My son got EA from both these schools. We live in NYC so UVA will be a little easier for us to visit, but want the best option for him. He plans on studying Law and Business.
Any feedback on either of these great schools would be appreciated.
I know people who have been very happy at both schools. Does he want to study business as an undergrad? If so does he have a direct admit to Ross? Otherwise I’d look at the acceptance rates into the two b-schools.
I would put them pretty close to equal academically, but they have very different social and academic atmospheres. Be sure to take that into consideration. Read the Fiske Guide on both of them.
Your son cannot go wrong academically. Both provide excellent undergraduate educations that will prepare him well for graduate school, and both place many students in top law schools and MBA programs. If finances are a concern, go for the more affordable option, otherwise, visit both campuses and let him go with his gut.
As for visiting him, I don’t think UVa is easier. The most convenient way to get to Charlottesville from NYC is by car, a five and a half hour drive. The most convenient way to get to Ann Arbor from NYC is by plane, which also takes roughly five and a half hours door to door. It is more expensive to fly though! 
Both great options. Fit, finances, logistics. Congratulations and good luck with the decision.
@rugby1 the schools are pretty equivalent in terms of academic quality and standing. If he plans to go to law school a thing to consider is the level of grade inflation in each school, since law schools care a lot about GPA. UVA is known to have big grade inflation. UMich not really.
Your son can’t study law on the undergraduate level - most places do not have law or pre-law majors. If he’s interested in law school, then he should major in something that concentrates on critical and analytical thinking and writing skills.
UVa’s undergraduate program is McIntire is a BA in commerce; you have to earn 54 credits (about two years) before applying, so it’s competitive.
Michigan Ross is discontinuing its Regular Admission program (aka, non-direct admission - when you apply as a freshman or sophomore at Michigan) in favor of its Preferred (direct freshman) Admission program:
https://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/bba/application-requirements/regular-admission
It looks like there may still be a small loophole - Transfer Admission for undecided UM students - but if you applied for Preferred (direct) admission, you cannot apply again for Transfer Admission. It looks like they are intending transfer admission to be primarily for external transfers (like Michigan CC students) and truly undecided UM students who decided after coming to Michigan that they were interested in business.
That may make a difference, if your son is really deadset on majoring in business/commerce. That said, both UVa and Michigan have a wealth of other majors a student can select that would prepare you for a career in business.
Really, you can’t go wrong. Does he have a preference?
The schools are of a relatively similar level, so I would put that aside and focus on fit.
Michigan moving to direct admission for B-school as indicated above for UVA is apply after earning 54 credits.
Train is a reasonable option from Charlottesville to NYC. About 6.5 hours.
Thank you for the great reply’s . He is wait mode now for the 12 other schools he applied regular admission.
he wanted U Penn but got deferred
Michigan grads tend to do well when applying to both law and MBA programs:
https://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/blog/top-lawyer-producer-schools-infographic/
https://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/infographics/top-feeders-mba-programs
If your son is admitted to Ross when decisions come out, I would attend Michigan. If not, UVa may be a better choice.
Since your son is interested in Penn, I think Michigan sounds like the better choice, in my opinion. Michigan is basically Penn, but bigger, with a better student spirit, and not as much prestige–albeit still a great school. Michigan and Penn also have a major called PPE, which combines philosophy, economics, and political science in one major. Since your son is interested in both law and business, this major may interest your son. I applied ED to Penn also, as a PPE major, and got rejected.
Also, I think Michigan is easier to get to than UVA. Michigan is just a flight into Detroit and then like a 40 minute car ride. Charlottesville is in the middle of nowhere, and it may be harder to get to.
Both excellent schools, but I would say that Michigan would be more similar to Penn too.
Keep in mind that a reasonable number of Penn applicants who are deferred do get admitted in the regular admission round, so that may happen too. There is definitely a fair amount of overlap between Penn and Michigan student.
UVA definitely has more of a Southern feel, if that is interesting to him. It depends on what is comfortable for your student.
My D also admitted to UVA and Michigan. We are OOS she has been admitted to other schools as well, but has not made her decision.
I am a graduate of UVA’s Mcintire School of Commerce (admit rate is like 60% now and there is a tuition bump of 5K if you attend McIntire for your 3rd and 4th year, so that is something to consider). Back in the day, The Comm School was amazing–great professors, case studies/group work, and a smaller school within the larger university). Now, the school is state of the art and job prospects or grads are great. I also think there is pre-law advising at UVA, which may be helpful. Of course, my preference is UVA. Charlottesville is a great college town and, at 16K students vs. 26K students, is much smaller than Michigan. Most of my classes were pretty small (except Econ 201, etc.) and I think they are even more keyed-in on low faculty to student ratio now. The campus is beautiful and historic. She visited Michigan in Feb last year and it was -10. Charlottesville weather is more mild of course. As an alum, I am really hoping our March visit for Days on the Lawn is impressive and that D chooses UVA–not just because her mom attended! Wahoowa!
ryanordy98, Penn’s prestige edge over Michigan is limited to the uninformed (high school kids and impressionable parents). In academia and industry, Michigan and Penn are equally prestigious, although Wharton is obviously more prestigious than Ross and Michigan’s CoE is similarly more prestigious than Penn’s SEAS.
Also, the Detroit Metropolitan Airport is 20 miles away from Ann Arbor, and seldom takes more than 20-25 minutes to travel by car, except during rush hour.
As for Michigan vs UVa, they are peers academically. I would recommend going for fit as they are significantly different from each other.
My D is also deciding between Umich and UVa. We are also vising both campuses in March and hoping for the gut feeling to guide my D. She will be majoring in math/sciences and hopefully taking the the premed track. @Penn95 and others who know: we are concerned about grade deflation. Can you please comment how significant it is and why?
thank you this was great feedback. The plan is to see what other options he has after April 1 and then sit down narrow it down then go visit them. He is high on Washington University and thoughts on that option?
If you are taking about Wash U (St. Louis) that would be another outstanding choice. I agree with your game plan about waiting until all the decisions are in and then visiting the top choices.
It is Wash U they required an on site interview.