In the spring, summer, and fall of 2021, Georgia Tech welcomed 4,876 students, including 100 more first-year students from Georgia than last year. Undergraduate Admission also increased its dual enrollment and transfer enrollment.   

“We continue to expand access by offering more students from all backgrounds, including students from communities across the state of Georgia, an opportunity to pursue a Georgia Tech degree,” said Rick Clark, director of Undergraduate Admission. The Institute’s recruitment programs are aligned with its strategic plan and values, with students as the top priority. “With each new class we further strengthen our commitment to inclusive excellence.”    

Students in the incoming class come from 102 of Georgia’s 159 counties (12% hail from rural areas in the state), from all 50 states, and from 93 countries. The race/ethnicity of incoming students is: 9% Black, 10% Hispanic, 4% multi-racial, 1% unreported, 38% white, and 39% Asian. The combined incoming class of first-year and transfer students includes 14% coming from a household where neither parent graduated from college — an increase of 80% over the last five years.

Georgia Tech’s undergraduate student body increased by 1,200 in the last five years. The number of incoming first-year Black students increased 62%, for first-year Hispanic students it’s a 55% increase, and the number of incoming first-year women students increased 25% during that time, with 1,000 more women undergraduates enrolled now than five years ago. For the first time in Institute history women will comprise 40% of this fall’s total undergraduate population.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic this year’s recruitment efforts were entirely virtual. Undergraduate Admission held more than 600 virtual programs, and campus partners such as Student Affairs and Housing held additional programming, hosting a total number of 10,500 visitors.

“The entire campus really showed up to help meet the Institute’s enrollment goals,” said Clark. “We had faculty members and deans hosting programs, making calls, and writing to prospective students. It was an inspiring collective effort.”

Near the end of summer Undergraduate Admission resumed hosting in-person tours of campus.

“Even though we weren’t hosting formal tours and programs, prospective students and families were still coming to campus for self-guided tours, especially on weekends and during holidays,” Clark said. “Part of expanding access to Georgia Tech includes creating and delivering more accessible information. It is critical we continue developing quality virtual programming so prospective students — regardless of their socioeconomic background or when they show up to see the campus — can receive the same information they would get if they had the resources to come at a certain time. I’m really pleased that we are applying the lessons learned and being innovative in our approach.”