r/UTK • • Oct 31 '24

Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions One Admissions Post to End Them All

51 Upvotes

Hello Class of 2031!

This is my 4th update to this post, and I hope my information remains helpful to this day! šŸ™Œ

The following information compiles both my experiences and departmental knowledge over my time at UT. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

If you want the TL;DR version:

  • Instate students who do not receive guaranteed admission will need a UT GPA of at least 3.9 or an ACT above 28. It has become incredibly difficult for instate students... so get that 4.0 and ACT score up!

  • Out of State students... you damn near need to be the best of the best these days. I cannot promise anything obviously but if you have a weighted GPA above 4.3ish and a ACT composite of 30 or so... you should get a pretty good amount of money and feel comfortable with admissions (so long as you have half rate essays)!

Firstly, I feel obligated to state my qualifications to give the opinions and facts in this post:

  1. I am a current Senior at UT (will not graduate until 2028) Applied out of state

  2. I am affiliated with two organizations who monitor admission cycles each year across all universities (one MAY or may not be directly affiliated with MIT's admission office).

Not to name names... lol.

But I think this discussion should be broken up into 6 parts. (Yes long post OH NOOOOO!!!) But if you really want the honest truth and plan on... ya know... going to college... then reading should be in your best interest my friend.

Part One: The In-state vs. Out-of-State War

It is well known that many universities favor instate students in order to keep future generations... well... "in state." At many uni's this can be seen through more scholarship opportunities, cheaper base tuition, and in many cases: EASIER ADMISSIONS.

It is no secret that UT MUCH prefers instate students... especially seen in the 64% acceptance rate of instate students in the 2026 cycle vs the Out of state 28% acceptance rate (apparently going up!).

My current roommate is an instate student with a truck ton of scholarship (only has to pay for housing atp). Where as I am actively dropping a cool 17 grand a semester! YIPPEEE!

But outside of the money and the distribution between 64% and 28% what does that actually look like in terms of admission criteria? We will look at that next.

Part Two: Instate Admission Criteria

Straight from the guaranteed admission website...

Score a 28+ ACT composite (SAT 1300+)

AND

Achieve one of the following: Earn a 4.0+ UT Core GPA Be among the Top 10% of their high school graduating class

Honestly not terrible, most people I know who came here instate got guaranteed admission!

So to my instate students... good luck!

Part Three: One of these things is not like the other... (Out of State Admission Criteria)

This section is going to be rather long and probably the most sought after... so grab your reading glasses!

There are many misconceptions about college admissions that I feel you ought to know. The idea of a holistic review is very, very loose. Holistic reviews of your class schedule and your GPA/ACT score.

At most, your essays and activities in high-school will boost your case for admission by about 5 ACT score (but this would be for like the president of the student body with an entire page of Sh... Stuff they have done in high-school).

Good essays help admissions counselors like you as a person and it helps them want to want you!

Good resumes help this as well.

However... how long do you think it takes to read a single application? 30 seconds? A minute? Two minutes? The average amount of time it would take someone to read all of the information you provide would take around 6 minutes without skimming. Considering that means a single counselor could only go through 10 per hour...

We can assume (and I know for a fact) they do not read everything.

They look for 5 things while going through your app (no particular order): 1. GPA Weighted and Unweighted 2. SAT and ACT 3. AP classes (at a glance) 4. Some prose in your essays 5. Just a bunch of stuff on your activities in high-school

Quantity over quality often helps ngl...

Now that we understand the idea that they ain't gonna be looking at EVERYTHING with minute detail, what do they actually numerically look for?

Generally, for the sake of time and fair arguments, here are some basic numbers:

These are middle of the road so if you are above them then you should be fine...

SAT Score at or above 1340

ACT at or above 30

GPA 4.3 UT Weighted

If you don't match or beat those requirements... you better write the cure to cancer on your essays!

that was a joke

But it kind of wasn't... those scores and values are pretty standard nowadays, and you kind of have to be a pretty good student to earn your spot here.

SIDE NOTE: I had many friends apply here out of state and I was the only one who was not waitlisted. And they had some insane resumes (president of stuco with 4.3 GPA for example).

Part Four: Each college is different.

I don't mean reach university, because like... yeah no crap. I mean reach academic college is different.

If you are applying to be an engineer, you should expect to NEED a pretty decent math SAT Score. If you push below a 640 on the math... you aren't getting in to the tickle college of engineering.

Nursing is different and hard to get into.

Business is business... but it is still difficult to get into cause... ya know... it's highly ranked.

So on and so forth.

Do keep in mind that each college can only allow so much of one category. So engineering has a different acceptance rate than business (often not talked about).

