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How to Write the USC Supplemental Essays 2024-2025

The University of Southern California has a few supplemental essays and creative short answers that students must complete. Your essays are one of the only opportunities you’ll have to show an admissions officer who you are beyond the numbers, and with USC’s many different prompts, it’s clear this school, which has become increasingly selective in recent years, wants you to seize that opportunity.

Here are our tips for responding to the USC essays in a way that will help your application stand out!

Read these USC essay examples written by real students to inspire your own writing!

USC Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections (250 words).

Prompt 2 (optional): Starting with the beginning of high school/secondary school, if you have had a gap where you were not enrolled in school during a fall or spring term, please address this gap in your educational history. You do not need to address a summer break (250 words).

Short Answer Prompts: Respond to all the prompts below (100 characters unless otherwise specified)

• Describe yourself in three words (25 characters each)
• What is your favorite snack?
• Best movie of all time
• If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
• What TV show will you binge watch next?
• Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
• Favorite Book
• If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?

Viterbi School of Engineering Applicants

Prompt 1: The student body at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering is a diverse group of unique engineers and computer scientists who work together to engineer a better world for all humanity. Describe how your contributions to the USC Viterbi student body may be distinct from others. Please feel free to touch on any part of your background, traits, skills, experiences, challenges, and/or personality in helping us better understand you. (250 words)

Prompt 2: The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and their 14 Grand Challenges go hand-in-hand with our vision to engineer a better world for all humanity. Engineers and computer scientists are challenged to solve these problems in order to improve life on the planet. Learn more about the NAE Grand Challenges at http://engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important to you, and why. (250 words)

Dornsife Applicants

Prompt: Many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about — a topic on which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense interest and continued conversation. If you had ten minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your talk be about? (250 words)

All Applicants, Prompt 1

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at usc specifically. please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections (250 words)..

The tricky bit about this prompt is that it essentially combines the “ Why This Major ” and “ Why This College ” essay archetypes into one essay with a strict cap of 250 words. That’s a lot of information in not a whole lot of space, which might feel overwhelming. The first thing you should do is figure out the content of your essay.

Step One: Think about your academic interests (i.e. your majors). 

• How did your interests develop? 
• Why are you passionate about your interests? 
• What are your goals within your interests?
• How will pursuing your major help you achieve your goals in life? 

Step Two: Think about the answers to those questions in relation to USC. 

• How will USC help you to further develop your interests? 
• What resources does the university have that will help you achieve your goals? 

While your essay should explore resources that will aid in your academic pursuits, you should also keep it as specific to USC as possible—this essay should not be able to be copied and pasted for any other university! Here’s an example of how to achieve the specificity you need:

Bad: USC is a great school, located in the beautiful city of Los Angeles, with unparalleled academics and renowned instructors.

Why is this bad? This sentence could just as easily apply to UCLA. Without the bit about Los Angeles, the reasoning could even apply to any decent school in existence.

Good: At USC, I plan to participate in the Joint Educational Project (JEP) to find a community of students who, like me, are passionate about the intersections of teaching and social justice. Through JEP, I will be able to actively use the teaching principles I learn in my classes about the Dynamics of Early Childhood.

Why is this good? It references a unique resource at USC and relates to the student’s academic interests.

The Final Step: Write a cohesive essay that tells admissions officers why you are pursuing your field and why USC is the right place for you to pursue it. Some examples could include:

• An Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering student who was obsessed with the launching of the Antares rocket, movies like Gattaca and The Martian , and their physics summer camp as a middle schooler. They could describe their goal of working for NASA, then discussing their interest in the USC Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (RPL).
• An English student who ultimately wants to write romance novels discussing the Creative Writing Hour series that is hosted by English faculty. They might want to reference some of the big-name professors at USC—like Maggie Nelson, Aimee Bender, Dana Johnson, and T.C. Boyle—who have inspired their love of writing.
• A Fine Arts applicant mentioning the Fisher Museum of Art that is on USC’s campus. It was after a school field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) that they first tried working with graphite and learned of their life goals. They know the power of art museums for inspiration and are excited to have a constant source of inspiration just minutes away.

If you are worried about the word count, one way to maximize the little space you have is to find a way to relate your first- and second-choice majors. This way, your explanations of each wouldn’t read like separate essays; rather, they would be telling different parts of the same story.

