USC Marshall’s Online MBA in a glimpse

If you wonder whether it is worth pursuing an online MBA (OMBA), then the answer is YES!

Graduates of online MBA programs can increase their earning potential by up to 65% over their pre-MBA salary. For example, graduates of Imperial College, Carnegie Mellon, and the University of Washington earn more than 50% (over their previous salary) immediately after graduating from the online MBA program.

What’s more, graduates of the top 10 Online MBA programs report average salary increases of nearly 30% over their pre-MBA pay.

Furthermore, top Online MBA programs are, on average, 50% cheaper than top in-person MBA programs. For example, top-ranking full-time MBA programs like those offered by Harvard and Wharton can cost around $250,000 (including tuition and living). In contrast, top-ranking online MBA programs such as Marshall and UNC-CH (Kenan-Flagler) can cost about $120,000 (tuition and no living expenses).

Plus, you can keep working in your current job while doing an online MBA program. This means that you don’t need to:

• quit your job to do an MBA,
• complete your MBA in fixed time,
• you can do an accelerated MBA online in 18 months or spread it to 3-4 years.
• sacrifice your salary,
• stay away from your family and kids,
• pay extra money to relocate and live on campus.

Keep in mind that the opportunity cost of leaving a job to do a full-time on-campus MBA can be huge. For example, when you do an in-person MBA, you will have to give up at least two years of salary, bonuses, and benefits. You will have to sacrifice any potential promotions and pay increments. You may have to forgo valuable on-job experience critical for professional growth. You will have to pay through the nose to relocate and live on campus, which can easily cost $1,500-2,000 per person. If you have a family, you will have to either stay away from them for a couple of years or bear an exorbitant expense to take them with you. Not to miss the fact that your family will have to restart their things if they relocate with you.

Here is a quick summary of all the benefits and drawbacks of an online MBA program.

Benefits of Online MBA Programs

1. You can customize your schedule and take classes at your own pace from anywhere. If something comes up in your personal or professional life that requires your time, you can ease up on your MBA studies for that period.
2. Depending on your pace, you can finish your MBA in two years or three or more.
3. You can continue working a full-time job without bearing the added cost of being in school for two years.
4. You can continue earning your salary, bonuses, and benefits while doing an MBA, and you don’t need to leave your family.
5. Online MBA is best for you if you intend to work in the same industry and field after your MBA.
6. Online MBA graduates can significantly increase their salaries in their current company through promotions and added responsibilities.
7. After your online MBA, you can join a new company, most likely in a similar but senior role.
8. GMAT & GRE scores are not very competitive and, in many cases, can be waived.
9. You can access a network of alumni spread all over the globe.

 Drawbacks of Online MBA Programs

1. It is challenging to switch industries and roles after an online MBA. For example, it is unlikely to switch from supply chain to finance after an Online MBA.
2. You don’t get to do summer internships, which are usually critical if you want to switch fields/industries.
3. Due to the remote nature of an online MBA, your ability to network and make connections with your classmates and peers is limited.
4. With an online MBA, you sacrifice on-campus recruitment and better prospective job opportunities.

An online MBA is worthwhile if your priority is flexibility, cost, and current job. Without a doubt, getting an online MBA does help you grow professionally and financially.

If you are sick and tired of your current job and employer and seek better professional opportunities, then an in-person MBA is the option to go for and not an Online MBA.

Now let’s talk about the University of Southern California (Marshall) Online MBA program.

In this post, I will do everything you need to apply to USC’s Business School (Marshall) OMBA, such as GPA, GMAT/GRE, Essays, letters of recommendation, etc.

Additionally, this post will include valuable information on letters of recommendation, scholarships, loans, and other specific information that you need to make it to Marshall’s online MBA program.

So why should you care to read what I write?

I have mentored over 1,000 applicants (since 2012) who dreamed of making it into the top global business schools. So, I have seen everything.

Additionally, I have tutored over 15,000 individuals for the GMAT and the GREs, which are one of the prerequisites to get into the top MBA programs.

What are USC’s Online MBA admission requirements?

