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Test Options for Working
Professional MBA Candidates

This MBA Insider info comes from the Working Professional and Executive MBA Admissions team.

Preparing for and taking an MBA admissions exam is one of the best ways to get your mind back into academic mode. The most common questions we receive from candidates are about the standardized tests — how to prepare for them and if there are average or minimum scores. While competitive test scores can certainly enhance your chances of admission, it is only one factor in a holistic review of your application. Exploring the Class Profiles will give you the best idea of how our admitted students scored on their tests when preparing for the admissions process.

Texas McCombs Professional or Executive MBA candidates — for Evening, Executive, Dallas/Fort Worth, or Houston— have more options than ever when considering which graduate entrance exam to submit.

Test Options at a Glance

Submitting Expired GRE or GMAT Scores

Many of our Professional and Executive MBA candidates come into the program with a master’s degree that was earned immediately following their undergraduate degree. Until recently, only valid GRE or GMAT scores within the past five years were accepted from applicants. The reality is, prior graduate education and quality work experience are strong indicators of success in graduate business curriculum.

So if you hold a master’s degree and have your expired GRE or GMAT score report, a current exam score is not required and you may submit your expired scores.

The Executive Assessment (EA)

Several years ago, GMAC (who also delivers the GMAT) saw the need for a new test, tailored to the needs of MBA programs and their applicants who have significant years of work experience. Originally conceived for Executive MBA programs, the Executive Assessment (EA) was created in 2017. Today, over 70 MBA programs accept the EA. Where the GMAT and GRE are seen as screening tools, the EA is a readiness exam and a benchmark for academic preparedness.

If you have at least 8 years of work experience post-undergrad, you may choose to submit the EA with your Professional or Executive MBA application instead of the GMAT or GRE.

The Right Test for Your Application and Career Goals

When you’re considering an MBA program for a specific career path, it’s good to know what the recruiting landscape looks like. Be sure to educate yourself on choosing a test for your career search before starting your test prep.

Scholarship awards are another aspect to think about when deciding which test to submit. The Dallas and Houston Weekend MBA, and the Austin Evening MBA programs award small recruiting scholarships to outstanding incoming students based on the merits of the application as well as financial need. While the committee reviews each candidate holistically when awarding scholarships, a strong, valid GMAT or GRE will outweigh an expired GMAT or GRE, or an EA.

It’s true, some Executive MBA candidates can waive their exam requirements. The Executive MBA program is the only McCombs MBA that allows candidates to petition to waive the exam altogether. Candidates use the Optional Essay to explain why they do not need an exam, and the committee evaluates each waiver petition in the context of the entire application. Essentially, we’re looking elsewhere for information that the test would convey.

Our best advice to Executive MBA candidates: You must have at least 8 years of work experience to apply, but Executive MBAs have an average of over 14 years of experience. If you have below this average and solely a bachelor’s degree, plan to submit the EA.

If you have any questions about your testing options please contact our admissions team:
MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth Admissions
MBA at Houston Admissions
Evening MBA Admissions
Executive MBA Admissions

Hook ’em!

Student Spotlight: Ricardo Robles, Houston MBA Class of 2020

February 13, 2019 / Texas MBA Admissions / Comments Off

Ricardo Robles Jr. Houston MBA Class of 2020

This past fall, 84 new MBA students started at Texas McCombs as part of the Houston MBA Class of 2020!

We recently caught up with Ricardo Robles Jr., a Houston native who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He has worked as an engineer at Pacific Drilling, an engineering consultant at Lloyd’s Register and is currently a Senior Specialist for Performance at Rowan Companies.

Ricardo’s “Why McCombs?”

Ricardo first saw an MBA as a “springboard” for developing his skills in business and expanding his network. He believed an MBA would accelerate his professional progression and open up new avenues for success. He is most excited to continue building relationships in the program that will impact him for the rest of his life.

“Texas McCombs was always at the top of my choices for multiple reasons: the reputation of the program, the excellent professors, and the global network to name a few. Analyzing the program on paper put it on the top of my list but meeting the staff and other prospective students through information sessions made me sure that Texas McCombs was the right choice for me.”

McCombs Impact

Ricardo’s notable experiences include studying statistics with real world applications and collaboration with students from different backgrounds.

“The diversity of the student body has really helped me refine my collaboration skills with people who may be very different from me. Collaboration has been a major part of this program from the beginning and I’m looking forward to working with my classmates more.”

