Texas McCombs MBA Essay Tips & Analysis 2026-2027

Texas McCombs takes an unusual approach to its MBA essays.

Instead of asking for a conventional career goals essay followed by a generic community contribution response, McCombs asks applicants to imagine the MBA from two very different perspectives.

The first required essay is written almost from the future.

You are asked to imagine yourself at the end of your McCombs MBA and explain why choosing Texas McCombs turned out to be the right decision for your personal and professional growth. You then need to show how you used the programme academically, through experiential opportunities, and through the community while also explaining what you contributed.

The second essay moves away from school research and focuses on a core value.

McCombs asks you to identify a value that genuinely defines you, demonstrate how it has affected your decisions and actions, and explain how it has shaped your leadership and life path. You then connect that value with how you will grow and contribute as a McCombs MBA student.

Both essays have a maximum length of just 250 words.

That creates a demanding application.

Essay 1 requires:

Future vision + Professional development + Personal growth + McCombs research + Contribution

Essay 2 requires:

Core value + Specific evidence + Leadership + Life choices + Future contribution

And you need to accomplish each in roughly half the space many business schools give applicants for a single essay.

Texas McCombs then adds a required video assessment after application submission.

For current Full-Time MBA applicants, the official application page states that the assessment contains six prompts, with applicants receiving up to 90 seconds per response. The assessment is designed to let the Admissions Committee experience more of the person behind the resume, test scores, transcripts, and written essays.

That combination is important.

The essays are carefully edited.

The video is much closer to live communication.

Taken together, McCombs can evaluate:

What do you want from the MBA?

What will you give back?

What values guide your behavior?

How do those values show up in leadership?

And what are you like when you have to communicate without rewriting every sentence?

The school describes its broader admissions and MBA philosophy as Human-Centered, Future-Focused.

That phrase is useful when thinking about the application.

McCombs has strong academic depth in finance, accounting, technology, business analytics, entrepreneurship, marketing, operations, energy, healthcare, and other areas.

But the current essays do not simply ask whether you want access to those resources.

They ask what kind of person will use them.

The first essay specifically requires both professional and personal development.

The second specifically requires a value and its influence on leadership.

The video gives the school additional behavioral and communication evidence.

The central Texas McCombs MBA essay strategy for 2026-2027 is therefore:

Intentional growth → Specific McCombs experiences → Meaningful contribution → Values in action

This guide breaks down both Texas McCombs MBA essays for Fall 2027, explains how to write the unusual future-looking first essay, shows how to select the right core value for Essay 2, analyzes the required video assessment and optional statement, covers reapplicant strategy, provides weak vs strong examples, identifies common mistakes, and gives you a detailed checklist before submission.

Quick Answer: Texas McCombs MBA Essay Tips & Analysis 2026-2027

For the current Fall 2027 Full-Time MBA application, Texas McCombs requires two written essays.

Each response has a maximum length of:

250 words

The school first introduced this two-essay structure in the previous cycle, and the current Fall 2027 application page continues to list the same prompts.

Applicants also complete a required post-submission video assessment.

Essay 1: Looking Back on Your McCombs MBA

McCombs asks you to imagine that you have reached the end of your MBA.

Looking backward, explain why choosing Texas McCombs proved to be the right decision for your professional and personal development.

Your response should consider how you used:

• Academics
• Hands-on learning
• The McCombs community
• Programme resources

You should also explain how you contributed to the McCombs community rather than discussing only what you received.

This is essentially a:

Why McCombs + Growth + Contribution essay

but written from the perspective of your future self.

The strongest structure is:

Who I need to become → How McCombs helped → What I actively did → What I contributed → Who I became

The essay should not become:

“McCombs has a great curriculum, Austin is exciting, and I will join three clubs.”

Instead, begin with your development needs.

For example:

“I can diagnose customer and operational problems today, but I need to become capable of owning product, commercial, and cross-functional decisions.”

Now choose McCombs experiences that help produce that growth.

Perhaps:

• Relevant custom core courses
• Concentrations
• McCombs+
• Micro-consulting projects
• Professional coaching
• Fellows Programs
• Investment Funds
• Student organizations
• Career Management
• Global learning
• Texas Venture Labs
• Study teams
• Leadership experiences

Every resource should have a purpose.

Essay 2: Your Core Value

McCombs asks you to identify a core value that defines you and share a specific example showing how that value has guided your decisions and actions.

You should also explain how the value has affected:

• Your leadership style
• Your life path
• Your future growth
• Your McCombs contribution

This is not a values-list essay.

Do not write:

“My core values are integrity, collaboration, empathy, curiosity, resilience, and excellence.”

Choose one.

Possible values include:

• Responsibility
• Curiosity
• Courage
• Generosity
• Fairness
• Independence
• Service
• Candor
• Loyalty
• Accountability
• Inclusion
• Craftsmanship
• Learning
• Integrity
• Stewardship
• Resourcefulness
• Reliability

But the label itself matters less than the evidence.

The core strategy is:

Value → Decision → Action → Consequence → Leadership pattern → McCombs contribution

For example:

Weak:

“My core value is inclusion because I believe everybody deserves a voice.”

Stronger:

“My core value is making participation easier. As a student who often understood a topic but hesitated to speak in unfamiliar rooms, I learned how easily groups mistake confidence for capability.”

The second response gives you somewhere to go.

You can then show how that value affects what you actually do:

• Ask quieter teammates for their views
• Design beginner-friendly recruiting groups
• Share information
• Create onboarding systems
• Challenge exclusion
• Build psychological safety

Now the value is behavioral.

Required Video Assessment

After submitting the application, Full-Time MBA applicants receive access to McCombs’ video assessment.

Current official instructions state:

• 6 question prompts
• 90 seconds per response
• Applicants have 7 days after receiving access to complete it
• The school uses the assessment to hear applicants in their own voices
• Some introductory prompts may be viewed without contributing to the scored assessment

The assessment is designed to complement the written application.

McCombs has previously identified relevant competencies such as:

• Leadership
• Collaboration
• Adaptability
• Resilience
• Empathy
• Inclusivity
• Ambition
• Career goals
• Self-awareness
• Communication
• Professionalism

Do not memorize six speeches.

Build a story bank.

Optional Statement

McCombs provides a 250-word optional statement specifically for circumstances such as:

• Employment gaps
• Choice of recommender
• Academic performance issues

This is not another essay opportunity.

Use it when the Admissions Committee genuinely needs context.

What is McCombs really testing through the essays?

The essays are designed to understand both:

What you will do at McCombs

and:

Who will be doing it

Essay 1 evaluates intentionality.

Do you understand:

• What you need?
• Which McCombs experiences provide it?
• How you will actively use them?
• How you will give back?

Essay 2 evaluates values.

Do your stated beliefs actually affect:

• Decisions
• Leadership
• Relationships
• Priorities
• Contribution?

The video then provides another signal of:

• Communication
• Personality
• Self-awareness
• Behavioral consistency

What makes a strong McCombs Essay 1?

Specificity and causality.

A weak response says:

“I chose McCombs because of its flexible curriculum, experiential learning, Austin location, strong alumni network, and collaborative culture.”

A stronger response says:

“Moving from engineering into product management required more than adding finance coursework. Through McCombs+’s micro-consulting projects, I practiced translating customer ambiguity into commercial recommendations, while Product Management coursework strengthened the product judgment I lacked.”

Now the school resource produces a result.

The essay should make the reader understand:

I needed X.

I used McCombs resource Y.

I did Z with it.

As a result, I became more capable of A.

What makes a strong McCombs Essay 2?

A strong Essay 2 does not simply tell McCombs which value you admire.

It shows which value affects your choices when something is at stake.

A value becomes meaningful when it affects:

• Time
• Money
• Opportunity
• Relationships
• Convenience
• Recognition
• Risk
• Career choices
• Leadership decisions

Ask:

When has this value made me choose one path over another?

That is probably where your essay lives.

Quick Texas McCombs MBA essay checklist

Before submitting, ask:

• Does Essay 1 begin with my development rather than school features?
• Have I addressed both professional and personal growth?
• Are my McCombs resources specific?
• Does every resource connect with a development need?
• Have I shown what I will contribute?
• Is Essay 1 truly specific to McCombs?
• Does Essay 2 focus on one core value?
• Is there a real example demonstrating that value?
• Did the value affect a decision or action?
• Is its influence on my leadership clear?
• Have I explained how the value will show up at McCombs?
• Do the two essays reveal different dimensions?
• Am I prepared for six 90-second video responses?
• Is my optional statement genuinely necessary?
• Does the overall application sound like one coherent person?

