Texas McCombs combines rigor with a passionate community, including passion for the MBA program. The school’s single required question reflects this value; the adcom invites you to demonstrate deep familiarity with the program, connected to your unique vision for the future. It has a practical slant. Convey concrete goals, and make a case for how the McCombs program is ideally suited to prepare you to achieve them.
The school has introduced some significant changes to its essays this season. It has gone from two required essays to one required essay and dropped the “Please introduce yourself” question/video.
Ready to get to work on your Texas McCombs application? Read on.
■ McCombs application essay tips
■ McCombs application deadlines
For great advice, listen to Get Accepted to UT Austin McCombs, a podcast interview with Rodrigo Malta, managing director of MBA Marketing, Recruiting, and Admissions at Texas McCombs.
McCombs application essay tips
McCombs Required Essay
Please write an application cover letter summarizing your aspirations, qualifications, and personal and professional experiences that make you a strong candidate for the Texas Full-Time MBA program.
LIMIT: 500 words
The cover letter is a new essay format for Texas. MIT Sloan also uses a similar cover letter instead of a traditional essay. The purpose for this approach is twofold. First, the adcom wants to see what information you consider most pertinent about yourself and how you present that information, and second, it wants evidence that you have truly researched their program. What you say in this letter can reveal a lot about you and your reasons for wanting to earn an MBA at McCombs, so don’t just copy and paste sentences from your resume! Your answer should be thoughtful and concise.
Yes, “summarizing your aspirations” is essentially asking you about your goals. How do you see your short-term plan leading to your long-term plan? Be as specific as possible. For example, if you are changing careers, state why you are attracted to a different path, what you know about it, who you know who works in the industry, and most importantly, what skills you already possess that are relevant to this new position. Don’t just say, for example, that you want to be a consultant. Why? Which area of consulting? With what company? And why would a consulting firm want to hire you? What do you know, and what impact have you made in the past? The MBA is not a magic wand – admissions wants to see that your expectations are realistic and feasible.
The best way to show what you can do is to give specific examples of what you have already done. Don’t just say, “I’m a good problem solver.” Prove it! And note that the adcom is also requesting “personal experiences.” This will give them a good idea of your fit for their program. Texas has a very close-knit and intensely loyal community, so based on your hobbies and interests, what specific clubs or organizations would you be involved with? And what would you share with your classmates that might be special? McCombs wants to be sure you understand what the program offers and why it is the one that will best prepare you for your desired career path.
To reiterate, the purpose of the cover letter is to elicit specific information about you and your goals and how the Texas McCombs MBA will prepare you to attain those goals. The adcom doesn’t want generalizations. Make sure you really know the program well – explore the website, connect with students, and above all, attend in-person or virtual admission events to learn more and ask questions that you can’t find answers for anywhere else.
A Note about applying to b-school from Rodrigo Malta, managing director of MBA Marketing, Recruiting, and Admissions at Texas McCombs
McCombs Optional Essay
If applicable, applicants can provide an optional statement in the essay section of the application. Applicants should only provide an optional statement if there is something they wish to address about their candidacy that is not addressed elsewhere.
If you write the optional essay, present information that is essential for the adcom to have to be able to fully understand your candidacy. If you do not have any concerns to address, you could explore a RELEVANT topic not addressed in your application. Be succinct; don’t take the lack of word limit as an invitation to write a book. If you believe your candidacy is well represented without the optional essay, that is totally fine; don’t write an optional essay just to write one.
McCombs application deadlines
| Application due | Decision delivered | |
| Round 1 | October 10, 2023 | December 14, 2023 |
| Round 2 | January 5, 2024 | March 21, 2024 |
| Round 3 | March 26, 2024 | May 2, 2024 |
| Round 4 | May 9, 2024 | June 6, 2024 |
Source: Texas McCombs website
***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Texas McCombs directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***
McCombs Class Profile
Here is a look at the Texas McCombs MBA Class of 2024 (data taken from the McCombs website):
Class size: 220
Average age: 29
Middle 80% of age range: 26-32
Female students: 35%
International students: 28%
U.S. minority students: 36%
Underrepresented minority students: 17%
Consortium members: 29
Forte MBA fellows: 38
Dual degree students (MD, JD, Master of Public Affairs): 21
Average years of work experience: 5.7
Middle 80% range of years of work experience: 3-8.5
U.S. military service: 13%
Average undergrad GPA: 3.48
Undergrad institutions: 149
First-generation college: 11%
Advanced degree holders: 13%
Undergraduate majors:
- STEM: 40%
- Business/economics: 33%
- Humanities: 15%
- Other majors: 13%
Average GMAT score: 706
Middle 80% range of GMAT scores: 660-750
Average GRE Verbal score: 160
Middle 80% range of GRE Verbal scores: 155-167
Average GRE Quant score: 159
Middle 80% range of GRE Quant scores: 152-166
Has this blog post helped you feel more confident about approaching your McCombs application? We hope so. It’s our mission to help smart, talented applicants like you gain acceptance to your target schools. With so much at stake, why not hire a consultant whose expertise and personalized guidance can help you make your dream come true? We have several flexible consulting options. Click here to get started today!
Dr. Christie St-John has more than 25 years of higher ed and admissions experience, including ten years in admissions at Dartmouth Tuck. She was formerly the director of MBA recruiting and admissions, director of international relations, and an adjunct faculty member at Vanderbilt University. Having also served on the board of directors of the MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance and the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, Christie has a deep knowledge of MBA and other graduate admissions. Want Christie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
Related Resources:
- Why MBA?, a guide to writing the goals essay
- Get Accepted to UT Austin McCombs, podcast Episode 452
- Top MBA Essay Questions: How to Answer Them Right