Ricardo’s Advice to You

For those of you interested in applying for your MBA at Texas McCombs, Ricardo has some advice for you:

“Attend an information event!. They are helpful at every stage of the process. Whether you are still wondering if an MBA is the right choice for you or which program you should pursue at Texas McCombs, events are a great resource to experience the culture and talk to current students.”

Visit Texas McCombs MBA to find out more about all our programs, events and community, or join the #WhyMcCombs conversation on Twitter. Hook ’em!

Student Spotlight: Lily Yap, DFW MBA Class of 2020

December 10, 2018 / Texas MBA Admissions / Comments Off

Lily Yap, MBA Class of 2020

Our Dallas/Fort Worth Class of 2020 welcomed its largest class ever, with 88 new students. This is also the most international class the DFW program has ever had and the most diverse in terms of companies/organizations represented.

We recently caught up with Lily Yap, a DFW MBA student originally from San Francisco, California. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University in Business Management and works on coordinating life-saving programs and operations for animal welfare services in Dallas.

Lily’s “WhyMcCombs?”

Lily was excited to see how passionate the current MBAs in her field are and looked forward to taking leadership classes. She believes classes that refine “soft” skills are extremely beneficial and looks forward to sharing her unique knowledge with other students and organizations.

Discover McCombs: Women’s Weekend 2018

November 16, 2018 / Texas MBA Admissions / Comments Off

On November 9 & 10, Texas McCombs hosted 56 future women MBAs on campus and around Austin for our Discover McCombs: Women’s Weekend– an unbeatable firsthand experience for anyone considering a Texas McCombs MBA. Attendees networked, explored Rowling Hall, heard an overview of program curriculum & career resources, and learned about the UT Austin community. We always look forward to this weekend of programming committed to the empowerment of women in higher education and business, and this year we were joined by current students, MBA faculty & staff, and recent alumnae to share their #WhyMcCombs.

Exploring Austin: Kendra Scott

The Welcome Reception on Friday evening was held at the Kendra Scott Home Office in central Austin, a beautiful new space indicative of Austin’s vibrant community of unique, innovative entrepreneurs.

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Women's Weekend kicks off with a reception at the beautiful home office of @kendrascott! 🙌🤘 What better way to start a weekend centered on women in business than to celebrate one of Austin's most successful entrepreneurs? Thank you, #kendrascott for the inspiration. 📸: @omgangelala . . . . . . . #Austin #DiscoverMcCombs #TXMBA #WomeninBusiness #Entrepreneurship #atx #womenempowerment #mbawomen #WhyMcCombs

A post shared by Texas McCombs MBA (@utexasmba) on Nov 9, 2018 at 4:41pm PST

First Look: MBA at Houston Class of 2020

August 13, 2018 / Texas McCombs MBA / Comments Off

New students from all of our MBA programs recently gathered in Austin to prepare for their classes, get to know each other, meet MBA faculty & staff, and have some fun. It was especially exciting to welcome our classes from Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston to their second home here on the UT Austin campus. These students experience the same top caliber curriculum, faculty, and network as our Working Professional students in Austin, but are able to attend classes close to home on campuses in Dallas and Houston.

We had a very strong pool of applications to pull from when putting together our Working Professional MBA classes this year, and the numbers certainly reflect that. Let’s take a look at our Houston class:

The MBA at Houston welcomed 84 awesome students to the program as new members of the Longhorn family. These students are no strangers to the fast-paced, hard-working town of Houston and they are all a true testament to the institution they will come to be challenged by over the next two years.

First Look: MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth Class of 2020

August 13, 2018 / Texas McCombs MBA / Comments Off

We had a very strong pool of applications to pull from when putting together our Working Professional MBA classes this year, and the numbers certainly reflect that. First, let’s take a look at our DFW class:

The MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth welcomed its largest class ever, with 88 new students beginning their MBA journey with Texas McCombs. This is also the most international class the DFW program has ever had and the most diverse in terms of companies/organizations represented.

Texas MBA Love Stories

February 14, 2018 / Texas McCombs MBA / Comments Off

This post was written by Jolene Ashcraft, Head of Marketing, Texas McCombs MBA Programs.

This Valentine’s Day, we checked in with some of our MBA alumni who found love at McCombs and have tied the knot in the last year. Find out how they met and what they’re up to now.

Michelle Sutton ’16 and Javier Armenteros ’16

Wedding Date: October 21, 2017

Wedding Location: Chapel Hill, NC

How We Met: By chance, we were seated next to each other at the MBA Orientation Banquet on our very first day of the program, but we did not get to know each other well until our second semester when we traveled to Park City, Utah on the Graduate Business Adventure Team (GBAT) Ski Trip and then to South Africa as part of the McCombs Global Connections Study Tour program.

