Texas McCombs MBA Insider

Category: Executive MBA (page 5 of 7)

MBA career management

Meet Your Working Professional and Executive MBA Career Team

April 24, 2019 / / Comments Off on Meet Your Working Professional and Executive MBA Career Team

This Insider insight comes from our Working Professional and Executive MBA Career Team.

Texas McCombs MBA Career resources are truly unmatched among other top business schools. Our Career Management team‘s vision is focused on the future, adapting and growing to meet the needs of tomorrow’s career landscape. And they understand that the MBA career path for our Working Professional and Executive (WPE) MBA student differs from full-time students, dedicating a team of career support specifically for our WPE students in Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Austin (Evening & Executive).

The McCombs Difference

MBA program administrators realized they needed to rethink their approach to career management for part-time students.

“We developed an entirely new career management framework that emphasized students’ strengths and interests and better prepared them not only for OCR (on-campus recruiting), but also for other channels that led to experienced hires and will allow them to continually progress in their careers.” – Joe Stephens, Assistant Dean, Working Professional and Executive MBA programs.

The framework, which can be applied in any phase of a student’s career and is tied to students’ career management curriculum and one-on-one advising, includes a market assessment (self-assessment, career exploration, and network creation); value proposition (your brand and competitive advantage, and elevator pitch); sales tools and channels (resume, LinkedIn profile, interview prep, and network cultivation); and launch (plan execution and offer negotiation).

“This career management framework has served as our WPE team’s vision and mission,” says Janet Huang, Director of MBA Career Management at McCombs. (source: Medium)

Meet the WPE Team

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MBA vs. MHA

Examining Your Healthcare Higher Ed Options

April 17, 2019 / / Comments Off on Examining Your Healthcare Higher Ed Options

Our MBA at Houston program is top-ranked, led by world-renowned Texas McCombs faculty, and positioned at the center of thriving Houston, Texas– the no. 1 city in the country for healthcare jobs. Over 736,000 people are employed at Houston’s world-famous Texas Medical Center alone. Many healthcare professionals pursuing a graduate degree may wonder what an MBA can do for their careers or if an MHA or MBA is right for their goals.

Angela Van Dyke headshot McCombs Houston Class of 2020

Angela Van Dyke, MBA 2020

We recently caught up with MBA at Houston 2020 student, Angela Van Dyke, a healthcare professional who has earned her MHA and is on her way to an MBA, to explore these options.

Angela holds an undergraduate degree in Biology from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. She currently works at PersonalMed as their National Sales Manager.

On Getting her MHA

Angela is passionate about the healthcare industry and sees herself working in the field long term.

“I pursued an MHA to gain a deep and abiding understanding of the entire healthcare industry. I wanted a fundamental grasp of law and economics specifically in their application to healthcare. I also wanted to learn more about public and population health, hospital management, and clinical services.” 

On Pursuing her MBA

Through the MBA, she is becoming more proficient in technical concepts, such as finance, accounting and analytics. So far, her experience at Texas McCombs has exceeded her expectations.

“Pursuing an MBA is like a journey of transformation that allows you to pick up new tools and sharpen old skills. It’s an incredible time in your life to grow personally and professionally. The MBA is well recognized across all industries and empowers you with the credibility, creativity, and ability to add value for any organization in a variety of settings in virtually any industry at any level. An MBA arms you with the necessary expertise to quickly assess problems and determine the appropriate strategy for success. This is why I found it valuable to return to school and pursue my MBA.” 

Why Both Degrees?

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Working Professional/Executive MBA Final Round Applicants

April 5, 2019 / / Comments Off on Working Professional/Executive MBA Final Round Applicants

This MBA Insider content comes from the Working Professional & Executive MBA Admissions team.

See if you can spot the two true statements and one myth about applying to the Texas McCombs Working Professional or Executive (WPE) MBA programs:

  • The MBA is seeking the most qualified candidates for its WPE programs in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Austin.
  • We consider a candidate’s academic performance, work experience and overall motivation in reviewing an application.
  • Candidates must apply early in the process to have a chance at being considered.

