In Brief

• The McCombs video assessment is required for every full-time MBA applicant and is completed shortly after you submit your application.
• It includes six question prompts, with 90 seconds to answer each; two are viewed by the admissions committee but not scored.
• You have seven days after submitting your written application to complete the exercise.
• The McCombs MBA interview is encouraged but not required for full-time applicants.

The interview is a 20–30 minute behavioral conversation with a member of the McCombs Ambassador Committee.

Your Chance to Be Seen and Heard

Most top MBA programs decide who they want to meet and send interview invitations to a shortlist. Texas McCombs takes a warmer, more democratic approach: every applicant to the full-time MBA records a video assessment and has the option to round out the process with a short virtual interview. It is a deliberate choice, and a generous one, because it hands each candidate the same opportunity to be seen and heard beyond the paper application.

McCombs designed the video assessment as a more accessible, more personal alternative to the traditional essay-and-interview format. Because every applicant completes the same structured exercise, the process is consistent and helps the committee reduce bias while getting a real feel for who you are. The school’s own framing is that it lets them meet the “real” you, in your own voice.

A camera can feel intimidating. It is also an opening. There is a warmth and energy you can convey on video that rarely survives on the page, and handled well, both the assessment and the interview let you come across as the three-dimensional person a committee wants in the room.

Over my many years in MBA admissions at Berkeley Haas, Carnegie Mellon Tepper and as a coach at Fortuna, I have watched candidates who prepared thoughtfully turn these moments into a real advantage. Here is how to do the same.

For more on the written side of your McCombs application, see our guide to the Texas McCombs MBA essays.

Completing the McCombs Video Assessment

Once you submit your application and your fee is paid or waived, you will receive an invitation to complete the video assessment. The clock starts the moment you get access: you have seven days to finish, so plan ahead and do not leave it to the final day. 

The McCombs video essay exercise includes six prompts, with a 90-second limit on each. Two of the six are viewed by the admissions committee but not scored, including a relaxed opener designed to settle your nerves. You can practice with the camera and format as much as you like beforehand, so take full advantage of that before recording your real responses.

Get the Technology Requirements Right Before You Start

Small technical hiccups create big, avoidable stress. McCombs runs the assessment through Kira, which needs a desktop or laptop computer (not a phone or tablet) with a working webcam, microphone, and internet connection. Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera all work well; Safari does not, so switch browsers if that is your default. Make sure you have a good internet connection and a quiet location where you won’t be disturbed. Set the camera at eye level, find flattering light, and clear your background, then take advantage of the practice mode more than once so the format becomes familiar.

“These video questions can make candidates self-conscious and uneasy, as talking to the camera (without a person on the other end) can feel artificial. I advise imagining you are actually talking to a trusted friend or colleague – this visualization can really help your delivery and body language.” Melissa Jones, Fortuna Senior Expert Coach & former INSEAD Admissions Associate Director

Answering the McCombs Video Assessment Behavioral Questions

McCombs advises applicants to prepare for the video essays much as they would for an interview, and both the McCombs video assessment and the interview include behavioral questions that elicit specific examples of what you have actually done. Expect the committee to want to know why you chose a particular course of action, what was going through your mind, how it affected others, and how it turned out.

With only 90 seconds, structure is your friend. The STAR method – Situation, Task, Action, Result – keeps you clear and concise under time pressure. A useful rhythm is to spend the first 15 to 20 seconds setting up the situation and task, the middle stretch on your specific actions and their results, and a brief closing reflection. Here are our key tips: 

• Lead with a concrete example. Get specific rather than talking in general terms. Name the real situation and your real role in it.
• Answer the question that was asked. It is easy to drift into a rehearsed story. Make sure the example genuinely addresses the prompt.
• Spell out the outcome. The result and what you learned matter more than a long setup. Say what changed because of what you did.
• Watch your pace. Ninety seconds passes quickly. Practice out loud so you know what a full, unhurried answer feels like within the limit.

