More 2012 Economist MBA Rankings Data

MBA Rankings Data for 2012We already analyzed The Economist’s rankings of the top 25 global MBA programs; now we’re going to provide insights from the Poets & Quants article, “The Economist’s Winners & Losers.” In short, volatility is the name of the game.

  • 23 of the 100 top global MBA programs saw double-digit changes (jumps or falls) this year.
  • The awards for the biggest falls go to University College Dublin’s Smurfit School and Vlerick Leuven, both of which dropped 25 places.
  • In the U.S., USC Marshall takes the loser’s cake with a 21-spot drop from 22nd to 43rd place. Penn State’s Smeal School of Business dropped 18 places from 50th to 68th.
  • The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmadehad wins points for the biggest jump, going from 28th place in 2011 to 56th place this year (22 places). The next biggest jump was Lancaster University Management School which went from 100th to 80th place over the course of the year.
  • The biggest jumpers in the U.S. were Temple University Fox (89th to 77th), Cornell Johnson (25th to 15th), and Georgetown McDonough (44th to 35th).
  • Newcomers to the top 100 list include Arizona State (59th), Texas Christian (71st), the International University of Japan (79th), St. Gallen University (81st), WHU Germany (87th), the International University of Monaco (97th), and Case Western Reserve Weatherhead (100th).

Please see our article on The Economist’s top 25 MBA programs for 2012 for more information.

rankings-full-size


Accepted.com Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

USC Marshall 2013 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips

USC MarshallWhat will you gain from your two years at USC Marshall, and what will the school gain from you during that time? These are the questions you’ll need to keep in the back of your mind as you prepare your USC Marshall application essays. The adcoms want to hear about how you will give and receive when you obtain your MBA from this top B-school.

Essay Questions:

1) What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will USC Marshall help you achieve these goals? (750 words)

This is a straight-forward MBA goals question. As always with this type of question, connect the dots. Let the reader see that your goals grow organically from your experience and are achievable given your experience and an MBA from Marshall.

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

What can you contribute to your class? Where at Marshall do you want to contribute. In which clubs and organizations do you want to invest your talents?

I suggest you choose 1-3 examples from your past where you contributed to your school, club, church, or company and show how the very qualities you utilized then you intend to use at Marshall. Is Social Enterprise calling your name? Then perhaps Marshall Net Impact is where you intend to have impact? Perhaps you are a vet. Can you contribute to the Marshall Military Veterans Association. How will you contribute?

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

a) A challenging international business experience

b) How would you contribute to the “Trojan Network.”

c) Your most significant accomplishment.

d) A personal or professional setback.

e) Introduce yourself to your future Marshall classmates in 100 words or less

First question: Which to choose? Those three that you can write most easily and enthusiastically and which complement the other essays and information found elsewhere.  If you don’t have much international experience, don’t choose A. If you have been very active either as an undergrad or perhaps in your company’s CSR initiative and you would like to continue to contribute in that way, then you should choose B.

While the question only asks you to describe the situation, go beyond that instruction. Do describe and then analyze. Why is this event important to you? What was your impact? What did you learn? And try to stay away from the cliched, “I learned that if I try hard enough I can do anything.” You can’t, and we all know it. Go deeper, and be real.

4) Optional Essay: Please add any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider in evaluating your application. Also, if you are applying to a dual-degree program, please address that in this essay.

Please see ”The Optional Essay: To Be or Not to Be.”

Re-applicant Essays:

1) What steps have you taken to strengthen your application since your last submission? Please reiterate your post-MBA goals. (750 words)

The first part of this question is the key question for any MBA applicant. What’s changed? What’s improved. Please tie your MBA goal into your essay. Have the year’s experiences changed it? Better prepared you for it? Strengthened it? And of course, state clearly what it is.

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

a) A challenging international business experience.

b) How would you contribute to the “Trojan Network.”

c) Your most significant accomplishment.

d) A personal or professional setback.

e) Introduce yourself to your future Marshall classmates in 100 words or less

Please see response to #3 for first-time applicants above.