When selecting an online MBA program, you want a quality education that fits your needs. This Online MBA program is intense and rigorous and has been designed so that one can take it alongside a full-time job. Therefore, one should expect to put in 20-30 hours per week on coursework throughout the program, which is 21 months.

USC considers many factors while selecting candidates for their online MBA program.

These mainly include diverse academic and professional backgrounds and good analytical and quantitative problem-solving skills.

Marshall evaluates these traits by looking at the following aspects of your application:

• GPA
• GMAT/GRE Test scores
• Resume
• Application Essays
• Letters of recommendation

Before you go on further, here are some of the most salient features of USC Marshall’s Online MBA program.

• Ranks 1st in the top Online MBA programs list.
• Ranks 1st in the top Online MBA programs for veterans.
• Ranks 6th in the Best Online Marketing MBA Programs.
• Ranks 7th in the Best Online Finance MBA Programs.
• Ranks 10th in the Best Online Business Analytics MBA Programs.
• Ranks 11th in the Best Online General Management MBA Programs.
• 97% of students attend this program alongside a full-time job.
• The cost of attending USC Marshall’s Online MBA is $120,000.
• Network of more than 80,000 trojan alumni.
• A few scholarships and fellowships are open to Online MBA students.
• The program consists of 6 modules covering all the important business and technology-related topics in 21 months spread over five semesters.
• The program follows a flipped-classroom learning model, where students complete content on their own and then meet in two weekly live online sessions.
• You can extend your studies beyond 21 months and take additional courses.
• It starts with an in-person Residential Intensive Week, which is suited for those who want to know their faculty and peers closely.
• Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the gold standard of business school accreditation.
• USC’s Online MBA is not customizable, and you cannot select your electives. Everyone goes through the same array of 6 modules, and you cannot carve your path during the online MBA. However, the six modules cover the entire range of business and technology expertise.

How long is the USC Marshall Online MBA? USC’s Online MBA program is 21 months long. You can take additional courses of your choice after the MBA curriculum ends, but the MBA degree will be conferred after 21 months.

USC has only one admissions cycle, which is the Fall admissions. 

USC Marshall’s online MBA program has an acceptance rate of 25-30%. Nearly 1000 applicants apply to their Online MBA program every year, and around 300 get selected. 

Online MBA programs have acceptance rates that are higher than in-person MBA programs.

To get an idea of the competition of some of the Top In-Person MBA programs, here are the acceptance rates of 5 of the top in-person MBA programs.

data source: university admissions website

Whereas the acceptance rates for 5 of the top-ranked Online MBA programs are:

data source: poetsandquants

Acceptance rates give you an idea about how tough it is to get in. For example, the top 5 OMBA programs have an average acceptance rate of nearly 50%, i.e., 5 in 10 applicants gets in.

In the case of USC Marshall OMBA program, 3 in 10 applicants make it, which makes it a lot less competitive compared to the average of the top 5 OMBA programs.

To ensure a good fit for the program, applicants to USC’s OMBA program must pass through an online interview, which two faculty members conduct.

USC Marshall’s OMBA mainly looks at the following things in an applicant:

• Collaboration. Given the team-based nature of the program, collaboration with your peers is critical for success. This can be demonstrated as follows:

1. College extracurricular activities include athletic participation, academic teams, clubs, and political activism.
2. Academic achievements such as leading a successful group project.
3. Business achievements such as developing/implementing new procedures leading special projects.
4. Personal accomplishments include overcoming depression/drug abuse, honours list, leading a startup alongside a demanding full-time job.

• Analytical Chops. This can be exhibited through:

1. GMAT/GRE scores.
2. Nature of work experience.
3. Previous GPA.
4. Diploma’s/certifications such as CFA levels 1,2 and 3.

• Adaptability. Some examples can be:

1. How you responded to unexpected situations.
2. Taking on different roles and responsibilities.
3. Changing your communication style based on who you are talking to.
4. How you have constantly improved your skills

USC Marshall’s Online MBA GPA Requirements

For USC Marshall OMBA, there is no minimum GPA to apply. However, the average GPA of admitted applicants at USC Marshall’s OMBA is 3.2. Therefore, GPA is a very important part of the application process at Marshall.

