferred EA application). Here are some suggestions for Regular Decision and Deferred Early Action applicants to review. Read More >
Early Action Decisions are Available
Early Action decisions are now available online! For students who were deferred, please understand that this is not a denial decision. We want to be able to have a more in-depth review of you, including short essays, activities, recommendations, etc. Read More >
UGA Admissions – The Long Journey
In the past, I have used the image of a long cross country trip when looking at the Admissions process, and how we would not know the exact arrival time until we were almost to the destination. Now picture the Read More >
Over the past 5 years, UGA has had a huge jump in the number of students submitting ACT scores. UGA treats the ACT in the same way that we do the SAT (neither one is better or worse, easier or Read More >
With the Early Action deadline hitting about 10 days ago, here are a few updates about the process: Total EA Applications (7% increase over last year): 15,560 (submitted and fee paid) Complete Early Action Applications as of today: 13, 850 (89% of Read More >
We are within a week of the EA deadline, so here are some updates about the process so far. Currently, we have roughly 10,200 EA applications submitted as of right now (3;12 pm on 10/10). We expect a jump in Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts, September 2016 Verson
It is September, which means that we are wrapping up Spring transfer decisions while at the same time we are almost 2 weeks into the freshman application (in a new system). As such, here are some quick notes on what Read More >
2017 Freshman Application is Open
The 2017 Freshman application is now open! Here are a few key steps about what to do after you submit an application. A short while after you apply, we will load your application into our system. You will then be Read More >
The 2017 Freshman application will open up on September 1, so here are a few things to help prepare for this process. Always take care of things well before a deadline. A student who applies and submits all documents well before Read More >
Test Score Deadline for 2017 RD and Deferred EA applicants
It seems like everything is changing for the freshmen who will be applying for Summer/Fall of 2017. The FAFSA date is changing to take into account tax/financial information from two years prior to their entry term (some are calling this Read More >
Today, our office started reviewing Spring 2017 transfer applications. This is earlier than I expected, but we are way ahead of the timelines we have predicted for Fall transfers files and final HS transcripts for freshmen. The 8/15 application deadline Read More >
It is that time of year again, when I will be away from the blog for a week while I volunteer at Camp Sunshine, a camp for children with cancer. This will be my 21st year volunteering for the summer Read More >
Unofficial/Rough 2016 UGA Freshman Data
When you look at a college’s Admission page, most of the time you will see a profile of the entering freshman class from the year prior. Many times, this data will have enrollment numbers, mid-50% ranges for GPA’s and test Read More >
Act 1, Scene 1 of Deciding on Dinner. Setting is the family kitchen. Father, Mother, Son and Daughter are standing around the kitchen island: Dad: “I have a great idea. Who wants to go out to eat tonight?” Son (looking Read More >
2017 Short Essay Questions (for RD and Deferred EA applicants only)
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants who apply Read More >
Summer is upon us, and that means one thing (at least in admissions that is): Orientation! If you are a new student to UGA, you are required to attend an Orientation session (and you get to meet the Orientation Leaders Read More >
As everyone probably knows, the College Board started offering the newly redesigned SAT test in March of 2016, and the Essay portion is now optional. This new SAT (which I am calling the SAT R for now), will impact freshman Read More >
We have started offering admission to a small group of students from the Wait List, with a large majority of these being for the Spring 2017 term. Due to the fact that our deposit numbers are at the level that Read More >
The review of the 2016 Fall transfer applications is our key focus at this time, and we continue to diligently work on these files. At this time, we have made roughly 1,100 decisions of the 2500 applications we received this Read More >
First Year Academic Merit Scholarships have been Awarded
Over the last several months the Admissions staff has carefully reviewed all our newly admitted First Year students to consider them for University of Georgia academic merit scholarships. (See the list and our discussion of merit and need-based aid at Read More >
April 1 Random Admission Thoughts
It is April 1, so we are juggling a wide range of things at this time. We are working with freshmen, transfers, deposits, recruiting future classes, orientation planning, etc. I am also in the middle of a large installation of Read More >
2016 Final Freshman Decisions are Available
Final freshman decisions are now available online. We had a very strong applicant pool this year! We had 23,000 applications, which was our largest applicant pool ever. Here are a few notes about decisions: Please do not have multiple family Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available late afternoon today, March 18th. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please remember that Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available late afternoon today, March 18th. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict approximately how many Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available late afternoon today, March 18th. Unfortunately, we were not able to admit a number of strong applicants as we are limited in the size of our freshman class. Read More >
Yes, the question that all freshmen applicants (and their parents) have been asking again and again can finally be answered. Final decisions for freshmen applicants are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 18 (unless something catastrophic occurs). We will Read More >
On Tuesday, March 8, our office will start reviewing Fall transfer applications. We are finishing up the last of the summer applications now, so that will allow us to start with Fall transfers. The deadline for Fall has not passed Read More >
The February freshman admission offers are now available on the myStatus page. This afternoon, UGA offered admission to a group of roughly 1,600 freshman applicants. This group of decisions is made up of only offers of admission, and if you Read More >
Late afternoon on Friday, February 26, we will be releasing a small wave of First Year admission offers. These admitted students, who are primarily Regular Decision (RD) applicants, are applicants who meet the criteria that UGA admissions used for Early Read More >
Summer/Fall 2016 Transfer Consideration Level Update
When the Summer/Fall Transfer application opened up a few weeks ago, the consideration level for admission for applicants with 60 or more hours was changed from a 2.80 to a 3.00 GPA. This was done in an effort to make Read More >
2016 Transfer Admission Update
On Monday, February 8, our office started reviewing Summer transfer applications. The deadline for summer has not passed and we are still receiving applications and documents, so we cannot say how long it will take us to finish or guess Read More >
Summer/Fall 2016 Transfer Application
The Summer/Fall transfer application will open on Thursday, January 28. While the application will open tomorrow, please take your time completing it. Make sure you are applying for the correct program, the correct campus, the correct term, etc. Here are Read More >
SAT Closings and Scores for Make-up Date of 2/20
A number of students will be taking the SAT on January 23, and if you take it on this date and you have already requested for the scores to be sent to UGA, we will be able to use these Read More >
We are about to hit the RD application/Deferred EA part II deadline, and everyone now starts to get into the mindset of “Now what?”. Here are a few hints to get you through the next few weeks/months. Patience. Patience is Read More >
Imagine that you are in an admissions grocery store, and every cart is a student’s admissions file. The shelves are stocked with different items to fill each cart, from transcripts to teacher recommendations, counselor forms to resumes, etc. Every time Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts-Post EA Decisions
We have made it past the Early Action decisions, and we are now at the next stages of the admission cycle. With that in mind, here are a few thoughts about what happens in Admissions and UGA from November to Read More >
Early Action Decisions are Now Available
Early Action decisions are now available online! You can view the press release with some statistics about EA students who were admitted here. For students who were deferred, please understand that this is not a denial decision. We want to Read More >
In the past, I have used the image of a long cross country trip when looking at the Admissions process, and how we would not know the exact arrival time until we were almost to the destination. Now picture the Read More >
2016 Early Action Decision Timeline
For all of you who are waiting anxiously by your computer/mailbox, nervous about your Early Action decision, here is some good news. UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the myStatus page on Friday, November 20 in the Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts-October 2016 edition
We are about a week out from the Early Action application deadline, and one day past the document deadline. As such, there are a wide range of questions that are hitting us right now. Here are a few thoughts on Read More >
With the Early Action deadline of yesterday, here are a few updates about the process: Total EA Applications (10% increase over last year): 14,514 Complete Early Action Applications as of today: 8,200 # of EA Applicants Applying within 4 days Read More >
2016 EA Deadline is Approaching
The Early Action deadline is almost here, and the two weeks surrounding the deadline are similar to Atlanta during 5:00 p.m. rush hour traffic (on a Friday). Our office typically receives 4,000+ applications within the last few days, has a Read More >
Random Thoughts, September 2015 edition
It’s mid-September, which means we are at the tail end of our Spring 2016 transfer review process, and we are 2 weeks into the 2016 freshman application process. As such, here are a few random thoughts about the issues that Read More >
Application for UGA’s Top Freshman Scholarship Program Available On September 15, 2015
The Foundation Fellowship and Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarships are the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship programs at the University, if not in the country. The Foundation Fellowship currently provides an annual stipend of $11,372 for Georgia residents (in addition to the Read More >
2016 Freshman Application is Open
The 2016 Freshman application is now open! Here are a few key steps about what to do after you submit an application. A day or so after you apply, we will load your application into our system. You will then Read More >
Suggestions for Freshmen Applicants
Yesterday, I posted some advice on what questions most admissions officers will not answer, at least not in the way that most prospective families are looking for in a response. Today I am going to focus on our suggestions for Read More >
Said No Admission Counselor Ever-2016 Version
In the UGA Admissions Office, there are some things we will never say no matter what. Some people will ask questions hoping for one of these answers, but you will not hear us give an answer (at least not the Read More >
Updated Spring 2016 Transfer Information
At this time of year, the review of the 2016 Spring transfer applications is our main focus, and we continue to diligently work on these files. At this time, we have made roughly 600 decisions of the 1,200 applications we Read More >
2016 Freshman Essay Questions (RD and Deferred EA only)
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants who apply Read More >
It’s mid summer, and questions are beginning to flood in about UGA’s First Year admission process. Here are answers to some of our more frequently asked ones. When can I apply? There is early, and then there is late. The Read More >
It is that time of year again, when I will be away from the blog for a week while I volunteer at Camp Sunshine, a camp for children with cancer. This will be my 20th year volunteering for the summer Read More >
Next week, our office started reviewing Spring 2016 transfer applications. This is much earlier than I expected, but we are way ahead of the timelines we have predicted for Fall transfers files and final HS transcripts for freshmen. The 8/15 Read More >
Updated AP/IB grade Weighting for 2016
Ever since I have been at UGA (18 years or so), we have added .5 to every AP or IB grade during the calculation of the UGA GPA (excluding schools who add points to actual teacher grades on the transcript). Read More >
In the Spring of 2016, the College Board will release their newly redesigned SAT test, and the Essay portion will be optional. This will not have an impact on freshmen starting in Summer/Fall of 2016 (due to our freshman deadlines), Read More >
Writing Great Short Response Essays
As most college students and HS seniors can attest to, one of the most stressful times of the admission process is writing admissions essays. While UGA’s “essays” are actually short responses, we still see a great deal of angst and Read More >