A student with a first-choice major in Physics and a second-choice major in English might want to write about their ultimate goal of writing Science Fiction novels. A student with a first-choice major in History and a second-choice major in East Asian Languages and Culture might write about their goal of curating Asian American history museums.

Just make sure you focus on your academic interests/goals and tell admissions officers the ways that USC will help your academic dreams come true, and you will be set!

All Applicants, Prompt 2 (optional)

Starting with the beginning of high school/secondary school, if you have had a gap where you were not enrolled in school during a fall or spring term, please address this gap in your educational history. you do not need to address a summer break (250 words). .

USC’s second prompt is optional and won’t apply to most students. However, if you do have a gap in your educational history, then be sure to use this space to address it. Give a brief explanation of the reasoning for the gap—be it illness, a move, etc.—as well as an overview of how you spent this time outside of school. 

For example, let’s say your family moved across the country and you took a term off during the transfer. You can describe your role in the move (perhaps you were in charge of organizing a yard sale), why the circumstances warranted an educational gap (maybe the new school doesn’t allow mid-term transfers), and any other projects or commitments to which you dedicated your time. 

Ideally, you want to demonstrate how you made the most of this time off and why the time off was necessary.

All Applicants, Short Answer Prompts

Respond to all the prompts below (100 characters unless otherwise specified), 1. describe yourself in three words (25 characters each), 2. what is your favorite snack, 3. best movie of all time, 4. dream job, 5. if your life had a theme song, what would it be, 6. dream trip, 7. what tv show will you binge watch next, 8. which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate, 9. favorite book, 10. if you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be.

In this section, USC lets you have a little fun. The questions ask for short, rapid-fire responses that give you the opportunity to let your individuality shine.

The most important thing to keep in mind with the short answer supplements is that USC is asking you to provide new information that sheds light on different aspects of your personality. 

Don’t repeat tidbits you’ve already mentioned, although you can and should develop new angles of themes you’ve already established. Most importantly, have fun in this section! If you’re having fun writing it, chances are your admissions officer will have fun reading it.

You can leave descriptions or notes in your responses, though remember that you have 100 characters max. If your choices are more offbeat, we recommend giving a brief description, as your admissions officer certainly won’t have the time to look things up. If your choices are pretty well-known, you can still leave a note about why you chose them (as in the sample response to #8). It’s another opportunity to share your personality, which is valuable!

• Describe yourself in three words (25 characters max each).

Example: Cinephile. Cynophile. Logophile. 

Tip: Be creative!

Example: My Gram’s Lebuchken, tiny gingerbread-esque German cakes that my family devours each holiday season.

Tip: This is an opportunity to show your roots or quirky favorites. Make your response more interactive by including descriptive words that appeal to the senses, especially taste and smell. Also, if you’re using another language or describing a less common food, feel free to provide a short description or explanation so that someone who’s never heard of it before can still imagine it. 

Example: October Sky; Homer’s rockets remind me of my own homemade science creations, like my DIY lava lamp.

Tip: A lot of applicants will write Harry Potter . Be genuine in your response, but take this opportunity to stand out rather than providing a generic answer. 

Example: A math professor; sharing my love of topology to positively shape students’ view of the subject. 

Example: Crossword Puzzle Writer; my mornings aren’t complete without a cup of OJ and my daily brain teaser.

Tip: If you go with a serious answer, make a clear connection to your major to show that you’re focused on your academic path. Don’t give a generic answer like “doctor” or “lawyer;” talk about what specialty or subfield interests you most. That said, you could also go for a more lighthearted answer, like a crossword puzzle writer, to use the space to show personality.

Example: The [TV show] Intro; I’d like to think of myself as a [character], but I have to admit I’m more of an [character]. 

Example: Happy Birthday by AJR – a catchy tune with funny/sarcastic lyrics about the reality of modern life.

Tip: Just as with the best movie prompt, you may want to avoid mainstream selections and instead put forward a title that says something about you. What song would you want the admissions officer to play while reading your application? Make sure the song you choose is appropriate. 

Example: Road trip around Iceland’s perimeter; stops include Thingvellir National Park and the Geysir Springs.

Tip: Be more specific than simply “Hawaii” or “Europe.” Also, just as with all the prompts, you want to convey something about yourself in your response, so avoid mainstream or overly luxurious answers.