Your undergraduate majors and university ranking do not matter when applying to Marshall’s OMBA program. For instance, someone from MIT engineering is at the same pedestal as an arts graduate from Florida Memorial University. (Not to say the Florida Memorial University is bad, lol)

Since part of the OMBA curriculum is analytical, you must show your critical thinking ability with some prior relevant experience or a high quantitative score on standardized tests.

All things aside, what to do if your GPA (an important part of your application) is low since it is impossible to change your GPA now. Some applicants think that doing a master’s with a better GPA can help you apply. Some say that one should enrol in some short courses and improve your GPA. Don’t do either of the two. Instead, if your GPA is below 3, focus on your GMAT/GRE to compensate.

GMAT & GRE requirements at Marshall OMBA

First, Marshall has no preference for GMAT over GRE or GRE over GMAT. Therefore, you can take either the GMAT or the GRE before the application deadline to complete your application.

Marshall’s OMBA Average GMAT score & Analysis

USC has no cutoff GMAT score, but a decent score is necessary.

Most OMBA programs do not have a very high GMAT requirement compared to in-person MBA programs. For example, whereas most top-ranked in-person MBA programs require an average GMAT score of 720, USC Marshall has an average score of 630. The in-person MBA program has an average GMAT score requirement of 720, nearly 100 points higher than the OMBA program.  

Scoring a 630 on the GMAT is a challenge and requires some effort, especially if you have been working for many years. Moreover, only 30% of the global GMAT test-takers score 630+ on the GMAT.

It usually takes 2.5-3.5 months of prep to score something above 650 on the GMAT. You may want to look at this post to get the best books to prepare for the GMAT. Or if you like to study online, then here is the best online GMAT prep course that is the most affordable.

Marshall’s OMBA program doesn’t look closely at the Integrated Reasoning (IR) and analytical writing (AWA) portion of the GMAT exam. Nevertheless, a decent IR and AWA score for Marshall OMBA would be:

• Integrated Reasoning (IR) score of 5+ out of 8.
• AWA score of 4.5+ out of 6.

Marshall’s OMBA GRE Score & Analysis

Marshall has no cutoff GRE score, but a decent score is necessary.

Again, this score is not that easy to get and 35% of the global GRE test-takers score 314+ on the GRE.

It usually takes 2.5-3 months of decent prep to score something above 315 on the GRE. So you may want to look at this post to get the best books to prepare for the GRE. Or if you like to study online, then here is the best online GRE prep course that is the most affordable.

A good GRE AWA score for Marshall’s OMBA is 4.5+ out of 6.

Should you take the GRE or GMAT for Marshall’s OMBA?

USC says that they have no preference between GRE or GMAT.

• 10% of admitted applicants to the USC Online MBA program have taken the GMAT
• 6% of admitted applicants to the USC Online MBA program have taken the GRE

If you have 10 or more years of professional work experience, you can take the executive assessment (EA) instead of the GRE or the GMAT. Among EA, GMAT, and GRE, EA is the easiest of all. EA requires modest preparation of hardly 3-4 weeks and takes only 90 minutes to complete.

If you have less than 10 years of professional work experience, then here are a few things that you should know about the GRE and the GMAT.

GRE is much easier overall than the GMAT. Math on the GMAT is much more complex, whereas Verbal on the GRE is slightly more challenging.

Since USC has no preference between the two exams, you must take the GRE. You will easily be able to score a 315+ on the GRE than a 650+ on the GMAT. You will be able to prepare for the GRE in nearly half the time it would take you to prepare for the GMAT.

Also, USC likes to see a competitive quantitative score, as there is a strong correlation between how well someone does in their Math section and how well they perform in the OMBA program. Since GRE Math is easier than the GMAT Math, one must take the GRE and aim for a 70th percentile score for a strong chance of making it to the program.

Multiple GMAT or GRE attempts

Multiple GMAT or GRE attempts are very common among OMBA applicants. This is understandable since most applicants have been away from books (studying) for more than 10-15 years. Therefore, I recommend consulting the best prep material to score decently on the GMAT or the GRE.