Today we offered admission to about 90 or so students from the Wait List. We admitted a small number of students for Fall admission, but the majority of students admitted off the Wait List were offered admission for the Spring Read More >
For the next few weeks, the group that will be the most anxious about our process will be the students who are on the Wait List. Right now, we cannot give out any specific information, as we will not know Read More >
Updated Fall 2015 Transfer Information
The review of the 2015 Fall transfer applications is our key focus at this time, and we continue to diligently work on these files. At this time, we have made roughly 1,500 decisions of the 2700 applications we received this Read More >
We are continuing to focus as much time as possible to review the 2015 Fall transfer applications. At this time, we have made roughly 750 decisions of the 2550 applications we received so far this year (I project about 2,700 Read More >
Unofficial 2015 Admitted Freshman Stats
UGA once again attracted an exceptionally strong applicant pool this year. Competition for admission was stronger than ever. Over 22,200 applications made for an increase over last year’s numbers, and our target goal for the freshman class is 5,200 students. Read More >
2015 Final Freshman Decisions are Now Available
Final freshman decisions are now available online. We had a very strong applicant pool this year! We had just over 22,200 applications, which was our largest applicant pool ever. Here are a few notes about decisions: Please do not have Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available by no earlier than 7:30 PM EST today, March 20th. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance Read More >
2015 Wait Listed Freshman Post
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available by no later than 7:30 PM EST today, March 20th. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available by no earlier than 7:30 PM EST today, March 20th. Unfortunately, we were not able to admit a number of strong applicants as we are limited in the Read More >
Yes, the question that all freshmen applicants (and their parents) have been asking again and again can finally be answered. Final decisions for freshmen applicants are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 20 (unless something catastrophic occurs). We will Read More >
Summer/Fall 2015 Transfer Update
We are almost finished with the Summer Transfer applications, and the only ones left are generally files that have transcripts which are very difficult, or the transcript has only recently reached our office. In total, the Summer transfer applicant pool Read More >
2015 February Admits are Available
The February freshman admission offers are now available on the myStatus page! This afternoon, UGA offered admission to a group of freshman applicants. In the past, this group has been approximately 1,800- 2,000 admits, and while I do not have Read More >
Late afternoon on Friday, February 27, we will be releasing a small wave of First Year admission offers. These admitted students, who are primarily Regular Decision (RD) applicants, are applicants who meet the criteria that UGA admissions used for Early Read More >
Today (February 16), our office started reviewing Summer transfer applications. The deadline for summer has not passed and we are still receiving applications and documents, so we cannot say how long it will take us to finish or guess when Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts, February 2015
It is February, and we are deep into reading Freshman files, and just about to start reviewing transfer applications. As such, here are some thoughts about issues that usually pop up about now. Freshmen: At this time, our counselors are Read More >
Starting on January 28, our office will be in quiet time to allow our counselors to focus on reading admission files. Our main desk will still be taking phone calls and answering emails and we will still be conducting Information Read More >
Summer/Fall 2015 Transfer App is Open
The Summer/Fall transfer application is now open, along with the Summer/Fall transient applications (summer transient, summer/fall study abroad, etc.). While the application is now open, please take your time completing it. Make sure you are applying for the correct program, Read More >
The RD application/Deferred EA part II deadline is just about to pass, and everyone now starts to get into the mindset of “Now what?”. Here are a few hints to get you through the next few weeks/months. Patience. Patience is Read More >
We are just over one week from the Regular Decision deadline today, and I am guessing that thousands of students are finishing up the final pieces of the application. As you can see from the projected weather for the next Read More >
Applications and Inventory Supply
A number of my relatives work in the automotive industry, with the two closest to my age being engineers. My brother-in-law, Dave, is an engineer with Toyota, and his job making sure the assembly process for SUV’s and mini-vans goes Read More >
Withdraw/Cancel your Application
A number of colleges have just released their EA/ED decisions, and now comes the time when some of our applicants decide that another university is a better match for their needs as a college student. This is just fine, as Read More >
File Reading Part I – Activities, Writing and Creativity
From January through mid-March, the admissions staff will hide out in our offices and read files during our holistic file reading process. And when I say read files, I mean lots of files (I am guessing I will read over Read More >
File Reading Part II – Academics and Strength of Curriculum
From January through mid-March, the admissions staff will hide out in our offices and read files during our holistic file reading process. There are six main areas that we look at in our file reading process, and this post covers Read More >
File Reading Part III -Work Ethic, Integrity and Maturity
From January through mid-March, the admissions staff will hide out in our offices and read files during our holistic file reading process. There are six main areas that we look at in our file reading process, and this post covers Read More >
November 2014 Admissions Thoughts
We have made it past the Early Action decisions, and we are now at the next stages of the admission cycle. With that in mind, here are a few thoughts about what happens in Admissions and UGA from November to Read More >
EA Decisions are now available
Early Action decisions are now available online! You can view the press release with some statistics about EA students who were admitted here. For students who were deferred, please understand that this is not a denial decision. We want to Read More >
In the past, I have used the image of a long cross country trip when looking at the Admissions process, and how we would not know the exact arrival time until we were almost to the destination. Now picture the Read More >
UGA Early Action Decisions Update
For all of you who are waiting anxiously by your computer/mailbox, nervous about your Early Action decision, here is some good news. UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the myStatus page on Friday, November 14 in the Read More >
“Are we there yet?” Admit it, you have said this phrase to your parents before-everybody has. If you are on a long car ride, the first thing you want to know is when you will arrive. And while your GPS Read More >
With the Early Action deadline passing, here are a few updates about the process: Total EA Applications (10.5% increase over last year): 13,291 Complete Early Action Applications: 9,950 # of EA Applicants Applying within 3 days of Deadline: 3,523 As Read More >
2015 EA Deadline Fast Approaching
The Early Action deadline is almost here, and the two weeks surrounding the deadline are similar to Atlanta during 5:00 p.m. rush hour traffic (on a Friday). Our office typically receives 4,000+ applications, a drastic increase in mail, and a Read More >
With the Early Action deadline approaching, here are a few more detailed steps to take both before and after you apply. BEFORE Get a copy of your SSN card to make sure your information is correct for both admissions and Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts-Sept 2014 Edition
The application has been open for about three weeks, so the flow of documents, test scores and applications is starting to increase. As such, here are a few thoughts to remember both before and after you apply. For Early Action, Read More >
Where is the Effin Waffle House?
About 11 years ago, my wife and I were driving home after picking up our six year old son at my in-laws house, with him firmly strapped into his car seat in the back. As six year olds are prone Read More >
Every year we try to open a post aimed at answering questions from parents. We want to educate parents about the UGA admissions process and dispel myths and rumors that may be floating around high schools, neighborhoods and communities. We Read More >
2015 First Year Application Suggestions
The first-year application opens up tomorrow, so here are a few hints for when you are starting your application. When you start working on the application, we suggest you have four items with you. SSN card (you absolutely must give us Read More >
Application for UGA’s Top Freshman Scholarship Program Available Soon
The Foundation Fellowship and Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarships are the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship programs at the University, if not in the country. The Foundation Fellowship currently provides an annual stipend of $11,072 for in-state students (in addition to the Read More >
Fall travel is upon us! During this time of year admissions counselors leave their desks and offices behind and head out on the road for college fairs, college nights, high school visits, counselor programs and other recruitment events. This means you Read More >
Said No UGA Admissions Counselor Ever
In the UGA Admissions Office, there are some things we will never say no matter what. Some people will ask questions hoping for one of these answers, but you will not hear us give an answer (at least not the Read More >
Spring 2015 Transfer Decisions
This week, our office started reviewing Spring 2015 transfer applications. The deadline for spring has not passed and we are still receiving applications and documents, so we cannot say how long it will take us to finish or guess when Read More >
There are two times every year when admissions myths hit peak numbers in the rumor mill; During August/September when a large number of seniors start planning out their college applications, and in late March when final freshman admission decisions are Read More >
A newly updated version of our Admissions iPhone App has been released, available for download on any iPhone or iPod Touch for free from iTunes. This updated version has many updated features including: At a Glance: Browse the high points Read More >
It’s mid summer, and questions are beginning to flood in about UGA’s First Year admission process. Here are answers to some of our more frequently asked ones. I plan to apply Early Action. What is the last ACT/SAT exam date Read More >
Every Spring, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants who apply Read More >
Starting tomorrow, I will be away from the UGA admissions office for almost two weeks, as I will be volunteering on a mission trip to Slovakia. During this time away, I will not be able to answer any questions on Read More >
As everyone most likely knows, UGA implemented a new student system this year, and one of the things we have been waiting on is the method for enrolling students (and current students) to be able to change their major. This Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts June 2014
We have successfully made it through Year 1 of our new student system, and we have a great class of freshman coming in for orientation, and our Fall transfer decisions are at the end of the process. We just finished Read More >
At this time, we have made decisions on roughly 80% of the Fall transfer applications that are complete and ready for review. This leaves us with about 400 or so files to still review for admissions, along with the checking Read More >
May Update for Fall 2014 Transfers
We are continuing to work diligently on our review the 2014 Fall transfer applications. At this time, we have made roughly 1300 decisions of the 2400 applications (2000 or so who are complete) we received this year. Based on this Read More >
Late today we offered admission to a little over 130 students from the Wait List. We admitted a very small number of students for Fall admission, but the large majority were offered admission for the Spring 2015 term. We will Read More >
We are continuing to work as quickly as possible to review the 2014 Fall transfer applications. At this time, we have made roughly 550 decisions of the 2400 applications (2000 or so who are complete) we received this year. Based Read More >
Merit Scholarship Award update
Over the last several months, the Admissions staff has carefully reviewed all our newly admitted First Year students to consider them for University of Georgia academic merit scholarships. (See the list and our discussion of merit and need-based aid at Read More >
Starting today, we are now reviewing Fall 2014 transfer applications for admission.While we would have preferred to start this process earlier in the year, we had to rebuild the entire transfer articulation process from the ground up in our new Read More >
Grades vs Rigor, or What should my child take?
