The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Top Questions

The education at UTK seems like it's geared towards getting a job more than actually learning. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing all the time. In my major classes, I actually want to learn since I am a Microbiology major and want to go to medical school. This program is very competitive. Sometimes, my 3.6/3.7 GPA doesn't feel competitive enough for the program. So, I study more, along with the other million people in the library! It's very difficult to find a seat in the Commons area of the library on weeknights, so I also go to a lot of study groups. I'll be doing a lot of this next semester with killer classes. I think I'll like organic chemistry though!

-yes i know my professors name because its on my syllabus! -my favorite class this year has been my art 101 class...its hands on... -poli sci 102( and poli sci is my second major so this was a bummer) it was just SO boring and all he did was read of the slide show which was posted online, but attendance was part of our grade soooo we had to be there! -i study alot..but not too much! some of my friends never study but they do poorly -class participation is mandatory in some classes, so yes -students are very competitive with leadership roles in organizations -unique? not sure if ive had one yet -the art department is tricky and mean...there is not enought opportunity -i went to my teacher's art show last friday -i think the GEN ED needs to be GENERAL EDUCATION for everyone and it does not need to CHANGE between schools because this screws people that change their minds over -depends on what your major is...

Being an exercise science major with a minor in adolescent health with the intention of going to Medical School, i feel as though the core classes for Medical School like Organic Chemistry the teacher i had, Jim Green, was an awsome teacher and i visited him quite often during his office hours. He was very willing to help me and anyone else. When i first arrives at UTK i was not pleased with the academic major choices for the Pre-Med program. I wanted to major in biology but UTK does not offer just that major and BCMB and microbiology are not the area i want to have a degree in.

Since I am an architecture major most of my classes are smaller and more one on one. However, my gen ed classes are all very large and the professors don't usually know any of our names. I wish those classes were smaller because I often feel like the professor doesn't care about us. Also, I wish more was done to make sure we are getting a good education, without the main focus on our GPA.

I usually try to introduce myself to my professors, so they will know me. They cut you more slack if they actually know your name. College is pretty hard. I don't study as much as I need to, and I'm sure a lot of students are like me. I am so busy with my sorority that sometimes I don't have time to study. All sorority events must be attended, unless you want to be fined. Managing studies and extra curricular activities is tough to do. Sometimes I go to office hours when I am desperate for help. I'm an undecided major, but gearing towards business.

Classes vary, I've had some with around 700 people and some under 20. But I believe that a lot of people here are very studious, yet many don't always go to every class. Every professor I've had so far has also been very helpful and would go the extra mile if a student asked for extra help in a class. UTK also has some pretty strict academic requirements and I think that's very important to maintain.

The classes are fine. I have large and small classes. They prepare you for the real world and challenge your thinking.

I am an art major so I've become very close with a lot of my professors and plan to keep in touch with them after graduation. My classes are a lot of work, but I think most of it is teaching me valuable stuff that may actually be valid in my career one day.

I wish I was graduating on time. I didn't get through portfolio review, so now I am a year behind. My parents now have to pay another years worth of out of state tuition...and I feel really bad about it!

Professors at UT, especially as you get into your major classes, are much more hands on and easily accessable. Currently enrolled in upperclassmen classes, professors are much more eager to have small discussions and are eager to get students excited about thier class. In general education classes it is harder to get noticed and easy to slip under the radar because teachers have such large classes and you are just another number. Though the older you get, the smaller the classes become and the more intellectually stimulating the classes become.

Some classes at UT are very large, while some are very small. The small classes teachers most always know your name, and if you make the professors in the large classes aware of who you are, by visiting their office hours, then they also will remember your name. My favorite class is my Retail 210 class because it is my first class that is part of my major. Students are very competitive here, probably because this school has a lot of very competitive programs. UTK's academic requirements are hard, but I feel they are accurate.

I feel UT has offered me a great education. The only problem I have run in to is having several foreign teachers in my upper level academic courses. Those classes are difficult enough, but then adding on a language barrier between you and your teacher makes it even tougher.

