Making the change in the application again this year, Marshall has come up with two questions. Use them to your advantage in best possible way to differentiate yourself and convince adcom that you are made for USC and vice-versa.
Essay 1: What is your specific, immediate short-term career goal upon completion of your MBA? Please include an intended position, function, and industry in your response. (100 words)
Essay 1 Tips: Greatly reducing the scope of the last years essay question " What are your short-term and long term personal and/or professional goals following graduation from USC Marshall? How will USC Marshall enable you to develop or improve your skills in order to reach your goals?", this year's question is very specific and focused. You can't afford to be vague!
When discussing your short-term goals, very clearly mention the industry and function you want to join post-MBA.
Essay 2: At Marshall, we take pride in the fact that our students work collaboratively, both inside and outside the classroom, to create a culture, a community, and an environment that truly defines what we call the Trojan Family. Please describe the contributions you expect to make to your classmates during your time at USC. How will they benefit from your presence in the program? (500 words)
Essay Tips 2: A new question to the Marshall MBA essay set this year.
To write a convincing answer to this question, you will need to thoroughly understand the Marshall MBA program and the how you could make a contribution. Do online and offline research, talk to current students, alums, attend fairs and meet with adcom and discuss the opportunities. Also, speak with current and past students to understand how their peers enhanced their MBA experience and how you could to benefit your potential classmates' experience.
Optional Essay: Please provide any additional information that you believe is important and/or will address any areas of concern that will be beneficial to the Admissions Committee in considering your application. (250 words)
Optional Essay Tips: You can use this optional essay to explain shortfalls in your application which you feel are truly detrimental to your candidature. Some of the areas of concern could be: absence of recommendation from your current direct supervisor, areas of underperformance (academic or professional or GMAT) or events which stick out (gaps in your resumes or second MBA). Address these shortfalls if you have an explanation that is intelligent, interesting and credible. Keep it short, take the ownership of the weakness and briefly explain the reason(s) behind it.
This essay can also be used to convey an extraordinarily positive information that you could not accommodate in the first essay.
Reapplicant Essay: Please describe any significant professional, personal, or academic growth since your last application to the USC Marshall School of Business. Discuss your specific professional goals and how the USC Marshall Full-Time Program will help you achieve these goals. (500 words)
Reapplicant Essay Tips: Though the tone of essay suggest if you had 'any' improvement, we strongly recommend you think about reapplying only if you have made significant changes to your candidature. You key goal is to show USC why you are more deserving of an MBA spot this time?
The first step would be to do extensive introspection and understand why you were denied admission. Speak to admissions committee or consultants and get an objective assessment of your profile. Then show USC adcom that you have addressed the weaknesses and built on your strengths.
It would be advisable to keep the same career goals that you had last time and perhaps show your enhanced clarity and determination for why these are the right goals for you. In case you do want to change your career goals, give solid reasons for your change of plans.
Essay 1: What are your short-term and long term personal and/or professional goals following graduation from USC Marshall? How will USC Marshall enable you to develop or improve your skills in order to reach your goals? (500-750 words)
Essay Tips 1: A staple career goal essay with a broad scope. Marshall wants to know if your career goals are well-thought out, clear, realistic and credible given your past experiences and your personal aspirations.
It would be advisable to show the core values and principles that have shaped your career path and connect the same with your desire for an MBA and your long-term goals. Take the reader into your past and show them evidence of what you have achieved, show them your passion and potential and make them believe that you have a genuine desire and ability to reach your career goals. When discussing your short-term goals, very clearly mention the industry and function you want to join post-MBA.
To write a convincing answer to the 'why USC' part, you will need to thoroughly understand the Marshall MBA program and the resources available to its students. Do online and offline research, talk to current students, alums, attend fairs and meet with adcom and discuss how Marshall will help you reach your goals. If you want to be entrepreneur or an investment manager or a brand manager, find unique offerings from USC and Los Angeles location that will prove critical to the success of your goals.
Essay 2: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, established, or expected
Essay Tips 2: A new question to the Marshall MBA essay set this year.
It would help to start by giving the context of the essay and then explaining your actions that challenged the status quo. To make a good narrative, it would greatly help if you talk about what challenges you faced on your way to going beyond. The higher the stakes, the bigger the obstacles - the better your heroic story would be.
Close the narrative by talking about the final outcome and if possible showing how it transformed and changed you.
Optional Essay: Please provide any additional information that you believe is important and/or will address any areas of concern that will be beneficial to the Admissions Committee in considering your application. (250 words)
Optional Essay Tips: You can use this optional essay to explain shortfalls in your application which you feel are truly detrimental to your candidature. Some of the areas of concern could be: absence of recommendation from your current direct supervisor, areas of underperformance (academic or professional or GMAT) or events which stick out (gaps in your resumes or second MBA). Address these shortfalls if you have an explanation that is intelligent, interesting and credible. Keep it short, take the ownership of the weakness and briefly explain the reason(s) behind it.
This essay can also be used to convey an extraordinarily positive information that you could not accommodate in the first essay.
