UVA Econ vs. UMD/VT Biz/Finance

[Anonymous]

My kid is a double major at UVA (Bio-Chem, Econ). They didn’t go the McIntire route because they like the advanced financial theory and econometric coursework of the pure Econ w/Finance concentration. Some of required coursework for the com degree didn’t interest them, would have been unnecessary extra work and didn’t make sense with the intensity of the Bio-Chem coursework. Kid love’s the Econ department, profs are outstanding, and they are challenged in the best way.

They have many friends at McIntire and they love their experience, are getting great internships and will have many great opportunities. Same goes with the straight Econ degree, you really can’t go wrong. If your kid doesn’t get into McIntire, it’s still a great program that will provide a great space to learn and offer great opportunities. Just now the strait Econ programs are very theory oriented and a lot of math.

Lastly, if your kid is drawn to Charlottesville and Grounds than they most likely have a great time there. This is my second there and they both loved every second of their time there. The University/Community vibe is outstanding. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

UVA no 1 public for top paying jobs in finance per the Wall Street Journal just last year. https://www.wsj.com/articles/top-colleges-high-paying-finance-jobs-e6742bb8

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UVA Econ. I suspect OP is asking because there isn't direct admit to McIntire, so looking for fallback. I believe, and you'll want to fact check this if you can, that students of any major can submit a resume to interview on-campus with finance employers. You'll need to have good grades and applicable experience, and maybe some other relevant classes if you can, to score interviews with top finance employers. But they are at least coming, as opposed to MD/VT, where they are not coming.

Re: the bolded - what on earth are you talking about? One of the most stupid claims I've seen here.

[Anonymous]

I read UVA is switching to a 3 year McIntire program so that more students will apply. This makes no sense to me. They're already rejecting half of those that apply? Are they trying to make it even harder to get in so that the IB and MBB think that UVA is prestigious?

Also, because they are going to allow kids to apply after one year, they think high school grades and scores will carry more weight. Then why not direct admit like other schools? Why pay $40K to $80K for a degree that was never your first choice?

We're in the same boat, and I just feel like UVA is playing games because they can. They're not even transparent on who they let in to McIntire. The GPA range is between 2.5 to 4.0, so who exactly is getting into McIntire with a 2.5? They use a "holistic" approach so it's not clear. You can get into McIntire as a transfer student from community college. And the external transfer rates is no different from the admission rates into the school.

UVA is good if you want to be at MBB or IB as an undergraduate, but you need McIntire for that. If you're okay with Econ and being in the financial services that aren't MBB or IB, then UVA is an option. But you will eventually need grad school and can get to MBB or IB through grad school.

There's nothing special about MBB, either. It's highly competitive mostly to brand themselves for management consulting projects. It's a lot of long hours all year round. MBB revenues total less than the Big 4 consulting. It's probably more cost effective to hire from a limited number if schools too. I think people are just feeding into the frenzy of this strange dynamic created by the MBB and IB branding.

Final answer on which is the right choice depends on a lot of factors. They're all good options, but it really depends on who you are, where you are, and where you want to be, which is a lot to figure out at 18.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read UVA is switching to a 3 year McIntire program so that more students will apply. This makes no sense to me. They're already rejecting half of those that apply? Are they trying to make it even harder to get in so that the IB and MBB think that UVA is prestigious?

Also, because they are going to allow kids to apply after one year, they think high school grades and scores will carry more weight. Then why not direct admit like other schools? Why pay $40K to $80K for a degree that was never your first choice?

We're in the same boat, and I just feel like UVA is playing games because they can. They're not even transparent on who they let in to McIntire. The GPA range is between 2.5 to 4.0, so who exactly is getting into McIntire with a 2.5? They use a "holistic" approach so it's not clear. You can get into McIntire as a transfer student from community college. And the external transfer rates is no different from the admission rates into the school.

UVA is good if you want to be at MBB or IB as an undergraduate, but you need McIntire for that. If you're okay with Econ and being in the financial services that aren't MBB or IB, then UVA is an option. But you will eventually need grad school and can get to MBB or IB through grad school.

There's nothing special about MBB, either. It's highly competitive mostly to brand themselves for management consulting projects. It's a lot of long hours all year round. MBB revenues total less than the Big 4 consulting. It's probably more cost effective to hire from a limited number if schools too. I think people are just feeding into the frenzy of this strange dynamic created by the MBB and IB branding.

Final answer on which is the right choice depends on a lot of factors. They're all good options, but it really depends on who you are, where you are, and where you want to be, which is a lot to figure out at 18.

This is why UVA is switching to a three year program. Makes perfect sense. https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2023/09/commerce-school-introduces-three-year-program-largely-garners-student-support

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read UVA is switching to a 3 year McIntire program so that more students will apply. This makes no sense to me. They're already rejecting half of those that apply? Are they trying to make it even harder to get in so that the IB and MBB think that UVA is prestigious?

Also, because they are going to allow kids to apply after one year, they think high school grades and scores will carry more weight. Then why not direct admit like other schools? Why pay $40K to $80K for a degree that was never your first choice?

We're in the same boat, and I just feel like UVA is playing games because they can. They're not even transparent on who they let in to McIntire. The GPA range is between 2.5 to 4.0, so who exactly is getting into McIntire with a 2.5? They use a "holistic" approach so it's not clear. You can get into McIntire as a transfer student from community college. And the external transfer rates is no different from the admission rates into the school.

UVA is good if you want to be at MBB or IB as an undergraduate, but you need McIntire for that. If you're okay with Econ and being in the financial services that aren't MBB or IB, then UVA is an option. But you will eventually need grad school and can get to MBB or IB through grad school.

