I am going to walk you through what the federal government reports about this university: who it is, who studies there, how much it costs, how likely admission is, and what happens after students enroll. I am not going to tell you whether it is the right college for your child. No article can say that. But if, by the end, you understand this part of the map clearly, you already have something that many families do not manage to put together in time.
Who this university is and where it is located
Georgia Southern University is in Statesboro, Georgia, in Bulloch County. The area around campus is a town away from large cities: it is not within an urban area. If your family does not live nearby, this matters in a practical, not symbolic, way: you will need to calculate separately where your child would live and how they would get around, because this information only identifies the school's location, not the distance from your home.
It is a public four-year institution. The Carnegie system, which classifies U.S. colleges by what they do, places it among doctoral universities with high research activity, and describes it as a large, primarily residential school: in the most recent version of that classification, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-controlled housing. IPEDS—the Department of Education system that collects these data—confirms that the doctorate is the highest level it reports offering, although that is an institutional fact: it does not tell you whether your child's specific program goes that far. If that matters to them, ask directly about the program.
One practical note: if you ever see this university described differently on an old list, it is not an error. Carnegie changed its category system in 2015, so descriptions from before that date do not match the current ones.
And one clarification worth keeping in front of you from the start: Georgia Southern does not appear in any of three special government designations—it is not a historically Black college or university, not a tribal college or university, and not a land-grant institution. That says nothing about which communities it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask that during the visit, with real students.
A large university, mostly focused on bachelor's degrees
26,041 students are enrolled at Georgia Southern, which places it in the highest size band the government uses: 20,000 or more. Compared with 519 public four-year schools with selective admission in this same comparison group, it is on the large side: only between one and three out of every ten have more students than it does.
Of that total, 22,295 are undergraduates and 3,746 are graduate students. It is, above all, a bachelor's-degree school. Being large does not mean classes are large: this number does not say that. Ask directly when you research your child's program.
As for who studies there: there are more women than men (57 out of every 100 are women), adult students ages 25 to 64 are a minority (11 out of every 100), and 91 out of every 100 new students came with a permanent address in Georgia. In that sense, it is a university that primarily serves its own state.
Hispanic or Latino students make up 8 out of every 100 undergraduates. That is a small minority, and compared with similar schools, it falls below the middle of the group. This does not make the school bad or good—the data only show who is enrolled, nothing more. But if your child will be among the few, it is worth asking during the visit which student groups, cultural center, or Spanish-language support currently exist, and speaking with a student who is already there before deciding.
How the academic year works and how flexible it is
The calendar here uses semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. That is the most common rhythm in the United States, so it will probably not surprise you.
The university reported that it accepts credit from AP exams and also what IPEDS calls credit for life experience: independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses, and military training. It also enrolls high school students in college-credit courses through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the limit you should not cross: the university reporting that it accepts AP does not mean it will award credit for every exam your child takes. We do not know what scores it requires or whether those credits will count toward the specific program they chose. Request a written equivalency evaluation before enrolling, and do not calculate savings in time or money until you have it in hand.
As for academic offerings: Georgia Southern awarded 3,859 bachelor's degrees in one year, distributed across 25 program families. No family takes a large share—not even business and administration, the most popular, reached 18 out of every 100 degrees. It is a broad, distributed offering, not one concentrated in two or three flagship programs. Compared with similar schools, it is among those with more variety in represented program families. Still, 25 families represented in the report are not 25 exact programs and do not guarantee that the one your child is interested in has space or strength. Verify the specific program.
The student-to-instructional-staff ratio is 24 to 1, a high figure compared with similar schools—it falls in the top quarter. This is an institutional average, not the size of a classroom. Do not confuse one with the other: ask for the actual size of first-year classes and classes in the program of interest.
Paths and opportunities the university reports offering
Georgia Southern reports offering study abroad, undergraduate research as a co-curricular activity, and several routes related to teacher certification: preparation for certification below the college level, the ability to complete preparation there in certain teaching specialties, and state approval for initial teacher-certification programs. If any of these routes interests your child, they are good specific questions to ask the admissions office.
