After taking rigorous courses in high school, engaging in a host of extracurriculars and writing essays for the Common Application, students arrive at the University, eager to pursue the fields of study that interest them. But for some students, getting into the University is just the first hurdle, as they still have to compete for a coveted spot in one of more than a dozen admissions-based major programs.
The Bachelor of Science in Commerce at the McIntire School of Commerce is one such program that attracts many hopeful students every year. But the admissions process — which is highly competitive, given that McIntire is one of the country’s top undergraduate business programs — turns away hundreds of yearly applicants. These students must quickly pivot to other academic plans.
Second-year students who applied to McIntire were notified Feb. 26 of their admissions decisions. Second-year Commerce student Ella Rackliffe, who was recently accepted to McIntire, expressed gratitude for her spot in the program — but lamented that other qualified peers did not get the news they had hoped for.
“The hard part with [McIntire] is that everyone is so qualified, and with the 50 percent acceptance rate, you can't take everyone,” Rackliffe said. “While I do feel very lucky for [getting accepted], I'm also disappointed that [one of my friends], someone that I feel is so fit for the program, didn't get in.”
Last year, McIntire had an admissions rate around 50 percent. 367 fortunate students received access to a coveted degree and the network of McIntire faculty and alumni. Meanwhile, the other 355 students were left scrambling to find another path — preferably one that aligned with the 10 prerequisites they had already completed.
This is a common experience across competitive majors. Students who do not get into their first choice often feel like they have to restart academically, and they can be disheartened by the notion that the work they did was wasted. Third-year Commerce student Neha Jagasia recalls the frustration of her “pre-Commerce” friends who were rejected from their first-choice major.
“They were very disappointed … And I would have been, too,” Jagasia said. “If you went to a school for two years and you took numerous classes to try to get into that particular major you wanted to study, it's almost like the entire degree you wanted, you can't get anymore.”
In response to concerns about this timeline, McIntire has changed their admissions process, now requiring students to apply in their first year. This will allow students to receive their decisions earlier and give them more time to plan their next steps.
Most notably, the number of prerequisites has been significantly reduced. Students are now only required to complete three courses before applying — COMM 1800, “Foundations of Commerce,” ECON 2010, “Principles of Microeconomics” and the College’s First Writing Requirement. Pierce Coughter, McIntire’s director of undergraduate admissions and recruiting, explained why the school decided to make this switch.
“Now that students will find out if they're admitted to the major or not earlier in their U.Va. experience, it gives them more time to pivot if they do get the disappointing answer that they're not admitted,” Coughter said. “[They will avoid] the panic of finding out [toward] the end of [their] second year and saying, ‘Oh, gosh, what am I going to do?’”
However, this year, the challenges of the second-year admissions cycle still remain, with some students experiencing particularly difficult rejections after two years of preparation. Nevertheless, fourth-year Commerce student Yusuf Moustafa said that receiving an admissions decision for a major program does not have to be a defining moment of your college career. Having transferred into McIntire, Moustafa emphasized that success is not limited to a single academic path.
“I actually believe with enough drive … you can access the same opportunities if you work hard and network,” Moustafa said. “Your major doesn't actually define you. If you major in [economics], those same opportunities will be open for you.”
Likewise, for students who do not get into their preferred major, there are still several ways for them to engage in their desired field of study, from elective coursework to clubs. For example, both McIntire and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy offer minor programs, some of which do not require an application. These provide students who did not get their preferred major a chance to take classes that align with their academic interests. Jagasia, a Batten minor, said that she enjoys the opportunity to access public policy courses.
“[McIntire] has minors, Batten has minors. You're still able to kind of gain access to all the classes that way,” Jagasia said. “My roommate is a [commerce] minor. She gets to take a lot of classes similar to what I take, and we even can take some classes together.”
Although disappointing news about a major can be difficult, Coughter emphasized how little this decision truly matters in the grand scheme of a career.
“Getting denied from the major you want doesn't mean doors are closed for your post-graduate career,” Coughter said. “The value of any liberal arts degree here at U.Va. is going to set you up successfully for your post-U.Va. plans. Just keep in mind, you're still going to be in great shape.”
Rackliffe echoed this sentiment, noting that the University offers many opportunities that are not associated with a particular major.
“U.Va. was always what I wanted first, and then McIntire came second,” Rackliffe said. “We're all at the same school. We all are going to spend most [of our] time outside of classes. I think just keeping your head up and knowing that, no matter what, [you’re] at U.Va. — you're going to be okay.”
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