USC Marshall
Los Angeles, CA · Private · 2-year full-time
- Average GMAT Focus: 693
- Average GPA: 3.55
- Class size: 176 (Class of 2027)
- Program tuition: $172,590 (≈ 2 × first-year tuition)
Deadlines
- Round 1: Oct. 15, 2026
- Round 2: Jan. 5, 2027
- Round 3: March 1, 2027
- Round 4: April 15, 2027
- Round 5 (rolling):
Essays
Essay 1 (400 words)
What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from USC Marshall help you achieve those goals? Short-term career goals should be those you want to achieve within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations.
Essay 2 (optional; required for reapplicants) (500 words)
Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider when reviewing your candidacy for the MBA program. Reapplicants should provide any profile updates since your previous application.
Editor's notes
- Marshall neither requires nor accepts letters of recommendation, and tests are optional, so your essays and resume have to show your impact without outside help. Your resume bullets need numbers. Your essays have to supply the judgment and character a recommender normally would.
- Test-optional isn't test-irrelevant. Marshall says a score can give meaningful information about academic ability and expects every candidate to show they can handle the work. If your transcript is light on quant, a solid GMAT or GRE is the cleanest way to settle that question.
- With no fee and five rounds, it's tempting to apply late. Don't count on the rolling round: after April 15, 2027 files are read first come, first served and only if space remains. The FAQ also says reapplicants should use the optional essay to explain what's changed.