3) Optional Essay: Please add any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider in evaluating your application. Also, if you are applying to a dual-degree program, please address that in this essay.

Show that you have grown since your last application. Reveal that you have addressed weaknesses. Demonstrate increased leadership. Present evidence that you have improved enormously since your last application. For more information, please see:

Deadlines:

Application Deadlines*

Test Deadlines**

Interview Invitations

Notification Dates***

Nov. 1, 2012 Nov. 1, 2012 Dec. 7, 2012 Feb. 1, 2013
Jan. 15, 2013 Jan. 15, 2013 Feb. 15, 2013 Apr. 5, 2013
Mar. 15, 2013 Mar. 15, 2013 Apr. 15, 2013 May 17, 2013

*We must receive your application by 11:59 p.m. PST on this day.
**GMAT or GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE
***Notifications/Decisions: Admit, Deny, Waitlist, or you may be invited to interview

Linda Abraham By , president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the new, definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.
mba-essay-tips-from-the-pros

USC Marshall Launches New Master of Business for Veterans Program

Master of Business for Veterans ProgramUniversity of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business created a new master’s in business program this year for military veterans. According to the Marshall website, the Master of Business for Veterans (MBV) is designed for “military veterans, active military and active duty military, who wish to gain formal business knowledge and develop critical thinking skills to manage or grow a business and discover the transferability of military experience and skill sets.”

The 8-month, part-time program is two semesters long (25 units), with 16 full-day sessions held each semester (on Fridays and Saturdays). Additional content will be presented via distance learning, so this program combines residential and distance elements. The program includes “intensive class discussions, project work, experiential exercises, and group activities.”

Please see our Marshall B-School Zone for advice on getting into USC’s Marshall School of Business.



new-call-to-action



Accepted.com Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Current Student Interview – Christina from USC Marshall

Christina Marshall

USC Marshall student – Christina Marshall

Here’s a talk with Christina Marshall, a student at USC Marshall who is loving relaxed west coast living, but missing the vibe of the Big Apple. Thank you Christina for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us!

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring interviews with current MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. We hope to offer you a candid picture of student life, and what you should consider as you prepare your MBA application.

Accepted: First, can you tell us a little about yourself – Where are you from? What and where did you study as an undergraduate and when did you graduate?

Christina: I’m originally from Waverly Hall, GA, a small, quiet country town. But I went to undergrad at New York University in the middle of New York City. I graduated in 2005 with a degree in Marketing, Advertising and Cultural Identity Politics from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

Accepted: Can you tell us about your major? It sounds like an interesting degree. 

Christina: Attending NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study allowed me to create my own concentration based on what I was most passionate about. After some exploration I found that my passion was in brand building and cultural identity so I created a concentration that allowed me to explore how media, brands and popular culture influence expressions of personal identity and vice versa. Fortunately for me, my unique degree perfectly positioned me for an early career in multicultural advertising and my subsequent marketing roles at general market agencies.

Accepted: How many business schools did you apply to? Why did you decide to attend USC Marshall? 

Christina: I applied to 4 business schools, but USC Marshall School of Business was the right choice for me. When I outlined all my needs and expectations for my individualized MBA journey, I saw that Marshall delivered:

  • International exposure in a rich and interesting way.
  • A world class entrepreneurship center that boasted many successful entrepreneurs.
  • The opportunity to cover core course work in one semester so I could customize my experience over 3 semesters.
  • A truly collaborative and spirited environment.
  • The LA location that afforded me access to a diverse and relaxed coastal culture.

Accepted: What is your favorite class so far? Which class has been the most challenging?

Christina: My favorite course was my Global Strategy course. Through this course I was more than a student; I became an international consultant for a Thai textile company looking to enter the U.S. retail and/or hospitality markets. After a few months of research and preparation, Marshall took my team and I to Thailand (and Vietnam) where we presented our findings to our partner company.