Example: Aggretsuko (anime about a red panda who relieves job stress by singing death metal at karaoke bars)

Tip: Follow similar guidelines to the theme song prompt—mainstream selections are fine and are potentially relatable to the reader, but that quirkier show you have your eye on might make for a more fun response. If your selection is lesser-known, consider adding a brief description.

Example: Rory Gilmore – there definitely won’t be a shortage of coffee or good conversation.

Tip: It’s okay to go with a more well-known character here, since that will allow the reader to relate. It’s just important to use that extra space to elaborate on why you’d want to live with this person.

• Favorite book

Example: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight – I read the entire book in my favorite pair of Air Max 97s.

Tip: Follow the same advice for best movie of all time.

Example: SETI: Using the Drake Equation to Find E.T., complete with a field trip to outer space!

Tip: You can have some fun with this prompt; try thinking outside the box of the generic “Intro to Calculus.” You can also have the class relate back to your intended major, though that’s not absolutely necessary.

Viterbi School of Engineering Applicants, Prompt 1

The student body at the usc viterbi school of engineering is a diverse group of unique engineers and computer scientists who work together to engineer a better world for all humanity. describe how your contributions to the usc viterbi student body may be distinct from others. please feel free to touch on any part of your background, traits, skills, experiences, challenges, and/or personality in helping us better understand you. (250 words).

USC’s engineering school is extremely competitive to get into, which means admissions officers are forced to choose between many qualified applicants who look relatively similar on paper. This essay wants to get down to the heart of why they should pick you over others. 

The most important word in this prompt that should job out to you is “contributions”. In this essay, you need to convey what you will bring to the engineering community that is unique. You might be saying to yourself “what can I contribute to an established university?”, but there’s actually a lot to work with here. The prompt gives suggestions of sources that could contribute to your uniqueness so let’s look at some examples of traits and how they relate to contribution to USC.

Trait: You’re from a coastal town in Florida that is experiencing flooding.

Contribution: You plan to join the Structures and Material Lab in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to discover which materials are erosion-resistant.

Trait: You’re the only daughter among four brothers.

Contribution: Since you’re no stranger to asserting your voice as a woman in a male-dominated setting, you want to become a mentor through the Women in Science and Engineering’s Young Researchers Program and encourage female high schoolers to pursue STEM.

Trait: You have OCD.

Contribution: Rather than being a hindrance, you channel your obsessive tendencies into meticulously completing complex calculations which you are excited to do as an Aerospace Engineering major.

Trait: You started an iPhone repair business out of your garage in high school.

Contribution: Your experience working with technology has given you insight into specific aspects of hardware design that could be improved that you plan to experiment with under the supervision of X professor.

As you can see from these examples, there are many ways to approach what you can contribute to the Viterbi community. When it comes to actually writing this in your essay, you should start by highlighting the unique aspect of yourself that you are choosing to focus on with a short anecdote. For example, the student writing about being from a coastal town might open with a vivid description of the damage caused by erosion from the most recent flood.

Once you’ve caught the reader’s attention and communicated what your unique background is, explain how that has positioned you to bring something special to the USC community. It’s important to be as detailed as possible by including specific programs or institutes, professors, classes, or research projects you are interested in. You can also mention more than one way that you will contribute—just ensure that each one is fully fleshed out.

Finally, end your essay with a concise conclusion. This might look like returning back to your anecdote from the beginning, talking about your future plans and how USC will get you there, or something else entirely. 

Viterbi School of Engineering Applicants, Prompt 2

The national academy of engineering (nae) and their 14 grand challenges go hand-in-hand with our vision to engineer a better world for all humanity. engineers and computer scientists are challenged to solve these problems in order to improve life on the planet. learn more about the nae grand challenges at http://engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important to you, and why. (250 words).

Before you can start answering this prompt, you need to do a little research! Once you go to the website linked above, click on the Challenges button at the top of the page and it will take you to the 14 Grand Challenges that engineers across the globe are committed to addressing. These challenges are broken up into four categorical themes (Sustainability, Health, Security, and Joy of Living) and they range from providing access to clean water to improving urban infrastructure to engineering better medicines to preventing nuclear terror attacks.

Your job is to pick one of these challenges that speaks the most to you. Keep in mind, we didn’t say pick the challenge you think is the “trendiest” or the admissions officers would be most impressed by; in order to write a successful and engaging essay your genuine passion and fascination with the issue has to come through. 

