The USC Marshall School of Business offers a southern California location and strong local reputation, a variety of programs and the resources of a large and prestigious university.  USC’s program is flexible and innovative, offering many joint degree programs and options for students to attend the program on a full or part-time basis.

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)
Your short term goals should be a transition to your long term goals.
b) your post-MBA long-term goals (3-5 years after graduation)
c) how your professional experience, when combined with an MBA degree, will enable you to achieve these goals

This is a standard career goals essay along the lines of Wharton and Columbia. The major twist to this essay is that Marshall allocates specific space for each sub question, asking applicants to be brief and sure to answer each section.

Ideally this essay builds on itself, and you are able to discuss your short-term goals as a transition to your long-term goals, explain your long-term goals and then return to your background and how it has set the stage for your goals and your MBA degree. Though Marshall does not specifically ask why you want to attend Marshall, you should incorporate the reasons effectively within your short- and long-term goals discussion. 

When discussing your career progress thus far focus on key focal points in your career that relate logically to your MBA and, ultimately, your goals.

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…”
If you choose to describe an accomplishment, think about the accomplishment you choose and what it says about your values and goals. Be sure to explain why this accomplishment is your most significant.

This essay is an opportunity to choose the statement that fits best with your overall application strategy. You will have the opportunity to highlight the areas you most need to explain, whether your accomplishments, differentiating yourself, or describing your impact as a leader.

Option b) is clearly a way to tell the adcomm something about yourself that will set you apart from other applicants. If you are someone who has a standard career background and competition that may be similar, this is your opportunity to bring up something interesting or diverse in your background. Perhaps you have an unusual hobby, have made an impact on the community in a special way, or have an interesting family heritage.

Option c) is a great way to highlight your leadership skills. If you are someone who works as an individual contributor, or in a technical role, this is a great opportunity for you to tell a story that demonstrates that you lead in other informal ways. Think about how you may lead a group of peers, or lead in a community setting.

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.

Think about how to answer the two remaining essay questions in the context of your overall application strategy. If you focused on a community service example in 2c, you may want to answer a) and c) in this case.

Choosing option a) is a great way to highlight any global experiences or perspective you have. Be sure to research the Marshall MBA Prime Program and be ready to explain why the program is appealing to you as part of the question. When you describe the experience that was a challenge, stay positive and clearly explain what you learned and why the experience was significant.

Essay choice b) is another opportunity to research Marshall while demonstrating your fit with the Marshall community and your own accomplishments in community service. When describing your community involvement focus on the impact you were able to make. An extra bonus would be to describe how you will make a similar impact at Marshall.  To learn more about the program you should visit the school, attend admissions events or interact with current or former students.

If you choose to answer c) remain positive and focus on the shift in perspective you may have experienced that has led to subsequent life choices. This is an ideal opportunity to show introspection and a point that may have led to greater maturity in your life.
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UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business offers students a diverse community and world class academics. In addition, the school’s focus on the four key pillars of leadership (1. responsibility/integrity, 2. knowledge/understanding, 3. collaborative/communication 4. worldview of business and society) also provides students with opportunities like the Plus Program to connect their academics with real world projects and leadership training.

With only three core essays to communicate your candidacy to McCombs, you will want to remain focused on your application strategy and choose examples that demonstrate that you are well rounded and fit with McCombs’ focus on integrity, understanding, communication and a global perspective. Think about how you have demonstrated these qualities across your personal, professional and community life.

Fall 2009 Admissions Application Essay Questions
Please define your short- and long-term goals and objectives, your career progression to date, and how an MBA fits in at this time. What makes the Texas MBA the perfect fit for you? Limit: 900 words

This is a classic career goals question, and it will be helpful to refer to some of the advice provided for Wharton, Columbia and Kellogg. Note that McCombs is asking you to answer the question “Why Now” for your MBA, and you will need to have a solid reason to pursue your advanced studies at this point in your career and your life. In addition, spending a significant amount of time to answer “Why Texas?” will be important. As McCombs is often a back up school for programs that are a bit higher in the rankings, your sincere interest in the program is an important element to your application strategy.

Understand the curriculum, professors, programs and McCombs’ culture by visiting campus, interacting with current or former students, and by attending admissions events if possible.

The Texas MBA is built around four key pillars of leadership. Describe an experience that you have had that clearly demonstrates your leadership as it relates to one of our four pillars: 1) Responsibility/Integrity; 2) Knowledge/Understanding; 3) Collaborative/Communication; or 4) Worldview of Business and Society.

In choosing which of the pillars to focus on, think about your overall profile and what areas may need more explanation. You can use this essay to show that you are an expert in your field, that you are a strong team player, that you have a global perspective and that you are ethical in your dealings. Overall it will be important to demonstrate your impact on the community around you – whether personal, professional or extracurricular.

