How to Get into the University of Texas McCombs School of Business
- Texas McCombs Program Overview
- Texas McCombs Curriculum
- University of Texas McCombs School of Business Statistics
- Application Requirements for the McCombs School of Business
- Texas McCombs Extracurriculars
- Tips for Texas McCombs 2025-2026 MBA Essays
- UT Austin McCombs FAQ
Texas McCombs Program Overview
The University of Texas at Austin is world renowned, and its business school, the McCombs School of Business, consistently ranks among the top 25 MBA programs in the country. One reason why thousands of applicants are attracted to McCombs is its location in Austin, an energetic and eccentric city with a culture that supports creativity. Although the city’s relaxed atmosphere is clearly a draw for students, Austin’s proximity to Dallas and Houston also provides many professional opportunities for internships and full-time positions after graduation. In addition, the McCombs website touts Austin as the “the fastest-growing entrepreneurial hotbed in the country.”
McCombs is known to have highly collaborative cohorts of students. Many activities and classes are teamwork based, and the school’s tight-knit community prides itself on building strong relationships among classmates as well as staff and faculty. Anyone applying to McCombs should know that football is an important part of the school’s culture. The Texas Longhorns have a long history of accomplishments on the football field, and the fascination with the team permeates the business school as much as the rest of the university’s campus. MBA networking events are planned around the football schedule, and many companies sponsor tailgating events to get to know students and enjoy the weekend games.
The McCombs full-time MBA curriculum is notably flexible—in fact, the school’s website reports that more than 70% of the coursework is self-selected by students. After completing the core curriculum in the first year, during which students can choose three custom core courses, more than 100 elective courses are available. Further study options include business competitions, research projects, and internships.
Texas McCombs Curriculum
The McCombs full-time MBA program begins with an orientation, during which students meet their cohorts and choose their concentrations (which include Finance, Management, and Accounting). The fall semester of the first year of studies features core courses in such topics as operations, economics, and marketing. Students can also choose a Custom Core class, of which three more will be available in the spring semester.
The curriculum at McCombs is notably flexible and allows students to begin taking elective courses in the spring semester of the first year, while the second year consists of solely electives. The school offers more than 100 elective course options, and most of the classes after the first semester are case based. Furthermore, a good number of students participate in case competitions, and several classes offer students the opportunity to take on real-world projects with local companies.
McCombs professors are known for pushing students to think on their toes and really examine their views. Some professors engage in random cold calling to interact with students, while others put the onus on students to participate by basing a percentage of their grade on class participation. The school offers more than ten dual degrees, and the MBA/Doctor of Jurisprudence is among the most popular. Overall, McCombs is known for its energy, marketing, accounting, and entrepreneurship offerings. If you are interested in the natural gas or energy industries, McCombs is a great program to consider.
University of Texas McCombs School of Business Statistics
Class Profile (Class of 2025)
Class Size: 241
Average Work Experience: 5.9 years
Work Experience Range: 3–10 years
Average Age: 29
Age Range: 25–34
Average GPA: 3.46
First Generation College: 20%
Women: 35%
US Minorities: 35%
International Citizenship: 26%
Average GMAT: 704
Mid 80% GMAT Range: 670–740
Average Quantitative GRE Score: 160
Mid 80% Quantitative GRE Score Range: 156–165
Average Verbal GRE Score: 161
Mid 80% Verbal GRE Range: 154–169
Career Placement (Class of 2023)
- Consulting: 43%
- Financial Services: 16%
- Technology: 15%
- Consumer Packaged Goods: 6%
- Energy/Utilities: 5%
- Manufacturing: 4%
- Retail: 4%
- Healthcare: 2%
- Real Estate: 2%
- Transportation/Logistics: 2%
- Other (includes Media and Entertainment, Non-Profit, and Social Enterprises): 1%
Geographic Placement (Class of 2023)
- Southwest: 68.9%
- Northeast: 13.4%
- West: 6.7%
- Midwest: 5.3%
- South: 4.3%
- Mid-Atlantic: 1.0%
Application Requirements for the McCombs School of Business
Bachelor’s degree and transcripts
McCombs requires all applicants to have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent if the applicant graduated outside of the United States) and to provide official academic transcripts with their application.
Resume
All McCombs applicants must submit a resume with their application. The school recommends on its website that applicants keep the length of their resume to one page unless they have more than ten years of work experience.
Recommendations
McCombs requires one recommendation letter from each applicant. In business school applications, obtaining a recommendation from a direct supervisor or a manager is usually the best option. If you do not have a current direct supervisor or manager, consider past supervisors, colleagues, or clients, based on your work situation. Family members, friends, and professors are typically not suitable recommenders. “If you are unable to request a letter of recommendation from your direct supervisor or feel that another recommender would be more appropriate, please explain why in your optional essay statement,” the school asks on its website.
Test scores
McCombs accepts the GMAT, the GMAT Focus, the GRE, and the EA to fulfill the test score requirement. All applicants must provide a test score, although the school does not have a stipulated minimum score. For the Class of 2025, the average GMAT score was 704. International applicants are also required to provide a TOEFL or IELTS score.
Anything else?
