Correction: The number of students who were admitted early to Georgia Tech is more than 2,600. An earlier version of this article had an incorrect number.
The senior class at Benjamin E. Mays High School in southwest Atlanta filed into the school auditorium Friday morning for what they thought was a regular assembly.
After some announcements from school administrators, the room quieted down when unfamiliar representatives from Georgia Tech took the stage.
“Today is a very important day,” said Mariana Maneiro, Georgia Tech’s assistant director of undergraduate admissions. “At seven o’clock, 8,000 students across the state will receive their admission decision (from Georgia Tech), but we’re so excited, we couldn’t wait.”
Maneiro then announced that seniors Ronan Villegas, his twin brother, Roni, and Jalen Smallwood had all been granted early admission. The room erupted in cheers.
“I was honestly surprised,” Smallwood said. “I was pretty shocked. I knew that I did have the academics … to get into Tech, but I didn’t really expect to actually get admitted into it.”
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Georgia Tech’s admissions process has always been highly competitive. Out of the roughly 8,000 students who applied for early admission this year, just over 2,600 will get in. At the same time, the school is also expanding its outreach to include students of varying backgrounds. It has ramped up efforts to recruit students from rural parts of the state and under-resourced communities. Georgia Tech, which has more than 53,000 students, has the largest enrollment of any school in the state.
In addition to Mays, officials from Georgia Tech visited Cross Keys High School in DeKalb County Friday. Both are Title I schools, meaning most students come from low-income households. Cross Keys’ student body is predominantly Hispanic, while most of the students at Mays are African American. Georgia Tech announced seven Cross Keys students were admitted early. All of them are first-generation college students, with neither parent having graduated from college. About 11% of its freshman class this fall were first-generation college students.
“We understand that there is richness in diversifying our first-year class … in terms of experiences, in terms of skills they might bring, in terms of major selection, all of that,” Maneiro said.
Credit: contributed Georgia Tech
Credit: contributed Georgia Tech
All three Mays students participated in Project ENGAGES, a partnership between Georgia Tech and some Atlanta public schools focused on expanding science education through research and other projects.
“I feel overwhelmed to be honest; I feel my heart beating,” Ronan Villegas said. “I feel relieved to actually go to college as a first-generation student. I want to hopefully become successful in my major as a mechanical engineer.”
His brother was equally excited.
“I feel very proud of myself,” Roni Villegas said. “I worked hard for these past four years. I’ve aimed to get accepted to Georgia Tech.”
Mays has been through a tough stretch. Former student Bre’Asia Powell was shot and killed by a stray bullet during an off-campus gathering in May 2023 and four students were shot by a fellow student in February. All four survived, but students said the incident cast a pall in the hallways afterward.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Friday’s event seemed to boost spirits. Mays Principal Ramon Garner said the community is resilient.
“I am so happy and so proud of our kids, not just these three guys – because they are great kids – but all of our kids and just the culture and direction our school is headed,” he said.
