Admission Requirements

Criteria

The MBV Admissions Committee seeks students whose academic background, military and/or work experience, leadership abilities, and communication skills meet the demands of the program, and show promise for a successful career as a business leader.

Academic Background

The MBV Admissions Committee looks for candidates whose prior academic work demonstrates the capability to succeed in a rigorous graduate program. Applicants whose prior study was outside the United States must have completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree.

Military Experience

Candidates applying to this MBV program must have served a minimum of 3-5 years of honorable active service and have served in leadership roles in one of the branches military. Please note - Inactive Military must also supply a DD214.

Essay Responses

Essay responses serve two important roles in the admissions process. First, they allow the Admissions Committee to gain a deeper understanding of an applicant's past experiences and passions for the future. In addition, the essays allow the applicant to demonstrate the written communication skills that are critical for success in the program.

The essay questions are:
Required - Please explain the reasons for pursuing the Master of Business for Veterans (MBV) degree. Address your short-term and long-term goals and how the program will help you achieve those goals. Please discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your academic and professional background. (Suggested length: two to three pages)
Optional - If you choose, include any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider when evaluating your application. (Optional, suggested length: no more than two pages)

Recommendation Letters

Two letters of recommendation are required. Letters of recommendation allow the Admissions Committee to gain additional insight into your leadership abilities and potential for success in the MBV program. One of your two recommendations should come from supervisors (for example: Superior Officers). And, your second letter of recommendation should be from a colleague who can comment on your leadership experience and abilities, professional expertise, and the value you have added to your organizations, or former instructors who can describe your ability to perform well in master’s-level courses.

Standardized Test Scores

GMAT/GRE: The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) exam or Graduate Record Exam for USC Marshall Master of Business for Veterans is an optional component of the application. The GMAT or GRE exam is highly recommended for those applicants who are unable to demonstrate, either through past academic performance or work experience, sufficient strength in the areas of quantitative and analytical reasoning. After an initial review, the Admissions Committee may request candidates to submit a GMAT or GRE score in order to supplement their application materials.

You may take the GMAT or GRE more than once and the Admissions Committee will consider only your highest score. GMAT and GRE scores are valid for five years. The GMAT school code for the USC Marshall EMBA Program is 389-9C-48. For more information about the GMAT visit: http://www.mba.com/. The GRE code for USC is 4852. For more information about the GRE visit http://www.ets.org/gre.

Application Process and Deadlines

Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as the USC Marshall MBV is a competitive and selective program. Applications submitted after the deadline may be considered, space permitting.
Early Decision Deadline: April 30
Final Deadline: June 30

Online Application

Applicants are required to complete an online application. The MBV application can be accessed at https://www.marshall.usc.edu/admissions/applyonline . Application review begins on April 1, and continues through the end of June. It is highly recommended that you submit a completed application by the early decision deadline of May 1.

Getting Started

Once you create your account, you will receive a PIN and password which will be required to log in to the system. The online system is easy and convenient for applicants, as it allows you to complete the application in sections. Please remember to select "save" or "save and proceed" at the end of a particular section. Please complete all required fields in the online application, and do not submit additional documentation beyond what is requested. Additional documents may be removed for the purpose of expedited application review. Your application will be available for review by our Admissions Committee only after you have submitted it online. Additionally, please answer "Yes" to an initial question asking if you want your contact information (including your name & address) to be viewed by our institution before you submit the application. This will allow us to keep you informed of important application updates.

Special Application Instructions

Employment Information: You must upload your resume or CV in this section.

Essays and Documents: You must upload your answers to the essay questions in this section under Program-Specific Essays.

Recommendations: You must provide two letters of recommendation. In the online application, enter all required contact information for each recommender and select "yes" when asked if recommenders will be providing a letter online. The recommender will then receive an email and password from the online application system so that they can enter and upload their letter. You are responsible for ensuring that your recommenders upload a letter of recommendation. They will be provided with instructions on how to do so.

International Applicants:If you are an international applicant, you must complete this International Applicant section of the application in its entirety.

Submitting Your Application

Be sure to click the "Check Your Application" link located on the information bar on the left side of the page before submitting to ensure you have included all required application materials.

In order to submit your completed application, you will need to use a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover) to pay for the $150 application fee online. No application will be processed until the application fee is paid.

Supporting Documents

After you have hit the "Submit" button, you will need to provide the following documents to USC and to the Marshall School of Business:

Materials to USC:

USC Office of Admission, GRADUATE,
University Park Campus,
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0915

Sealed official academic transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended, including your undergraduate institution. If the name on your transcripts is different than the name on your application, please include your 10-digit USC ID number.

If your first language is not English or you did not receive a bachelor's from the U.S., you must also submit:
Official TOEFL score report sent from ETS (Institution Code 4852; no department code needed)

If you are not a U.S. citizen or resident, you must also submit:
Financial statement/verification of funds to http://www.usc.edu/admission/graduate/international/financialsupport.html

Note for International Applicants

We encourage all interested international students to apply. Please be aware that all students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must submit copies of their passport upon arrival to campus for the first residential session. In addition, final admission to the program may be contingent upon prior degree verification that requires visual verification of original language diplomas and transcripts, along with official English translations. This may not apply- all officers are required to be citizens of the US, although there may be a few enlisted exceptions. If it is standard information then I would certainly include it, however.

Transcripts

We encourage all interested international students to apply. Please be aware that all students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must submit copies of their passport upon arrival to campus for the first residential session. In addition, final admission to the program may be contingent upon prior degree verification that requires visual verification of original language diplomas and transcripts, along with official English translations. This may not apply- all officers are required to be citizens of the US, although there may be a few enlisted exceptions. If it is standard information then I would certainly include it, however.

English Language Proficiency

All international applicants who did not earn a bachelors degree from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). To avoid delays in processing your application, we suggest you request that your test scores be sent to USC at the time you pre-register. You should send a photocopy of the official TOEFL or IELTS scores with your application. However, official scores must be forwarded to USC by the testing agency.

For additional information, please consult the respective testing websites at:
www.toefl.org
www.ielts.org

Need Assistance?

For technical assistance, including access issues (PINs and passwords), please use the "Technical Support" link on the right side of this page to submit a request to the technical support team.

If you have questions about the application process or the status of a previously submitted application, please contact our office at 213-740-8990 or via E-mail: mbv@marshall.usc.edu.

We wish you the best and look forward to reviewing your application.