USC Marshall MBA Interview Questions 2024-25
Globally ranked #18 in US News, #33 in the Financial Times, and #37 in QS for 2024, the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business is one of the world’s leading business schools. USC Marshall is particularly known for its focus on entrepreneurial innovation and social impact, as well as its prime location in the heart of Los Angeles on the US West Coast.
Marshall's class size is around 200 students, 41% of whom are international. They clock an average age of 29 years, with around 5.5 years of work experience. The class is composed of 35% female students, and 20% underrepresented students of color. USC Marshall's average GMAT is 722, with a middle 80% of 681-760, and its average GRE is 323 (160V and 163Q), with a middle 80% of 135-166V and 155-170Q.
In this blog post, we will discuss how USC Marshall structures its interview, who conducts USC Marshall interviews, what USC is looking for in its MBA cohort, and a set of Marshall-specific interview tips to help you get your acceptance!
The USC Marshall Interview Process
The USC Marshall MBA interview is invite-only and offered on a rolling basis. These will be held online via MS Teams or Zoom. Typically, a member of the AdCom will conduct your interview. Interviews are typically blind: the interviewer only has access to your CV but no other application materials. The interview runs for approximately 30 minutes, and applicants report that it depends on your conversation with your interviewer.
Reports also suggest that Marshall interviews are straightforward and conversational, and questions are on expected lines like goals, motivation for doing the MBA, and traditional behavior and leadership questions similar to other schools. However, be prepared for a variety of questions - some might not be so straightforward.
Who is USC Marshall Looking For?
USC focuses strongly on its Trojan Family network, which is what it calls its tight-knit student and alumni community. This includes more than 450,000 alumni, of which over 100,000 are from the Marshall School of Business.
USC students and alumni are encouraged to engage with the school meaningfully, including career support, mentorship, networking, informational interviews, short-term projects for current students, scholarship support, and recruitment opportunities. This indicates a strong culture of collaboration, teamwork, and mentorship, as well as a keen focus on diversity.
The school also focuses on “human leadership”, which means that candidates should demonstrate their ability to adapt to technological progress and to innovate, while still being conscious of the dynamic social and ethical responsibilities of business.
USC Marshall MBA Interview Schedule & Application Deadlines 2024 - 2025
USC Marshall Schedule | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 |
Application Deadline | 01 October 2024 | 10 January 2025 | 15 April 2025 |
Decisions Released | 15 December 2024 | 18 April 2025 | 15 June 2025 |
USC Marshall Interview Questions
About You
Tell me about yourself (plus follow-ups)
Walk me through your resume.
Why did you choose your undergraduate program? What was the experience there like?
What are your short- and long-term career goals?
What are your backup plan should these not work out?
What are three firms where you would like to work post-MBA?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Career
Describe your current job role.
What is your biggest achievement?
What is an accomplishment outside work that you’re proud of?
A piece of critical feedback that you have received during your professional journey.
What is success to you? How do you decide that something is successful?
What could your manager/company improve on?
You had promotions throughout the years. What did you learn from each?
Do you oversee anyone at your current job?
USC Marshall
How will you contribute to the Marshall community?
How will you contribute to the USC community?
What clubs at Marshall are you interested in?
Have you visited campus? Spoken to alumni?
Motivation
Why MBA? Why now?
Why Marshall?
If you’re accepted at multiple schools, how will you choose?
What motivates you?
What inspires you? How is it different from the previous question?
Teamwork/Leadership
Discuss a time you disagreed with a superior. How did you navigate the situation?
Describe a time that your leadership proved successful.
What does leadership mean to you?
Describe your leadership style.
Tell me about a time that you worked on a culturally diverse team.
Describe a time that team members disagreed with your decision.
Tell me about a time when you didn’t get along with your team. What did you do?
What is the biggest misconception your team has about you as a person?
What are three adjectives you would use to describe your leadership style?
How would you set a goal? Take me through your process.
What is success to you?
Behavioral
When have you taken a risk?
Tell me what a superior would say about you.
Describe your strengths and weaknesses.
What’s a weakness you are overcoming?
What is a time when you helped someone else achieve a goal.
Describe one of your greatest skills.
Discuss a time you had to adapt to a new situation.
Discuss a time you had to compromise. How did you handle this?
Discuss what sets you apart from your peers; give three examples.
Explain a difficult decision you had to make.
When have you failed?
Tell me an example of when things didn’t work out as you planned.
How would your friends describe you?
Summarize yourself in a single sentence.
Tell me about the greatest obstacle you have faced and how you handled it.
If you could go back in time, what would you change and do differently?
Closing
What else would you like Marshall to know about you?
What would you have liked me to ask you?
Do you have any questions for me?
Tips to Ace the USC Marshall Interview
Here is a collection of Marshall-specific tips that have come from working through the USC Marshall interview with our clients.
Consider Marshall’s Trojan Family: teamwork is especially important to the school. It’s also the focus of one of your core MBA essays for this school. How will you collaborate with others at Marshall? Which alumni have you spoken to? What connections have you made? Work this into the conversation.
Expect the interview to run over time, but there’s no reason to worry if the interviewer sticks to the official 30 minutes.
30 minutes is shorter than you think! Practice to keep your answers concise. Remember, the more the school can learn about you, the better your chances.
Given the class profile and location, USC Marshall is a school that emphasizes diversity and inclusion. Consider how you can contribute to diversity even if you’re an overrepresented demographic.
The USC Marshall interview might be notably conversational and friendly, but don’t let your thoughts wander: stick to your core narrative, and focus on what you want Marshall to remember about you: use the SCAR method to construct your stories and anecdotes. This will help you share information while assuring that your stories are logical, concise, and clear.
As always, check out more interview advice and practice, including video interview simulations, in the Interview Guide course on MBAConsultant.com.
Want personalized support for your USC Marshall MBA Interview? Book a chat with us today!
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