After graduating from UT-Austin as an undergrad, Manolo Alvarez (McCombs, ‘22) worked in roles across sales, operations, and business analytics. Sensing that he wanted to make a bigger impact and achieve his potential of becoming a great leader, Manolo decided to get an MBA, and through reflection and research landed on coming back home to UT-McCombs. During this interview, Manolo shared his journey back to Austin and UT-McCombs, why he has enjoyed his experience so far, and his advice to prospective MBA applicants considering UT-McCombs.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school, and why did you choose to apply to business school?
My four-year pre-MBA career was a bit varied. When I wasn’t working on rebuilding 80s cars in my garage, I further honed my grit and determination over two years in software sales for Oracle then MongoDB, then followed my passion of operations and pivoted into UX/Design Research Operations, first at Google where I was promoted to manager then USAA, and, finally, worked on developing an analytics muscle by doing Business Analytics at Social Solutions.
I believe every move was instrumental to my professional development as I’ve been able to interact with important parts of a business and build myself as a well-rounded pre-MBA individual. Really, the only constant has been learning and Austin, TX! What drew me to business school was an internal voice that became clearer and clearer: “You have the makings of a great leader”. I knew to be a great leader I had to challenge myself and what better way than to get an MBA at a Top 20 business school?
MBASchooled: What were the most important criteria to you when selecting MBA Programs to apply for?
Cost, Location, Reputation. My list was Texas McCombs, UT Dallas, Harvard, and Colombia. I am supporting myself through my MBA, so cost and return on investment is an important factor. I also wanted to be in a great spot for me to build my career. DFW is a career building mecca as is Boston, New York City, and especially Austin. Finally, to have the backing of a prestigious institution was important to me for connections, networking, and a source of pride. These were my initial thoughts before doing any research.
After doing research I found that my priorities came down to opportunities both in and out of the classroom to challenge myself, build a network, and connect with amazing employers. What classes were available? Extracurricular opportunities to build community? What was the student culture like? After doing said research and attending many many webinars I gained a good understanding of what each school could offer.
MBASchooled: Why did you ultimately choose UT-McCombs?
This is home. The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business is a premier business institution in the State of Texas with over 500,000 alumni across the nation and world.I knew I’d be challenged, supported by faculty, given opportunities, connected to peers and thrive in a community and culture that is open and inclusive. After spending numerous hours in webinars, coffee chats, and one-on-ones with admissions staff for both the Full-Time and Working-Professional DFW program (I was originally considering both), I knew the Full-Time Program was the place for me, again. I completed my undergraduate business degree at Texas McCombs and absolutely loved my time.
The culture of the business school and institution at large are largely why I call it home. I knew that coming back would not only be good for my career but also me personally. Outside of sentimental reasons, the ROI of the program is phenomenal and, given I want to stay in Texas, the name brand and reputation is unmatched. Finally, Austin, TX has once again been voted the best place to live in the U.S. and best place to start a career in technology, which is my ultimate goal.
MBASchooled: 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?
Collaboratively Competitive is a great phrase I’ve heard describe the Texas McCombs MBA program and I wholeheartedly agree. When you decide to join an MBA program you’re going to be put in the same room as very ambitious, driven, and, ultimately, competitive people. That’s part of the journey. However, at Texas McCombs, we’re Collaboratively Competitive. This means that of course we’re all looking to build those connections and get those great full-time roles after the MBA but what will make it even better is when we bring fellow Texas MBAs with us.
A great example of this is the massive amount of collaboration that happens when going through recruiting. Clearly many of us will compete for the same roles. However, that doesn’t stop us from sharing things we learn, recruiter conversations we have, and doing interview prep with each other for the same role. There are too many instances to list, but I can say I’ve prepped others and others have prepared me for very competitive roles. We want to see each other succeed and if it’s not “me”, so to speak, we’ll just be glad if it’s a classmate and friend. That’s the Texas way.
MBASchooled Talk about the experience so far. What are some of your favorite parts of the MBA experience so far?
Getting to know different people has, by far, been my favorite part of the MBA experience. The Texas MBA program does a great job of finding excellent candidates who will add value to the culture and getting to know these people has been amazing. There are so many different perspectives, personalities, and experiences to learn from and everyone has been very open to share and have a two-way conversation. After the people, the classes have been hugely rewarding.
As someone who’s undergraduate degree was in business, it was so fulfilling to see these classes again but at a higher level with more emphasis on application rather than theory. The professors have been excellent to get to know personally and they truly care about the students and our aspirations.
MBASchooled: Think back to the MBA application process. What’s something you know now, that you wish you knew then?
How accessible student representatives of the school are! I attended many webinars and application workshops for Texas McCombs as we have a rockstar lineup of content and, while those are great, I wish I would have taken more time to do 1-on-1 coffee chats with current students in the program to better understand their sentiments of the program as well as recommendations for what to do when I got accepted.
The Texas McCombs program, like many other top MBA programs, does a great job of making current students accessible to prospects and I wish I would have taken more advantage of it. With that said, I believe the actions I took were very fruitful in my successful application. I studied for the GRE over 8 months and attended as many webinars and workshops as possible to keep learning and interacting with the admissions committee to show my passion and intent to be a part of the community.
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?
Definitely ask how the professors are handling and conducting class given the new technological ramifications of COVID. How students perceive the professors and the program office is a great indication of how well the program is handling the new reality. Make sure you understand the guidelines of the school.
Meaning, how are they socially distanced (are they? We are!); is it hybrid/online?; fully online?; how are they testing students?; what accommodations are available to students with unusual circumstances given the circumstances? All of these things are so important to ensuring a good MBA experience in these new uncertain times.
MBASchooled: What advice do you have for candidates who are interested in UT-McCombs??
There’s a saying for our football participation at UT: Come Early, Stay Late, and Hook ‘Em Horns! I think that applies to your interest in Texas McCombs. If you’re interested in the school and the program, show up! Come to webinars, speak to students, reach out to alumni, interact with the admissions team, send email questions, and put in the effort. It will get noticed and will help you
(1) understand what Texas McCombs is all about and
(2) stand out from the rest of the applicants.
I would also definitely recommend visiting the campus and building. When I was an undergrad the new graduate building was not built yet and, now that it is, it’s amazing! Until another building gets finished in a year or so, Rowling Hall (the name of the new graduate school of business) is the newest building on the UT Campus.
Come see it and see if you feel at home. Not only that, but explore the rest of campus and ultimately the city! “Can I see myself living here for the next two years?” is such an important question to ask yourself when considering any educational experience so definitely take the time to decide that for yourself.
Finally, do your research on where McCombs alumni are and what great things they’re doing. Once you find those people, realize that they will be in your network if you decide to join the 40 Acres and the McCombs School of Business. I don’t know about you, but knowing Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines, is in my network is pretty cool. Can you imagine doing the Hook ‘Em with him? I can!
Further Reading on Texas McCombs