There are no hard facts online about what it is... but I am pretty sure the Out of state engineering acceptance rate was about 15% of so... (don't take my word for it).

Part Five: You've already applied... what should you do?

Don't fail out your senior year. UT is very unforgiving (understandably) is you fall off the face of the earth senior year.

My senior year was actually my best academic year! Plus I...

  1. Was the captain of the volleyball team
  2. Was the yearbook president
  3. Senior class president
  4. Student Ambassador
  5. Robotics Captain
  6. Math Team Captain
  7. BLAH BLAH BLAH

All that to say... DONT BOG DOWN you are not done with high-school. UT will chew you and spit you out like it is nothing if your GPA tanks.

Also, just wait and follow UT's instructions. (Crazy right?)

Part Six: If you have any questions... please drop them below!

I'm an open book and will tell you pretty much anything so long as it's appropriate obviously!

Thanks for reading... And GO VOLS!!


r/UTK • • 12h ago

Miscellaneous & Random Only 4.5% of voters 18-25 have done early voting, get out and vote!

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176 Upvotes

Don't let the old folks dictate who wins this election. Get out and voice your opinion by doing your civic duty and voting!


r/UTK • • 9h ago

Graduate Student Fun Classes

8 Upvotes

Are there any fun classes anyone recommends to take senior year? I’ve got scuba diving on my radar, and I’ve heard of a wine tasting class but can’t seem to find it. Wouldn’t be opposed to an interesting history class or something like that too if anyone has any recommendations


r/UTK • • 1h ago

Check This Out! [ Removed by Reddit ]

• Upvotes

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]


r/UTK • • 10h ago

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4 Upvotes

really not sure i want to go to a party so what is going on on-campus or somewhere near by for me and my friends


r/UTK • • 4h ago

A Vol In Need orgo 2

1 Upvotes

hey guys

i'm in the process of registering for classes and my registration date is 11/9. im trying to take orgo 2 and the only classes are taught be either neal or carroll. i heard carroll is amazing and that neal's class is much harder; however, carrolls class is filling up quick with only 54 seats left whereas neal's 12:40 has 103 seats left. neal's 8:10 doesn't really fit into my schedule but if i dont have a choice i'll make it work. im also a chem major so campagnas 9:45 class could work but again it wouldn't fit into my schedule as well since its T/R. do yall think getting into carrolls class is attainable considering my registration is the 9th and there's only 54 seats? or should i just register for neal's 12:40?

i'm also worried there won't be enough open seats in any of the orgo 2 classes by the time registration comes around for me... any advice would be greatly appreciated.


r/UTK • • 10h ago

A Vol In Need how do i send a return package?

3 Upvotes

r/UTK • • 10h ago

Miscellaneous & Random Physics 221 online or in person?

2 Upvotes

I originally was going to do physics 221 online but a friend told me that it sucks and labs take way longer online than in person, has anyone else have that experience? Which would you recommend, online or in person? Ty!


r/UTK • • 14h ago

Tickle College of Engineering Feng-Yuan Zhang

2 Upvotes

Has anybody taken Dr. Zhang? I am debating taking his convection heat transfer course. Any opinions on him?


r/UTK • • 1d ago

Student Housing and Leasing Lease takeover

3 Upvotes

Hi all! I need someone to takeover my lease at The Mark, starting in the Spring 2027 semester. There are two other roommates (female), in a five bedroom, five bath. Rent is $949/month with utilities included. Right now parking is sold out, but you can call them to get put on a waitlist or try to apply the semester after. There is bike storage and a shuttle that takes you to campus and the strip during late nights (Friday-Sunday I believe). Please let me know if you’re interested!! šŸ«¶šŸ»


r/UTK • • 1d ago

College of Architecture & Design Verto vols --> architecture

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9 Upvotes

Hello!!! This is a really niche problem I'm having so I'm not expecting any life changing answers.

I'm doing verto vols my freshman year of college and then transferring to UTK my sophomore year (hopefully majoring in architecture)

I know architecture is a competitive major, and it says a portfolio is recommended, but I'm not sure what that should look like at all and nobody's helping me lol

I have awful sketches of some stuff, but I'm not sure what more I can do and I'm mortified

Please help me and be brutally honestšŸ˜”


r/UTK • • 1d ago

UT Alumni FREE variety show this Tuesday!

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2 Upvotes

r/UTK • • 2d ago

Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions Odds of getting in?

