Admissions Factors
What The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Looks For
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rates 5 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, standardized test scores, application essay and state residency.
How The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rates each factor
Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.
Very important
Important
Considered
The numbers behind the class
Overall admit rate
43.6%
23,464 of 53,841 applicants
Early decision admit rate
No early decision
Admitted from the waitlist
3.8%
134 of 3,516 who stayed on it
Enrolled first-years had an average high school GPA of 4.25. 47% of those who reported a class rank were in the top tenth of their class.
Frequently asked questions
What does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville look for in applicants?
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rates 5 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, standardized test scores, application essay and state residency.
Does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville consider legacy status?
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rates alumni relation as "not considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
Does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville track demonstrated interest?
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rates the level of an applicant's interest as "not considered".
What is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's waitlist acceptance rate?
3,516 students stayed on the waitlist and 134 were admitted, a rate of 3.8%. The number changes a lot from year to year because it depends on how many admitted students enroll.
Source: The University of Tennessee-Knoxville’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.