Accepted: Which do you prefer – studying on the east coast or the west coast?

Christina: There are so many pros for both. I miss the energy of the east coast, especially NYC. The city became part of your education and gave you access to countless companies and other professionals. But the west coast is refreshingly relaxed and is ripe with creative thinkers, innovators and entrepreneurs. It’s an inspiring place to be.

Accepted: Do you have a summer internship? If so, can you tell us about the role USC played in securing that position?

Christina: This summer, I’m an MBA level Buyer intern at Target Corporation in Minneapolis, MN. I secured this internship independent of USC’s recruitment process, but I can say that the school prepared me to nail the interview process. USC Marshall began prepping me for the recruitment process before orientation started. I arrived at the school ready to recruit.

Accepted: Do you have any advice for some of our applicants who will be applying to Marshall?

Christina: At Marshall, your unique perspective is valued. The program welcomes those who are authentic and those who can bring their whole selves to the table. Be genuine and let your passion/ambition shine through.

Learn how we can help you get accepted to USC Marshall.

Accepted.com Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your

Current Student Interview – Lydia from USC Marshall

USC Marshall student - Lydia Kung

USC Marshall student – Lydia Kung

Here’s a talk with Lydia Kung, a USC Marshall student interested in pursuing a career in international business. Thank you Lydia for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us!

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring interviews with current MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. We hope to offer you a candid picture of student life, and what you should consider as you prepare your MBA application.

Accepted: First, can you tell us a little about yourself – where are you from? What and where did you study as an undergraduate and when did you graduate?

Lydia: My name is Lydia Kung and I was born and raised in San Francisco. I am a double Trojan so in addition to currently pursuing my MBA at USC, I also attended USC as an undergraduate student. My field of study was international business in the Marshall Business School and I graduated in May 2006. I have a background in Information Technology recruiting and non-profit event planning and fundraising.

Accepted: Why did you choose to attend Marshall? How does your graduate experience at Marshall differ from your undergraduate experience there?

Lydia: I chose to attend Marshall’s MBA program for several reasons. First, I had an amazing experience at Marshall as an undergraduate student and loved being a part of the Trojan family. Second, Marshall’s MBA curriculum was very appealing because of the diverse array of courses it offers and the flexibility for students to customize their schedules. Lastly, Marshall’s PRIME program (Pacific Rim International Management Education) was a top selling point. I have a background in international business and have always wanted to work overseas. This program, which consists of a semester-long course and 10-day excursion in the Pacific Rim, was the perfect opportunity to expand my knowledge and gain hands-on experience working on a global consulting project.

My experience at Marshall the second time around has been phenomenal, and I can honestly say I love USC even more now. The class size is much smaller compared to the undergraduate program with roughly 220 students, and the courses are more strategic and interactive. Class participation and group discussions are heavily emphasized, and a strong focus is placed on developing presentation and communication skills. There are also significantly more group projects so you learn quickly how to work in teams and collaborate with individuals with different personalities and backgrounds.

Accepted: Can you tell us about your experience with the Forte Foundation?

Lydia: My experience with the Forte Foundation has been great. I receive frequent emails with information about upcoming events (i.e. workshops, seminars, networking socials) and there are countless opportunities to get involved. I highly recommend Forte to anyone interested in pursuing business, increasing their professional development or just connecting with others.

Accepted: What’s your favorite class so far?

Lydia: My favorite class has been the Management Communications course I took my first semester. It taught me the importance of effective communication and challenged me to step outside my comfort zone to hone my “soft” skills. You are required to make numerous individual and group presentations, which greatly helped improve my public speaking and leadership abilities.

Accepted: Can you tell us about the Marshall MBA Ambassador Program and your role with the group?

