Contact

MBA Admissions Office
USC Marshall School of Business
Popovich Hall, Room 308
Los Angeles, CA 90089-2633
Phone: 213.740.7846
Fax: 213.749.8520
E-mail: marshallmba@marshall.usc.edu
marshall.usc.edu
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Anyone feel like the website is slightly behind in updating for the new admissions cycle? Just shows app deadline of November 15th. I'll be applying either way, but just thought they weren't as on top of it as other programs.

I was thinking the same thing! It seems like some things are updated while others aren't. Hopefully it will be fully updated soon. Good luck to all applicants, and I look forward to going through the process with you guys.

I got a response and the deadlines are:

November 15, 2014
February 15, 2015
May 15, 2015
July 1, 2015

I'll be getting my app in by November. Good luck with your process!

USC finally updated their MBA PM Website. Check it out

Just received an invitation to interview at the OC Campus this Wednesday. Has anybody else received one? I know the staff was saying they are changing the selection process a bit, including interviews, higher GPA/GMAT scores, etc...trying not to read into it too much since the site still says the majority of decisions are made without interview. Thanks!

JHizzle, I received the invite for an interview at the LA campus this morning (I submitted my app Nov 13th for their MW, LA core). Stats wise, my gpa is a little below their average while my GMAT is above (690, 38V, 47Q). They started releasing decisions yesterday so hopefully, we'll hear back on a decision shortly after our interviews. =)

I just got an invite for an interview, too. Makes me wonder what I did wrong if they do make the majority of their offers ex-interview seeing as I graduated from USC with honors and my GMAT is above the median, albeit not by much. Maybe my essays were awful.

Bchen314/AlexCote, thanks for the responses. It looks like the common theme is a potential weak point in our application (GPA for me), so we are being interviewed to address or learn more about our story. Good luck on your interviews!

JHizzle thank you, and good luck with your interview tomorrow - keep us posted!

I felt the interview went pretty well yesterday. It was good to be able to tell more about my story and address the weaknesses in my application in person. I was told that decisions for candidates that interviewed would be released by January 1st. Keep me posted on your interviews!

I thought decisions would be sent out last week if there was not interview invitation, however, I saw on another site they would be out by Dec. 14 (can't find it anywhere now). I submitted my application on 10/23 and haven't heard anything since.

All USC staff and faculty are off from 12/25 - 1/5 so I assume everyone (including interviewees) will know before Christmas.

I was also under the assumption that interviews were for the borderline applicants. Kind of worried because I got an invitation to interview. I was looking at last years forum and it sounds like they are trimming the number of students they are accepting by 25% (only having 3 cores rather than 4). Is it possible that they are interviewing all applicants this year? I know in the past they said they make a majority of their admission decisions without interviews, but is it possible that interviews are now mandatory for all admitted students?

I don't think they are interviewing all applicants. I applied on 10/23 and haven't received an invitation to interview (unless I am being denied).

They are definitely increasing the standard of applicants as of late (for all MBA programs). This has been a strategic objective of the school for the past year or two. Lots of positive changes within the school as far as faculty and career resources happening or on their way to happening as well. So, in short, I wouldn't be surprised if you are correct that they are interviewing more applicants than in previous years.

I had my interview today at the LA campus with Grace, a 15-yr veteran Marshall Adcom. Overall, I was surprised at how casual and positive the interview was. I didn't get the traditional "what is your weakness/strength" question and at the end of the interview, the flow of the interview didn't allow me to bring up or address my weaknesses in a natural way. At the end of the interview, I was told to expect a decision by mid-January (I submitted my app Nov 13th). I am crossing my fingers that I hear back before the USC crew go on vacation.

I was under the same impression as well - I had my interview last week with Grace and she stated multiple times that they are trying to interview most applicants and that the website should probably be updated to better reflect this. The idea is to give the same face-to-face opportunity they give to their other MBA program applicants.

Thanks AlexCote. That actually makes me feel a lot better. Thanks for letting us know. Does anyone know when we should be notified? I have heard December 31st from some people and mid-January from others. Just trying to get a feel so I can mentally prepare myself for a no/yes.

Just received my invite to interview.

I've heard from Admissions when I called them a couple weeks ago that they're changing the process this year and will be interviewing more candidates than usual. Their website is definitely out of date.

For those who have already interviewed, can you please provide some additional insight? What questions were asked, and the topics of focus? Were there any questions that were difficult to prepare for? This would be helpful to those of us with pending interviews. Thanks!