Once you have a challenge in mind, now you have to connect it to you. This is where you will bring in your previous experiences, your academic interests, and personal anecdotes to demonstrate why that particular issue resonates with you. For example, maybe you picked Manage the Nitrogen Cycle because your favorite memories from when you were little were gardening with your grandma which started your fascination with how plants sustain themselves and interact with the environment.

It’s important to connect to the challenge with both past experiences and future goals. So, continuing the nitrogen cycle example, maybe your dream one day is to own your own farm that is pesticide-free, so you are passionate about engineering nitrogen-free fertilizers.

They don’t all have to be this personal—it’s just as valid to say you are committed to providing clean water because you dream of a world where no one is denied basic human rights like water—but you should have some explanation of the impact overcoming one of these challenges would have on you and the broader community. It’s crucial that you demonstrate to admissions officers that you appreciate the weight of these issues.

One thing to remember that trips up some students: you aren’t asked to solve the challenge in this essay. Although you can definitely contribute ideas you have, especially if you have previous experiences that relate to addressing the issue, it’s not required. The main point of this essay is to learn more about global issues you care about and why you are choosing to address them through an engineering perspective.

Many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about — a topic on which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense interest and continued conversation. If you had ten minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your talk be about? (250 words)

This prompt requires less deep thought than the former. The “education” prompt asks students to think deeply about a question they have probably never thought about before, while this prompt asks you “what are you thinking about all the time?”  

If an idea comes to mind when you first read this prompt, that’s probably where you should start. USC is not looking for wild answers where students turn the holes in swiss cheese into a complex metaphor—they really just want to hear what you care about. That being said, what you care about can totally be weird or nuanced, as long as your interest in the subject tells admissions officers something about you.

Some examples of how you could work this prompt:

• Writing about a social justice issue. Introducing a specific anecdote (that you would introduce during your hypothetical talk). Providing insightful and unique commentary on the issue—whether that be how we got here or where we should go from here.
• Writing about a school of thought in science or philosophy. Explaining the importance of certain types of questions. Giving specific examples (historical, fictional, and anecdotal) that show that you have thought through the importance of rationalism, taoism, sensationalism, or any other school.
• Writing about a lecture on a specific book. Discussing how White Teeth, Giovanni’s Room, or Moby Dick tells multiple important life lessons in one pretty package. Drawing connections between the fictional world and the real world.
• Writing about the valuable lessons that can be learned from another culture. Introducing stories from your past that show the value of Japanese respect, Persian hospitality, or Indian selflessness. Recognizing negative aspects of cultures, but recognizing the lessons that can be learned when you take the time to learn them.

While these are just some examples, this prompt leaves the door open for you to explore whatever you care about. Because this essay is the simpler option, make sure that your writing is impeccable if you choose this second prompt. Engage with anecdotes and a unique personal voice to keep your essay engaging. Don’t give the reader the option to stop reading!

Where to Get Your USC Essays Edited For Free

Do you want feedback on your USC essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

Need feedback faster? Get a  free, nearly-instantaneous essay review  from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!

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Answering the USC Writing Questions in the Common Application

Within the Common Application there are some additional questions that are specific to USC. These questions help us learn a bit more about you and why USC would be a good home for your college years. This blog will provide some advice about the different components of the USC Writing Questions and help applicants put their best foot forward when completing this part of the application.  

These writing samples differ from the main portion of the Common Application in that your responses to these questions are only sent to USC. It enables applicants to speak specifically about their reasons for applying to USC and begin to make the case for why their academic, extracurricular, and professional aspirations would be a good fit for what the school has to offer. This section also allows students to show off a bit more of their personality and explore their passions or inspirations that may be missing from other parts of the application. We’ll break down each piece of the USC Writing Questions below. 

Short Answer: The Why USC Essay

Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (Max 250 words).  

We do not track demonstrated interest at USC, meaning when we are reviewing your application we are not tallying up how many times you’ve emailed us or all the events you have attended, but we do want to admit students who are excited about being on our campus. This question helps us see that! Remember, your application is a way for us to get to know you, so whatever your reason for applying to USC may be, make sure you are connecting it back to yourself at the end of the day. Simply listing off a bunch of facts you may have found on our website isn’t really what we are looking for. We want to know why you specifically are excited about a particular professor, class, research center, club, element of campus life, or whatever it is that is drawing you to USC. Did you participate in something similar in high school? Do you see an academic opportunity at USC that matches your personal and/or professional goals? What kind of community are you looking for on a college campus? This application should always be all about YOU—even the question that seems like it should be all about USC.  

