Office of Teacher Education

Q: I am an undergraduate student and my GPA is below a 2.75. Is there any way I can still be accepted to the Teacher Education Program with a low GPA?

A: No. Unfortunately that is a not a requirement we can make an exception for. Students must have a 2.75 established GPA.

Q: Can I complete my interview for Admission to the Teacher Education Program at any time?

A: No. Interviews are only conducted on certain pre-scheduled days as that is the only time we have interviewers available. Interviews are completed on a first come first serve basis and there are a limited number of interview spaces available for each interview date. Once the spaces for a given date are full, no further requests are accepted. Often everyone attempts to complete the interview process at the end of the semester and there are not enough spaces to accommodate all students. This is why it is very important to plan ahead and get your interview completed early in the semester.

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Q: How do I know when interviews for Admission to the Teacher Education will be available?

A: Available interview dates and times can be found on the Interview Request Form. Announcements regarding interviews can also be found in the monthly Office of Teacher Education newsletter. If you are not receiving the newsletter at your Tennessee Tech student account, please let our office know! You can also view all recent newsletters HERE.

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Q: When are interviews for Admission to the Teacher Education Program offered?

A: Typically interviews are conducted multiple days per month throughout each semester. The Office of Teacher Education alternates the days and times interviews are conducted to accommodate all class schedules.

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Q: How do I request an interview for Admission to the Teacher Education Program?

A: Students may request an interview by submitting the Interview Request Form. The form should NOT be submitted unless there is an available date and time listed that the student plans to attend. If a student is unable to attend any of the dates listed, he/she should keep checking back for more available times that he/she is able to attend.

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Q: About how long does the interview for Admission to the Teacher Education Program take?

A: The average amount of time an interview takes is 15-20 minutes, depending on the interviewer.

Q: What options do I have for meeting the Teacher Education Program Testing Requirements?

A: Students must meet one of the following testing requirements for admission to the Teacher Education Program:

• A minimum superscore of 21 on the ACT (The ACT superscore is calculated by averaging your highest attempts for each section of the test.)

• A minimum score of 1080 on the SAT

• Meet the minimum score requirements on the Praxis CORE exams: (Reading: 156, Writing: 162, & Math: 150)

Starting September 1, 2020, students must register for the updated Praxis CORE test codes:

Test Name	Test Code	Qualifying Score
Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading	5713	156
Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing	5723	162
Core Academic Skills for Educators: Math	5733	150

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Q: Can I retake the ACT to meet the testing requirements for admission to the Teacher Education Program instead of taking the Praxis CORE tests?

A: Yes, you may retake the ACT to obtain the minimum superscore of 21 required for admission instead of taking the Praxis CORE tests.

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Q: When I register for the ACT, do I need to sign up for the Writing section?

A: No, you only need to register for the basic ACT test. The Writing portion is not required.

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Q: Is there tutoring available for the Praxis CORE Academic Skills for Educators test or the ACT?

A: Yes. Tutoring and test prep resources for the Praxis CORE and the ACT are available for FREE! Click here for more information on test resources.

Q: How do I complete the background check process?

A: The instructions for completing the background check through the Tennessee Tech Office of Teacher Education can be found here:

Background Check Guide

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Q: I recently had a background check completed for my job. Will that be accepted for Admission to the Teacher Education Program?

A: No. Not all background checks screen for the same information. In order for us to ensure the school systems that the correct information is being checked, we require ALL background checks be completed through the Office of Teacher Education. No exceptions. Instructions on how to complete the background check process can be found here:

Background Check Guide

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Q: I was recently hired for a new job. Can I have my background check results sent to my employer?

A: No. We can only use background check results for clinical placements. We do not share copies of background check information because the TBI/FBI does not consider secondary dissemination of background check reports to be current of valid. A new background check should be completed.

Q: I need to register for a class that requires admission to the Teacher Education Program. Can I register before being fully admitted?

A: No. Students will not be able to register or obtain permits for any upper division professional education courses until they are fully admitted to the Teacher Education Program.

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Q: I keep getting an error code when I try to register for some upper division classes. What is causing it?

A: A pre-req/test code error will be given during registration if you have not been fully admitted to the Teacher Education Program when you try to register for upper division professional education courses that require admission.