wharton mba essay 2

2023-2024 Wharton MBA Essay Tips and Example Essays

Jun 13, 2023

• Who is Wharton looking for?
• How should I answer Wharton essay questions?
• Get into the Wharton MBA
• Wharton Deadlines

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on July 10, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below.

In 1881, Joseph Wharton started the world’s first collegiate business school. In the more than 100 years since, Wharton has maintained its position as one of the world’s top destinations for talented business professionals. 

With numerous opportunities (many of them overseas) to develop your leadership skills and build relationships with fellow students, Wharton offers a highly challenging yet highly collaborative approach to business education. 

However, with increasing competition to join this innovative, collaboratively-minded university, it’s more difficult than ever to successfully apply to Wharton. 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Wharton admissions essays to stand out . We’ve rounded up our best tips and links to Wharton MBA sample essays to ensure you give your Haas application your best shot. 

1. Who is Wharton looking for?

“Our mission is to develop leaders who act with a deeper understanding of themselves, their organizations, and their communities, and contribute positively to the growth of each.” Wharton Admissions

As one of the most consistently top-ranked business schools, Wharton has become almost synonymous with elite business education. With a strong focus on innovation and their unique Lauder dual-degree program in international studies and Health Care Major , it’s no surprise that Wharton is at the top of many applicants’ lists of dream schools. 

Each year, Wharton selects just under 900 students from 77 countries to take part in its two-year program. Though there is no one “perfect” type of Wharton student, the university does favor high test scores. The median GMAT for the Class of 2024 was 733 (slightly down from 740 for last year’s class) and the average GRE score was 162 Quant, 162 Verbal.  

Though often called a “finance factory,” Wharton builds a diverse class each year by looking beyond traditional investment banking professionals to fill its class. In fact, the number of Wharton post-MBA graduates breaking into industries like tech has only increased over the past few years. With the launch of Tangen Hall last year, that number is only likely to continue growing. 

Beyond the numbers, Wharton tends to value students who demonstrate a collaborative personality, leadership potential, global mindset, and an ability to think outside the box and innovate. 

If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Wharton’s admissions essay questions. 

2. How should I answer Wharton essay questions?

Writing any admission essay is a tough task, especially when trying to convey you have the right mix of characteristics Wharton is looking for. 

According to Wharton, here is what they want to see in your admissions essays : 

“The Admissions Committee wants to get to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself.”

More specifically, if applying to Wharton, you’ll need to answer the following questions.

Keep reading for a more in-depth look at how to turn this task into a standout essay! 

2.1. Essay 1

Essay 1: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

For many years, Wharton has maintained this rather traditional goals essay. This year is no different, though there have been very slight changes to the question’s wording. Rather than a more open-ended question, this year, you’re asked to specifically consider your past experience, short- and long-term goals, and how Wharton can help you achieve those goals. In short, everything we believe makes an outstanding goals essay! 

First, you might want to review the tips the Wharton admissions committee gives on how to approach the essays. 

Then, we suggest diving to your planning for Essay 1. Like most goals essays , we suggest you start your essay with a bit of context before revealing what you intend to do in your future career and how Wharton’s MBA can help you reach your professional goals. 

This essay tends to work best when you focus on one or several stories that demonstrate your professional excellence, collaborative mindset, and commitment to your own leadership development. 

In the Why Wharton section of your essay, identify two or three pillars you intend to work on during your MBA. Connect these in a meaningful way to Wharton, showing how this offering will bring you closer to your goals. This will require reflection and research into how the Wharton curriculum and program functions. You may want to use this type of structure:

PILLAR/Area for Improvement 1: 

Wharton Offering: 

How this impacts my goals: 

PILLAR/Area for Improvement 2:  

PILLAR/Area for Improvement 3:  

COMMUNITY/PERSONAL REASONS (list any relevant points here): 

*If you have also spoken with alumni or have visited the school and learned information about the program that is relevant to your growth targets , you should also add this as well. 

However, try to avoid general statements about people you know who attended Wharton or about a campus visit. Only add this information plus your analysis of why what you learned is relevant to your goals if it enhances your argument. 

We then suggest ending with a stellar conclusion sentence that ties your essay together and reinforces your thesis. 

Need more guidance? 

Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of Wharton MBA essays that worked to get our clients admitted to help you plan out a winning Wharton essay. Our library also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join !

2.2. Essay 2

Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

For this essay, we highly suggest that you focus on multiple examples. In our experience over the years, 3 ways you plan to contribute tends to work best, though we have seen essays with 2 examples and 4 examples work in very special circumstances. 

There are many different ways you can contribute to the Wharton community, so many different stories and “lessons” you can apply at Wharton are valid here.  

For example, if you have worked extensively as part of an international team, highlighting a specific experience where diversity was the key to “winning the day” and showing how you would promote diversity while at Wharton could work very well. 

Or, you might have a specific ability that has proven valuable in analyzing business challenges, might be an outstanding communicator, etc. There really are endless opportunities for this essay. 

When telling your stories, make sure to use the STAR method to ensure you clearly demonstrate what happened, your role in the events, and what you learned. Then, link this lesson to specific resources and opportunities at Wharton, showing how you will improve the overall community. 

To create an amazing essay, stay focused, do your research on Wharton, and choose your examples wisely. Showing you’re a leader and team player who fully understands the Wharton experience and who is prepared to contribute to the Wharton community is the key to success. 

2.3. Reapplicant Essay

Required Essay for All Reapplicants: Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected [on] and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

We have written two extensive posts on how to approach reapplying to business school and on how to handle the reapplicant essay . Make sure to check them out!

2.4. Optional Essay

Optional Essay: Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

As with nearly all elite business schools, Wharton does not want to see a summary of your profile or a restatement of why you want to attend Wharton. 

However, if you have extenuating circumstances that merit additional explanation (a good overview of what kind of circumstances quality can be found here ), make sure to explain them clearly and directly. 

Looking for Wharton MBA essay examples? Check out our real sample essays that got our clients admitted here .

3. Get into the Wharton MBA

One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA essays is that candidates fail to tell compelling stories . This is important because if your stories are not compelling, they will not be persuasive. At the same time, they must be backed by strong examples that establish a track record of success and prove to the admissions committees why you belong at their school. 

Striking this balance between content and creativity can be tough, however, as succeeding means not only choosing the right stories but ensuring they are told in an optimal manner. 

This is why our iterative developmental feedback process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting helps you mold your message through the application of our storytelling expertise until it reflects exactly what makes your profile stand out and show fit with your target program. 

Not only can you take advantage of our iterative feedback process through multiple edits – you can also benefit from it after a single review! If your budget is tight, our editors will be happy to help polish your text as much as possible and leave “bonus comments” so you can keep working on it on your own!

No matter how long we work with you, we will always ensure your essays shine . Sign up to work with our team of storytelling experts and get accepted.

4. Wharton Deadlines

The deadlines below apply to the 2023-2024 application cycle. You can start your online application here . 

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• The Wharton School Essay Tips and Examples

June 13, 2023

Jeremy Shinewald

Wharton 2023–2024 Essay Tips

Essay 1: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

In just 500 words, you must discuss your career aspirations—giving sufficient context for why they are realistic for you—and illustrate how Wharton will help you pursue these goals by demonstrating a thorough understanding of what the school offers and a well-thought-out game plan for availing yourself of particular resources. To effectively do this and write a reasoned, nuanced essay, you must first familiarize yourself with Wharton’s various offerings, events, and extracurriculars and pinpoint those that truly pertain to you and the direction in which you hope to move. Go the extra mile in learning about the school—connect with multiple students and alumni, attend admissions events in your area, participate in the school’s webinars and other online/virtual offerings, read recent press releases from the program and any news stories about it published elsewhere, check out the Wharton School YouTube channel, and especially, visit the campus if at all possible. This will provide the kind of in-depth insight that you can use to show the admissions committee you are really serious about Wharton and are confident you belong there. Simply presenting a list of classes and clubs you think sound interesting will  not  suffice, and you must absolutely avoid vague, pandering statements about how great the school is. Your goal is to reveal clear connections between your aspirations, what you need to achieve them (e.g., skills, experience[s], connections, exposure), and what Wharton in particular can provide that will enable you to fill those gaps.

That said, take care to not talk exclusively about the Wharton side of this equation. The admissions committee wants to more fully understand the vision you have for your future career, how you have developed this vision, and why you believe it is feasible and fitting for you (with respect to your interests, work style, strengths, values, and/or other such factors). In a post from 2021 about the essay prompts (the same ones the program is using this season), Blair Mannix, Wharton’s director of admissions, noted, “We made slight revisions to Essay 1 to ensure that the question remained applicant-centered while still requiring applicants to think carefully and specifically about how they can maximize two years at Wharton to prepare for their future career goals” (emphasis ours). Connect the dots, so to speak, between what you are bringing to Wharton yourself as a student and what you feel Wharton will provide to complement and strengthen that to set you on the path to success.

Note that Wharton asks you to address only the professional aspect—not the professional  and personal  aspect—of your business school goals. This means you should focus solely on sharing your career-related stories and ambitions here and then use the other essay(s) to discuss non-work aspects of your life, thereby providing a more complete and well-rounded picture of yourself for the admissions committee.

In many ways, this prompt is asking for a traditional MBA personal statement. We therefore encourage you to download a free copy of the  mbaMission Personal Statement Guide , in which we offer detailed advice on approaching and framing these kinds of topics, along with multiple illustrative examples. 

Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

In a blog post posted when this prompt took on its current wording, Mannix explained, “Our main goal is to get to know you the best that we can, and the change to our second prompt was largely motivated by that desire.” The breadth of this essay question allows you to provide a well-rounded impression of yourself for the admissions committee because you can discuss multiple aspects of or stories from your life and draw from any area (personal, professional, community related, and/or academic), thereby allowing you to highlight your strongest and most relevant options. However, the word count is fairly restrictive, so you need to be concise in doing so, without sacrificing effectiveness or thoroughness. 

We recommend using approximately one-half of your allowed word count to describe your chosen experience(s) or quality(-ties), so that you have sufficient space in which to then explain how it (they) will enable you to contribute to the Wharton community in a meaningful way. Do your best to “show,” or really spell out, your story—rather than just flatly presenting or stating it—to give the admissions reader some perspective and context. You then need to demonstrate both self-awareness and, again, a thorough understanding of the Wharton MBA experience by drawing connections between this aspect of your background and what you can subsequently bring the school as a member of its community. For example, a past project might have given you some critical insights and skills you could now pass on to your classmates in a related class or club. Or maybe a personal challenge gave you an interesting new perspective on commitment, determination, or another valuable quality. What is most important in this essay is conveying how you envision applying the knowledge or attribute as a student in the Wharton program. 