And don’t forget to make sure you address your major selection(s)! We are looking to admit students directly to a major so let us know why you picked the majors listed in your application. Feel free to tie this into some of the features of USC that you may have cited above. There are many amazing academic programs at schools across the world – here at USC, we want to know why studying at our university will help you accomplish your higher education goals.  

Quick Takes: One—or close to one—word answers

Describe yourself in 3 words.  | What is your favorite snack?   | Best movie of all time? | Dream job?  | If your life had a theme song, what would it be?  | Dream trip? | What TV show will you binge watch next?  | Favorite book?   | Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate? | If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?

Hopefully this section lives up to its name and you can answer these quickly! But we also know that every year we hear that Quick Takes proves to be a bit trickier than intended. I promise you this is not a trap! In truth, we hope this section provides applicants with a fun and creative way to show off more of their personality and give us a sense of the things that they feel characterize them as an individual. As admission counselors, we love to see the different books, movies, music, locales, occupations and people that inspire our students and the ways in which they think about themselves on a personal level. There are no right or wrong answers to these queries and you do not need to explain yourself. One-word responses are all we need.  

Major Specific Questions

There are some majors at USC that have additional requirements and different deadlines . Some will require portfolios or auditions, some will have extra written responses or an interview required. If you are applying to the Dornsife College, the Viterbi School of Engineering, or the World Bachelor in Business program, you’ll see extra short answer questions populate in the Writing Questions section of the application only after you select your intended major(s).  

We hope this post was helpful! For more application advice you can watch our TM’s Top Tips reels on Instagram. We’d also recommend checking out the AXS Companion for help with filling out all components of the Common Application. It’s a free tool for all to use! You’ll also see USC Dean of Admission, Timothy Brunold, in an AXS video talking about the very question we addressed in this blog post.  

Written by: Hayley Camin, former Associate Director – USC Office of Admission  

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what should i expect from usc marshall supplemental essays.

Hi all! I'm interested in applying to the USC Marshall School of Business. What types of questions or topics can I expect in the supplemental essays for the Marshall program? I want to prepare and start brainstorming ideas, especially since I know that writing a strong essay is really important. Thanks!

Hi there! It's exciting to hear that you're applying to the USC Marshall School of Business! You're right, writing a strong essay is crucial for your application. USC Marshall typically asks applicants to respond to a few supplemental essays with specific emphasis on the business program. While the prompts may vary each year, here are some common topics you can expect:

1. Short- and long-term goals: This prompt will ask you to elaborate on your career aspirations and how the USC Marshall program will help you achieve those goals. Be specific about what you want to gain from the program and what unique skills you will bring to the table.

2. Major selection: This prompt may ask you why you've chosen the specific major within the business program. Here, you can share your background, experiences, and interests that contributed to your major decision.

3. Leadership and teamwork: USC Marshall values applicants who can demonstrate strong leadership and teamwork skills. You might be asked to discuss a time when you took on a leadership role, overcame a challenge, or effectively worked with a group. Focus on the skills you developed and lessons learned from the experience.

4. Business or entrepreneurial experience: If you have any relevant business or entrepreneurial experiences, you may be prompted to discuss this in your essay. Share the projects or ventures you've been involved with, the impact you've had, and the knowledge you've gained. Make sure to highlight how these experiences have prepared you for a business program like USC Marshall.

5. Community involvement: USC Marshall is interested in applicants who engage positively with their communities. You could be asked to elaborate on a time when you made a difference in your community and explain how it relates to your future goals in business.

Remember, these prompts are meant to give the admissions committee insight into who you are beyond your academic achievements. Be genuine and let your passion for business come through in your essays. Make sure to always be specific about what you will bring to USC Marshall and how the program will help you grow. Best of luck with the application process!

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Tuesday Tips: USC Marshall Application Essays, Tips for 2024-2025

The USC Marshall School of Business reflects the diversity and dynamism of the Los Angeles area. These USC Marshall application essays allow you the space to express how you will fit into the community. Though Marshall is a community of its own, the larger USC Trojan Family is integral to the school’s identity and offers additional academic opportunities for MBA students.

“At Marshall, our focus is on producing leaders with the skills to turn ideas into outcomes for the real world, right now,” says Dean Geoffrey Garrett.