Texas McCombs MBA Essay Prompts and Requirements 2026-2027

The current Fall 2027 Texas McCombs Full-Time MBA application requires two essays with a maximum length of 250 words each.

You can verify the current application requirements on the official Texas McCombs Full-Time MBA application page.

The current Full-Time MBA application also lists three deadlines:

• Round 1: October 15, 2026
• Round 2: January 15, 2027
• Round 3: April 1, 2027

Always confirm requirements in the live application before submitting.

What Texas McCombs Is Really Testing Through the Essays

McCombs says its essays are intended to reveal motivations, values, aspirations, and stories not fully captured elsewhere in the application.

That is exactly how you should use them.

Your resume already shows:

• Employer
• Role
• Promotion
• Results
• Leadership
• Activities

Your transcript shows academic history.

Your recommendation provides someone else’s view of your performance.

The essays need to add interpretation.

1. Intentionality

Essay 1 is fundamentally about intentional MBA use.

McCombs offers enormous flexibility.

More than 70 percent of the Full-Time MBA coursework is currently self-selected, and students can choose among more than 100 electives.

That flexibility is only useful when you know what you need.

The Admissions Committee is therefore asking:

What will you actually do with all of this choice?

A strong applicant does not write:

“I value flexibility.”

They write:

“I need to combine product management with finance and analytics because my intended role requires me to balance customer needs with unit economics and technical feasibility.”

Now curricular flexibility has a reason.

2. Self-Awareness

Essay 1 asks about personal growth as well as professional growth.

That means you cannot write 250 words entirely about:

• Coursework
• Recruiting
• Internship
• Job outcome

Ask:

What do I need to become better at as a person or leader?

Potential areas include:

• Confidence
• Delegation
• Conflict
• Communication
• Decision-making
• Asking for help
• Listening
• Leading people with different styles
• Speaking before certainty
• Giving feedback
• Developing others
• Building relationships

That makes the retrospective essay much more interesting.

3. Resourcefulness

McCombs gives students many different ways to learn.

For example:

• Academics
• McCombs+
• Fellows Programs
• Investment Funds
• Micro-consulting projects
• Coaching
• Career resources
• Global programmes
• Clubs
• Study teams
• Wider UT Austin opportunities

Essay 1 rewards applicants who create a coherent personal MBA from those options.

4. Community Contribution

McCombs explicitly asks what you contributed.

That is important.

The essay should not read like a transaction:

“I received an education, network, internship, and job.”

The community also needs something from you.

Your contribution may involve:

• Mentoring
• Recruiting support
• Industry expertise
• Club leadership
• Cultural programming
• Teaching
• Community building
• Social activities
• Peer coaching
• Entrepreneurship
• Service
• Creating a new initiative
• Strengthening something that already exists

Contribution does not need to mean founding a club.

Often, strengthening an existing community is more credible.

5. Values

Essay 2 asks directly for a core value.

The Admissions Committee can therefore compare:

What you say matters

with:

What your story shows mattered

That makes vague value language dangerous.

If you say:

“Integrity”

but your example merely describes telling the truth in a low-stakes situation, the essay may feel shallow.

Find a situation where the value affected something real.

6. Leadership Philosophy

The second prompt explicitly asks how the value influenced your leadership style.

That means your example should ideally allow some connection with:

• How you make decisions
• How you treat people
• How you build teams
• How you handle disagreement
• How you distribute responsibility
• How you use power
• What standards you hold

Even a personal value can lead to a leadership philosophy.

7. Authenticity

The application uses both essays and video to see beyond polished credentials.

McCombs has described its ideal community through qualities such as:

• Brave
• Pioneering
• Innovative
• Enterprising
• Dynamic
• Resilient
• Open-minded
• Collaborative
• Down-to-earth
• Optimistic

Do not turn these words into an essay checklist.

But they suggest that McCombs values people who combine ambition with approachability.

8. Collaboration

McCombs deliberately organizes the first-year experience around cohorts and study teams.

First-year students work with study teams containing classmates with different backgrounds and strengths.

That means:

How will you behave around other people?

is not a theoretical admissions question.

It is central to the MBA experience.

Essay 2 can provide strong evidence.

9. Growth Mindset

Both essays contain growth.

Essay 1:

How will you grow?

Essay 2:

How has a value shaped your growth and how will it continue to do so?

The video can also test coachability and self-awareness.

The ideal applicant is therefore not someone claiming:

“I am already a complete leader.”

It is someone who understands:

What I bring + What I still need

How the Two Texas McCombs MBA Essays Should Work Together

This is one of the most important strategic decisions.

Do not write the essays independently and hope they fit.

Read them as a pair.

Essay 1 should answer:

What will I intentionally do with McCombs?

Essay 2 should answer:

What principle will guide how I do it?

That creates a useful division.

Example application

Essay 1:

You are moving from consulting into product management.

You explain how the Strategic Product and Marketing curriculum, McCombs+ micro-consulting work, leadership coaching, and MBA Tech Club help you develop product ownership while you contribute case-interview support to career switchers.

Essay 2:

Your core value is creating access to hidden knowledge, developed because you were the first person in your family to navigate competitive university admissions.

Now McCombs sees:

• Career direction
• Development needs
• School fit
• Contribution
• Background
• Values
• Leadership

Excellent range.

Weak application

Essay 1:

You are collaborative and will contribute to community.

Essay 2:

Your core value is collaboration.

Video:

You discuss teamwork.

Recommendation:

Your recommender says you collaborate.

The application becomes repetitive.

Use your limited essay space to broaden the picture.

Texas McCombs Essay 1 Analysis: Imagine Yourself at the End of the MBA

Essay 1 asks you to imagine that you have completed the McCombs MBA and look backward on the experience.

The response should explain:

• Why McCombs was the right decision
• How you grew professionally
• How you grew personally
• How you used academics
• How you used hands-on learning
• How you participated in the community
• How you contributed

Limit:

250 words

That is a lot.

The future-retrospective format is what makes this essay distinctive.

Why does McCombs ask you to write from the future?

Because future retrospection forces specificity.

Compare:

“I hope to participate in McCombs+.”

with:

“Through a McCombs+ micro-consulting project, I practiced translating customer ambiguity into a commercial recommendation before my product-management internship.”

The second forces you to imagine:

What did I actually do?

and:

What changed because I did it?

That creates a better essay.

Think of the essay as your McCombs graduation reflection

Imagine somebody asks:

Was the MBA worth it?

Your answer should not be:

“Yes, because I got a job.”

A richer answer might be:

“I entered McCombs as a technical specialist who was comfortable solving defined problems. I left capable of defining which problem a business should solve, making decisions across functions, and leading people who did not share my technical background.”

That is transformation.

Now identify which McCombs experiences caused it.

Step 1: Identify the future version of yourself

Before researching school resources, write:

At graduation, what can I do that I cannot do today?

Professional examples:

• Own product decisions
• Allocate capital
• Lead P&L
• Advise executives
• Manage cross-functional teams
• Build companies
• Evaluate investments
• Lead marketing strategy
• Operate internationally

Personal examples:

• Delegate
• Give difficult feedback
• Communicate with conviction
• Lead through uncertainty
• Ask for help
• Build relationships more deliberately
• Listen better
• Manage conflict
• Become comfortable being wrong

Your essay becomes much easier after identifying the transformation.

Step 2: Identify McCombs experiences that produce it

The school offers many.

Choose only those that matter.

McCombs Resource 1: Flexible Curriculum

The current Full-Time MBA curriculum allows students to self-select more than 70 percent of their coursework and choose from more than 100 electives.

This is a powerful Essay 1 resource when your goals require a combination of disciplines.

For example:

Product manager

You may need:

• Marketing
• Analytics
• Technology
• Finance
• Strategy

Entrepreneur

You may need:

• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Marketing
• Operations
• Technology

Energy investor

You may need:

• Finance
• Energy
• Sustainability
• Regulation
• Strategy

General manager

You may need:

• Leadership
• Finance
• Marketing
• Operations
• Strategy

Weak:

“McCombs’ flexible curriculum allowed me to tailor my MBA.”

Stronger:

“Combining Product Management with Business Analytics helped me move beyond intuitive customer decisions and evaluate product trade-offs through both user evidence and economics.”

Now flexibility did something.