In addition to the suggestions we offered earlier for ways of better familiarizing yourself with Wharton, be sure to download a free copy of the mbaMission Insider’s Guide to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania , which provides an in-depth look at the school’s academic program, unique offerings, social life, and other key characteristics.

Required Essay for All Reapplicants: Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected [on] and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

Thankfully, this essay is pretty straightforward. Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. Wharton wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the time since you last applied to do so, because a Wharton MBA is vital to you. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts are presented in the best light possible.

Optional Essay: Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (500 words)

With this prompt, Wharton is acknowledging that some candidates have aspects of their profiles that might need a little clarification. This essay is therefore your opportunity—if needed—to address any lingering questions that an admissions officer might have about your candidacy, such as a low GRE or GMAT score, a legal or disciplinary incident, or, of course, one of the extenuating circumstances the school suggests. However, keep in mind that by submitting an optional essay, you are requiring the already overtaxed admissions readers to do additional work on your application, so do not rush to fill this space just because you fear that not doing so will somehow count against you (it will not), and also avoid being overly verbose or sharing more information than is truly necessary just because you technically can. You must ensure that the admissions committee’s extra time and effort are truly warranted. If you feel you might have a valid reason for submitting this additional essay or are not sure if the issue you are considering would warrant doing so, we encourage you to download a free copy of our  mbaMission Optional Essays Guid e , in which we offer detailed advice on when and how to take advantage of the optional essay, along with multiple sample essays.

Wharton MBA Essay Examples

How do you plan to use the wharton mba program to help you achieve your future professional goals you might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at wharton. (500 words).

After transitioning from banking to private equity, I first found the faster pace and expanded scope startling, but ultimately invigorating. Shifting from agent to principal, I leapt into formulating a go-forward strategy for rewardify.com’s rapidly growing consumer data analytics business and explored a complex carveout for the payments division of a Dutch online bank. I had absolutely no experience with either industry, but all that really mattered was that I could quickly learn, adapt and contribute. Over the past two years, I have learned to appreciate the “messiness” of investing and the vast opportunities it offers to create value via ingenuity, collaboration and old-fashioned elbow grease. I plan to return to technology investing after I graduate, focusing on later-stage venture or growth equity in Seoul or Shanghai, where wired populaces are driving innovations in consumer tech. Meantime, I aspire to use my Wharton experience to “accelerate my acceleration” both personally and professionally, refining the hard and soft skills I need to thrive in my chosen industry. 

As I assess my long-term needs, I recognize that to be a “full stack” partner to management teams, I must grow beyond the financial plain and develop my operations and marketing tool kit. Wharton’s Marketing and Operations Management Major is therefore ideal for me. Having an undergraduate degree in mathematics, I find myself guided largely by intuition in these areas and would take foundational classes like “Operations Strategy” and “Dynamic Marketing Strategy” to then extract the most from uniquely applicable advanced courses like “Contagious: How Products, Ideas, and Behaviors Catch On” and “Online Business Models and the Information-Based Firm.” Beyond Wharton’s vast course options, I find the opportunities to unify theory and practice to be incredibly compelling. The Startup Challenge would allow me to partner with an entrepreneur and engage in the entrepreneurial process, thereby making me a more operationally oriented and thoughtful investor. And a Global Modular Course, like “Global Supply Chain in China,” will provide invaluable insight into the world’s most vexing business issues, while enabling me to expand my industry-related network and form closer bonds with classmates.  

I feel fortunate to have already witnessed firsthand the role my diverse and dynamic classmates will play in my education; I visited my cousin Tarek Masoud (W ’19) on campus just before the pandemic, and while there, I observed his “Managerial Decision Making” class and attended that week’s Pub. Both revealed a community that truly comes together to share ideas—and even laugh sometimes at the intensity of the past week. Being a part of this warm yet fervent community greatly appeals to me. An intensive Leadership Venture will allow me to work with peers to actively reflect on and hone my leadership style, and I look forward to the awesome commitment and teamwork that characterize the Learning Team experience. I will enter Wharton with an open mind, ready to listen, absorb, and share, knowing that by bringing the entirety of my energy to the experience, I can confidently embark on the next phase of my career.

The Next Step: Mastering Your Wharton Interview

Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possible—the key is informed preparation. To help you attain this high level of preparedness, we offer our free   Interview Guides . Download a complimentary copy of  The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Interview Guide   today.

To learn more about the essays for other top business schools, visit our  MBA Essay Tips and Examples Resources Page .

2023-2024 Business School Essays MBA Essay Tips University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

Tags: business school essay free guides MBA application essays optional essay reapplicants Wharton

Upcoming Events

• Apr 25, 2024 Assessing Your MBA Profile (Online)
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Upcoming Deadlines

• Apr 12, 2024 UCLA Anderson (Round 3)
• Apr 15, 2024 USC Marshall (Round 3)
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2023–2024 MBA Essay Tips

• Berkeley Haas School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• BU Questrom School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Cambridge Judge Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Chicago Booth School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management Essay and Examples
• Dartmouth Tuck School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Duke Fuqua School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Emory Goizueta Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Esade Essay Tips and Examples
• Georgetown McDonough School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Harvard Business School 2+2 Deferred MBA Program Essay Analysis 2024
• Harvard Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• HEC Paris Essay Tips and Examples
• HKUST Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IESE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• INSEAD Essay Tips and Examples
• International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Essay Tips and Examples
• Ivey Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• London Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Michigan Ross School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• MIT Sloan School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• NYU Stern School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Ohio Fisher College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Oxford Saïd Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• SMU Cox School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Stanford Graduate School of Business Application Essay Tips and Examples
• Texas McCombs School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Toronto Rotman School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UCLA Anderson School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• USC Marshall School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UVA Darden School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UW Foster School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management Essay Analysis, 2023–2024
• Villanova School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Yale School of Management Essay Tips and Examples

Click here for the 2022–2023 MBA Essay Tips

MBA Program Updates

• Berkeley-Haas
• Boston University (Questrom)
• Cambridge Judge Business School
• Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
• Columbia University (Columbia Business School)
• Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• Cornell University (Johnson)
• Dartmouth College (Tuck)
• Duke University (Fuqua)
• Emory University (Goizueta)
• George Washington University (GWSB)
• Georgetown University (McDonough)
• Harvard University (Harvard Business School)
• IE Business School
• IESE Business School
• Indian School of Business
• Indiana University (Kelley)
• Ivey Business School
• London Business School
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
• New York University (Stern)
• Northwestern University (Kellogg)
• Notre Dame (Mendoza)
• Ohio State University (Fisher College)
• Oxford University (Saïd Business School)
• Penn State Smeal College of Business
• Rotman School of Management
• Saïd Business School
• Southern Methodist University (Cox School of Business)
• Stanford University (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
• University of California Los Angeles (Anderson)
• University of Cambridge (Judge)
• University of Chicago (Booth)
• University of London (London Business School)
• University of Michigan (Ross)
• University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• University of Southern California (Marshall)
• University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)
• University of Virginia (Darden)
• Vanderbilt University (Owen)
• Villanova School of Business
• Yale University (School of Management)

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• Wharton MBA Essays

Wharton MBA Essays 2023-2024: Writing Your “Give & Take” Story

If you are reading this article, you probably already understand the absolute necessity of presenting a compelling case for your candidacy in the prompt for your MBA essay. If you are pursuing a University of Pennsylvania Wharton MBA , this is a great opportunity to think about  what you can give back to the business school community. As part of your MBA application to Wharton, you’ll have to answer a couple of questions that go something like this:

• What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words max)
• Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words max)

These two current Wharton essay prompts are deeply interlinked and must be tackled together. Below, we’ll give one perspective on how to think about these essays during the MBA admissions process, using some wisdom of one of the Wharton School of Business’ luminary professors.

Adam Grant on Givers and Takers

Adam Grant is a professor of organizational psychology at the Wharton School of Business and the author of a number of bestselling books. One of those books, 2013’s Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success , deals with the phenomenon of what Adam Grant labels “givers” and “takers.” In a nutshell, a giver is someone who approaches interactions hoping to contribute something to someone else; a taker is someone who has the opposite approach: every interaction is a chance to get something from someone else. Additionally, Grant identifies a third category which he calls “matchers:” people who balance give and take, living by a sort of de facto quid pro quo.

In brief, his conclusions are as follows: givers account for both the most and least productive people in a work environment. Some givers end up trying too hard to please clients and co-workers and end up either burning out or falling behind. But other givers are able to contribute to the work environment in small, vital ways over time, e.g. providing helpful feedback or making an introduction between two people who could benefit from knowing one another. 

Agreeable and Disagreeable People

Grant also goes on to create a second axis of interaction: agreeable and disagreeable people. This makes a two-by-two matrix where you have disagreeable and agreeable givers as well as disagreeable and agreeable takers. Grant insists that the most dangerous kind of individual in any work environment is the agreeable taker, who gives nothing in return, but is so friendly and pleasant about it that they often go unnoticed. He also makes an important point about the need for disagreeable givers, those individuals who may not have the most tact or personal skills but who, nevertheless, are interested in contributing to their community. He gives the example of the gruff but concerned employee whose feedback is harsh but valuable. 

You can get a more complete understanding of Adam Grant’s ideas about givers, takers, and matchers by watching his famous TED Talk on the subject.

Grant’s ultimate argument is that creating a work environment where givers don’t burn out and where people are not afraid to ask for help, lets the giver mindset be more pervasive, which is to the advantage and success of everyone involved. So, with that understanding, let’s return to the essays you’ll have to write for the Wharton MBA program.

Wharton MBA Essay 1: Takers

If you review the language of the first Wharton MBA essay, you’ll find that it is centered around Grant’s concept of taking:

“What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA?”

While this may be a more benign form of taking (after all, no one pursues an education without the hope that it will benefit them), it is important to remember that it still presents something of a trap for those applicants who address it in a purely selfish way. 

What do you want to gain from attending Wharton?

At its core, Essay 1 requires you to have a firm understanding of your career goals. You should be familiar with what you want to accomplish and also be able to specifically refer to the ways in which Wharton will help you achieve it. Listing a bunch of classes is a terrible way to approach this as it does not give the admissions committee sufficient insight into your understanding of the school. Anyone can look up a list of courses, and many institutions will have parallel classes that might fulfill your goals just as easily. 

Therein lies the taker trap: The first Wharton essay is really about understanding Wharton in such a way that your applied knowledge flatters and enhances the admissions committee’s understanding of what it has to offer. What you are doing–to paraphrase Grant–is allowing Wharton to be a giver in such a way that they don’t burn out. You are matching your career goals to what the Wharton MBA has to offer. You are letting them be an agreeable giver whose strengths are being recognized and rewarded.

