Application Tips – MPA Admissions Blog

Category: Application Tips (page 1 of 3)

Texas McCombs MPA Admissions Update

Here is a quick Texas McCombs MPA admissions update as we start the new year!

The MPA admissions committee has been reviewing completed U.S. applications and releasing decisions on a rolling basis. There is still plenty of time to apply, as the final U.S. application deadline is April 30, but apply soon to be considered for a potential scholarship.
The final international application deadline was January 5. The application review will begin soon, and decisions will be released in March. Please be sure to submit all of your supplemental application materials by mid-January if you would like your application to be considered in the first round of admissions decisions. Any resume, transcript or test score updates (if any) should be submitted through the McCombs application portal as soon as possible.

The admissions decision will be posted on the Office of Graduate Admissions MyStatus portal, and you will receive additional correspondence from the MPA program if you are admitted.

Questions? Contact the MPA admissions team

International Applicants: Final Application Deadline is Approaching!

December 8, 2023 / Keri Ledezma / 0 Comments

The Texas McCombs MPA international application deadline (for non-U.S. citizens/permanent residents) is quickly approaching! Be sure to submit your application and supplemental materials by January 5.

What if all of your application materials are not received by January 5?

Please update MPA Admissions on the status of your outstanding application materials. If your application is not complete by the deadline or very shortly thereafter, your application will be reviewed only on a space-available basis. As a result, make every attempt to complete your application before the final deadline.
Official test scores, if required*, must be received before your application will be considered complete and reviewed for a decision. If your official TOEFL/IELTS or GMAT/GRE scores are not posted to your application record by January 5, please update MPA Admissions with the date of your test and a copy of the score report. On average, it takes about 3-4 weeks for the test scores to be received and uploaded to an applicant’s record.

*Certain international applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement, and GMAT/GRE test scores are optional. Review this blog post for detailed information.

Your application will not be considered complete and reviewed for a decision until all application materials, including the application fee payment, copies of official transcripts, and (if applicable) official score reports, have been received.

Need assistance?

Contact the MPA admissions team or schedule an appointment for an application consultation.

MPA Admissions Update – What’s Next?

November 2, 2023 / Keri Ledezma / 0 Comments

Congratulations! You completed your application by the November 1 early deadline! What happens next?

The MPA Admissions Committee will review all completed U.S. applications first and will likely start releasing decisions before UT Austin’s winter break in mid-December. Decisions for international applications will be released in mid- to late January. The admissions decision will be posted on the Office of Graduate Admissions MyStatus page. You also will receive a separate message from the Texas McCombs MPA program if you are accepted.

What should you do if your application is incomplete?

U.S. applicants: If you are still working on submitting your materials, you can expect to receive a decision approximately one month after your application is complete.*

International applicants: Aim to complete* your application no later than January 5 (final application deadline). Decisions will be released by mid- to late March.

*All required materials must be received before an application will be reviewed for a decision. Be sure to check the status of your application in the McCombs application portal and in the Office of Graduate Admission’s MyStatus portal on a regular basis. If you reported GMAT or GRE test scores or a future test date in the admissions application, we will hold on a decision until the official test scores are received from the testing agency. Please notify the MPA admissions team if your testing plans change after you submit your application.

You were admitted to another university, and the acceptance deadline is approaching, but you haven’t received a decision from the Texas McCombs MPA program. What should you do?

If you receive an admission offer from another university and need to respond to the offer before you receive a decision from us, please send us an email message with the name of the university and the admission response deadline. Although we cannot guarantee an earlier admission decision, we will do our best to accommodate your request.

You are a Texas resident. How can you establish your residency status at UT Austin for tuition purposes?

If you are a Texas resident, you will be required to submit Residency Core Questions so that UT Austin can verify your residency. You are eligible to complete the questionnaire after submitting your online application. You do not need to wait for an admissions decision first. Additional information regarding Texas residency is available on the UT admissions website. Feel free to contact UT’s residency officer if you have questions regarding Texas residency.

Tip for U.S. applicants: Complete the residency questionnaire soon after submitting the admissions application so that your UT record is updated before the MPA program determines scholarship awards.

November 1 Early Deadline is Approaching!

October 23, 2023 / Keri Ledezma / 0 Comments

The early November 1 deadline for U.S. and international applicants is just around the corner. If you are working on completing your application by this deadline… great! U.S. applicants should receive an admissions decision before winter break, and your application will be first in line for consideration for potential scholarships. International applicants will receive a decision in January.

However, do not be concerned if you are still working on your application. Why?

