About East Tennessee State University

Founded in 1911, East Tennessee State University. is a Public college. Located in Tennessee, which is a city setting in Tennessee, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 11,065 full time undergraduate students, and 2,957 full time graduate students.

The East Tennessee State University Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 16:1. There are 585 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at East Tennessee State University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate91%
Application Deadline
Application Fee25
SAT Range920-1130
ACT Range20-26

Admissions at ETSU are considered Less Selective, with ,49% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 28 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

76% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 43% were in the top quarter, and 17% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at East Tennessee State University.

3%
“We”re apathetic”
24%
“We know about current events and vote”
65%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
9%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
2%
“We save it for the classroom”
32%
“Sometimes, but not often”
44%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
21%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
1%
“I only go out in groups”
47%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
52%
“I feel extremely safe”
2%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
48%
“We bought the gear”
50%
“We live for the big game”
1%
“It”s not really our thing”
11%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
69%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
19%
“We”re a very artistic group”
0%
“Haven”t met them”
2%
“Available in class”
60%
“They keep regular office hours”
37%
“They”re always available”
4%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
15%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
74%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
7%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
6%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
42%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
35%
“We only party on weekends”
17%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
11%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
68%
“There might be people who do”
21%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
0%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
3%
“We”re apathetic”
24%
“We know about current events and vote”
65%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
9%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
2%
“We save it for the classroom”
32%
“Sometimes, but not often”
44%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
21%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
1%
“I only go out in groups”
47%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
52%
“I feel extremely safe”
2%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
48%
“We bought the gear”
50%
“We live for the big game”
1%
“It”s not really our thing”
11%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
69%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
19%
“We”re a very artistic group”
0%
“Haven”t met them”
2%
“Available in class”
60%
“They keep regular office hours”
37%
“They”re always available”
4%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
15%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
74%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
7%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
6%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
42%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
35%
“We only party on weekends”
17%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
11%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
68%
“There might be people who do”
21%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
0%
“There”s a huge drug scene”

East Tennessee State University REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    125 Students rated on-campus housing 3.8 stars. 25 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    92 Students rated off-campus housing 3.8 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    133 Students rated campus food 3.4 stars. 16 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    140 Students rated campus facilities 4.1 stars. 29 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    139 Students rated class size 4.1 stars. 34 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    140 Students rated school activities 4 stars. 35 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    140 Students rated local services 4.3 stars. 51 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    140 Students rated academics 4.3 stars. 45 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of East Tennessee State University?

80 Students rated East Tennessee State University

Chloe - 12/23/2021

I really like ETSU.

Caroline - 01/07/2021

Coming from out of state, I love ETSU. It makes me feel welcome and at home with the people i’m surrounded by. There are endless opportunities to explore the area and activities to do. I’m glad I chose to go to college here in the beautiful mountains.

Mikaela

East Tennessee State University is a wonderfully diverse institution in the shadow of the Appalachian Mountains. The art and science programs are excellent, the staff is impeccable, and the location makes for the perfect learning environment. I absolutely love going to ETSU, and can't imagine going anywhere else.

Kyra

Being at ETSU makes me feel at home. Although, I don't know a lot of people, the faculty, staff, and students are great. There's not much to do that is close to campus, however, there are many recreational activities held by mostly students. The campus is absolutely beautiful, and the mountains help to give it more color in the fall.

East Tennessee State University FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at East Tennessee State University?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for East Tennessee State University is 91%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    Take the hard classes in high school despite how much you dislike them because with the huge work loads of high school and all the homework and just small memorizing techniques without learning, you will put alot more time with alot less quality in your work while always being supervised. It sounds ridiculous but when you are in college and are taking both harder and easier courses, that work load from highschool seems to be alot less so you can put the same amount of time in and have higher quality work because you are more relaxed, are on your own time, and all the while are working on the topic you like. Go online and look for more scholarships, there are alot out there and be persistent on obtaining the information you want for your future because once it all falls in line, you feel great and look forward to it.

    Read all  124 answers
  3. Describe the students at your school.

    A lot of them are from similar backgrounds. Most are hardworking and interested in doing well in school.

    Read all  44 answers
  4. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    East Tennessee State University is a great school overall. The financieal aid office could be a little bit more helpful in actually offering what they say they are going to offer. The mathematics deparment has some great people in their staff and I am honored to be a part of it.