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Texas McCombs MBA Class of 2020

By the Numbers: Executive MBA Class Profile

October 3, 2018 / / Comments Off on By the Numbers: Executive MBA Class Profile

Texas McCombs had a very strong pool of applications when putting together the MBA Class of 2020, and the numbers certainly reflect that. Let’s take a look at the Executive MBA class that started this fall:

The Executive MBA program welcomed 59 top-caliber business professionals to the McCombs School of Business MBA network. These students are experienced in managing teams and decision-making, and many have their own businesses. These industry leaders will surely challenge and inspire one another to reach new heights in their careers over the next two years in Austin.

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Investing in Your Future, MBA Financial Aid Options

Scholarships & Financial Aid for Working Professional & Executive MBAs

September 17, 2018 / / 2 Comments

This information comes from our Working Professional and Executive MBA Admissions team.

At Texas McCombs, we recognize that pursuing an MBA is a big investment in your future. We are proud to have been ranked among the top 10 part-time MBA programs in the U.S. for the past five years.

#7 Part-Time MBA programs, U.S. News and World Report

To make your MBA future attainable as a Working Professional (WP), Texas McCombs awards financial assistance to many students to help cover the cost of education for our Evening, Executive, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston programs. In most cases, that aid comes in the form of student loans but there other options that may help fund your MBA. We invite you to review some of these below to help you better navigate this step in your MBA journey.

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Your Best MBA Fit: Working Professional MBA Programs

Which Part-Time MBA Program is Right for You?

July 2, 2018 / / Comments Off on Which Part-Time MBA Program is Right for You?

This MBA Insider info comes from Sharon Barrett, Director of Working Professional and Executive MBA Admissions.

If you compare the class profiles of our Executive MBA with our Professional MBAs– Evening MBA, MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth, and MBA at Houston programs– the differences can seem obvious. But there’s actually a broad grey area, where many professionals could fit well into either the Executive MBA or one of our Professional MBAs.

In the end, it’s a very personal decision about where to submit your application. But remember, it’s a two part process. You decide where you belong and the admissions committee agrees on the fit. Here is some advice on how to make an informed choice about which Working Professional MBA program to choose.

Consider Your Level & Years of Work Experience 

Average work experience for the MBA Programs:

Program 80% Range Minimum
Professional MBA 3-10.5 years 2 years
Executive MBA 9-21 years 8 years

While people with the minimum eight years of experience do join the Executive MBA, there are relatively few. Executive MBA candidates become more competitive closer to ten years of work experience. On the other side, Professional MBA candidates must have a minimum of two years of full-time work experience, and candidates get competitive with closer to four years. The admissions committee doesn’t simply count the years but evaluates the level and quality of your work experience– the impact you’ve made in your organization, advancement in your role or responsibilities, and unique accomplishments.

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Application 101: GIAC Requirements

Crossing all the T’s in your MBA Application

March 27, 2018 / / Comments Off on Crossing all the T’s in your MBA Application

This MBA Insider info comes from the Texas McCombs MBA Admissions Team.

We know you want to put forth the best application you can when you apply to any Texas McCombs MBA program. And we’ve covered many components of the application in the past, including the resume, letter of recommendation, essays, and test scores (as well as some tips for interviewing if you are selected). But some components of the application that might be viewed as procedural are just as important, and if not addressed properly, they can delay processing, which can in turn delay your decision.

When you apply to a Texas McCombs MBA program, you’re actually applying to two separate entities at the same time. One is the McCombs School of Business; the other is the Graduate School of the University of Texas at Austin (which we’ll call GIAC, for the Graduate and International Admissions Center).

Three key components of the application are required by GIAC before it will be considered complete, and GIAC does not allow McCombs to issue a decision until these three elements are completed.

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Preparing for the GMAT or GRE

How Test Scores Factor into Your MBA Application

March 12, 2018 / / 1 Comment

This is the final installment in a series of posts on GMAT/GRE testing. We encourage you to review previous posts, if you have not already. This content was written by Dave Jackson, Senior Admissions Officer, Dallas/Fort Worth MBA.

