Prospective Applicants

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  How do I qualify for in-state tuition?

A:   If you are still on active duty or serving with a reserve unit, you may qualify for in-state tuition.

1.      If Texas is your legal state of residence (whether you are stationed in Texas or not), you and your dependents will be considered in-state residents and you will pay in-state tuition.

2.      If Texas is not your legal state of residence, but you can provide a letter from your commander stating that you are stationed in Texas, you will need to fill out a residency questionnaire through GIAC (The Texas Graduate Admissions office).  Typically, you will be considered an out-of-state resident, but you will receive a tuition waiver allowing you to pay in-state tuition and fees.  This applies if you are on active duty, or serving in the reserves or National Guard. 

If you are no longer on active duty you may qualify for the Hazelwood Act.  The Hazelwood Act is serviced through the Veteran Affairs Office and provides free education for Texas veterans.  Generally in order to qualify, you must have been a Texas Resident prior to entering the military and returned to Texas after leaving the military.  You must attend school in the state of Texas.  For information please call  512-475-7525.

Q:  There are a lot of military alumni at McCombs.  How come?  Does the admissions process favor candidates with military service?

A:   Not specifically.  However, the leadership and teamwork skills that successful applicants possess are easy to illustrate using examples from your military career.  The McCombs admissions committee looks for the same sort of leadership potential that every MBA admissions committee looks for;  military officers and enlisted personnel are often ideal candidates for an MBA degree.  McCombs attracts many former service members for several reasons.  First, many of us serve in National Guard or Reserve units, making McCombs extremely attractive from a financial standpoint.  Second, there are a large number of military bases in Texas, and McCombs is a good choice for someone who has been serving in the state already.  Finally, it's a great school.

Q:  I'm an MBA candidate stud.  I scored a 780 on the GMAT, I was the First Captain at West Point, and I spent my 5 years of work experience single-handedly negotiating a new peace treaty in the Middle East.  Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton are all leaving desperate messages on my voice mail, begging me to apply.  Why should I consider McCombs?

A:  McCombs offers lots of great advantages over other prestigious MBA Programs.  McCombs offers a collaborative and hands-on learning style, stressing teamwork and leadership skills.  Additionally, the location is fantastic:  Austin, Texas is a young, educated, outdoors city also known as the Live Music Capital of the World.   

There are a lot of good MBA programs out there, but don’t be blinded by the “brand” of a particular school; McCombs offers a number of specializations that simply are not available at other universities.  If you are interested in Entrepreneurship (Moot Corp), Energy Finance, Investments (the MBA Investment Fund), or Information Technology, McCombs may be a perfect fit for you (and that’s not even mentioning all of the other great concentrations and specializations).  And since the average McCombs MBA graduates with less than half the debt of someone from other top schools, our return on investment is great.

Q:  I want in.  How do I apply to McCombs?  What can I do to increase my chances for success?

A:  See the "links" page for information about the McCombs admissions process.  Additionally, feel free to contact any of our members (go to the "Members" section and use the hyperlinks to send us email) for more information about the admissions process or life as an MBA candidate.  Some general keys to success:

• Take the GMAT as early as you can.  Dedicate a block of time (8-10 weeks) for preparation, and treat it as you would any academic class.  There are a lot of GMAT prep materials available, but most MBA's used either the Princeton Review books/CD-ROM or the Kaplan GMAT book/CD-ROM.  Since the GMAT is given on a computer, using the CD-ROM is a good idea;  the computer prep materials mimic the actual testing process.  Don't worry if your score seems low;  nearly everyone agrees that the actual test is easier than the practice exams.

• Work on building a "civilianized" resume.  There are links to military resume tips on the "links" page.  Building a resume will force you to think of your military experience in terms of the civilian job market; just like with finding a job, applying to business school is a matter of packaging and marketing yourself.  A tight, well-written resume is the first step towards that goal.

• Figure out why you want an MBA, and be able to explain why to others.  This isn't just for the admissions hoopla.  Successful candidates recognize what an MBA degree will provide, and what it will not;  there is no "right" career path for an MBA, so be able to explain why an MBA will help you reach your career goals.  

• Finally, do as much research as you can about both schools and the business world in general.  If you have never held a civilian job, read up on the terminology of business.  Figure out where your interests might lie:  are you interested in Finance, or Marketing?  Could you see yourself as a management consultant, or do you want to manage a production facility?  The more you learn about business, the more convincing your essays will be.

For more information about the admissions process, contact the Texas Admissions Committee, a separate group of MBA students that helps the admissions office through the entire process. You can learn about TAC from the student life section of the admissions page, or just send e-mail to them at texasmba@bus.utexas.edu.

At Wharton, "Leadership" was a class we took.  In the military, it's a way of life.

--Henry Jones, USNA '88, Wharton MBA '95