How should I compare the net cost of attending Georgia Tech versus Penn?

Compare each school using its own official net price calculator, then place the resulting annual estimates side by side in the same categories: billed charges, grants and scholarships, housing and food, books, transportation, personal expenses, and health insurance. Georgia residency is especially important at Georgia Tech because in-state and out-of-state tuition differ substantially. At Penn, the key question is your family’s demonstrated financial need, since Penn’s need-based aid policy can make its published price much less relevant for eligible families.

Use Penn’s calculator with accurate parent income, assets, household size, and sibling-in-college information.

Georgia Tech can be the more predictable low-cost option for a Georgia resident, especially with state-supported tuition and potential state scholarship eligibility. An out-of-state applicant should not assume that Georgia Tech will discount its price enough to match Penn’s need-based offer; run the calculator as an out-of-state student and treat competitive merit scholarships as uncertain unless awarded.

For a useful four-year comparison, subtract only grants and scholarships you can reasonably expect to renew, not loans or work-study. Add realistic round-trip travel from home and any differences in housing plans after the first year. Once you receive actual aid offers, compare the net amount your family would need to pay each year and confirm renewal conditions, rather than choosing based on tuition or the initial sticker price alone.