The Texas MBA Admissions Committee recognizes that you might be putting a lot of pressure on yourself to achieve a high test score.  After all, you’re competitive and driven enough to want to pursue an MBA! It’s important to remember that your test score is only one piece of your story, and it’s considered in the context of your overall application. We review your scores with the knowledge that a test is only one day in your life, and your academic and work history span many years.

Nevertheless, the test is an important component in evaluating your application.

“Quantitative test scores, in particular, have proven to be predictive of success in an MBA program, and taking the GMAT or GRE gets you back into the practice of preparing for exams. The preparation you put into the test sets you up for the mindset you’ll have to bring to your MBA– setting aside time to study on a nightly basis and working your way through problems analytically.”

– Sharon Barrett, Director of Working Professional MBA Admissions at Texas McCombs

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Professional or Executive: Which MBA Program is Right for You?

March 1, 2018 / / Comments Off on Professional or Executive: Which MBA Program is Right for You?

This MBA Insider info comes from Sharon Barrett, Director of Working Professional and Executive MBA Admissions.

If you compare the class profiles of our Texas Executive MBA with our Professional MBAs (Texas Evening MBA, Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth, and Texas MBA at Houston programs), the differences can seem obvious. But there’s actually a broad grey area, where many professionals could fit very well in either type of program.

In the end, it’s a very personal decision about where to submit your application. But remember it’s a two-way street. You decide where you belong, and the admissions committee agrees on the fit. Here is some advice on how to make an informed choice about which MBA program to choose.

Consider Your Level & Years of Work Experience Carefully

Average work experience for the Texas MBA Program:

Program 80% Range Minimum
Professional MBA 3.25-11 years 2 years
Executive MBA 8-22 years 8 years

While people with the minimum eight years of experience do join the Executive MBA program, there are relatively few. Executive MBA candidates become more competitive within the 9-10 year range of work experience. On the other hand, Professional MBA candidates must have a minimum of two years of full-time work experience, and candidates get competitive with closer to four years. The admissions committee doesn’t simply count the years, but evaluates the quality of your work experience (the impact you’ve made to your organization, advancement in your role or responsibilities, and other factors), and also your level within the organization.

Generally, students in the Executive MBA have managed people, either directly or dotted-line, as well as budgets. Some rose to this level sooner in their careers than others. If you work in a small organization, your responsibilities can elevate very quickly. There are many manager level employees in the Professional MBA programs as well, but also quite a few individual contributors.

Executive MBA candidates on the low end of work experience and unsure of whether or not they would be a fit, should request a resume review. A short chat with a member of the admissions committee can allay any doubts about whether or not your work experience is appropriate and/or competitive.

Visit a Class to Gauge Your Fit

There’s no better way to self-assess than to sit in on an actual MBA class, especially one of the discussion-based ones. You can sign up now for an Executive MBA, Evening MBA, MBA at Houston, or MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth class visit now.

During the class, you’ll witness the collaborative and team-based environment that’s a big part of the fabric here at McCombs. The questions you should be asking yourself during your visit are: What can I contribute to this conversation? What assets would I bring to my study team?

Start Your App by Our Next Deadline: March 27, 2018

Texas MBAs are collegial, yet competitive. And the program you join will define your close-knit, professional network while in the program and beyond. Attend an event soon, or reach out to us with questions. Strategic thought about where you begin your relationship with the Texas MBA network sets you off on the right foot for your MBA journey and your career goals beyond the program. Ready to apply?

Hook ‘Em! \m/

Preparing for the GMAT or GRE

Choosing a Test for Your MBA Career Search

January 24, 2018 / / Comments Off on Choosing a Test for Your MBA Career Search

This is the third in a series of posts on GMAT/GRE testing. We encourage you to review previous posts, if you have not already. This content was written by Dave Jackson, Senior Admissions Officer, Dallas/Fort Worth MBA.

Before you make a final decision on which test to take, it’s best to research some of your target companies or industries and determine two things:

  1. The extent to which they evaluate a test score in reviewing job candidates.
  2. Whether they have a preference for one of the tests. At McCombs, we have found that most consulting and investment banking firms do look at the candidate’s score, and both industries historically have favored the GMAT.

Regardless of which test you take, you should consider it as another opportunity to not only impress the Admissions Committee, but also potential employers.

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