Your theory is more proven than not. It’s easy to see just based on the numbers of applications relative to the same fixed numbers of students. The idea that kids are applying to 20+ schools is ridiculous and speaks to poor guidance. There should also be a better way of determining not just genuine interest, but genuine commitment and ability to attend a school prior to applying.
Either way, it’s easy to see that it’s the same kids applying to all of the same schools in mass, with little intent of attending. It all ultimately falls on the schools, their lack of transparency or disclosure of process and standards.
I applaud UTK for its transparency and shift to auto admitting in state students. That transparency and full disclosure will now be met realistically by OOS applicants……who this year were met with shock at being deferred, waitlisted or even denied. As the article mentions, this inflation in the south really affects everyone at every end of the spectrum, including states like GA that have traditionally sent a lot of students out of state to neighboring strongholds and states like FL with large populations of higher qualified students.
Visited utk and had no idea how beautiful it was- love the architecture, how the new buildings are stylistic of the old, so many green spaces around all buildings for lounging, student center is gorgeous. And the campus is closed off/cohesive enough to not tell u r in the middle of Knoxville really. The engineering maker space was so cool too. We were really impressed with the campus and engineering space.
I have a q! We only saw one large dining hall(rocky top). Of course there r other places to eat, but I assumed there would be another large cafeteria. Does rocky top get busy? Anyone know?
I know there is one within Stokely Dorms and Brown has two places to eat within. I think food is well spread out… but I agree with you on being surprised by the campus. We loved it!
Good article. And the author is onto something….interest in UTK by my junior OOS daughter and her friends has greatly diminished after watching what their senior friends endured with the long deferral/updating app/waitlist cycle. She has since changed her desired destination to another SEC school that seems more straightforward with admissions and without the auto admit/instate issue altering the numbers drastically. My son is a sophomore at Auburn…although the author mentioned AU, I did find their process (albeit two years ago) fairly straightforward. If your SAT fell within range, you seemed to be safe for admission from our anecdotal observations. I think the UTK situation analyzed in the article is one definitely built on a weak foundation and bound to implode in time.
You hit it in the head pointing out the in-state auto admit policy. South Carolina was similar IMO, in that the auto admit was enacted the same year as a large increase in applications (which I’ll acknowledge that the Admissions Office could not fully predict) which combined to create a crazy admissions cycle that surprised students as well as admissions officials.
Has anyone had experience or heard of anyone getting more merit money by appealing? My student received a $13K Volunteer scholarship, which as of last year used to be $15k annually. We are looking for around 5K more to put this on par with some other state schools.
We will not be staying in FL. She will most likely attend UGA. We do love and respect UTK and TN is a great state. We spend a lot of time near and around UTK. It’s a wonderful community.
After the Tennessee waitlist for my second daughter,
we have accepted the in State offer to join Ohio State University for both my daughters.
This will allow both to go to the same school, school is well ranked in both business and communications and the financials just made more sense.
Good Luck to all still waiting for a favorable response from Tennessee. I just declined my first daughter’s admission to TN so that will open up 1 seat.
curious… we did consider FSU as it was a tough school to be accepted to OOS, but we simply could not get our pulse on it. Why did you choose to not go to FSU (assuming you applied here)?
That is crazy that she got waitlisted at UT and accepted at Ohio St. My daughter got straight up denied at Ohio State (we are OOS), and waitlisted at UTK (which shocked us all because we live in TN). I don’t understand what’s happening.