The University of Tennessee System has standardized its language across all campuses to include standardized test scores in its guaranteed admissions requirements for top-performing high school seniors.

The biggest change to the guaranteed admissions policy, which is less than one year old, most applies to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. The flagship campus previously did not require an ACT or SAT score for guaranteed admission. UT Chattanooga, UT Martin and UT Southern did.

The ACT and SAT score requirements, which vary between universities, are in addition to requirements related to student performance and class standing.

Previously, UT Knoxville only required a 4.0 cumulative GPA or that students finish in the top 10% of their class for guaranteed admission. Other campuses had their own requirements, including a lower GPA benchmark and an ACT score.

Here’s how the new policy, approved at the UT System Board of Trustees meeting June 25, will work for students applying for fall 2025:

For UT Knoxville

• Students must get either a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) or finish in the top 10% of their high school graduating class.
• And students need a 24 ACT composite score (or an SAT score of 1160-1190 or higher).

For UT Chattanooga, UT Martin and UT Southern:

• Students must get either at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA or finish in the top 10% of their high school graduating class.
• And students need a 23 ACT composite score (or an SAT score of 1130-1150 or higher).

The original guaranteed admissions policy was approved in September 2023 as a way to give top-earning high schoolers in Tennessee the opportunity to receive early admission to any UT campus across the state.

Why the University of Tennessee changed the guaranteed admissions policy

Only 30% of Tennessee high schools reported class ranking data to UT for the high school graduating class of 2024, according to UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman. That’s just 226 of 740 high schools.

The original guaranteed admissions policy also was challenged by the lower requirements from UT Martin, UT Chattanooga and UT Southern. Their policies, which required a 3.2 GPA and 23 ACT composite score, were so close to standard admission criteria that prospective students were worried no guaranteed admission would mean no admission at all, according to Bernie Savarese, vice president for academic affairs, research and student success for the UT System.

When the UT System Board of Trustees kicked off its annual meeting June 24, Savarese presented a different version of the proposed changes that would have made 4.0 the required GPA for all campuses. The top 10% criteria also would have been dropped.

But because the guaranteed admissions policy is so new, the board was hesitant to make such drastic changes. The policy needs more time for data to accrue before it can be reevaluated at a higher level, trustee Jamie Woodson said during the meeting.

Keenan Thomas is a higher education reporter. Email keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter @specialk2real.

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