Lydia: The Ambassador Program is a wonderful opportunity for prospective students to visit and interact with current MBA students to learn more about the Marshall experience. It currently consists of 26 first year full-time students who guide class visits, lead Admit Weekend and act as liaisons between the admissions office and applicants interested in Marshall. I am the Co-Director for the Ambassador Program and my responsibilities have included spearheading event logistics for Admit Weekend, scheduling class visits, conducting Q&A sessions, meeting prospective students and overseeing the Ambassador team.

Accepted: Do you have an internship lined up for the summer? What role did Marshall play in helping you secure that position?

Lydia: I am currently interning at Mattel for the summer in the Human Resources department specializing in Leadership Development and Talent Acquisition. Marshall played a significant role in helping secure my internship because I found the job posting through the school’s career services website and was able to network with Mattel employees through on-campus and off-site recruiting events.

Accepted: What are some of your favorite things about living and studying in Los Angeles?

Lydia: Los Angeles is a bustling, vibrant town and it’s exciting to be surrounded by such diverse groups of people and communities. The weather is amazing and I enjoy not only being able to hang out at the beach, but also to experience the Hollywood lifestyle since Los Angeles is the entertainment capital. Studying in the area is fantastic because there are a wide range of industries and ample opportunities to find internships and employment after graduation, especially with the help of the Trojan network which has a strong presence in the community.

Accepted: Do you have any advice for some of our applicants who will be applying to Marshall?

Lydia: I would advise prospective students to have a clear understanding of their motivation to attend business school and relay that message through their applications. You don’t have to know exactly what you want to pursue, but it will be helpful to have a pretty strong picture of the function and/or industry you are interested in so your goals for earning your MBA are evident. Marshall is also looking for well-rounded individuals that demonstrate leadership potential and a desire to make a difference in the community. Therefore, applicants should highlight their professional and extra-curricular leadership experience and be explicit about how they intend to make an impact at USC.

For complete, soup-to-nuts guidance on the MBA admissions process, please purchase Linda Abraham’s new book, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools – now available in paperback and Kindle editions!

Accepted.com Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

MBA Admissions: USC Marshall and Management Consulting

Popovich Hall at USC Marshall

Popovich Hall at USC Marshall

This post about USC’s Marshall School of Business focusing on management consulting is part of a series of interviews about top MBA programs called “MBA Career Goals and the B-Schools that Support Them.” Please subscribe to our blog to ensure that you receive all the interviews exploring the elements at each school that support career goals in finance, consulting, general management, entrepreneurship, marketing and more.

Here is the interview with USC Marshall:

What kind of background and skills do you like to see in applicants expressing interest in a career in consulting?

For a career in consulting, students do need a business background. If they want to practice in a particular industry, they need industry experience. But as a baseline, they need to understand how business operates.

What aspects of your curriculum do you feel are best suited to students who want to eventually pursue a career in management consulting?

Marshall has a considerable number of classes in management, as well as courses in financial modeling—all topics from which consultants draw knowledge and learn to formulate and apply strategy.

In addition, the school provides opportunities for students to secure consulting internships.

While the above coursework provides the foundation for a career in consulting, Marshall has also changed its curriculum to allow for more flexibility and greater choice of electives. With this variety of courses, our students tend to be very well rounded—which serves our graduates well when they act as consultants across industries. In addition, since we train our students to develop a global perspective and as mandatory part of curriculum the students visit companies in different countries via experiential learning trips–Marshall students learn to appreciate the dynamics at play in different corporate cultures. This helps our students succeed as consultants.

Which school clubs and extra-curricular events are most relevant to people interested in management consulting?

The Consulting and Strategy Club includes professional development and networking and relationship building. In addition it provides case and interview preparation.  The L & O Club (Leadership and Organization Club) is for those students who are interested in management and leadership development.  The club also is a hub for students who are interested in pursuing management rotation programs, corporate HR, and human capital or HR consulting.

Also there are clubs that pertain to certain industries.

