We wanted to take some time today to comment on the UT Austin – McCombs essay topics for the 2009-2010 admissions season. Reflecting an emphasis on applicants who have contributed to their workplace and the community (and who will continue this level of personal engagement in an MBA program), UT Austin’s questions focus on how candidates would enrich their environments through leadership commitment.
1. Describe how your experiences, both personal and professional, have led you to pursue an MBA at this time. What are your short- and long-term goals and how will a Texas MBA help you achieve them? (Limit: 900 words)
McCombs has revised this question for this season; formerly asking about career progression to date, McCombs now asks applicants to share how their personal and professional experiences have led them to pursue an MBA at this time. While all admissions committees are interested in the reasons behind applicants’ decisions to apply to business school and the motivations regarding timing, the fact that McCombs specifically asks about personal experiences shows that candidates will need to expand their essay to include non-professional experiences that have influenced their future goals.
One approach to this topic would be for candidates to summarize what they’ve done thus far in their career and personal life that have led them to define their career goals. Then they can explain their future plans and demonstrate why an MBA is necessary to move forward. While that approach does place this question into the career goals essay category, it’s important to keep in mind that the McCombs adcom is most interested in the candidate’s assessment of their personal and professional experiences and the reasons that a turning point has been reached. Therefore as you write about your professional and personal experiences, you should tie this discussion back to your greater professional goals.
Discussing how the Texas MBA fits into the picture will be key, and you can touch on how the McCombs program will provide you with the skill set necessary to begin reaching your objectives. Taking the time to learn about the school’s curriculum, special programs and extracurricular activities – whether through a visit to campus or conversations with members of the community will pay dividends here.
2. Discuss a defining experience in your leadership development. What did you learn from this experience about your strengths and weaknesses as a leader? (Limit: 650 words)
Last year McCombs asked applicants to describe a leadership experience that directly related to one of their four program pillars (responsibility/integrity, knowledge/understanding, collaborative/communication, and worldview of business and society). Although not specifically mentioned this year, students may want to keep those pillars in mind as they sift through experiences from education, professional, or extracurricular realms and settle on a topic for this prompt.
Because McCombs specifically asks candidates about leadership development as well as strengths and weaknesses, you should choose an experience that clearly demonstrates both your assets and limitations as a leader. Although it’s necessary to discuss your weaknesses in this essay, it will be important that you conclude positively by showing that you have grown from this experience and now have a leadership style that allows you to more effectively lead and motivate others.
3. At the McCombs School of Business, you will be part of an active and diverse community. How will you use your personal strengths and unique experiences to enrich the McCombs community during your two years in the program? (Limit: 500 words)
This prompt is the same one used last year, signaling the value that McCombs places on student contribution and involvement on campus. A strong essay would be one that touches on several qualities and involvements, illustrating a range of skills and their applicability to the MBA program. That said, though this prompt invites a rather broad discussion, anecdotal evidence of your positive traits in action will also be important. For that reason, it will likely make sense to hone in on 3 or 4 examples, linking each to some similar activity or contribution you could make to the classroom or an on-campus club. Indicating what clubs, organizations, or programs you hope to participate in and how you will take on a leading role will go far in demonstrating your enthusiasm for and commitment to the program.
