So, Your Student Wants to be a Dawg?

Of course, they do Dawg!

UGA is an amazing university located in a college town with a beautiful campus. The traditions and opportunities that UGA offers, makes it a very competitive school in the South. So how does your son or daughter become a Dawg?

The Truth

Only about 40% of applicants are offered admission. At UGA, the only minimum score requirements in place are the ones required by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia for admission to its research universities. UGA tells you flat out that your high school grades are the most important factor in your admission status. UGA recalculates each applicant’s GPA depending on the academic core classes taken, whether or not the classes were AP or IB, but does not add weight to Honors classes. The level of rigor in high school courses is evaluated as well. For example, if your student took an Honors level class, but there was an AP version of the same class available, it will be looked at as the student not challenging themselves. Of course, this isn’t for every situation, but it is greatly examined.

For the most recent class, the average high school GPA is a 3.97-4.22. Those students accepted had an average of 1320-1460 on their SAT tests and a 28-33 average on the ACT. 29,300 students applied to get into UGA, with only 5,500 first-year freshmen. 84% of incoming freshmen were from the state of Georgia. That makes the in-state students’ level of competition immense.

UGA offers Early Action and Regular Decision for its applicants. If your child has the grades and GPA needed through their junior year and has the highest test scores already complete, then they should apply for Early Action. That deadline is October 15 and allows students to receive their admission decisions by December. Early Action students should also be able to show public service, community involvement, leadership, and other intellectual pursuits. Regular Decisions applicants must have everything in by January 1. This gives some students the extra time to retake tests and complete courses needed for their GPA. Their decisions are released in mid-March.

UGA’s application requires each student to write two essays. These should be amazing. Think of all the essays that they have to read. Yours needs to stand out and be different. Some advice that I have seen given was to stay away from things like “how an injury changed my game” or “how a service/mission trip changed my life” or “how I’ve wanted to be a Dawg all my life”. Apparently, they get too many essays incorporating those topics in their answers. Ask for help. Most high school teachers would love to help you tweak your writing to make it it’s best. We also recommend Essential Essays College Essay Consulting, assisting students with brainstorming, planning, and writing college essays that will reveal their personality and give their applications a positive edge. This year with a lack of testing opportunities, more than ever, the application essay will count more than ever. Learn more about them and take some of the stress out of the application process.

When applying to UGA, you should know what majors they offer. Unless you are looking into Pre-med or Business, consider not putting down a specific major. Also, consider applying for the FreshCo Program. The requirements are the same, but obviously, the numbers are lower during that term.

If UGA is their dream school and they don’t get in, they should consider re-taking the SAT/ACT and reapplying to show their new scores. Also, consider attending a smaller school or community college and then transferring when those requirements are met.

This year, the UGA Early Action application is due on October 15, 2020 and the Regular Decision application is due January 1, 2021.

Go Dawgs!

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