Navigating Admission to the University of Tennessee: GPA, Test Scores, and More

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), as the state’s largest and most comprehensive university, seeks to provide high-quality educational programs for all students who have the academic ability and motivation to pursue and profit from a baccalaureate education. Gaining admission to UTK involves understanding a multifaceted process. While the majority of students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are residents of the State of Tennessee, the university welcomes qualified students from other states and from other countries. Admissions decisions for degree-seeking students are based upon several factors, most important of which are the applicant’s grades in high school and college courses and the applicant’s scores on the ACT or SAT exams. The application for undergraduate admission is available on the web at www.apply.utk.edu and should be submitted electronically. Official copies are required for all transcripts and test scores and these must be sent directly from schools or testing agencies to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Understanding UTK's Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at University of Tennessee is 41.6%, making it moderately selective. This means the school expects you to meet their requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but they're more flexible than other schools. If you exceed their requirements, you have an excellent chance of getting in.

GPA Requirements: Aiming for the Top

The average GPA at University of Tennessee is 4.17. This requires you to be at the top of your class, needing nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. If you're a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change from this point on. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4.17, you'll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you're prepared to take on college academics.

UT calculates a weighted core GPA based on your grades in specific courses. In the core academic subjects, the UT Core GPA will be weighted by UT to reflect honors courses (0.5 quality points added), Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge AS and A Level, International Baccalaureate (IB), and dual enrollment courses (1.0 quality points added). UT calculates the UT Core GPA on a 4-point scale. UT uses unweighted high school course grades as the basis for adding these weightings for the UT Core GPA calculation. If students attend a high school that does not weight courses, UT will also not weight them. However, the academic rigor of the curriculum is important and will be valued by our admissions review team.

Standardized Testing: SAT and ACT

You must take either the SAT or ACT to submit an application to University of Tennessee. While many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement.

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SAT Details

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1210, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1360. In other words, a 1210 places you below average, while a 1360 will move you up to above average.

UTK also employs "superscoring." This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. University of Tennessee will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and University of Tennessee forms your Superscore, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Therefore, if your SAT superscore is currently below a 1290, it's recommended that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the SAT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on.

ACT Details

The average ACT score at University of Tennessee is 28. The 25th percentile ACT score is 25, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 31. Even though University of Tennessee likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 25 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application.

When you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 28 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can.

University of Tennessee does in fact offer an ACT superscore policy. Even though the highest ACT composite you scored on any one test date was 20, University of Tennessee will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and University of Tennessee forms your Superscore, you can take the ACT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Therefore, if your ACT score is currently below a 28, it's strongly recommended that you consider prepping for the ACT and retaking it. Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the ACT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on.

SAT Essay/ACT Writing

University of Tennessee considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration.

Holistic Review and Other Factors

UT has a competitive but holistic admissions process. Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements.

Because this school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will almost guarantee you admission. Scoring at a 1290 SAT or a 31 ACT or above will already give you a great shot at getting in. If you can achieve a high SAT/ACT score, the rest of your application essentially doesn't matter. You still need to meet the rest of the application requirements, and your GPA shouldn't be too far off from the school average of 4.17. But you won't need dazzling extracurriculars and breathtaking letters of recommendation to get in.

Application Requirements and Deadlines

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews.

All first-year students are required to self-report high school grades and standardized ACT/SAT scores through the Self-Reported Academic Record (STARS) after submitting their application for admission. UT provides a list of missing items in applicants’ Go Vols Portal. UT will need official high school transcripts and verified test scores by July 1 from all admitted students who confirm enrollment at UT.

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Key Dates

Early Action Submission Deadline: November 1
Early Action Application Complete Deadline: November 15
Early Action Release (In-State): December 8
Early Action Release (Out-of-State): December 15
Regular Decision Priority Deadline: December 15
Regular Decision Application Complete Deadline: January 15
Regular Decision Release: March 9