There's nothing special about MBB, either. It's highly competitive mostly to brand themselves for management consulting projects. It's a lot of long hours all year round. MBB revenues total less than the Big 4 consulting. It's probably more cost effective to hire from a limited number if schools too. I think people are just feeding into the frenzy of this strange dynamic created by the MBB and IB branding.

Final answer on which is the right choice depends on a lot of factors. They're all good options, but it really depends on who you are, where you are, and where you want to be, which is a lot to figure out at 18.

This is why UVA is switching to a three year program. Makes perfect sense. https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2023/09/commerce-school-introduces-three-year-program-largely-garners-student-support

Actually, it’s quite clear. It says that the mean GPA (college) for accepted students is a 3.74. That or above is what you want to aim for. You know who are the rare 2.5s. That figure is irrelevant . The mean is what us important. all right here. https://experience.mcintire.virginia.edu/bs-commerce-admissions-statistics/ https://experience.mcintire.virginia.edu/bs-commerce-admissions-statistics/

[Anonymous]

This is why UVA is switching to a three year program. Makes perfect sense. https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2023/09/commerce-school-introduces-three-year-program-largely-garners-student-support

Thank you for referencing the exact article I was talking about which states, "While Morris said he cannot predict how the curriculum change will change the competition between applicants in gaining a spot in McIntire, he said he hopes it will encourage more people to apply."

My point exactly. Why do the want more people to apply to McIntire when they are already rejecting half of the applicants. Why not just do direct admissions to the business school if the are touting this new 3-year curriculum as being a benefit for the kids? Just give them a 4-year curriculum. That is my point. Read the article carefully like I have already when made my post.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of prestigious high ranking private schools that direct admit to their business schools, Upenn, Georgetown. NYU. Why is it that UVA doesn't? UNC doesn't either? Is it because they are state schools? Direct admit maybe something new. Is UVA behind in the times? People grow up so use to things being the way they are, they just accept a system that's flawed, when they should be questioning it and demanding change. Ultimately, UVA is a public state school.

[Anonymous]

Go ahead and pay your taxes to Virginia and get your econ degrees. I'm done.

[Anonymous]

Quantitative Economics degree from nearly anywhere (preferably with a Stats/Math minor) will have no trouble landing a good first job. Outcomes beyond that strongly correlate with the person’s diligence and work quality, and only weakly correlate with where they attended school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why UVA is switching to a three year program. Makes perfect sense. https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2023/09/commerce-school-introduces-three-year-program-largely-garners-student-support

Thank you for referencing the exact article I was talking about which states, "While Morris said he cannot predict how the curriculum change will change the competition between applicants in gaining a spot in McIntire, he said he hopes it will encourage more people to apply."

My point exactly. Why do the want more people to apply to McIntire when they are already rejecting half of the applicants. Why not just do direct admissions to the business school if the are touting this new 3-year curriculum as being a benefit for the kids? Just give them a 4-year curriculum. That is my point. Read the article carefully like I have already when made my post.


Becayse McIntire is a two-year program, now moving to three. There is no discussion about a four-year program. You simply want a four-year program because you want your kid to have a lock first year. That’s not how it works for more prestigious programs. UVA was the best, seasoned serious students in this program. They don’t have to take any high schoolers so they don’t. They want to evaluate after a year or two of college, if you don’t like that go find a school with a lock, but remember that 80 percent of students change their major at least once so perhaps, just perhaps, UVA is smarter than you in this regard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why these schools anyway? If you are in-state in Virginia, UVA and Virginia Tech are going to be more affordable, which contributes to ROI. There are also other options in Virginia. If in-state in Maryland, UMD will be more affordable, which should be factored.

Yes, why just these schools?

A post meant to equate Tech with two better business schools.

Not at all, DS leaning towards UVA Econ and 50/50 shot at McIntire vs the other two. He got accepted to all three and is trying to figure out if direct admit to biz would be a smarter move.

Tell him to try yo talk to Ken Elzinga in the Econ department. My DS was blown away by him in micro and macro. Changed his life. He’s now doing grad work at Oxford

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why these schools anyway? If you are in-state in Virginia, UVA and Virginia Tech are going to be more affordable, which contributes to ROI. There are also other options in Virginia. If in-state in Maryland, UMD will be more affordable, which should be factored.

Yes, why just these schools?

A post meant to equate Tech with two better business schools.

True. I almost never hear of VT finance/businesd

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why these schools anyway? If you are in-state in Virginia, UVA and Virginia Tech are going to be more affordable, which contributes to ROI. There are also other options in Virginia. If in-state in Maryland, UMD will be more affordable, which should be factored.

Yes, why just these schools?

A post meant to equate Tech with two better business schools.

Not at all, DS leaning towards UVA Econ and 50/50 shot at McIntire vs the other two. He got accepted to all three and is trying to figure out if direct admit to biz would be a smarter move.

Tell him to try yo talk to Ken Elzinga in the Econ department. My DS was blown away by him in micro and macro. Changed his life. He’s now doing grad work at Oxford

Yes, he heard about Ken Elzinga! Hope he's not ready to retire yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of prestigious high ranking private schools that direct admit to their business schools, Upenn, Georgetown. NYU. Why is it that UVA doesn't? UNC doesn't either? Is it because they are state schools? Direct admit maybe something new. Is UVA behind in the times? People grow up so use to things being the way they are, they just accept a system that's flawed, when they should be questioning it and demanding change. Ultimately, UVA is a public state school.

Michigan does too.