If McCombs School of Business is your preferred B-school for 2020-21 and you are worried about their application essays, then you are at the right place. Be sure to read this blog entirely, as we will provide a detailed explanation to tackle your application essays for the McCombs School of Business.
McCombs School of Business was founded in 1922 in Texas and currently has campuses in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Mexico. Their MBA program provides a world-class education that shapes business leaders’ minds by providing them the right skills and understanding.
If you wish to know more about the McCombs School of Business, you can visit our page here.
If you would like to watch what our GMAT and MBA Expert, Arun Jagannathan has to say about writing your McCombs School of Business essays, you can watch the video here.
McCOMBS ESSAY ANALYSIS OVERVIEW
McCombs Business School has a total of two compulsory essays and one optional essay. In this blog, we will be discussing each question separately.
Essay Question 1:
We will learn a lot about your professional background through your resume and letter of recommendation. We want to get to know you further. Please introduce yourself. Select only one communication method you would like to use for your response.
Write an essay (250 words), OR Share a video introduction (one minute)
Our advice for attempting the written essay or video introduction would be similar. Use this essay as your elevator pitch. You must have heard this term, typically used in a start-up scenario. But how does an elevator pitch fit in your essay?
Let’s discuss it with an example:
Say, you are in an elevator with the CEO of a company that you love to work with, maybe Elon Musk, and you have a minute to tell him what you and your start-up is all about. In this short period, it is crucial to make them think.
When you begin the essay, refrain from telling your entire life story. Instead, mention the important and exciting details. You can also start by saying, ‘I want to tell you two things about myself.’ Right before you start, have a small introduction.
For example, if you remember the famous Steve Jobs speech at Stanford Graduation, you will remember how he starts over. ‘I have three stories to tell,’ and that is an excellent example of how to engage people with what you have to say. The reason is that it is easier for the reader to remember.
As for your video introduction, start by telling them two or three incidents about yourself. Remember not to list too many items in your video.
For example, if you wish to talk about your hustle, you can say something like:
“I am the guy who gets things done. In my experience, I’ve scaled up a company from x to y and doubled the revenue from a to b.”
Remember to keep your video short and impactful. You also need to include an emotional angle, which will be the hook for your audience. To build a personal ark, talk about how you can contribute to social causes with your talent and skills. Now that your script is ready, the next part is to record the video.
People usually make a mistake because they do not have a suitable place to record their video. This results in white noise. To counter that, you can get a lapel microphone or attach a wired headphone with a mic. Most B-schools accept a basic production without any fancy lighting. If this is your first time appearing for a video interview, remember to rehearse before sharing it with the college.
Tip:
One important thing to remember is that apart from your name, nothing in the essay or the one minute video should be a repetition of your resume.
You might be indecisive about using the written essay or the video introduction. We suggest that the choice depends entirely on your personality. If you love to write and express yourself creatively through words, then opt for the written essay. However, if you are confident speaking in front of a camera, please use the video introduction.
Tip:
But before you decide, ask yourself, ‘Who are you?’. Remember, the medium itself will not be the reason for you to be selected or rejected; it is the content.
Essay Question 2:
Picture yourself at graduation. Describe how you spent your time as a Texas McCombs MBA, and how that experience helped prepare you for the post-MBA world.
Word limit: 500 words
This essay is asking you two questions:
1. What are your post-MBA goals?
2. How will the McCombs essay help you in the future?
We will explain to them sequentially below.
While talking about the MBA goals, you need to be able to tell about:
– Your function
– Your position
– Your industry
– What kind of companies would typically recruit you?
– What kind of titles would you have?
– What is it that you need from today to get what you need? (It can be international exposure, knowledge, network)
Once you have mentioned these points, it is simple to connect with what McCombs MBA will help you achieve your desired goals. When you write this section, make sure that you mention specific things in the McCombs MBA that will help you.
If you go through the essay question again, you may wonder why they ask you to describe something in the past. The reason behind it is simple; when you mention an incident based on the future, there is a possibility of being vague. However, if you are reporting an incident in the past, you will be specific.
For example, you can say that while you were a part of the Consulting Club in McCombs, you invited speakers to share their knowledge and experience. In doing so, you got the opportunity to interact firsthand with thought leaders and gains a broader perspective. In this section, you must be specific as you are assuming that you have already graduated.
Tip:
Be careful about grammar usage as you need to use words that convey a sense that you have already done it.
Optional Essay:
Please provide any additional information you believe is important and/or address any areas of concern that you believe will be beneficial to the Admissions Committee in considering your application (e.g. gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, or extenuating personal circumstances).
Word limit: 250 words
When it comes to optional essays, you must use them only if you have something specific to say. For example, if you have a gap year or some vital information you feel necessary for the Admissions team to know.
DEADLINES FOR McCOMBS APPLICATIONS
| Rounds | Application Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | Oct 13, 2020 |
| Round 2 | Jan 5, 2021 |
| Round 3 | Mar 30, 2021 |
Want to know more about the MBA Application Deadlines for Top B-Schools? Here’s the entire list of top B-Schools along with their deadlines – MBA Application Deadlines 2020-2021
We hope our advice on attempting the application essays will help you submit the winning application. For written essays, it is essential to be precise and exciting. As for the video essays, you must rehearse them before attempting.
If you require expert help with your MBA applications, be it drafting or reviewing them, you can always reach out to us. Our experts will be happy to help you with your application; all you have to do is click on the image below.
