UT McCombs BBA
Can any McCombs undergrad alumni or others share their experience at the school especially having to do with placements in BB/EB, clubs, overall school culture, and ROI?
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Based on the WSO dataset, McCombs School of Business at UT Austin is highly regarded for its strong network and effective placement in investment banking, particularly in Bulge Bracket (BB) and Elite Boutique (EB) firms. Here are some insights based on the experiences shared by alumni and students:
Recruiting and Placement: McCombs has a solid reputation for finance and accounting, which significantly aids in recruiting for investment banking roles. Alumni and students often highlight the school's robust connection with major banks, both within Texas and nationally. The Business Honors Program (BHP) at McCombs is particularly noted for attracting attention from top banks.
Clubs and Organizations: Active participation in relevant clubs is highly encouraged. Clubs such as the Undergraduate Business Council (UBC) and the Finance Association play a crucial role in preparing students for IB roles through workshops, networking events, and guest speakers from the industry.
School Culture: The culture at McCombs is described as competitive yet collaborative, which is conducive to rigorous academic and professional preparation. The environment encourages networking and building relationships which are essential in the finance industry.
Return on Investment (ROI): Many alumni reflect positively on the ROI of their education at McCombs, particularly due to the strong alumni network and the career opportunities available post-graduation. The investment in education at McCombs is generally seen as worthwhile, given the potential career outcomes in high-paying fields like investment banking.
Alumni Network: The alumni network is often highlighted as a significant advantage. It's not uncommon for students to reach out to alumni via platforms like LinkedIn and receive guidance and even interview opportunities, which underscores the supportive nature of the McCombs community.
These elements collectively contribute to a strong preparation and successful placement in investment banking roles, making McCombs a valued choice for students aiming for careers in finance.
Sources: What I've learned so far after 1 yr at a top MBA program (If I could do it over):, Rice University vs. UT Austin McCombs Undergraduate, Q&A: Looking back on the first few months at Tuck, UW Madison or UF, UC Berkeley Undergrad for IB Recruiting
Look at some other threads, a lot has been answered regarding this, but I can restate the basics. Freshman fall should be dedicated to growing a social network at UT (best time to join Greek life, rush a business frat, make friends from class, etc.). The best finance clubs that send kids to WSFM and IBA recruit a couple of weeks into school. It can help to know people in these clubs, but as someone who is in one of them, I felt the process was pretty meritocratic. Just express your interest, talk to the active members at their info sessions, and be personable in your interviews. You aren't going to get ridiculous technicals as a freshman. Hardest questions I have heard freshmen get is "What's the current price of gold" or "What's a company that interests you"
(Side note: The best clubs to join for WSFM prep are Texas Undergraduate Investment Team, USIT Strategic Capital Group, Texas Equity Group, Texas Stock Team, and Texas Finance Team. Some others that are good are USIT general membership, the UFA finance group, and Longhorn Investment Team)
Do well in your classes and get as high of a GPA as possible. Take easy As if you pledge a frat.
Spring semester offers some recruiting again for these finance clubs, but not all of them do it. With recruiting coming earlier and earlier, this is when some clubs stop taking kids. Not sure what these interviews are like but I'd bet they are similar to the ones in the fall. Try to get an internship- literally anything works- and if you fail, just get a job back home and enjoy your summer. Study technicals over the summer so you can try one last time for the finance clubs that take sophomores and be prepped for Wall Street for McCombs and Investment Banking Association interviews. You'll nail the interviews if you have the 400 questions down cold and understand the concepts from the longer guides.
If you get into those clubs you should be able to place basically anywhere. BB/EB placement has been insane for the past 3 recruiting cycles- lots of Morgan Stanley, Evercore, Moelis, and buyside placement as well. We have placement at basically every bank- the only notable one that we lack is Allen and Co AFAIK.
School culture is great. Everyone I have met is nice, friendly, and willing to help out, especially upperclassmen. Also helps that there is way more than school in Austin and we have strong sports teams and a good social environment. Seriously, if you can't have fun at UT, you're doing something wrong.
ROI is off the charts if you pay in state tuition. Living expenses are a bit much but I'd estimate my total bill at $35k/year. That includes tuition, housing, parking, food, books, random expenses. Add anywhere from $6k-16k if you join Greek life though, some houses are extremely expensive.
This all being said I think it's a fantastic place to go to school, and I, in a very biased take, would only take a handful of schools over UT like HYP, but that's partially due to me liking the big state school environment.
Happy to answer any questions, but a lot of info is available if you use the search function or google.
Thank you for the input. I have read other threads previously and just wanted to ask as well to hear any new insights. One question I had was about BHP. How is the transfer process into it like? Will being in normal McCombs and not BHP put me at a disadvantage? How does BHP help students?
Can’t speak to transferring into BHP because it’s not something I did but my understanding is that you basically have to have a 4.0 to get it as a sophomore. All the kids I know who were BHP transfers were also very involved in campus in some capacity- clubs, IM sports, Greek life, volunteerism, etc.
BHP isn’t a huge deal for IB recruiting- WSFM means far more than anything else. BHP has a tight network and it has a better GPA distribution for its core classes. Also just get to flex being an honors student.
I see, thank you for the insight. I heard BHP is more geared towards consulting anyway. What do you end up doing in clubs like WSFM, TUIT, USIT, etc that makes you attractive to recruiters? I am just kind of confused on what you end up doing at these clubs lol
The clubs help you learn the basics of finance and investing. You’ll make stock pitches, learn a curriculum about what makes good businesses, be forced to read the news and develop opinions about markets, and do mock interviews.
WSFM is most helpful during recruiting since it’s just a stamp on your resume that says you’re a good candidate and know your stuff. Most alumni on Wall Street were in it so it gives you some pedigree. It also has a course in your junior spring to help you get used to the job functions like models and formatting slides.
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