Hey, so I am split between these 2 schools and I plan to major in electrical engineering. My goal is to move into management within my career/ receive an mba from an m7. From all I’ve read, I’ve seen that uiuc has a stronger engineering department and can place you into high paying jobs right out of college, but uva makes up the difference with its immense connections/ prestige and it’s a bigger feeder to m7 than uiuc. I have toured both schools and I love both, price is also not an issue. What do you guys think?
Either school - or any other - can get you to an MBA from a top school. Even if it was West Virginia or Southern Illinois.
What makes you think UVA has any more engineering connections? Your work experience, not where you went undergrad, will get you to an MBA program, yep tops if you have great work experience and a GMAT - although some don’t require today.
UVA is quite pricey and moreso for engineering. You say you love both - make sure - the campuses and towns are different.
UVA shows an EE degree paying $78,048 (from those who responded). UIUC in 2021 showed $87,769 - and this was 3 years ago.
So if you believe the data the school puts out, UIUC is cheaper and grads earn a higher salary.
So in that sense, UIUC.
But you could go to Southern Illinois, move into management and get an MBA from a top 7 school.
So that should not be a factor at all.
Personally, I like the UVA campus very much and don’t like the UIUC campus or area at all. But that’s a personal choice - and expensive choice if you were to choose UVA.
So if you are to believe published #s and you can call and ask - UIUC is the better one. But if you want to be happy - after all you are there four years, day after day, then choose the one that you feel is best - but make sure you can afford it.
Grad school and prestige are irrelevant.
Good luck
Salary Averages | Electrical & Computer Engineering | Illinois
UIUC is known powerhouse for EE. I don’t think either school has an advantage over the other in terms of pathway to a possible MBA down the line.
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I agree with the other posters. Although both schools are excellent, UIUC engineering is top notch. Getting your MBA will depend probably more on your grades, scores, and job experience than what college you graduated from 5-7 years earlier when you apply to an MBA program. The other factor I’d consider along with future career and cost would be fit. Good luck.
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UIUC beats UVA, hands down, for engineering. UVA may have better connections/prestige in the humanities, but not engineering. Top MBA programs won’t look at applicants who don’t have several years work experience, so your focus should be on landing your first job out of undergrad. If you like both schools after visiting the rational choice is Illinois.
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