Every day of every year (except for decision days), the most popular question asked of an admission counselor is “Is it better to take a tough HS course and make a B, or an average HS course and make an Read More >
2014 Accepted Class Statistics
UGA once again attracted an exceptionally strong applicant pool this year. Competition for admission was stronger than ever. Over 21,000 applications made for a slight increase over last year’s numbers, and our target goal for the freshman class is 5,200 Read More >
Freshman Decisions are Available
Final freshman decisions are now available online. We had a very strong applicant pool this year! We had just over 21,000 applications, which was our largest applicant pool ever. Here are a few notes about decisions: Please do not have Read More >
2014 Admitted Freshman Information
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available by 5 PM today, March 28th. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please remember Read More >
2014 Wait List Freshman Information
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available by 5 PM today, March 28th. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict approximately how Read More >
2014 Denied Freshman Information
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available by 5 PM today, March 28th. Unfortunately, we were not able to admit a number of strong applicants as we are limited in the size of our freshman Read More >
There have been a number of changes in admissions for Fall 2014 transfer applicants, so I will try to cover this information as best as possible. The Fall transfer applicants will be the first group of students with transfer work Read More >
Yes, the question that all freshmen applicants (and their parents) have been asking again and again can finally be answered. Final decisions for freshmen applicants are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 28 (unless something catastrophic occurs). As is Read More >
*Our system is now back up as of late yesterday, so we will be pushing in transfer applications (and the associated documents) and commitment deposits now. Please give us time to catch up on these items, and know that we Read More >
This afternoon, UGA offered admission to a group of freshman applicants. In the past, this group has been approximately 2,000 or so admits, and while I do not have an exact number, it is fairly close to this average. Our Read More >
2013 February First Year Admits
In late February, we will be releasing a small wave of First Year admission offers. I do not have a specific date at this time, so please do not ask for one (we will post it here when decisions are Read More >
Late last week, our office started reviewing Summer transfer applications. The deadline for summer has not passed and we are still receiving applications and documents, so we cannot say how long it will take us to finish or guess when Read More >
We will be sending out an email later today to First Year applicants with incomplete files. If you receive this email, please log in to your myStatus to see what you are missing, and then take care of the issue Read More >
From January 1 through January 22 we have received approximately 5,200 applications, 4,400 documents from Parchment/Docufide, 2,800 transcripts from GAcollege411 and 8,500 teacher recommendations and high school evaluations from our online forms. That’s almost 16,000 documents in 22 days! Read More >
We are just over one week from the Regular Decision deadline today, and I am guessing that thousands of students are finishing up the final pieces of the application. As you can see from the last few winter weather days, Read More >
Our office will be closed for the holiday break from late December 24 through January 1, and we will then open back up on January 2. This means we will not open mail, answer emails, phones calls, voice mails, respond to Read More >
Sometime this week, our office will open up the Summer Transfer application, and the Fall Transfer application will open up in late January/mid February. Here are a few notes for students who are considering applying as transfer applicants. If you Read More >
Random Admissions Thoughts December 2013 Edition
We have made it past the Early Action decisions, and we are now at the next stages of the admission cycle. With that in mind, here are a few thoughts about what happens in Admissions and UGA from December to Read More >
EA Decisions are now on myStatus
Early Action decisions are now available online! You can view the press release with some statistics about EA students who were admitted here. For students who were deferred, please understand that this is not a denial decision. We want to Read More >
Earlier this fall, I used the image of a long cross country trip when looking at the Admissions process, and how we would not know the exact arrival time until we were almost to the destination. Now picture the Admissions Read More >
2013 Early Action Decision Release Update
For all of you who are waiting anxiously by your computer/mailbox, nervous about your Early Action decision, here is some good news. UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the myStatus page on Friday, November 22 in the Read More >
During every admissions cycle, the question of how UGA calculates a high school GPA arises. I have seen so many GPA’s thrown out on college “discussion forums” that I start to cringe when I see these three letters. Because there Read More >
2013 Early Action Update-Closing In
If you have checked your myStatus page today, you will see the above image. What does this mean? Exactly what it says. At this time, the Status Check is closed so we can move forward with final preparations for decisions, Read More >
Are We There Yet? – Early Action Edition
“Are we there yet?” Admit it, you have said this phrase to your parents before-everybody has. If you are on a long car ride, the first thing you want to know is when you will arrive. And while the wonderful Read More >
Random Admissions Thoughts-October 2013 Edition
The Early Action deadline is in the rear view mirror now, and we are deep into reviewing files, cleaning up missing documents, and getting prepared for our first admission decisions in our new system. As such, here are a few Read More >
With the Early Action deadline passing, here are a few updates about the process: Total Early Action Applications: 12,071 Complete Early Action Applications: 7,697 # of EA Applicants Applying near Deadline: 2,593 As you can see, a large number of Read More >
The Early Action deadline has come and gone, and we will spend the next several weeks matching up transcripts, test scores, recommendations, etc. Please be patient while we go through documents, as we had two full bins this morning, we Read More >
The Early Action deadline is almost here, and the two weeks surrounding the deadline are similar to Atlanta during 5:00 p.m. rush hour traffic (on a Friday). Our office typically receives 4,000+ applications, a drastic increase in mail, and a Read More >
Early Action Deadline Approaching
The Early Action deadline is approaching, so here are a few suggestions as we approach the deadline: Don’t wait until the last minute. Even though the deadline is October 15, you should not wait until the last minute to submit Read More >
Random Thoughts for September 2013
It is the end of September, which means a number of things in the world of College Admissions. Applications are rolling in for next fall, the sound of luggage rolling down the office hallway as counselors pack up for their Read More >
Updates about the Spring 2014 Transfer Process
We are now a little over two weeks past the application deadline for Transfer students and have already made decisions on over half of the Spring applications. We received approximately 1600 applications and have made decisions on almost 900 of Read More >
Top Freshman Scholarship Application Available Now
The Foundation Fellowship Scholarship is the most prestigious undergraduate scholarships at The University of Georgia, if not in the country. The Foundation Fellowship currently provides an annual stipend of $10,780 for in-state students (in addition to the HOPE or Zell Read More >
Quick Notes About the First Year Application
With the 2014 First Year application opening this past Tuesday, we are receiving many questions from students who have started applying. Here are a few things to keep in mind. When self-reporting your grades on the application, you should report Read More >
The 2014 First Year Application is Now Available
We have now opened the Fall 2014 First Year Application. This does not mean we are encouraging you to submit an application immediately. Your deadline to apply for First Year admission for Early Action is October 15. The Regular Decision Read More >
A Few First Year Applicant FAQ’s
It’s fall semester, and questions are beginning to flood in about UGA’s First Year admission process. Here are answers to some of our more frequently asked ones. I plan to apply Early Action. What is the last ACT/SAT exam date Read More >
Admissions Myths and Urban Legends
Whether we are giving information sessions, visiting high schools, attending college fairs, or meeting with prospective students and families, we are often asked questions about how to apply to and get admitted to UGA. At times we hear misconceptions and Read More >
Fall travel is quickly approaching! During this time of year admissions counselors leave their desks and offices behind and head out on the road for college fairs, college nights, high school visits, counselor programs and other recruitment events. This means you Read More >
Especially if you have an older sibling who’s been through this before or maybe your parent happens to be a school counselor, your first question for August 1 might be, are there any changes to UGA freshman admission this year? Read More >
Advice for Campus Visitations from the Admissions Staff
Many students will have travel plans during the summer and for rising seniors those plans often include visiting colleges they plan to apply to in the fall. Here are some tips and advice from our admissions staff of things to Read More >
Essay Questions for the 2014 First Year Application
As promised, here are the essay questions for the 2014 First Year application. 1. Choose an intellectual or creative opportunity (for example, community involvement, a summer program, a unique project, travel abroad, etc.) from your high school years that you Read More >
Updates and Reminders for Transfer and First Year Students
The majority of Fall transfer decisions have been made. We should be able to complete the handful of remaining decisions by mid-June. If you have been admitted for Fall and completed coursework this past Spring, please be sure to send Read More >
With the school year almost over and summer nearly here, here are a few suggestions for things you can do over the break. Send your test scores to UGA. You’re not on our radar until you have contacted us in Read More >
Final Wait List Decisions Are Made
Based on the large number of “Yes” responses we have received from wait listed students to whom we offered admission last week, we have determined that we cannot offer admission to any additional students. Built into our decision is the Read More >
Updates about the Fall Transfer Process
We are continuing to work as quickly as possible to review the remaining Fall transfer applications. At this time, we have made roughly 1700 decisions of the 2500 applications we received this year. The majority of Fall Transfer applications should Read More >
Wait will be over next week, hopefully sooner
Starting today, we begin offering admission to almost 100 students who had accepted our offer to be on our Wait List. Since we have filled our Fall class from those admitted and who paid their deposit, the few offered admission Read More >
First Year Decisions, May 1 and Mid-May
As the Wednesday, May 1 national commitment deadline for accepted First Year students approaches, we are receiving a flood of questions from UGA applicants who had agreed to join our Wait List. Our advice to all is to remember the Read More >
First Year Academic Merit Scholarships Awarded
Over the last several weeks the Admissions staff has carefully reviewed all our newly admitted First Year students to consider them for University of Georgia academic merit scholarships. (See the list and our discussion of merit and need-based aid at Read More >
3 April QuickNotes: First Year Students, Transfers, and New Transient or Study Abroad Applicants
FIRST YEAR STUDENTS: Have you changed your mind about when you want to begin your freshman enrollment at UGA? May 15 is the last date for Accepted Fall 2013 freshmen to request a switch from starting in Fall Semester to Read More >
A First Look at 2013 Admitted Freshmen Credentials
UGA once again attracted an exceptionally strong applicant pool this year. Competition for admission was stronger than ever. Our 21,000 applications were a significant increase over last year, but it was unfortunately not balanced with an equivalent increase in the Read More >
2013 Freshman Decisions are Available
Final freshman decisions are now available online. We had a very strong applicant pool this year! We had about 21,000 applications which was our largest applicant pool ever. Here are a few notes about decisions: Please do not have multiple Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available by 6PM today. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please remember that this is Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available by 6PM today. For some students, you will be offered a place on our wait list. Every year our office has to predict approximately how many students we Read More >
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available by 6PM today. Unfortunately, we were not able to admit a number of strong applicants as we are limited in the size of our freshman class. We know Read More >
The Elephant Parable, 2013 Edition
As the end of March approaches, First Year decisions will soon be available. Every year after these decisions, there are a wave of unhappy comments about specific decisions. For the past several years we have had a post about the Read More >
Updates on the Transfer Review Process for Fall and Summer
We have started reviewing Fall transfer applications. With the exception of a few oddities, we are finished with almost all Summer transfers. The myStatus is currently down and will not be accessible until First Year decisions are released. Letters are Read More >
In preparation for First Year decisions, the myStatus page will be temporarily closed. This will affect the status check for First Year and Transfer applicants. We must do this to allow our office to begin the final stages of the Read More >
We have been getting a lot of questions about transfer admissions lately. Here are a few updates as well as answers to some of our more frequently asked questions. When will I have a decision? Unfortunately we cannot tell you Read More >
A Small Wave of February Freshman Admission
We have just offered admission to a small wave of freshman applicants. These few Regular Decision applicants met the stringent academic criteria of Early Action admission that we had used with our much larger wave of December admission. Do not Read More >
Earlier this week we started reviewing summer transfer applications. The deadline for summer has not passed and we are still receiving applications, so we cannot say how long it will take us to finish. We will not start reviewing fall Read More >
Very soon we are going to stop accepting material for First Year applicants. This means if you are missing something, you need to have it sent to us as soon as possible! If you have had something sent more than Read More >
Incomplete Email for First Year Applicants
We will be sending out an email later today to First Year applicants with incomplete files. If you receive this email, please log in to your myStatus to see what you are missing. Remember, we are going to accept the Read More >
From January 1 through January 22 we have received approximately 4,100 documents from Parchment/Docufide, 2,400 transcripts from GAcollege411 and 8,000 teacher recommendations and high school evaluations from our online forms. That’s 14,500 documents in 22 days! This does not Read More >
It is now quiet time in our office. The main desk will still be taking phone calls and answering emails and we will still be conducting Information Sessions. However, admissions counselors are no longer able to take phone calls Read More >
We are now a couple of days past the First Year application deadline, so here are a few updates on where we are in the process. Over the few days leading up to the deadline we had about 3,000 applications Read More >
First Year Application Reminders
The January 15 Regular Decision deadline is quickly approaching. This is a busy time in our office as we are receiving thousands of documents, both online and in the mail. Here are a few suggestions for you as the deadline Read More >
December Random Thoughts and Suggestions
Here are a few random thoughts and suggestions about UGA Admissions for December: When you are applying, please be sure you include the correct information in your application. Items are matched by name, social, date of birth, high school code, Read More >
Our office will be closed for the holiday break from December 24 until January 2. This means we will not open mail, answer emails, phones calls, voice mails, respond to blog posts, etc. until our office reopens in January. Please be Read More >
High School Evaluations and Teacher Recommendations
We often get questions from First Year applicants regarding the counselor evaluation and teacher recommendation. These questions range from where to find these forms to how we are using this information in the file review process. Both forms are important Read More >
We are now loading documents into our system following the release of Early Action decisions. Because electronic documents are received and processed much more quickly than paper, we are up-to-date with documents sent through GACollege411 and Docufide. If you have Read More >
Our office will be closed for the next few days for Thanksgiving break . We will reopen on Monday, November 26. If you email, call or post a comment on the blog, we will respond on Monday when we reopen. Read More >
2013 EA Decisions Now Available!
Early Action decisions are now available online! You can view the press release with some statistics about EA students who were admitted here. For students who were deferred, please understand that this is not a denial decision. We want to Read More >
2012 Early Action Decision Date and Reactions
For all of you who are waiting anxiously by your computer/mailbox, nervous about your Early Action decision, here is some good news. UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the myStatus page on Friday, November 16 in the Read More >
We will be shutting down our Status Check until Early Action decisions are ready to be released. This will affect the Status Check for all applicants, Early Action and Regular Decision first year applicants, transfers, etc. We apologize for any Read More >
We are still at around 11,400 applications with about 1,100 of those incomplete. Only about 9% of applicants are incomplete, which means 91% of Early Action applicants are complete! If you are incomplete at this time, first check with the Read More >
We are nearing the end of October, and we are finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as matching up recommendations, test scores, transcripts, etc. for Early Action. We just downloaded the October Read More >
With the Early Action deadline passing, here are a few updates about the process: Total Early Action Applications: Approximately 11,400 Complete Early Action Applications: Approximately 5,600 Number of Early Action Applicants Applying on the Deadline: Approximately 2,100 As you can Read More >
The Early Action Deadline is Approaching
The Early Action deadline is almost here! Our office typically receives 4,000+ applications, a drastic increase in mail, emails and phone calls in the few days preceding the deadline. The best thing an applicant can do right now is be patient. We Read More >
The Early Action deadline is quickly approaching. Here are a few suggestions as we approach the deadline: Don’t wait until the last minute. Even though the deadline is October 15, you should not wait until the last minute to submit Read More >
Study Abroad – A Student’s Perspective
Last spring Chase Staub, a senior intern in our office, participated in one of the many Study Abroad programs UGA has to offer. Read below to learn about his experience: “This past May, I had the opportunity to go Read More >
Yesterday you filled out your application, paid with a credit card and hit SEND. Today you look over your application one more time, and “Oops!!” You forgot to mention being basketball team captain. You miscalculated your A’s and B’s. Your Read More >
We are over halfway through Spring Transfer applications at this time. We have made decisions on about 1,000 applications. There are about 300 files still left to review and about 250 incomplete files. Soon we will send out an email Read More >
Common Questions – September Edition
Below are some of the questions that we have been getting on the phones, by email and on the blog lately: I applied as a transfer student for Spring, when will I have a decision? We cannot guess when an applicant Read More >
Fall travel has begun! It’s the time of year when admissions counselors leave their offices and head out for college fairs, college nights, high school visits, counselor programs and other recruitment events. This means you’ll be seeing a lot of Read More >
Foundation Fellowship & Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarship Application
The 2013 Foundation Fellowship and Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarship application is now available on the admissions web site. This year there are a few changes and things to keep in mind with this application process. 1. Students may only apply Read More >
Every year we try to open a post aimed at answering questions from parents. We want to educate parents about the UGA admissions process and dispel myths and rumors that may be floating around high schools and communities. We recently Read More >
After a short break we are now able to continue processing spring transfer applications. We had been focusing on posting college credit for about 800 to1000 returning and new students for the fall. The majority of this work has been Read More >
The 2013 Application for First Year Admission is now open!
