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(4.4) |
McCombs was not on my list when I began my MBA application process. But as I worked on my research and spoke to admissions staff and current students, I was really impressed by the warmth of the people and the opportunities that were offered.
I had the opportunity to meet many wonderful individuals who supported me improve professionally and manage this MBA journey throughout that time. I had a great deal of help from the 2Ys on campus and alumni in various companies when I was figuring out my career aspirations, and they also helped me get ready for the hiring process. The McCombs community's mentality of giving back was apparent.
I advise all prospective applicants to get in touch with the admissions staff and MAC students (ambassadors) to learn more about the community. Wish y'all Good Luck!
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
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The Texas MBA program at McCombs was a great fit for me, not just because of the academic reputation, but also because of the culture and geographic location. Austin is a great city to spend your two years of business school, and the student population at McCombs is a fun and diverse group, making the experiences that much more rewarding.
My favorite part about the academic side of the program was the ability to customize it to my goals. I came from an undergraduate business background, so I didn't feel as much of a need to focus on a broad academic experience, and rather spent my time focusing on a deeper experience, honing my skills in strategy, innovation, and design. I don't believe I would have had the same opportunity at many other programs.
In terms of the extracurricular side, we were encouraged to participate in clubs and activities, even start our own clubs if what we were looking for didn't exist. I was able to get involved in club leadership in multiple organizations, and found that I was truly able to make an impact on the MBA experience for myself and for my classmates.
To me, that is the key hallmark of the Texas MBA program: customization. You really do have the ability to make the program whatever you want it to be: academically, socially and even professionally.
I wish the program had been a bit more progressive in terms of certain career trajectories such as technology and innovation; however, because I was able to take classes in other schools on the UT campus outside of the MBA program and qualify those toward my major, I felt that I was able to make the absolute most of my experience. It would be nice to see the program push more to make those a part of the core MBA experience, although it is understandable that there is more focus on finance and consulting coursework given the general career goals of the student body.
One of the biggest challenges I had was trying to find employment outside of the "typical" geographic areas for the school (i.e. Texas and Silicon Valley). I was then given little assistance outside of resume and cover letter reviews and was essentially forced to do everything myself. I knew this would likely be an issue coming in, but it definitely was a challenge.
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (4.0)
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McCombs delivered a transformational experience to me. I successfully changed my career to finance. I made many lifelong friends. At the same time, it completely changed the way I think.
Location:
-Austin is a great place to live. Climate is great all year round. Tons of places to enjoy, whether you like food, outdoor sports, or bars. Every Thursday, we have a "Think 'n' Drink" social event at a different bar in downtown.
-If you know, Austin is also called "Silicone Hills." So McCombs offers a lot of experiential opportunities at local companies as extracurricular projects. That has been a great opportunity for me to build my resume in the new career I am switching to.
-Austin is also full of start-ups and VC firms. If you are thinking to launch your own business, this is also a great place to be. Plus McCombs has incredible resources for entrepreneurs.
Career: Most people come to b-school to change careers. Texas MBA opened a lot of doors for me. Most consulting firms, investment banks, and many F500 companies recruit here.
Student body: Very smart and extremely collaborative. People always help each other, whether with job interview prep, or coursework. McCombs brought a group of diverse people together, so I constantly got inspired by the diversity of thought when I interact with my peers.
Alumni Network: McCombs has a very strong alumni network. The alumni are very warm and very willing to help.
Facility: It is disappointing that we still can't move to the new building - Rowling Hall. I am not sure if I will still have a chance to sit in a class in the new building before graduation, but the class of 2019 and future classes will enjoy it for sure.
Career services: I feel this is the only thing McCombs needs to improve. We have very strong professional clubs. If you want to be a consultant or a banker, you are in good hands. For other career paths, the support you can get from CMC is really limited, although you can always get help from peers, second years, professors and alumni.
I would be lying if I told you all my professors were great. But I must say most of my professors (core classes and electives) are top notch. They are not only good researchers, but also excellent teachers. They know how to deliver knowledge and develop your skills. They love students, so they care about us. Whenever needed, they are always accessible and ready to help, even after you graduate.
Our class discussion is always inspiring. TBH, I visited other peer schools (top 15) before applying, and I was very impressed of McCombs' student quality. That is one reason why I decided to attend MBA here. As expected, my peers never let me down.