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Wharton Essay 2: Givers

You knew this was coming! If Essay 1 is a prompt that asks you to consider your status as taker, then Essay 2 must be one that encourages you to think of yourself as a giver. If you look at the language of the second prompt, this is made clear:

“Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?”

Those “specific, meaningful contributions” are what you can give to Wharton. And let’s be clear, you need to be able to give back to your MBA program. Part of an AdCom’s consideration in reviewing candidates is looking at those who can provide great ROI by becoming important members of the alumni network or building innovative clubs. 

It is important to consider the perspective of the school, the community, and the other students when discussing your contribution. Your contribution might be in joining or creating on campus clubs. It might be something about your background that contributes positively to your study group or a team-oriented project. Part of being a giver, however, means understanding what the school wants to receive. This requires a decent amount of research into Wharton student life and the existing campus centers . You don’t want to suggest creating an existing club or organizing a conference that they just had. That kind of misstep will not just fail to mark you as a candidate with something to contribute, it will also mark you as a taker: someone so concerned with what they are getting out of the bargain that they can’t be bothered to figure out what Wharton actually needs.

What will you give back to the school?

So what should you actually propose to give? It is important to pay attention to skills you possess that are in high demand for the MBA program. Without bragging about that skill, you can demonstrate your value as an MBA student while also reinforcing that you want to put your abilities at the disposal of the program that will undoubtedly be giving you a leg up. Similarly, you may want to propose some kind of collaborative effort that brings together two or more clubs, or involves a number of different available resources. Provided that the proposal is something that makes sense for you to put out there, this can be a great way to show Wharton that you are interested in working with others and that you want to enrich their already rich experience. 

One way to brainstorm about what you have to give to Wharton–and more broadly, the University of Pennsylvania –is to think about the help you received in putting together the application for the Wharton MBA program in the first place. What individuals or clubs were instrumental in giving you a hand? What did they offer and what did you learn from them? How might you pass on something similar to the students, organizations, and general community of Wharton Business School?

In the end, realigning your mindset to that of a giver is a valuable part of writing a Wharton essay that both reinforces what you have to offer the institution and also, subtly, shows your familiarity with its star professor and the philosophy behind the institution. 

Gain valuable insights into the Wharton AdCom’s preferences with the help of our experienced MBA admission consulting professionals , guided by professor Adam Grant’s theory.

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Wharton MBA Essay Tips

W harton has unveiled their essay questions for the 2021-22 MBA application season. As a Wharton alum, I wanted to share my tips on creating an essay set that will impress your readers on the Wharton Admissions Committee.

Wharton MBA Essay 1

The prompt for Wharton Essay 1 has appeared on the school’s application in one form or another for several years now. Firstly, you should communicate a clear narrative arc in this essay. The arc begins with the path you have taken in your career so far, but your goal should be to devote the majority of your essay to a discussion of where you imagine yourself going and how Wharton will propel you there.

Wharton wants to understand your overarching career goals – the “big picture” of where you want to go in your career in the long term. At the same time, they want to get a sense of where you imagine yourself immediately post-MBA. Whereas you can and should dream big on your long-term goals, your post-MBA career plans must appear realistic and achievable. Moreover, you are going to be in a stronger position in an admissions officer’s eyes if the field you want to enter is one in which Wharton has historically excelled in placing students (e.g., finance) or is growing its footprint (e.g., tech, entrepreneurship).

Secondly, your essay needs to demonstrate how the Wharton MBA will prepare you for the next step in your career with some specificity. This essay is the place to show off your knowledge of Wharton’s unique resources and culture. Your essay is going to stand out from the pack if you have visited campus, spoken to current students and/or alumni, and researched course offerings and extracurricular activities in depth. The more you show a clear connection between your aspirations and what Wharton specifically offers, the more successful this essay will be.

Finally, the AdCom expects you to be both “candid and succinct” in your essay. A 500-word essay is only about one page single-spaced; use this space wisely to provide the reader with as much specificity and supporting detail as possible. Weave a narrative but don’t waste words fluffing up your story or trying to flatter.

Wharton MBA Essay 2

Wharton’s Essay 2 question — first introduced in 2020 — offers you the opportunity to showcase distinctive aspects of your background that will enrich the Wharton community. Here, the AdCom asks you to connect your past with your future in Philadelphia. My advice as you set out to draft Wharton Essay 2: Ground the essay in your personal and professional experience while showing admissions officers that the Wharton community presents perfect outlets for your talents, knowledge, and interests.

What I like about Wharton’s essay question is that you are granted the freedom to take your response in any direction you choose. As the AdCom suggests, be yourself. You may find it helpful to cite two or three specific examples from your personal, professional, or undergraduate experience to ground your essay in something easy for the reader to visualize.

How will what you’ve experienced make you a more valuable community member? A persuasive essay will describe specific and concrete contribution areas. Do not leave it to the AdCom to connect the dots from your past to your future. Prove to them that you have done your homework on Wharton and show them how you plan to operate on campus.

For example, an essay that focuses on self-discovery and leadership gained while facilitating difficult group conversations might increase your value during a Wharton Leadership Venture or in the P3 Program. Alternatively, an experience that taught you about intercultural communication in a non-profit setting is a natural place to discuss how you can play a leading role in Wharton’s Global Impact Consultants initiative.

Where can you start your Wharton research? Try the Wharton Office of Student Life’s website. There you’ll find many outlets for your energy and talents amongst a multitude of clubs and conferences. Complement your online research by speaking with student leaders — many clubs’ websites include contact information for club officers, and Wharton students are usually generous with their time for prospective students. An A+ essay clarifies for the AdCom both how and where you see yourself contributing to the Wharton and Philadelphia communities.

Avoid topics where any experiences or accomplishments you cite benefited you more than others. This essay is not the place to talk about graduating at the top of your class or training for a marathon, no matter how real and hard the obstacles were. AdCom’s usage of the word “meaningful” speaks to its desire to see that you have done great work in the service of others and that you plan to add significant value to the Wharton community. Unsuccessful essays that I have seen focus on topics like dining out, meeting diverse classmates or playing on an intramural sports team. While these examples may be of intrinsic importance to the candidate, they don’t show how, in Wharton Professor Adam Grant’s terminology, you will act as a giver to — and not just a taker from — the Wharton community.

Lastly, watch out for a credibility gap between your experience and your aspirations as a Wharton student. If you’ve never taken a finance course, don’t write about leading a finance tutoring group. If your resume is light on community service, don’t pitch the idea of founding a non-profit initiative. If you do, you’ll only raise questions about your self-awareness and ability to set realistic goals.

In both essays, specificity is critical. The Wharton AdCom is using these essays to find candidates who will add to their diverse student body of socially aware individuals who are excited about contributing to small teams and the broader community.

Demonstrate that you are an influencer with a coherent career narrative and developed a sense of self through your essays. Picture yourself making a tangible difference at Wharton, and with some luck, the admissions committee member reading your application will picture you in a future Wharton class!

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A Guide to the Wharton MBA Essays

Tips and tricks to writing a stand-out essay for your Wharton MBA application, including an overview of the questions, expert advice, and how to get started.

Posted January 9, 2024

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Table of Contents

The essay portion of your business school application is arguably the most important part. It gives the admissions committee a personal look at the candidate and allows the candidate to present themself as an individual, rather than a set of numbers. The essays for the Wharton school emphasize one of its goals: to foster a symbiotic relationship between the students and the school. The essay questions are as follows:

1. How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words max.) 2. Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words max.)

You can also find them on the University of Pennsylvania’s website here . With these prompts, Wharton is asking how it will help you and how you will be able to help it. It recommends its applicants try and be succinct, honest, and self-reflective. It’s important to fully be yourself–your essays should not be applicable to anyone else.

Before you begin the writing process, start by structuring your essay. You don’t necessarily need all the parts of a formal piece of writing, such as a thesis statement or topic sentence, but you should make sure that your point is clear, everything is tied together and relevant, and the writing flows smoothly between body paragraphs.

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The nature of the first essay requires applicants to have a very clear understanding of their goals, both personal and professional. In responding to this, Wharton wants to see that the applicants can clearly articulate the specific ways that the school will benefit them. This is not the place to list out the many classes you want to take; dig deeper and talk about the characteristics that are unique to Wharton. Options include professors that teach there, clubs and activities, or any unique development opportunities, among others.

On the flip side, the second essay is about explaining to Wharton how you will benefit them. The school emphasizes that the class size is small, so they want every MBA candidate to bring something to the table. The Wharton essays are often referred to as the “give and take” because you are trying to show what you will give to Wharton and what you will take.

With this essay, prove to Wharton that you will be an asset to the program. What do you bring that’s different than everyone else applying? This answer should be completely unique to you. Before you begin to write, research the program so that you have an idea of what the school wants. It will be difficult to argue that you’ll become an ROI for them if you don’t know what they’re looking for. Ideas may involve starting a new club or conference, or what you can bring to your cohorts.

Wharton Essay Tips

1. answer the question.

When the topic is so broad and the word limit so low, it can be difficult to remain on-task. When you’re writing the essay, remember to step back and ask yourself whether you are actually answering the question. Are you explaining how you will benefit from Wharton or are you on a rant about everything you want to do with your life? This is why it’s important to start writing early. That way, you’ll have time to revise, get feedback, and read it from a fresh perspective multiple times before submission.

2. Do Research

The admissions committee will be able to tell if the applicant has spent time researching the school and the program. They want to know that you care about getting into Wharton specifically, and not just any MBA program. By supporting your thesis with well-researched facts, you’ll demonstrate an understanding of the program and present a more convincing argument to the AdCom. A full-time MBA is a commitment–show that you are ready for it by acknowledging what you’re getting into.

3. Be Yourself

As we’ve stated above, your essay should not be something that anyone else could have written. For the class of 2023, there were 7,338 applications. You need to show that you are different from the 7,337 other individuals vying for one of the coveted acceptances. Now, this also does not mean that you should grossly exaggerate any achievements or hobbies. Simply remain true to yourself as your write your application. Maybe you are an amateur beekeeper and this has helped you understand the power of working in a team, or you were scuba certified in Indonesia and want to make more affordable equipment. Whatever the case, be unique and be yourself.

4. Be Concise

You only have a combined 900 words to answer both essays, meaning your essay will likely need to go through several stages of edits. One alum on Wharton’s website recommends that you write out your essay, including everything that you’d like to say, without thinking about the word count. That way, you’ll be able to start to pare down the information to the highlights from the top-down. Every word in your essay should have a purpose–don’t go off on tangents or try and be verbose. Show off your writing skills by getting to the point and conveying the required information in a simple, understandable manner.

5. Don’t Restate Your Resume

Your essays should not be a rehashing of the information on your resume and the rest of your application. It’s commonly said that the essay portion should be where you “make visible the invisible.” This is your chance to write about something that can’t be found anywhere else in the application. The AdCom already has your resume, academic record, recommendations, and standardized test scores. What else is there to you beyond that? Whatever it is, write about that.

