Texas MPA Admissions Blog

The fall 2009 application cycle has proven to be a busy one! The Texas MPA and the majority of other graduate programs across our campus have experienced a significant increase in applications this year. As a result, our Graduate and International Admissions Center has been working day and night to process the large volume of application materials. Here is an update on where we stand with MPA admissions:

• International applications: The admissions committee will review all completed applications thoroughly before making any international admissions decisions. Due to the increased number of applications, this may take some time, but we want to be sure everyone has a full opportunity for consideration. We anticipate that all decisions will be made by the end of March, at the latest.
• U.S. applications: We will continue to make decisions on a rolling admissions basis. Please note that the final application deadline is Sunday, March 1. We will not accept applications after this date, so if you are still interested in applying, be sure to submit the online application by the deadline.  If the supporting documentation arrives after March 1, we will still consider your file, but space availability will become a factor in the decision. We must receive all application materials, including official test scores, before we will review your file for a decision.

We greatly appreciate your patience as we move through the application process. As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the status of your application.

The University of Texas at Austin is back in full swing…Spring classes started this week, and our MPA admissions process is moving along at a brisk pace. Here are a few updates and reminders:

• February 1, the final application deadline for international applicants, is quickly approaching. As long as your application materials arrive by the deadline or shortly thereafter, we will review your application in the first round of admissions decisions. Applications that are completed after the first round will be considered on a space-available basis.
• More than five weeks remain for U.S. applicants to submit application materials before the March 1 deadline. Because we use a rolling admissions process for U.S. applications, the sooner you complete your file, the sooner we can provide you with an admissions decision (generally a month after your file is complete).
• Please note that our Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC) receives a large quantity of admissions paperwork daily. Please allow an appropriate amount of time to pass (generally 7-21 days after receipt) before expecting to see your credentials on the Application Status Check Web site. Credentials are stamped with the date upon which they are received and will be considered “on time” if the receipt date meets the application deadline.

This is just a quick note to let you know that The University of Texas at Austin will be closed from Monday, December 22, 2008 through Friday, January 2, 2009.  I will be back in the office on Monday, January 5, if you need any assistance.

Have an enjoyable holiday season!

I’m glad you asked! We’re proud of the fact that accounting students from The University of Texas at Austin

• Typically have pass rates much higher than the statewide average on any given part of the Uniform CPA Examination. 
• Have received the prestigious American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Sells Award for earning the highest cumulative scores on the four sections of the exam on their first attempt.

As you progress through the Texas MPA program, you and your academic advisor can tailor your academic plan so that you are eligible to sit for the CPA Exam by the time you graduate. Please note that your educational background and the state in which you plan to sit for the exam will determine whether you will need to complete coursework beyond your MPA degree requirements to meet exam eligibility.

Status: You have submitted all of your Texas MPA application materials. So, what’s the next step in the admissions process?   

• The MPA admissions committee will review files in the order they are received starting in January (U.S. applicants) or following the February 1 application deadline (international applicants). Once a decision has been made, you will receive an e-mail message prompting you to log into our applicant site to review the decision and obtain further instructions. You also will receive an official letter from the Graduate and International Admissions Center via regular mail.
• If another university’s response deadline is approaching and you have not received a decision from our program, please notify me as soon as possible. Although the admissions committee cannot guarantee an earlier admission decision, we will do our best to accommodate your request.
• All admitted U.S. applicants will be considered automatically for a possible out-of-state tuition waiver and/or merit scholarship. A separate application is not required. Scholarship and tuition waiver decisions will be made prior to your MPA response deadline. You will be notified via e-mail if you are granted one of these awards.

Writing an admissions essay can seem like a daunting task. What should I write? How should I write it? How long should the essay be? Basically, there are no right answers! What do I mean by that? The purpose of the essay is to provide the admissions committee with a better understanding of what makes you unique. It gives you an opportunity to stand out from the sea of applicants. Here are some key tips to consider before writing your essay. 

• First and foremost, be yourself. Provide a thoughtful portrayal of why you are interested in the Texas MPA and how our program will assist you in reaching your goals. Don’t write what you think the admissions committee wants to hear! We would like to know about your unique aspirations and achievements and will not judge what you aim to do with your career. 
• Be concise. You will not have much space for your essay, so it is not wise to repeat information that is readily available in other parts of the application. 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 transcripts, test scores and resumes. 
• Mind your writing technique. The essay is a reflection of your written communication skills. Avoid being too wordy, stay focused and organized, and check your grammar and spelling.
• Clarify. You can use the essay as an opportunity to explain weaknesses in your record. If you do, be sure to explain them adequately and address your attempts to improve.