Core classes are arranged in quarter system, and most of them are done in the fall semester of the first year. You have a new set of classes every 7 weeks. Things moved very fast in the first year. In the Spring semester of the first year, electives started to kick in. This is very helpful before going to intern - at least you can demonstrate to your employer that you've already known something if you are changing your career.
McCombs has a wide range of electives to offer each semester to satisfy 10+ concentrations. I found the curriculum is very well rounded. In case you have special needs, you can always take classes from other schools (e.g. Law, LBJ Public Affairs, and so on).
I feel McCombs offers more global opportunities than peers schools, such as Global Connections (every year we have different routes during spring break), Short-term overseas study programs (10-day programs in Germany, Denmark, Austria, or Israel), and semester long exchange student programs (many top b-school all over the world). Those study tours are absolutely some of my highlights.
Of the top tier consulting firms, only McKinsey doesn't come (I don't know why), although we still have people who are hired by McKinsey this year. All bulge bracket banks hire on campus.
For corporate jobs, big tech firms (e.g. Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Dell), CPG firms (e.g. P&G, Pepsi, Kraft, Dr. Pepper), Gas and oil companies (e.g. Exxon Mobil, Conoco, Chevron), Airlines (Southwest, American Airline)... all come to hire. You will have a pretty good shot to get an internship or full-time job through CMC's job board. International students probably have a better chance at consulting/banking/tech firms, given the current visa sponsorship situation.
Overall BSchool experience (4.0)
Schools contribution (4.0)
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McCombs clearly has what it takes to be a top MBA program. The program offers excellent coursework paired with world-class hands-on learning opportunities along with a strong culture and community. While applying, I was underwhelmed by the old building when I visited but was optimistic about the new building under construction. While I may not get a chance to study there, I have a had a chance to see it - it rivals (if not surpasses) the facilities at Ross and other business schools with newer buildings. But above all, what helped me make my decision was the approachable community of students, faculty, staff and alumni who are more than willing to guide you even before you join McCombs. Once you are part of the McCombs family, you will have the support of this community for life.
There are many award-winning professors and most of the classes are extremely engaging.
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
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McCombs has been an unforgettable experience. The students, professors, and the staff are the perfect combination; getting the job done with intellect and rolling-up-your-sleeves. This unique culture at Texas is great for those wanting to get into tech, entrepreneurship, and the traditional routes of consulting and banking.
The best part about McCombs is three-fold. First, the McCombs MBA is a smaller class than a lot of top-20 MBA programs. This allows you to develop relationships with other students and has the spirit of a close-knit family. Secondly, the McCombs MBA is housed within the greater University of Texas at Austin. This adds the robust resources and opportunities of a large nationally recognized research university to the McCombs MBA. And lastly, Austin. If you've never been, you must visit. And once you do you will understand. The weather is great (it's January and it is 60-70 degrees this week), the night life and music scene is never ending, the outdoors are beautiful and accessible, and Austin fits the single student and the student with a family. Altogether, the Texas MBA at McCombs is the right decision for anyone looking for a bright and diverse student body, a down to earth culture, and the best location of a top-20 school.
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
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Lots of international study options such as Global Connections, Washington Campus, Copenhagen Sustainability Program, Vienna Innovation etc,,. The program team is helpful and accommodating. All the professors are very approachable. You will get a good list of courses to choose from and most likely, you will not be able to do everything you wanted. Lots of fellowships exist to boost your career such as marketing fellows, board fellows, venture fellows, operations fellows etc. Course load is very high though and with recruiting, there is too much pressure.
Doesn't provide much scholarship so think twice before applying coz its a huge loan otherwise.
Overall BSchool experience (3.0)
Schools contribution (3.0)
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I chose McCombs for several reasons, the location (gotta love that Austin sunshine), the focus on energy/environment and the entrepreneurial spirit. But I never imagined that the student and staff would be so supportive and collaborative. In retrospect, I can't imagine having nearly as much fun, or learning so much anywhere else. The only thing that was a little disappointing were the business school facilities (what do you expect for a 40ish% discount on cost relative to other top 20 business schools). The building is really old and the tech often doesn't work. But fear not, the next class can expect to enjoy a gorgeous new building, decked out with start of the art technology. Jealous!
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
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McCombs is definitely still in up-and-coming mode. The location in Austin may be the best environment in the country to go to business school. Some of the professors are amazing, especially in the Marketing department. For Energy Finance and Real Estate McCombs is already a super elite program.