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How to Tackle the Wharton MBA Essays

• September 20, 2022

Wharton MBA Essay Questions

• How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)
• Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Wharton MBA Essay Tips

The Wharton essay prompts are direct and allow enough word count to paint a robust picture of who you are and why Wharton is right for you (and vice versa). As such, this application can be a good one to tackle early in the process. The Wharton deadlines are also early in each round (September 7 th is the Round 1 deadline), which lends additional credence to this approach.

While the Wharton essay questions read as fairly straightforward, don’t let them lead you down the path of writing bland essays.  Run of the mill essays do nothing to help you stand out from the sea of applications Wharton receives. To be precise, Wharton received 7,338 applications last year and only accepted 1,338 of those applicants. Additionally, despite the generous word count, you will absolutely need to be strategic about what you include – and don’t.

Essay 1 Should Be Grounded in Concrete Career Goals, a Solid ‘Why’, and a Thoughtful ‘How’

When it comes to the first essay, the critical thing to keep in mind is that all of your content should be ‘anchored’ by your short- and long-term career goals. If you haven’t given robust thought to these and done your due diligence to ensure they are sound, now is the time to do so. In short, your immediate post-MBA goal should be specific down to the title, function, and industry you will target – you may even include a few potential companies you would like to work for. Your long-term career goal can be higher level but should be ambitious and a reasonable follow on to your targeted post-MBA role.

Once you have shared your career goals, look to address the ‘past experience’ part of the essay prompt. What the Wharton adcom is looking for here is your ‘why’. Think about the formative experiences that led you to your post-MBA career goals. Perhaps in your work as a consultant you were staffed on a healthcare project that opened your eyes to how complex yet exciting the healthcare industry can be. This sparked your interest in shifting to a strategy role within a healthcare company where you can make a lasting impact on the industry and those it touches. Tell this story so the adcom can really feel your passion and the authenticity behind your goals.

After sharing the ‘why’ underlying your goals, shift focus to the ‘how’. While you likely bring a host of really impressive skills to the table, there are also inevitably gaps in your experience that you will need to close in order to achieve your ultimate career ambitions. Do an honest and detailed assessment of these gaps and then describe the unique elements of Wharton’s program that will help you to build them. If the examples you cite are offered by other business schools, they are not specific enough to make a compelling argument as to why Wharton will best position you for success. Getting this part right takes work and that is exactly why it matters.

Essay Two is All About Differentiating Yourself

When it comes to the second essay, take a cue from what Wharton professor extraordinaire Adam Grant’s concept of ‘givers and takers’ . Whereas the ‘why Wharton’ section of the first essay can cover what you will ‘take’ from the experience, this essay should focus on the ways in which you will be a ‘giver’ while at Wharton and even after graduation. A giver ‘…[looks] to help others by making an introduction, giving advice, providing mentoring, or sharing knowledge, without any strings attached.’

To be in a position to ‘give’, you need to have a unique knowledge base, personality trait, or past experience from which others will benefit. This is the crux of what you should share in this essay. It is, first and foremost, the place to share what distinguishes you from other applicants. Because the first essay is so career focused, we urge clients to write about something personal here, if possible.

To begin the essay, preview your ‘differentiator’ and why it will make you an asset to the Wharton community. This will likely entail telling a story from your past from which your ‘differentiator’ originated. Next, think to the future and share ~two concrete ways you will leverage your ‘differentiator’ to make an impact at Wharton. Perhaps you will bring a unique perspective to classroom discussions or leverage exemplary teambuilding skills to unite your cohort? The key is to communicate contributions that are specific, unique to you (i.e., every other applicant wouldn’t be equally as well positioned to make them) and demonstrate knowledge of Wharton.

For example, a past client discussed how she would use the determination that had helped her overcome personal challenges to motivate her peers in Wharton Women in Business. She went on to describe a specific area of programming she would bring to the club that tied in with some of the personal challenges she had conquered.  The essay was strategic, specific, and thoughtful (and it was successful in earning her an acceptance with full scholarship).

We hope these tips ideas are helpful as you work to differentiate yourself and demonstrate the amazing mark you would leave on the Wharton community. If you’d like assistance with your Wharton essays or your broader MBA application strategy with Vantage Point MBA, click here to schedule an initial consultation!

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Homepage > MBA Admissions > Wharton MBA essay tips and analysis for 2023 intake

Wharton MBA essay tips and analysis for 2023 intake

Posted by Lekhika Dhariyal | Jan 24, 2023 | Business Schools , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

Wharton announced its deadline and essay questions for the 2023 intake, with the Round 1 and Round 2 deadlines are already over. The round 3 deadline is on March 29, 2023.

Wharton has long led the ranks of the most coveted B-Schools and can, therefore, afford to be extremely choosy about their intake students. In fact, despite the big drop in applications across all B-Schools recently, the incoming class at Wharton maintained the school’s average GPA and actually posted better scores in some parts.

Given Wharton continues with its earlier pattern of two required essays for its full-time MBA application process this year, applicants need to be very cautious about answering these essays.

Compared to schools like INSEAD , the fewer essay questions give you fewer opportunities to express your strengths and plans. As such, the school rejects several candidates every year, even with strong profiles and 750+ GMAT scores, primarily because of their cookie-cutter approach and their attempts to fit in too much in the limited space.

While the first question has been retained from the previous years, the second question this year is different. It touches upon the same points of contributing to the Wharton community as earlier. However, the broader choice allows you to pick any aspect of your candidature you want to highlight. As always, there is an additional essay for reapplicants and an optional essay as well.

Wharton MBA Essays for 2023 intake

Wharton MBA Application has two compulsory essay topics, one reapplicant, and one optional essay topic for 2021 intake :

• Wharton MBA Essay 1 : How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)
• Wharton MBA Essay 2 : Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)
• Required Essay for all Reapplicants:  Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)
• Optional Essay:  Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

In this article, we analyze the Wharton MBA Essay 2021 questions and provide tips towards the same.

Wharton MBA Essay 1

How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

The word limit of 500, restricted purely to your professional domain allows you to delve deeper into your aspirational career path while highlighting your accomplishments and journey so far. Keep in mind that it is important that you tie this back to your current work profile and skill set.

Broad guidelines

• Elucidate your standard Career Goals, PLUS more .

That “more” is where your in-depth research into unique Wharton aspects and mention of matching interests would help.

• In keeping with the language of the question, restrict your answer to gains you expect on the “professional” front.

Wharton MBA Sample Essay Structure – Essay 1

A good essay for this Wharton MBA question can be divided into at least three parts (if you have a unique reason to add more to this answer, do so, but remember your story must have at least these three parts, flowing seamlessly):

1. Where are you currently at (in your career)?

Do not rehash your resume here. (hint: You are well accomplished but hungry for much more). Use your achievements to show potential for more in the future. A good career summary, focusing on skills/qualities/achievements, and setting the right context and foundation for your career plans will help the reader develop the confidence that you are capable of achieving the goals that you are so passionate about.

2. Where do your career goals take you?

Painting a picture of your short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals would make the picture complete, and show clarity in your thought process. (hint: ideally, these ambitious, but realistic career goals build-up on your past achievements).

3. How do you see Wharton MBA help in achieving your goals?

What are the specific culture elements/ modules/ Professors (there are many more to think of) at Wharton, which can enable you to take that next leap?

Again, it is important to find the fit with your professional needs and passions. Your answer in this part must resonate with the rest of your profile to earn you those extra points. When applicants try to force-fit something here because the AdCom may like it that way, the “pretense” often shows and may turn out to be counter-productive. Being honest and specific will help a lot.

Any other ancillary parts/ specific details wherein you can work with the larger community to enhance the “Wharton” flavor for the other members, is also very welcome; your conversations with current Wharton community members would be helpful to corroborate your story.

Is all this challenging? You bet it is. This, however, ensures your peers at Wharton have clear visions and bold plans for the future.

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Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Your time at an MBA program is not just about gaining and learning from your B-School. Visionary leaders will almost always contribute a lot in the course of any interaction. Through this question, Wharton wants to force you to think (if you haven’t yet) about your ability to contribute to the community. To doubly stress the importance, the contributions must be specific and meaningful to the community.

Let’s divide this essay into two parts to make it easier to answer:

• Personal, professional and/or academic background
• Mention plans to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community during and after your association there

Wharton MBA Sample Essay Structure – Essay 2

A good essay structure for this answer works upon two distinct constituents:

• Display evidence of your rounded personality:

Take advantage of this opportunity to present your non-professional side as well. Look at this space to best describe that demonstrable aspect of your background that you want to shine with. Do remember, however, you will need to tie-in the rest of the answer with this part.

(hint: do NOT make it a laundry list. We strongly suggest you to prefer highlighting your personal background to show a well-rounded personality)

• This is where you build upon the evidence displayed earlier in this answer to elaborate upon WHAT contributions you plan to enrich the Wharton community.

Make your contributions meaningful for the community (hint: know the Wharton character in detail). Expound upon the most important steps of the HOW of the plan. Then, mention these steps in a clear, lucid manner.

Whether it is leading initiatives, joining a club, or just sharing your talents, a detailed HOW of the contribution to the Wharton community will not only show you have given it a detailed thought but will also show your personality traits and the passion demonstrated earlier in this answer. Once again, a lot of clarity and specificity will come through the researches done around the community at multiple levels.

As with the earlier essay, tie-in this answer with what your background and passion lie in, NOT with your conjectures of what Wharton may like to hear.

Oh, and I almost forgot. These 500 + 400 words will make you self-introspect deeply, for a longish period. A typical top school essay goes through several rounds of iterations over an extended period of time. If you, however, believe in doing everything at the last moment, please take our advice and make an exception for your application answers. Our applicants have frequently bagged 80%+ scholarships at the top schools; and that happens only when you devote time.

Applying to Kellogg? Read our detailed Kellogg Essay Analysis

Wharton MBA Essay: Key Things to Avoid

Here are a few key things to avoid while writing a Wharton MBA essay:

• Since there is a defined word limit, make sure your essays are to the point and specific.
• Don’t be vague about the experiences that lead you to Wharton.
• Use the optional space only if you have any additional information. (For the first-time applicant)
• Don’t set unrealistic goals
• Don’t forget to include why a Wharton MBA makes sense for you now?
• Don’t forget to have a linkage between your past- present- future

Do you want to know about the typical candidate profile at Wharton? Read this article to learn about the class profile, employment reports, and notable alumni from Wharton.

GMAT Success Stories:

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About the author

Admit Square Consulting has mentored applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply to top MBA programs. With a proven track record of 10+ years, with admits to universities such as Stanford, MIT, Kellogg, Cambridge, INSEAD, etc., Admit Square was awarded the Most Successful International MBA Consulting Company in India at the India Education Awards, 2019.