Getting in: what the university requires and how likely a yes is
Let us start with the essentials: Georgia Southern does not have open admission. Review specific pieces before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations measured by this report, it marked four as required: the high school transcript, the high school grade-point average, completion of the course plan the university requires, and the English-proficiency exam when applicable. Beyond that, only one more thing is considered if submitted: the student's rank in their graduating class.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, this is a question worth asking early, not late: do they need the English-proficiency exam, and what would exempt them? The university marked it as required when applicable, and it is one of those things families discover too late in the process.
The published undergraduate application fee is $30.
Now, the question that creates the most anxiety: how hard is it to get in? In the 2023 cycle, Georgia Southern received 14,410 first-time applications and offered admission to 12,916. That is 90 out of every 100. It is one of the universities that does accept the great majority of applicants—compared with similar schools, it is on the more accessible side. Even so, 1,494 applicants did not receive an offer. Applying completely and on time always matters, no matter how high the acceptance rate is.
Likely admission does not make what follows easy. This percentage is for the entire school in one cycle. It does not say how much it will cost, how many students will finish, or whether the specific program your child wants has its own internal screen. Those three questions must be asked separately.
One interesting fact: out of every 100 students Georgia Southern admitted for 2023, only 37 ultimately enrolled there. The other 63 had the acceptance letter in hand and chose another school. This does not measure how hard it is to get in or how good the university is; it measures what other families decided after receiving a yes. When your child receives their letters, put them side by side and compare net price, program, and distance—that matters more than any other students' enrollment percentage.
As for the SAT and ACT: they are not required. If your child sends them, they are considered; if not, the application remains valid. Of enrolled students, 49 out of every 100 did submit SAT scores—a relatively high submission rate compared with similar schools. Among those who submitted scores, the middle half scored between 500 and 590 in reading and writing, and between 480 and 570 in math. Keep in mind: these ranges are for students who already enrolled, not all who applied, and they do not prove that the score was decisive. That 500 is not a minimum, nor is 590 a guarantee.
Transfer students who arrive and students who leave
Georgia Southern receives a considerable number of transfer students: 1,275 undergraduate students entered in fall 2023 after previously studying at another institution.
But there is also departure. Following the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking bachelor's degrees, 29 out of every 100 transferred to another school without completing their degree at Georgia Southern. That is a high proportion compared with similar schools. The report does not say why they left, and this matters for properly reading other figures later: a student who transfers and completes their degree at another university does not count as a graduate here, even if they successfully finish elsewhere. Keep that in mind, because you will need it when we reach graduation rates.
The price: two figures that depend on where you live
At Georgia Southern University, among 631 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and paid the in-state or district rate whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $13,139. Among 401 students from the same population with family EFC income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $16,475; among 596 students with family EFC income above $110,000, it was $20,259. For dependent students, the band adds their parents' income and their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (631 students) and that for the highest band (596 students) is $7,120. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $16,957.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this comparison group that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this one falls in the most expensive quarter for lower-income families. That does not mean it should be ruled out. It means you need to request the aid letter before deciding.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or district rate. The overall average with grants, when it appears, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
How this is paid for in practice
74 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some form of aid that does not have to be repaid—a scholarship or grant—with an average of $7,452 per year among those who received it. And 37 out of every 100 received Pell, the federal grant for low-income families.
Be careful how you read these two figures together: the percentage (74 out of every 100) and the average ($7,452) do not share the same reference group. One is calculated across all students; the other only among those who did receive aid. Do not multiply them together to create a new figure.
As for loans: 40 out of every 100 undergraduate students took out a federal student loan in the 2022-23 year, with an average of $5,987 per student that year. That figure includes only federal loans in the student's name—it does not include what parents borrowed through Parent PLUS loans, bank debt, or credit cards. And it is for only one year, not the total debt with which someone graduates; for that, all years would have to be added, and that information is not here.
Here is a truth I would rather tell you directly: this percentage describes other families, not yours. What your child would need to borrow will be shown by their own financial-aid letter, not this average. Wait for that letter before ruling out the school and before committing to it.
The university also reports a tuition installment payment plan as a cost-management option.
Campus life, format, and support
Georgia Southern has its own housing and does not require all first-time students to live there—although that does not say whether any specific program does require it. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the selected plan. Maximum institution-controlled housing capacity is 5,722 students. Having a room available does not guarantee a bed for your child: request in writing the current-year rate, the housing application deadline, and whether they guarantee a space or place you on a waiting list.
