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Tuesday Tips: USC Marshall Application Essays, Tips for 2024-2025

USC Marshall application

The USC Marshall School of Business reflects the diversity and dynamism of the Los Angeles area. These USC Marshall application essays allow you the space to express how you will fit into the community. Though Marshall is a community of its own, the larger USC Trojan Family is integral to the school’s identity and offers additional academic opportunities for MBA students.

“At Marshall, our focus is on producing leaders with the skills to turn ideas into outcomes for the real world, right now,” says Dean Geoffrey Garrett.

“Our award-winning faculty thought leadership and experiential learning environment creates leaders who are visionary and adaptable; prepared not only for the jobs of today, but also for future careers not yet imagined that the Marshall community will help shape.”

Because community is so vital to this USC Marshall application, the admissions office wants to know who you are as a person. As such, the AdCom team doesn’t subscribe to the concept of the “perfect” or “ideal” candidate. Everyone has a unique story.

As you prepare your USC Marshall application, make sure to do your research on the program. Remember to include talking to current and former students so that you can better understand the culture in depth.

Are you curious about your chances of getting into a top business school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session  with an SBC Principal Consultant.

usc online mba essay

Essay #1 (Required)

What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an mba from usc marshall help you achieve those goals short-term career goals should be those you want to achieve within 3-5 years post-mba, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations. (word limit: 400).

As you approach this essay, think through all of your steps. Consider your plan when you graduate from USC. And make sure your resume and other application materials support this next step.

For example,  highlight transferable skills in your resume if you are switching careers . Another idea is to ask your recommenders to comment on your future plans. Further, as you craft these strategies, highlight how you will use your MBA to reach your goals.

What if your next job is a logical step from your prior experience to your MBA? Even if you think it’s obvious, being specific about your career goals is essential. Describe the job you plan to pursue with as much detail as possible.

usc online mba essay

Essay #2 (Required)

In the usc marshall mba program, teamwork is essential to success. please share an example of a time when you collaborated effectively with others to achieve a personal or professional goal. (word limit: 400).

Teamwork is an integral part of USC Marshall’s culture. Your answer to this prompt should demonstrate that you understand and value teamwork. This is a behavioral essay question that can be approached using the STAR method . Such questions help the admissions committee understand how you think, behave, and feel based on past experiences, often predicting future success. Therefore, demonstrating a collaborative nature will enhance your candidacy.

Your first goal is to set up the Situation for your reader as clearly and succinctly as possible. Next, describe the Task at hand. Third, you should expand on the Action you took. Explain what you did with specifics, and add how you thought, felt, and reacted through the actions. Results are the final step in the STAR method, and this is where you describe the successful outcome.

Make sure you keep collaboration in mind throughout this essay. How did others feel? How did you build consensus or take the lead? It is essential to describe how you managed teamwork in this situation.

usc online mba essay

Essay #3 (Optional)

We realize that each person is more than a list of facts or pre-defined categories, and we’d like to recognize each individual’s unique qualities and experiences. please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like the admissions committee to consider when reviewing your candidacy for the mba program. (word limit: 500).

This USC application essay offers an opportunity to add more information or discuss concerns. Therefore, if you have a low GPA, a grade below a B in a quantitative subject, an employment gap, or any other issue in your background, this is the place to explain it.

However, if you want to highlight anything else about your career path, experience, or personal background, this essay allows you the space to do so. And, if you need to explain an area of concern, clearly explain what happened and what you have done to improve or address the issue. Focus on the future in a positive manner to leave the strongest impression.

Showing who you are as a person is essential to your USC Marshall application. Here is the place to fill any gaps not covered in your recommendation letters, resume, or through your stats and transcript.

Consider what you need to communicate to show all sides of your candidacy in this USC application essay. For example, if you have a standard career history, you might describe something interesting about your background. Perhaps you have an unusual hobby, have impacted the community, or have a unique family heritage.

Another aspect of your USC Marshall application that may not appear in your data is your passion for learning. For instance, if there is a professor you would want to work with, this question is an opportunity to discuss their work. Similarly, you may want to join or lead a club or community effort that isn’t obvious from the other data you submit.

For more information on applying to USC Marshall, please visit the school’s admissions page . To talk to Stacy Blackman Consulting about your USC MBA essays, don’t hesitate to contact us!   We offer multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our  All-In Partnership  to hourly help reviewing your MBA resume.   Contact SBC today for a  free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team .

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School Kellogg MBA

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School MBA, the Wharton School

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

Admissions Officer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)

Asst Director MBA Admissions at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Director MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Minority Admissions, the GSB Diversity Programs, the GSB

Associate Director MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute

Director, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Professional Writer

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) NYU Admissions

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) M.S.Ed, Higher Education, U of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS)

Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure.  Ashley  holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years,  Ashley  was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...

Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and  ...

A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally.  Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.  For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...

Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).  In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds.  Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students.  In additio ...

Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years.  Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...

Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.  In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School.  Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...

Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...

Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...

Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications.  She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...

Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford.   Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...

Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year.   Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...

Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...

Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team.  During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students.  She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...

Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS).  During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...

Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...

Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director.  Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants.

usc online mba essay

With deadlines around the corner, you may be interested in the world-famous SBC Flight Test . Once a full set of application materials for your initial school have been drafted, but not finalized, the application will be sent to a former admissions committee member for a one-time review, adcomm style. You’ll have the benefit of a true admissions committee review while still having the ability to tinker and change.  You will receive written feedback within two business days after submitting.

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