McCombs Resource 2: Custom Core

McCombs includes core business foundations and allows students to personalize parts of the core through Custom Core selections.

This can be useful if your development needs begin early in the programme.

Again:

Do not mention Custom Core simply because it is distinctive.

Connect it with an actual gap.

McCombs Resource 3: McCombs+

McCombs+ provides co-curricular and experiential learning, including:

• Micro-consulting projects
• Industry seminars
• Professional coaches
• Communication coaching
• Leadership coaching
• Global experiences

This is extremely useful for Essay 1 because the prompt explicitly asks about hands-on learning and personal development.

Career switcher example

Weak:

“McCombs+ gave me experiential learning.”

Stronger:

“A McCombs+ micro-consulting project let me practice customer strategy in technology before recruiting for product roles, while communication coaching helped me translate my analytical recommendations into shorter executive narratives.”

Now we can see both professional and personal growth.

McCombs Resource 4: Individual Coaching

McCombs+ includes access to professional coaches across areas such as:

• Communication
• Leadership
• Strategy
• Organizational culture
• Personal brand

This can address personal development.

For example:

“I entered McCombs comfortable preparing recommendations but less effective defending them spontaneously. Communication coaching and repeated project presentations helped me become more concise and confident when challenged.”

Excellent Essay 1 material.

McCombs Resource 5: Fellows Programs

McCombs offers Fellows Programs providing in-depth experience in specific industries or functions.

Depending on the applicant’s goal, these can offer:

• Specialized coursework
• Real-world projects
• Company exposure
• Industry speakers
• Recruiting preparation
• Functional experience

Current areas include programs connected with functions and industries such as marketing, operations, healthcare, and finance-related paths.

Because Fellows Programs are selective and can evolve, verify the exact programme before naming it.

The strategic value is:

Depth + application

McCombs Resource 6: Investment Funds

For finance applicants, McCombs offers hands-on investment experiences through funds and related programs.

Potential applicants interested in:

• Investment management
• Private equity
• Venture capital
• Real estate
• Finance

can use these where relevant.

Again, explain the decision-making practice, not just prestige.

McCombs Resource 7: Texas Venture Labs

Entrepreneurship applicants may find Texas Venture Labs especially useful.

It allows students to work with emerging companies and apply:

• Market analysis
• Commercialization
• Customer research
• Strategy
• Venture thinking

For someone moving into startups or product:

“Texas Venture Labs helped me learn to evaluate early-stage opportunities where market evidence was incomplete and speed mattered as much as analytical certainty.”

That is much better than:

“Austin has a strong startup ecosystem.”

McCombs Resource 8: Austin

Austin can be an important McCombs advantage.

But it is also one of the easiest things to write poorly.

Weak:

“Austin is a thriving technology hub.”

True.

So what?

Stronger:

“Because I wanted to move into enterprise technology product management, studying in Austin let me build relationships with operators and startups throughout the MBA rather than treating industry exposure as something confined to summer recruiting.”

Now location supports action.

Austin may be particularly relevant for:

• Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Venture capital
• Energy
• Consumer
• Healthcare
• Real estate
• Creative industries

Use it when it directly strengthens your journey.

McCombs Resource 9: Career Management

Full-Time MBA students receive access to:

• Dedicated career consultants
• Second-year Peer Career Coaches
• Employer events
• Specialty coaching
• Career planning
• Interview preparation
• Alumni support

The first-semester Strategic Career Planning course also helps students develop goals, interview skills, personal branding, and career research.

This is particularly useful for career switchers.

Weak:

“Career Management helped me secure my dream job.”

Stronger:

“As a career switcher, my Peer Career Coach and career adviser helped me translate five years of energy operations into a consulting narrative centered on transferable problem-solving and sector expertise.”

Specific.

McCombs Resource 10: Study Teams

McCombs assigns first-year students to study teams of roughly four to six students with different backgrounds and strengths.

This is excellent material for personal development.

Suppose you need to improve:

• Delegation
• Conflict management
• Listening
• Cross-functional communication
• Trust

Your study team can become part of the development mechanism.

Example:

“My first-year study team forced me to stop equating speed with leadership. Working with classmates who approached problems through finance, operations, and marketing taught me to ask for competing views before moving the group toward a decision.”

Now community contributes to growth.

McCombs Resource 11: Student Organizations

McCombs currently lists more than 40 Full-Time MBA student organizations across:

• Professional development
• Affinity communities
• Social and sports interests
• Leadership

Examples include:

• MBA Tech Club
• Graduate Consulting Group
• Graduate Finance Association
• Graduate Marketing Network
• MBA Healthcare Association
• South Asian Business Association
• International MBA Student Association
• Graduate Business Council
• McCombs Ambassador Committee
• Food and Beverage Innovation Club
• MBA Soccer Club
• MBA Wellness Collective

Do not list four clubs.

Choose the organization where you can explain both:

What I gain

and:

What I give

Step 3: Explain contribution

Essay 1 explicitly requires this.

Possible professional contributions:

• Case interview practice
• Product interview workshops
• Industry education
• Recruiting advice
• Alumni or employer connections
• Technical workshops

Possible community contributions:

• Cultural programming
• Mentoring
• Newcomer support
• Community service
• Student government
• Wellness activities

Possible personal contributions:

• Sports
• Food
• Music
• Hiking
• Hosting
• Social traditions

Contribution should feel consistent with past behavior.

Weak contribution

“I contributed to the MBA Tech Club by sharing my experience.”

Stronger:

“Drawing on the product case workshops I had run for analysts at work, I organized beginner practice sessions for classmates entering technology from finance and consulting.”

Now the contribution is believable.

Step 4: Include personal growth

This is easy to forget because the essay contains so much Why McCombs content.

Possible personal transformation:

Before

“I avoided difficult feedback.”

McCombs experience

Leadership coaching + study teams.

After

“I learned to address disagreement before it turned into frustration.”

Another:

Before

“I relied on analysis before speaking.”

Experience

Class participation + project presentations + communication coaching.

After

“I became comfortable articulating a recommendation before every uncertainty was resolved.”

That is personal growth.

Recommended Essay 1 structure

You only have 250 words.

A useful structure:

Opening: 35 to 45 words

Describe the future transformation.

Academic and professional growth: 80 to 90 words

Connect one or two resources to capabilities.

Personal growth and community: 65 to 75 words

Show how people and experiences changed your leadership.

Contribution and closing: 45 to 60 words

Explain what you gave back and why McCombs was the right choice.

You do not need to follow this mechanically.

But balance matters.

Weak Essay 1 direction

“Looking back, McCombs was the right choice because of its flexible curriculum, strong faculty, collaborative culture, Austin location, experiential learning, career resources, and alumni network. I took advantage of many electives and joined the Tech Club. These opportunities helped me grow professionally and personally and achieve my career goals.”

Why weak?

The applicant is almost invisible.

McCombs features dominate.

No development gap.

No action.

No contribution.

No personal growth.

Stronger direction

“Looking back, McCombs changed me from an operations analyst who diagnosed product problems into a product manager comfortable owning customer, technical, and commercial trade-offs.

Product Management and Business Analytics coursework strengthened my decision-making, while a McCombs+ micro-consulting project let me test those skills on a live technology problem before internship recruiting. Communication coaching addressed a different gap: my habit of overexplaining analysis when senior audiences needed a recommendation.

My study team accelerated the personal change. Learning beside classmates who challenged my instinct to solve problems alone made me more deliberate about seeking opposing views and delegating ownership.

I tried to return that support through MBA Tech Club, adapting the beginner product-case sessions I had run at work for classmates entering technology from other functions.

McCombs was the right choice because the flexibility I initially valued became something more useful: an environment where I could deliberately practice becoming the operator, communicator, and teammate my next career required.”

Specific.

Balanced.

McCombs-focused.

How Much School Research Should Essay 1 Include?

A lot of applicants assume more resource names equal stronger fit.

They do not.

Three well-used resources beat seven named resources.

Ask of every school reference:

What sentence would disappear if I removed this resource?

If the answer is:

“Nothing meaningful”

delete it.

For example:

“McCombs+ offers micro-consulting.”

Fact.

But:

“I need live customer-facing strategy experience before recruiting, so a McCombs+ micro-consulting project would let me practice…”

Fit.

The Replacement Test

Take your Essay 1.

Replace:

“Texas McCombs”

with:

“UCLA Anderson”

Does most of the essay still work?

If yes, you probably have generic MBA content.