There is ROTC opportunity in two branches: Army and Navy, and Navy also lists the Marine Corps option. Air Force is not marked. Its presence in the report does not confirm that the program is taken on this specific campus or how many spaces are available: ask about it by its exact name before building a plan around it.
In athletics, Georgia Southern competes in the NCAA, not other associations, with reported membership in football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. Membership belongs to the school, not your child: if they are interested in a specific sport, write directly to the coach and ask about openings, division, and whether athletic scholarship aid is available.
As for distance education: it does offer it, at both undergraduate and graduate levels. In the most recent count, 12 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load online, and 88 had at least one in-person class. It also reports having at least one program in which all required courses can be completed at a distance, although that does not confirm the level or exact program: confirm it directly.
The library has employed staff, physical and digital collections, and interlibrary loan—its annual spending exceeds the government-recorded threshold of $100,000. And as for general support, the university reports: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, a transition program for students with intellectual disabilities, a point of contact for veterans and military families, a student veterans organization, and a webpage dedicated to services for people with disabilities. The fact that these services are reported says nothing about their real quality or effectiveness: ask about them and verify them in person.
What happens after enrollment: who stays and who graduates
This is the part I most want you to read slowly, because this is where many families draw rushed conclusions.
Of the cohort that entered full time in fall 2022, 77 out of every 100 were still enrolled one year later or had already completed their bachelor's degree. That is a result somewhat above the middle compared with similar schools—neither among the best nor the worst, but in the middle part. Part-time students in that same cohort had a retention result of only 47 out of every 100, but they are different groups with different circumstances: do not compare these two figures as though they measure the same thing.
Now, graduation. Of students who entered in 2017 full time and for the first time, 53 out of every 100 had a Georgia Southern degree six years later. At four years—the time period most families budget for—the figure drops to 34 out of every 100, nineteen points lower. Compared with similar schools, it is slightly above the middle of the group.
I want to tell you this without dressing it up: it is, basically, half and half. At six years, a little more than half of that cohort had a bachelor's degree from this school, and a little less than half did not. The report does not explain why—it does not separate someone who transferred and graduated elsewhere from someone who left college entirely. Do you remember what we discussed about transfers? That 29 out of every 100 who left for another school helps explain part of this gap: leaving is not the same as failing, but it also does not count as graduating from here.
The practical point: ask directly how long it usually takes to complete the program your child is interested in, and how required courses are scheduled. Every extra semester has a real cost, and that cost is not in this figure.
There is an even longer view: following a cohort that entered between July 2015 and June 2016—combining full-time and part-time students, first-time students and those with prior experience—as of August 2023, eight years later, 55 out of every 100 had a Georgia Southern degree or certificate. Among those who received a Pell grant, the figure was 51 out of every 100, six points below the group without Pell. Compared with similar schools, this eight-year figure falls below the middle of the group.
IPEDS also reports that 30 out of every 100 in that cohort appeared to still be enrolled somewhere without having received a degree from here, but this figure has an inconsistency in its definition that prevents stating precisely how many were still enrolled at that exact time. Do not let that number give you false certainty in either direction.
Putting the pieces together
You now know, in considerable depth, one part of the map: who Georgia Southern University is, how large it is, how likely it is to admit your child, what it costs depending on where they come from, and what students who enroll there tend to achieve. It is a large, primarily residential university that says yes to the great majority of applicants, with a price that changes radically depending on whether you are from Georgia or not, and with graduation outcomes that are, honestly, close to half.
None of this tells you whether it is the right college for your child. That depends on two other pieces this article cannot know: what your child wants to study and has built so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. Put those three pieces together, and from there comes a real plan.
If your child is just starting to build their list, ask what they want to study and how far away they imagine living. If they are already preparing applications, request the financial-aid letter before committing to anyone, and compare it with the other letters they receive. And if you feel you are late in the process, document what you already have and find out exactly what is missing—it is almost always less than it seems.
Source note: the information in this article comes from reports that Georgia Southern University submits to the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), corresponding primarily to the years 2022-23 and 2023-24. Best College Aid does not represent Georgia Southern University or the U.S. government; this piece organizes and explains public data to help you understand it.