Anonymous
Post 04/11/2026 08:28     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
Anonymous wrote:IDK, this all sounds like a manufactured PR post for Wise. I repeat that I just can not imagine anyone, in their right mind, turning down a sure-thing, a direct admit to Kelley @ IU. Also turning down VT and WM for the slight off-chance that they might, someday, just maybe, get to move to the Charlottesville Campus.


Everyone's entitled to their opinion. Clearly there's a contingent here who think Kelley is an elite school. I'm not among them. To me, UVA Econ + McIntire Minor is far more attractive vs Kelley. To each their own. Fwiw, it's not a big factor but UVA will also be substantially less expensive over four yrs. Not sure why people would pay more to get less, but everyone's also entitled to spend their money as they wish.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 21:10     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:IDK, this all sounds like a manufactured PR post for Wise. I repeat that I just can not imagine anyone, in their right mind, turning down a sure-thing, a direct admit to Kelley @ IU. Also turning down VT and WM for the slight off-chance that they might, someday, just maybe, get to move to the Charlottesville Campus.


NP.

YIW is a _guaranteed_ transfer provided the student meets (attainable) grade metrics. It is not a "slight off-chance".


I assume PP meant a slight off chance of getting into McIntyre over a direct admit to Kelley.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 19:08     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
Anonymous wrote:IDK, this all sounds like a manufactured PR post for Wise. I repeat that I just can not imagine anyone, in their right mind, turning down a sure-thing, a direct admit to Kelley @ IU. Also turning down VT and WM for the slight off-chance that they might, someday, just maybe, get to move to the Charlottesville Campus.


NP.

YIW is a _guaranteed_ transfer provided the student meets (attainable) grade metrics. It is not a "slight off-chance".
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 18:44     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OMG, why wouldn't your student take Kelley Direct Admit !?

And they are IN at W&M and VT?? Great!
No reason to waste time with UVA


I've encouraged him to give W&M a serious look, he's been very tepid on it since the get go (largely based on W&M's reputation as being the best fit for "quirky" kids -- I don't believe that's true, but try convincing an 18 yr old). And I personally don't hold Kelley in as high of a regard as some others do. I'm in the "if you're not one of 200 kids in the right workshop, what's the point?". So yeah, UVA is still by far the best option, even with the one year detour.


If he doesn't like quirky, I'm not sure how he's going to like Appalachia.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 18:28     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
IDK, this all sounds like a manufactured PR post for Wise. I repeat that I just can not imagine anyone, in their right mind, turning down a sure-thing, a direct admit to Kelley @ IU. Also turning down VT and WM for the slight off-chance that they might, someday, just maybe, get to move to the Charlottesville Campus.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 09:27     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
Anonymous wrote:After extensive research, we are leaning toward this option. In many ways, it could be a very valuable and eye-opening experience for my son, and one year is manageable. It would also really help him with what he wants to pursue for his future career.

The location is somewhat concerning, but it’s only about two more hours from VT, so we plan to break the trip into two days to get there. There is also a helpful YouTube video from a student who has gone through it, as well as recent Reddit posts.


It's about 5.5 hrs from NOVA and if you go there during the summer months, the final stretch of driving is just magical. The views are amazing. Stay at the Inn, go to El Dorado for food and Margaritas while you are visiting.
Your son will find like-minded friends there and will have a tight group that will move with him to Charlottesville.
For outdoorsy kids the area has plenty to offer. For city kids, like mine, it was a great eye-opening and new experience. Well worth it.
The kids bring cars with them, explore the surrounding areas and sometimes go to Charlottesville for weekends.
-A parent of a former YiW kids
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 07:30     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
After extensive research, we are leaning toward this option. In many ways, it could be a very valuable and eye-opening experience for my son, and one year is manageable. It would also really help him with what he wants to pursue for his future career.

The location is somewhat concerning, but it’s only about two more hours from VT, so we plan to break the trip into two days to get there. There is also a helpful YouTube video from a student who has gone through it, as well as recent Reddit posts.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 07:20     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
I transferred into UVA after hating my SLAC freshman year. It was great. No trouble finding my people quickly. If her heart is set on UVA I say go for it and do Wise freshman year.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 07:15     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
Anonymous wrote:You weren't kidding about being almost on Tennessee. I couldn't imagine my POC child going there.