The strongest essays rely on:

• McCombs-specific structures
• Your specific development needs
• A specific plan for using them

That combination is hard to transplant.

Texas McCombs Essay 2 Analysis: Core Value

Essay 2 asks you to identify a core value, give a specific example of how it guided your decisions and actions, and explain how it shaped your leadership, life path, future development, and McCombs contribution.

Limit:

250 words

This is more difficult than it appears.

Applicants often choose the value too quickly.

They write:

“Integrity.”

Then they search for an integrity story.

Reverse the process.

Start with important decisions

Ask:

When have I made a decision that reveals what I value?

Examples:

• Chose family responsibility over relocation
• Challenged a senior leader
• Shared credit
• Gave someone a second chance
• Left a prestigious path
• Declined a shortcut
• Advocated for a teammate
• Took responsibility for failure
• Helped someone without obvious benefit
• Chose learning over status
• Created access to information
• Persisted with a community commitment
• Changed a process because it was unfair

Now ask:

What value was underneath that behavior?

That usually produces a more authentic essay.

What makes a good core value?

A strong value should be:

Personal

You can explain where it comes from.

Behavioral

It affects what you actually do.

Tested

There is at least one situation where following the value required a choice.

Relevant

It influences leadership or relationships.

Future-facing

It can plausibly shape your McCombs contribution.

Value Option 1: Responsibility

A strong responsibility essay might involve:

• Family
• Team
• Customers
• Community
• Professional ownership

Weak:

“I value responsibility because leaders should be accountable.”

Stronger:

“My parents taught me responsibility.”

Still broad.

Better:

“When my father’s business closed temporarily, I delayed a planned relocation and assumed several household expenses while my brother finished university.”

Now responsibility is behavior.

Value Option 2: Candor

This can produce a strong leadership essay.

Perhaps you believe respecting people includes telling them what they need to hear.

Show:

• Difficult feedback
• Challenging leadership
• Admitting a mistake
• Surface conflict rather than avoiding it

But avoid presenting bluntness as virtue.

Strong candor includes:

Truth + Respect

Value Option 3: Curiosity

Curiosity can work if you demonstrate its effect on decisions.

Weak:

“I ask lots of questions.”

Stronger:

“When customer complaints contradicted our dashboard, I spent two days listening to support calls instead of treating them as outliers, which exposed a failure our metric did not capture.”

Now curiosity changed an outcome.

Value Option 4: Inclusion

Do not make inclusion an abstract diversity statement.

Show:

• What exclusion you noticed
• What you did
• How it shaped leadership

For example:

“When I noticed new analysts stopped attending case-prep groups after their first poor session, I created a beginner track where nobody was expected to arrive prepared.”

Now inclusion is designed into behavior.

Value Option 5: Generosity

Generosity can involve:

• Time
• Knowledge
• Access
• Credit
• Opportunity
• Mentoring
• Relationships

Again, show cost.

A value is more credible when following it is not entirely convenient.

Value Option 6: Excellence

This can work, but be careful.

Many MBA essays already overflow with achievement.

If your value is excellence, define what it means.

Perhaps excellence means:

• Craftsmanship
• Reliability
• Continuous improvement
• Sustainable results
• Raising standards for a team

Do not simply use it to write another performance essay.

Value Option 7: Independence

Potentially interesting.

Maybe your background taught you self-reliance.

But strong reflection may acknowledge where independence becomes a limitation.

For example:

“My instinct to solve problems alone has helped me survive unfamiliar situations, but leadership has taught me that independence cannot become reluctance to trust others.”

Now the value has complexity.

Values can have tension

This is often where excellent essays come from.

A strong value can help you and also create blind spots.

Examples:

Responsibility

Strength:

Reliability.

Risk:

Taking on too much yourself.

Candor

Strength:

Clarity.

Risk:

Insufficient empathy.

Curiosity

Strength:

Better understanding.

Risk:

Slow decisions.

Loyalty

Strength:

Trust.

Risk:

Avoiding difficult accountability.

Independence

Strength:

Resourcefulness.

Risk:

Reluctance to ask for help.

Excellence

Strength:

Quality.

Risk:

Perfectionism.

If your essay can acknowledge that complexity, it demonstrates maturity.

Part 1: State the value

Do not spend 60 words defining it philosophically.

Get to the story.

Weak:

“Integrity is the foundation of everything I do because without integrity no leader can build trust.”

Generic.

Stronger:

“I define responsibility as refusing to let ownership disappear when circumstances become inconvenient.”

Then story.

Part 2: Show a specific example

This is the core of the essay.

You need:

• Situation
• Choice
• Action
• Consequence

For example:

“During a client implementation, I discovered that a forecasting error originated in an assumption I had approved. Correcting it would delay the launch and force an uncomfortable conversation with the client.”

Now the value can be tested.

Part 3: Explain leadership impact

How has the value shaped your leadership?

For example:

“That experience changed how I lead. I now surface mistakes before assigning causes and make it explicit that team members will not be punished for raising problems early.”

Now value becomes leadership practice.

Part 4: Connect with McCombs

The contribution should arise naturally.

If your value is:

Knowledge should circulate

your contribution might involve:

• Peer coaching
• Recruiting preparation
• Mentorship

If your value is:

Curiosity

perhaps you contribute through:

• Class discussions
• Cross-industry conversations
• Research
• Student organizations

If your value is:

Community

perhaps:

• Affinity organizations
• Social rituals
• Student government
• Newcomer support

Again:

Value → Behavior → Contribution

Recommended Essay 2 structure

Value and origin: 35 to 45 words

State the value concisely.

Specific example: 100 to 120 words

Show decision and action.

Leadership reflection: 45 to 55 words

How has it shaped you?

McCombs contribution and growth: 45 to 60 words

How will it show up in the MBA?

Weak Essay 2

“My core value is integrity. Integrity has guided me throughout my personal and professional life and helped me become a trustworthy leader. I believe leaders must always do the right thing even when it is difficult. At McCombs, I will bring integrity to my study team, student clubs, and classroom discussions while learning from others.”

Why weak?

No story.

No actual decision.

No unique definition.

No evidence.

Generic contribution.

Stronger direction

“My core value is making knowledge easier to access. I developed it as the first person in my family to navigate competitive university admissions, where the hardest part was often not ability but knowing which questions to ask.

Years later, I noticed the same pattern at work. Junior analysts who had never recruited for consulting avoided our case-practice groups because everyone else appeared to know the rules. I created beginner sessions where the first meeting required no preparation and published our practice materials openly rather than circulating them through informal networks.

Several analysts who began in those sessions later coached incoming colleagues themselves.

That experience shaped my leadership style. I try to notice when information has become a source of power and ask whether sharing it would help other people participate more confidently.

At McCombs, I would bring that instinct to peer recruiting, study teams, and professional clubs while learning where my own assumptions create barriers I do not yet see.”

Now the value is specific and actionable.

How to Choose the Right Core Value for McCombs Essay 2

Use this process.

Step 1: List five decisions you are proud of

Not accomplishments.

Decisions.

Step 2: Ask what principle connected them

Perhaps:

• Responsibility
• Learning
• Fairness
• Community
• Candor
• Service

Step 3: Choose the decision with the strongest tension

When was following the value not automatic?

Step 4: Check whether the story reveals leadership

Can you explain how this value affects other people?

Step 5: Check whether the value can contribute at McCombs

Not through slogans.

Through behavior.

That is your strongest candidate.

Should the Value Be Professional or Personal?

Either.

A personal story can be particularly useful if Essay 1 is already professionally oriented.

For example:

Essay 1:

Professional transformation into fintech.

Essay 2:

Value of responsibility shaped by caring for family.

Now McCombs sees more range.

But a professional Essay 2 can also work when it reveals genuine values rather than another achievement.

Use the story that best demonstrates the value.

Can You Use a Family Story?

Yes.

Family stories can be excellent because values often originate in family experiences.

But the essay still needs to be about you.

Weak:

“My mother taught me resilience.”

Most of the essay becomes her story.

Stronger:

“My mother’s experience taught me X, and when I later faced Y, I chose Z because of it.”

Now the value transfers into your behavior.

Can You Use a Failure?

Absolutely.

A failure can be particularly revealing if it caused you to understand your value more clearly.

Perhaps your value is:

Accountability

because you learned the consequences of initially avoiding it.

The story does not need to show you behaved perfectly from the beginning.

Growth can make the value more believable.

McCombs Essay 1 and Essay 2 Examples: Weak vs Strong

These examples illustrate strategy.