This does not mean you should submit an application immediately. Your deadline to apply for First Year admission to 2013 Fall and Summer Semesters for the “Early Action” is October 15. The “Regular Decision” application deadline for Fall and Summer Read More >
We are continuing to process Spring transfer applications. If you have applied for Spring, be sure to send us your transcripts as soon as possible. As we get closer to Fall our evaluators will have additional projects to work on and Read More >
Spring Transfer & Final Transcript Updates
We have now started reviewing spring transfer applications. We cannot guess when an applicant’s decision will be available. Applications are processed in the order in which they are completed. We are also now caught up with posting final college coursework Read More >
UGA Admissions Urban Legends Videos
Over the past three years, I have tried my best to shoot down as many myths or urban legends as possible concerning UGA Admissions. As such, I have created the following two videos to try and add a little humor Read More >
All undergraduate students at UGA now have access to DegreeWorks, a web-based tool used to assist students in monitoring progress toward degree completion. This program combines degree requirements and coursework completed into an easy-to-read worksheet which helps students see how Read More >
We have had several students inquire about final coursework being posted, so here is an update. Our evaluators are processing 1000+ final high school transcripts and 400+ college transcripts for incoming and returning students (and about 100 Pharmacy student transcripts). Read More >
An updated version of our Admissions iPhone App has been released, available for download on any iPhone or iPod Touch for free from iTunes. This updated version has many new features including: At a Glance: Browse the high points of Read More >
As promised, here are the essay questions for the 2013 First Year application. The application will be available in mid-August. 1. Choose an intellectual or creative opportunity (for example, community involvement, a summer program, a unique project, travel abroad, etc.) Read More >
I hope everyone is having a great start to their summer! Hi, I’m Lindsey Whittaker, Assistant Director of Admissions, and I will be handling the blog for the next 1.5+ years. While I have been with this office for five years, Read More >
I have some good news and some bad news from the UGA Admissions Blog, so I will break it out into multiple notes in this post. Good News: Over the next three years, UGA will be updating the old Student Read More >
At this time, we have offered a limited number of students admission for fall term off the 2012 wait-list (approximately 130-140 students), and a smaller number of students spring admission off the wait-list (approximately 30-35 students). Based on the “Yes” Read More >
I am in Arkansas right now, but I wanted to let everyone know that we started making a limited number of offers to wait list students for the Spring 2013 term. I do not have any specific numbers, but at Read More >
A recent National Admissions meeting brought up the issue that admissions offices have some words that are unique to our specific profession, and that an admissions dictionary might be needed. In fact, one of the presenters is Carey Clinton, a Read More >
For the last six years or so, I have spent a few days each May meeting with Admissions personnel from the other SEC schools (welcome Texas A&M and U Missouri!) to share ideas, talk about different issues, laugh, cry (okay, Read More >
I am happy to announce that we will begin making a limited number of offers from the wait list for the Fall 2012 term starting later today! Over 700 students have requested to stay on the Wait List (out of Read More >
Question about Essay Questions
At this time of year, we start looking at the freshman application, and what need need to tweak/alter for following years. We often debate back and forth about our four short essay questions (150-200 words), and what we could ask Read More >
April 2012 Updates for Freshman and Transfers
It is mid-April, and life is still fairly hectic in our office. Freshman decisions are out, but we are still in the thick of reviewing transfer files, monitoring commitment deposits for the freshman class, traveling, hosting accepted student events on Read More >
2012 Admitted Freshman Statistics
As I promised last week, here are the statistics on the Admitted Class of 2016. I do not have the stats for the wait-list group ( just over 1100 were offered wait-list) at this time as we do not know Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts, April 2012 Edition
We have finished up the freshman decisions (except for the wait list decisions that we will not know about for a while), summer transfer decisions are almost completely done, and fall transfers are in mid-stream. As such, here are a Read More >
2012 Freshman Decisions are Available
Final freshman decisions are now available online, and the applicant pool this year was very strong! We had roughly 19,000 applicants, which was our largest applicant pool ever. Here are a few notes about the decisions. Please do no have Read More >
Later today, we will be making decisions available to students. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you, and a chance to comment. Please remember that this is not a blog where Read More >
Later today, we will be making decisions available to students. For those of you who have been wait-listed by UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please remember that this is not a blog where Read More >
Later today, we will be making decisions available to students. For those of you who have been denied by UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please remember that this is not a blog where Read More >
Here is a quick update for Fall transfer applicants, as the deadline is approaching. At this time, we are moving along at a steady clip in reviewing files, and over 600 decisions have already gone out (as compared to last Read More >
The Elephant Parable, 2012 edition
Every year after decisions, there are a wave of unhappy comments about specific decisions and comparisons to other applicants, and so several years ago I decided to write a post about the importance of knowing everything about a situation before Read More >
Yes, the question that all freshmen applicants (and their parents) have been asking again and again can finally be answered. Final decisions for freshmen applicants are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 30 (unless something catastrophic occurs). As normal, Read More >
This past weekend, I drove a 15 seat bus down to Saint Simons Island (and then back to Athens) with a group of teenagers. I am guessing that over the course of the 7 hour drive, I was asked at Read More >
Silent Suggestions for HS juniors (and below)
While a number of admissions offices (including UGA) are using videos more and more in their recruitment of students, here is a different take on the standard “admissions suggestions” videos (and our tribute to the Oscar winning film “The Artist”). Read More >
Interesting Items from the 2012 File Reading
We are still deep into reading freshman files, but here are a few interesting items about some of our applicants that we have learned from their files: Second place winner in a national texting tournament (over 500,000 participants), and was Read More >
While we are still in full swing reading freshman files, I thought I would share a few essay examples from this year that I think are impressive. Please understand that while some people believe that great essays should have as Read More >
2012 Transfer Update, 3/2/2012
While yesterday was the Summer Transfer deadline, and we will still be receiving materials for this group for the next week or two, we have now also started to review Fall Transfer files. We will be shifting back and forth Read More >
Here is a quick update on the Transfer Applicants for Summer and Fall of 2012. Please remember that the Summer deadline is still a week away, and the Fall deadline is still over a month away, so all numbers are Read More >
February 2012 Freshman Decisions
In the late afternoon today (Friday, February 17), we will be releasing the February wave of admission offers. As I stated in earlier comments, these admitted students, who are primarily Regular Decision (RD) applicants, are applicants who meet the criteria Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts February 2012 Edition
First, I will be out of the office for the next five days, so please hold off on any questions, or if you do submit them, be patient, as I will not be able to review any emails/blog comments until Read More >
Summer/Fall 2012 Transfer Admission
As our review of the freshman transcripts (just the transcripts, not the entire file!) comes to an end, we will now starting up our transfer reviews. The transfer decision process is very different from the freshman process, so please take Read More >
Our office is at the point where we have caught up with the mail, the electronic documents, and the checking of our holding files for other matching materials. Over the next week or so, we will continue to match up Read More >
It is now quiet time in our office, a practice that we have done for about 6 years. The main desk will still be taking calls and answering emails, but the admissions counselors will be focused on freshman file reading, Read More >
January Freshman Admission Update
We are a few days out from the admissions deadlines, so I will try to give you an update on what is happening and where we are right now in the process. Over the long weekend, approximately 2,200 freshman applications Read More >
During both the week before and the week after a deadline, life gets fairly crazy in our office. We are receiving tens of thousands of documents, both online and through the mail, and we have a number of people trying Read More >
Since the deadline is fast approaching (because 1/15 falls on a Sunday, and the next day is a holiday, the actual deadline is 1/17), here are my thoughts on why not to apply right on the deadline. This is in Read More >
Admissions Thoughts – January 2012 edition
We are about 2 weeks from the RD deadline (if a deadline falls on a weekend or a holiday, we move it to the next business day, so the RD deadline is January 17 this year), so here are some Read More >
As some of you may have noticed, there is an issue with the myStatus page displaying transcripts as received. I have communicated with the head of our technology team, and for some reason, the transcript database for the myStatus page Read More >
Our office will be closed for the Holiday break, and we will not return until early January. As such, any emails, mailings, phone calls, etc. will not be acted upon until after the holiday break. As well, I will only Read More >
What has been great with other colleges?
Throughout the year, while we read files, attend college fairs, match documents, review transcripts, visit schools, answer emails and phone calls, and generally just work with students and parents, we also look around and see what other college admissions offices Read More >
For a majority of students, the first semester is coming to an end, and with it comes the arrival of the dreaded disease known as senioritis. Hopefully, this video will shed a little more light on how UGA Admissions looks Read More >
As we get further into December, here are a few reminders concerning UGA Admissions: Please, please, please do not wait until the last minute to send in your application and materials! Please! We have about 13,500 students who have applied Read More >
Essays and Jokes, and How they are Similar
A number of you are now starting to write the four short essays for UGA, either because your decision was deferred or because you are finishing up your Regular Decision application. As such, here is some advice on good essays, Read More >
We receive a number of questions at this time of year about teacher recommendations, so here is my (limited) advice on the subject. First, when figuring out who you should ask to write a letter of recommendation, try to find Read More >
If you have not noticed yet (see the right hand side of the blog), I am now officially on twitter! I have absolutely no idea how I will use this within the UGA Admissions role, but I have a few Read More >
Like most people, I will be out of the office through the Thanksgiving holiday. As such, I will not be responding to blog questions until my return late Sunday/early Monday at the earliest. My suggestion is to put aside any Read More >
In the wake of Early Action decisions going out, we generally have a number of questions about why a decision was made, and a great deal of confusion surrounds the concept of GPA. Most of the disappointed comments and email Read More >
