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#1 Best Public Universities in Tennessee

Tennessee Admission Requirements

Knoxville, Tennessee

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Your chances of getting into The University of Tennessee

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted 

68.4%
Admission Difficulty for The University of Tennessee
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Difficult 
Applicant Competition Low 

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Tennessee is 68.4%.  Its admission rate is the 20th lowest in Tennessee.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into Tennessee and can you get accepted?

Tennessee is a moderately competitive school to get into. You have a strong chance of acceptance if you meet the criteria. Last year, 24,826 out of the 36,290 who applied were admitted.

The University of Tennessee typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.66. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top quarter of their high school class. 28% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into Tennessee?

68% are accepted, can you get in? Use the admission calculator to see if you have the grades and test scores needed to get in. See your admission chances based on your extracurriculars, intended major, background, and more.

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Calculate your admission chances

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to The University of Tennessee you should:

  • Have a high school GPA of 3.66 or better
  • Earn B+ grades in high school
  • Score 1250 on the SAT
  • Score 28 on the ACT
  • Graduate in the top 25% of your high school class

Tennessee GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 

3.66*

Typical High School Grades 

B+

What GPA do you need to get into The University of Tennessee?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into Tennessee are to have around a 3.66 high school GPA. You are required to have very good grades in high school.

If your high school GPA meets these requirements, there is a good chance you will be accepted as Tennessee accepts 68% of students who apply.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at Tennessee is 3.66 on the 4.0 scale. 59% of students who get in have perfect 4.0 GPA's in high school. To achieve the average GPA for admission, you need to earn B+ letter grades and regularly score around 87-89 percent on tests and assignments in high school.  The school ranks #12 in Tennessee for highest average GPA.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 3.7 GPA range.

Competitiveness by GPA Ranges

The table below outlines the number of admitted freshmen by GPA range as well as how competitive your GPA will be as compared with other applicants.

High School GPA's for admitted The University of Tennessee students
High School GPA Freshmen Within Range Competitiveness 
4.0 59.0% Avg +
3.75 to 3.99 16.0% Avg
3.50 to 3.74 12.0% Reach
3.25 to 3.49 8.0% Reach
3.00 to 3.24 4.0% Reach
2.50 to 2.99 1.0% Low
2.00 to 2.49 0% Low
1.00 to 1.99 0% Low
less than 1.00 0% Low

 What do these chances mean?

*This school has not published high school GPA data for its incoming freshman class. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.66 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

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Tennessee SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 

1170-1330

Applicants Submitting SAT 

21%
SAT Scores for The University of Tennessee
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile 590
Math 25th Percentile 580
Composite 25th Percentile 1170
SAT Scores for The University of Tennessee
SAT Test 75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile 660
Math 75th Percentile 670
Composite 75th Percentile 1330
Average SAT Score 1250

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for you to be admitted to The University of Tennessee?

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at Tennessee is 1250 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1170-1330. Students who get into The University of Tennessee score in the top 29 percent of all SAT test takers..  Tennessee ranks #5 in the state of Tennessee for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1250 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. Tennessee regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1170 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1170, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 1090, but scores this low are outside the normal range. 21 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.

View other colleges which accept students in the 1250 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1250, you have around a 68% chance of being admitted. A 1330 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 80% chance of getting in.

The University of Tennessee admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1330 and Above Good >80%
1250 to 1330 Avg + 68%-80%
1170 to 1250 Avg - 53%-68%
1090 to 1170 Reach 37%-53%
Less than 1090 Low <37%
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Tennessee ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 

25-31 

Applicants Submitting ACT 

59%
ACT Scores for The University of Tennessee
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile 25
Math 25th Percentile 24
Composite 25th Percentile 25
ACT Scores for The University of Tennessee
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile 33
Math 75th Percentile 29
Composite 75th Percentile 31
Average ACT Score 28

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into Tennessee?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to Tennessee is 28, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 25 and 31.  The school ranks #4 in Tennessee and #234 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

For the best chance of admission, you should have an ACT of 28. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 25 and score in the score in the top 22 percent nationally. The lowest ACT score likely to be admitted is a 22.

59 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to The University of Tennessee.

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into Tennessee for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 28 score has around 68% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 80% with a 31 ACT score.

The University of Tennessee admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
31 and Above Good >80%
28 to 31 Avg + 68%-80%
25 to 28 Avg - 53%-68%
22 to 25 Reach 37%-53%
Less than 22 Low <37%
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High School Class Rank

63% of The University of Tennessee freshman are in the top twenty five percent of their high school graduating class and 35% are in the top ten percent.

High School Class Rank for admitted The University of Tennessee students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 35%
Top 25% of class 63%
Top 50% of class 91%
Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed the the table below.

The University of Tennessee admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 22,433 13,857 36,290
Accepted 15,645 9,181 24,826
Acceptance Rate 70% 66% 68%
Enrolled 3,986 2,860 6,846
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 25% 31% 28%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to The University of Tennessee is $50.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to The University of Tennessee and what student information is used for admission decisions?

The University of Tennessee Application Requirements
Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
High School GPA Required to be considered for admission
High School Class Rank Not considered for admission, even if submitted
Completion of College Preparatory Program Not considered for admission, even if submitted
Recommendations Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Demonstration of Competencies Not required for admission, but considered if submitted

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at The University of Tennessee
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit Yes
Credit for Life Experiences No

Admission Requirements Summary

Because Tennessee is moderately competitive, you have a strong chance of acceptance with the right GPA and test scores. If you have a 3.66 GPA, you have a very good likelihood of getting in. A 1250 on the SAT and 28 on the ACT will further lock in your application.

Other Colleges to Apply To 

Students applying to The University of Tennessee often consider these colleges

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=221759 IPEDS survey data for The University of Tennessee.

Last updated February 24, 2024