Consulting Certification Program

In addition to the support of a dedicated career services advisor, Marshall Consulting Club’s Case Certification Program prepares candidates for case interviews.  Members receive a set of around 60 practice cases and access to a library of hundreds of additional cases from major consulting firms as well as our peer business schools, two days of mock interviews and advice and guidance through the entire interview preparation process. The process culminates with candidates interviewing with top-tier professional consultants who make a final decision on awarding the case certified status to the candidates.

High Profile Events: Global Consulting Challenge

For 10 years, USC Marshall has been hosting the Marshall MBA Global Consulting Challenge, an annual case competition that challenges the problem-solving of MBA students from the world’s leading business schools. Students get to showcase their skills and connect with executives from top companies and industry executives who assess their performance—introductions which can put our students top-of-mind for job interviews and professional opportunities.

The Global Consulting Challenge has allowed students to meet with executives from companies such as Cingular, Intel, Toyota, Twentieth-Century Fox, AT &T, Electronic Arts and Hewlett Packard.

An outgrowth of this competition is an ongoing student consulting practice that operates out of the Consulting Club.

Since management consulting is a very broad term, can you break down some of the sub-categories in the field that USC Marshall excels in?

  • Information Technology
  • Management and Strategy
  • Operations and Supply Chain
  • Energy
  • Financial Services
  • Human Resources and Organizational Behavior
  • Pharmaceutical and Healthcare

Which management consulting firms recruit the most USC Marshall graduates?

  • Deloitte
  • Ernst and Young
  • IBM
  • Pricewaterhouse Coopers
  • KPMG

What kinds of positions do your graduates focused on consulting generally go into?

Normally, our students receive offers and take positions as senior consulting associates.

Thanks to Amy Blumenthal in Media Relations at the USC Marshall School of Business for granting us this interview.

Eliot SloanBy Eliot Sloan, Accepted.com editor.  Eliot is a college writing professor specializing in the personal narrative, a journalist, writing coach, and admissions counselor. She has helped applicants gain acceptance to Ivy League schools and other top programs.




whymba-sml



USC Marshall MBA Admissions Director Interview Available Online

Popovich Hall at USC MarshallThank you to the USC Marshall representatives for an excellent admissions Q&A. They covered lots of important topics, offering tips on all aspects of the admissions process. Read the excerpt below to learn more about the culture at Marshall and what qualities the adcom members look for in applicants:

Linda Abraham: Art asks, “What strengths do you believe separate your school from some of the other MBA programs?”

Grace Kim: There are great programs out there, ours being one of them. Academically, any school that you go to, you will get a great academic education. So it’s really about fit – where do you fit culturally? What sort of experiences are you looking for as you are going to graduate school? I think that makes the difference as far as distinguishing factors from schools. Because when you go to an academic environment – a college, a graduate program – there are certain standards that everyone maintains to give you that type of education. But the other component is – what kind of network do you want to have? What type of culture? What type of experience? And that is what is unique from school to school.

So we always encourage our applicants, whether you are starting the application process or you’re thinking about schools, or even during the application process, to really go and visit the schools that you are going to apply to because that will give you a very good idea what the school is about and what the students are about. When we say teamwork and camaraderie, what are we talking about? How do people interact in class? What is the relationship between the professors and teachers? You will be able to get that kind of feeling and sense for the school when you actually visit. So we encourage our applicants to always visit the schools. Most schools have a visitation program. We certainly have one here; it’s called the Ambassador Program. Anyone can come Monday-Thursday. There is a morning class or an afternoon class, and a student will host you and take you around. They’ll give you a tour, answer any of your questions, and introduce you to the professors and other students so that you really get a feel for the school and what the unique characteristics of the school are. So we encourage you to do that. Feel free to call us any time in your application process to schedule an appointment.

You can view the full transcript or listen to the audio file here and see our blog post, USC Marshall Application Questions, Deadlines, & Tips, for more advice on how to optimize your USC Marshall application.

Still not sure if Marshall is the best b-school for you? Download Accepted’s free special report, Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One, now for valuable tips on choosing an MBA program based on your individual qualifications and experiences.