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Wharton MBA Essay Examples

Read these Wharton MBA essay examples for some inspiration when writing your own! The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania is considered one of the best MBA programs in the world , and getting accepted is tough. The Wharton MBA admissions essays are one way for you to give your application a boost and stand out. In this blog, we’ll look at how to write an MBA essay for Wharton School of Business, what the requirements are and some samples to help guide you.

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How important is the mba essay for wharton.

Wharton School of Business is a part of the HSW trinity, along with Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business , and is considered one of the best MBA programs in the US and globally. Wharton’s reputation as a top business school and its relatively competitive admissions means it is challenging to get accepted. The acceptance rate at Wharton is around 12%, which is quite selective for an MBA program. Wharton also receives thousands of applications every admissions cycle. This means successful applicants need to not only have a strong application, but they also need to stand out from a pool of competitive applicants.

The Wharton MBA essays are one way to help distinguish your application, strengthen your candidacy and personalize your application. Wharton is looking for more than a high GPA, impressive GMAT scores and a stellar MBA resume . You need to make a lasting impression on the admissions committee. You need to share why you want to pursue an MBA and how you will contribute to the MBA program at Wharton.

As you’re preparing to write your Wharton MBA essays, keep in mind the school’s mission and values. Your aim should be to demonstrate as much as possible how Wharton’s specific MBA program will contribute to your achieving your goals, how your experience and background will contribute to Wharton and why you have chosen Wharton, in particular, over other MBA programs. Wharton’s mission statement is:

“Our mission is  to develop leaders who act with a deeper understanding of themselves, their organizations, and their communities, and contribute positively to the growth of each .”

As you can tell, leadership and self-awareness are important at Wharton. The admissions committee also wants to hear your genuine voice and perspective. Wharton highlights these three tips when it comes to writing your admissions essay:

• Don’t worry about word count at first
• Be yourself
• Connect your ideas

For the first two tips, it’s a reminder to dig deep and self-reflect on your personal and professional decisions. Let your genuine voice shine through your essay. And as for the word count, worry about editing your essay later, or ask someone to proofread your work for you.

As for connecting your ideas, your essay should seamlessly connect ideas about where you are coming from or what you have already done, what you hope to learn or accomplish after your MBA, and lastly, why Wharton is the program that will help you do those things. It’s important to have a strong answer to the question “why Wharton?” and share which specific aspects or values of the school drew you in.

If you’re not sure where to start with writing your MBA essay, check out our Wharton MBA essay samples below, or look into an MBA essay writing service or MBA essay consultant to help you craft a stellar admissions essay.

An MBA personal statement is one of the common MBA requirements and acing the Wharton MBA essay questions is an important step. For the traditional MBA program at Wharton, there are 2 required essays, an optional essay, and a required essay for any reapplicants. Your essays are written in response to specific prompts set by the school. These questions ask you to share your motivations, experiences and career goals, beyond what can be found in your MBA extracurriculars or work experience.

The Wharton MBA essay prompts are:

This optional essay can be useful for applicants who have a gap or weakness in their application. For instance, if you need to know how to explain a low GPA in an MBA application or how to explain gaps in your MBA resume. Other applicants might use this optional essay to explain a period of unemployment if they are applying to an MBA while unemployed or have a major career change. ","label":"Optional Essay","title":"Optional Essay"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Want more tips for writing an MBA personal statement?

Check out these Wharton MBA essay examples to help spark some ideas for writing your own! Or read some Harvard MBA personal statements or Stanford MBA personal statement examples if you’re applying to the HWS trinity of MBA programs.

Wharton MBA Essay Example #1

Prompt: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words max)

Having worked in a dynamic corporate environment for several years, I have developed a solid foundation in strategy and leadership. However, to achieve my entrepreneurial goals of becoming an app developer serving international travelers and students abroad, I recognize the need for a more comprehensive skill set and a deeper understanding of global business practices. The Wharton MBA program provides the perfect platform to bridge these gaps and take my career to new heights.

The Wharton MBA program's commitment to social impact and entrepreneurship perfectly aligns with my aspirations. The access to the Wharton Social Impact Initiative and the extensive entrepreneurship resources will empower me to develop sustainable business models and effectively tackle social issues. The program's emphasis on ethical leadership and corporate social responsibility will further shape my understanding of the intersection between business and social impact, enabling me to drive change as a responsible leader in the corporate world. Furthermore, Wharton’s emphasis on experiential learning through real-world projects and case studies will enable me to develop practical problem-solving skills and a strategic mindset, which are crucial for effective decision-making in complex business scenarios.

Wharton’s extensive courses covering technology, analytics and finance will be essential for developing my understanding of the industry and provide me with practical, real-world skills I will need to achieve my goals. I am especially intrigued by the program’s courses on Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation, and Digital Marketing and e-Commerce, which is an area of my professional skillset I am keen to develop further.

Lastly, Wharton's strong network of alumni and industry connections will offer unparalleled opportunities for internships and networking, allowing me to gain hands-on experience and forge valuable relationships. As an aspiring entrepreneur, fostering these partnerships and collaborations are essential to my success and continued learning as I find new career paths.

By leveraging the Wharton resources, I am confident that I will emerge from the Wharton MBA program as a transformative leader, ready to make a positive impact and contribute meaningfully to both the business community and society at large.

Prompt: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words max)

Drawing upon my diverse background encompassing personal, professional, and academic experiences, I am eager to contribute to the vibrant and dynamic Wharton community. The program has many unique and enticing student clubs and activities which have piqued my interest. By actively engaging in traditions such as Follies and student clubs like the Brewmasters' Guild, I aim to foster a sense of camaraderie, creativity, and innovation, while also leveraging my skills to enhance the Wharton experience for my fellow students.

I have cultivated a passion for performing arts throughout my life, and I believe that my background in theater and comedy will bring a unique perspective to the Wharton community. I plan to contribute to the Wharton Follies by utilizing my creative talents in writing, acting, and directing. I am a long-time participant of the Wildfire Improv Troupe in [city] and I have participated in the [city] Fringe Festival as a comedic actor, director and playwright for the past 6 years. By participating in Follies, I hope to entertain and engage my peers, creating a space for laughter and lightheartedness amidst the demanding academic environment. Through collaborations with fellow students, I aim to create memorable performances that celebrate the diverse talents within the Wharton community.

My professional experiences have fostered strong skills in event planning, organization, and team leadership. As a member of the Brewmasters' Guild at Wharton, I intend to utilize these skills to contribute to the community in a distinct way. By organizing and hosting beer tastings, workshops, and networking events, I seek to create a platform for students to explore the art and science of brewing while cultivating a sense of community. As Philadelphia is a hotspot for microbrewing and craft beer making, I am excited at the prospect of exploring what Wharton and the city have to offer my taste buds.

I am eager to see how my passions will blossom and add to the student community at Wharton, and how I might use my professional and extracurricular skillsets to enhance an already vibrant and exciting community.

Your Wharton MBA essay should share the highlights of your professional experience so far, why you want to pursue a Wharton MBA, what your future career goals are and why Wharton’s MBA program will help you achieve them. Your essay should be no more than 500 words.

To stand out in an MBA essay, it’s important to be genuine and allow your natural voice to come through. You should answer the prompt as directly and fully as you can, while remaining succinct and within the word count. Share specific career goals you have and concrete reasons why you chose the school you are applying to.

Wharton MBA has one of the lowest MBA acceptance rates in the US , as it is also considered one of the best MBA programs in the world and is highly selective. So, getting into Wharton MBA is quite challenging.

The Wharton MBA essays have a word count limit of 500 and 400 words for the required essays. The optional essay prompt has a word count limit of 500 words.

The Wharton MBA essays have fairly straightforward essay topics. They ask you to explain why you chose Wharton and what your future career goals are, and they want to know how you will meaningfully contribute to the Wharton MBA program.

Some of the biggest things Wharton looks for in its applicants is professional maturity and demonstrated leadership. This means no matter your career background, you should show a progression of professional development, responsibility and a variety of contributions to the workplace. What you’ve done for work or how many years of experience you have is less important than how and how much you contributed to your field.

Wharton has 2 required essays. The prompts are: “How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton” and “Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?”

Yes. Wharton receives thousands of applications every year, and your MBA personal statement or admissions essay is one of the best ways to distinguish yourself from all the other applicants. Your MBA essay also reveals important information about you and your goals that the Wharton admissions committee will want to know.

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Everything You Need To Know About The Wharton MBA Essays

The Wharton MBA essays are an essential aspect of your application. By allowing a deeper look into your values, experiences, and motivations, your essay submissions significantly affect the way Wharton’s admissions committee views your MBA candidacy. This information can cause the writing process to seem extremely intimidating, but you don’t need to fret. This article outlines everything you need to know about the Wharton MBA essays.

What Are the Wharton MBA Essays?

Typically, there are two essay prompts in the Wharton MBA application, along with one optional prompt. There are also essays specifically for those applying to joint-degree programs and an additional essay for reapplicants.

The Wharton MBA essay prompts can change from year to year. However, you can find many of the same themes and ideas in the various essay questions. Here are some examples of past Wharton MBA essay prompts: ‍

What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words)

This essay is pretty straightforward – How will Wharton benefit you?

How to Approach this Essay

Start by outlining specific short-term and long-term career goals, demonstrating a clear connection between these objectives and the Wharton MBA program. Highlight the program's unique features, emphasizing how these elements will contribute to your professional development. 

Showcase a keen understanding of the skills and knowledge gaps you aim to address through the Wharton MBA, stressing the program's experiential learning opportunities and collaborative community. Conclude by explaining the long-term impact you envision, both on your career trajectory and your ability to make meaningful contributions to your chosen industry. 

‍ Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

This prompt might take a bit more thought. What qualities, experiences, or skills can you use to contribute to the Wharton School?

This prompt might take a bit more thought. What qualities, experiences, or skills can you use to contribute to the Wharton School? ‍

Begin by reflecting on specific aspects of your background that have shaped your perspectives and values. Identify key themes or experiences that highlight your commitment to diversity, collaboration, and innovation. 

Be concrete in outlining your plans for active participation in cultural or affinity groups, as well as your contributions to student-led initiatives or clubs. Demonstrate an understanding of Wharton's community and how your skills and experiences will enhance it. 

Whether it's through leadership in projects, workshops, or events, emphasize the tangible and specific ways you plan to contribute to the dynamic and collaborative environment at Wharton. Conclude by expressing a genuine enthusiasm for being an integral part of the Wharton community and contributing to its continued success and growth.

Essay 3 - Required Essay for all Reapplicants:

Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

This essay is an excellent way for reapplicants to highlight any growth they have had since the previous application cycle.

