USC Marshall 2012 - Calling All Applicants

I received a reply back confirming the date for my interview, but the email also mentioned that I'd get more details (time, location, etc.) later. I haven't received anything since then...

Hello all,

I have heard from random sources that USC and UCLA MBA programs are "rolling" in the sense that they will accept candidates prior to the completion of reviewing the entire round.

For example, if you are a round 2 candidate, but interviewed early, you might receive an acceptance notification even before another round 2 candidate who chose to interview later.

Is there any merit to this? If that is the case, doesn't it behoove all candidates to interview/complete their application as early as possible? I don't want to be disadvantaged because I'm unable to visit USC any earlier than I currently can.

Thanks for the help!

Interesting, they must be really understaffed or something. I guess I will give them a call on Monday.

There wasn't anything like that in round 1, but it appears that round 2 is much less organized.

how many invites in R2? What's the % of Admits vs Invites?

Based on the BW stats, 60% of applicants get interviews, and about 45% of those interviewed are accepted.

Any post-Feb 15th domestic applicant interview invites out there?

got one on 2/16.

Any admits have their website login yet? We were supposed to get it last week.

I have not received any of my login info at this time either.

The login info came around this time last year so you should be getting it shortly (provided admissions stick to roughly the same schedule).

Also, somebody asked earlier about places to live as a USC Marshall MBA student. This is my take on that. I live in Santa Monica and it takes me 20-25 min without traffic to get to school and up to 40 min with traffic (during the first semester you have to be at school by 8 am so you will not be hitting any major traffic). Is it worth it? Every single second! And I cannot stress this enough. Downtown LA is simply not a nice area to live in and the proximity to the school is pretty much the only thing that is going for it (compared to the beach areas). My impression is that the class of 2013 is pretty evenly split up between Downtown LA and West LA (and a few people scattered around - Hollywood, Pasadena, etc). And the vast majority of the Downtown people will move to West LA during their second year simply because living in West LA is better and provides more authentic LA experience. Hope that helps!

Does anyone know the statistics for getting in without an interview? Still haven't received anything

I think the chances of getting in without an interview at ANY top 50 school is 0% (AKA you have to interview to be admitted).

Don't fret - I saw someone else got an invite post 15th for R2, so there still is hope!

That's not true, it is for harvard and a lot of top schools, but not USC.

from businessweek:


however it looks like there are fewer students last year who got admitted without an interview:
2012 businessweek stats:


so i would only count on getting an admit sans interview if you got a super super awesome alumni reccommendation.

I stand corrected, thanks, iamvolitant - this gives a micron of hope for my other apps still waiting!

Based on the BW stats, only 1% are accepted without interviews (so roughly 5 based on my quick math)...

Currently living in Santa Monica myself, I would def stay put on the west side if I were to go to USC. If I had to pick a neighborhood within a 5 min drive, it would be KTown, though it wouldn't be with a smile... DT is "ok", but it definitely has its quirks and you either love it or hate it. I think Culver city has come around and places can be found a decent prices in safe-ER neighborhoods (still LA after all). Consider Pasadena (expensive)! or Alhambra if you are ok with the local population being 80% asian. But yea, once you live in santa monica, its hard to live anywhere else. Especially with Santa Monica's rent control and HUGE bill of tenet rights they have here.

Oh hey, login info just came out.

in from wait list