4 Upvotes

I am in state with a 3.5 ut core gpa and a 30 act score. Took 3 aps, made a 5,3,3. Pretty much all but 1 of my highschool classes were honors/accelerated or dual enrollment. 4 years varsity sport, other than that my extracurriculars were pretty lackluster. UT is definitely in my top choices, would love to know what my odds might be of getting accepted.


r/UTK • • 3d ago

Graduate Student What bars do grad students go to

12 Upvotes

Hey yall, I am trying to meet more grad students and avoid the undergrad bars. Does anyone have any recs? Thanks so much in advance!


r/UTK • • 3d ago

Haslam College of Business MARK350 Winter Mini-Term

3 Upvotes

hi!

has anyone taken mark350 over a mini term before? specifically with melinda micheletto? i have honestly only heard bad things about her course structure and attitude (poorly worded exams, iffy group projects, reporting everyone and everything for ai, etc.) but was wondering how her class was set up with it only being a few weeks long?

i am a double major and am taking this to give myself breathing room my senior year (one of my majors is STEM and pretty intensive with upper level coursework/captsones), but don't want to kill my gpa if the course is a monster for no reason. i don't mind a lot of work in a short stretch of time- but i want fair material! tia!


r/UTK • • 3d ago

College of Arts & Sciences Chemistry Tutoring

5 Upvotes

If you want help in chemistry, leave a comment or DM me. I got my B.S. in Chemistry from UTK and I have been working in R&D support for 4 years. I have not formally tutored before, but I am interested in starting.

I plan on billing $20/hr. There may be some topics I need to brush up on. I would not bill for time that I spend preparing for sessions, just time spent in-person or on a video call.


r/UTK • • 3d ago

Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions Tuition Costs?

3 Upvotes

Hi, I'm an in-state high school senior in the process of completing my UTK application before November 1st so I have direct admission. I don't know if I'll commit because I've heard that tuition is ghastly.

For one, I know rates are posted on their website, and since I live within 50 miles of campus I'm not required to live in a dorm, so that brings tuition down to about 15,000 including books and fees, but is that per year or per semester?

I do already have some credits due to AP tests and dual enrollment, and I'll get around 40,400 dollars maximum due to my GPA and ACT score. For reference, here's my stats: my unweighted GPA is 3.88 and my weighted is 4.28, I've taken 4 APs and have made 5s on all of them, and I made a 31 on my ACT. How much more money could I potentially get from scholarships? My extracurriculars are non-existent, which I know isn't good. I've yet to complete FAFSA, but I know my household makes below 60,000 a year.

I can't afford to be saddled with debt when I could just take two years at Pellissippi for free then transfer, and when I told my counselor this, she strongly encouraged me to skip Pellissippi altogether and apply straight to UTK, but she sounds crazy with the tuition rates I've been seeing. For reference, I want to major in English, which I know is a debate in of itself. I'm just concerned which path I should take financially.


r/UTK • • 3d ago

Selling or Looking to Buy Anyone want to MiddleMan some discounted DollyWood tickets?

0 Upvotes

Family is wanting to go to Dollywood next month, the website says students/faculty can get a 50% discount and are allowed to give them to friends without attending themselves.

Just posting to see if anyone is able to help us out.


r/UTK • • 4d ago

Student Life, Socialization, and Clubs Drive UT Car Meet this Friday

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3 Upvotes

All students and alumni welcome (you don’t need to bring a cool car or any car)


r/UTK • • 4d ago

Student Life, Socialization, and Clubs Study apps

3 Upvotes

does anyone use any study apps like knowt and if so has it helped you?


r/UTK • • 4d ago

UT Alumni Tomorrow!!!

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1 Upvotes

r/UTK • • 4d ago

UTK Parking Madness G10 Garage - Events

1 Upvotes

How bad is G10 to get in and out of for games/ events since they have started demolition?


r/UTK • • 5d ago

Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions Spring Admission Engineering

5 Upvotes

I am a current freshman in college at U Cincinnati looking to Transfer to UTK’s nuclear engineering program in the spring. Here are my stats;

3-.5-3.8 GPA (Not exactly sure but Mostly As and Bs)
- 32 ACT (possibly higher when my latest scores come back)
- LOTS of dual enrollment accelerated through a community college
- Calc 1 CLEP
- Calc 2 8 week accelerated
- Physics 1 5 week accelerated
- Physics 2 5 week Accelerated
All completed this summer
-As well as taking Calculus 3 and Differential Equations this Freshman semester
My extracurriculars are a materials science club and an unpaid research position with a current graduate Nuclear/radiological professor.
What are my chances of getting into not just engineering but the nuclear engineering major specifically as someone out of state.


r/UTK • • 5d ago

Student Housing and Leasing 6 month leases

5 Upvotes

does anyone know any apartments that do 6 month leases near campus???


r/UTK • • 5d ago

Miscellaneous & Random Every online program says it’s ā€œflexible.ā€ What does flexible actually mean to you?

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2 Upvotes