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.
MBAApplication 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.
ApplicationEssaysThe 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.
StaceyKammerdiener,
Senior Full-Time MBA Admissions Officer, offers her advice in
MBAInsider tips“Your best chance at successfully
answering
this year’s Full-Time MBA applicationessays 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
admissionblog.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 this essay to share that key aspect of your candidacy.
You may be interested in previous years’ essay
questions analysis:
UT Austin McCombs EssayQuestions Analysis 2018-19UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis 2017-18UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis 2016-17UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis 2015-16UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis 2014-15For 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 mostreviewed consultants on the GMAT Club.)
You may email Poonam at
myessayreview.com">poonam@
myessayreview.com with questions about your McCombs
application.
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