“Our award-winning faculty thought leadership and experiential learning environment creates leaders who are visionary and adaptable; prepared not only for the jobs of today, but also for future careers not yet imagined that the Marshall community will help shape.”

Because community is so vital to this USC Marshall application, the admissions office wants to know who you are as a person. As such, the AdCom team doesn’t subscribe to the concept of the “perfect” or “ideal” candidate. Everyone has a unique story.

As you prepare your USC Marshall application, make sure to do your research on the program. Remember to include talking to current and former students so that you can better understand the culture in depth.

Are you curious about your chances of getting into a top business school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session  with an SBC Principal Consultant.

Essay #1 (Required)

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. (word limit: 400).

As you approach this essay, think through all of your steps. Consider your plan when you graduate from USC. And make sure your resume and other application materials support this next step.

For example,  highlight transferable skills in your resume if you are switching careers . Another idea is to ask your recommenders to comment on your future plans. Further, as you craft these strategies, highlight how you will use your MBA to reach your goals.

What if your next job is a logical step from your prior experience to your MBA? Even if you think it’s obvious, being specific about your career goals is essential. Describe the job you plan to pursue with as much detail as possible.

Essay #2 (Required)

In the usc marshall mba program, teamwork is essential to success. please share an example of a time when you collaborated effectively with others to achieve a personal or professional goal. (word limit: 400).

Teamwork is an integral part of USC Marshall’s culture. Your answer to this prompt should demonstrate that you understand and value teamwork. This is a behavioral essay question that can be approached using the STAR method . Such questions help the admissions committee understand how you think, behave, and feel based on past experiences, often predicting future success. Therefore, demonstrating a collaborative nature will enhance your candidacy.

Your first goal is to set up the Situation for your reader as clearly and succinctly as possible. Next, describe the Task at hand. Third, you should expand on the Action you took. Explain what you did with specifics, and add how you thought, felt, and reacted through the actions. Results are the final step in the STAR method, and this is where you describe the successful outcome.

Make sure you keep collaboration in mind throughout this essay. How did others feel? How did you build consensus or take the lead? It is essential to describe how you managed teamwork in this situation.

Essay #3 (Optional)

We realize that each person is more than a list of facts or pre-defined categories, and we’d like to recognize each individual’s unique qualities and experiences. 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. (word limit: 500).

This USC application essay offers an opportunity to add more information or discuss concerns. Therefore, if you have a low GPA, a grade below a B in a quantitative subject, an employment gap, or any other issue in your background, this is the place to explain it.

However, if you want to highlight anything else about your career path, experience, or personal background, this essay allows you the space to do so. And, if you need to explain an area of concern, clearly explain what happened and what you have done to improve or address the issue. Focus on the future in a positive manner to leave the strongest impression.

Showing who you are as a person is essential to your USC Marshall application. Here is the place to fill any gaps not covered in your recommendation letters, resume, or through your stats and transcript.

Consider what you need to communicate to show all sides of your candidacy in this USC application essay. For example, if you have a standard career history, you might describe something interesting about your background. Perhaps you have an unusual hobby, have impacted the community, or have a unique family heritage.

Another aspect of your USC Marshall application that may not appear in your data is your passion for learning. For instance, if there is a professor you would want to work with, this question is an opportunity to discuss their work. Similarly, you may want to join or lead a club or community effort that isn’t obvious from the other data you submit.

For more information on applying to USC Marshall, please visit the school’s admissions page . To talk to Stacy Blackman Consulting about your USC MBA essays, don’t hesitate to contact us!   We offer multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our  All-In Partnership  to hourly help reviewing your MBA resume.   Contact SBC today for a  free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team .

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School Kellogg MBA

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School MBA, the Wharton School

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

Admissions Officer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)

Asst Director MBA Admissions at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Director MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Minority Admissions, the GSB Diversity Programs, the GSB

Associate Director MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute

Director, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Professional Writer

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) NYU Admissions

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) M.S.Ed, Higher Education, U of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS)

Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure.  Ashley  holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years,  Ashley  was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...

Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and  ...

A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally.  Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.  For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...

Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).  In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds.  Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students.  In additio ...

Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years.  Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...

Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.  In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School.  Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...

Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...

Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...

Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications.  She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...

Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford.   Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...

Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year.   Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...

Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...

Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team.  During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students.  She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...

Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS).  During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...

Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...

Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director.  Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants.

