The McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas is a globally recognized MBA program, located in the center of technology- Austin. Its collaborative community is comprised of students who bring together their diverse voices to form a cohesive group.
MBA Application Deadlines:
| ROUND | APPLICATION DUE | DECISION DELIVERED | ENROLLMENT DEPOSIT DEADLINE |
| ROUND 1 | October 8, 2019 | December 17, 2019 | February 6, 2020 |
| ROUND 2 | January 7, 2020 | March 26, 2020 | April 23, 2020 |
| ROUND 3 | March 31, 2020 | May 7, 2020 | May 19, 2020 |
Applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m. CST the day of the deadline.
Application Essays
The MBA essay questions for the 2019-2020 admissions season remain unchanged from the previous cycle, so our analysis of the essay questions also remains the same. Like last year, McCombs business school asks its applicants to write two required essays that seek to draw out applicants’ individuality, motivations, and ability to collaborate, while also asking them what their career goals are and how they are seeking to achieve them at McCombs.
Stacey Kammerdiener, Senior Full-Time MBA Admissions Officer, offers her advice in MBA Insider tips
“Your best chance at successfully answering this year’s Full-Time MBA application essays comes from approaching them thoughtfully. The purpose of these essays is to understand why you want to attend Texas McCombs, and to learn more about you as an individual. With a genuine goal of authenticity and the tips below, you will be well on your way to submitting a strong application.”
Let’s take a closer look at the essay questions:
Essay 1: We will learn a lot about your professional background through your resume and letter of recommendation. We want to get to know you further. Please introduce yourself. Select only one communication method you would like to use for your response.
Select only one communication method that you would like to use for your response.
- Write an essay (250 words)
- Share a video introduction (one minute)
This is the 7th year running that McCombs requires the applicants to write an introduction essay. McCombs asks them to delve on their personal as well as professional attributes in 250 words. This essay, in terms of the topic and the medium of communication, provides applicants with flexibility and freedom to showcase their creative side. You may take time to brainstorm ideas about what would you like your teammates at McCombs to know about you. You can discuss your cultural background, motivation, personal and professional goals, hobbies/interest, and issues that pique your interest. The motive is to tell them who you really are. Please don’t forget the first sentence of the essay prompt “We will learn a lot about your professional background through your resume and letter of recommendation. We want to get to know you further.”
To showcase your creativity, McCombs offers you a choice of two modes of communication. You may pick the format that works best for you. If you are an introvert, and/or if you love to write, you may select the ‘essay mode’ for sure (Most people I worked with opted for the essay option). If you are an extrovert, you may find the video mode more exciting. A video essay allows applicants to be more creative as well as imaginative. For example, if you plan to share your culinary skills with your classmates, you may consider shooting part of the one-minute video in your kitchen.
Though it’s fun doing a video essay, it is my understanding that it would demand more time than a regular essay (This by no means implies that crafting an introduction essay of 250 words is not challenging). You may experiment with the video option if you can invest a significant amount of time in practicing and rehearsing for the video to grab the attention of your audience not only through your words, but also through your body language and facial expressions. Don’t forget to add some humour to it. And remember, your challenge is to say it all in 60 seconds only. But if you are not confident of showing your dynamic personality in a one- minute video, then the video may not be a good option. Whichever medium you choose, dedicate the work necessary to ensure that your introduction is engaging and presents you as a likeable, friendly, and well-rounded individual.
Essay 2: Picture yourself at graduation. Describe how you spent your two years as a Texas MBA student, and how that experience helped to prepare you for the post-MBA world. (500 words)
The key to this essay is to demonstrate your ‘fit’ with the school. Instead of explaining how McCombs MBA program will help you achieve your goals, you need to look ahead and visualize yourself at your graduation day and explain how two years at the Texas MBA helped prepare you for your post -MBA personal and professional goals.
To prepare yourself, you must do your homework of researching the program well. Explain how various resources/ offerings and activities at McCombs (courses, study groups, clubs etc.) brought you closer to your post- MBA goals. Also, you should discuss how participation in various activities of student organizations and clubs at McCombs contributed to your personal growth and in what ways you made an active contribution to the McCombs community. Additionally, you may also comment on your experiences of being a part of the city of Austin. Wrap up your essay with your final thoughts on your overall experience at McCombs. This essay should not only demonstrate your knowledge of the program, but also your enthusiasm to be part of its collaborative community.
Optional Statement:
Please provide any additional information you believe is important and/ or address any areas of concern that will be beneficial to the Admissions Committee in considering your application (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application, or extenuating personal circumstances). (250 words)
An optional essay is an opportunity for you to give relevant information to the Ad Com that you could not provide in other parts of your application, essays, and resume. For example, if you have a lower than average GMAT score, any grades below a C on your transcript, academic probation or a significant employment gap, you can explain in this essay. To provide context for a weakness in your profile, make sure your reason is genuine to convince the Ad Com that your low grades or employment gap occurred due to unforeseen circumstances beyond your control. Your response should be positive, straightforward, and fact-focused and should not sound like you are making excuses for a weakness in your profile. Also, if you cannot get your recommendation letter from your current supervisor, please explain that in the optional statement. For more information on the choice of recommenders for your McCombs application, please visit admission blog.
If you do not have any weakness in your profile but think that you didn’t get a chance to throw a spotlight on a significant professional accomplishment, extra-curricular accomplishments or community involvement, you may sure use this essay to share that key aspect of your candidacy.
You may be interested in previous years’ essay questions analysis:
UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis 2018-19
UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis 2017-18
UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis 2016-17
UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis 2015-16
UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis 2014-15
For further assistance in developing your application essays, you may review the general Essay Tips. To meet the stringent word limits, you need to be extremely precise in presenting your case and make every word count.
For essay analysis of other schools by MER, click here.
Since 2011, MER (myEssayReview) has helped many applicants get accepted into top 20 MBA programs including McCombs School of Business. (Poonam is one of the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club.)
You may email Poonam at poonam@myessayreview.com with questions about your McCombs application.