When addressing changes and growth since a previous application, focus on key areas of improvement. Clearly outline any additional coursework you've pursued for skill enhancement and highlight the impact of changes in your professional role on your skills and perspectives. 

Mention relevant extracurricular or volunteer engagements to showcase personal and societal contributions. Use concrete examples to illustrate growth and conclude by expressing ongoing enthusiasm for the program, emphasizing how these developments strengthen your candidacy. 

Essay 4 - Optional Essay: ‍

Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

While this essay is optional, it can be a good space to clear up any issues that the admissions committee could have with your candidacy.

As you can see, these essays are meant to be relatively brief yet provide personal insights into who you are as a person. Using these prompts as examples, this article will outline the best ways to approach your Wharton MBA essays.

When addressing this essay prompt, use space to provide unique insights not covered elsewhere in your application. If there are gaps or inconsistencies, address them transparently, emphasizing the lessons learned or steps taken to overcome challenges. 

Use the opportunity to highlight distinctive strengths, experiences, or perspectives that contribute to your candidacy. Maintain a professional tone and focus on offering valuable information that enriches the admissions committee's understanding of your journey and qualifications.

Purpose of the Wharton MBA Essays

You can find the following statement on Wharton’s website regarding their MBA essays :

“The Admissions Committee is looking to understand more about you and your unique personality and how that can ultimately contribute to the Wharton community. We are a student-driven campus and need each and every MBA to bring something to the table.”

There are many essential pieces of information that you can glean from this statement about the purpose of the Wharton MBA essays. 

1. The Wharton MBA essays allow the admissions committee to see your personality.

The admissions committee has your resume and test scores, meaning that they already know the basics of your education and experience on a professional level. Essays are a way for them to dig a bit deeper and learn about who you are as a person, the events that have impacted you, and the values that you have gained through your experiences.

2. The Wharton MBA essays portray what you can contribute to the community and how well you can collaborate with others.

Business school is a great place to strengthen your skills and further your career on an individual level. However, what ideas or experiences can you bring to Wharton that will benefit your classmates or the program as a whole? The essays show the admissions committee how you will serve as an addition to the Wharton MBA program.

3. The Wharton MBA essays portray your leadership capabilities.

By stating that they are a “student-driven campus,” the admissions committee shows that they are looking for people that can carry out plans and lead their classmates toward goals that will benefit the program overall. This statement also indicates that the committee is looking for individuals who can find problems and work to solve them, creating change effectively.

By keeping these ideas in mind, you can then begin crafting your own essays.

Top Tips for Crafting the Wharton MBA Essays

Now that you understand the primary purpose of the essays and the possible themes, here are some tips to help you determine how to craft your Wharton MBA Essays.

Wharton’s website outlines these three tips for writing your MBA essays:

1. Write out everything first, then worry about word count.

‍ The essays are pretty short, and when it comes to your career aspirations or your background, you might have a lot more to say than just 400 or 500 words. The short word count can make the writing process intimidating, as you might be constantly checking the word count and hesitating to write anything out in detail.

When writing your first draft, ignore the word count; just get your ideas out there. Then, once you’ve finished, start looking for areas to cut out or shorten. By doing this, you can get through the writing process while also ensuring that you include everything you want to portray.

2. Connect the “Three Career Dots.”

Wharton’s website outlines these “three career dots” as follows:

“What have you done to date, what unique things do you already know, and what do you have still to learn? How can Wharton help you and how can you help the Wharton community? How does that all connect to your goals post-MBA?”

Basically, in the Wharton MBA Essays, your past, present, and future should connect. What are some unique skills and experiences that you have gained through your studies or career that you can bring to Wharton’s MBA program? What do you hope to gain from Wharton, and how does that relate to your future career goals? By answering these questions, you can begin to paint a holistic picture of your hopes and aspirations for the Wharton MBA program. ‍

3. Be yourself.

‍ Writing these essays is a process that will already be difficult enough, and being anything but authentic will only make it more challenging. Don’t write what you think an admissions committee wants to hear; be true to yourself and your goals in your essays, and it will pay off in the long run.

Here are some additional tips for crafting your essays: ‍

1. Do your research.

Why are you applying to Wharton? What makes this school a suitable program for you? Which classes are you hoping to take, or which faculty members are you excited to meet? By being specific about Wharton’s program, you will show an admissions committee that you have extensively researched the program, know what you are getting into, and understand how Wharton can help you achieve your goals. ‍

2. Make sure you are answering the prompt.

‍ This tip might seem like a no-brainer, but it is a common mistake that many applicants make. Maybe there was an impactful experience in your career that made you want to pursue an MBA, or you have a unique background that you want to express in your essay.

These are important details about who you are , but are those experiences applicable to the essay prompts' specifications?

Sometimes, the most exciting or unique stories aren’t the most relevant. Everything in your essay should serve a purpose, and if you cannot relate that purpose to the question Wharton is asking, then it might be time to cut some things out.

3. Less storytelling, more concrete points. ‍

This tip relates to the previous one. You have a minimal amount of space in these essays, so make sure that every word has a purpose. Don’t fill your essay with a long story about the moment you decided to pursue an MBA or a detailed history of your childhood. If these events are important, you can briefly mention them, but try to focus on your skills, goals, and why Wharton is right for you.

Wharton MBA Essay Examples and What Made It Successful

The following is an excerpt from a successful Wharton MBA Essay written for the 1st previously mentioned example prompt.

Essay 1: What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? 

Introduction:.

Innovation in healthcare has historically existed in two spheres: the sophisticated yet aspirational, and the simple yet practical. I’ve experienced both sides of the coin; from developing AI for cancer detection and intensive care while at [University] to now dissecting commercially-successful healthcare businesses at [Company]. The bridge between aspiration and result in healthcare is fraught with well-known obstacles to innovation.

In this introduction, the writer brings up their past and present career experiences and explains how those experiences have shaped their understanding of the healthcare field. They also introduce an existing problem, thus setting up the rest of the essay for how they hope to solve this problem.

Body Paragraph 1:

My overarching goal is to bridge this gap and develop next-generation AI to mitigate physician and nurse burnout. By building and commercializing tools that reliably automate routine elements of patient care, I wish to create a more resource-efficient and outcome-centric global healthcare system. I’ve cultivated the raw engineering and business skills at [University], [Company], and [Company], and the Wharton MBA will equip me with the venture toolkit, network, and relevant healthcare entrepreneurship skills to succeed.

Strengths:‍

Having established the existing problems that the writer has observed in the healthcare field, they now drive the essay forward with how they hope to solve those issues. They also outline the skills they’ve learned through their past experiences and explain how the Wharton MBA will further develop those skills.

Body Paragraph 2:

Central to the lasting success of my MBA experience would be the Wharton community. The prospect of developing lifelong relationships and collaborating with accomplished peers through the cluster model inspires and excites me. I also look forward to mentorship opportunities from professors like Christian Terweisch. I often used his concept of innovation tournaments to drive collaboration at client organizations as a management consultant.

Here, the writer explains in detail how Wharton will help them to achieve their goals. By mentioning the cluster model and the mentorship opportunities that Wharton offers, the writer shows the admissions committee that they have done their research. Also, by naming professor Christian Terweisch, the writer further establishes that they understand how the Wharton MBA program, in particular, will assist them in pursuing their aspirations.

Conclusion:

Wharton startups such as Burrow and Harry’s have revolutionized numerous industries, transformed value chains, and changed millions of lives worldwide. Standing at this critical juncture in my career, I am excited to follow in their footsteps, realize my true potential, and build an organization that improves healthcare around the world. For that, I see no better platform than a Wharton MBA.

In this conclusion paragraph, the writer gives examples of successful products of the Wharton MBA program and how those startups specifically benefited the world. This connects to the writer’s previously mentioned goal of creating change in the healthcare field. The writer shows that they understand how Wharton can help them take the necessary steps in building their career.

Overall, this essay incorporates all of the tips mentioned above. The writer briefly summarizes their past experiences, what they learned, and the issues they observed in the healthcare field. 

Then, the writer links the past to the present, detailing how their experiences have contributed to their current goals. They then discuss the future, outlining how specific aspects of Wharton’s MBA program will help them achieve their career aspirations. 

Each sentence has a purpose, and overall, the writer connects past, present, and future to concisely answer the prompt.

Essay 2: How do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?

As a Wharton MBA, I plan to seek opportunities that exploit my strengths contributing to team environments. First, I thrive in settings where I can leverage my broad knowledge base and strong analytical foundation to help solve problems across a number of functions. Similarly, my empathetic style of leadership has been effective in engaging a range of perspectives and voices towards a common goal. Both aspects position me uniquely to take on roles where I can bridge Wharton with the surrounding community.

In this introduction, the author talks about their strong skills and how they’ll use them to contribute to the community. The author mentions specific skills and sets up a scene of how effective their skills are. 

Dance education is an initiative I’m highly motivated to support, as dance has been an amazing therapeutic outlet for me. The countless hours I’ve spent bhangra dance moves have been both highly meditative and endlessly entertaining. Dance is also perhaps the most powerful unifier of people I’ve ever experienced. All personal differences seem to wash away when people can join around their common love of dance. While at Wharton, I plan to combine my appreciation for performance and excitement to engage with the community by working with Wharton Dance Studio, which brings Wharton students together in a broad variety of styles and and cultures, for events such as the Wharton Dance Studio & India Club’s joint Bollywood Fusion Diwali Dance Workshop. Whether teaching, organizing live events for the community, or even taking the stage as a dancer myself, I am excited about the range of ways I can spread the joy of movement through the Wharton Dance Club.

Another area of personal interest where I intend to contribute meaningfully to the Wharton community is golf. I played golf extensively growing up, but talents lie less on the fairway and more in the front-office. For years, I have maintained an avid interest in the advanced analytics of golf as a scouting / decision-making tool, even going so far as to create my own statistical models. As a widget industry professional, I’ve become well-versed in the emerging technology companies advancing the applications of data analytics to the golf handicap industry. 

In this body paragraph, the author uses personal anecdotes and connects it to how they have contributed to those interests. The author also explains how they plan on using those experiences and use them to contribute to the Wharton community. 

Working with the Wharton Golf Club, I am eager to help lead the Wharton team competing at the MBA Masters tourney at Duke University and the annual Spring Scramble, and I would love to organize teams of Wharton golfers to work with inner-city Philadelphia high school and collegiate kids, helping to promote the adoption of advanced golf statistical handicapping to elevate athletic performance at the amateur level.

The author does a great job using their working experience at the Wharton Golf Club and explaining their dedication to helping the golf team succeed. The author also uses a specific example of how they’d support the community with this specific experience. 

If you still have questions, check out these frequently asked questions. 

