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Re: McCombs (UT Austin) Class of 2016 Calling all applicants! [#permalink]
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09 Jul 2014, 13:52
Yeah that's correct. I did not get an email asking for an update or the email saying decisions would come around mid-late june. Although while visiting the school after being wait-listed, I asked to meet with someone from admissions and gave an informal update then.
Re: McCombs (UT Austin) Class of 2016 Calling all applicants! [#permalink]
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14 Jul 2014, 09:59
I was waitlisted without interview and I just got the ding mail. However though the decision notification contained the below text. Though the email is morale boosting, I am trying to understand if this is a generic mail or are they really encouraging me to reapply? Has anyone else got similar notification?
Thank you for applying to the Texas MBA Program. After careful consideration of your application, we are unable to offer you admission to the McCombs School of Business at this time. This year, the Waitlist applicant pool was exceptionally strong and it stands out as one of the most competitive in recent memory. We are aware that you may have other options for MBA programs to join in the Class of 2016, however if the Texas MBA program was among your top choices, we welcome your reapplication next year. To that end, we would like to offer you some special information to help you prepare a strong application:
Re: McCombs (UT Austin) Class of 2016 Calling all applicants! [#permalink]
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15 Jul 2014, 03:12
braminc wrote:
Wow, I would take that as a very positive sign... especially the feedback on how to improve your application.
For what it's worth, I was on the waitlist until the end of July last year and never received such encouragement.
Thanks. But this year as they have pointed out the scenario has changed and maybe other candidates might have received similar mail. There are not providing application feedback. The message continued and provided few links blogs etc, guidelines. They specifically mentioned that they cannot provide application feedback but only general assistance on the application.
Life is all about choices. Lease or buy? Diet versus regular? GRE or the GMAT? But when personal preference for aspartame doesn’t immediately establish you firmly in one camp or another, it’s time to stop and think what the choice says about you. When it comes to choosing between taking the GRE or the GMAT for your MBA application, how do you choose the right test for you?
In this post, I won’t address the logistical implications of each exam (such as the GRE is cheaper and offered at more locations and the GMAT is accepted at more business schools so it’s more bang for your buck.) Nope, not going to go there. You can Google yourself silly with all of their basic differences. Instead, I will address choosing the test from an admissions perspective, assuming you’re planning on submitting an application to the Texas MBA Program sometime soon.
Basic case in point: the Admission Committee doesn’t care which test you take. Ultimately it’s up to you. We don’t believe intrinsically the opinion that one test is better at demonstrating your preparedness for b-school than the other because we believe that standardized test scores are not the only thing on your application that illustrate your academic abilities. If it were used alone, perhaps the more traditional approach of using the GMAT would suffice, but it’s not. We use many, many other things. But that’s a whole other post.
Much like other choices you make on your application, if you choose wrong you can put yourself in a position of unnecessary disadvantage. We realize the tests are different and applicants choose each for varied and valid reasons, therefore we couldn’t have a preference at face value. However, what we DO prefer is that you think hard about which test you need to take within the context of your overall goals.
CHOOSING BETWEEN THE GMAT AND THE GRE DEPENDING ON YOUR…
CAREER GOALS
The GMAT is required for most Consulting and Investment Banking companies because they use your score as a baseline qualifier for the recruiting process. If Consulting or I-Banking are in your sights, this means that the GMAT is the best choice because you could take it once and use your score for both your Admissions application as well as your career recruitment profile.
Additionally, some recruiters outside the I-Banking and Consulting space may not have a strong preference either way which test you take, however they may have more experience assessing skill set based on the GMAT. If you choose to take the GRE you should understand that it is less common and therefore makes it more difficult for recruiters to compare these results against the majority of applicants that take the GMAT.
DEGREE GOALS
Sometimes, the GRE is the best choice for those applicants who are pursuing their MBAs in conjunction with another Masters, like in our Dual Degree programs. Once again, taking only the GRE allows you to apply to both programs separately with one score, a convenience factor that most Dual Degree applicants very much appreciate given how much more paperwork is required to submit applications for two programs.
