USC Marshall 2009 MBA Application Deadlines

         Deadline              Notification

*Early    Nov 1, 2008      Dec 15, 2008 

Round 1 Dec 1, 2008      Feb 2, 2009

Round 2 Jan 15, 2009     Mar 30, 2009

Round 3 Feb 15, 2009    Apr 27, 2009

Round 4 Apr 1, 2009      May 25, 2009

*This is a non-binding deadline for applicants who have elected the USC Marshall MBA Program as their first choice.

Applications are considered for one of the specific rounds listed above. Each applicant may only apply once a year. Since space is limited, we encourage you to apply early. Later rounds become highly competitive.

• The recommended deadline for international students and students who want to be considered for a fellowship is January 15, 2009.
• Notification dates may vary for international and dual degree candidates.
• All decisions are posted on the Apply Yourself online application.

USC Marshall 2009 MBA Essay Questions

The questions this year are identical to last year's and my comments (in red) are virtually unchanged.

1) Describe in a brief essay (do not exceed 250 words per section - 750 words maximum):
a) your post-MBA short-term goals (immediately after graduation),
b) your post-MBA long-term goals (3-5 years after graduation), and
c) how your professional experience, when combined with an MBA degree, will enable you to achieve these goals.

This is a straight-forward goals question with a little more guidance on length than most schools give. As always with this type of question, connect the dots. Let's the reader see that your goals stem organically from your experience and are achievable given your experience and an MBA from Marshall.

2) Complete one of the following three statements. Do not exceed 250 words.
a) "My most significant accomplishment to date is..."
b) "People may be surprised to learn that I..."
c) "I am considered a leader because..."

Take a step back and look at the application as a whole. How are you going to answer #3. You want #2 to complement #1 and #3, bringing out aspects of your experience, personality and background not found in other parts of yoru application. Before you choose a topic, look at the question strategically. Then pick the topic that adds most to your application and that excites you the most..

3) Answer two of the following questions. Do not exceed 500 words per question.
a) The Marshall MBA Prime Program prepares students for doing business in a global economy. Describe a cross-cultural experience that challenged you. How did you meet this challenge and what did you learn from this experience?
b) USC has garnered national acclaim for its emphasis on community outreach and service. How have you impacted your community?
c) We all experience significant events or milestones that influence the course of our lives. Briefly describe such an event and how it affected you.

This question gives you a little more direction than #2. But not a lot. In these last two questions, USC is giving you lots of room to present yourself in the best light. For #3, if international experience is your strong suit, answer a; if community service is your middle name, respond to b. If you have another event or experience you wish to shine a spotlight on, go with c. Choose the two that present you at your best...

4) Optional Essay: Please add any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider in evaluating your application. Do not exceed 250 words.

For one-on-one guidance through the Marshall application process, please check out Accepted.com's USC Marshall Application Package or our other MBA essay editing and consulting assistance.