“The most common mistake I see is burning forty seconds on the context or backstory and leaving too little room for what you actually did and the outcome. Give just enough context for your actions to make sense, then move quickly into what you did and the difference it made. You have to get to the point very quickly.” Melissa Jones

Showing Your Fit With What McCombs Values

McCombs is explicit about the competencies it assesses in the video, and knowing them helps you choose the right examples. The school looks for evidence of:

• Adaptability and resilience: a positive mindset, comfort with the unexpected, and treating setbacks as chances to learn.
• Motivation: genuine interest in the MBA and a clear sense of why McCombs is the right place for your goals.
• Empathy and inclusivity: understanding other perspectives, advocating for under-represented voices, and working well in diverse teams.
• Ambition: the drive and ability to deliver results, and an enterprising, curious approach to complex problems.
• Goals: thoughtful decision-making and a long-term vision for how you will get there.
• Well-roundedness: interests and passions beyond work that shape who you are.
• Verbal communication: clear, engaging expression in English and the ability to think on your feet.
• Professionalism and poise: maturity and composure suited to a business setting, while still being yourself.

The school’s guiding mantra, “Human-Centered, Future-Focused,” runs through everything it does, so questions about collaboration, inclusion, and the impact you want to make are natural territory. When a prompt asks how a McCombs MBA fits your goals, connect specific aspects of the program to your aspirations, be clear about what you would uniquely add to the community, and let your enthusiasm show.

This is where a little reflective groundwork pays off. Before you record, get clear on your strengths, your values, and the through-line of your story, so the examples you choose add a dimension the rest of your application cannot. And when you speak to why McCombs, be concrete: the stories and reasons that make you memorable are usually the specific ones that reveal something your resume, transcript, and LinkedIn profile leave unsaid.

“Show you’ve done your research. Saying something generic like “I love the collaborative culture” won’t grasp their attention. Instead, name the specific class, professor, club, or Austin connection that maps to your goals, and suddenly the committee believes you have actually pictured yourself there. Specificity helps communicate your sincerity.” Melissa Jones

Preparing for the Video Assessment

At Fortuna we coach candidates through the McCombs video assessment: refining your stories, tightening your responses to fit the 90-second limit, and getting comfortable on camera. The best place to start is a free consultation, where we can give you honest feedback on your profile and map out the support that would help you most. 

Preparing for the McCombs MBA Interview

Alongside the video assessment, McCombs invites full-time MBA applicants to close out the process with a virtual interview. It is encouraged but not required, and I would highly encourage it too. The conversation is behavioral in format, lasts roughly 20 to 30 minutes including time for your own questions, and is held with a member of the McCombs Ambassador Committee. Like the video assessment, it can be completed after your application deadline.

This is very much in keeping with the school’s human-centered ethos: a relatively low-stakes, genuinely two-way conversation, and a chance to show your collaborative instincts, reaffirm why you want an MBA, connect with the McCombs community, and leave a warm, lasting impression. Come with concrete examples for behavioral questions, keep your answers concise but complete, and bring two or three thoughtful questions of your own.

Key Tips

• Be on time and test your setup. Follow the connection instructions in your confirmation email, and check camera, microphone, lighting, and internet in advance.
• Prepare real examples. Behavioral questions reward specific stories of teamwork and leadership over general claims.
• Know the program. Detailed, genuine knowledge of McCombs signals commitment and strengthens your “why this school” answers.
• Bring questions. You will have time to ask your own, so arrive with two or three that show you have done your homework.

Practice for the Interview h3

Our MBA Interview Prep service pairs you with an experienced coach for mock interviews, school-specific practice, and honest, real-time feedback, so you come across as confident and authentic rather than over-rehearsed. It is built for exactly the behavioral, thinking-on-your-feet conversation McCombs runs.

Managing Nerves on the Day

A little nervousness is normal and expected. To keep it in check, breathe before you begin, remind yourself you can take a beat to gather your thoughts, and aim for a conversation rather than a flawless performance. Dress as you would for an in-person interview, look into the camera rather than at your own image on screen, and resist the temptation to read from notes: it is more obvious on camera than people think, and it drains the warmth from your answer.

Let’s Get You In

Fortuna Admissions is a dream team of former MBA admissions directors and officers from the world’s top business schools. Many of our coaches have sat on the other side of the table as interviewers and admissions committee members, and we can help you choose the right stories, sharpen your delivery, so you’ll walk into your video assessment and interview relaxed and ready. 

Our free consultations are consistently rated among the best in the industry, and they’re a great way to get honest, personalized feedback on your profile and map out the support that would help you most. Book your free consultation today.