My favorite class at UT so far has been psychology 110 with Laura Widman. She was so thorough and religiously used blackboard, which is always a plus. I really dislike it when teachers do not use blackboard. For the most part I have been quite satisfied with all of my teachers and professors. Of course not all of them do everything the way I would like, but thats just life. I feel like all of my teachers have been willing to help me or make exceptions at some points, and if I didn't experience a situation like this with some of them I feel like they would have been easy to work with and talk to if the situation arose. My roommate on the other hand has had terrible luck with professors. They have been outrageous with some of their assignments and requirements for the course. Most of her teachers have not offered adequate help either. Therefore, she is suffering in some of the classes I excelled in with ease. This compairison shows the leinience the professors have that I feel is unfair

My first semester here I really didnt try to get to know the professor or allow the professor to know me. My first semester in college my grades were not good at all, but I just felt really over whelmed and I didnt try hard enough to receive good grades. My second semester I was able to do a 360. I made contact with my professors, and I was able to see that they really care if I'm understanding the material and will really help with problems. I think UTK has a great academic requirement status. Class participation is very common and usually asked by the professor. My most unique class I have taken here so far is my english class on terrorism. My major is in enterprise managment with a minor in retail and consumer sciences

most professors do not know the names of their students. i think that psychology classes at utk are very interesting. class participation is only common in a few classes. most students do not spend time with their professors outside of class.

Lots of lecture classes with 100-200 plus students. But for English and Foreign Langage the class size is smaller. I study every day. Many teachres are willing to help you if you ask.

Yes I always take time to get to know my professors. It is competitive here just as any school. People are always studying and trying to be in the top of the class. I hate that you have to take so many pre-reqs that really do not pertain to your major but I guess thats part of being well rounded.

Whoever said classes were easy at UTK lied. They are actually pretty tough, even the freshman general ed classes.

Most classes are big so most professors dont know my name, but in the smaller classes they do. To keep good grades you have to study often. Students are very competitive.

Professors know my name in my smaller classes, but in lectures they'll only know your face unless you put yourself out there and frequenty go to their office hours Favorite class: math least favorite: communications studies Students study a LOT Most unique class: History of Rock and Roll

I know all my professors names and i enjoy most classes and i am in honor societies

Professors are not eager to help students outside of class. Theyre required to keep office hours but many students do not use them. It feels as though all of your Freshmen courses are taught by TA's or GA's. You have to dig to find good professors but theyre out there. UTK does offer an Honors Program. UTK is known for "The Big Orange Screw", they wil tell you on your tour that you more than likely will not graduate in 4 years, in fact most don't graduate for 6 years. Freshmen are ill advised and very rarely are able to take all the classes required. And forget about changing your major.

*I really like my classes here actually. The majority of the professors I have had here have been pretty great. They're pretty laid back and really seem to care about student involvement. However, I have had a couple teachers who seem... a bit worthless and clueless about student interaction, but for the most part... I like my teachers. *I know most of my professors names - mainly because my classes are pretty small. * I think that students study a lot here, at least.. I feel like I'm always studying... haha. *The most unique class I have taken is probably either ice skating or stress management... totally random, but I love those classes.

i love my major. most of my classes are very interesting. the teachers are usually very sociable and personable

Some professors know my name- it depends on whether the class is small enough to know them. My favorite class this semester is British Literature 202, Romantics through Modernists. My least favorite class is Math 119, it was pointless and had too much homework with the tests not even reflecting what we learned in class.

love child & family studies classes - advising is awful

I feel that the professors at UTK genuinely care about helping you to succeed. They always allow time for questions at the end of class and they have times where you can meet with them on a regular basis. I feel that studying is something that takes different amounts of time for different people, but if you are truly dedicated to making good grades then you will study until you feel comfortable with the material.

The professors are alot different than the teachers in high school. They don't take the time to get to know you, or care about you as much as high school. There is so much more responsibility placed on the student it's almost overwhelming.

I feel that the academic curriculum at UTK has been increasingly harder lately. I know that the administration is trying to make the school much more competitive, so in return they have to make the work harder. I am having to spend much more time studying than I have been. I feel that many students are competitive with academics because there are so many students here, you need to do well to stand out.

Academics at UTK are not easy. They require alot of studying and staying on top of your work. But the programs are wonderful and most of teachers are easy to work with.

I don't think most students study as much as they should. Esp. freshman. I began to notice those in my class that would not show up to lecture. I would make it a point to meet with my teacher at least once a semester. I think it is essential to establish that relationship. The most unique class I have taken thus far has been Social Ballroom Dancing.

The library is always packed so I know students care about their grades. I have noticed there are very intellectual conversations between students in the classroom and some what of a competiveness when it comes to grades.

I make it a point to get to know my professors because my classes are rather small since I have declared a major within a small department. I love anatomy and exercise physiology classes...classes dealing directly with my major. I hate English courses past 101 and 102. Students study however much they need to, I guess...for me that is everyday. Class participation is not common, but intellectual conversations outside of class are. Students might be competitive, but my friends help each other out. Unique class: I took yoga once with some football players-that was funny! My major is awesome :) It focuses on health and human performance. It looks at exercise recommendations and what needs to be done to prevent the onset of disease--I want to become a physical therapist! Academic requirements are so, so...education is geared to getting a job and learning.

