The Texas McCombs essays include two required responses of 250 words each. The first asks you to imagine yourself at graduation and reflect on how McCombs shaped your MBA journey. The second invites you to share a core personal value through a defining example. Together, these essays are designed to reveal both your professional vision and your underlying character.

To succeed, you’ll need to balance clarity and authenticity. In Essay 1, set out your post-MBA goals and show how you’ll engage fully in McCombs’ academic, experiential, and community life – while contributing to others as much as you benefit. In Essay 2, choose a genuine value that defines you, illustrate it through a memorable story, and connect it to how you’ll show up as a leader at McCombs.

The strongest McCombs applications weave together ambition, self-awareness, and genuine fit with the school’s values: human centered, future focused, innovator connected, and collaboratively minded.

After submitting the application, you’ll be required to respond to five video questions that let the admissions committee get to see, hear, and know you more directly, and we have advice on what to expect and how to prepare for the McCombs videos here. 

How to Answer McCombs Essay 1 on Your MBA Journey?

Prompt: 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. (250 words)

This essay asks you to take a creative leap: put yourself at graduation and reflect on your MBA experience as if it has already happened. Underneath that framing, however, lies a classic “career goals + why McCombs” question.

The key is to balance vision and specificity:

• Set the stage. A brief opening scene (graduation day, a classmate beside you, reflecting on a project or professor who shaped your journey) can immediately bring your story to life.
• Anchor your goals. Even though the prompt does not explicitly ask for them, admissions will expect clarity on your post-MBA direction. Frame your professional aspirations early so the rest of your essay reads as the preparation that got you there.
• Show how you engaged McCombs. Go beyond listing classes – describe how you would immerse yourself in the ecosystem. For example, contributing to class discussions, drawing on your industry expertise, leading in the Graduate Business Council, or working with local startups through Texas Venture Labs.
• Contribute as much as you benefit. The adcom is evaluating whether you will strengthen the community, not just take from it. Highlight how you would give back – for instance by mentoring peers, driving a club initiative, or bringing your unique perspective to Austin’s thriving business ecosystem.
• Highlight fit. McCombs values collaboration, resilience, and a “make it together” spirit. Show pride in the program where heart and hard work meet, and why its small, close-knit culture in Austin is the right place for you to thrive.

At only 250 words, every sentence must work hard. The strongest essays blend personal growth, professional ambition, and authentic enthusiasm for McCombs into one cohesive vision.

Key Takeaways for Essay 1

• Open with a vivid reflection to make your essay memorable
• Clearly state your post-MBA goals to provide context for your journey
• Emphasize how you will engage academically, through hands-on learning, and in the community
• Balance what you will gain with how you will give back
• Demonstrate genuine fit with McCombs’ culture and values

How to Answer McCombs Essay 2 on a Core Value?

Prompt: 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. (250 words)

This essay is about character and values. McCombs wants to know what drives you at the deepest level and how that will translate into your impact on campus. While Essay 1 emphasizes your goals and fit with the program, this question shifts to who you are and how you lead.

Start by identifying one core value that genuinely defines you. It should be authentic, not what you think the admissions team wants to hear. Integrity, curiosity, resilience, or inclusivity are all strong values, but what matters most is that it’s authentic for you and you can illustrate it with a compelling example.

• Choose a defining moment. Think of a time when you made a meaningful decision or took action because of this value. This could be a leadership challenge at work, a community initiative, or even a personal crossroads.
• Show, don’t tell. Describe what you did, why it mattered, and how it shaped your leadership style. Instead of saying “I value teamwork,” demonstrate it through a story of mentoring a colleague or rallying a team under pressure.
• Connect to McCombs. Explain how this value will influence your contributions as a student. For example, resilience might inspire you to support classmates navigating setbacks, or a commitment to inclusivity might guide your involvement in a student diversity club.
• Tie to growth. Reflect briefly on how McCombs will challenge and expand this value, shaping the leader you hope to become.

This essay is your opportunity to add personal depth to your application and show McCombs that you will be a collaborative, values-driven presence in its community.

Key Takeaways for Essay 2

• Select a core value that is authentic and personally meaningful
• Illustrate it with a specific, memorable example from work or life
• Show how this value has shaped your leadership style and choices
• Connect the value to your future contributions at McCombs
• Reflect on how the McCombs MBA will strengthen and expand this value

How to Answer McCombs’ Optional Statement?

Prompt: 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)

The optional essay is your chance to proactively address any potential concerns in your application – not an invitation to add extra stories or achievements. If your candidacy is straightforward, you can skip this section entirely.

Appropriate topics include:

• Gaps in employment – briefly explain the reason, such as pursuing further study, a personal circumstance, or job market conditions.
• Choice of recommender – if you are not using a current supervisor, clarify why (e.g., confidentiality concerns, organizational changes).
• Academic performance issues – acknowledge low grades or weak quantitative results, then point to evidence of your abilities, such as a strong GMAT/GRE, relevant coursework, or quantitative professional experience.

Keep your tone factual and concise. Explain the situation clearly, avoid excuses, and demonstrate how you have addressed the issue or shown growth since. For example, “While I struggled in an undergraduate statistics class, my GMAT quant score and recent data analysis responsibilities at work reflect my current ability.”

The key is to reassure the admissions committee. Show that any red flags are in the past, and that you have the skills, maturity, and preparation to thrive in business school.

Let’s Get You Into McCombs

Fortuna Admissions is a dream team of former MBA admissions decision-makers from top schools. We know what it takes to stand out because we’ve made the admit decisions ourselves. Whether you need help refining your story, strengthening your essays, or navigating interviews, we’ve got you covered.

Our free consultations are consistently rated the best in the industry – and they’re a great way to get personalized advice and honest feedback on your profile. Book your free session with us today.