We use a rolling admissions process for U.S. applicants in which we review completed applications on a continuous basis until the final April 30 deadline. Your chances for admission would not be affected if you complete your application after November 1 but still early in our admissions cycle. And, although scholarships become more limited later on, we do award scholarships throughout the admissions cycle.
International applicants still have time to submit an application by the final January 5 application deadline. Completing your application early will allow you to receive an earlier decision, but your chances for admission would not be affected if you complete your application by the final January 5 deadline.
You should take your time to submit the strongest application possible rather than overly rushing. For example, you may be planning to submit (optional) GMAT/GMAT Focus or GRE test scores and need more time to study.

Your application will not be considered complete and reviewed for a decision until all application materials have been received. If you reported GMAT or GRE test scores or a future test date in the admissions application, we will hold on a decision until the official test scores are received from the testing agency.* Please notify the MPA admissions team if your testing plans change after you submit your application.

*Plan ahead: it takes about 3-4 weeks for the score report to be sent and added to an applicant’s record.

Do you have any concerns about your application? Contact the MPA admissions team or schedule an appointment for an application consultation.

Application Tips: Crafting Your Resume

October 5, 2023 / Keri Ledezma / 0 Comments

Your resume provides an important opportunity to showcase your accomplishments and skills. Be sure to highlight honors, awards, language or computer skills, extracurriculars, volunteer and leadership experiences, internships, full-time work experience (if applicable), and other experiences that developed your skills outside of the classroom.

You may have noticed on the Texas McCombs MPA admissions website that we provide MPA Application Resume Guidelines and the MPA Application Resume Template. Although this format is not required, we highly recommend using the MPA template if you are in the process of reconstructing your resume. If admitted, you will be required to use this format during the recruiting process, and our MPA career coaches will work with you to fine-tune your resume.

The MPA Application Resume Guidelines include:

Resume length
Font and font size
Margins
Tips for listing education, achievements, experience, and work eligibility

If you already submitted your resume but prefer to provide another one with updated information or in the Texas McCombs MPA format, you can submit the updated version in the McCombs application portal. Be sure to submit any updates as soon as possible. We cannot guarantee that updates will be included in your application review, as it will depend on when you submit the updated resume and where your application is in the review process with the admissions committee.

Application Tips: Submitting Your Transcripts

October 2, 2023 / Keri Ledezma / 0 Comments

We receive many inquiries regarding transcripts for the Texas McCombs MPA application! Here’s a breakdown of the most frequently asked questions:

What are the steps for submitting my transcripts?

You will provide your transcripts in two locations: 1) in the McCombs application portal (for the MPA admissions committee application review) and 2) in the MyStatus portal (for UT’s Office of Graduate Admissions). The Office of Graduate Admissions is responsible for verifying the validity of transcripts and degrees and calculating an upper-division GPA (based on junior- and senior-level courses).

Steps: (See the admissions packet for additional details.)

List all colleges and universities attended, including junior or community colleges, in the admissions application.
Order official transcripts from every four-year university or college you attended, and have them sent to you directly. Applicants who attended The University of Texas at Austin should download a copy of a UT Academic Summary instead of ordering a transcript. Transcripts from junior or community colleges should be requested if you completed our pre-enrollment requirements or any accounting courses at these institutions. If you are unable to obtain an official transcript in PDF format, scan your paper transcripts to a PDF.
Upload all transcripts to your McCombs online application. Current and former UT Austin students can upload a free Academic Summary in lieu of a UT transcript.
Pay your Application Fee in UT’s Office of Graduate Admissions MyStatus portal after submitting your application.
After paying your application fee, upload the transcripts to the MyStatus portal or have your transcripts sent electronically via SPEEDE or Parchment (see the Submit Transcripts section of this Office of Graduate Admissions web page for detailed instructions). Former University of Texas at Austin students will pay a $20 transcript fee in lieu of uploading UT Austin transcripts.

Tip: Store your official paper transcripts safely. If you are offered admission and intend to enroll, you will then send your official paper copy transcripts to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

If I need to submit a transcript from a foreign university, do I need to include a foreign credential evaluation from WES or another organization?

A foreign credential evaluation is not required. However, if a transcript is written in a language other than English, a complete and official English translation must be uploaded together with the original transcript.

Should I submit my transcript without my fall grades?

If you are an international applicant (not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident), you should submit your transcript before the application deadline, even if the fall grades are not posted. If you prefer to send an update after your fall grades are available, you can do so in the McCombs application portal.

If you are a U.S. applicant, we recommend submitting a transcript without your fall grades if you are aiming to apply early and your fall grades are net yet posted. We will reach out to you if we need your fall grades before making a decision. That said, you might wait to submit your transcript with your fall grades if:

(For non-accounting majors:) You are taking any of the pre-enrollment courses in the fall,
(For accounting majors:) You are enrolled in several upper-level accounting classes in the fall, or
Your upper-level GPA will be improved substantially with your fall grades.

Please contact the MPA admissions team if you have additional questions!