Since UT is such a large school, you definitely will have larger classes than a smaller school would, but I have had classes as large as a couple hundred of students, and then I have also had classes where there are 20-30 people at most in the classroom at a time. I like the smaller classroom size better because it is easier to participate in. I would say some students are more competitive than others in different aspects; some students care about school and getting a good degree, and then there are others that are there to get a degree, but just "barely make it by."

I don't have much interactiong with my professors outside of class. That is my own choice, their help is there if I need it. I would say students are competitive and study alot. I feel like academic requirements are fair. I major in Marketing and Finance and I have had a great experience with the business department. From talking to people in other majors, I think the business college is one of the most helpful and interactive with its students.

I just talked about some of this, but the down fall with a big school is big classes. I guess this is not always a down fall, but it can hurt some people. Usually big lecture classes have time where you meet in smaller groups with TA's so you can get more personal attention. It is usually a good idea to meet your professor and talk to them when you are having problems in the class. The smaller classes I have, my teachers do know my name. once you get into your major your classes are usually smaller. And of course I have teachers that do not know my name, but that has to do with the specific teacher. Some just don't care to know names. That happens everywhere, not just at big schools. UT also has a lot of resources for helping you find a job when you get out of school. They have a lot of resoucrces to help you out, you just have to make the effort of using them.

Classes are large, but professors are still helpful, but YOU must make the effort to go to them. They have alot of students so they cant come to you but every professor that has been good, has been extremely helpful. I've had a few professors that are wonderful and I've learned from and some are just awful, which I guess is to be found at every school. UT is becoming more and more competitive and so students who attend UT are looked at better than some other schools. UT has a hard curriculum, and students who graduate from here have increased chances of getting into grad school because grad schools know that those students have completed the challenging classes that UT has required of them.

Academics at UT are very tough. I am in honors so in some of my classes my teachers know my name, but in others I am just another student. My favorite class is my psychology classes and my least are my honors classes. I take them to be in honors yet they all bring my GPA down. I am pre med so the students are competitive. I never see profesors out of class but hours are always offered. Some of the requirements are okay, but others are a bit much. Overall I think it is pretty good.

I think the academics at UTK are very competitve. I came into college having a 3.96 GPA from high school and so grades and classes are very important to me. Some classes are really amazing while other ones you just have to trudge through. The best classes I've taken are in my major (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) but they are usually few and far between because the lack of professors. Professors know my name if it is a small class. My first biology class I had contained over 500 kids in one auditorium. If that is the case, a TA is assigned you and thats have you have an edge in the class.

Yes i know teachers by name. My favorite class was psychology for sure it was really interesting. Least favorite was Math 119, terrible teacher and class in general. UTKs academic requirements are difficult but needed.

Most professors I have had do know my name. My favorite class was political science. My least favorite was linguistics 200. Students study often but not in long intervals of time. People usually don't go to class.

The education is geared towards getting a job. the professors for the most part have outside expereince in the field they are teaching, so they give lots of advice. They also tell personal experience stories to give us a feel of the rigors of the job

Academics at UTK are steadily improving. The university is getting better professors and recruiting better students. However, academics is sometimes shadowed by athletics. More money should be focused on teacher salaries and educational resources than building a third practice gym for the basketball players.

The proffesors here are very good. There are few that dont seem to care about students, but the majority seem to care. I do not agree with the new grading scale involving A-,B- etc... because the administration is trying to make us into a type of school that we are not. There are alot of students who do study, but there are also alot that dont. The library here on campus is more of a social gathering place then a library.

UT is geared towards getting a job. Some professors know my name, others not. Some professors here do not even speak very good English which I think especially in certain classes is necessary more than others. If you can't understand your professor how are you supposed to learn anything? We need to be able to understand our professors which should be reconsidered by the administration.

The university does not fund certain programs like the nursing program the way it should. And although the nursing program doesn't have national recognition only few students can actually get into the program because of ridiculous budget constraints. The advising is a joke, not catering to students personal needs whatsoever. If youre failing they'll say "do better" and pat you on the ass. They dont care if you did not get a proper education before coming to college and they will not give you tools or tips to get back up to par. I feel bad for the people who actually need the advisors here because they are no help.

my major is hard as hell. i can't speck for others.

Class sizes, teachers, and participation vary so much. Like any other school, all of that depends on what teachers you have, their personalities, your personality, and the personalities of other students.

i transferred from another school and ut is a lot harder for me but there are also a lot of free studt resources that i have here that were not available at other schools.

Classes require your full focus