    Read all  23 answers
  5. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    It is very hard to deal with financial aid at this school, they are late on payments and usually mess up students aid to the point where some students do no even recieve it until the next semester.

    Read all  23 answers
  6. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    I think the kind of person who shouldn't attend this school is one who does not like a semi-rural college town, non-urban lifestyle, a sense of adventure, and the ability to co-exist with local people who have very deep-seated views.

    Read all  23 answers
  7. What kind of person should attend this school?

    Anybody looking to have a fun time at school and still learn. As i have learned from other schools, you cant always have fun and learn, but my school definitley incorporates both.

    Read all  23 answers
  8. What's unique about your campus?

    The professors at this school are the most caring people I've ever met. All of them seem to want their students to do well and succeed.

    Read all  21 answers
  9. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    I would reccommend ETSU to prospective students if the school has their major. It is a standard college. Some of the teachers are incredible and inspiring while others are out of touch and should probably retire. The president recently retired, and a younger man with little experience will be taking his position. The size of the school is average; classes usually have 15-30 people in them unless they are in an auditorium. Parking is limited, but a 21 million dollar parking garage is being built. Students can take the Bucshot shuttle from distant parking. Most of my time on campus is spent in class or at my scholarship job. The library is large and full of books and computers. My computer was broken for a semester and I was able to get all my homework done in the library. It is classy and quiet. I enjoy the outdoors and often go hiking at Buffalo Mtn., Roan Mtn., and Holston Mtn. I spent a summer working on the Nolichucky River as a raft guide. If people are interested in exploring but having the advantages of living in a town, this location is prime. Johnson City is demographically a college town, but downtown is small and although people get bucwild, the crime rate is low and the town is well-maintained. We don't have a football team so school spirit is not necessarily through the roof. One of the biggest controversies at the school is the smoking policy. The school is supposed to be tobacco free except in personal vehicles, but students and faculty smoke and dip on campus. I think the school should accomodate all types of students by providing ash trays or a smoking area. Smoking has almost become a sign of protest. Throwing butts on the ground is many students' way of saying "fuck your policy" as well as smoking near the entrance to a main building. Our mascot is the buccaneer, in layman's terms, a mountain pirate. In my opinion, the school should begin calling themselves the mountain pirates. I lived in a dorm my first year and had a meal plan. It was a complete waste of money. I recommend living off campus in the historic tree streets neighborhood next to campus. I lived there for two years in a house that was over one hundred years old. Johnson City is an excellent place to live for people who prefer a slow paced yet progressive city. ETSU has been an excellent place for me to meet like-minded people and to get the degree I need and the experience to apply my education.

    Read all  21 answers
  10. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    A lot of people believe that half of the school's population consists mainly of hipsters and Asian exchange students. They aren't wrong.

    Read all  20 answers
  11. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    That I shouldn't take all the classes that my advicer says I should. That I should Take easy classes to help get my gpa up and keep it up.

    Read all  20 answers
  12. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    it is a smaller campus and it gave me the oppurtunity to get out of my town and discover new places

    Read all  18 answers
  13. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    East Tennessee State University is best known for its nursing program. It has the largest nursing program in all of Tennessee. Over three-hundred students apply to the school's BSN program a semester.

    Read all  18 answers
  14. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    That there is such a diverse student population at ETSU and people are so accepting of different people and the places they have been and will go in life.

    Read all  16 answers
  15. What are the academics like at your school?

    Academics at ETSU is designed to get students jobs in their desired field. With the exception of a few, my teachers have been willing to meet me outside of class and respond promptly to emails to help me succeed. Many of the teachers are passionate about their subject and make every effort to make class interesting and well rounded. General education classes can be boring and attendance is usually lower than upper level classes. Once I began my upper level courses, my college experience changed dramatically. My teachers all know my name, except in auditorium classes, and they are mostly fair and committed. The school requires internships for many majors so that when graduation rolls around, students already have experience and connections. Students are not very competitive. I am a Journalism major; lots of my homework is field work, not necessarily sitting at home writing papers and studying. Last semester was my favorite so far. Each week, I had a story or paper to write, photo assignments and lots of helpful criticism from my teachers. I already feel quite prepared to be a writer though I know I have much to learn. I worked 30 hours a week while taking 18 hours of classes and 6 hours weekly at my scholarhsip job last semester. It was extremely stressful and I seriously considered quitting school. My academic advisor doubled as a life counselor and friend and helped me assess my goals and sort out issues with my family and job in one sitting. I can probably thank her for saving my career, and that is not necessarily her job. The professors and advisors that I have had have gone above and beyond their job requirements to help me. That is how I would describe academics at ETSU, committed to individual success.

