The University of Texas at Austin - McCombs School of Business

If the focus of the MBA program at McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin were to be summed up in one word, it would be “collaboration.” Students in more than 20 concentrations uniformly crow over its “incredibly collaborative culture,” citing the “supportive culture” as a top reason they ultimately picked the program. As a “top 20 school,” the “rigorous academic[s]” and “focus on clean energy,” “technology,” and “entrepreneurship,” are other stand-out elements of the program. Students can count on an “MBA program with…benefits…like small class size…but with all the benefits that come with an esteemed research institution” as a part of the larger university system. The administration “keeps everything running smoothly…without being too overbearing.” Faculty is “accessible” and “top-notch,” with “real world experience” which helps them “understand what is required to succeed in the real-world and foster…development to deliver fully prepared students to industry partners.” Curriculum areas particularly popular with McCombs graduates are the “great” marketing program, the “strong” real-estate concentration, and “world-class” finance and accounting curriculum. Finally, students who prioritized affordability say McCombs provides great “bang for your buck” and “return on investment.”

As a “tech hub,” Austin is an ideal location that also offers “access to [a] great entrepreneurship scene. One student reported “work[ing] with five different startups” over the two-year span, saying there were “ample opportunities to really dive into one’s field in Austin.” Furthermore, “world class finance and accounting…programs” at McCombs “directly place into Wall Street, Venture Capital, and Private Equity” sectors. According to one student, they “received thirteen SuperDay interviews within Investment Banking—all of which were facilitated by the school’s administration.” Another student concurs that “[t]he connections that the professors have allow for direct placement into the world of high finance, which is otherwise inaccessible to the vast majority of job seekers.” And graduates stick around and stay connected to their alma mater: there is a “large base of UT alumni who were excited to mentor me and make many introductions for my job search,” said one recent graduate. Some of the eventual job placements included “desirable firms” like McKinsey, Bain, Apple, Google, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and JP Morgan.

One student succinctly summed up their cohort’s sentiments: “Life at UT Austin is [as] vibrant as the city around it.” While “students spend a significant amount of time working on school work and internships,” there is “still enough time to do fun things around the city,” including international music events like SXSW and Austin City Limits. On campus, there are “at least 50” student-led clubs that host regular events; these include “professional clubs, like the CleanTech club,” as well as “social clubs, like Wine club.” The new Rowling Hall has had a “large impact on the overall day-to-day experience,” its “open design making it easy to meet up with friends” and offering plenty of “study rooms for independent or group study.” Students describe their peers as “collaborative,” “technically capable,” “friendly,” and “excited to make an impact.” One student says “coming from a narrow industry background, I was impressed from day one by my classmates’ diverse experiences.” And students with families report that, “the school does a great job including [significant others] to create an almost family-like culture.”