To automatically receive notices about these MBA admissions chats and other MBA admissions events, please subscribe to our MBA event list. To listen to the Q&A recordings on-the-go, please subscribe to the Accepted Admissions Podcast.

Accepted.comAccepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Sunny SoCal: USC Marshall MBA Admissions Q&A This Week!

USC Marshall

Popovich Hall at USC Marshall

Situated in sunny Southern California, USC’s Marshall School of Business offers its students remarkable opportunities to develop their careers in a global context. If you have questions about Marshall’s strong ties to media and entertainment, its in-depth international focus (especially in the Pacific Rim and Latin American countries), its extensive “Trojan Network” for job opportunities, and its strong entrepreneurial concentrations, then you’ll want to tune in to our Marshall Q&A with Kellee Scott, Senior Associate Director of MBA Admissions. The event will take place on Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 10:30 AM PT/1:30 PM ET/6:30 PM GMT. Join us then to learn more about how you’ll fit in to this world-class teamwork-based program!

Register now to reserve your spot for the USC Marshall MBA Q&A.

What time is that for me? Click on the link to find out the exact time for your location.

Accepted.comAccepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

The GMAT is Slipping and So are Applications

Good news for b-school applicants: There has been a decline in business school applications. While that might not mean that getting into MBA programs has gotten easier, it does mean that the median GMAT score has been lowered.

Poets and Quants (“GMAT Scores Slip At Many Top Schools”) did an analysis of the median GMAT score at the top 25 US business schools and discovered that median scores are slowly dropping. MIT Sloan, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Carnegie-Mellon’s Tepper School, North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, and the University of Southern California’s Marshall School all reported a 10-point drop in their median GMAT scores.

Poets and Quants analysis also reveals that a larger percentage of students were accepted to some b-schools this year than in 2010. USC’s Marshall School accepted 38% of applicants, in comparison with 22% last year, Georgetown’s McDonough School accepted 49% of its applicants, up from 42% last year, and Michigan’s Ross School accepted 32% of its applicants, up from 25% last year.

Implications for MBA applicants:

This is an excellent year to apply to business school.

While you still can’t slap together a mediocre application and expect to get accepted to a top-tier MBA program, if you know why you want an MBA and where you would like to get it, now is the time to apply. If you are competitive at your target schools, invest the time in your MBA essays, work with your recommenders, and submit for the round 2 deadlines.

You may also want to apply to an additional “reach” school or two. However, don’t get too cocky. This data does not imply that all your target programs should be “reaches” or that the GMAT no longer matters.

There is just a little less competition to enter the MBA class of 2014, especially for those not coming from super-competitive cohorts in the applicant pool.

Accepted.comAccepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best




bestmba



Get Your MBA Admission Smarts ON!

Are you looking for ways to boost your MBA admissions IQ? Interested in acquiring wisdom that will send you to the head of the class? Want advice that covers every aspect of the MBA admissions process that’s all wrapped up nicely in a single, coherent, and succinct BOOK?

Look no further – the MBA book of all books is here, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top BusinessMBA Admission for Smarties Schools, written by Accepted.com founder, Linda Abraham, and editor Judy Gruen. And now, for a very limited time only (Monday, Dec. 5 – Tuesday, Dec. 6) you can purchase this must-have book for $10 OFF the cover price by using coupon code SMARTIES at checkout. That’s almost 2/3 off the list price!

In MBA Admission for Smarties you will learn how to:

  • Determine “fit” with a program.
  • Establish your post-MBA goals and present them in a compelling goals essay.
  • Write dazzling, memorable application essays.
  • Secure winning letters of recommendation.
  • Optimize your MBA application resume.

…and much, much more!

So what are you waiting for?

Be smart. Buy MBA Admission for Smarties now!

(Non-U.S. residents should buy MBA Admission for Smarties from Amazon.com where international shipping is available. Sorry – no coupon available to ship outside the U.S.)

Accepted.comAccepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best