Clear Admit MBA Admissions Blog » School: USC / Marshall

USC Marshall Essay Topic Analysis 2011-2012

Clear Admit — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:00:14 +0000

USC Marshall’s essay topics remain the same as those posed to applicants for the past several years, demonstrating the school’s continued interest in applicants’ contributions to their communities, international experiences, and personal growth. Let’s take a look at the questions asked for USC for the 2011-2012 application season:

Essay 1: What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will USC Marshall help you achieve these goals? If interested in a dual-degree program, please address in this essay. (750 words)
This essay is similar to the career goals essay required by many of the top schools. Although Marshall does not specifically ask for 250 words each on three distinct topics (short-term goals, long-term goals, and what will enable applicants to achieve these goals), it would be prudent for candidates to maintain a balanced approach to answering this question. Because Marshall does not specifically ask for a career history section, applicants should keep any description of their professional experience to a minimum, connecting it to their interest in and potential to achieve their goals. Taking the time to learn about the school’s special programs and extracurricular activities – whether through a visit to campus, conversation with alumni or reading the Clear Admit School Guide to USC Marshall School of Business – will pay dividends here.

Essay 2: How will other USC Marshall MBA students benefit from your background, experience, leadership and teamwork skills? (500 words)
Although many applicants end their career goals essay discussing the contributions they would make to a school’s program, USC Marshall’s new second essay question specifically asks candidates to address the ways in which they can give back to the school. This prompt is fairly broad, but applicants should remember to select unique information about their backgrounds, experiences, leadership and teamwork skills to help them stand out to the adcom. Rather than simply addressing how they will contribute to courses, applicants should think of other avenues through which their skills and past experiences would allow them to benefit their fellow students at USC Marshall, i.e. clubs, programs. In such a short essay, it’s probably best to focus your discussion to two or three topics. The emphasis on leadership and teamwork indicates that candidates focus their essay on benefiting other students through collaboration and effective leadership.

Essay 3: Select three from the following and describe: (250 words each)
a) A challenging international experience
b) A personal or professional setback
c) An entrepreneur you admire
d) Your family, including any ties to USC
e) Your most significant accomplishment
f) A situation where your professional ethics were challenged
Candidates have a wide range of topics they could consider discussing in response to this essay. Applicants should make sure to use both work and personal experiences in responding to these three prompts, as doing so will provide a well-rounded picture of their candidacy. Because of the limited word-count for this essay, economy of words will be key; applicants will likely want to state their topic and move right into an illustrative anecdote. Candidates with family connections to USC should feel comfortable mentioning the relationship in this essay through selecting option d.

2011-2012 USC / Marshall Essay Topics

Clear Admit — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:24:08 +0000

Following up on its earlier release of its 2011-2012 deadlines, USC/Marshall has announced its 2011-2012 essay topics. This year’s topics are below:

1) What are your short- term and long-term post MBA goals? How will USC Marshall help you achieve these goals? (750 words) If interested in a dual-degree program, please address in this essay.

2) How will other USC Marshall MBA Students benefit from your background, experience, leadership and teamwork skills? (500 words)

3) Select three from the following and describe: (250 words each)

a) A challenging international experience
b) A personal or professional setback
c) An entrepreneur you admire
d) Your family, including any ties to USC
e) Your most significant accomplishment
f) A situation where your professional ethics were challenged

4) Optional Essay: Please add any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider in evaluating your application (250 words)

Re-Applicants:
If you applied within the past two years, please answer the following:

1) What steps have you taken to strengthen your application since your last submission? Please reiterate your short-term and long-term goals. (750 words)

2) Select two from the following and describe: (250 words each)
a) A challenging international experience
b) A personal or professional setback
c) An entrepreneur you admire
d) Your family, including any ties to USC
e) Your most significant accomplishment
f) A situation where your professional ethics were challenged

For more information, visit the program’s admissions website.

USC / Marshall, Georgetown / McDonough Introduced in Clear Admit School Guide Series

Clear Admit — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:00:23 +0000

We are pleased to announce the addition of two new titles – Marshall School of Business and McDonough School of Business – to our applauded and widely-read line of School Guides!

Like the other 22 titles in the School Guide series, these new publications feature objective information that goes well beyond published rankings and will help you understand how these domestic programs compare to peer U.S. schools. By reading the Clear Admit School Guides, you can gather the details you need to shine in the admissions process.

These two brand new guides include all of the hallmarks of the Clear Admit School Guide series, including our peer-to-peer comparisons and essay topic analyses, making them a valuable resource that can be used at each stage of the admissions process.

