Charles Baronette (McCombs, ‘22) worked in consulting before choosing to get an MBA. After doing his research, Charles applied to Texas McCombs for the culture, career services support, and local Austin community. During this interview, Charles shared his story around his journey to McCombs, and his advice for prospective MBA students.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school, and why did you choose to apply to business school?
Before business school, I spent the last six and a half years as a technology consultant. At IBM, I worked across five different industries deploying technical solutions to clients, removing pain points, and leveraging both cognitive and relationship management technology. Five years ago, I wanted to excel through the ranks at IBM, so I began to speak with partners on what prepared them to move through the organization.
Outside of years of hard work and technical knowledge, they all had one common thread: an MBA. After doing some research I realized I could not achieve an MBA at my current level, so I put it off for a few years. During that time, I grew personally and professionally. I left IBM in search of a new challenge. I joined a smaller firm Edgewater Federal Solutions but still felt hungry for a challenge. Hearing about a former roommate’s MBA journey finally confirmed my decision to apply to business school.
I chose McCombs because of two reasons, I felt welcomed here and Austin is one of the fastest growing tech hubs with companies such as Apple, Google and Tesla setting up shop Austin, it was an obvious choice.
MBASchooled: What were the most important criteria to you when selecting MBA Programs to apply for?
Culture – During my school search, I visited seven domestic and two international schools. I was first introduced to the Texas McCombs School of Business through an info session with one of our admissions directors, Rodrigo Malta. I instantly got a feeling that McCombs students represented the right mixture of smart and humble. This assumption was verified by every second-year student I interacted with and even from the locals in the Austin area I spoke with.
Career outlook – My focus entering my MBA was to have a career in tech or move into the strategy consulting space. Pre- Covid, McCombs was integrated or had associations with several top organizations. McCombs had many alumni or ties with the likes of Bain, BCG, Salesforce, Dell, and Adobe.
Environment- Despite being in a major city Austin gave me a small-town vibe. The city itself has an abundant food and music scene that I want to tap into during my 2 years in Austin.
MBASchooled: Why did you ultimately choose UT-McCombs?
The Texas McCombs MBA offered an all-around package. In terms of value, McCombs is one of the most affordable programs in the top 20. McCombs professors are top rank in their respective fields. McCombs career services was ranked number one by Poetry and Quants (2019) really showing their values in terms of job placement. Overall, I just felt like more than just a number at McCombs.
MBAchooled: Oftentimes, the word “culture” gets thrown around when talking about MBA programs. Can you characterize the culture at UT-McCombs?, and share an example of an experience that you think personifies this?
If I had to narrow down McCombs culture, I would describe it as “Texas polite”. Students directly bring their opinions but with a humble approach. McCombs cohorts are composed of former consultants, bankers, marketers and even a few college kickers but the common thread is that everyone is intelligent and willing to help each other succeed whether it’s staying up to help a fellow classmate through a homework problem or setting up an excel tutorial session. McCombmies always have each other’s backs.
MBASchooled: Talk about the experience so far. What are some of your favorite parts of the MBA experience?
My favorite part of my MBA experience so far has been building strong connections with my classmates digitally. I have loved interacting with everyone, learning about my classmates’ former lives and what really brought them to business school.
MBASchooled: Think back to the MBA application process. What’s something you know now, that you wish you knew then?
During the MBA application process, I wish I had gotten more information from second year students about what they thought the school culture was and what brought them to their school. In addition, what programs to look for pre and during my MBA journey.
MBASchooled: It’s a bit more challenging for prospective MBA students to get to know MBA programs this year as a result of COVID-19. When MBA applicants are engaging with schools, what should they be looking to learn?
I would say this year more than any, I would ask how is your school building their community and caring for students during this time. What updates have they made during covid? What are good examples of students handling the transition from person to zoom?
MBASchooled: What advice do you have for candidates who are interested in UT-McCombs?
Be yourself. Don’t sign up for business school for any other reason than you wanting to learn because it’s the only thing that is guaranteed through an MBA program. You are choosing the school just as much as it is choosing you.
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