PERCEPTION OF TEST REPUTATION
Don’t qualify as an applicant pursuing Consulting/I-Banking/Dual Degree? There are still some key differences in the tests that may have some bearing on your decision for which to take. A little history lesson: MBA programs only started accepting the GRE as an alternative to the GMAT over the last few years.
Alumni and hiring companies are more familiar with the GMAT and its score scale. With the GRE new on the scene, they may need clarification regarding what the GRE score actually means and how the quantitative and verbal score sections may translate to the GMAT scores they are used to.
MBA Admissions Officers are also new to the GRE setting. However, many of us have worked with the test and have recruited amazing candidates to our programs since we started accepting it a few years ago and are more comfortable assessing verbal and quantitative skill sets based on those scores.
So ultimately, which test is best? Our advice is to choose wisely using your academic and career goals and knowledge of each test’s reputation in both the admissions context and the professional world to make the best choice for you. If none of the above circumstances speak to your situation, then truly you are free to pick the exam you prefer. Either way, we say “good luck!”
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Imagine that you are at the Texas MBA Orientation for the Class of 2017. Please introduce yourself to your new classmates, and include information you feel relevant to both your personal and professional life. Select only one communication method that you would like to use for your response.
Be creative! And please read the prompt. The operative word in the first sentence is “imagine”! We have had so many candidates simply write a paragraph about themselves, no imagination employed in the process. If you do that, we can only assume that you either did not read the prompt, or are simply recycling an intro essay you used for another school. We ask that you imagine you are introducing yourself to your new, fellow students, at your New Student Orientation. You would not introduce yourself by starting out, “Plato once said…,” and therefore any essays that start as such have missed the mark.
Also, what makes you interesting and unique are both your personal and professional interests and attributes. Therefore, an intro that only discusses work experience, or only discusses previous life experience, is incomplete. Give us a rounded mix, so that we better understand who you are in a more complete sense, and not only in one facet of your life.
Finally, the choice is yours: written essay, about.me page, or video. We have seen significant success in each platform. Therefore, choose your strongest suit, just make sure you use the medium well. If your skill is in writing, focus simply on the essay. If you have a knack for creative flare, color, design and photos, then have fun with the about.me. And if you want to create a video, and rely on your voice and/or any video editing skills you might have, then we’re excited to meet you that way as well. Either way have fun, and do not take this essay for granted—it can go a long way to setting the stage for your application.
ESSAY 2
In the Texas MBA program, we promote a diverse and collaborative community by providing opportunities for growth in an academically rigorous environment. Please discuss why McCombs is the right program for you, what you hope to gain from your time in the Texas MBA Program both personally and professionally, and how you will contribute to your classmates’ experiences. (500 words)
AO Advice:
Here we are getting to the nitty-gritty. This is your chance to really convey to us your passion, excitement, personality, and experience, while also conveying how that experience relates to your MBA and career goals. By the time we read your essays, we have already seen your resume and scores. Here we need you to expand upon the bare facts, and convey to us why you are the perfect student for our program.
I have gone in depth in a previous blog post on how to convey your personality in an essay, so I will not go deep on that topic in this post. Instead, I am going to focus more on approach and framework, and less on content.
First, this essay is complex, and yet we expect it to be concise and to-the-point; how do you do this in one 500 word essay? Once again, I recommend you start first by reading the prompt carefully. We are not asking you to be flowery and to tiptoe around the cores subjects. We are looking for a few things, and it is in your best interest to let us know specifically what we are looking for. I’ll map it out for you by taking apart our prompt:
…why McCombs is the right program for you…: Focus here on the words McCombs and you. A word to the wise: never, ever submit this essay if you have not given us specifics! Make sure at some point in the essay you discuss why McCombs, specifically, is the right program for you. Classes, concentrations, organizations, professors, unique opportunities, there is so much going on at McCombs. If you can’t outline in easy terms why you are interested in our program in particular, then you will not be competitive. So before you write your essay, I recommend you map out in specifics why McCombs is right for you. Then, when you write out your essay, make sure these specifics are mentioned at some point, so that we see your passion and dedication to our program, and do not assume you just reused the same generic essay you used for another MBA program.
