It’s far easier to get an IB or strategy consulting job out of UVA than UMass. That said, IB is a 90 hour a week grind. Need to be smart, savvy and a grinder.
Out of UMass, with strong grades, he can get great corporate and Big 4 jobs and then go to a top MBA program. That’ll cost two years salary if done full time and fewer scholarships but there will be solid corporate development programs out of UMass as well that don’t need an MBA, and the MBA can be done part time.