Do not copy them.

Essay 1 Example: Career Growth

Weak:

“McCombs helped me develop strong business skills.”

Strong:

“Product Management and Business Analytics coursework helped me move from interpreting customer data to owning decisions about which customer problems deserved product investment.”

Why stronger:

The development is specific.

Essay 1 Example: Experiential Learning

Weak:

“McCombs+ provided hands-on learning.”

Strong:

“A McCombs+ micro-consulting project gave me my first opportunity to make a customer strategy recommendation where the answer affected a real organization rather than a classroom grade.”

Why stronger:

We understand why the experience mattered.

Essay 1 Example: Personal Growth

Weak:

“I became a more confident leader.”

Strong:

“Communication coaching helped me stop treating every presentation as a defense of my analysis and start treating it as a decision conversation requiring a clear recommendation.”

Why stronger:

Growth is behavioral.

Essay 1 Example: Study Team

Weak:

“My study team exposed me to diverse perspectives.”

Strong:

“My study team challenged my habit of solving problems before asking how others framed them, especially when classmates from finance and marketing questioned assumptions I considered obvious.”

Why stronger:

The perspective changed behavior.

Essay 1 Example: Contribution

Weak:

“I contributed to the Tech Club.”

Strong:

“I adapted the beginner product-case sessions I had run at work for classmates entering technology from finance, operations, and consulting.”

Why stronger:

Contribution is an action.

Essay 1 Example: Austin

Weak:

“Austin’s technology ecosystem helped me build my network.”

Strong:

“Studying five minutes from downtown Austin let me turn industry research into repeated conversations with product leaders and startup operators throughout the MBA rather than relying solely on formal recruiting.”

Why stronger:

Geography serves a purpose.

Essay 2 Example: Value

Weak:

“My core value is empathy.”

Strong:

“My core value is understanding how another person defines the problem before I offer a solution.”

Why stronger:

The value is behaviorally specific.

Essay 2 Example: Integrity

Weak:

“Integrity means always doing the right thing.”

Strong:

“Integrity means making bad news visible before I know how to fix it.”

Why stronger:

Distinctive and testable.

Essay 2 Example: Curiosity

Weak:

“I am naturally curious.”

Strong:

“When customer complaints contradicted our dashboard, I spent two days listening to support calls rather than dismissing the comments as anecdotal.”

Why stronger:

Curiosity drives action.

Essay 2 Example: Inclusion

Weak:

“I value inclusion because diverse teams perform better.”

Strong:

“After new analysts stopped attending case-practice sessions after poor first attempts, I created a beginner group where nobody was expected to know the format beforehand.”

Why stronger:

Inclusion becomes system design.

Essay 2 Example: Leadership

Weak:

“My value has made me a collaborative leader.”

Strong:

“Because I believe knowledge should circulate, I now share context before delegating decisions rather than giving teammates tasks without explaining the trade-offs behind them.”

Why stronger:

Leadership behavior is clear.

Essay 2 Example: Contribution

Weak:

“I will bring this value to the McCombs community.”

Strong:

“At McCombs, that instinct would shape how I support career switchers in peer recruiting groups and how I share industry knowledge within my study team.”

Why stronger:

The value has a destination.

Optional Statement Example

Weak:

“My undergraduate GPA does not reflect my academic potential.”

Strong:

“My second-year grades declined after a change in my family’s finances required me to work approximately 25 hours per week. My performance improved after the situation stabilized, including substantially stronger quantitative grades in my final year.”

Why stronger:

Context replaces assertion.

Reapplicant Example

Weak:

“I have strengthened my profile through a promotion, higher test score, and more leadership.”

Strong:

“My previous application described leadership mostly through projects I personally drove. Managing three direct reports this year has changed that definition: I now measure my effectiveness less by my own output and more by whether my team can make sound decisions without waiting for me.”

Why stronger:

Growth is interpreted.

Texas McCombs Video Assessment Analysis

The video assessment is a required part of the Full-Time MBA application.

Applicants receive access after submitting the application.

Current official Full-Time MBA instructions state that:

• There are six prompts
• Applicants receive 90 seconds per response
• Applicants have seven days after gaining access to complete the assessment
• McCombs uses the assessment to understand the applicant beyond written materials
• Introductory prompt(s) may be viewed without being scored

The exact questions are not publicly guaranteed in advance.

Do not build your preparation around leaked or outdated prompt lists.

What is McCombs evaluating?

The school has previously described competencies including:

• Career goals
• Ambition
• Adaptability
• Resilience
• Empathy
• Inclusivity
• Collaboration
• Self-awareness
• Communication
• Professionalism
• Poise

That gives you a useful preparation framework.

Build a story bank

Prepare stories covering:

Leadership

When did you influence or guide others?

Teamwork

When did a team work well?

Conflict

When did you disagree?

Failure

What did not work?

Feedback

What difficult feedback changed you?

Achievement

What are you proud of?

Adaptability

When did conditions change?

Inclusion

When did you help someone participate?

Career goals

What are you pursuing and why?

Why MBA

What do you need now?

Why McCombs

Why does this programme fit those needs?

Personal interests

Who are you outside work?

Seven or eight strong stories can answer many questions.

Use STAR, but do not sound like STAR

A behavioral response can follow:

Situation → Task → Action → Result → Learning

But do not announce:

“Situation…”

Talk naturally.

Example:

Question:

“Tell us about a time you received difficult feedback.”

Weak:

“I believe feedback is very important because leaders need a growth mindset.”

You are wasting time.

Stronger:

“During my first month managing analysts, one team member told me I was delegating tasks but not decisions. She said she still needed my approval for every meaningful choice.”

Now we have a story.

Continue:

• What did you do?
• What changed?
• What did you learn?

Ninety seconds is enough

At a comfortable speaking pace, 90 seconds may allow roughly 160 to 200 words.

Do not try to fill every second.

A concise 70-second response can be stronger than a 90-second ramble.

Recommended behavioral response structure

First 15 seconds

Context.

Next 45 to 50 seconds

Action.

Final 20 to 25 seconds

Result and reflection.

The action should dominate.

Career Goals Video Example

Weak:

“My career goal is to work in technology because I am passionate about innovation.”

Stronger:

“Post-MBA, I plan to move into product management at a B2B fintech serving small businesses. Working with regional banks showed me how often customer problems originate in products designed around internal processes rather than user needs. I want to move from advising those organizations to owning product decisions directly.”

Clear.

Leadership Video Example

Weak:

“I lead collaboratively.”

Stronger:

“During a product launch, engineering and sales disagreed about whether to delay. Instead of forcing consensus, I asked each team to identify the assumption behind its recommendation and what evidence would change its position.”

Now the leadership style appears through behavior.

Failure Video Example

Weak:

“I once missed a deadline and learned time management.”

Stronger:

“I committed my team to a launch date before involving operations. Compliance requirements discovered late forced a six-week delay. The mistake taught me to separate technical readiness from operational readiness.”

Specific.

Should you memorize responses?

No.

Know your stories.

Know your key points.

Then practice adapting them.

Memorizing scripts creates two problems:

1. The exact question may differ.
2. You sound like someone reciting an answer instead of thinking.

McCombs wants your voice.

Technical preparation

Before beginning:

• Use a reliable internet connection
• Use a laptop or desktop compatible with the required platform
• Test camera and microphone
• Position camera around eye level
• Use a quiet environment
• Make sure your face is well lit
• Remove notifications
• Practice looking at the camera
• Use the available practice functionality

Technical preparation should reduce distraction.

Not create a production studio.

The Optional McCombs MBA Interview

For current Full-Time MBA applicants, the separate virtual interview is not required, but McCombs describes it as highly encouraged.

The interview is generally:

• Conducted virtually
• Hosted by a student ambassador
• Approximately 20 to 30 minutes
• Behavioral in format

The interview gives you another opportunity to demonstrate:

• Collaboration
• Interpersonal skills
• Motivation
• Interest in McCombs
• Communication

If you can reasonably complete it, treating it seriously is sensible.

It is another human component in an admissions process that explicitly emphasizes human-centered evaluation.

Texas McCombs Optional Statement Guidance

The optional statement is limited to:

250 words

McCombs explicitly identifies three common uses:

1. Gaps in work experience
2. Choice of recommender
3. Academic performance issues

This is one of the narrower optional essay prompts among MBA programs.

Follow the school’s intended purpose.