Transfer Students

The University of Tennessee has a competitive admission process for transfer students. The admission decision for transfer students with fewer than 30 earned transferable college-level hours will be based on their high school GPA, ACT/SAT scores, and a minimum required college GPA of 2.50. The admission decision for transfer students with at least 30 earned transferable college-level hours will be based largely on students’ academic performance at their previous institution(s). In order to be considered for admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a transfer applicant must have a minimum of a 2.00 grade point average (on a 4-point scale) in college credit courses eligible for transfer credit. Academic colleges or departments may require greater than a 2.00 for acceptance into certain programs. Transfer grade averages are calculated by UT and frequently differ from averages calculated by other institutions. Only those courses in which at least a grade of C was earned will be eligible for transfer credit. Grades earned at other colleges and universities are used only for admission, course placement, and other academic decisions. Transfer applicants with a 2.0 college GPA (on a 4-point scale) in college-level, transferable courses who complete the Associate of Arts (AA) or the Associate of Science (AS) degree from the TBR community college system will be admissible to the university. Academic colleges or departments may require greater than a 2.00 for acceptance into certain programs. Transfer grade averages are calculated by UT and frequently differ from averages calculated by other institutions. AA and AS graduates will have fulfilled the general education requirement established by the faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. If an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree is not obtained, transfer of general education courses will be based on a course-by-course evaluation. Students should be aware that many UT majors require completion of an intermediate level sequence of a foreign language, and some majors require more advanced math and science requirements than required by TBR community college majors. Transfer students should review the detailed transfer information on major/degree requirements for their prospective UT major.

Universal Transfer Paths

Universal transfer paths are programs developed between institutions in the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Board of Regents systems. While at the originating institution, students take a specified curriculum that usually leads to the Associate of Arts or the Associate of Science degree and also prepares students for the corresponding baccalaureate degree. Students who complete a universal transfer path will be given priority consideration for admission. However, the admission process is still competitive and still holistic. Completion of a universal transfer path is not a guarantee of admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) or to a specific program.

International Students

All foreign nationals on non-immigrant visas are classified as international students whether they are applying to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as freshmen or transfer students. In addition to the information below, additional information for international students is available from the Office of Graduate and International Admissions or from the Center for International Education.

Required Documents

Authenticated copies of all secondary and post-secondary academic records. These records should describe courses of instruction in terms of years spent in school, types of subject matter covered, and grades earned in each subject.
A “detailed” or “course-by-course” evaluation including a calculated college Grade Point Average (GPA) is required for all college work completed in a country other than the United States. Applicants who have completed fewer than 24 transferable college credit hours may also be required to submit a secondary school or high school transcript. The evaluation of an applicant’s academic record(s) must be completed by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
Evidence of English proficiency if your native language is not English. Prospective undergraduate students who meet all admission requirements except for English proficiency requirements will receive a CONDITIONAL ADMISSION to the University. Students who receive a conditional admission will be issued Form I-20 by the UT English Language Institute (ELI) to apply for an F-1 visa. Students who receive a CONDITIONAL ADMISSION must meet English proficiency requirements before being admitted to a degree program, and before being allowed to enroll in non-ESL courses.

English Proficiency

All undergraduate applicants regardless of citizenship whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate proficiency in one of the following ways.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam - minimum score of 193 (computer-based), 523 (paper-based), or 70 on the iBT TOEFL (internet-based); or
a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam; or
a minimum score of 21 on the English portion of the ACT or a score of 510 on the critical reading portion of the SAT; or
college credit or AP credit received for English Composition 101 and 102 or the equivalent; or
completion of the University of Tennessee English language Institute’s (ELI) core intensive curriculum with recommendation from the ELI faculty.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, English Placement Test must be taken prior to registration. This test will determine whether the student needs to take more English courses and, if so, at what level. The English Placement Test grants no credit.

Additional Information

Application Fee: The First-Year Application fee is $75 and is nonrefundable. Students are able to receive a fee waiver on a case-by-case basis.
Residency: Initial residency classification is determined by admissions staff from information submitted on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Application for Undergraduate Admission. Notice of classification is sent at the time the applicant is notified of admission. The application for reclassification with supporting documentation must be filed no later than the last day of registration in order to have the reclassification effective for the semester.
Academic Common Market: The Academic Common Market is an agreement among states for sharing unique programs. Cooperating states, at the undergraduate level, in the Academic Common Market are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs at UT Knoxville are approved by the Academic Common Market for residents of these states to enroll at in-state tuition rates.
Readmission: Any student who has previously enrolled at UT Knoxville, but who has not continued enrollment for at least one semester (excluding summer) or has withdrawn from the university, and wishes to re-enroll must complete and submit the Application for Readmission. A student who has attended another college or university since attending UT Knoxville must have an official transcript sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Students who have been academically dismissed from UT Knoxville must apply for readmission by June 1 for fall, November 1 for spring, and April 1 for summer.

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