Parents & Families

 

Parent & Family FAQs

 

What is the difference between a college and a university? (top of page)

Colleges tend to be smaller, post-secondary entities that specialize within a certain set of disciplines. For example, the College of Engineering offers bachelor (undergraduate) four-year degrees in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, etc. In the U.S., community colleges typically offer associate degrees (or two-year degree programs). Universities are a collection of multiple colleges and schools that offer both bachelor, master's, and doctoral degrees within its colleges' disciplines. Tennessee Tech is considered a university because of its multiple post bachelor programs and research components for faculty and students.

 

What are the different colleges and schools at Tech? (top of page)

Tennessee Tech is known as Tennessee's Technological University, but houses nine strong academic divisions: College of Agricultural and Human Ecology, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Fine Arts, College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Whitson-Hester School of Nursing, and the College of Graduate Studies.

 

What majors does Tech offer? (top of page)

Tennessee Tech University offers over 40 bachelor's and 20 graduate degree programs. Even though our middle name is Technological, Tech is a comprehensive university with a wide variety of course offerings. Click here for a list of Tech's undergraduate majors and concentrations.

 

How many students are at Tech, and how does that translate to the classroom? (top of page)

Tech's current enrollment is approximately 10,000 students with an average class size of 18 students. Strong faculty/student relationships are a hallmark of the Tech educational experience.

 

How many students live on campus? Is it required for students to live in the residence halls? (top of page)

Tech has more than 2,250 students living in its 14 residence halls. This is required for new students with less than 30 credit hours (sophomore standing) UNLESS commuting from their parent/legal guardian's main residence. Traditional first-time freshmen entering with 30 credit hours or more are also required to live in the residence halls for two semesters (or the completion of their freshman year). Click here for more information regarding Residential Life »

 

When do students find out their residence hall and roommate assignment? (top of page)

Admitted students must first complete the Housing application online at http://www.tntech.edu/reslife/applications/. Residence Hall fall semester assignments are sent to students' Tech email accounts by mid-May. Students applying for housing after the initial assignment release should expect to receive their assignments within 7 business days.

 

What meal plans are offered for students? Which meal plan is best? (top of page)

Parents should sit down with their students to discuss what meal plan is most convenient for them prior to registering for classes. Meal Plans and prices vary, but are suitable for both on-campus and commuter students. We would suggest parents and their students to view the available meal plans and information located on our Dining Service’s website at tntech.edu/dining.

Here you will find meal plan options, where students (and guests) can eat at Tech, and other nutritional information. During your student's orientation, he/she will learn more about the meal plan options available and determine which plan best fits his/her dietary needs. If you have any questions regarding meal plans or how they work, please email Dining Services at dining@tntech.edu.

 

What is the cost of attendance per year? (top of page)

The total cost for Undergraduate in-state maintenance fees and charges (tuition), room, meal plan and books/supplies is about $22,000 for the 2022-2023 academic year. The estimated costs of attendance also include items that may vary based on family and living expectations. Visit our Paying for College website for more information regarding per semester estimated costs. A detailed listing of fees is available on the Financial Aid's cost of attendance website.

 

What kind of laptop should my student buy? What about software? (top of page)

Tech has many PC/MAC labs available for students to use or students have the option to “check-out” laptops to work on homework and projects. Although the University does not require every student to own his/her own computer, it may be convenient for yours to have their own. During orientation, students and parents will be able to determine system requirements and software needs, which may vary based on your student's major. Also, our Information Technology Services (ITS) has provided a list of Recommendations by College. 

For more information on which software applications Tech provides and where to purchase these items with a discount, please visit ITS's "Pricing for Home Use" page for a list of software available to students by major. Students are also allotted a printing allowance to print items using campus PC labs. For more information about printing options and the Pharos system, please visit our Printing Policies website.

 

How are students notified about possible campus emergencies? (top of page)

Starting in the Fall of 2015, Tennessee Tech University implemented an auto-enroll program for its TTUalert text messaging notification system in addition to our already established campus-wide Emergency Response Plan. Tennessee Techalert texts are the fastest method of campus emergency communication. Tennessee Techalert also has other elements, including notification emails to students, faculty, and staff campus accounts, posts on Tennessee Tech's social networking sites, messages on webpage banners, on-campus computers and digital signs, Public Address systems & outdoor sirens will be activated to announce warnings, and all local & regional media outlets (radio and television) will be notified.

Students will be prompted every 6 months to update their contact information within Eagle Online to ensure their information is current with the University. To be automatically enrolled within the Tennessee Techalert system, students must provide a cell phone number when prompted. Students also have the ability to "opt-out" of the Tennessee Techalert notification system. We encourage all students to sign up for the TTUalert system. Students also have the ability to add their family members or spouses to their Tennessee Techalert account to receive notifications. *There is no fee to subscribe to Tennessee Techalert but standard SMS messaging rates may apply depending on your student’s wireless carrier.

 

How do I send mail and packages to my student? (top of page)

The Post is Tech's full functioning mail and shipping services for students and is located on the Ground Floor of the Roaden University Center. Undergraduate students will receive a campus box number, which can be looked up by logging in to their "Eagle Online" account and select the "Students" tab, click "Registration", and click "View Registration Times, Advisor, Post Office Box/Combination". The mailing address for packages and mail is:

Student's Full Legal Name
1000 N Dixie Ave 
Campus Box XXXX 
Cookeville, TN 38505

Students receive an email notification to their campus email account when mail or packages arrive. The operating hours of the The Post are Monday through Friday 8:00am - 5:30pm (excluding campus Holidays). Note: Not all graduate students opt to receive a campus box.

 

Are there any events for students to participate in during their first semester? (top of page)

Yes. Each year the Office of New Student & Family Programs hosts Week of Welcome. This week begins on Move-In Days before the start of the Fall semester and has events planned leading up to the first day of classes. We welcome new and returning students back to campus by offering free food, entertainment, and fun. Students also have an opportunity get exposed to Tech's numerous organizations and become involved within the academic community. A full list of events may be found at tntech.edu/weekofwelcome/.

For new students starting in the spring, we also offer Spring Kickoff (www.tntech.edu/springkickoff), which is similar to Week of Welcome. We hope you encourage your student to participate in Week of Welcome or Spring Kickoff.

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