2012 EA Decisions are Now Available!
Due to between 40,000-50,000 individuals trying to access the site, we are having server problems, so we suggest checking back later this evening when we have the server working correctly and the traffic is not as heavy. In addition, do Read More >
2012 Early Action Decision Reactions
Since Early Action decisions will be going out in the late afternoon on Friday, November 18, here are a few suggestions on how to react to the four different decisions: Admit: Celebrate with family, buy a lot of UGA gear Read More >
Half-Baked Reactions, 2012 Edition
Last year, I wrote a post shortly after the EA decisions were released, and I thought it would be a good post to revamp and have out prior to the 2012 EA decisions going out. Here it is: Last night, Read More >
2012 Early Action Decision Release Date
For all of you who are waiting anxiously by your computer/mailbox, nervous about your Early Action decision, here is some good news. UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the myStatus page on Friday, November 18 in the Read More >
Over the past 8-10 years, UGA has had a huge jump in the number of students submitting ACT scores. UGA treats the ACT in the same way that we do the SAT (neither one is better or worse, easier or Read More >
Sometime late last night/early this morning, a prospective student (most parents are asleep before 2 a.m.) viewed a page of the blog, and the UGA Admissions blog officially had its 1 millionth pageview!! No, I cannot track down this visitor, Read More >
Early Action Update, November Version
We have made it to November 1, and we are finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as matching up recommendations, test scores, transcripts, etc. for Early Action. We are importing the last Read More >
For the next few days, I will be out of the office while attending a College Board meeting in NYC (my wife is very jealous!). If you have questions, please be patient, as I may or may not be able Read More >
Since we are now a few days beyond the Early Action deadline, I thought I would give everyone a few updates about the process: 2012 Early Action Applications: Approximately 10,800 Complete Early Action Applications: Approximately 6,600 Number of EA applicants Read More >
Admissions Thoughts – October EA Deadline Edition
As the Early Action 10/15 deadline approaches (we are less than a week away!), here are a few thoughts about the Freshman Admission process. Please, please, please do not wait until the last minute to take care of things! If Read More >
October Update on 2012 Spring Applicants
At this point in time, we are finished with Spring transfer decisions, and with much celebration by both the applicants and our office. We actually still have about 20 files that are being held and reviewed by our faculty, and Read More >
Self-Reported Grades Walk Through
This is the second year that we have asked freshman applicants to complete the self-reported grades section on our application, and for the most part, things are going well. Most everyone who has applied has understood the process, and almost Read More >
We are now about three weeks from the Early Action deadline, so I thought I should give out some suggestions about the application process: Make sure you review the application before submitting it! We receive about 20 emails a day Read More >
Last week, I wrote a post about the dedication of the statue of Abraham Baldwin, the founder and first President of the University of Georgia. One of the key people in getting this statue from an idea to reality is Read More >
Every year, UGA’s Admissions Office works with a large number of prospective students (about 60,000 and growing for 2012), sending them materials, emailing them information, inviting them to campus events, and alerting them about our travel. A majority of these Read More >
A little over 14 years ago, my wife and I celebrated the birth of our first child. That initial year was tough, as for all parents, with the lack of sleep, late night feedings, tons (and believe me, it felt Read More >
Mid-September is the time of year when the questions really start coming in concerning Early Action, so here is a quick post covering some of the highlights. Required materials for Early Action applicants – Deadline October 15 Submit the online Read More >
For the past two days, the UGA Admissions Office (along with the Registrar and Financial Aid) has been going through a software upgrade for our Imaging System.We expect to be up and running on either Monday or Tuesday, but please Read More >
Admissions Thoughts – September Edition
It is September, which means a number of things in the world of College Admissions. The start of the applications rolling in for next fall, the sound of luggage rolling down the office hallway as counselors get ready for fall Read More >
The deadline for Spring is one day away (Spetember 1), so I thought all of the transfer applicants would like an update on the progress of our review. Please remember, we are evaluating transfer files daily, but it takes a Read More >
The end of August means one thing in the world of college admissions: The start of Fall travel! Every fall, droves of college admissions counselors depart from their campuses like flocks of migrating birds, heading out to college fairs, college Read More >
My wife Cathy and I have taken enough trips in our life together to know that before we do any packing for a vacation, we need to have a check list for the trip. We have had more than enough Read More >
The Freshman Application is Now Open!
We have now opened up the Summer/Fall 2012 Freshman Application! As I have stated in previous posts, this does not mean you should stop whatever you are doing and submit the application as quickly as possible. Please do not do Read More >
Just a quick post to direct everyone to the updated and newly designed UGA website! There is a great deal of new information, but also a great deal of standard information with a new look (check out the calendar and Read More >
I have previously written about the changes that occurred to the GA HOPE program this year, but I wanted to give everyone a link to the Office of Student Financial Aid’s HOPE changes page so everyone can see the specifics Read More >
Every year, the University of Georgia has a huge series of events during the first week back on campus. This year, there will be a huge freshman gathering at Sanford Stadium, an outdoor movie at Legion Field, live performances at Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts – July Edition
As we move forward with recruiting the freshman who will be applying for the Summer/Fall 2012 term, here are a few random thoughts about the admissions process and where you are at now in the admission cycle. Go out and Read More >
Do’s and Don’ts from Admissions
We are right near the end of the cycle for one group of students (the Fall semester starts on August 15), and we will open up the 2012 Freshman application on the same day. As such, here is a list Read More >
Spring 2012 Transfer Decisions
In early July, the UGA Admissions office began reviewing Spring 2012 transfer applications and making admission decisions on files that were complete. We are still working with incoming freshman concerning final HS transcripts, and we are still posting updated transfer Read More >
For the last few years, I have opened up a post specifically to answer questions from parents, and I thought I would revisit this theme earlier this year. While I love working with and answering questions from students, parents seem Read More >
It is that time of year again, when I will be away from the blog for a week while I volunteer at Camp Sunshine, a camp for children with cancer. This will be my 17th year volunteering for the summer Read More >
Rising Senior Suggestions from the Director!
David Graves has asked that I share some pearls of wisdom with our blog readers as rising seniors begin to plan their college application process. I have served on many panels of Admission Deans and Directors who present this type Read More >
2012 Freshman Application and Essay Questions
In mid-August, UGA will open up the Freshman application for the Summer/Fall 2012 terms. Some students are eager to start the application now, and we understand that, but we have to make sure we enroll the 2011 class before we Read More >
I am happy to announce the newest program on campus for all First-Year students starting in Fall of 2011 (and beyond), the First-Year Odyssey program! This seminar program is designed for all new freshmen, and is geared towards connecting freshmen Read More >
Now that most of the incoming freshmen and transfers are done with their Spring terms (or at least about to be done), it is time for a few reminders about a few last items before you enroll. All incoming freshmen Read More >
Hines Ward, UGA Graduate and Dance Champion
While this is for the most part an Admissions blog for the University of Georgia, I would be remiss if I did not mention the latest Dancing with the Stars winner and UGA Graduate, Hines Ward! While I am not Read More >
It is the end of the school year (or at least close to it for most everyone), and this time of year always brings up the discussion about rising juniors and seniors and the college search process. As such, here Read More >
Every once in a while, when I have to give out tough information on this blog, there are the expected negative comments. Yesterday, after I alerted students about the wait-list situation, there were a few readers whose comments became offensive Read More >
Based on the overwhelming response of accepted freshmen submitting commitment deposits for the Summer/Fall terms of 2011, UGA will only be able to admit a very small number of freshman off the wait-list. It is expected that it will be Read More >
Nashville bound to the SEC meeting
For the last five years or so, I have spent a few days each May meeting with Admissions personnel from the other SEC schools to share ideas, talk about different issues, laugh, cry (okay, not too much crying), and share Read More >
UGA’s Orientation website is now available for all admitted freshmen and transfer applicants! Please make sure to have the email that you used to apply for admission (and the accompanying password) in order to sign into the Orientation site. Here Read More >
Here is a quick update straight from the Orientation Website: First-year Summer Term & all Transfer Orientation Registration is now available. First-year Fall Term Orientation Registration will be available on the afternoon of May 9, 2011. If you have questions Read More >
Commitment Deposit Do’s and Don’ts
It is almost May 1, which in the college admission world means it is time for admitted students to indicate what college they will be attending. I have always loved the “Commitment” image to the left, as it is an Read More >
It is that time of year when I start to transition from entering UGA freshman and current transfer applicants to the next group of students, those who will be looking at UGA for 2012. And as I normally do at Read More >
Random Admission Thoughts – April Edition
April in Admissions is in some respects a very busy/hectic time, but it is also a much more peaceful time in some areas of the office. Our office has a number of student programs over the next two weeks, both Read More >
Let’s say you have two applicants…
During the course of a year, every admissions office is bombarded with a number of similar questions, with one being the most prevalent and challenging, and it always starts with “Let’s say you have two applicants …”. There are six Read More >
Spring is the time for HS juniors to begin their college search process in earnest, and so begins the season of doubt. “Should I send my SAT/ACT to UGA now, or wait until I see how I did?” Fear not, Read More >
Over the past few months, a number of national programs have named their scholarship recipients, from the Goldwater Scholars to the new Rangel Graduate Fellowship. As such, here is a partial list of the UGA students who were named as Read More >
I am back from time at the beach, and ready to dive into more admissions issues! The first question that comes up on most phone calls and emails is “When am I going to hear about my fall transfer decision?” Read More >
Online Committment Deposit now Available!
