Georgia Tech to guarantee acceptance to valedictorians and salutatorians

Georgia Tech announced Thursday it will offer automatic acceptance to every valedictorian or salutatorian at an accredited Georgia high school with 50 or more graduates.

A story by Laura Diamond on the school’s website says the new initiative is designed to increase exposure and access to Georgia Tech for the state’s most prepared students.

“Georgia Tech has a long track record of partnering with Georgia K-12 schools to help young people prepare for college, and the Georgia Tech Scholars Program is an outgrowth of our commitment to improve college access for students from throughout the state,” said school president G. P. Peterson in the report. “While we are proud of our global reputation, we are equally as proud to serve many of Georgia’s brightest undergraduate students. The Georgia Tech Scholars Program supports our ultimate goal to put a Georgia Tech education within reach of all qualified Georgia students.”

The University of Georgia also offers automatic acceptance to Georgia students who graduate at the top of their class.

Diamond’s report says to become a Georgia Tech Scholar, students must be named either the valedictorian or salutatorian of their high school. Students must submit an application and have successfully completed the prerequisite course work for entrance to the Institute.

Students admitted through the Georgia Tech Scholars Program will have various financial aid opportunities available including the Zell Miller Scholarship, Gov. Nathan Deal’s REACH Georgia program and other state and federal financial aid programs. Students may also be eligible for the Georgia Tech Promise Program, which allows academically qualified students with demonstrated financial need to earn a degree debt-free.

For more information visit http://www.gatech.edu/.

This story was originally published August 17, 2017 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Georgia Tech to guarantee acceptance to valedictorians and salutatorians."