MBA APPLICATION GUIDE
Based on the 2023-24 Application
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A Wharton MBA gives you the business and
leadership skills you need to realize your goals
throughout your career. But every MBA journey
starts in the same way, the application. is guide
will provide insight and advice on submitting a
successful application that puts your academic
accomplishments, leadership potential, and your
personal and community contributions on display.
BEFORE YOU APPLY
As you begin to think about why you want an
MBA, why now, and why Wharton, we want
to provide you with a better understanding
of our application process and what we're
looking for in your application.
Every application to the full-time MBA Program is read by
two people with no knowledge of what the other reader's
feedback is. This allows for us to reduce bias and noise and
give everyone a fair and equal shot at being admitted.
When reviewing your application we are asking ourselves 3
questions. What will you be able to achieve and contribute:
• to the Wharton classroom?
• within the Wharton community?
• throughout your post-MBA career?
Each component of your application provides some insight
into all three of these questions. As a committee, we use
the information you share to forecast your future success
in Wharton's highly collaborative and analytically focused
environment where communication and teamwork are key.
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• Name
• Birth Information
• Citizenship
• Ethnicity (optional)
• Address
• Contact Information
• Select a Program
• Demographic
• Military
• Language(s)
• Family Information
• Community Honors
• Conduct
Beginning with your most recent
position, list up to four employments
including full-time roles, military roles,
and entrepreneurial experiences.
After listing your employers, you will
upload a one-page resume.
We ask for information about all of your
academic achievements including high
school, undergraduate, and any post
secondary degrees.
• Institution Information
• Dates of attendance
• Degree(s) received
• GPA and grading scale
• Academic Awards
• Transcript(s)
We require two letters of
recommendations from individuals
who are well acquainted with your
performance in a work setting. Once you
have submitted their contact information,
they will receive an e-mail with
instructions and a due date.
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• Add up to 10 activities
• Program Type
• Reapplication
• Essays 1 and 2
Required for all applicants
• Reapplicant Essay
Required for reapplicants
• Additional Information
Section (Optional)
Provide additional context and
insights or address any extenuating
circumstances
• Statement of Integrity
• Code of Ethics
• Data Protection
THE APPLICATION AT A GLANCE
Applicants must submit all scores within
the accepted test dates for one of the
following tests:
• GMAT • GRE
Please note: GMAT Focus will be
accepted starting on Jan 31, 2024.
Non-Native English speakers must submit
one of the following:
• TOEFL • PTE • IELTS
•
English Language Test Waiver for
applicants who earned a degree from
an institution where English was the
primary language of instruction.
When selecting your program, expand the Full-Time MBA Program header to view all of the
program choices available.
MBA: For applicants who are applying to the full-time two year MBA program, select MBA
and Fall 2024 term.
JD/MBA: For applicants who are applying to the integrated Francis J. & William Polk Carey
JD/MBA Program, select MBA / JD (3 yr Prgm) and Fall 2024 term. Please note that this
program only accepts applications in Round 1 and 2, and requires an additional interview.
MBA/MA: For applicants who are applying to the Lauder Institute’s MBA/MA Joint Degree
in International Studies Program program, select MBA / MA (International Studies -
Lauder) and Summer 2024 term. Please note that this program requires a completed Oral
Proficiency Interview (OPI), two additional essays, and an additional interview.
Health Care Management Program: For applicants applying to the HCM Program, select
MBA and Fall 2024 term. You will opt into the HCM Program on the Academic Information
page by selecting Health Care Management as your intended major. Please note that this
program requires an additional interview.
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APPLICATION TIPS
The application allows up to 10 extracurricular activities to be
added. We encourage you to select activities where you have
had the greatest impact and most significant contributions, and
list them in order of importance.
Please do not select anything from before your undergraduate
years. We're interested in learning about your significant college
and community involvement.