After years (and years and years) of only being able to submit the $200 Freshman Commitment Deposit by mail, I am proud to announce that admitted freshman can now submit the deposit online! While this may seem minor in some Read More >
Yesterday, a recently admitted student and her parents visited the Admissions Office, and they asked to speak to me. It turned out that she was one of the students that I had mentioned in a previous post concerning the strength Read More >
As I promised over the weekend, here are the statistics on the Admitted Class of 2015. I do not have the stats for the wait-list group ( just under 900 were offered wait-list) at this time as we do not Read More >
A quick thank you to all of you who have responded about your admissions decisions, as you have had great attitudes (only one post deleted!), have told some great stories, have made some great plan B’s, and overall have made Read More >
Later today, we will be making decisions available to students. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you, and a chance to comment. Please remember that this is not a blog where Read More >
2011 Freshman Wait-list Applicants
Later today, we will be making decisions available to students. For those of you who have been wait-listed by UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please remember that this is not a blog where Read More >
Later today, we will be making decisions available to students. For those of you who have been denied by UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please remember that this is not a blog where Read More >
Yes, today is the day that final decisions are available to freshman applicants. My estimation is that the myStatus page will be open sometime around 4:30 pm EST today, but I will be out of the office this afternoon and Read More >
The Elephant Parable, 2011 version
After decisions last year, there were a wave of unhappy comments about specific decisions and comparisons to other applicants, and I decided to write a post about the importance of knowing everything about a situation before judging it. I thought Read More >
Yes, the question that all freshmen applicants (and their parents) have been asking again and again can finally be answered. Final decisions for freshmen applicants are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 25 (unless something catastrophic occurs). As normal, Read More >
We are finally at the finish line for Summer Transfers! While we have about 15 or so left, generally extremely challenging files with a great deal of coursework from colleges we have not worked with before, we are now starting Read More >
While a large number of college students are headed to the beach, the open seas, or some other vacation destination, over 350 UGA students are traveling throughout the country to participate in Alternative Spring Break. They will be helping to Read More >
In preparation for the Freshmen decisions that will be sent out in late March, the myStatus page will be temporarily closed to allow our office to begin the final stages of the decision process. We will still be making transfer Read More >
I am able to do a lot things easily; I can juggle with one hand or two, I can read admissions files like nobody’s business, I can make a great meatloaf (the secret is in the sour cream and dijon Read More >
An academic advisor has made a request that I write a post about majors, and I think it is a great idea! I have dealt with the issue of academic majors before and how they relate to admissions in comments, Read More >
Since 2002, there has been one constant in my household; From January through March, two nights a week, my family will be watching American Idol while I read admissions files. The judges have changed, the contestants are younger, there are Read More >
While this is our “Quiet Time” in the office, with our counselors tied to their desks (figuratively, not literally), I thought you might appreciate a little insight into some interesting things we are seeing in the applicants we are Read More >
Updating the Blog – Please be Patient
During this time of year, things get a little quieter than normal, as everyone on our side of things are hidden away in their offices, reading files. On the applicant side, everyone is waiting patiently (or not so patiently) for Read More >
February Freshman Admits now available on myStatus
The status check is now updated and the wave of freshman February admit decisions (roughly 1,800) that I discussed earlier are now showing up on the site. Please remember that this is a small group of admits who meet the Read More >
In the late afternoon of Friday, February 18, we will be releasing the February wave of admission offers (please do not ask me what late afternoon is, as I put it as late afternoon instead of a specific time for Read More >
Summer/Fall Transfer Decisions
Our evaluation team is finally at the end of checking high school transcripts (no, this does not mean we are done with freshman reviews, only the HS transcript reviews), so starting next week, we will be able to begin the Read More >
After about a year and a half of managing the UGA Admissions blog, I think it is about time to make a few modifications to the site. I will be making changes slowly over the next few months, with some Read More >
Dual Enrollment and Challenging Coursework
Every once in a while, the topic of dual enrollment (taking college classes while in high school) comes up on this blog. Every year, well over 1,500 of our freshman applicants will have some form of dual enrollment work, and Read More >
Later this month, we will be releasing acceptance letters for a small group of freshman applicants. These admits, who are primarily Regular Decision (RD) applicants, are students who meet the criteria that UGA admissions used for Early Action (EA) admits. Read More >
Almost through with matching materials
At this point in time, we are caught up with the mail, and we are entering in materials as they come in to the office. As well, we have checked the entire holding file of unmatched materials (well over 5,000 Read More >
Random Notes from the Week After
After a few days of opening mail, reading files late into the night, scanning documents, and answering emails, here are a few quick and random thoughts from me (take these with a grain of salt): To the teacher that decided Read More >
It is now quiet time in our office, a practice that we have done for about 5 years. We will still be taking calls and answering emails, but the admissions counselors will be focused on freshman file reading, and thus Read More >
Deadlines, myStatus and Materials – The Cliff Notes
At this point in the the Admissions process, everyone (my office included) is somewhat worn out, exhausted, but glad that we have survived the deadline. Here are a few random thoughts about the process over the next few weeks. The Read More >
Now that the Freshman application deadline is in the past, and as all of the supporting documents roll in, here are a few of the things that will be going on in the Admissions Office over the next few months. Read More >
File Completion Deadline Extended to January 21
Due to the school closings throughout the Southeast, UGA has (as previously stated) extended the application deadline to January 18, and we are now extending the File Completion deadline to Friday, January 21. This means that the materials that are Read More >
Due to the severe weather issues surrounding UGA, Atlanta and the Southeast, the freshman Regular Decision application deadline and file completion deadline of January 15 has been extended to January 18 at 5 p.m. EST. Please remember that we will Read More >
Incomplete Emails and Incoming Materials
At this time of year, we send out a number of emails to freshman applicants letting them know that their files are incomplete. This is a standard email that is sent out roughly 10-15 days after a student has applied, Read More >
Where’s the Effin Waffle House?- A Story of Misunderstanding
About 7 years ago, my wife and I were driving home after picking up our six year old son at my in-laws house, with him firmly strapped into his car seat in the back. As six year olds are prone Read More >
Timeline Leading Up To (and Beyond) January 15
Between now and January 15 (and even a little while after that!), the UGA Admissions Office will be receiving a huge volume of materials, both electronically and in the mail. Since it has been less than two hours since we Read More >
Common Questions (and Answers) While UGA is Closed
UGA will be closed from late afternoon on December 24 through January 3, and as such, we will not be available to answer many questions. Like many of you, I will also be unavailable at times during the break, so Read More >
Suggestions over the Holiday Break
Happy Holidays everyone, and I hope you are enjoying (or about to start enjoying) your holiday break. Our office is still open this week, but we will be shutting down late Friday, and we do not return until January 4. Read More >
Early Action Facts and Reality
In reviewing the chart to the left , which shows Early Action admitted freshman and their zodiac signs, some people would say “I knew it, they did not admit me because I was a Capricorn” or “I knew that they Read More >
Summer/Fall 2011 Transfer Applicants
At this point in time, we have received approximately 100 Summer and 300 Fall transfer applications. The next two months or so will be tied up with several issues, from the update of Spring freshman and transfer files as Fall Read More >
I am guessing that for a number of the deferred students, they are looking at part II of the application and wondering what they should write about in their essays. I am also guessing that most of you do not Read More >
Admissions – After the EA Decisions are Out
Now that Early Action decisions have been made, here are a few items of note of what will be going on over the next few weeks in Admissions: Starting today (Monday, 12/6), we will begin to enter in the materials Read More >
Last night, my son wanted his favorite meal for dinner, fettucini alfredo with chicken. We pulled together to boil the noodles, cook the chicken and blend the sauce, along with making a salad, garlic bread and dessert. We had to Read More >
I wrote this a short while ago as a comment to my latest post, but I thought I would also make it a new post, so here you go: I think I have responded to all your questions as of Read More >
Early Action Decisions are Available!
Early Action decisions are now available online, and the applicant pool was very strong! Approximately 6,100 students were admitted, and here is the link to the 2011 EA admitted student press release with some statistics included. We are thrilled to Read More >
Early Action Decisions and Reactions
Early Action decisions will be going out at the end of the week, so here are a few suggestions on how to react to the three different decisions: Admit: Celebrate with family, buy a lot of UGA gear to wear Read More >
At this point in time, UGA has received approximately 100 summer transfer applications and 200 fall transfer applications. While our principle focus is on freshman at this time, especially on Early Action decisions, we have been able to review a Read More >
Congratulations Tracy Yang, UGA Rhodes Scholar!
Tracy Yang, a senior at UGA (and Westside HS of Macon graduate), has been named a Rhodes Scholar, the 22nd in UGA’s history. Tracy is an Anthropology major, and has done research in the health disparities within the lower socio-economic Read More >
We Anticipate That EA Decisions Will Be Released on Dec. 3
In the late afternoon of December 3, UGA anticipates that we will make the Early Action decisions available on the myStatus page. We say anticipate in case something unforeseen causes a delay (power outage, the Board of Regents making a Read More >
A little over a year ago, I did a post specifically to answer questions from parents, and I thought I would revisit this theme. While I love working with and answering questions from students, parents seem to be put in Read More >
Foundation Fellowship and Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarship Application Deadline
The post mark application deadline is Monday, November 15 for the Foundation Fellowship and Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarship application. We realize that many students will be starting, completing and submitting the application over the weekend and may be in a Read More >
Changing Application Information
You have submitted your admission application to UGA, when suddenly you come to the realization that your email, [email protected], might not be the most appropriate email address to use. You want to change it, but you are not sure what Read More >
There is an interesting article out today that is a collaboration between The New York Times and The Chronicle of Higher Education titled Application Inflation: When is Enough Enough?. It is a very good read, and it deals with an Read More >
We received the October SAT scores late yesterday, and we were able to download them into our system this morning. We just updated the myStatus page about an hour ago to show any updated/new scores. We will be running checks Read More >
Shout out to High School Counselors!
Over the last 3 years, our office has made it so that high school counselors and teachers can submit their evaluation/recommendation forms online. As you would probably guess, it started off slow the first year, but it has been gaining Read More >
As of today, we have 10,621 Early Action applicants, and just under 2,300 of them are still missing SAT/ACT (with writing) test scores. What this is telling me is that a number of you have waited to send in your Read More >
The Early Action deadline has come and gone, and we will spend the next two weeks matching up transcripts, test scores, recommendations, etc. Please be patient while we go through the mail, as we had five full bins this morning, Read More >
Yes, today is the deadline for Early Action Freshman applicants, and that means a huge volume of applications, mail, phone calls, and emails will be generated surrounding this date. As I have said before, do not panic is something is Read More >
We are coming up on the Early Action deadline, so here are a few suggestions as we approach this timeline: Even though the deadline is October 15, I do not suggest waiting until the last minute to submit your application. Read More >
Spring Applicant Update part II
As I promised last week, here is the update on Spring admissions: All freshman decisions have been made, and the decisions have been mailed out. Spring freshman application numbers are always small, so I will not go into details about Read More >
In order to help out with the freshman application process, Morgan in our office has created this video to walk students through the steps to apply to UGA. I hope you enjoy this, and thanks to Morgan and Milly (the Read More >
The Spring 2011 Orientation site is now open for admitted students, and I advise that you read the introduction carefully to make sure you take the proper steps in signing up. Orientation is mandatory for all incoming freshman and transfer Read More >
Many of you might not know this, but the UGA Admissions Office has two people based in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Jackie Pearson, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions, and Lindsey Dean, Assistant Director of Admissions, both work out of Read More >
Like many of you, my two children had to go through a year of “Etiquette” classes. They learned about table manners, dinner table rules, proper introductions, social graces, etc. It is interesting that one of our most recent Admission Counselor Read More >
Now that we are a little over a month into the Freshman application cycle, I thought I would let you know how things are going so far in the process. As of today (9.21.2010), we have received approximately 3,000 Early Read More >
Foundation Fellowship & Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarship Application
Happy Friday! My name is Cindy and I work in the UGA Admissions Office as well. I manage the Foundation Fellowship and Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarship application process. Many thanks to DGraves for allowing me to guest post today. The Read More >
Since we are about a week out from the Spring admissions deadline, I thought that I would give everyone a heads up on where we are at this point in time for both Spring freshman and transfers. I expect that Read More >
September brings about cooler weather, college football (Go Dawgs!), and in the land of college admissions, it is the start of Travel Season. From early September (actually late August this year) until early November, the UGA Admissions team will travel Read More >
Spring 2011 deadline extended to Sept. 3, 4 p.m.
In order to work with students who may have been impacted by the application being down for a short period of time in early August, we have extended the Spring 2011 Freshman and Transfer deadline to Friday, September 3 at Read More >
Yesterday, the majority of the Admissions staff participated in a 4 hour campus adventure we called “The UGA Admissions Amazing Race”, modeled after the TV show The Amazing Race. Four of us (me included) mapped out eight locations around the Read More >
Self-Reported Grades, HS Transcripts, and the Law of Unintended Consequences
I was recently at a fast food restaurant , and they had new, larger cups for their sweet tea (the greatest beverage ever invented!), with a new logo on the side and a cool new dispenser. Life was great, as Read More >
Status Check on myStatus back up
The Status Check part of the myStatus page is now back up. We will be working hard over the next few days to link up materials with the application files that have just come in, so please be patient. When Read More >
The Status part of myStatus Page Down
Quick update for everyone. The UGA myStatus page will be down until Tuesday due to some issues with the importing of data from the recent applications. The applications are downloading into our system, but there are at times some minor Read More >
In an article in the NY Times last week, there was a story about a Texas high school senior who was the first person to complete the “Common Application” that is used by a number of colleges (although not UGA). Read More >
First-Year Application is now available!
The UGA First-Year application is now open! As is our history, we normally open our First-Year application in mid-August, and it is generally on a Monday to make sure we are available if any minor issues arise. Please remember that Read More >
Spring 2011 Transfer Application Is Now Back!