With deadlines around the corner, you may be interested in the world-famous SBC Flight Test . Once a full set of application materials for your initial school have been drafted, but not finalized, the application will be sent to a former admissions committee member for a one-time review, adcomm style. You’ll have the benefit of a true admissions committee review while still having the ability to tinker and change.  You will receive written feedback within two business days after submitting.

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My Advice For Writing The Why USC Essay

My college application process was incredibly rewarding. And incredibly exhausting. 

I was very excited for college in general; I love learning and craved the independence to build my own life and schedule at a university. I was also stressed about my essays and credentials. This stress manifested in intense perfectionism. I probably rewrote and revised my essays more than 50 times. The essay about why I wanted to attend USC was perhaps the most stressful one for me.

I am going to condense some of the most useful advice I received and lessons I learned as I was writing the “Why USC” essay. I am by no means an expert or know everything there is to know about these essays, but these are the pieces of advice I think would have made my essay writing process less stressful. 

1. The Why is more important than the What

 If you are anything like me, you like A LOT of things about college. USC and Viterbi had so many things that I was interested in that I found myself rambling on and on about the opportunities in my essay. The admissions team knows what opportunities USC has to offer. It is important to mention the things you are interested in (ex specific programs or clubs) as context, but they ultimately want to hear why you want to experience them and how they relate to your interests and background.

2. Be specific!

It can be easy to fall into the trap of speaking about “so many interesting engineering programs” or wanting to get involved in “research”. However, it will be easier to avoid rambling and digressing if you are specific. What specific engineering program interests you — and why? What specific research would you like to do? Is there a certain project you saw or read about that piqued your interest? Not only will researching specifics help you understand the school more, it will show the school that you are interested in them!

3. Remember who you are

Colleges want to get to know you through your application. Not the version of you that you think they want to read about. Trust me, your essays will be much more authentic (and enjoyable to write!) if you write about things that you are genuinely interested in. If you are applying as an engineering major at USC and want to explore cinema minors — include that in your essay! The cinema program at USC is world renowned, so that is a unique thing you would get to experience at Viterbi as opposed to another university. There is no formula to being accepted. Viterbi wants to admit engineering students with diverse interests. Your uniqueness is valued, so you should write about it. 

Apart from the specific advice for writing the essay, I have some broader suggestions. If you are reading this blog and in the process of applying (or thinking about future applications) this advice is for you. Take a deep breath and relax! You are incredibly capable. Just let your authentic self shine through your essay. As a college student on the other side of the application process: I am rooting for you! 

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Undergraduate Admissions

As a top-ranked four-year business school housed at a leading private research institution, a USC Marshall business degree allows extraordinary students to cement their own legendary futures.

As a Marshall undergraduate, your education is not limited strictly to business classes. On campus, Marshall’s program flexibility will give you a strong grounding in business fundamentals while also providing the flexibility to pursue your personal and professional interests. Our university research and experiential learning facilities (including the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and the Experiential Learning Center) allow you to take business discovery and innovation into your own hands.

FIRST-YEAR APPLICANTS

We’re here to help you learn more about why marshall is the place for you.

At USC Marshall, you will develop a thorough knowledge of business fundamentals, including organizational behavior, finance and business economics, business communication, accounting, marketing, and business strategy. During your junior and senior years, you will choose courses that allow you to study one more specific area of business in depth. Every semester our academic advisors help you plan your schedule so that you can graduate on time.

Customize Your Marshall Degree

Discover unparalleled options for personalizing your academic experience. Our curriculum game lets you visualize all of the possibilities, year by year, as you build your career preparation and résumé. Try various options, from Marshall emphases to joint degrees and multiple minors, plus fulfilling internships and more.

TRANSFER APPLICANTS

Transfer students choose usc marshall as the most exciting place to spend their college years, transfer eligibility.

A Transfer student is someone engaged in college coursework after successfully graduating from high school. Transfer applicants interested in an admission decision weighted on their college course work should present a minimum 30 transferrable units. This should include business prerequisites such as the equivalents to USC's Writing 130/140 and Mathematics 118 or higher. Please contact us for more information.

APPLICANT SUPPORT

Admissions support.

Students interested in pursuing the Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration or Accounting must apply to the Business Administration major and should indicate Business Administration as their first-choice major on the application. Please contact the office of Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

USC Marshall School of Business Office of Undergraduate Admissions EMAIL   |   Phone: (213) 740-8885

Learn More About Marshall

Academic Department Admission Officers render admission recommendations. All undergraduate admission decisions are confirmed and communicated by the university enrollment service division. Please contact the Marshall Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach for more information concerning our four-year, STEM certified, business degree programs.