Whether you have just begun to think about business school or are putting the finishing touches on your essays, the Clear Admit School Guides will help you to:

Become an expert on your target schools overnight
Use your newfound expertise to craft essays that stand out
Compare schools head-to-head using objective data that goes beyond published rankings and school-published marketing materials
Prepare for your admissions interviews by knowing your target schools inside and out
Make an informed decision about where to enroll

The USC / Marshall and Georgetown / McDonough School Guides are available for immediate download in the Clear Admit Shop. Also, stay tuned for the release of more Clear Admit publications later this summer!

USC / Marshall 2011-2012 Deadlines

Clear Admit — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:39:24 +0000

The 2011-2012 USC / Marshall deadlines have been announced! The three rounds of deadlines are as follows:

Round 1
Application Deadline – Nov. 1, 2011
Interview Invitation – Dec. 1, 2011
Notification Begins – Feb. 1, 2012

Round 2
Application Deadline – Jan. 15, 2012
Interview Invitation – Feb. 15, 2012
Notification Begins – Apr. 1, 2012

Round 3
Application Deadline – Mar. 15, 2012
Interview Invitation – April 15, 2012
Notification Begins – May 15, 2012

For more information, visit the USC / Marshall admissions website.

USC / Marshall MBA Admissions Interview Questions 2011

Clear Admit — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:59:22 +0000

We’re in the thick of MBA interview season and we’d like to lead off with a big “thank you!” to those candidates who have shared their interview questions in the Clear Admit Wiki, a community sharing point for MBA applicants to expand on their experiences with the MBA admissions process! A Round 2 applicant to USC / Marshall shared the following questions from a second-year student:

“I interviewed on campus with a second year student during one of the Saturday interview rounds for R2. Interviewer seemed to only have my resume and hadn’t read other aspects of my application.

Tell me about yourself.
Hobbies/Interesting Activities?
Why MBA & why USC?
Tell me about how you prioritize your work.
Talk about a leadership experience.
Tell me about a weakness.

Interview was fairly conversational, although the interviewer kept a good poker face on the whole time. Result: Admitted.”

To see more MBA admissions interview reports, check out the Clear Admit Wiki – a free resource with hundreds of real, documented interview experiences from b-school applicants. Also, if you’d like to help your fellow applicants by adding your experiences, please send us your interview field report and we’ll post it to the wiki. Finally, if you’d like even more helpful hints and detailed analysis on how to ace your interview, check out our line of Interview Guides, which demystify the most common questions asked by the leading programs and offer step-by-step guidance for a successful interview.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Clear Admit Wiki and best of luck to those undergoing admissions interviews!

Economist to Host Exclusive Online MBA Admissions Fair

Clear Admit — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:00:48 +0000

The Economist this week will host an exclusive online MBA event connecting selected MBA candidates with admissions officers, current students and professors from some of the world’s top MBA programs.

The Economist MBA Circle will take place on March 29th and 30th, featuring webinars and videos about the MBA admissions process, chat sessions on student life and special programs and the opportunity for participants to meet online with admissions officers, current students and alumni.

Exhibiting schools include the MIT Sloan School of Management, the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, the Yale School of Management, Spain’s IE Business School and IESE Business School, Switzerland’s IMD and London Business School.

Space is limited for this exclusive online event, so interested candidates are encouraged to register now. To register, click here. All those who register will be considered, but due to limited space, candidates must meet minimum work experience, test score and other requirements to participate.

Selected participants may log into the fair at any time on March 29th and 30th. Live sessions with admissions officers will take place during the following time periods:

March 29: 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. EST
March 29: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST
March 30: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST
March 30: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST

For a convenient time zone conversion tool, click here.

USC / Marshall MBA Admissions Interview Questions 2011

Clear Admit — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:57:33 +0000

This account of a USC / Marshall admissions interview was recently shared in the Clear Admit Wiki, a free resource for applicants to post their experiences with the MBA admissions process. The Round 2 applicant was interviewed by an adcom member:

“I interviewed with Kellee Scott from the USC Admissions Office in early March 2011. I am a Round 2 applicant for the full time program. The interview was held on-campus and was very friendly. Kellee made like it was more of a conversation than an interview.

Questions that I was asked:

Overview your work experience
What is a typical day like at work for you?
To what extent are you responsible at work, and how much is done in teams?
What is the biggest misconception about you?
What are 3 traits of a leader?
What do you do for fun?

There was no pressure to complete the interview within a certain amount of time. After the interview she asked if I had any questions for her. I asked how hiring of MBA grads is looking for this year. The interview lasted around 20 to 25 minutes.”

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Clear Admit Wiki and best of luck to those undergoing admissions interviews!