Employment Gap

Explain:

• When
• Why
• What happened
• What you did where relevant
• What happened afterward

Example:

“From April through September 2025, I was between full-time roles after my employer eliminated my division. During the period, I completed product analytics coursework and conducted a focused search for product-strategy positions. I joined my current employer in October.”

Enough.

Recommender Choice

Suppose you cannot use your current manager.

Example:

“I have not asked my current supervisor for a recommendation because I have not disclosed my MBA plans at work. My previous manager supervised me directly for three years and can provide detailed examples of my performance, leadership, and professional growth.”

Clear.

Academic Issue

Use:

Issue → Context → Recovery → Current evidence

Example:

“My second-year grades declined after a change in my family’s financial circumstances required me to work approximately 25 hours each week. My performance improved after the situation stabilized, including stronger quantitative grades in my final year. My current role also requires regular financial modeling and statistical analysis.”

Useful.

What not to use Optional for

Do not use it for:

• Another Why McCombs essay
• Another leadership story
• Another core value
• Another contribution essay
• More career goals
• An accomplishment already visible elsewhere

Optional does not mean:

Bonus essay.

It means:

Additional context where needed.

Texas McCombs Reapplicant Guidance

McCombs’ official admissions guidance says that reapplying is not viewed negatively.

The school emphasizes persistence and growth.

Reapplicants are evaluated within the current applicant pool, while the Admissions Committee can also consider the additional perspective created by the applicant’s previous application history.

McCombs’ public reapplicant guidance highlights three especially important areas of improvement:

1. Academic improvement

Potential evidence:

• Stronger test score
• Additional coursework
• Better quantitative preparation

2. Professional storytelling

Not simply:

“What did you accomplish?”

but:

How did you create the result?

3. Clearer MBA motivation

Reapplicants should sharpen:

• Why MBA?
• Why now?
• Why McCombs?
• How will you contribute?

The current public Full-Time MBA application does not publish a separate dedicated reapplicant essay.

Reapplicants should therefore follow the current application instructions and answer the current required essays rather than relying on an old reapplicant prompt.

Should reapplicants rewrite Essay 1?

Usually review it from scratch.

Your current version should answer:

Why is McCombs right for the person I am now?

If your career goals, development needs, or understanding of McCombs have changed, your essay should change too.

Should reapplicants choose a different value for Essay 2?

Not automatically.

If the same value still genuinely defines you and you have a stronger current example, it may remain appropriate.

Do not manufacture a new identity simply to prove change.

Growth can occur within the same values.

How do you show growth without a separate reapplicant essay?

Across the application.

For example:

Resume:

Promotion and larger responsibility.

Essay 1:

More precise development needs and school plan.

Essay 2:

More mature leadership example.

Recommendation:

Evidence of growth.

Test score:

Improved academic signal.

Optional statement:

Only if explanatory context fits the stated optional-statement purpose.

The complete file can communicate reapplication growth without forcing it into one dedicated essay.

Texas McCombs Test Waiver Guidance

McCombs currently requires a GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, or Executive Assessment unless an applicant qualifies through one of its accepted waiver pathways.

Applicants may request a merit-based test waiver when they can demonstrate strong quantitative or analytical preparation through academic and professional evidence.

Potential evidence may include:

• Quantitative coursework
• Analytical undergraduate degree
• Graduate education
• Financial work
• Data analysis
• Engineering
• Statistics
• Professional certifications
• Significant quantitative professional responsibilities

The waiver request should be completed before submitting the MBA application.

Because this is separate from the essay section, do not distort your required essays into academic-readiness arguments simply because you are requesting a test waiver.

Texas McCombs Resources Worth Researching for Essay 1

Your school-fit section should be individualized.

The following categories are starting points, not a checklist.

Flexible Curriculum

Useful for applicants who need multiple capability areas.

Current Full-Time MBA structure includes:

• Core courses
• Custom Core courses
• 100+ electives
• Optional concentrations
• STEM pathways

McCombs+

Useful for:

• Micro-consulting
• Leadership development
• Communication
• Professional coaching
• Applied learning
• Global experiences

Fellows Programs

Useful for:

• Industry depth
• Functional depth
• Real business exposure
• Recruiting preparation

Investment Funds

Useful for:

• Finance
• Investment management
• Private equity
• Venture capital
• Real estate

Texas Venture Labs

Useful for:

• Entrepreneurship
• Product
• Venture capital
• Commercialization
• Startup strategy

Career Management

Useful for:

• Career switching
• Recruiting
• Industry exploration
• Interview preparation
• Professional positioning

Study Teams

Useful for:

• Leadership
• Collaboration
• Delegation
• Conflict
• Exposure to different professional perspectives

Student Organizations

Useful for both:

Growth

and:

Contribution

Do not simply join.

Explain what you will do.

Austin Ecosystem

Potentially powerful for:

• Technology
• Startups
• Energy
• Healthcare
• Real estate
• Entrepreneurship
• Venture capital

Use the city as an active learning environment, not as a tourism pitch.

UT Austin

The wider University of Texas ecosystem can matter when your goals intersect with other disciplines.

Again, research the specific connection.

Do not simply write:

“UT is a world-class university.”

Common Texas McCombs MBA Essay Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using outdated essay prompts

Use the current Fall 2027 McCombs application.

Mistake 2: Ignoring the future-retrospective format

Essay 1 is deliberately written from the end of the MBA journey.

Use that structure.

Mistake 3: Starting Essay 1 with McCombs resources

Start with your development needs.

Mistake 4: Treating Essay 1 as a traditional Why School essay

McCombs asks about growth and contribution too.

Mistake 5: Writing only about professional growth

The prompt explicitly includes personal growth.

Mistake 6: Writing only about career outcomes

Getting a job is not the entire MBA transformation.

Mistake 7: Listing school resources

Every resource should solve a specific need.

Mistake 8: Mentioning 100+ electives generically

Explain which combination of capabilities you need.

Mistake 9: Saying Austin is a technology hub

Explain what you will actually do because you are in Austin.

Mistake 10: Ignoring contribution

Essay 1 explicitly asks what you gave back.

Mistake 11: Treating club membership as contribution

Joining the MBA Tech Club is participation.

Running a product interview workshop is contribution.

Mistake 12: Making every contribution professional

McCombs is also a community.

Personal and social contribution matter.

Mistake 13: Choosing a core value before choosing the story

Start with important decisions.

Then identify the value.

Mistake 14: Choosing a generic value and defining it abstractly

Evidence matters more than definition.

Mistake 15: Choosing multiple values

The prompt asks for a core value.

Depth beats breadth.

Mistake 16: Using a low-stakes example

Show where the value actually affected a decision.

Mistake 17: Saying a value shaped your leadership without explaining how

Translate the value into repeated behavior.

Mistake 18: Forgetting your life path

The prompt asks how the value affected more than professional leadership.

Mistake 19: Making Essay 2 another achievement story

The result is context.

The value is the essay.

Mistake 20: Repeating Essay 1 contribution language in Essay 2

Use Essay 2 to show why you contribute the way you do.

Mistake 21: Treating the video assessment as an afterthought

It is required.

Mistake 22: Memorizing six answers

You do not know the exact questions.

Build reusable stories.

Mistake 23: Taking 60 seconds to explain context in a 90-second response

Get to your actions quickly.

Mistake 24: Speaking unnaturally fast

Clear beats comprehensive.

Mistake 25: Giving generic video reflections

Use specific learning.

Mistake 26: Ignoring the optional McCombs interview

It is not required for Full-Time MBA applicants, but McCombs strongly encourages participation.

Mistake 27: Using the optional statement as another sales pitch

Use it for its intended explanatory purposes.

Mistake 28: Overexplaining a minor academic issue

Provide enough context, then stop.

Mistake 29: Reapplying with essentially the same application

McCombs’ own guidance emphasizes growth.

Mistake 30: Assuming reapplication itself is negative

McCombs explicitly says it is not.

Mistake 31: Using generic MBA language

“World-class faculty.”

“Collaborative culture.”

“Strong network.”

“Hands-on learning.”

Explain what these actually mean for you.

Mistake 32: Trying to sound like a McCombs marketing page

Admissions needs you, not another description of McCombs.

