traditions

100 years of RAT CAPS at Georgia Tech!

Since 1915, all freshmen or 'rats' are required to wear the RAT CAP. 

This Sunday, students of the new freshman class will don their RAT Caps for the first time, participating in a Tech tradition that marks its 100th anniversary this year.

RAT caps are filled out by using a black permanent marker to write the acronym RAT on the upturned brim followed by the student’s name above it, major to the left, graduation year to the right, and hometown and state below. The scores of football games are written on the panels of the cap. If Tech wins, the score should be written right side up, and written upside down if Tech loses. The back panel should contain the phrase “To HELL with georgia” with one word to each line. “HELL” should be written in the largest font and “georgia” should be written in all lowercase letters, as we choose not to recognize UGA as an institute of higher education. A properly decorated RAT cap serves as a phenomenal souvenir of freshman year. ~ RAT CAP instructions

still has it! vintage RAT CAP circa 1971-72