Thanks to to hard work of the UGA Admissions technology team, the Spring 2011 Transfer Application is now up and working again! For those applicants who had started an application earlier in the week in the new system, we have Read More >
Shel Silverstein was a great poet and philosopher (at least I think so!), and one of his best poems is entitled Smart: Smart My dad gave me one dollar bill ‘Cause I’m his smartest son, And I swapped it for Read More >
Thomas Edison and the Contact ID
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. Thomas Edison In our testing of the Contact ID system and the application, we have found that while it works well in production, at this time Read More >
New Step in the Admission Application
Sometime tomorrow, the Spring applications will be back up and running. In addition, I expect that on Monday, 8/16, the freshman application will be open and available to the public. While I have already mentioned a few changes to the Read More >
Revisiting the EA vs RD question
I am re-posting a blog post from last August, as it is the time of year when all the questions start coming up concerning the Early Action (EA) vs Regular Decision (RD) process. So without further delay, here is an Read More >
Application/Status Check sites down this week
Due to testing of a new ID system for applicants, our admission applications, along with the status check, will be down during this week. We are working on a new system that will allow for applicants to enter in their Read More >
In a few weeks, most freshman applications will go live around the country (UGA’s application will go live in mid-August). As such, Here are a few suggestions to get prepared and organized as you begin this process. Go out and Read More >
Suggestions for What to Ask (and Not to Ask)
Greetings Everyone! I will be out of the office for a few days, so please be patient as I will not be able to answer your questions for a short while. In preparation for this, here are a few suggestions Read More >
Spring 2011 Transfer Decisions
Starting today, the UGA Admssions office will begin reviewing Spring 2011 transfer applications and making admission decisions on files that are complete. This will start off slow, as we are still working with incoming freshman concerning final HS transcripts, and Read More >
Booker T. Washington HS Valedictorian Speech
Just a quick post to share a video that has been circulating through our office for the last few weeks. Deonte Bridges, the Valedictorian at Booker T. Washington HS in Atlanta, GA, gives a powerful speech at graduation. We are Read More >
As you might have guessed, I am a big fan of fables, and the following one applies directly to the idea of students challenging themselves and working hard. Aesop’s Fable, “The Ant and the Grasshopper” Once there lived an ant Read More >
Yesterday, I sent out two emails to incoming freshman (and I expect I will send out a few more before the end of summer) asking for more information on why their last semester grades had a serious decline. These are Read More >
At this time of year, I start looking back at what I wrote last year to see if there are any big issues that need repeating for a new group of rising seniors. One of the more prevalent issues is Read More >
It is that time of year again, when I will be away from the blog for a week while I volunteer at Camp Sunshine, a camp for children with cancer. This will be my 16th year volunteering for the summer Read More >
Electronic College Transcripts
I sat in on a very interesting meeting today involving transfer admissions and XML transcripts. While this might not seem exciting to talk about, it could lead to a dramatic change in the processing and review of files in the Read More >
It is summertime, which means that the summer reading lists are out in full force. In my house (with a rising sixth and a rising eighth grader), there is now a great deal of moaning going on whenever I bring Read More >
This will probably be the last update on Fall transfer decisions, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. As of late this afternoon, we had approximately 30 files left to evaluate for Fall transfer decisions (this is excluding students Read More >
Freshman Application Changes Part IV
The last change that we will be making to the freshman application has to do with your high school grades. Over the last 6 years, the number of freshman applicants has grown from roughly 12,000 in 2005 to over 18,000 Read More >
Freshman Application Changes Part III
In reviewing the UGA admissions process and the information that we ask for on the application, we started looking at Part I and Part II of the application more closely. While the separation into two parts has worked well for Read More >
Freshman Application Changes Part II
As I said in an earlier post, there will be a few changes to the Freshman application this year. I will give you more information later this week on the other changes, but I want to go step by step Read More >
At this time, we have offered a limited number of students admission for fall term off the wait-list, and a little larger number of students spring admission off the wait-list. I do not have an exact number for these groups, Read More >
It is that time of week to update you on how the fall transfer process is going. Please excuse me if the updates look fairly similar, but I figure a consistent style is the best way to convey what is Read More >
For the last four years, the senior admissions people from all 12 of the SEC universities have gathered together to talk about admissions policies, recruiting, best policies in higher education, and other topics related to student enrollment. This year, we Read More >
It is Friday, so it is time to once again give you an update on fall transfers. At this time, we have reviewed and made decisions on approximately 1700 applications (rough average of 60 decisions a day), and if we Read More >
Spring Admission Deadline Changed to Sept. 1
Every May, a small group of UGA admissions people gather to discuss the past year’s admission cycle, and to look at the next year in order to plan out the admissions process for the future. We talk about what worked, Read More >
Here is my weekly update on the Fall Transfer process, and how the general timeline is looking for this group. Our evaluation team is moving along at a very strong pace, as almost 900 admit decisions have gone out, and Read More >
We are now at the time of year where we can begin to review the wait-list, although we are just in the initial stages of the process, as we are still waiting on the last of the deposits to roll Read More >
Essay Examples from 2010, part II
For part II of the essay examples, we have actually included two essays from a particularly strong writer who will be here next fall. All of her essays were great, making it too difficult to choose just one. I hope Read More >
Due to an elementary school chicken dinner late this afternoon (“winner, winner chicken dinner” as my co-worker and friend Charlie would say) and a furlough day tomorrow, I will not be back in the office until Monday. As such, I Read More >
In continuing with the theme of working with rising juniors and seniors in high school, the question of admissions essays always comes up. In our file reading this year, our counselors read a lot of essays, from the great to Read More >
As I stated last week, I will try to post a weekly update about Fall transfers and how the process is going. Since tomorrow is a furlough day, I will be out of the office an unable to see what Read More >
At this time of year, our office starts to move its focus from the incoming freshman class to the rising junior and senior classes in high school. We will still be doing a great deal of programs for incoming freshmen, Read More >
Although I cannot give daily updates on what is happening with Fall transfer decisions, I will try to post a weekly update either on Thursday or Friday about the progress our office has made in reviewing Fall files. I will Read More >
Later this week, UGA will be celebrating the 225 anniversary of the founding of the university, with a focus on both the history of UGA and the future for our institution. On Thursday, April 22, the focus will be on Read More >
We are coming up on May 1, the date by which most freshman applicants need to make a commitment to attend their chosen college. UGA, along with all the other colleges, wants you to take your time and make sure Read More >
After a review of the application numbers, the projected enrollment numbers for the overall student body next year, along with discussions about future budget issues, the University of Georgia will move forward with Fall transfer admission decisions based upon the Read More >
The UGA Admissions Office has just been given the approval to make admission decisions on all summer transfer applicants. The University has been waiting for more information on the overall budget situation for UGA for next year, but understands the Read More >
Every year, UGA works with between 60,000 and 70,000 potential applicants to UGA. These students come to our attention through college fairs, emails and letters asking for information, SAT or ACT scores sent to UGA, visits to campus, etc. We Read More >
Stats on the Admitted Class of 2014
As I promised earlier in the week, here are the statistics on the Admitted Class of 2014. I do not have the stats for the wait-list group ( 1,120 were offered wait-list) at this time as we do not know Read More >
The Parable of the Elephant and the Six Blind Men
In reading the different comments from students after decisions have gone out, I am reminded of the parable of the Elephant and the Six Blind Men: Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived six blind men. Each Read More >
For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you, and a chance to comment. Congratulations to all of the freshman who were admitted to UGA, and we look forward to you becoming a Read More >
For those of you who have been denied by UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Unfortunately, we were not able to admit a number of strong applicants, as we are limited in the size Read More >
For those of you who have been wait-listed by UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Every year, our office has to predict approximately how many students we can admit in order to enroll our Read More >
The UGA status check page is now open and freshman applicants are now able to see our final decisions. Again, I will be putting up three different posts (UVA has done this very well, so I am using their great Read More >
Later today, we will be opening up the status check so that all final decisions, and I will give you a heads up when it goes live. Before it happens, though, I wanted to let all the followers of this Read More >
Yes, the question that all freshmen applicants (and their parents) have been asking again and again can finally be answered. Final decisions for freshmen applicants will be released on Friday, March 26! As normal, we will open up the status Read More >
Book Recommendation for Parents
Since I cannot give you any news about decisions yet, I have one suggestion as to how you can pass the time during this challenging waiting time. As I have said before, I love to read, and at times I Read More >
Since we are coming up on freshman final decisions shortly, and this is also the time when a vast number of high school juniors begin their college visits, I thought I would go over the concept of grades and GPA Read More >
The University of Georgia Office of Undergraduate Admissions is proud to announce the release of version 1.0 of our iPhone App. This application can be downloaded for free from iTunes, and will run on any iPhone or iPod Touch. The Read More >
In my mind, there are two methods of cooking; working within the scope of a recipe, and working with what you have available. When you are cooking with a recipe (let’s say a cake), you gather all of the ingredients, Read More >
Right now, there are two things going on; one, our office is knee deep/swamped/up to our ears, etc. with file reading, and two, you are waiting patiently (or not so patiently) for us to finish reading. But I know that Read More >
Freshman February Wave of Admits
The status check is now back and open for viewing, and the small wave of freshman February admit decisions that I discussed earlier are now showing up on the site. Please remember that this is a small group of admits Read More >
Later this afternoon (Friday, 2/26), we will be releasing acceptance letters for a small group of freshman applicants. These admits, who are primarily Regular Decision (RD) applicants, are students who meet the criteria that UGA admissions used for Early Action Read More >
File Reading – Admissions Counselor Perspective
As a follow up to Dave’s file reading entries, Kelly Ochs – with the help of Bartley Sides – gives you a picture of file reading from an admissions counselor perspective. When I first became interested in working in college Read More >
Summer and Fall Transfer Decisions
As our review of the freshman transcripts (just the transcripts, not the entire file!) comes to an end, we are now starting up our transfer reviews. The transfer decision process is very different from the freshman process, so please take Read More >
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” Walt Disney A recent post brought up a good point for all high school junior and below students and parents about how to learn more about colleges and Read More >
File Reading, Part VI (the final chapter!)
Several years ago, I read a great book by Robert Fulghum called “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten”, and a portion of it applies to the last part of File Reading: Share everything. Play fair. Don’t Read More >
The fifth part of the review is already known to most everyone, but I will go ahead and share it with you. In this section, we are looking at an applicant’s academic progress over the 3-3.5 years of high school Read More >
Ara Parseghian: What’s your problem, O’Hare, what’s your problem? Jamie O’Hara: Last practice of the season and this ***** thinks it’s the Super Bowl! Ara Parseghian: You just summed up your entire sorry career here in one sentence! If you Read More >
This section will be brief, as I have written about it a number of times. The file reading topic for the day is Intellectual Challenge/Rigor of Curriculum. First, don’t ask how many AP/IB/Honors/Advanced/Dual Enrollment/Post-AP/TBE (The Best Ever!) classes you should Read More >
Here is the second installment of the UGA holistic file reading overview, with a focus on the area of an applicant’s writing, self-expression and creativity. I know, it is a mouthful, but this is the section where we look at Read More >
Last week, I said I would write about file reading, and I will break it up into six areas. The first thing we generally see during the review of the files is how a student spends their time outside of Read More >
In my family, I am known for cooking one thing well; my homemade chicken noodle soup. I take great pride in making this, and it becomes a half day process of cooking the chicken just right, making sure I have Read More >
I opened up a teacher recommendation letter this morning, and it stated that John was a great student, a wonderful person, and an all around great applicant. Unfortunately, this letter will never make it into John’s file, as his teacher Read More >
The Magic Eight Ball of Admissions
Every once in a while, I will receive an email or a response to this blog asking “I have X GPA, X SAT’s, …, so what are my chances for admission at UGA?” While it may sound like an easy Read More >
As of 3 p.m., we have received 17 bins of mail today. If we had to stack it up one on top of the other, it would be about 15-20 feet high. It is sort of like our own small-scale Read More >
While about 85% of UGA applicants apply before the deadline, it is that other 15%, the ones that submit right on the deadline, that at times causes me headaches. Not major migraines or anything that bad, but more of a Read More >
There is a scene from Animal House, where Kevin Bacon’s character, Chip Diller, is shouting “Remain Calm! All is well!”, while a panicked mob crushes him as it runs away from a parade gone mad. This is how I feel Read More >
2010 Transfer Applicant Update
Although most of the focus will be on Freshman applicants for the next month or so, I did not want to leave out our transfer students. While our evaluation team will be reviewing a large number of freshman files through Read More >
I Do Not Like Faxes, Sam I Am!