    Read all  14 answers
  16. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    There is a big Fraternity/Sorority community around ETSU, but I would not say it's the most popular organization at the university. I would have to say "The Well" is the most popular and biggest group on campus, not counting something like the SGA. The Well is a youth group with a building located off campus where ETSU students can come and relax, and obviously worship. It's a Christian organization, but they go out of their way to try and bring in all students. I have a friend who actually holds a special meeting for Chinese students and he translates whatever message they are having into Chinese for them. But ETSU is not limited to that. There is also an Agnostic Group that meets on campus, and one of my friends also is a member, and they meet quite regularly as well. There is a lot to do in Johnson City off campus, and not all of it involves drinking. There are of course your typical restaurants and pubs, but there are multiple coffee shops, theaters, shopping malls -- all the necessities a college town needs. It even has a public transportation system called "The BucShot" that travels around Johnson City with the Johnson City Transit -- and this bus system is free for ETSU students. You can wake up on a Saturday morning, hop on a bus, eat breakfast at a bagel shop downtown, get back onboard and travel to a bike shop or one of the many shopping centers. There is even a Kroger and Earth Fare located conveniently near the dormitories, allowing students without a car to just walk and pick up groceries, and come right back to campus. Johnson City has really evolved around ETSU to accommodate the students there, and likewise, a lot of businesses come to Johnson City because they know it is a college town.

    Read all  13 answers
  17. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    There are a lot of big classes so that makes it difficult to establish a relationship with the proffessors. The math department is not very good and parking is a joke.

    Read all  12 answers
  18. What are your classes like?

    My classes are typical college classes, and pretty much what I expected for college. Most are just about an hour and a half lecture with some sort of lab involved. I also have a lot of computer classes, since I am in the College of Business and Technology. These computer classes are challenging, because we use technology I have never used before such as Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD), MatLab, etc. But the teachers are all very good at explaining things and I overall enjoy my classes. Most of my classes are a decent size of about 20 or 30 students on average. Some are big lecture classes with 100 students while others only have about 15 students. This allows for one-on-one time with the teachers and they are readily available if I ever need help with the class.

    Read all  6 answers
  19. Why did you decide to go to this school?

    I decided to go to ETSU because that is where I'm originally from and where i wanted to go. I had been there to see the college before and seemed like a good school for me personally to succeed at and get my life back on tract to where i wanted it to be.

    Read all  4 answers
  20. Tell us about the food and dining options.

    The food at ETSU isn't horrible but they do not offer a lot of variety at main meal. But on the campus they have several different fast food places ad some better healthy places that are good and handy for all students.

    Read all  3 answers
  21. Describe the dorms.

    Our old dorms are really not the greatest. I stayed in a dorm for one year and it just really wasn't for me. Most of them are pretty small and there's little to no privacy. However, if you get a good roommate, you can work out a schedule and circumvent some of these issues. The new dorms, though, are awesome. They're a lot more secure and have more privacy as well as private bathrooms. They're hard to get into, though, so if you want one of those rooms, you need to apply early!

    Read all  2 answers

Student Body

Students

56%

female

44%

male

11,065

Total Undergrad Enrollment

2,957

Total Grad Students

16%

Out-Of-State

82%

In-State

2%

International

Organizations

200

Student Organizations

8

Fraternities

8

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

20%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
1%
% Black or African-American
6%
% Hispanic/Latino
2%
% White or Caucasian
82%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

96% of students attending East Tennessee State University receive some sort of financial aid. 46% were awarded federal grants. While 49% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$25,573

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,090

Books and Supplies

$7,952

Room and Board

34,615

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$12,640
$30 - $48K
$13,504
$48 - $75K
$17,745
$75 - $110K
$19,346
$110K & UP
$19,643

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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