As you’re applying to the Texas MPA program, you may be wondering how the current financial crisis is affecting the state of the accounting profession. Members of our Department of Accounting Advisory Council recently provided us with their points of view on the demand for high-quality accountants.

Today the CPA profession has a tremendous need for highly skilled accounting graduates who want to use their professional skills and training to provide financial and auditing service with integrity, help restore confidence in the system, and ultimately contribute to modernizing and improving financial reporting and auditing, in the U.S. and internationally…I would highly encourage students to consider an accounting career.  CPAs with integrity will always be in high demand.

Jeanette Franzel, U.S. Government Accountability Office

In the current economic environment I believe accounting students will experience better return on their educational investment than students in many other majors.  Accounting students are valued for their accounting expertise as well as their financial and business potential.  While it is likely this is shaping up to be a challenging period, it has been my experience companies will continue to invest in talent, however, they will focus this investment on quality instead of quantity.  UT accounting students are well positioned for this type of strategy. 

Lyn Beaty, Halliburton

In turbulent times, the role of the accounting profession is needed more than ever.   We provide high integrity and high quality financial reporting.  We are the trusted advisors to our companies providing strategic insight and creating value.  The need for credentialed, ethical and talented professionals that make this possible will remain strong. 

Brad Halverson, Caterpillar

Understandably, it can be difficult for students making career decisions to witness shifting market conditions.  The accounting industry is not alone or immune to present circumstances, but as the economy evolves, our services are needed to address new challenges and meet changing market demands.   The ability to attract students and retain talented individuals is important to organizations today because we see students as the leaders of tomorrow who will navigate a more complex accounting industry and help companies and the U.S. remain competitive in the global economy.  In addition, it has been predicted that over the coming decades, the professional services industry will face a decline in the number of skilled workers, giving today’s students an influential role to play in the future of the accounting profession.

Don Wagner, Deloitte

When it comes to recommendation letters for the MPA application, I frequently receive the following questions:

• Who should write my recommendation letters?

My general answer to this question is to find someone who knows you well and can provide the admissions committee greater insight into your academic or professional strengths. Therefore, your recommender might be a professor, an internship supervisor or other professional reference. The ideal recommendation would include observations about your leadership skills, motivation, team building abilities, dedication, quantitative and analytical skills, academic or professional performance, maturity and/or communication skills, for example.

• How many recommendation letters do I need to submit?

The Texas Common Application will have space for up to three recommenders’ names, but you are required to supply only two names for application to the MPA program. If you prefer to submit more than two recommendation letters, the committee will review all that are received. However, do not feel pressure…the majority of our applicants submit only two.

Many indicators have shown that the Texas economy has remained relatively strong in the economic downturn. This was recently confirmed in a Forbes.com ranking of America’s Best Bang for the Buck Cities.

The ranking was based on factors such as projected job growth, median house price, median household income, and the cost of living index. Not surprisingly, Austin was ranked No. 1! In fact, all of the major cities in Texas were included in the top 10 Best Bang for the Buck:

• #1 Austin
• #2 San Antonio
• #4 Houston
• #7 Dallas

If you live in Austin or have visited, what is your opinion of the city?

Photo courtesy of the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Because the Texas MPA program accepts applicants with a variety of academic backgrounds, you may feel concerned about being prepared for our program if you did not major in accounting. Do not worry!

• If you have not completed Intermediate Financial Accounting I, you will be required to start in mid-July with our graduate-level Financial Accounting course. Taking this course in the summer, a more laid-back time of year, is a non-threatening way to ease into the program and a great way to meet other students with a similar academic background. 
• Financial Accounting will prepare you for additional core accounting courses that you will take in the fall, such as Intermediate Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Introduction to Taxation, and Introduction to Assurance Services.

The best thing you can do to get ready is to complete the pre-enrollment requirements prior to starting our program and take advantage of the self-study resource that is mailed to all students early in the summer so that you can get a jump start on the Financial Accounting material. 

It may take some initial adjustment, but with a little preparation, you will be fine!