UTK the next elite public?

[Anonymous]

Are you kidding? Does UTK have any strong departments or programs?

It's certainly a bottom-half, probably a bottom-quartile flagship. Fine, for sure, but not remotely "elite."

[Anonymous]

Their business school is on the rise. On this list along w Michigan.

https://poetsandquants.com/2024/04/22/10-undergrad-business-schools-to-watch-in-2024/10/

[Anonymous]

No.

25th: 1190, 50th: 1260, 75th: 1340
I guess they're test required? so 100% submitting scores but that's really no excuse for the low scores...

For reference, UVA and William and Mary had 1400 median SATs and 1480 75th percentiles before test optional.

Also, according to their CDS, their acceptance rate is about 46% which is very close to accepting half of all applicants, which is very high.

[Anonymous]

They're def not on level w UVA but climbing in popularity and their OOS acceptance is getting much harder. They had record number of apps at 60k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UT is much better than UTK. Are people here high or just not aware of colleges?

The people here also constantly try to argue that UVA is in the same tier as the UCs. So yes, they’re high or just delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're def not on level w UVA but climbing in popularity and their OOS acceptance is getting much harder. They had record number of apps at 60k.

What are they doing to prepare for the demographic cliff? Are they demolishing and rebuilding the campus, closing old programs, renovating, creating enrollment pipelines, etc.? Schools outside of the t100 on USNWR are going to have a tough time with keeping enrollment up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UTK is the Harvard of the South.

Ha! No.

They say Rice is.

Can't be. There aren't enough douchebags at Rice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're def not on level w UVA but climbing in popularity and their OOS acceptance is getting much harder. They had record number of apps at 60k.

What are they doing to prepare for the demographic cliff? Are they demolishing and rebuilding the campus, closing old programs, renovating, creating enrollment pipelines, etc.? Schools outside of the t100 on USNWR are going to have a tough time with keeping enrollment up.

Yes to all of the above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding? Does UTK have any strong departments or programs?

It's certainly a bottom-half, probably a bottom-quartile flagship. Fine, for sure, but not remotely "elite."

They used to have a solid women's basketball program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're def not on level w UVA but climbing in popularity and their OOS acceptance is getting much harder. They had record number of apps at 60k.

What are they doing to prepare for the demographic cliff? Are they demolishing and rebuilding the campus, closing old programs, renovating, creating enrollment pipelines, etc.? Schools outside of the t100 on USNWR are going to have a tough time with keeping enrollment up.

NP here and also a Vol.

3 dorms are currently under construction. 2 are scheduled to open in fall '25 and the last one in Fall '26. There are also several apartments being built right by campus.

As far as classroom space, a new building for the Nursing students is under construction. The engineering lab facilities are amazing (opened in '22). There are other projects, but I've had to navigate around the nursing building, that's why I remember it.

Not commented by you, but another poster was about test scores. OOS is getting much more competitive than it was a couple of years ago. The EA admissions for students entering Fall 25 showed that the OOS middle 50% of scores is 28-32 ACT (compares to SAT 1310-1430). UT is not test optional. I think last year UT accepted 21% OOS applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're def not on level w UVA but climbing in popularity and their OOS acceptance is getting much harder. They had record number of apps at 60k.

What are they doing to prepare for the demographic cliff? Are they demolishing and rebuilding the campus, closing old programs, renovating, creating enrollment pipelines, etc.? Schools outside of the t100 on USNWR are going to have a tough time with keeping enrollment up.

NP here and also a Vol.

3 dorms are currently under construction. 2 are scheduled to open in fall '25 and the last one in Fall '26. There are also several apartments being built right by campus.

As far as classroom space, a new building for the Nursing students is under construction. The engineering lab facilities are amazing (opened in '22). There are other projects, but I've had to navigate around the nursing building, that's why I remember it.

Not commented by you, but another poster was about test scores. OOS is getting much more competitive than it was a couple of years ago. The EA admissions for students entering Fall 25 showed that the OOS middle 50% of scores is 28-32 ACT (compares to SAT 1310-1430). UT is not test optional. I think last year UT accepted 21% OOS applicants.

New business building in construction right now too.

[Anonymous]

Ranked in football and men's basketball

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're def not on level w UVA but climbing in popularity and their OOS acceptance is getting much harder. They had record number of apps at 60k.

What are they doing to prepare for the demographic cliff? Are they demolishing and rebuilding the campus, closing old programs, renovating, creating enrollment pipelines, etc.? Schools outside of the t100 on USNWR are going to have a tough time with keeping enrollment up.

The state flagships will all do fine. In fact, admissions to state flagships will become even more competitive in the years to come despite the demographic cliff. At this price point - $350,000+ for private universities; $200,000+ for OOS, times number of children - affordability becomes the main driver of college admissions. Nearly the entire MC and UMC is being funneled into state schools and that's not going to change. Some of the peripheral state campuses may close or be consolidated. But the state flagships will all thrive. The quality of their students is only going to get better year after year.

The best public universities - the UCs, Texas, UVA, UNC - all come from states with thriving, dynamic, professional local economies that depend on a well educated workforce. UVA wouldn't be UVA without Northern Virginia. The UCs wouldn't be the same without Silicon Valley. UNC and the Research Triangle. And so on. That's where UTK is a little limited. High schools tend to suck in Memphis and rural Tennessee. While Nashville is thriving, it's not enough. If UTK really wants to make the leap to the top tier of public schools, they'll have to follow the Michigan model and import 50 percent of their students from out of state. In the meantime, UTK will continue its steady rise just like all the other state flagships as they capture more and more talented MC and UMC students who are priced out of alternatives.

[Anonymous]

It is a great school.

My kid's engineering school admitted student tour was almost entirely kids from northern Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if serious? If so, no. I'd argue that UMCP is, if it's not already.