“Do you like green eggs and ham?” “I do not like them, Sam-I-am. I do not like green eggs and ham!” – Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham I feel the same way about faxes. I would not like them Read More >
Ten days and counting until the January 15 deadline for Regular Decision applications, part II of the application for deferred students, and any and all required materials! My suggestion is to try and take care of things a few days Read More >
Congratulations to the Georgia Bulldog football team for a great win in the Independence Bowl! After a tough season, a big win over GA Tech and then the bowl win over Texas A&M was a great way to close out Read More >
The University will be closed from Dec. 24 through Jan. 4, with limited exceptions on Jan. 4 such as orientation and a skeleton staff in Admissions. As such, I will be limited in my postings on this blog during this Read More >
Responsibility is a serious word, and while it is not usually something I would leave you with for the holiday break, it is something that needs to be shared with all applicants. There is an expected level of responsibility when Read More >
Honors Program and Scholarships
Every year, right after we release Early Action decisions, two questions are certain to follow; When will Honors start making admission decisions, and when we will hear something about scholarships? These are not bad questions to ask, and I will Read More >
Defer Is Not A Four Letter Word
What about the word ‘defer’ could possibly mean deny? Seriously? What about the word ‘defer’ means ‘deny’? Nothing, right? Exactly, nothing. My name is Joe Carlos, and I am one of the Admissions Counselors at UGA. Working in Undergraduate Admissions Read More >
Early Action Decisions are Out!
The status check is now back and open for viewing, and the Early Action Decisions are now available to students! Good luck, I hope your weekend goes well, and remember, I can not comment/discuss on specific decisions on this blog. Read More >
Early Action Decision Day is Here!
Early Action decisions will be released today (as of Friday, Dec. 11 in the late afternoon/early evening), and the applicant pool is very strong! Approximately 6,000 students were admitted, and here is the link to the 2010 EA admitted student Read More >
Early Action decisions will be later this week, so here are my suggestions on how to react to the decision you may receive. Admit: Celebrate with family, buy a lot of UGA gear to wear for the holiday season, but Read More >
As we have just posted on our Status Check page, we plan on releasing Early Action decisions on Dec. 11 in the early-evening/late-afternoon time period (unless some random act of nature strikes!). As such, you do not need to pull Read More >
How Would You Change UGA’s Application?
Since we still have a short window of time before EA decisions go out, and I cannot give you anything specific about this group (still looking at the complete applicant pool and making decision plans), I thought I would turn Read More >
The University of Georgia will be on Thanksgiving break until next Monday, so since we will be out of contact with everyone, my suggestion is to forget about admissions during the break and concentrate on the important things in your Read More >
Yesterday, a beloved member of the UGA community and the school’s mascot, Uga VII, passed away. While it may seem a little odd for a university community to mourn the passing of a dog, the Uga mascot has been a Read More >
I have said it before and I will say it again, three letters cause more confusion in college admissions that any other; GPA. I have made it a point this year to try and stay away from the word GPA Read More >
As I was walking down to the Tate Student Center yesterday, I saw a student swinging an athletic sock (with a few rolled up socks tucked inside for weight and balance) run by me. A few minutes later, I saw Read More >
Since it is homecoming week at UGA, I thought you might enjoy seeing a day in the life of one of our mascots, Hairy Dawg. Enjoy! Life as Hairy Dawg
Items you should not send to Admissions Offices
Every year, our office receives our fair share of odd and unusual items. Red and Black M&M’s with the applicant’s name on the side, UGA decorated cupcakes, DVD’s containing a comedy sketch of the student, a YouTube video wtih the Read More >
As the minor panic of the Early Action deadline hits, I just wanted to let everyone know that UGA will accept the October SAT and ACT score reports, as long as you requested the scores be sent when you signed Read More >
The Myth of the HS/County/City/Address Admissions Limit
We are just about a week out from our EA deadline (or as I say, 4 business days), and we are almost finished with getting all of the mail opened, scanned and into the applicant’s files. This morning I personally Read More >
The EA deadline is now in the past, and the Admissions Office is now focusing on pulling all the materials together for each student, reviewing their files, looking at the EA applicants in an overall view, and moving forward with Read More >
The EA deadline is approaching!
In three days, the EA deadline will be upon us. For our office, this means that between now and the 15th, we will receive between 2,000-3,000 applications, bins upon bins of mail, and lots of phone calls saying “Where is Read More >
Dear Parents: We know that this is a tough time for you, as colleges seem to focus most of their attention on your child, while leaving you a little bit out of the conversation. The dynamic has shifted, and instead Read More >
UGA Admissions and Personal Issues
Last week, I had the opportunity to talk with 40-50 people at a college night program for Camp Sunshine, a non-profit organization that offers support and opportunities to children with cancer and their families. I believe this is my eighth Read More >
Early Action and Regular Decision – The Director’s Cut
Since the deadline for Early Action is quickly approaching (and everyone seems to be asking the question “should I apply Early Action (EA) or Regular Decision (RD)”, we thought we would re-post this information (it is not really a sequel, Read More >
Urban Legends, Myths and Tall Tales
Alligators in the sewers. Sasquatch. The Loch Ness Monster. These are some of the most popular Urban Legends and Myths that get passed on from generation to generation as stories that people “swear are true because it happened to a Read More >
This past Wednesday, UGA helped host the local college fair for the Athens area community, and it went great! While college fairs can sometimes be overwhelming (our office was at the Augusta, GA one last night and talked to over Read More >
Well, the votes are in (at least about what readers want more information on), and you have stated that you would like to learn more about what things play a factor in admissions.Today, I would like to focus on how Read More >
In case you did not notice, I have added a new feature to the Blog; Reactions. These are the checkboxes and words beneath each blog that allow you to evaluate the post without having to comment on it (similar to Read More >
It is nearing the end of summer, and so begins the season of doubt. “Should I send my SAT/ACT to UGA now, or wait until I see how I did?” Fear not, because this question is a non-issue at UGA. Read More >
Senioritis, or the “finger of shame” email
One of my brothers has two pet dogs, and over the years, he come up with a unique discipline technique called “the finger of shame”. When one of the dogs does something wrong, he would scold them, and at the Read More >
What your email address really says
I hope your school year is off to a great start! My name is Kelly Ochs, and I’m an assistant director of admissions. I’m guest blogging with Dave Graves this week. Thankfully, Dave has tackled the big topics like Early Read More >
Admission Plans – Forrest Gump style
In one scene in the movie Forrest Gump, the character Bubba Blue is sitting next to Forrest on a transport bus talking about shrimp. “Anyway, like I was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, Read More >
Yes, today is a big day, both for UGA and admissions. Fall classes begin today, and the campus is full of life (and full of students!). It is exciting to see all of the new and returning students on campus, Read More >
Admissions Numbers vs. Enrollment Numbers
UGA has just sent out a press release on the Summer/Fall 2009 enrolling class, and we are thrilled to welcome them to campus! This is an incredibly strong group of incoming freshman and transfer students, and we know they will Read More >
Over the next week or so, I will be tinkering with the overall look of this blog. No major changes, but I thought it needed to have a little more width to utilize space better, and so that longer posts Read More >
The Unusual Similarities Between Dating and Choosing a College
You are looking for the perfect match, and so is that significant other that is waiting out there for you. You talk, visit with each other, send emails, and hope that it is a good match, both for you and Read More >
UGA Early Action vs. Regular Decision
WARNING!!! This is a long post (sorry, but it all needs to be said!). From now until October 15, one of the most common questions for the admission office will be “Should I apply for Early Action (EA) or Regular Read More >
The Myth of Being the Earliest Applicant
Let me first state that this post has absolutely nothing to do with Early Action, which we will cover in a future post. I repeat, this has nothing to do with Early Action. Today I want to talk about the Read More >
I had a chance to speak with a group of Athens students and parents last night, talking mostly about the college admissions process, but also a little about UGA. In some ways, these students are a little luckier than others, Read More >
Spring 2010 Transfer Decisions
Just a quick heads-up to any and all transfer students who applied for Spring 2010. We have started reviewing these files, and as of 7/22, we have begun to send out decisions. Unlike freshman decisions, where there are three specific Read More >
I am back from my vacation and am well tanned and overfed. There is something wonderful about a long vacation that allows for time to relax, read, and think about things (usually it focused on food or napping, but occasionally Read More >
Senioritis, or the 12th grade blues
I will be out of the office next week, so there will be no new posts or replies until my return. But I leave you with a quick post about the wonderful topic of senior year grades. Yes, I know Read More >
Skip the paper, send things electronically
As I have said before, the UGA Admissions office will be going paperless for the 2010 admissions cycle (and all the people cheered!). What this means is that any data sent to our office will be placed into an electronic Read More >
Every year about this time, the GPA question arises, starting with a low rumble and ending in April with a chorus of voices all wondering, “How does UGA calculate GPA’s”. Because there are so many school systems using such a Read More >
I am back from Camp Sunshine, which is always one of the best weeks of the year. It does not matter if it is raining or 100 degrees, it is always a good time! Even though I am exhausted at Read More >
I wanted to give everyone a heads-up that this blog will be idle for the next week, as I am headed to summer camp. For the last 15 years, I have been volunteering at Camp Sunshine, which is a camp Read More >
I was at a swim meet last night watching my son and daughter compete, and I had a chance to watch some amazing athletes. In one 11-12 year old heat, my son was up against a young man whose times Read More >
I returned home from a trip to NC to visit family this weekend, and I had a chance to talk with my soon to be HS sophomore niece, Lauren. She has a busy summer ahead, and was not looking forward Read More >
It is summertime, and all around the country, admissions offices start the process of working with a new group of prospective students. This means an increase in visitors, planning for fall college fairs and school visits, and last but not Read More >
I needed to get out of the office today, and walked down to the center of campus to clear my mind. I went inside the Tate Student Center for a snack, and noticed that the walkway to the new wing Read More >
Important Links for Freshmen Applicants
As promised, here is the link to the 2010 essay questions, along with a few other pages that will provide some help in applying to UGA and writing admissions essays. The freshman application will be available in mid-August. 2010 Application Read More >
Thoughts on the upcoming freshman for Fall 2010
It is early summer at UGA, which means it is already time to start thinking about freshmen applying for the Summer/Fall of 2010. Our office just began the implementation of an imaging process yesterday, so it will mean the end Read More >
2018 Early Action Decision Release Date
For all of you who are waiting anxiously by your computer/mailbox, nervous about your Early Action decision, here is some good news. UGA is planning on releasing the EA decisions on the Status page on Friday, November 18 in the Read More >
Anatomy of an Admission Decision
Charles submitted an Early Action application in September of his senior year, one of about 11,500 EA applicants to UGA. If you gave a quick glance at his academic profile, you would see that he is a strong overall student, Read More >
Application for UGA’s Top Freshman Scholarship Program Available Soon
The Foundation Fellowship and Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarship is the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship program at the University, if not in the country. It currently provides an annual stipend of $10,780 for in-state students (in addition to the HOPE or Read More >
Here are answers to some of the common questions we have been getting for Transfer applicants. I have applied as a Transfer student for Spring 2014. When will I have a decision? Unfortunately we cannot tell you when you will Read More >
Updates about the 2013 Wait List
Starting today, we will be offering about 100 students admission off the wait list. A small handful (less than 5) are being offered admission for the Fall term, while the rest are being offered admission for the Spring term. Students Read More >
When my five year old son stepped off the bus after his first day of kindergarten(many years ago), he had a broad smile on his face and said to my wife, “Mom, I have met the girl I am going Read More >
Verification of Legal Presence (VLP)
This past Fall, the Georgia Board of Regents instituted a new policy concerning GA state colleges and universities. Starting in the Fall of 2011 term, UGA must verify the lawful presence in the United States of every new student. We Read More >
For the last twelve years, our office has worked diligently with middle school students to give them the resources and guidance to look ahead towards college. We are not focused on them attending UGA, but instead on making sure that Read More >
For the last two years, I have had an outdoor hose bib that has constantly leaked. It was only a slow drip, so I was able to ignore it at first.
We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 14th, at 4 PM ET. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please Read More >
Out of the Office
I will be out of the office for the next five days or so (Spring Break!), so I will not be responding to any questions or comments on the blog during this time. As such, I would suggest holding your Read More >
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