For students born and raised in Tennessee, this college is a fine, affordable choice to pursue your undergraduate degree. The tuition is low and scholarships are offered on the basis of high school GPA and ACT scores. Still, it has its pros and cons. The school is large; if you don't want to see someone, you don't have to. It has many opportunities and clubs and a multitude of study abroad programs. But it can be impersonal, especially in the larger majors such as psychology and sociology. Finally, if you love college football, this is the place to be.
This university is awesome in several ways. The local area is beautiful, just outside of the Smoky Mountain National Park. There are several things to do there year-round. Knoxville itself is a great town with many cultural attractions, including a newly-renovated downtown area. The school is among the top 40 public universities in the US, with a strong motivation toward becoming a major science and research center. Also, the business school is in the top 25! There are many majors to choose from, each with great faculty who really do care about the students and try to help them along in their career. I would definitely recommend this college, though unless you know specifically what you want to do, I suggest not declaring a major as a freshman. Take a few classes and get to know your options here before nailing yourself down. There's so much available to you. I loved my major and all of the opportunities that were available. Every professor that I came in contact with was more than willing to help you network and share contacts with you in order to help you in finding internships and jobs. There were opportunities to study abroad, as well as exchange programs with other US and international universities.
While the student aid package and stipend for graduate study were pretty good (I got my degree for free, plus a small salary), the faculty involvement left something to be desired. Overall, it was a mixed experience.
My experience at University of Tennessee was positive overall. I enjoyed fruitful partnerships with other students and faculty members as I completed my degree program. The university has much to offer in the worlds of academics, fine arts, music and sports. One drawback is the inevitable bureacracy of a large school. Getting even the smallest detail taken care of became a large hassle as I trekked across campus to find the right person to take care of a financial or clerical issue.
In 1970, the percentage of college freshmen who considered themselves "liberal" was twice that of "conservative". Today, the percentages are nearly equal.
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