1. Should I answer the optional Wharton MBA essay prompt?

The optional essay prompt is a great way to address any discrepancies you might have in your application, including poor academic performance, gaps in your resume, or low test scores. Use this essay to clear up any lingering questions that an admissions committee might have regarding your candidacy.

2. I’m reapplying to the Wharton MBA program; Do I have to answer essay prompts 1 and 2? Or can I resubmit my previous essays?

Wharton requires reapplicants to answer both essay prompts 1 and 2 and a prompt specifically for reapplicants. The writing prompts may change from year to year, so your previous submissions may not be entirely relevant anymore. If the prompts haven’t changed, it is still a good idea to reevaluate the quality of your past essays.

3. Is it okay to submit essays that I used for other applications if the prompts are similar?

Generally, you should avoid submitting the same essay that you’ve used for another school. You can use pieces from other essays you’ve written, but you need to make sure that you tailor your Wharton MBA essays explicitly to the Wharton MBA program.

Different programs have varying missions and values, so using the same essays for every application will not benefit your application.

4. What should I talk about in my Wharton MBA essays?

Generally, the purpose of essays is to “make the invisible visible,” meaning that they are a place to show the admissions committee a side of you that they cannot see anywhere else in your application. Rather than listing experiences that the admissions committee can already find in your resume, try to focus on things you’ve learned or your future goals.

5. If I’m applying to a joint-degree program at Wharton, do I have to write additional essays?

Those applying to the Francis J. & William Polk Carey/JD MBA program “are strongly encouraged to answer the application essay questions in relation to the Carey JD/MBA Program as opposed to only the Wharton MBA Program.” Those applying to the Wharton/Lauder Institute Joint-Degree Program must answer one additional Lauder prompt.

6. Can I write about my undergraduate experiences in the Wharton MBA essays?

Your undergraduate years were likely full of learning opportunities and growth, which is why briefly mentioning them could be insightful in your essays. However, don’t make them the focus of your essay, especially if you have several years of work experience.

Use your undergraduate experiences to establish where you came from and how much you’ve grown, and then connect them to your present motivations and future goals.

The Wharton MBA essays offer the admissions committee a brief glimpse into your personality and motivations. The writing process may seem intimidating at first, but just make sure to stay true to yourself and don’t focus on word count in your first draft. Then, in the editing process, you can evaluate areas to cut and refine, focus on connecting the past, present, and future, and highlight why you chose Wharton in particular.

By following these tips and tricks, you can craft an essay that genuinely portrays who you are and why you would be a great fit at the Wharton School of Business.

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Wharton Essay Questions and Strategic Guidance, 2023-2024

When you hear “Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania,” the first thought that pops into your head might be “Finance!”—and understandably so, given the Wharton MBA program has been a leading institution in the subject of finance since the school was founded in 1881. But what you may not realize is how much of a powerhouse UPenn Wharton is in other business domains. Its marketing and customer analytics courses are cutting edge, while aspiring entrepreneurs will find loads of resources in Wharton’s new Tangen Hall, the largest student entrepreneurship hub in the world.

UPenn Wharton asks candidates to submit two essays as part of its application. As you will see once you examine the essay prompts (as we do in detail below), Wharton really wants to know two things: What can Wharton do for you, and what can you do for Wharton? To compose an effective response, you will need a strong grasp of Wharton’s offerings as well as which of those offerings will be most valuable for you. Though you should demonstrate in these essays that you have done your homework on the program, remember that the admissions committee ultimately uses the essays to learn more about you.

Essay 1: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Wharton does us by favor sharing exactly what we would recommend for a career-oriented essay. In short, one of the easiest ways to approach this question is to present a brief overview of your relevant past experiences, share what you hope to do after business school, and then explain how Wharton will help get you from where you are now to where you want to go.

• Your past: Do you have a defining professional experience from your past that you can share, perhaps something that clarifies how you became interested in your target career or reveals what motivated you to apply to business school? You might even highlight a story or vignette that relates to one or more of Wharton’s key values.
• Your goals: Give the schools a sense of where hope to head after graduating from Wharton. Contrary to what you might hear from others, you do not need to be overly specific (though if you have clearly defined goals in mind, by all means, communicate them!). What is more important is that you have at least a general sense of where you are headed and that your plans make sense in the context of your past experiences.
• Why Wharton: You should dedicate approximately one-half of the allotted word count to the “Why Wharton?” element.  Before you begin working on your essays, do some in-depth research on the Wharton MBA experience and identify specific reasons the program appeals to you. For example, which classes are you excited to take? What will you major in? Which skills and experiences do you need to have to be able to achieve your career goals, and which offerings at Wharton will provide them? Which clubs will you join, and what role(s) will you play in them?  Remember, Wharton wants to know specifically what you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA (not just any MBA program in general). Give Wharton every confidence that you can clearly imagine yourself on campus and that you fully understand why it is the right MBA program to help you advance toward your professional goals.
• When researching Wharton, go beyond the school’s materials and website and also sign up for virtual classes and contact and speak with students and alumni. As you do your research, your goal is not to find the most unique or little-known classes or resources; instead, you want to identify several offerings that will enable you to close the gap between where you are now and where you want to go after business school.

Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

While the school’s first question is about how Wharton can help you, this second one is about how you can help Wharton.

• To start, let us share a potentially uncomfortable truth, but one you need to keep in mind with respect to this essay. All of the following contributions are incredibly valuable, but you should assume that many—even most—other Wharton applicants can offer them as well: analytical skills to help classmates who might struggle with some of the initial coursework (this scenario is actually extremely rare), a robust network, a willingness to help (other) international/LGBTQAI+/minority/etc. classmates get settled, and an interest in being an alumni mentor and/or interviewer. Does that mean that under no circumstances should you mention any of these? Of course not! But if you do, you absolutely must offer clear stories and reasons that substantiate why you are (or will be) especially adept at what you propose.
• Regardless of what you choose to highlight, your essay should not end up being just a laundry list, in part because you do not have enough space to enumerate a large number of ideas, but more importantly, because this is about quality , not quantity. In your mere 400 words, you want to highlight two or three examples (not referenced in Essay 1) of how you will participate in the community—the Wharton community, the Penn community, and/or the Philadelphia community more broadly. How can you make an impact? Have you identified a gap in the school’s offerings that you could help fill or a way of improving something that is already available (innovation!)? Can you offer something relatively unique based on your personal experiences and background? What would you do, and what role would you take?
• A key part of this essay question that applicants often overlook is the intro phrase: “Taking into consideration your background.” Wharton is asking not just about what you expect to do, but why . What is motivating you to participate in the activity you mention? How does it connect with your life experiences, good or bad? Of all the many things you could choose to be involved in at Wharton, what has prompted you to focus on this one?
• And to set the record straight, you do not have to avoid getting personal or worry about being “basic.” The main thing is to be authentic. For example, if you are an expert skier or a wine connoisseur, stating that you plan to join the ski club or wine club is perfectly acceptable, but you need to then go a step further and explain what you specifically can bring to the table.

To summarize, the key with this essay is not just telling the admissions committee how you anticipate being involved as a Wharton student but also why doing so is important to you and what impact you will have.

More about Wharton:

We have added this section because too often, we hear candidates dismiss Wharton because they assume Wharton is either too competitive or too focused on finance. While Wharton is full of driven, ambitious students, so is every top business school; collaboration on campus is still pervasive. Likewise, Wharton’s finance curriculum is top-notch, but so is its prowess in marketing, strategy, entrepreneurship and more. See below for more thoughts on what Wharton is really about and what it seeks in applicants. These notes can be helpful as you consider what to write about in your essays.

At Wharton, collaboration is crucial to success. From its team-based admissions interviews to the structure of its learning teams, Wharton demonstrates again and again that working with others to achieve a mutual goal is held in high regard. With respect to its essays, highlighting teamwork examples can therefore be useful, but note that a team involves people in many different roles, and various types of leadership are valued. Do not feel you must present an example of professional success or a team you “led” to be able to submit an effective essay; examples that demonstrate other types of leadership, or other roles on a team, can be equally or even more effective. (Note: If you are not familiar with the McNulty Leadership Program and what it offers, quickly reviewing it would be worth your time.)

Wharton has tried hard to break free of its former reputation as mostly a “finance school,” and one of the ways it has succeeded is by embracing innovation , through its courses, venture conferences and competitions, and student body. Demonstrating that you have an interest in being innovative, or in engineering change in any form, can help convince Wharton that you will be a good fit with its program.

Your analytical skills can be communicated through your GMAT/GRE scores and your undergrad coursework and GPA, but if your skills are lacking—and even if they are not—your essays (and/or your resume) can offer additional avenues through which to show the admissions committee your analytical prowess. Wharton wants to see quantitative proficiency, so make sure to show evidence of such. Note that we are using the word “show” here intentionally; you want to include examples that effectively “show” the admissions committee that you possess these skills, not just tell the schools that you have them.

In an effort to create future leaders with a global mindset , Wharton prides itself on the diverse makeup of its student body, with members hailing from around the globe. Describing the experiences you have had across different regions and cultures, and explaining what you learned/gained from those experiences, can reveal your ability strengthen the student body.

Topics in this resource:

MBA Essay Questions and Strategic Guidance

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August 1, 2022

Wharton Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines [2022-2023], Class Profile

The Wharton EMBA targets engaged professionals who have an expansive but clear vision for their future career. Further, Wharton seeks students who incorporate social and ethical values in their vision and actions. Wharton is very transparent about one value that it currently esteems: diversity – and hence it asks applicants to address diversity directly.

Wharton Executive MBA application essays

Wharton executive mba essay #1.

What are your career objectives and how will the Wharton MBA Program for Executives contribute to your attainment of this objective? (500 word limit)

An effective (and natural) way to start is to  briefly  introduce your career objectives (your career vision) along with a specific substantiating element such as a statistic, an observation, an experience.

Then get into the nitty-gritty of the path you envision. You might start with your current career situation and move forward detailing your future career plans – in doing so, clarify how each step leads to the next or builds on the previous one, creating an organic flow. Most important, clarify  why  you are pursuing that path ; this “why” is the real objective and animates your goals, elevating them from explanation to human story and engaging vision. Put more detail into the roles you plan immediately post-MBA and the several years following; longer-term goals need less detail, but should reflect your vision at a higher, more macro level.

In discussing how the program will benefit you, describe what skills and knowledge you need for future roles/positions and how the program meets those needs. Don’t just list courses and professors; refer to the structure and special features of the program, detailing how they will support you and your goals. Structurally, there are two basic approaches to this part: (a) weave in the “Why Wharton?” details after each goals phase, or (b) have a separate “Why Wharton?” paragraph containing this entire discussion holistically. You could also mix (a) and (b), adding brief “Why Wharton?” points into the goals discussion and an additional paragraph with more encompassing “Why Wharton?” points.