Final Texas McCombs MBA Essay Checklist

Essay 1 Checklist

Before submitting, ask:

1. Have I written from the perspective of completing the MBA?
2. Is my professional transformation clear?
3. Is my personal transformation clear?
4. Have I explained why those changes matter?
5. Have I selected only the most relevant McCombs resources?
6. Does every resource address a specific need?
7. Have I included academics?
8. Have I included hands-on learning where relevant?
9. Have I included community?
10. Have I shown how I contributed?
11. Are my contributions actions rather than memberships?
12. Have I demonstrated what I personally did?
13. Have I avoided a resource list?
14. Have I explained why McCombs was the right MBA specifically?
15. Would the essay lose meaning if I replaced McCombs with another school?
16. Is the response within 250 words?

Essay 2 Checklist

Ask:

1. Have I identified one core value?
2. Is it genuinely important to me?
3. Is there a specific example?
4. Did the value affect a real decision?
5. Is my action clear?
6. Is the consequence clear?
7. Have I explained why I chose that action?
8. Does the example demonstrate rather than merely state the value?
9. Have I explained how the value shaped my leadership?
10. Have I explained how it affected my broader life path where relevant?
11. Have I shown how it will influence my McCombs experience?
12. Is my future contribution specific?
13. Have I avoided repeating Essay 1?
14. Is the response within 250 words?

Video Assessment Checklist

Ask:

1. Have I verified the current live instructions?
2. Am I prepared for six prompts?
3. Can I answer within 90 seconds?
4. Do I have five to eight strong behavioral stories?
5. Do those stories cover leadership?
6. Collaboration?
7. Conflict?
8. Failure?
9. Feedback?
10. Adaptability?
11. Career goals?
12. Why MBA and McCombs?
13. Can I provide a direct answer quickly?
14. Do I spend most of the response on my actions?
15. Can I finish with meaningful reflection?
16. Have I practiced without memorizing?
17. Is my camera at eye level?
18. Is my audio clear?
19. Is my internet reliable?
20. Does my delivery sound like me?

Optional Statement Checklist

Ask:

1. Do I have an employment gap requiring explanation?
2. Does my recommender choice require context?
3. Does my academic performance require context?
4. Would the Admissions Committee reasonably have a question without this statement?
5. Have I stated the issue directly?
6. Is the tone factual?
7. Have I explained the circumstances concisely?
8. Have I provided evidence of recovery or readiness where relevant?
9. Have I avoided defensiveness?
10. Have I avoided another Why McCombs essay?
11. Is the response within 250 words?

Reapplicant Checklist

Ask:

1. Have I objectively reviewed my previous application?
2. Has my academic profile improved where necessary?
3. Has my professional responsibility increased?
4. Can I explain how I produced results more clearly?
5. Are my career goals more specific?
6. Is my Why MBA argument stronger?
7. Is my Why Now argument stronger?
8. Is my Why McCombs argument stronger?
9. Is my contribution plan more credible?
10. Have I developed personally as well as professionally?
11. Does my current application reveal meaningful growth?
12. Have I answered the current essays rather than relying on previous-cycle material?
13. Does the application deserve a different evaluation?

Full Texas McCombs MBA Application Checklist

Ask:

1. Does Essay 1 show intentional use of McCombs?
2. Does Essay 1 show both professional and personal growth?
3. Does Essay 1 show contribution?
4. Does Essay 2 reveal a genuine core value?
5. Is that value demonstrated through action?
6. Does Essay 2 reveal something different from Essay 1?
7. Does my video add behavioral and communication evidence?
8. Does my resume show progression and impact?
9. Does my recommendation reinforce my leadership and character?
10. Are my career goals credible?
11. Is my McCombs research specific?
12. Have I shown why Austin matters only where relevant?
13. Have I demonstrated collaboration?
14. Have I demonstrated self-awareness?
15. Have I demonstrated that I still have room to grow?
16. Does the complete application feel coherent without becoming repetitive?
17. Have I removed generic MBA language?
18. Does the application sound like me?

FAQs on Texas McCombs MBA Essays

What are the Texas McCombs MBA essays for 2026-2027?

For the current Fall 2027 Full-Time MBA application, Texas McCombs requires two written essays.

Essay 1 asks applicants to imagine themselves at the completion of their MBA journey and explain why McCombs proved to be the right decision for their personal and professional growth. Applicants should discuss academics, hands-on learning, community involvement, contribution, and programme resources.

Essay 2 asks applicants to identify a core value, demonstrate through a specific example how it has guided their actions and decisions, and explain how it has shaped their leadership, life path, growth, and future McCombs contribution.

How long are the Texas McCombs MBA essays?

Each required essay has a maximum length of 250 words.

Did Texas McCombs change its MBA essays for Fall 2027?

The current Fall 2027 application page continues to list the two 250-word prompts that McCombs originally introduced in the prior admissions cycle.

Applicants should nevertheless verify the exact wording in the current live application before submission.

What is Texas McCombs Essay 1 really asking?

Essay 1 combines:

• Why McCombs
• Professional growth
• Personal growth
• Academic planning
• Experiential learning
• Community participation
• Contribution

The future-looking structure asks you to imagine what you will have done by graduation rather than simply list what you hope to do.

Why does Texas McCombs ask applicants to write Essay 1 from the future?

The format encourages specificity.

Instead of saying that you hope to use a programme resource, you need to imagine how you used it and what changed as a result.

This can make your development plan and school fit more concrete.

Do I need to discuss career goals in Texas McCombs Essay 1?

Your professional direction should provide context for your development needs, but the essay should not become a conventional career goals response.

Use your career plan to explain what you need to learn and how McCombs helps you grow.

Should I include both professional and personal growth in Essay 1?

Yes.

The current prompt explicitly asks why McCombs was right for both professional and personal growth.

Ignoring personal development leaves an important part of the question unanswered.

What counts as personal growth?

Personal growth might involve:

• Leadership
• Communication
• Delegation
• Conflict management
• Self-awareness
• Confidence
• Listening
• Decision-making
• Asking for help
• Leading through ambiguity
• Relationship-building
• Giving feedback

Choose development that genuinely matters for your next stage.

How many Texas McCombs resources should I mention in Essay 1?

There is no official required number.

Within 250 words, two or three highly relevant resources are often more effective than a long list.

Every resource should connect directly with a development need.

What Texas McCombs resources can I discuss in Essay 1?

Depending on your goals, relevant resources may include:

• Custom Core
• 100+ elective courses
• Academic concentrations
• McCombs+
• Micro-consulting projects
• Individual professional coaching
• Fellows Programs
• Investment Funds
• Texas Venture Labs
• Career Management
• Peer Career Coaches
• Global learning
• Study teams
• Student organizations
• Austin’s business ecosystem
• Wider UT Austin resources

Choose only the experiences relevant to your growth plan.

How flexible is the Texas McCombs Full-Time MBA curriculum?

McCombs currently states that more than 70 percent of Full-Time MBA coursework is self-selected after required foundations.

Students have access to more than 100 electives and can pursue optional academic concentrations.

What is McCombs+?

McCombs+ is an experiential and professional-development programme offering opportunities such as:

• Micro-consulting projects
• Industry seminars
• Individual coaching
• Communication coaching
• Leadership development
• Global experiences

It can be particularly relevant in Essay 1 because the prompt explicitly asks about hands-on learning and personal development.

What are Texas McCombs Fellows Programs?

Fellows Programs provide Full-Time MBA students with deeper exposure to particular industries or functions through specialized experiences, coursework, company engagement, and real-world learning.

Available programmes can change, so applicants should verify the current Fellows options before naming one.

What is Texas Venture Labs?

Texas Venture Labs provides students with opportunities to work with startups and emerging businesses around commercialization, markets, strategy, and venture development.

It can be particularly relevant for applicants interested in entrepreneurship, technology, product, venture capital, or startups.

Should I discuss Austin in my McCombs MBA essay?

You can, but only if Austin directly supports your professional or personal development.

Do not simply write that Austin is a growing technology hub.

Explain what studying in Austin allows you to do that matters to your goals.

Does Texas McCombs ask how I will contribute?

Yes.

Essay 1 explicitly asks applicants to explain how they contributed to the McCombs community.

Do not focus only on what you plan to receive.

What counts as contribution to McCombs?

Contribution can include:

• Mentoring
• Recruiting support
• Industry education
• Student leadership
• Professional clubs
• Cultural programming
• Affinity groups
• Community service
• Peer coaching
• Social traditions
• Sports
• Wellness
• Entrepreneurship
• Sharing expertise

Specific behavior is more persuasive than simply stating which clubs you will join.

What is Texas McCombs Essay 2 about?

Essay 2 asks you to identify a core value that defines you and demonstrate through a specific example how it has guided your actions and decisions.