USC / Marshall MBA Admissions Interview Questions 2011

Clear Admit — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 05:00:08 +0000

As Round 2 notifications continue to roll out, new MBA interview reports are pouring into the Clear Admit Wiki. This past week, a Round 2 candidate for USC / Marshall shared an interview account with a second-year student on campus:

“Weather was a perfect sunny California spring day. Interviewer was vaguely familiar with my resume, but didn’t seem to have read my essays or application.

Tell me about yourself (I included experience and post-mba goals here, so she didn’t ask about them later specifically)
Difficulties working with a team
Leadership experience
Tell me about a weakness (I gave an honest answer here, which she really liked. Don’t say “Oh I work too hard!”)
Specific questions about my role at my company
What aspects of Marshall will you contribute to?
Questions for me?

Overall interview was very friendly and relaxed. There were no unexpected questions. Lasted about 45 minutes, and I felt confident walking out. Fingers crossed!”

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Clear Admit Wiki and best of luck to those still undergoing admissions interviews!

USC / Marshall MBA Admissions Interview Questions 2011

Clear Admit — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:00:36 +0000

If you are a candidate preparing for an interview don’t forget to check out the Clear Admit Wiki, a free resource full of advice for applicants by applicants, as well as complete accounts of interview questions and experiences. Today’s post comes from a Round 1 candidate to USC / Marshall:

“The interviewer was fully familiar with my essays and resume. He had very particular questions based on my essays and resume. The following are the questions.

What I was doing currently ( I am unemployed currently).
My work with an NGO – the nature of work, responsibilities, changes I saw etc ( Had mentioned in my resume).
Leadership experience related to work( was in an essay )- The discussion included the biggest challenge, how to deal with colleagues who were not pulling their weight, results etc.
Why MBA – Career Goals.
Why Marshall?
Why now?

Then couple of questions pertaining specifically to my resume.

In general, it was a very conversational interview which lasted 30 – 40 min. I was also given 10 min to ask my questions to which the interviewer answered very pleasantly.”

Thank you to everyone who has submitted interview reports thus far, and good luck to anyone still preparing to meet with admissions representatives, current students, or alumni!

USC Marshall Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Clear Admit — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:34:23 +0000

USC Marshall’s essay topics remain the same as last year’s, demonstrating the school’s continued interest in applicants’ contributions to their communities, international experiences, and personal growth. Let’s take a look at the questions asked for USC for the 2010-2011 application season:

Essay 1: What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will USC Marshall help you achieve these goals? If interested in a dual-degree program, please address in this essay. (750 words)
This essay is similar to the career goals essay required by many of the top schools. Although this year Marshall does not specifically ask for 250 words each on three distinct topics (short-term goals, long-term goals, and what will enable applicants to achieve these goals), this year’s candidates may also want to maintain a balanced approach to answering this question. Because Marshall does not specifically ask for a career history section, applicants should keep any description of their professional experience to a minimum, connecting it to their interest in and potential to achieve their goals. Taking the time to learn about the school’s curriculum, special programs and extracurricular activities – whether through a visit to campus, conversations with members of the community– will pay dividends here in addressing the two questions of the essay.

Essay 2: How will other USC Marshall MBA students benefit from your background, experience, leadership and teamwork skills? (500 words)
Although many applicants end their career goals essay discussing the contributions they would make to a school’s program, USC Marshall’s new second essay question specifically asks candidates to address the ways in which they can give back to the school. This prompt is fairly broad, but applicants should remember to select unique information about their backgrounds, experiences, leadership and teamwork skills to help them stand out to the adcom. Rather than simply addressing how they will contribute to courses, applicants should think of other avenues through which their skills and past experiences would allow them to benefit their fellow students at USC Marshall, i.e. clubs, programs. In such a short essay, it’s probably best to focus your discussion to two or three topics. The emphasis on leadership and teamwork indicates that candidates focus their essay on benefitting other students through collaboration and effective leadership.

Essay 3: Select three from the following and describe: (250 words each)
a) A challenging international experience
b) A personal or professional setback
c) An entrepreneur you admire
d) Your family, including any ties to USC
e) Your most significant accomplishment
f) A situation where your professional ethics were challenged
Candidates have a wide range of topics they could consider discussing in response to this new essay. Applicants should make sure to use both work and personal experiences in responding to these three prompts, as doing so will provide a well-rounded picture of their candidacy. Because of the limited word-count for this essay, economy of words will be key; applicants will likely want to state their topic and move right into an illustrative anecdote. Candidates with family connections to USC should feel comfortable mentioning the relationship in this essay through selecting option d.