Charlottesville, VA – 11/4/22 – UVA McIntire School Students.
Photo by Amanda Maglione
Virginia McIntire’s Most Competitive Year Yet
This spring, getting accepted into college has looked a bit different for students than it did in years past.
For the first time in the school’s history, only first-year students were eligible to apply to the University of Virginia’s three-year McIntire program, says Michael Racz of The Cavalier Daily. Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Brooke Braun confirmed that McIntire received 876 applications, mirroring last year’s first‑year pool.
Like last year, interest in the program is looking quite strong. For this year’s intake, McIntire extended 381 offers, landing at a 43.5% acceptance rate.
While applications are surging, the school has been increasingly more selective over the years. What’s incredible is that 97.6% of admitted students chose to enroll, a nearing‑perfect enrollment rate that shows the level of draw this program has. The average admitted GPA climbed a bit as well from 3.86 to 3.90.
The application also received a refresh. McIntire dropped its HireVue video essay, which left only written responses. New admit Ella Burbige says the written supplements are demanding, but manageable.
“I think it was definitely a rigorous application, so I was working on it throughout the entire second semester, but I got really great help from a lot of older McIntire students in the clubs that I’m in [and] the McIntire Admissions Committee,” she said.
However, another new admit, Benjamin Muhlendorf, thinks that removing the video component eliminates applicants’ opportunity to demonstrate their ability to think on their feet.
“Removing quick-thinking ability from the selection [process] seems to contradict [McIntire’s] focus,” he says.
For many incoming students, they are most excited to dive into McIntire’s Integrated Core Experience, where their small teams solve real business challenges for companies like Hilton and Solidcore.
“I am most excited about meeting many new people in the class of 2029, as well as learning more about financial markets and how they shape the world around us,” Muhlendorf said.
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