You should ask to be connected to an UVA-Wise athlete or network to one through your high school. Since it’s one of Virginia’s few D2 schools, athletes end up being one of two populations of POC (YiW being the other). And although UVA-W isn’t public with this data, I would guess that athletes plus YiW is close to 1/3 of the on-campus dorm residents.

Our tour guide when we visited was YiW and appeared to be of South Asian descent.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 00:12     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OMG, why wouldn't your student take Kelley Direct Admit !?

And they are IN at W&M and VT?? Great!
No reason to waste time with UVA


I've encouraged him to give W&M a serious look, he's been very tepid on it since the get go (largely based on W&M's reputation as being the best fit for "quirky" kids -- I don't believe that's true, but try convincing an 18 yr old). And I personally don't hold Kelley in as high of a regard as some others do. I'm in the "if you're not one of 200 kids in the right workshop, what's the point?". So yeah, UVA is still by far the best option, even with the one year detour.

Doesn't your kid have better odds of getting into the workshop than getting into McIntire as a YIW student? Not to mention the lack of debt.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 21:34     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
You weren't kidding about being almost on Tennessee. I couldn't imagine my POC child going there.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 21:30     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
Anonymous wrote:FWIW, for kids in YIW who are interested in business, this year is the first year that UVA is allowing the YIW cohort to apply to McIntire. BUT, they are lumped in with the outside transfers who are applying and the acceptance rate for that group is below 20%. Spoke with one of the deans at McIntire and she said that this year the number might be closer to 10%. BUT, there is at least a path now. Dr. McKnight (the program director of YIW) told us that about 12-13 of the YIW kids have applied this time. We'll see how many of them manage to snag one of the few seats available for non-UVA students.

Even if McIntire winds up not being an option, Econ + one of the McIntire minors would appear to be a reasonable way to go. Some of the minors require application, but we were told that entry is not super competitive. This is likely what DC would do if they pick the YIW option and don't get McIntire. Leaning this way at this moment and the other options are W&M, VT, Kelley Direct Admit and Case Western.


My kid was in the exact same position two years ago, choosing between the same schools. He ultimately chose UVA Wise, even though the path to McIntire wasn’t clear at the time, as the program was transitioning to a three-year format.

He worked closely with UVA Wise and UVA to help create an option for YiW students. While his cohort couldn’t apply directly during that transition year, that pathway is now available for current YiW students.

That said, students who end up majoring in Economics and pursuing a business minor, can be just as successful as McIntire students. My son is starting his first finance internship this summer, had a great and memorable experience at UVA Wise, and is now thriving at UVA.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 20:48     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
Anonymous wrote:OMG, why wouldn't your student take Kelley Direct Admit !?

And they are IN at W&M and VT?? Great!
No reason to waste time with UVA


I've encouraged him to give W&M a serious look, he's been very tepid on it since the get go (largely based on W&M's reputation as being the best fit for "quirky" kids -- I don't believe that's true, but try convincing an 18 yr old). And I personally don't hold Kelley in as high of a regard as some others do. I'm in the "if you're not one of 200 kids in the right workshop, what's the point?". So yeah, UVA is still by far the best option, even with the one year detour.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 16:55     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
OMG, why wouldn't your student take Kelley Direct Admit !?

And they are IN at W&M and VT?? Great!
No reason to waste time with UVA
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 16:41     Subject: Anyone considering UVA Year in Wise VA transfer program?
FWIW, for kids in YIW who are interested in business, this year is the first year that UVA is allowing the YIW cohort to apply to McIntire. BUT, they are lumped in with the outside transfers who are applying and the acceptance rate for that group is below 20%. Spoke with one of the deans at McIntire and she said that this year the number might be closer to 10%. BUT, there is at least a path now. Dr. McKnight (the program director of YIW) told us that about 12-13 of the YIW kids have applied this time. We'll see how many of them manage to snag one of the few seats available for non-UVA students.

Even if McIntire winds up not being an option, Econ + one of the McIntire minors would appear to be a reasonable way to go. Some of the minors require application, but we were told that entry is not super competitive. This is likely what DC would do if they pick the YIW option and don't get McIntire. Leaning this way at this moment and the other options are W&M, VT, Kelley Direct Admit and Case Western.