Rachel Kapelke-Dale

UT Austin MBA: How to Apply to McCombs School of Business

With a collaborative and collegial environment that prizes entrepreneurship, the UT Austin MBA program at McCombs has a lot to recommend it. Not only is the program located in Austin, Texas, but U.S. News & World Report also ranks it #18 in full-time American MBA programs (and #7 for part-time MBAs!).  To learn more about about how to get in and what a UT Austin MBA education entails!

UT Austin MBA Class Profile

Examining the stats of the most recent class admitted to the UT Austin MBA program can help you establish your test score goals and to see how your GPA compares to that of the class as a whole, and also to see what the overall composition of the student body looks like. Take a look!

Acceptance Rate 36.9%
Class Size 241
GMAT (average) 704
GMAT (middle 80%) 650-740
GPA (undergraduate average) 3.44
Average Work Experience 6 years
Average Age 29
Women 34%
International Students 10%
U.S. Minorities 31%

(Sources: Texas McCombsUS News)

With the UT Austin MBA acceptance rate at just over 1/3 of applicants, it’s important to stand out from the pack. Getting stellar application materials together can help you do this!

UT Austin

What You Need for Your McCombs MBA Application

With all of those stats in mind, how should you go about preparing to apply to the UT Austin MBA program? Here’s what you’ll need to do!

1. Get your undergraduate transcripts ready.

Unlike some of its competitors, McCombs requires official transcripts upon application, not upon enrollment, so request these from your undergrad institution right away!

Improve your GMAT score with Magoosh.

2. Take an accepted test.

For the UT Austin MBA program (full-time), this is the GRE, the Executive Assessment (EA), or the GMAT. You’ll need these scores to submit your application.

3. Open an application and request your recommendation.

You’ll need just one letter of recommendation for the ad com, and you should open an online application to send the official form to your recommender. Be careful not to send more than one; extras won’t be read.

4. Get your essays ready!

While you’ll submit these with the online application, they should definitely require more time than does filling in your name and address on the form, so plan ahead! There are two required essays:

1. We will learn a lot about your professional background through your resume and letter of recommendation, but we want to get to know you further. Please introduce yourself. Select only one communication method for your response.
a. Write an essay (250 words)
b. Share a video introduction (one minute in length)

2. Picture yourself at the completion of your MBA journey. Describe how you spent your time as a Texas McCombs MBA student to achieve your personal and professional goals. (500 words)

You’ll also have the opportunity to include an optional essay of up to 250 words, detailing anything else you think the admissions committee should know about you.

If you are from an underrepresented minority group, the essays are a great place to highlight how you and your background would be an asset to the school. As Cara Skikne, MBA admissions expert, told Magoosh, if you are from one of these groups:

“Don’t self-select out. Don’t let your concept of what a typical MBA student should look like, hold you back. Business schools are obsessed with diversity and with getting perspectives from different life experiences and backgrounds. Bring those perspectives into your application. Be authentic rather than telling admissions officers what you think they want to hear.”

5. Upload your resume and submit your application.

The UT Austin MBA program requires, rather than recommends, a resume, so this is worth spending time on!   Your resume should be professional and focus on your work experience. Keep in mind that successful applicants generally have at least two years’ work experience (post-bachelor’s degree).

Then, it’s time to submit! Be sure to give your application a thorough proofread before clicking that final button!

For more application advice direct from the McCombs adcom, check out these admissions tips from the McCombs School of Business!

UT Austin Program Overview

What can you expect from a UT Austin MBA? Here’s an overview of the school’s primary programs’ curricula.

Full-time MBA

With students selecting 70% of their coursework from 100+ electives, UT Austin MBA students have an exceptional opportunity to design their own programs. During the first semester, students focus on core, required classes. The second semester, they can take two electives. Their second year focuses entirely on courses of their own choosing, as well as fellowship opportunities.

Working Professional MBA

This seven-semester program unfolds with three semesters per year, making for an intensive program that can still fit into working professionals’ schedules. Unlike the full-time program, this degree offers only required coursework, without the choice of any electives.

Weekend MBA

This 48-credit course takes place on the weekends, giving students even more flexibility to pursue their degrees while continuing regular employment. Unlike the other UT Austin MBA programs,this program of required courses primarily takes place in Dallas/Fort Worth, though it is supplemented by two intensives (one per year) in Austin.

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Executive MBA

The UT Austin Executive MBA includes intensive immersion courses that meet around the country, from Austin to New York City to Washington, D.C., as well as internationally.  During the summers, students participate in six-day-long Global Immersion trips to complement their Global Practicum course.  In this program, students observe local businesses in practice.

Is UT Austin a good MBA program?

If you doubt the UT Austin MBA program’s quality, a quick glance at the U.S. News & World subrankings should helpclear up your worries! The school is ranked #1 nationwide in accounting; #4 in information systems; #5 in business analytics; and #9 in entrepreneurship–and this doesn’t include the numerous other UT Austin MBA fields of study that come near the top of the list! (Source)

In addition to its high rankings, the experience at UT Austin has inspired a loyal and large alumni network. Part of this size and loyalty may well be due to the renowned Fellows Program, which places students in businesses where they obtain real-world experience.  The Fellows Program also provides students seminars and coaching to help them achieve their goals.

Finally, McCombs has both a local and global emphasis. Its students benefit from its location in Austin and the school’s strong industry connections there, and also have the opportunity to do “study tours,” 1-2 week long placements abroad. The UT Austin MBA program further boasts 30 exchange programs, as well as an international “adventure program” for future full-time students to meet their peers before classes start!

If you’re looking for a tight-knit community with global connections and top-notch academics, McCombs might be the right program for you!

Still want to explore other options? Say no more! For extra advice and links to other school admissions guides, head on over to the Magoosh Top MBA page.

Author

  • Rachel Kapelke-Dale

    Rachel is one of Magoosh’s Content Creators. She writes and updates content on our High School and GRE Blogs to ensure students are equipped with the best information during their test prep journey. As a test-prep instructor for more than five years in there different countries, Rachel has helped students around the world prepare for various standardized tests, including the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT, and she is one of the authors of our Magoosh ACT Prep Book. Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from Brown University, an MA in Cinematography from the Université de Paris VII, and a Ph.D. in Film Studies from University College London. For over a decade, Rachel has honed her craft as a fiction and memoir writer and public speaker. Her novel, THE BALLERINAS, is forthcoming in December 2021 from St. Martin’s Press, while her memoir, GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND, co-written with Jessica Pan, was published in 2014 by Penguin Random House. Her work has appeared in over a dozen online and print publications, including Vanity Fair Hollywood. When she isn’t strategically stringing words together at Magoosh, you can find Rachel riding horses or with her nose in a book. Join her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!

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