USC OMBA has no bias against someone who takes the GMAT or the GRE multiple times.

Multiple GRE or GMAT attempts can positively impact your OMBA application. It tells the admissions board that you are persistent and ambitious enough to work hard to improve every aspect of your application.

You could have taken the GMAT, let’s say seven times, and every time you failed to achieve a 650+. Then the 8th time, you decided to take the GRE, which is easier than the GMAT and scored your 315+. This speaks volumes about your commitment and will significantly impact your application.

GRE and GMAT Waiver at USC Online MBA

USC Marshall can give you a GRE or GMAT waiver for their OMBA program on a case-to-case basis.

To be eligible for the waiver, you must follow the following criteria:

1. Only applicants who have submitted a complete application, including resume and all official academic transcripts, are eligible for a waiver.
2. You must use the Test Waiver Request Essay to convince the admissions committee of your strong mathematical, analytical, and English language abilities.
3. You must have a strong academic background and achievements.
4. You must have taken rigorous mathematical coursework in your undergrad or other degrees.
5. You must have relevant work experience.
6. Having an advanced degree such as a PhD will help your case.

If you want to be considered for merit scholarships at USC Marshall, taking a standardized test is mandatory. Also, if you are looking to use USC Marshall’s placement office, you should take either the GRE, GMAT or EA since some employers consider test scores in their evaluation of job applicants.

Work Experience requirement at USC OMBA

The average pre-OMBA work experience at USC Marshall is 10 years. Fresh graduates are not eligible to apply. At least 2 years of work experience is required to apply to Marshall’s online MBA.

The average age of an admitted OMBA applicant is 33, and the range of age is 24-55 years old.

USC’s OMBA does not admit applicants having no full-time work experience. Therefore, to apply and gain full benefit from the program (also the best bang for the buck), you must have at least 2-3 years of experience working full time after your undergraduate.

The ideal number of years of work experience for the OMBA program at USC Marshall is 10-12 years. 

For most top OMBA programs, 10-15 years is the perfect amount of work experience. According to the leading MBA forum poets and quants, online MBA programs’ years of work experience is twice as much as that of in-person MBA programs. Here is the average work experience of admitted students in the top 5 OMBA programs.

data souce: poetsandquants

The quality of work experience matters a lot in the case of Marshall’s OMBA. USC seeks individuals who have diverse backgrounds and professional maturity. You could have worked for five years in a role where you didn’t get a chance to develop your leadership skills. That work experience is futile for an MBA at Marshall.

Letters of recommendation requirement at USC Marshall OMBA

You need three letters of recommendation (LORs) to apply to Marshall’s Online MBA with at least 1 professional recommendation.

LORs are an essential part of your application since a great letter validates your credentials and what you say in your application. A great LOR is not generic saying things like ‘this person is talented and brilliant. Everything that your referee says must be backed by actual examples. Make sure that your recommender can talk about specific things about you. Here are some good LORs that you can consult for your application.

The title and credentials of your recommender are as important as what they write. Therefore, try to get references from high achievers who professionally know you exceptionally well.

What is the importance of each part of your Online MBA application at USC Marshall?

Over the years, we have interviewed top OMBA admissions consultants, interviewed hundreds of OMBA students, and asked them to weigh each USC Marshall’s OMBA application component. Here is what our studies concluded:

data source: online surveys of admitted students and admissions consultants

Quality and Length of work experience are the most important admission factors at Marshall’s OMBA. Most admitted applicants have over a decade of diverse professional work experience. In addition, 97% of the admitted students keep working on their full-time jobs while taking the OMBA coursework. Moreover, Marshall’s OMBA immensely values diversity. Applicants who have a wide range of exposure and have developed professional maturity early have a considerable edge over others.

Marshall also prefers self-starters and disciplined candidates since most of the OMBA course is delivered through self-paced, asynchronous coursework.

Moreover, a good GMAT/GRE Math score and a good GPA make up almost 20% of the overall admission weight. This shows that academic and analytical aptitude is a significant factor that top OMBA programs focus on.

