Admissions counselors and staff members answer many questions about what it takes to be admitted to UGA. Over time, we have identified a specific pattern of questions that indicate there is some misinformation passed around the prospective student population which can lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety.
We have polled our staff to create a list of UGA Admission Urban Legends. We hope that you will find the attempt to debunk these myths helpful as you proceed through the admissions process at UGA.
UGA does not have a “minimum” SAT, ACT or GPA requirement for first-year students beyond those imposed by the University System of Georgia. While our middle 50% profile provides an overview of the academic qualities of the middle 50% of our students, it doesn’t provide the full picture of who is admitted at UGA. As we continue to get more competitive, our focus is on the whole-student and not just their academics. As a result, your entire application plays an important role in our decision. What do your activities, essays, and letters of recommendation say about you?
The most competitive applicants are admitted regardless of high school, county, zip code or state. There are no quotas assigned to these, or any other, characteristics.
It is our goal as we review applications to build a well-rounded class of students. If our class is full only of students that are well rounded, it could get a little bit boring. We like edges and we like passion! As a result, think about what makes you special and tell that story in your application through your activities, coursework, and essays. That will help us get to know the authentic you.
Early Action and Regular Decision reviews are similar, just on a different timeline. There is an initial academic review of each applicant that focuses on rigor of classes, GPA, and test scores as well as a deeper dive into a whole-student review that examines essays, activities, and optional letters of recommendation. This allows us to look beyond the numbers for interesting students who are going to contribute to the campus community in meaningful ways. The big question you should ask yourself when choosing between Early Action and Regular Decision is: “Am I comfortable with UGA reviewing my file on October 15 or do I need more time to work on the application, add later test scores or fall grades?”
We do not admit based on major. In fact, many of our students change their major before classes begin and even more will change their major before they graduate. We recognize that you may not know what you want to study when you get here and, as a result, we aren’t going to review your application and make a decision based on what you list as your major.
Grades in academic coursework and curriculum choice are the primary factors in consideration of first-year applications. Performance on standardized tests will also be considered, but the importance of standardized tests does not exceed the emphasis placed on grades earned in a rigorous curriculum.
While GPA is the most important factor in the admissions process, rigor of curriculum is a close second. We expect students to take advantage of the most challenging courses offered at their high schools. It is possible that a student with a 4.0 GPA who has avoided the challenging courses offered at their high school may not be admitted while a student with a lower GPA who has attempted the most rigorous courses at their school is offered admission.
The term for which a student applies does not impact the admission decision. All first-year applicants have the same chance of being admitted to UGA regardless of the term for which they apply. UGA does not offer a summer trial program for students not offered admission for Fall.
Legacy does not play a role in the admission process to UGA. All applicants have an equal opportunity to get admitted regardless of whether or not there is a family history of attending UGA.
In calculating an applicant’s GPA for admission, UGA will only use the classes that satisfy the Required High School Curriculum (RHSC) in the main five core academic areas – English, Math, Science, Social Sciences, and Foreign Language. AP Art and Music Theory courses will also be calculated into the GPA for students completing those courses.
Applicants deferred from Early Action to Regular Decision do not have any advantages/disadvantages over those who apply Regular Decision. All applicants seeking admission to UGA are offered an equal opportunity for admission regardless of the decision plan. UGA does not consider demonstrated interest at any point in the admissions process.