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Quick Answer
The UT Austin McCombs MBA essays include 1 required essay, an optional essay, and a video assessment. The main essay typically asks applicants to share their career goals and a personal story that highlights what drives them. Strong essays demonstrate authenticity, leadership, and a clear fit with McCombs’ community and resources. Keep reading to see the current essay questions, learn what the admissions committee values, and get tips to write essays that stand out.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- What Are the UT Austin MBA Essay Questions?
- How Do You Write the UT Austin Career Goals and Core Value Essay?
- What Does UT Austin Look For in MBA Essays?
- How Long Should UT Austin MBA Essays Be?
- What Should You Know About the UT Austin Video Assessment?
- When Should You Write the UT Austin Optional Essay?
- Tips for Writing Strong UT Austin MBA Essays
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What’s Next?
What Are the UT Austin MBA Essay Questions?
For 2025-2026, the UT Austin application essays are:
Essay 1
Imagine yourself at the completion of your MBA journey. Why was pursuing your MBA at Texas McCombs the right decision for your personal and professional growth? Reflect on how you made the most of your time in the program — academically, through hands-on learning opportunities, and within the McCombs community.
Highlight how you contributed to the McCombs community and used its resources to grow both professionally and personally. (Limit: 250 words)
Essay 2
Reflect on a core value that defines you. Share a specific example of how it has guided your decisions and actions, and explain how it will shape your contributions and growth as a McCombs MBA student.
Highlight how this value has influenced your leadership style and life path, and how it will shape your MBA experience. (Limit: 250 words)
Optional Statement
Please explain any gaps in work experience, choice of recommender, and/or academic performance issues that may help the admission committee in reviewing your application. (Limit: 250 words)
KEY FACT:
UT Austin’s MBA application has 2 required essays and 1 optional essay.
How Do You Write the UT Austin Career Goals and Core Value Essay?
Here are our tips for answering the UT Austin essay questions:
Career Goals Essay
First, define your career and development goals. Specifically, share your target industry, role, and desired impact.
Then, connect your goals directly to resources at McCombs, such as courses, programs, and experiential learning opportunities. Finally, share how the program advanced your goals and how you maximized the opportunity.
Don’t forget to share your personal goals and how the program drove your growth. For example, if you had goals related to your soft skills, share how McCombs enabled you to grow.
Core Value Essay
Think about your core values and how they’ve influenced your life. Then, brainstorm examples of how these values have driven your decisions or changed your perspective.
To start, pick 1 core value and 1 specific example. Then, reflect on how this value has shown up in your life as well as how it will impact your MBA experience and what you want out of the McCombs MBA.
TTP PRO TIP:
Reflect on your values and life choices to determine which ideas are best for your McCombs essays.
What Does UT Austin Look For in MBA Essays?
The McCombs MBA admissions committee looks for:
- Authenticity — Do your essays and application materials share who you are — beyond your resume and achievements?
- Fit with McCombs — Have you researched the program and found alignment with the McCombs community?
- Community contribution — Can you share what you’ll bring to the McCombs MBA experience?
Make sure that your McCombs School of Business essays cover these themes.
Check out this blog post that expands on McCombs’s admissions criteria and essay topics.
TTP PRO TIP:
McCombs looks for essays that demonstrate authenticity, fit with McCombs, and community contributions.
How Long Should UT Austin MBA Essays Be?
The McCombs required essays should be a maximum of 250 words. The optional statement also has a max word count of 250.
What Should You Know About the UT Austin Video Assessment?
The UT Austin MBA video assessment helps the admissions committee learn more about you. Further, the video assessment must be completed by all applicants.
The video assessment has 5 questions, and applicants have 1–3 minutes to answer each. Finally, the video assessment must be completed 7 days after receiving access to the platform.
KEY FACT:
McCombs candidates must complete the video assessment within 7 days of receiving access to the submission platform.
When Should You Write the UT Austin Optional Essay?
The UT Austin optional essay is not required. However, you should complete the optional essay if you have:
- gaps in your employment
- academic issues to address
- a recommendation from someone who is not your supervisor
The additional information essay should be a maximum of 250 words.
KEY FACT:
Use the optional essay to address elements of your application that require more context, such as gaps in employment or academic issues.
Tips for Writing Strong UT Austin MBA Essays
To write great UT Austin essays, follow these tips:
- Research McCombs resources. Attend info sessions, talk with current students and alums, and dig into McCombs offerings that will help your goals.
- Provide specific examples. Provide detail on the offerings that support your goals, in addition to your intended contribution to the McCombs community.
- Share personal and professional stories. Balance your personal and professional examples across the McCombs essays and your video assessment responses.
- Practice for the video assessment. Record yourself answering common questions about your MBA goals and what you want to do at McCombs.
TTP PRO TIP:
Research McCombs and cite specific offerings that support your career goals.
Key Takeaways
Successful UT Austin essays help the MBA admissions committee learn more about the person behind the resume. Specifically, they reveal your values, goals, and fit with the program.
Take time to learn more about McCombs beyond the website. Further, share what you want to learn, whether you want to go full-time or part-time, and your expected ROI. Good luck!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the UT Austin MBA essay prompts?
The UT Austin MBA essay prompts are:
1) Imagine yourself at the completion of your MBA journey. Why was pursuing your MBA at Texas McCombs the right decision for your personal and professional growth? Reflect on how you made the most of your time in the program—academically, through hands-on learning opportunities, and within the McCombs community.
Highlight how you contributed to the McCombs community and used its resources to grow both professionally and personally.
2) Reflect on a core value that defines you. Share a specific example of how it has guided your decisions and actions, and explain how it will shape your contributions and growth as a McCombs MBA student.
Highlight how this value has influenced your leadership style and life path, and how it will shape your MBA experience.
3) Optional statement: Please explain any gaps in work experience, choice of recommender, and/or academic performance issues that may help the admission committee in reviewing your application. (Limit: 250 words)
How long should the UT Austin MBA essays be?
The limit for the 2 required UT Austin MBA admissions essays and the optional essay is 250 words.
What does UT Austin look for in MBA essays?
To start, the McCombs MBA application essays should show authenticity, fit with McCombs, and your community contribution. For more details, refer to the UT Austin MBA essay tips in this article.
Do I need to complete the optional essay?
The UT Austin supplemental essay is truly optional.
What is the video assessment for the UT Austin MBA?
The UT Austin MBA video assessment includes 5 questions that you must answer spontaneously. Additionally, you’ll have 1–3 minutes to answer each question.
What’s Next?
The McCombs MBA is an exceptional choice for candidates who wish to relocate to or stay in Texas. However, it’s essential that applicants research and understand what makes UT Austin unique.
If you need help creating your McCombs MBA essays, book a free consultation with one of our expert admissions consultants today.