Currently: We live in Dallas, TX, where Michelle is an Associate Brand Manager at Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and Javi is an Associate Finance Manager at PepsiCo Frito Lay. We are both proud Longhorns and are involved in MBA recruiting for our respective companies.

“We loved having such a strong contingent of McCombies at our wedding!”

Christie Sutton ’15 and Patrick McConnell ’15

Wedding Date: October 14, 2017

Wedding Location: San Francisco, CA (We originally planned for Healdsburg in Sonoma County, but due to the Northern California fires, we made a last minute move to San Francisco with the help of many of our McCombs friends.)

How We Met: We met in Austin during one of the McCombs Adventure Program (MAP) Day Trips, which take place before school officially begins. We sat next to each other on the bus to the wine tasting tour in Fredericksburg, TX and were friends from the start.

Currently: We currently live in San Francisco, CA and both work at Apple. Christie works in market development for the Corporate Retail division, and Pat works as a program manager on the new product launch team.

Christie and Pat with MBA classmates at their wedding

Landing Your Dream Job with Texas MBA Career Management

June 30, 2017 / Texas McCombs MBA / Comments Off

A big part of your MBA journey begins after you graduate– You’ll move up in your industry, transition into a different industry, or leverage your strong McCombs network to establish your own business ventures.

At the Texas MBA Program, our Career Management & Employment Services teams are devoted to making sure that no matter where your career takes you next, you”ll be successful.

Your Texas MBA degree starts paying dividends immediately. In 2015, Forbes named us the 3rd-highest return on investment (ROI) among all public MBA programs in the U.S.

Essay Writing Tips from Texas Full-Time MBA Admissions

June 27, 2017 / Texas McCombs MBA / Comments Off

The below is from Stacey Kammerdiener, Senior Texas Full-Time MBA Admissions Officer

As you think about how to approach the essays in your Texas Full-Time MBA application, your best shot at successfully answering the essay prompts is to approach them thoughtfully. The purpose of these essays is to understand why you want to attend McCombs and to learn more about you professionally and personally. While it may be tempting, do us (and yourself) a favor and avoid the snooze-fest/shock-factor extremes. Instead, approach your essays genuinely and with reflection. Armed with a few insider tips from the Admissions Committee below, you will be well on your way to submitting a strong application.

Rowling Hall is Coming!

December 12, 2016 / Texas McCombs MBA / Comments Off

In spring 2013, UT Austin announced a $25 million pledge from Dallas businessman Robert Rowling, BBA ’76, his wife Terry Hennersdorf Rowling, BBA ’76, and their family to fund the construction of a 458,000 square foot graduate business building — Robert B. Rowling Hall!

Rowling Hall will house the McCombs School of Business graduate programs, including the Texas MBA program. So future Texas MBAs, here’s how our new home is coming along so far:

The Beginning of Something Big

The future home of the Texas MBA – Rowling Hall!

Construction plans on the future site of the Texas MBA, Rowling Hall, began fall 2014. The new building, next to the AT&T Executive conference center on the west side of the UT-Austin campus, is projected to open in 2018. Rowling Hall will be the “launch pad” for projects between the school’s students & alumni, and the wider Austin community. Stand-out features include the active learning classrooms!

Groundbreaking of Rowling Hall

Construction on Rowling officially began on November 7th, 2015.

Breaking new ground: (left to right) Associate Dean, Eric Hirst, Dean, Tom Gilligan, Robert Rowling, President Powers, and GBC President at that time, Maureen McCaffery

Texas MBAs are known for their work ethic. They have established a reputation as leaders, team players…They roll up their sleeves and seek solutions. They take risks and try new things. They make things happen.

– Eric Hirst, Senior Associate Dean of the McCombs School of Business

“Meet me at the Moontower.”

Artist’s rendering of Moontower Cafe

Last year, McCombs held a contest to name the cafe at Rowling Hall. Students from all six MBA programs responded with 127 submissions. A naming committee narrowed the list until student Mackswell Dickson, MBA ’16, emerged as winner, gaining a one-year tuition scholarship. Donor Robert B. Rowling was among the attendees at the final winner’s announcement. The winning name, the “Moontower Cafe,” was announced in an email to all students.

Artist’s rendering of Rowling Hall Terrace

Hook ‘Em!

Texas McCombs MBA Insider

Tag: mccombs school of business (page 3 of 4)