The Texas McCombs traditional MPA and MPA Bridge admissions applications require at least two letters of recommendation. Keep reading for answers to frequently asked questions about recommendations.
Who should write my letters of recommendation?
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. Choose references who know you in an academic or professional context and are familiar with your abilities, achievements, and career aspirations. Also consider references who can provide unique and diverse viewpoints. If you are currently in school, we prefer recommendations from faculty members, although feel free to supplement with a third recommendation from a professional work or extracurricular experience. Although only two recommendation letters are required, the MPA admissions committee will review all that are submitted.
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 select “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.
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 (Submitted Applications tab > Manage Recommenders).