Admissions Brochures

Download our brochures for more information and to discover how being a USC Marshall student will jumpstart your career and transform your world. We encourage you to get to know Marshall through our campus tours — if you can't make it to campus, our brochures are a good place to learn more. 

FIRST-YEAR APPLICANTS TRANSFER APPLICANTS

Current USC Students

For information about applying for internal admission to Marshall as a continuing USC student, please VISIT STUDENTS.MARSHALL.USC.EDU  or contact the OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING AND STUDENT AFFAIRS .

Marshall Pathways Program

Marshall is the place for you.

The Marshall Pathways Program (MPP) is the first Undergraduate Admissions initiative designed to provide inclusive support for prospective transfer students throughout the application process and the first year of matriculation.

The Marshall Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach Office partners with USC’s Enrollment Services Division to identify students who were on the cusp of being admitted to USC as freshmen and invite these high achieving students to apply to USC as sophomore transfer students to the Marshall School of Business.

The MPP exemplifies our commitment to attract the world’s top talent and to nurture a dynamic learning environment. Invited students demonstrate exceptional scholarship and receive targeted support aimed at exposing them to different industries and to the unparalleled strength of the Marshall Community. Participants receive transfer counseling, regular check-ins, and an opportunity to immerse themselves in Marshall’s culture.

“I learned about my strengths, I learned how to talk about myself. Two years ago, if you’d asked whether I could present in front of people, I would have said no. But in my internship exit interview, my public speaking was something they praised in particular.”

— Kelsey Brembry '22

APPLYING TO USC MARSHALL

Dates + deadlines.

See all application dates and deadlines HERE . Including information for First-years, Transfers, and FAQs.

INFO SESSIONS

First-Year Info Sessions: Our virtual information session is designed for prospective undergraduate first-year students and their family members to learn more about the USC Marshall School of Business. This online session will include an overview of the school as well as a virtual Q&A led by a representative from our admission office. REGISTER HERE

Transfer Info Sessions:  Our virtual information session is designed for prospective undergraduate transfer students and their family members to learn more about the USC Marshall School of Business. This online session will include an overview of the school as well as a virtual Q&A led by a representative from our admission office. REGISTER HERE

INFORMATION FOR ADMITTED STUDENTS

Register for an online session through the USC PORTAL . If you have any questions about attending an event, you can always reach out to the Undergraduate Admission office directly: EMAIL

CAMPUS TOURS

Learn about USC On-Campus Tours HERE . Student-Led, Self-Guided, and Virtual Tours are all available.

CONTACT INFORMATION

USC Marshall School of Business Office of Undergraduate Admissions Phone: (213) 740-8885 EMAIL

STUDENT AMBASSADORS

Lorenzo aguirre.

• Undergraduate Student Ambassador

Class of:   2024 Major: Business Administration (Real Estate Finance)

Class of:   2024 Major: World Bachelor in Business

Amir Behbahani

Class of:   2023 Major: Business Administration

Christina Chan

Class of:   2024 Major: Business Administration

UNDERGRADUATE INNOVATION

As a comprehensive business school, Marshall is redefining what an undergraduate business degree can provide, from new Joint Degrees and Emphases to STEM certification and Progressive Degrees.

"Our faculty are constantly innovating and building curriculum to enable students to succeed in the dynamic and fluid world of today and tomorrow."

— Ramandeep Randhawa, Vice Dean for Undergraduate Programs

Marshall Undergraduate Programs receive STEM Designation

The new designation benefits all but has particular implications for international students.

Modern Comprehensive Business Education

Dean Garrett convened 15 deans from comprehensive business schools to discuss the future of business education.

BS Business of Cinematic Arts (BCA)

Students in the John H. Mitchell Business of Cinematic Arts Program (BCA) earn a joint degree recognized by the Marshall School of Business and the School of Cinematic Arts. Program-specific courses, internships, and networking give BCA students the competitive edge as business leaders in the entertainment industry.

BS Artificial Intelligence for Business (BUAI)

In partnership with the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, the AI for Business joint-degree program brings together the expertise of two of the top business and engineering schools in the country to create a new generation of technically-savvy business leaders.