You also need to explain how the value has influenced your leadership style and life path and how it will shape your contribution and development at McCombs.

What core value should I choose for Texas McCombs Essay 2?

There is no ideal value.

Possible choices include:

• Responsibility
• Integrity
• Curiosity
• Service
• Fairness
• Courage
• Inclusion
• Candor
• Accountability
• Generosity
• Learning
• Resourcefulness
• Stewardship
• Reliability

Choose a value that you can prove through a meaningful decision.

Should I choose integrity for the McCombs core value essay?

Integrity can work well if you have a strong and specific example.

Do not choose it simply because it sounds appropriate for business school.

The example matters more than the label.

Can my McCombs core value come from my family?

Yes.

Family experiences often shape genuine values.

However, the essay still needs to show how the value affects your own decisions, leadership, and behavior.

Avoid writing most of the essay about another person.

Does the core value essay need a professional example?

No.

The prompt refers to your decisions, leadership style, and life path more broadly.

A personal, professional, family, entrepreneurial, or community example can work.

Choose the strongest evidence.

How do I show that a value influences my leadership?

Translate the value into behavior.

For example, if your value is candor, perhaps you give difficult feedback earlier.

If your value is inclusion, perhaps you design environments where newcomers can participate.

If your value is responsibility, perhaps you make ownership explicit and surface mistakes early.

Should I explain how my core value will contribute to McCombs?

Yes.

The current prompt asks how the value will shape both your contribution and growth as a McCombs MBA student.

Connect the value to specific future behavior rather than simply saying you will bring it to the community.

Should Essay 1 and Essay 2 use different stories?

Usually, yes.

You have only 500 total written words across both required essays.

Using distinct material can help McCombs understand more dimensions of you.

Can Essay 1 and Essay 2 connect thematically?

Yes.

The essays can reinforce the same broader identity without repeating the same example.

For instance, Essay 1 may show how you plan to support career switchers, while Essay 2 explains the value that makes you care about democratizing access to information.

Is there a Texas McCombs video assessment?

Yes.

The video assessment is required for Full-Time MBA applicants.

How many questions are in the Texas McCombs Full-Time MBA video assessment?

The current Full-Time MBA application page states that applicants receive six video prompts.

How long do I have for each McCombs video response?

Current Full-Time MBA instructions provide up to 90 seconds for each response.

How long do I have to complete the McCombs video assessment?

Applicants currently receive seven days after receiving access to the video assessment platform.

Are all Texas McCombs video questions scored?

McCombs’ current instructions indicate that introductory question or questions may be viewed by the Admissions Committee without contributing to the scored assessment.

Follow the exact instructions provided with your current video invitation.

What kinds of questions should I expect in the McCombs video assessment?

McCombs does not guarantee the exact question set publicly.

Prepare for themes including:

• Leadership
• Collaboration
• Adaptability
• Resilience
• Feedback
• Failure
• Empathy
• Inclusivity
• Career goals
• MBA motivation
• Self-awareness
• Personal interests

Prepare stories rather than memorized answers.

How should I prepare for the McCombs video assessment?

Create a story bank of five to eight experiences covering common behavioral themes.

Practice answering unpredictable questions within 90 seconds.

Focus on:

• Direct answer
• Brief context
• Specific action
• Result
• Reflection

Should I use the STAR framework for McCombs video questions?

STAR can be useful for behavioral questions, but do not make your response sound mechanical.

Use the framework internally to organize your answer.

Speak naturally.

Should I memorize my McCombs video answers?

No.

Prepare stories and key ideas rather than complete scripts.

The exact questions can vary, and memorized responses may sound unnatural or fail to answer the actual prompt.

What is Texas McCombs looking for in the video assessment?

McCombs uses the assessment to understand applicants beyond resumes, test scores, transcripts, and essays.

Its published guidance has highlighted qualities such as communication, collaboration, empathy, adaptability, resilience, ambition, goals, self-awareness, and professionalism.

Is there an interview for Texas McCombs Full-Time MBA applicants?

Yes, but the separate virtual interview is currently optional for Full-Time MBA applicants.

McCombs strongly encourages applicants to participate.

How long is the Texas McCombs MBA interview?

The current Full-Time MBA interview is approximately 20 to 30 minutes and is generally behavioral in format.

It is conducted by an MBA student ambassador.

Does completing the optional McCombs interview guarantee admission?

No.

The interview is another opportunity to communicate your fit, motivation, collaboration skills, and interest in the programme.

It does not guarantee an admissions outcome.

Is there a Texas McCombs optional essay?

McCombs provides a 250-word Optional Statement.

What should I use the McCombs Optional Statement for?

The current application specifically identifies:

• Work-experience gaps
• Choice of recommender
• Academic performance issues

Use it when additional context will help the Admissions Committee interpret your application accurately.

Should I use the McCombs optional statement for another accomplishment?

Generally, no.

The optional statement is designed primarily for explanatory context.

Do not treat it as an additional required essay.

Should I use the optional statement for another Why McCombs argument?

No.

Essay 1 already provides substantial space for demonstrating school fit.

How should I explain a low GPA to Texas McCombs?

Be concise and factual.

Explain:

1. What happened
2. Relevant context
3. What changed
4. Evidence that you are academically prepared today

Avoid defensiveness or broad claims that the GPA simply does not represent you.

How should I explain why my current supervisor is not my recommender?

State the reason clearly.

For example, if your employer does not know about your MBA plans, explain that and identify why your chosen recommender is still qualified to evaluate your performance and leadership.

Is there a separate Texas McCombs reapplicant essay?

The current public Full-Time MBA application page does not publish a separate dedicated reapplicant essay.

Reapplicants should follow the current live application and answer the current required essay prompts.

Does reapplying to Texas McCombs hurt my chances?

McCombs’ official admissions guidance says reapplying is not considered negatively.

The school values persistence and evaluates the new application within the current applicant pool.

What should Texas McCombs reapplicants improve?

McCombs’ official reapplication guidance highlights areas including:

• Academic improvement
• Stronger professional storytelling
• Clearer Why MBA reasoning
• Clearer Why Now reasoning
• Stronger Why McCombs fit
• More credible community contribution

The strongest reapplications demonstrate real development rather than simply resubmitting the prior candidacy.

Should a McCombs reapplicant change the core value in Essay 2?

Only if another value now produces a stronger and more authentic response.

You do not need to invent a new core value simply to demonstrate change.

Does Texas McCombs accept test waivers?

McCombs currently allows applicants to request a merit-based standardized-test waiver when they can demonstrate strong quantitative or analytical preparation through academic and professional evidence.

Applicants should review the current eligibility requirements before deciding whether to request a waiver.

Which tests does Texas McCombs accept?

Current Full-Time MBA requirements accept the GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, and Executive Assessment, subject to the programme’s current validity rules and waiver policies.

What are the Texas McCombs MBA deadlines for 2026-2027?

The current Fall 2027 Full-Time MBA deadlines are:

Round 1: October 15, 2026

Round 2: January 15, 2027

Round 3: April 1, 2027

Applicants should confirm the deadlines on the official McCombs application page before submitting.

What does Texas McCombs mean by Human-Centered, Future-Focused?

McCombs uses this phrase to describe an MBA approach that combines future-facing business, technology, analytics, and innovation with human leadership, relationships, collaboration, and communication.

The essay and video structure reflects that philosophy by evaluating both what you want to accomplish and how you operate as a person.

What are some common Texas McCombs MBA essay mistakes?

Common mistakes include treating Essay 1 as a generic Why School essay, failing to discuss personal growth, listing programme resources, using Austin as generic proof of fit, forgetting community contribution, choosing a core value without strong evidence, repeating the same story across both essays, over-scripting the video assessment, and using the optional statement as a bonus admissions essay.

What makes a strong Texas McCombs MBA essay set?

A strong McCombs application uses Essay 1 to show an intentional transformation.

The reader should understand who you need to become, which McCombs experiences help create that change, how you will actively use those opportunities, and how you will contribute in return.

Essay 2 should then reveal the principle underneath your behavior by showing one core value in action and connecting it with your leadership and community presence.

The required video assessment adds another layer by showing how you communicate, reflect, and respond without extensive editing.

Together, the application should make McCombs see not only an applicant who wants access to its flexible curriculum, Austin ecosystem, experiential learning, and career opportunities, but a person who knows exactly how they intend to use those opportunities, what they will bring to the community, and what kind of leader they want to become.