Welcome 2025-2026 McCombs Applicants Welcome, all McCombs Class of 2028 hopefuls. Let's use this platform to know each other, exchange ideas, and discuss app strategies. Who all are applying? Let us know by commenting below. Follow the thread and bookmark this post. https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?id=71520 Applications for the Full-Time MBA program are accepted in three rounds, and the program enrolls annually every August. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM Central Time on the deadline date for each round. Round 1 Application Due: October 15, 2025 Decision Delivered: December 16, 2025 Round 2 Application Due: January 15, 2026 Decision Delivered: March 26, 2026 Round 3 Application Due: April 1, 2026 Decision Delivered: May 7, 2026 McCombs MBA Essays 2023-24 Essay 1 Imagine yourself at the completion of your MBA journey. Why was pursuing your MBA at Texas McCombs the right decision for your personal and professional growth? Reflect on how you made the most of your time in the program—academically, through hands-on learning opportunities, and within the McCombs community. Highlight how you contributed to the McCombs community and used its resources to grow both professionally and personally. (250 words) Essay 2 Reflect on a core value that defines you. Share a specific example of how it has guided your decisions and actions, and explain how it will shape your contributions and growth as a McCombs MBA student. Highlight how this value has influenced your leadership style and life path, and how it will shape your MBA experience. (250 words) Essay 3 Optional Please explain any gaps in work experience, choice of recommender, and/or academic performance issues that may help the admission committee in reviewing your application. (Limit: 250 words) McCombs Class Profile Class of '26 Average GPA 3.46 Average WE 6 Average GMAT 704 Average GRE 321 Average Age 29 McCombs Application Stats Class of '25 Applicants 1889 Accepted 716 Acceptance Rate 38% Enrolled 241 Yield Rate 65% McCombs Class Profile Class of '24 Avg. GPA 3.46 Avg. WE 71 Average GMAT 706 Median GMAT 710 Avg. GMAT Domestic 699 Avg. GMAT International 714 % GRE 30% Avg GRE Quant 162 Avg. GRE Verbal 161 Avg. Total GRE 323 McCombs Employment Data Class of '23 Employed at Graduation 81% Employed 3 Months 91% Average Salary $157,735 Average Bonus $32,915 Salary and Bonus $190,650 UT AUSTIN GMAT CLUB SPOTLIGHT KEY TAKEAWAYS 2026 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Tepper offers a STEM-designated MBA in three formats: full-time, online hybrid, and accelerated. The full-time program is 21 months with an internship, while the online hybrid allows students to work while studying. The accelerated option is for those with a business undergraduate degree, completing in 12-16 months. CURRICULUM & SPECIALIZATIONS The curriculum emphasizes analytics, business fundamentals, and leadership. Students can choose from 14 concentrations, including AI in Business and Entrepreneurship. The program allows for customization, with students often graduating with multiple concentrations. ADMISSIONS Application requirements include a resume, transcripts, test scores (GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment), and a professional recommendation. A written essay and a two-minute video essay about career goals are required. Application fee is waived for attendees of the session, and test waivers are available within the application. CAREER OUTCOMES The Master's Career Center supports students with career counseling and events. Average starting salary for graduates is $154,000, with 83% receiving job offers within three months of graduation. Top employers include Amazon, Deloitte, and McKinsey. COMMUNITY & LOCATION Tepper's smaller class size fosters a close-knit community. Located in Pittsburgh, the city offers a high quality of life with affordable living and numerous cultural and recreational activities. Students benefit from Carnegie Mellon's broader university ecosystem, with access to electives across various disciplines. UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES Tepper integrates AI into its curriculum, offering courses like machine learning for business. The Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship provides resources like seed funding and mentorship. Students can engage in capstone projects with startups and companies, enhancing practical learning experiences. UPDATE FROM DAY 2 SESSION (JUN 11, KAREENA, ASSOC. DIRECTOR) • BECCI program (Business English and Cultural Immersion) eases international students into US academic/cultural life • International financing: private loans via Prodigy Finance and Empower (no US federal loans) • Merit scholarships automatic - no separate application • Common applicant mistakes called out: applying before profile is strongest, neglecting the video essay, under-preparing for interviews • All work experience counts, including internships and contract work; explain career gaps in the optional essay

Sorry to break it but McCombs clearly places real weight on the Kira assessment. While interviews are optional, Kira is mandatory for every applicant. In the recent info session, they shared that each Kira response is independently reviewed by different student evaluators, which shows how seriously it’s treated. The questions are precise and behavioral, designed to assess how you think and communicate. Structurally, Kira functions as McCombs’ primary evaluative interaction, not a formality. So while other schools concentrate evaluative weight in mandatory interviews, McCombs flips the model. The interview is optional. Kira is not. And structurally, culturally, and operationally, McCombs treats the Kira assessment as a core admissions signal, not a formality.

To add, and if this helps ease down some anxiety whose Kira did not go well—please set up an optional interview, and address the question that you feel you didn’t answer well on Kira, your interviewer can mention it in their interview feedback form to the adcom