That said, the curriculum, especially the core still needs some work and the administration isn't good enough for the stature of the program. As cool as Austin is, it's a little out of the way for recruiting. The career office needs to devote more resources to the actual recruiting process and less on guidance.
The facilities sucked when I was there, but with the new building opening, they are sure to be a big plus going forward.
Core classes are uneven, but there are some great electives and the classes that have a good reputation have it because they are truly great. Believe the hype. (Except Raghunathan's Happiness course, don't take it)
Consulting recruiting was tough. McKinsey doesn't recruit MBAs at McCombs and Bain and BCG only take a couple a year. Deloitte hires a lot, but if you miss Deloitte you could be in trouble.
Investment banking recruiting is mostly for Houston, but plenty of people go to NYC.
Overall BSchool experience (4.0)
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Think the class size is perfect -- not so big it's overwhelming and clicky, but not so small you are tired of seeing the same people. Culture has been a great fit for me, and the school does a fair amount of stuff with the local businesses in Austin.
Great hands-on experiences for industry-specific verticals (marketing, operations, PE/VC, asset management). Was hoping career services had a better handle of recruiting processes relating to each firm. Kind of up to the student to figure out how each company will interview and how to prepare, which results in fragmented communication and not the best showing of our class. Great school overall -- like many schools, a lot of great characteristics but a few things could be improved.
Overall BSchool experience (4.0)
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A full week of orientation kicked off my MBA education. The atmosphere was like at ComiCon! Alumni, who were representing their (mostly Fortune 500) companies, set up over 60 recruiting booths throughout the school of business. They passed out business cards and company recruiting brochures. It was a can-do business festival atmosphere! The alumni gave us newbies positive reinforcement and asked about our ultimate career choices. All company representatives encouraged us to attend the upcoming mock interview sessions and networking events. They also recommended which professors and which classes to take, according to our interests. The formal lectures featured several alumni now in upper management (at various Fortune 500 companies), and established Texas politicians.
All classes were taught by PhD professors, most of whom are “endowed chairs.” The walls of the halls are covered with brass plaques announcing each professor’s appointment and sponsor company. The books you will read are authored by your professors, so you better have read the assignment -- you will be expected to contribute to the class discussion. This is where work experience will be a definite plus. Real-world experience will flavor class discussion with a bit of “been there, done that,” and “this is how it was done at XYZ, Inc.”
At McCombs, you will be expected to think for yourself and to defend your idea. One professor would, at random, ask students questions based on a front-page article in the day’s Wall Street Journal. Discussions are oral, but assignments are written, hence the GMAT sections that test your reading and writing skills. Example: In my Organizational Behavior class, all weekly assignments were limited to a one-page report. So, a 20-page case study had to be “boiled down” and discussed in 250 words (using 12-point type). This restriction was part of the assignment. Why? In the real world, your boss will already have to read dozens of reports. She needs to have actionable and succinct information. She doesn’t have the time to read your “War and Peace” every single day.
Be sure to join one of the student organizations. During the weekly meetings, you will be able to connect with other students you may not meet in any of your classes. The dean will ask each student organization to help during the recruiting sessions. This may include meeting the company reps at the airport, conduct brief campus tours, and help setting up their booth. This is an excellent opportunity to informally learn more about the reps’ recruiting objectives and their companies’ vision / mission. Be sure to dress for success!
Your will gain points with the recruiter by easing their burden. Example: Back in the day, after talking with several recruiters about their week-long tours through various universities, I learned each recruiter had to read over 100 resumes every night. By the next recruiting session, I had produced a “recruiter’s package” that showcased my club members. The package included a printed booklet and a floppy disk, each with all our resumes. Now, the recruiter could quickly conduct keyword searches and save their eyes. The dean suggested we sell each package for $50. My club earned over $2,000 that year! Lesson: Find a niche and fill it!
During the day, booths showcased the company, while interviews were conducted in various small meeting rooms throughout the building. During the evening, Fortune 500 companies hosted wine-and-shrimp networking events at various downtown hotels. Here, students rubbed shoulders with upper management -- maybe even with the CEO! Be sure to dress for success and have your questions and business cards at the ready.
Great experience! First class education! No wonder, UT Austin ranks in the top 20! Enjoy the perks of a highly-respected and well-funded university. Good luck and be sure to have fun! You can do it! Hook’em Horns!
Overall BSchool experience (4.0)
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