Texas Tech University is in compliance with Comprehensive Standard 3.4.3.

Texas Tech University publishes its admissions policies in the university catalog, pp. 21-29. (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/catalog/Admission.html). Texas state law mandates that any student who graduates in the top ten percent of a high school graduating class in the state (or from a Department of Defense school) be assured admission  to state supported institutions. For other students there is a sliding scale that combines high school class ranking with ACT or SAT scores (the higher the class ranking, the lower the required examination score) for assured admission. Students who fail to meet the requirements for assured admission are placed in the Admission Review pool where their applications are evaluated on the basis of multiple criteria including level of high school course work, extracurricular activities, leadership experiences, socioeconomic background, family educational background, and others.

The university began a pilot program called the Gateway Programs, in 2001-2002, in which approved students who fail to meet admission standards could enroll in South Plains College (a local junior college) while living in Texas Tech University residence halls.  This distinctive program allowed such students  an opportunity to demonstrate their capability to complete college-level course work while participating in many  of the normal Texas Tech University student activities. Students who achieved the required grade point average from South Plains College for a designated minimum number of hours could be admitted to the university as transfer students. This program is still listed in the 2004-2005 university catalog (p. 19), but it is not currently active.  Personnel from the offices of Enrollment Management and the Provost are considering whether to restore the program or not.

Admission of transfer students is based on performance in previous course work. Application to some high-demand programs such as Business Administration and Architecture may be required to achieve higher grade point averages. 

Graduate students apply for admission through the Graduate School and may be required also to meet separate departmental admission standards for the program in which they hope to enroll. Graduate admission standards are published on pp. 60-62 of the University Catalog.  (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/catalog/GRADAdmission.html)

These policies are consistent with Texas Tech University’s mission as a comprehensive public research university.