Application Tips: Recommendation Letters

September 28, 2023 / Keri Ledezma / 0 Comments

The Texas McCombs MPA admissions application requires at least two letters of recommendation. Keep reading for detailed information and tips for your rec letters.

Who should write my letters of recommendation?

Choose references who know you in an academic or professional context and are familiar with your abilities, achievements, career aspirations, and (if applicable) work history. Also consider references who can provide unique and diverse viewpoints. If you are currently in school, we encourage submitting one or two recommendations from faculty members. Through the recommendation letters and admissions essays, we aim to learn about your strengths, personal qualities, skills, and the potential for success in the classroom and as a business professional.

How should my references submit their recommendation letters?

Letters are received directly from the recommender via a secure portal. You will be asked to provide the names and email addresses of at least two recommenders in the “Letters of Recommendation” section of the application. When you hit “Continue,” your recommenders will be sent an email notification with a link to a secure portal where they will be asked to complete an online questionnaire and upload a recommendation letter.

Tips:

Complete this part of your application first. This will allow your recommenders to get started while you’re working on the other components of your application.
Contact your recommenders to let them know they will receive an email. The message is sent from a general McCombs School of Business email address and may end up in their junk/spam email folder.
Monitor the status of your recommendations in the McCombs application portal. You can resend notifications from the portal as needed.

Can I submit more than two recommendation letters?

Yes. Although only two recommendation letters are required, the MPA admissions committee will review all that are submitted. We suggest including a third letter if the recommender can provide a unique viewpoint. For example, you might ask two faculty members and an internship supervisor to write recommendations.

What should I do if I already submitted my online application but need to send a request to an additional recommender?

After you submit your application, you will have the option in the McCombs application portal to add recommenders and send them an email request.

Application Tips: Preparing Your MPA Admissions Essays

September 25, 2023 / Keri Ledezma / 0 Comments

Are you working on your Texas McCombs MPA admissions essays and need some guidance? Are you thinking to yourself: What should be the focus? How long should the essays be? Do I need videographer skills to create my video essay? Here are some tips that will help you get started:

Let us know why you’re unique!

There is no “right answer” to the written or video essay questions. MPA applicants come from a variety of academic backgrounds and have diverse professional goals… exactly what we prefer! The essays can help you stand out from the applicant crowd and provide us an opportunity to learn about your strengths, skillsets, and aspirations. Avoid cliched responses and instead provide a genuine portrayal of why you are interested in the Texas McCombs MPA program. Take a moment to reflect. How will the MPA program assist you in reaching your goals? If you are a non-accounting major, why have you decided to pursue a graduate accounting degree? What has been your journey up to this point, and what have you learned about yourself along the way? How have your experiences prepared you for success in our program and the business world? What will you contribute to Texas McCombs?

Develop your ideas… but be concise.

Although you should focus more on content than length, essay #1 should be between 350-500 words, essay #2 should be between 250-350 words, and the video essay should be approximately one minute in length. Avoid repeating information that is readily available in other parts of the application. For example, rather than simply listing your experiences, let us know how these experiences helped you to grow personally or professionally. We want to get to know you from a perspective that cannot be achieved by reviewing resumes, transcripts, or test scores.

Written essays: Mind your writing technique.

The written essays capture your reasons for pursuing the MPA degree, career goals, preparedness for graduate school, and an example of your analytical aptitude. They also are a demonstration of your written communication skills. Avoid being too wordy, stay focused and organized, and proofread. The formatting of the essays is flexible (line spacing, margins, font), but we do appreciate an easy-to-read layout!

Instructions:

Upload your essays in PDF format to your admissions application.

Video essay: Show us who you are!

The video essay helps your application “come to life” and provides you with an opportunity to showcase your verbal communication skills and personality. Be professional, try not to read off a script (we want to see you as your peers, instructors or employers see you!), and don’t worry about fancy editing techniques. Also, please do not include a link to a photo slideshow or PowerPoint presentation. Slideshows do not allow us to actually see and hear from you, which is really what we are looking for in a video submission.

Video link instructions:

Upload your video essay to a video-sharing platform like YouTube or Vimeo or to a cloud storage site such as Google Drive. Provide the URL in the admissions application.
Do not submit a video link from TikTok. TikTok is blocked on UT Austin’s networks.
Review your video’s privacy settings and ensure that they are not overly restrictive. For example, YouTube videos should be “Unlisted” or “Public” rather than “Private.”
Make sure that your link does not expire and that you do not remove your video until you receive an admissions decision.

Optional essay: Add some clarification.

If you prefer, you can submit an optional admissions essay to address address any information that you believe your application would be incomplete without and that sheds more light on your unique potential to succeed in the MPA program and contribute to the University community and the profession.

Start your MPA application today!

Application Tips: Should You Take the GMAT or GRE Exam?