This essay calls for a specific example that will relate to one of the pillars and illustrate your leadership style. In addition to describing the situation and what you did, you will want to comment on the pillar and it’s importance in your life. Be sure to involve McCombs in the commentary, and use this opportunity to reiterate your fit for the program.

At the McCombs School of Business, you will be part of an active and diverse community. How will you use your personal strengths and unique experiences to enrich the McCombs community during your two years in the program?
Limit: 500 words

This essay is quite similar to the Kellogg and Tuck essays on the same theme. This is an ideal essay to differentiate yourself from your fellow applicants. You can easily pull from personal, extracurricular and/or professional experiences for material, and be sure to weave in how you will use your experiences and strengths to contribute to the McCombs community.

Specific understanding of what clubs and activities you will be involved at when attending McCombs will be useful here, and provide a third opportunity to show your overall fit with the program.

Optional Essay
Please provide any additional information to the Admissions Committee that you believe is important and/or will address any areas of concern that will ultimately be beneficial to the committee in considering your application.
Limit: 350 words

As with all optional essays, use it if you have an area of genuine concern. Focus on explanations rather than excuses, and clearly demonstrate why this area of concern is not an issue for your candidacy at this point in your life and career.

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I am on Twitter too…click to follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/stacyblackman

For a concise, thoughtful guide that will help you navigate the MBA admissions process with greater success, order our NEW book, The MBA Application Roadmap.

For those of you who are in the New York area and are craving some MBA admissions insights…Manhattan GMAT will be hosting us at their headquarters on October 16.  It’s a free event - all you have to do is register and sign up.

Most applicants to the top business schools are qualified to attend.  Despite this, acceptance rates are as low as 10% at some top schools.  How can you ensure that your application will rise to the top of this highly qualified pool?  This event will help you answer this question. Some of the topics covered include:

- What the top schools are looking for
- Answers to practical questions such as who to select as a recommender, which schools to apply to and whether to plan a school visit
- Common application mistakes to avoid
- Dispelling business school application myths
- Real life applicant case studies
- Practical advice to help you get started

The speaker, Katie Malachuk, a Private Consultant with Stacy Blackman Consulting, has a BA in Women’s Studies from Harvard University and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Prior to attending business school, Katie was the Director of Admissions for Teach For America where she created the selection model and oversaw the admissions decisions for over 4,000 applicants annually.

Admission to the event is free and will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Thursday, October 16 from 6:30-8:30 at 138 West 25th Street (btw 6th and 7th Ave), 9th Fl, New York

Visit the Manhattan GMAT website to register for the event!

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We are now on Facebook – please join the Stacy Blackman Consulting group, or become a friend of Stacy Blackman. I am posting news about MBA related events, job listings, and of course MBA news.

I am on Twitter too…click to follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/stacyblackman

For a concise, thoughtful guide that will help you navigate the MBA admissions process with greater success, order our NEW book, The MBA Application Roadmap.

Read on for real stories from MBA applicants, students…and the occasional AdCom staff.

MBA Veggie offers thanks to fellow bloggers who shared helpful advice on his interviewer strategy and gives us a debrief on the CBS interview, which went GREAT!

Square Method realizes that he’s reached a new level of craziness when his break to commune with nature on Charlottesville’s Rivanna Trail included reading and deleting several incoming messages on his Blackberry.

Makis warns anyone cutting and pasting essay answers for several schools: pay attention in your re-reading and don’t mix up school names! That innocent but dangerous faux pas could cost you dearly.

Back from a month-long absence, Darden One Day at a Time is learning the certainty of uncertainty. While the first year was intense but predictable, the extreme busyness of second year is a masochistic yet rewarding choice to become involved in the school and its going concerns.

Veni Vidi Vici is in total panic mode and feeling like the Hare of Aesop’s Fables. Nothing is going as planned re: recommenders, transcripts, and essays, so the result is chaos.

At the McDonough School of Business, MBA For HairTwirler received advice this week amid the financial crisis rocking the free world: work for a company that does something, that makes something real. Too many MBAs head to Wall Street or consulting firms without taking stock of what they are really contributing and what skills they are gaining.

Happy Bunny has remixed Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” to better reflect the agony, obsession and tears inflicted by the application process.

The Stanford MBA Admission Blog has a short video worth checking out that features MBA 2008s offering advice for prospective students considering applying to Stanford.

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We are now on Facebook – please join the Stacy Blackman Consulting group, or become a friend of Stacy Blackman. I am posting news about MBA related events, job listings, and of course MBA news.

I am on Twitter too…click to follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/stacyblackman

For a concise, thoughtful guide that will help you navigate the MBA admissions process with greater success, order our NEW book, The MBA Application Roadmap.