@sleeplessmom1 Hello! We are considering the same programs at UCI and SLO. Which program did your son choose and is he happy? Thanks!
@SCalMom My son is currently at UCI. I encourage you to visit both schools on admitted students day to get a feel of the schools and different programs. While we both liked SLO, my son did not feel it was a good fit for him. He wanted the big school experience as well as a diverse campus. He is not into the partying scene and is not an outdoors type of guy so didn’t think he would fit in at SLO. I’m sure there are parties at UCI, but I think it’s just more difficult to find.
He is adjusting well to UCI although he does get homesick often. We see him every few weeks. A slew of kids from his high school are at UCI. He has no trouble making friends so he is definitely is not lonely. So far his workload has been manageable, and he has time to hang out with friends and join clubs.
He has only taken a few courses from the business school, and it has been a positive experience so far. The kids are very friendly. The campus is extremely safe (although there is some petty theft). He’s even lost his backpack, and it was returned to him.
PM me if you want more details.
@sleeplessmom1 I just got admitted as a transfer. UCI is one of my backup schools including UCSB. Now that your
son is there (I applied for SLO, got rejected even with a 3.9 GPA, did not want to go anyway for the same reason as your son). Could you ask how are job prospects for the average student? I mean ones who will do a couple of internships, moderately network, etc. I perfectly understand only the student themselves can leverage the most out their time at school, but I am looking from a conservative view.
One thing that interests me is that even though UCI has a business school, Bain & Co does not list it as a recruiting school but does so for UCSB (only has an econ major).
@Cj95zz - My son was also admitted to UCSB. He chose not to attend as there was no undergrad business school and the only “business” related option was economics/econ+accounting. He wants to focus on marketing. He is starting to look for summer internships now. Frankly, I think he is starting his search late as there have been some careers fairs on campus already which he missed. One of his dorm mates (comp sci major) already has a summer internship lined up at Google in New York.
I can’t speak to how easy it is to find a job after graduation since he is only a freshman. I do know that during UCI admitted students day, there was a panel of business students and all had internships and/or job offers. One student had an offer at Goldman Sachs, but I suspect that is rare. If you are planning to major in accounting, I think you should not have a difficult time with job placement after graduation. Accountants are in demand, and choice of school should have only a small impact on your job prospects. If you are looking to get into a top consulting/investment firm, choice of school MAY give you a leg up. Yes, if you are at an ivy you will likely have an easy time getting your foot in the door. Also, I suspect that Bain, BCG, and McKinsey would strongly prefer to hire MBAs/Masters level degree candidates as opposed to undergrads. On a side note, my husband used to work for a large investment bank. His undergrad degree is from a lowly state college, and his MBA from a second tier business school.
I am in the same shoe as well. I have a difficult time choosing between SLO and UCI. I heard SLO’s business school is really good because they have a good reputation with “learn by doing” and recruiters love that. However, when i visit SLO, i lean more toward UCI because of diversity and location. Anyway, i need to visit UCI to feel the campus.
@sleeplessmom1 thanks for your input on this. An offer from Goldman is very rare indeed. But for the last 14 hours since I received the acceptance, my research on UCI is making me lean heavily towards it. The smaller class sizes and alum network is very attractive.
UCSB econ is only pre econ so I would need to test in again, and its a much larger program. Also with Irvine being closer to LA, internships and jobs in the surrounding area will be easier to reach.
@hdt1408 , @Cj95zz , Again, I would advise both of you to visit the campuses you are interested in during admitted students day. Talk to students at the campuses and if they offer overnight visits, I would consider that as well. My son spoke to students after each session (they will have break out sessions for each business school or major) to get an idea and feel of the programs. UCSB just did not have the breadth of courses he was looking for. Cal Poly had a great program, but again, the lack of diversity and atmosphere did not speak him. Also, SLO seems to have a history of racial incidents that he just couldn’t ignore. I’m not saying UCI is perfect, it has problems like any other campus. Some courses may be difficult to enroll into and are impacted ( not a problem for business courses if you are a business admin major). Most math professors for calculus seem atrocious. Math 2A/2B (calculus) has the highest fail rate of any UCI course. With that said, I think my son would still make the same choice.