September 21, 2023 / Keri Ledezma / 0 Comments

You may have noticed that for fall 2024, submitting the GMAT/GMAT Focus or GRE is optional for the MPA admissions application. Applicants will not be disadvantaged in the admissions process if they do not submit test scores, and applicants who feel that their test scores reflect their potential for success in graduate school may submit scores for consideration. Keep in mind that the MPA Admissions Committee takes all submitted application materials into account holistically.

So should you submit GMAT/GMAT Focus, or GRE test scores for your MPA application?

It depends on the strength of the rest of your application. We provide detailed information in this blog post.

You’ve decided to take either the GMAT/GMAT Focus, or GRE. Which exam should you take?

Consider these factors before you decide:

We don’t have a preference. The MPA admissions committee does not have a preference. Either test can demonstrate academic potential for business school.
Other programs may have a preference. Many graduate accounting programs started accepting the GRE in addition to the GMAT or GMAT Focus. Be sure to check the application requirements for all your programs of interest. Some programs may only accept the GMAT or GMAT Focus.
Are you applying to more than one master’s degree? The GRE may be the best choice for those who are applying to the Texas McCombs MPA plus another master’s degree—like economics—which may require the GRE. Taking the GRE would allow you to apply to both programs with one exam.
You may have a preference. If you are still trying to decide, take a practice test for each exam. You may find that you prefer one test over the other.
Plan ahead, regardless. Whichever exam you choose, be sure to set aside time to study. Take the test early and reserve some buffer time in case you wish to retake the exam. If you choose a retake, we will review the score report with the highest total score (V+Q). Remember—it can take approximately 3-4 weeks for the official scores to be received and uploaded to your UT application.

Please note: If you report GMAT or GRE test scores or a future test date in the admissions application, we will hold on a decision until the official test scores are received from the testing agency. Please notify the MPA admissions team if your testing plans change after you submit your application.

Need additional advice?

If you have any questions related to your situation, please contact our admissions team or schedule an admissions consultation.

FAQs: International MPA Applicants

September 15, 2023 / Keri Ledezma / 0 Comments

Are you a Texas McCombs MPA international applicant (non-U.S. citizen or permanent resident) ? If so, keep reading to find answers to some frequently asked questions!

When are international admissions applications reviewed for a decision?

The MPA program has two international application deadlines:

November 1 – early deadline
January 5 – final deadline

When are international decisions released?

International admissions decisions are released in two rounds: one after the early November 1 deadline, and one after the final January 5 deadline. We encourage you to complete your application by November 1 if you wish to receive an early decision. Admissions decisions will be released approximately ten weeks after each deadline.

Are GMAT or GRE scores required?

Submitting GMAT or GRE scores is optional. Please refer to this admissions blog post for additional details. If you report GMAT or GRE test scores or a future test date in the admissions application, we will hold on a decision until the official test scores are received from the testing agency. Please notify the MPA admissions team if your testing plans change after you submit your application.

Do I need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores if I studied in the U.S. or another English-only speaking country?

You are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement if you are from a qualifying country or if you hold a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or an institution from a qualifying country.* However, even if you are exempt, you are welcome to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores to demonstrate your English proficiency. You also will have the opportunity to demonstrate your English speaking proficiency in your video essay.

*Please note that the test requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master’s—but not a bachelor’s—degree from an English-only speaking country. Unless you qualify for an exemption, you must submit official TOEFL or IELTS test scores.

Are all of the application materials required by the November 1 or January 5 application deadline?

If all of your application materials are not received by November 1, your application will be included in the second round of admissions in January. The online application completely closes at 11:59 p.m. CT on January 5, and you must submit the application by this deadline. The supporting materials should also be submitted by this deadline or very shortly thereafter. If certain items are still missing on January 5 (for example, recommendation letters or official test scores), be sure to submit them as soon as possible and send the MPA admissions team an email update. Applications that are completed late may be reviewed on a space-available basis after the second round of decisions have been made.

Application tip: Plan ahead! On average, it takes about 3-4 weeks for the official test scores to be sent, received, and added to an applicant’s record.

Should I wait to submit my transcript until fall grades are posted?

If you are applying by the final January 5 deadline, you should upload a transcript by this deadline, even if your fall grades are not available. Any transcript updates can be submitted through the McCombs application portal as soon as the new grades are available. We cannot guarantee that updates will be included in your application review, as it will depend on when you submit the updated materials and where your application is in the review process with the admissions committee.

Do I need to submit a foreign credential evaluation from WES or another organization?

You do not need to submit a foreign credential evaluation if you studied outside of the U.S. However, if your transcript is written in a language other than English, you must upload an official English translation with the original transcript.

Do I need to submit financial documentation with my application?

The financial information is used for immigration document processing, not for admissions purposes. If you gain admission to the MPA program, the International Office will require the financial documentation before issuing the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.

Insider Information for Prospective Texas McCombs Students