…what you hope to gain…personally and professionally…: Once again specifics! The primary difference between this portion of the prompt and the previous is here we are asking you to connect, in clear terms, how McCombs will help you achieve your career objective. Therefore, my recommendation is that you create a 5 and 10 year career plan, and then see what classes, organizations, and opportunities that we offer that specifically speak to this career plan. Then connect the dots. Once you write your essay, you should be able to easily speak to these connections. We should not be left wondering why you, with your specific career goals, would want to come to McCombs. This is your opportunity to convey in no complex language why we are right for your career growth.
…how you will contribute to your classmates’ experiences…: Lastly, as you are mapping out your reasons for attending our program based on specific course and organization offerings, also remember that we pride ourselves first and foremost on our collaborative and diverse community. We work very hard to find individuals excited about being a part of this community in particular, so in what ways will you contribute? What student organizations will you support and why? Will you start a new student organization? Will you contribute in a special way to your study groups? Are you excited to be an active alumnus? Convince us that you are indispensable to our community, and you will have done yourself a great service in developing a strong application.
Those are my suggestions for mapping out your answers before you begin to weave it all together in a cohesive 500 word essay. Now you have the challenge of putting it all together, and here is where you get to be creative. I do not have any specific advice for you here, as I am looking forward to reading your unique responses and to see your own voice come forth in the essays. However, if you employ standard, strong writing techniques, you should be fine. One way or another, avoid convoluted sentences, going off topic, name dropping, vague or confusing goals, citing inaccurate classes, professors, or student organizations, or calling us by any other name besides McCombs or the Texas MBA (a common mistake for people who reuse essays). Also, DON’T REUSE ESSAYS! We can tell.
That’s it for my advice to you! As always, please email us at TexasMBA@mccombs.utexas.edu if you have any other questions. Get started early and edit, edit, edit! Your essays can really send a strong application into orbit, so good luck, and happy applying!
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Optional Essay, to give us context and reasons for why you didn’t ask your Direct Supervisor.
WHEN IT’S NOT EXACTLY CLEAR
Other good letter of recommendation options would be a former Supervisor at a previous job, a Project Manager, or a professional colleague. You may also consider a business client, lawyer, accountant, industry mentor or other peer professional if you’re in a family business setting or in a consulting or advertising role. Remember that whoever you choose needs to be able to discuss with us in detail your qualities, skills, and virtues. Also, don’t just pick the CEO or President of the company. Just because they know your name and you have shared an elevator ride with them doesn’t mean they know you well enough to recommend you for b-school. We’ve read enough letters of recommendation to know when somebody knows of you, and when they know you.
GET ON THEIR CALENDAR
Make sure to let your recommenders know way in advance you are going to request their help. I would even suggest letting them know a good three months ahead of time if possible, so that you are not rushing them if they haven’t completed it a month out, and you start getting concerned they won’t submit the letter on time. It is also a good idea to meet with them, let them know what your short and long-term goals are and why McCombs is the best school for you, and offer them a copy of your updated resume. That way they can talk about their belief in your direction and goals with some background.
LAST & MOST OBVIOUS TIP
Most importantly, make sure to ask someone who actually likes you. Sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many candidates have letters of recommendation submitted by people who write just a few words (“She’s really great.”), come up with poor examples (“One time we had a problem with a client, and she handled it well.”, or clearly just don’t think that highly of you (“She performs equally well when compared to her peers at a similar level.” Yikes. You might as well have asked a perfect stranger to write it and it probably would have come out better.
Good luck in selecting your recommenders! We look forward to reading these glowing professional love letters soon.
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
McCombs (UT Austin) Class of 2016 Calling all applicants! [#permalink]
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30 Oct 2015, 07:41
Does anyone know if UT Austin does visiting scholarships for interviews? I want to do an interview onsite but don't have the free dough to do it.
_________________
"Vegeta, what does the scouter say about his GMAT level?!" -Nappa
Re: McCombs (UT Austin) Class of 2016 Calling all applicants! [#permalink]
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11 Jan 2016, 19:56
Hi all
I am almost done with my application. But I feel like I didn't have enough space to expand on my extra-curricular experience in my essay. So when I looked in the online application, I searched the section where you generally mention activities (based on other school applications). But there is no space in the McCombs application to seperately do that (apart from essays). Am I missing something here?
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