UVA vs. Boston College vs. UMich LSA

College Search & Selection
1

Good day, enrollment decision deadline is rapidly approaching and I would love some insight on my decision. To give some context, I am a white male living in Pittsburgh. Fortunately cost of attendance isn’t too much of a facto, but BC is slightly more expensive than the other two.

What I want out of college:

  • Major: Preferably Finance, else Economics (possible minor in CS or Math)

  • Career Opportunities

    • Looking to work in BB IB or Consulting out of college
    • Strong alumni network and on-campus recruiting/opportunities.
    • Does location matter much?

  • Good Social Life & nice looking campus (well maintained)

  • Anything else to consider?

Pros & Cons

Michigan LSA (denied from Ross pre-admit)

  • Pros
    • Favorite Campus
    • Favorite “vibe” or “culture”
    • Certainly not a bad econ program
    • Very Strong alumni network
  • Cons
    • Cannot reapply to Ross :frowning:
    • Econ recruiting overshadowed by Ross (?)
    • Location (prefer to be slightly closer to a big city, not detroit)

UVA

  • Pros
    • Very Nice Campus and Area
    • Good “vibe”, more diverse
    • Decent econ degree (?)
    • If accepted, McIntire is one of the best B-school
    • Good presence on Wall Street (McIntire)
  • Cons
    • Have to apply to McIntire B-school (~60% acceptance rate, a bit risky considering my demographics and OOS tuition)
    • Econ majors somewhat overshadowed in recruiting (less so than Mich) (?)
    • A bit warmer
    • Not as close to a major city (not a huge deal)

Boston College CSOM

  • Pros
    • Love Boston
    • Decent “vibe”, less diverse
    • CSOM has a reputable finance program
    • Decent presence on Wall Street (semi-target?)
    • Family in Boston and Dad is an alum.
  • Cons
    • Seems slightly less prestigious than the other two (?)
    • Smaller than the other two
    • Nice campus, but not as nice as the other two
    • No AC in the dorms (prob not a huge deal)

I would love to hear any other considerations you have. Some other points I’d love to hear about:

  • comparison of reputability of programs (considering econ and finance)
  • situation with application to McIntire
  • Is economics a good/bad idea for my career aspirations
  • How does recruiting/job outlook compare among these choices?

P.S. I accepted a spot on the waitlist for UChicago & NYU (will probably accept if admitted to either) I was offered a spot on the priority waitlist for CMU Tepper, does this option compete with those I was accepted to? Thank you all in advance.

1 Like
2

In reading this I’d say BC. The cons seem to be nonexistent! You can focus on business without having to deal with the transfer into other schools such as Ross or McIntire. Also, BC is only a couple thousand smaller than UVA (10,000 BC vs 17,000 UVA) and the difference will not be noticeable, no AC in Boston won’t be a problem :slight_smile: That being said, you can’t go wrong with any of the three. And if you got ~the vibe~ at UMich, then don’t ignore it! I hear wonderful things about it- very work hard play hard! Congrats on all and good luck!

3

I lean BC because of the direct admit.

I agree McIntyre is a risk because you (likely) won’t fulfill any institutional needs when you apply to McIntyre. One thing to look at is that McIntyre offers two minors for those in other UVA schools…leadership and entrepreneurship. Do those appeal to you? If so check if minors can use McIntyre career services.

At UMich the Ross minor is broader, and I think minors can participate in Ross recruiting/career services, but you need to check that.

I would operate as if the waitlists are a no, and move on accordingly. Come back here if you get offered admission from any of the waitlists. Good luck.

4

I think this has changed. Under Admissions Criteria & Eligibility:

https://michiganross.umich.edu/sites/default/files/documents/20fy_bba_transfer_infosheetb.pdf

5

According to USNWR, the Economics Department at Michigan is ranked #12. And QS World University rankings has it at #13 (in the US).

6

The econ students aren’t overshadowed by Ross. Not sure where you are getting that. Of my son’s friends his Econ friend all got early job offers like in Oct…

Not saying it’s the best school for you just giving you some insight.