Current UVA students, How hard is it to get into McIntire?

<p>Is it competitive or most people can get in?</p>

<p>I am not in the Comm School nor do I plan to go there, but I do know it is very competetive to get into the Comm School. With an acceptance rate of roughly 50%, it will be a difficult two years of pre-reqs and the like.</p>

<p>My friends always say,"You enrich your soul in the College, you lose your soul in the E-School, but you sell your soul to get into the Comm School."</p>

<p>It's competitive but not that competitive. I think the average GPA for an admitted student is a 3.4. The average GPA after three semesters at UVA is somewhere between 2.9 and 3.0. I found the grades from the comm pre-reqs on the courseforum.com and found the average grades in those classes to be somewhere between a 3.0 and a 3.1. If you search hard you might be able to find that post, but I'm not finding them again. </p>

<p>So you have to be doing better than average to get into school, but I think a 3.4 is probably attainable for everyone who is smart enough to get into UVA and is diligent in their studies (which can be easier said than done). Theres obviously other considerations in the admissions process (essays, extra curriculars, etc) but grades seem to be by far the most important component. </p>

<p>I've gone through the admissions process now and I still don't really understand much about. I do know that a lot of the eventual class is deferred in the original admissions round. I'm just glad I'm done with the whole thing. </p>

<p>Also everyone at McIntire has been nothing but helpful to me. If you have any questions you should e-mail Jeannie Fields at <a href="mailto:ajf2u@comm.virginia.edu">ajf2u@comm.virginia.edu</a>.</p>

<p>Perhaps I am not remembering correctly but when I went to the info session, I think the acceptance rate was closer to 75% last year, because the woman said "so as you can see, it is almost 3 out of 4". She indicated that they look at coursework at UVA and grades, and then community involvement/essay type stuff. They are looking for you to have a record of challenging yourself with your coursework and earning good grades, and then they are looking for you have made a good commitment to something you like (as she said, they have no preference about activities and they don't want to go around doing things thinking "McIntire will like this more" - they just want to see good commitment somewhere). And of course, they are looking for your application to show a keen interest in McIntire. After that it will depend on the applicant pool, as it varies somewhat every year.</p>

<p>Yeah, I believe the lady from the Day on the Lawn said they usually admit 70% of the applicants.</p>

<p>Are you kidding me 70% its more like 40%. To get in you need a 3.4 but for it to be a sure thing you need a 3.7. This is one of the top b-schools in the nation and the best in the southeast.</p>

<p>uvagrad11,</p>

<p>i don't know what the acceptance rate was this year, but when I was a first year it was about 60-65%--obviously varying depending on the amount of applications. 3.4 is the average GPA of accepted students. The comm school average GPA is also around a 3.4...so I doubt you need a 3.7 to get in.</p>

<p>i got in, i'm pretty dumb, so it aint hard at all!</p>

<p>Getting a job is that hard part then</p>

<p>
[quote]
Are you kidding me 70% its more like 40%. To get in you need a 3.4 but for it to be a sure thing you need a 3.7. This is one of the top b-schools in the nation and the best in the southeast

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That was the official word from the director of the program. I doubt she has any reason to lie. It is already a self selecting applicant pool so 70% is not that unselective of an admit rate, but not impossible if you are really serious about pursuing it. </p>

<p>It is a top school however that does not necessarily have to do with the admissions percentage but how the school is run (very well). McIntire is not a guarantee but also not impossible. You must make it a priority and plan your first two years in order to meet the standards required, however I have known people who have done it and they have not given up their life.</p>

<p>I am surprised to hear that people give their souls away. From what I had heard...(random students who did it and some that did not)...it was definitely doable and actually somewhat easy compared to E-school.</p>

<p>The saying means people give their souls to GET IN to the Comm School. The classes in the Comm School can be easier than E-school. One finance class had two weeks to create a C++ program that dealt with stocks and bonds that could have done in less than 2 hours any CS student in the E-school.</p>

<p>Oh, yea....I just read the quote more closely :) It freaked me out at first and posted to quickly.</p>

<p>A friend was telling me that SAT scores from High School are considered when a student is applying to McIntire. I have read on cc that it is your year one and year 2 course load and GPA. She went on to say that a 2200 - 2250 would be a good to safe bet. Can anyone shed light on this aspect of the application?</p>

<p>t/y</p>

<p>if that's the case for SAT's, can't you take the SAT over again at UVa? wouldn't it be just an updated version of performance?</p>

<p>The SAT is not a factor for the Comm School. Admission to the Comm School is only factored by your first two years at UVA. Why use your SAT score if you are already attending UVA?</p>

<p>Well they definitely do look at your SAT score. And the average SAT score is definitely a factor in BusinessWeek rankings. . . .</p>

<p>I'm not aware that they look at your SAT scores as a factor. They may ask for the information in order to compile demographic information for analysis, but they've made it pretty clear they do not consider things on the high school record, which includes SATs. </p>

<p>The reason BusinessWeek includes SATs in its ranking is because you apply to a lot of b-schools as a first year. i.e. when you apply to no. 1 Wharton, you apply there as a senior in HS, the way people apply to CAS or SEAS for UVA. Therefore, SAT is a factor. I'm not sure it even goes into the ranking though, at least not much, if you look UVA at No.2 is significantly lower than No.1 Wharton. The point with UVA is that you apply to enter as a third year after already being accepted to UVA and completing two years, which is fairly unusual, but perhaps a factor in it's strength.</p>

<p>Edit: you can read about what is considered for McIntire here (no mention of SAT scores)
<a href="http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/admissions/undergraduate/application_process/current-uva-students.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/admissions/undergraduate/application_process/current-uva-students.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>no you dont have to sell your souls to get in, lol.</p>

<p>you just have to get good grades in pre-reqs. A lot of non-international comm-schoolers tend to be greeks, who like to party and have fun. It's VERY easy to get in compared to E-School. E-School is hell. My friend there sleeps an average of 3 hours a night.............</p>

<p>"You lose your soul in E-school." This is not a lie. There is a reason why we have to take 15-19 credit semesters, have five guaranteed school years to graduate, and a required undergraduate thesis. </p>

<p>Comm School is no cakewalk, but I know I can ace a few of those classes in my sleep.</p>