Check out the rest of our school-specific EMBA application essay tips >>

Wharton Executive MBA essay #2

Research has shown that there is a compelling business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations. Please respond to one of the following essay options: (500 word limit) 2a.  Provide an example of how you created or advocated for a work environment where differences are valued, encouraged, and supported . What did you do? What was the outcome? 2b.  Describe an experience when you were part of an event/meeting/workplace that involved diverse perspectives. Include your contribution and what you learned. Please take a moment to learn how the University of Pennsylvania endeavors to make everyone feel welcome:  Diversity at Wharton

Do spend some time reviewing the various information and stories at the “Diversity at Wharton” or “ Diversity & Inclusion at Wharton’s EMBA ” links, as it will help guide your topic selection and approach. Note that both 2a and 2b ask for a concrete story or anecdote – actual experience. It’s relatively easy to talk “about” diversity in a buzz-wordy way; the adcom wants evidence of active engagement with the concept. 

To select the question and topic that works best for you – that best supports and enhances your application – look for stories that are not portrayed elsewhere in the application and that show a fresh dimension of you and/or your experience, that are relatively recent, that reflect meaningful impact, and that are consistent with Wharton’s diversity message. For either essay question, I suggest jumping right into the story, narrating the experience with more detail at pivotal points. For question 2b, conclude with a short reflection summarizing what you learned – be specific and avoid bland, generic sounding messages about diversity. For question 2a, you could also add a reflection at the end, if you have a point to express, with the same caveats noted for 2b.

Wharton Executive MBA essay #3 (Optional)

If necessary, you may use this optional essay to explain any extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware. (300 word limit)

Only use this essay if you need to address extenuating circumstances. That includes issues such as a gap in the resume, a bad grade, not having a supervisor provide a recommendation.

Wharton Executive MBA reapplicant essay

What have you been doing since you previously applied for admission and what impact have your activities had on the clarification of your goals? Include any steps you have taken to enhance your preparation for admission to Wharton. (300 word limit)

Reapplicants must show some growth from the previous application for an effective new application, and this essay allows you to laser focus on that growth and corresponding insight without its complicating the main essays. Ideally you’ll have some worthwhile professional experiences to include in “what you have been doing since you previously applied” – but feel free to include non-work activities as well, as long as they have further clarified your goals in some way. “Any steps… to enhance your preparation” can include things like improving test scores, taking relevant courses, researching goals in some way, enhancing your network, etc.

For expert guidance with your Wharton EMBA application, check out Accepted’s  MBA Application Packages , which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top EMBA and MBA programs and look forward to helping you too!

Wharton EMBA application deadlines for 2022-2023

Source: Wharton website

Wharton Executive MBA Class Profile: Class of 2023

Here’s a look at Wharton’s EMBA Class of 2023 (profile info from  Wharton website ):

Wharton EMBA class of 2023 facts and figures

Total class size:  234

Women:  33%

Underrepresented minority students:  16%

Countries represented:  36

Average age:  37

• Under 30: 5%
• Over 40: 16%

Average years of work experience:  12

Median GMAT score:  710

Middle 80% GMAT range:  680-750

Students holding advanced degrees:  51%

Median salary and bonus:  $220,500

Sponsored by Employer (>50% financial support):  28%

Industries represented

• Advertising/PR
• Aerospace & Defense
• Agribusiness
• Automotive & Transportation
• Biotech/Pharmaceutical
• Computer Hardware/Electronics
• Consumer Goods & Retail
• Diversified Financial Services
• Energy/Utilities
• Food & Beverage
• Government/Military
• Health Care
• Internet Services
• Investment Banking/Brokerage
• Investment Management
• Manufacturing
• Media/Entertainment/Sports
• Not-for-Profit/Social Enterprise/Impact Investing
• Pharmaceuticals/Biotech
• Private Equity/Venture Capital
• Professional Services
• Real Estate
• Technology Services/Computer Software
• Telecommunications
• Transportation
• Travel/Hospitality

Are you considering an EMBA? We have the resources to help you navigate the options and make the right choice for you:

• EMBA: The Ultimate Guide for Applicants
• How to Get Accepted to a Top EMBA Program: The Experts Speak , a podcast episode
• MBA Options: Full-Time MBA vs. Part-Time MBA vs. Executive MBA
• Essays: How to Make an Impact [Sample Essay]
• 5 Key Elements for Your Executive MBA Application

Related Resources:

• Ace the EMBA: Expert Advice for the Rising Executive , a free guide
• Wharton’s Executive MBA, Where East and West Meet and Mix , a podcast episode

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Quick MBA Application Tips: Wharton Essay 2 Advice

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Tuesday Tips: HBS 2+2 MBA Essay Tips for 2024

Are you a college senior with MBA dreams in your future? Why not jump-start your B-school journey right now? The HBS 2+2 deferred MBA program at Harvard Business School is accepting applications until April 25, 2024, for entry in Fall 2026. In this program, admitted candidates work for two years and then start their MBA studies.

The ideal applicant for the HBS 2+2 program adds diversity of background and thought to the school. Harvard is looking for highly accomplished students with unusual paths. For example, candidates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, first to graduate college, or those with non-traditional career goals like manufacturing or engineering.

HBS 2+2 Program for College Seniors: How to Get In

There is some flexibility around the two-year work deferral, but most applicants work for two years before beginning their on-campus MBA experience.

In the past, the HBS 2+2 essay prompt has been the same as the question asked within the regular full-time MBA application. However, the admissions committee decided to make a change this year. According to Harvard Business School , that’s because:

“The HBS classroom and community thrive when we bring together people who can share a variety of perspectives. We are looking for people who will be good community members, and this new essay format is designed to get to know you better and learn how you will engage at HBS and beyond.”

And, as with the traditional program application essay, the HBS AdCom shares similar advice: “We think you know what guidance we’re going to give here: don’t overthink, overcraft, or overwrite. Please answer the questions in clear and concise language.”

The Stacy Blackman Consulting team includes several experts in the deferred admissions process. Reach out today to talk strategy with a  free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant. 

HBS 2+2 MBA Essay Tips

Part 1: personal essays (choose two – up to 300 words per prompt).

The HBS classroom and community thrive when we bring together people who can share a variety of perspectives. To get to know you better and how you will engage at HBS, please choose two of the three prompts below to tell us more about yourself:

Option 1: How have your experiences shaped who you are, how you lead, and how you will contribute at HBS?

The essays are your opportunity to reveal yourself. Think about your background, skills, motivations, and the aspects that make you unique. Harvard is interested in who you are as a person.

Choose stories that show your management potential. HBS has always focused on leadership and loves candidates with a track record of leadership impact and future potential. Your goal is to demonstrate a success trajectory to indicate upper management potential.

The stories you choose for this essay can be from almost any part of your life. How have you learned and developed in college? What early influences may have been part of forming who you are? Think deeply about yourself and show that introspection in this essay.

Option 2: What intellectual experiences have influenced your approach to learning and have led you to pursue an MBA?

Because you are a college senior, academics have been your primary focus for the past several years. When you think about your college experience, what first sparked your interest in business and pursuing a graduate business degree at Harvard 2+2? What drives your academic focus, and how do you hope to continue to learn?

Perhaps you took a class in economics or finance, and the topic fascinated you. The intellectual experience could have also been outside the classroom, either in a summer internship or through an extracurricular activity. Ultimately, this question is seeking to understand your interests and motivations.

Did you know? SBC’s stellar team includes two former HBS Admissions Officers who helped launch the 2+2 Program.

Option 3: What communities have you been engaged with that have defined how you invest in others?

Harvard is explicitly looking for non-traditional applicants for the 2+2 program. When you think about communities, this could be part of your cultural or familial background. Or, a community could be chosen, like one focused on a hobby or interest.

Because you are a college senior and have less formal work experience, describing how you engage and invest in communities is a great way to show leadership skills. Consider how you have positively influenced these communities.

For example, leaders take formal leadership roles in school clubs, develop community within a sports team, or volunteer to serve their cultural community. Think about how you might use your experience to demonstrate these skills.

Part 2: Career Essay (up to 300 words)

How do the career plans you shared in the Career Plans section of the application fit into your current long-term career vision? What skills and/or professional experiences do you hope to obtain in the deferral period that will help build the foundation for your post-MBA career?

As a college senior planning your life five years into the future, you should have a strong vision. Most MBA applicants can rely on past experiences to tell their MBA admissions story, while you have limited work experience to draw upon. Therefore, being specific about your Harvard 2+2 goals and plans will add credibility to your application.

“I wanted to ensure that I spent time at a company that would allow me to gain new skills, grow, and create an impact before starting my studies at HBS.” – Carol Wright, 2+2 MBA

First, think about what you aspire to accomplish in your career. Perhaps you want to run your own business or be a senior manager in an industry you admire. Explain why you are drawn to that role and industry. And, how you think your educational background and Harvard 2+2 MBA will help build your skills.

Then, add your plans for the two years between college and the MBA program. How will you choose an industry to position yourself well to benefit from an MBA? What specific roles are most appealing?

With a focused career plan, you could emphasize leadership opportunities or high-visibility roles that give you access to senior leaders. For example, some 2+2 applicants worked in management consulting or as an assistant to a small company CEO. Both positions would provide a wide range of work experience in a short time.

Be as specific as possible about the skills and experience you hope to acquire before you join the MBA program. Think both about hard skills like accounting, finance, or marketing planning and soft skills like working with a diverse team and leading without authority.

When you pull your story together, your educational background, post-college work experience, and HBS MBA should position you for your future long-term career goals.

HBS 2+2 Deferred MBA Program: Get Accepted

We hope our HBS 2+2 MBA essay tips have further awakened your interest in this exceptional deferred MBA program. If you are considering HBS 2+2 and need input from an expert sounding board, we’re here to help! Reach out to set up a complimentary assessment  of your candidacy today.

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.

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from Harvard HBS, Stanford GSB and every elite business program in the US and Europe.  These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Just two of the many superstars on the SBC team: Meet Erin , who was Assistant Director of MBA Admissions at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (GSB) and Director of MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Meet Andrea , who served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.

Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation .

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Wharton MBA Program for Executives 2025 Application Deadlines Announced

The Wharton MBA Program for Executives Admission Team is excited to announce its deadlines for the 2024-2025 admission cycle:

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. ET the day of the deadline. Interviews are by invitation only and applicants will be notified via the application portal. The application will open in July 2024- stay tuned for an announcement when it goes live! In the meantime, you can learn more about the Application Deadlines and Timeline here . Please check out our events calendar to register for upcoming  virtual and in person admission events .

If you have any questions, please contact us .

The Wharton MBA Program for Executives Admission Team