Interesting. Has the merit money already been awarded? If so, my D was not offered anything. We are OOS as well, which is why we pushed for our D to submit scores. We are from CA and had to travel to AZ bc everything was cancelled in CA. Praying it will pay off for Nursing.
Does anyone know when financial aid will be released? I am pretty sure I qualify for the Volunteer Scholarship. Would I receive it then? I was not eligible when I was admitted in December, so I did not get it at that time.
Not sure if this helps you or @collegemom201 above…my S21 got a Volunteer Scholarship with his EA (OOS) acceptance back in December, and then a separate letter dated Feb. 2 confirming that award. In it, this paragraph: “This is an initial award notification and may not be the only award you receive - UT scholarship committees meet throughout the academic year to offer other awards and evaluate additional aid for which you may qualify. Your complete aid package will be sent in early March.” Congrats on your acceptance!
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Thank you. Yes, my D received the same scholarship and letter as well. I was curious about Purdue, I have heard it is extremely difficult to receive merit there.
Did you update your test scores? I would ask your counselor when to expect the letter confirming merit money.
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Not really sure about Purdue - my S21 very consciously avoided any schools in the Midwest or Northeast for weather-reasons Lol. Even though that could have been a great school for him (as an engineering student). The gamut for him seems to be a good to decent amount of merit $ at UTK and South Carolina, hardly any at Texas A&M, jury still out at Clemson (though not expecting much), and none to come at UVA (where he is in-state).
Purdue merit would be in the acceptance letter. I read something like only 15% of students receive merit. Sadly, my D was not one of those 15% 
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@atx888 Did your daughter tour? If so, was it an official tour or did you do self-guided? My D is begging me to fly down for a day next week. It is a school vacation week here in NH so she won’t miss anything but it will cost me a small fortune…LOL I’m trying to encourage her to wait a couple of weeks so we can go see UTK, Clemson, and UofSC all in one trip
Congrats to your daughter getting into the other direct admit nursing programs. Most direct admit programs are extremely competitive. Was there something about UTK that stood out or was she thinking of another program anyway?
Thank you. Looks like my D didn’t receive any either. Somewhat of a game changer.
There is a great self-guided walking tour of UTK that my DD found online. I felt like we saw enough but not inside too many buildings or dorms. Definitely got a feel for the campus. They are giving in person tours though.
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Yup! I inputted new test scores in late December. I think the merit (if I got any) will be confirmed with the complete aid package sent in March. The Volunteer Scholarship is automatic, right?
As far as I know it is. My D submitted scores in October with her application and updated when her score increased. Merit package was exactly what it says it will be if you have a score. Beacon is different since it is test optional. Her roommate who was test optional, was accepted in to nursing and honors with a $6k award. Hard to say this year.
We talked to my D’s college counselor last night, she thinks that very few incoming freshmen were accepted because any students last year who were accepted into nursing could have deferred their first year because of COVID…So those deferred students who would now be sophomores, are a part of the incoming freshman class. That is why it was so much more competitive this year, and why very few people got in. Just wanted to put that out their for anyone who was curious!
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That’s an interesting perspective and I guess it would make sense. My D doesn’t know a single person who was admitted to nursing - ACT scores ranging from 28-32 - all received their second choices. Such a strange year.
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My daughter was also admitted under her second major and put on the waitlist for nursing. She received the letter about the waitlist via email but her VIP portal does not have the updated letter which I think is strange. I’m not sure if we should contact someone and ask about that? Did your daughter receive the letter via email or in her VIP portal?
My daughter’s VIP portal says she’s been admitted to her second choice major and nursing is under review. She received an email about the waitlist separately, but her VIP portal doesn’t say anything about the waitlist, it just says under review for nursing.
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Ok, thank you. That’s exactly the same for my daughter.
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Do you guys know how to login to your @ vols.utk.edu email account?
Double check the letter. We thought the same thing because the date hadn’t changed from when she was accepted to her second major on 12/14/20. However the wording has definitely changed, “We regret to inform you that after departmental review, we are unable to offer you admission to your first-choice major…” Could be entirely different for waitlisted students.