Also, Marshall gives a lot of weight to your Essays. Essays market aspects of your application that other parts don’t reveal. Your essays tell the admissions committee about your vision and short-term career goals. Use the essays to convince Marshall that you are a good match for their program.

You are free to tell Marshall anything that you think is important such as:

• how you make career decisions,
• how you work in teams and influence others
• how you tackle challenges and deal with difficult situations
• how you have evolved professionally and learned from your experiences

Letters of recommendation are as crucial as the application Essays. USC also gives weight to LORs that come from accomplished referees. Ideally, if you get a letter from someone who knows you well (and has a strong relationship with) and has an impressive title/profile will add a lot of value to your application.

What is an Ideal applicant profile for Online MBA at USC Marshall?

So, admission to USC Marshall’s Online MBA relies on your holistic application.

However, based on the data and past profiles of admitted applicants, the ideal profile for getting admitted to the Online MBA program at USC Marshall is as follows: 

To have the best shot of getting into Marshall’s Online MBA program, you should aim for a 650+ on the GMAT or a 318+ on the GRE, with a 3.3 GPA or higher. You should have 12 years of work experience with a strong mathematical and problem solving ability.

Your acceptance chance to USC’s OMBA will be super high if your profile is similar to this.

60% of the admitted students at USC’s OMBA are Males, and 40% are Females. 

USC does not share the number of female to male applicants to their OMBA program, but more male applicants than female applicants apply to their program.

Application Requirements for USC Marshall’s Online MBA

USC’s Online MBA program requires an online application that comprises of the following:

Deadlines and Rounds: Go here.

Is USC Marshall’s Online MBA good?

Overall, USC’s Online MBA students are delighted with the program and are a happy bunch. USC Marshall’s Online MBA program has an overall student satisfaction rate of 94%. What’s more is that Marshall’s OMBA graduates report a 25% average increase in their pre-MBA salary (pre-MBA salary: $120,000 and post-MBA salary: $145,000)

Two of the USC’s Online MBA program graduates, Katie Cockrell and Nidhi Modh, have rated their experience of USC’s Online MBA 10 out of 10.

You need to spend 20-30 hours a week to do the USC online MBA – that means you will have to carefully balance a 40-hour workweek, family, rest, play, and your education. USC has organized the program so that you can learn online asynchronously while attending bi-weekly class sessions with the professors. The asynchronous method allows you to prepare the topics at your own pace while reviewing lecture recordings multiple times.

Students remain connected to one another throughout the program via messaging groups that students use to meet up (remotely) daily. You can collaborate with your peers spread across different states and countries. Every student in the program comes from a diverse professional and academic background. This immensely helps you learn from your peers and allows you to build quality friendships and a lasting network. You can also use the in-person Residential week to know the cohort well.

Regardless of your educational background, carefully designed video lectures will ease you through difficult concepts. These pre-recorded lectures explain the concepts extremely well. For example, if you are from an engineering background and accounting and finance are not your strong suit, then the asynchronous learning mechanism will equip you with all the tools to help you build new knowledge.

Since the pandemic, more and more people have enrolled in online MBA programs. As a result, enrollment in some of the top Online MBA programs has nearly doubled in the past couple of years. The reasons for the popularity of OMBA programs are already discussed earlier in this post:

• Flexibility.
• No opportunity cost.
• No need to quit your job.
• Greater curriculum customization.
• Salary boost after post-MBA and less stringent GRE/GMAT requirements.

Above all that, the satisfaction levels of online MBA graduates are very high. On average, graduates of OMBA programs have a satisfaction rate of more than 90%. CMU’s online MBA program had a satisfaction rate of 100%.

One of the few things you sacrifice in an Online MBA program is a strong network connection you build with your peers in a regular in-person MBA. You also sacrifice the on-campus recruitment drives. If your goal is a career change and you want to take the full benefit of the placement office of an MBA program, then Online MBA is not for you.

Nonetheless, you get a salary boost as top Online MBA programs report an average salary increase of 30% over their pre-MBA salary. So if you don’t want to quit your job and sacrifice your salary, then Online MBA can be a great prospect.