Three short essays and a four-question video assessment are also required of McCombs applicants. In addition, the school encourages applicants to sign up for optional peer interviews with current MBA students. These are some of the questions that are commonly asked during McCombs interviews:
- Please walk me through your work experience and describe some of the primary skill sets you’ve been developing since you graduated.
- Why is now the right time for you to get an MBA and why specifically McCombs?
- What are your career goals? Short-term and long-term?
- Do you have a backup plan? What other positions and/or industries would you consider for post-MBA employment?
- Tell me about a time you received constructive feedback and how you acted upon it.
Texas McCombs Extracurriculars
Life at McCombs is intertwined with the surrounding city. In addition to the sports—go Longhorns!—the school’s collaborative community thrives on Austin’s progressive culture, and thinking outside of the box is encouraged. Indeed, the unofficial slogan for the city is “Keep Austin Weird.”
The nearly 50 student-led clubs at McCombs include the Graduate Entrepreneurship and Innovation Club, Graduate Operations Group, International MBA Student Association, and MBA Wellness Collective. The Energy Finance Group offers a trek to Houston, where students get up close and personal with key leaders and sometimes McCombs alumni at companies like Chevron and ExxonMobil. Other notable clubs include Graduate Women in Business, which provides professional and personal support for female MBA students, and the MBA Soccer Club, which invites MBA students from other top business schools to compete in its annual tournament.
The annual McCombs Elevate Conference aims to increase underrepresented minority populations at business schools and brings together current students, alumni, faculty, and staff. The 2023 event was themed “Let’s Dance” and featured panel discussions, networking opportunities, and two keynote speakers: the chief marketing officer of the Dallas Mavericks and the president and CEO of CapEQ. “Austin is very diverse in every sense of the word: Diversity of thought, experience, backgrounds. … You can be who you want to be here, and I love that,” a student said in a McCombs blog post.
Tips for Texas McCombs 2025-2026 MBA Essays
This year, Texas McCombs has rolled out a brand new set of essay prompts. According to McCombs, the revised questions “are purposefully designed to elicit thoughtful and introspective responses that reveal your motivations, values, and aspirations.” The McCombs application is your chance to show the adcom how you will align with the school’s values-driven, human-centered community that deeply cares about leadership, learning, and connection.
Essay Prompts
Essay #1:
Imagine yourself at the completion of your MBA journey. Why was pursuing your MBA at Texas McCombs the right decision for your personal and professional growth? Reflect on how you made the most of your time in the program—academically, through hands-on learning opportunities, and within the McCombs community.
Highlight how you contributed to the McCombs community and used its resources to grow both professionally and personally.
Essay #2:
Reflect on a core value that defines you. Share a specific example of how it has guided your decisions and actions, and explain how it will shape your contributions and growth as a McCombs MBA student.
Highlight how this value has influenced your leadership style and life path, and how it will shape your MBA experience.
Optional Statement
Please explain any gaps in work experience, choice of recommender, and/or academic performance issues that may help the admissions committee in reviewing your application. (Limit: 250 words)
Video Assessment
All applicants will be required to complete the Video Assessment shortly after submitting an application. Applicants have 7 days to complete the assessment upon receiving access to the video submission platform.
There will be 5 question prompts and applicants will have 1-3 minutes to answer each prompt.
Optional video interview
All Full-Time MBA applicants are encouraged but not required to complete a virtual interview with a member of the McCombs Ambassador Committee. The interview format is behavioral-question based and lasts 20-30 minutes including time for your questions.
These interactive virtual sessions present a valuable opportunity for our applicants to connect with the MBA community, showcase their collaborative skills, reaffirm their motivation for pursuing an MBA, and leave a lasting positive impression on Texas McCombs.
Click here to read our advice on Texas McCombs’ essay questions.
UT Austin McCombs FAQ
What is McCombs best known for?
McCombs is known for its innovative and immersive atmosphere and its flexible MBA curriculum. The University of Texas campus exposes students to a plethora of academic fields and research, providing them with a diverse business school experience both inside the classroom and beyond.
How much does tuition cost?
Estimated tuition for the McCombs full-time MBA program is $53,818 for Texas residents and $59,684 for non-Texas residents for the 2024–2025 academic year. The full estimated cost of attendance is $78,739 and $84,605, respectively. This includes tuition for two terms, room and board, transportation, books and supplies, and other miscellaneous personal costs.
How difficult is it to get accepted into McCombs?
As is the case with all top-ranked business schools, McCombs has a competitive acceptance rate—in 2023, the school received 1,889 applications and admitted 716 applicants. This means that approximately 38% of applicants received an invitation to join the program. Out of the 716 applicants who were admitted, 241 decided to enroll.
McCombs is best known for its innovative, immersive spirit. However, do not let a school’s reputation steer you elsewhere if it doesn’t seem like a perfect match right away! Visiting campus and speaking with alumni and current students can give you a better idea of whether a school is right for you.
Are you considering applying to McCombs? Whether you are looking for comprehensive MBA admissions consulting, hourly help, or perhaps interview prep, we at Stratus Admissions Counseling can help you! Sign up for a free consultation today!