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APPLICATION TIPS
TIPS FROM THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
There are 3 areas within the application that provide space for
you to share your awards, honors, and recognitions, and all of
them are reviewed by the admissions committee.
• Community Awards (Personal Information Section)
• Professional Awards (Work Experience/Resume Section)
• Academic Awards (Academic Information Section)
Please list these out with the title of the award, the date received,
and a brief description.
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APPLICATION TIPS
Employers
We ask that you add your work experience starting with your most recent.
If your current position is an externship or secondment, please list your full-time employer (the company sponsoring
your externship or secondment) first on the application, and your externship or secondment employer second.
Resume
We expect your resume to be one single page. A one-page resume is easier to read, allows you to narrow down and
highlight your most important qualifications, and demonstrates your critical-thinking skills.
If you're struggling to edit your resume enough to fit into a single page, try reducing the page margins, inserting
bullet points, or eliminating any objective or summary statements.
The bullet points for each role should not read like a basic job description. We are looking at your resume to identify
growth, progression of responsibilities, accomplishments, and proof of analytical skills, communication skills,
teamwork, collaboration, leadership, and impact.
Allow us to get a clear picture of your skill development throughout your years of work experience.
TIPS FROM THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
Undergraduate College/University: If you attended more than one undergraduate
program (transfer, associate's program, etc) please list the college or university that
conferred your bachelor's degree first. In this scenario, it is okay to report your schools out
of chronological order.
Transcripts: Applicants must submit transcripts for all institutions attended. When adding
your transcripts into the application, you can either upload unoicial transcripts or self-
report your grades on our Online Transcript Template. We will request oicial transcripts
upon admission.
Intended Major: With the exception of the Health Care Management major, the intended
major is simply an indicator of where your academic interests currently lie. Those
who select the Health Care Management major (HCM) will be reviewed specifically for
admission into this integrated program; all other major selections will have zero impact on
your admissions decision.
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APPLICATION TIPS
TIPS FROM THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
We require two letters of recommendations from individuals who are well acquainted with your performance in a
work setting and can provide a comprehensive and up-to-date perspective on your experiences at work. A detailed
recommendation from a current or former supervisor, colleague, or client will provide us more insight than someone
with an impressive title like CEO.
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1. Choose up to two traits
that you feel best represent
the candidate you are
recommending to the Wharton
MBA Program.
Select 2 from each list.
2. Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will find success in the Wharton MBA
classroom. (300 words)
3. Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will find success throughout their
career. (300 words)
Determined Analytical
Humble Flexible
Disciplined Persistent
Engaged Conscientious
Intellectually Curious Results Oriented
List 1
What do your recommenders see?
Collaborative Professional
Persuasive Resilient
Innovative Energetic
Confident Emotionally Stable
Self-Aware Agreeable
List 2
APPLICATION TIPS
TIPS FROM THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
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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) Required for all applicants
Additional Information Section (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 that you would like the Admissions
Committee to consider. (500 words)
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)
Required for all applicants
APPLICATION TIPS
TIP FROM THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
All applicants must submit test results that are no more than five years old. We accept
scores from tests taken at a test center or online. We look at individual section scores across
all valid test dates, so please report your full test history so we can focus on your highest
section scores from all test sittings. We accept self-reported, unoicial scores at the time of
submission. If you do not yet have an analytical writing (AWA) score please report them as "1"
and e-mail your AWA score and percentile to us as soon as it is made available.
We will be accepting scores from the new GMAT Focus Exam when it replaces the legacy
GMAT on January 31, 2024. We will not be accepting the GMAT Focus from the intervening
period of approximately 15 weeks between its release in October 2023 and its merger with
the legacy GMAT at the end of January 2024.
The new GRE test launches on September 22, 2023. We will accept scores from both the older
and newer versions.
Non-native English speakers with limited exposure to English are required to submit a
TOEFL, PTE, or IELTS score that are no more than two years old. If you earned a bachelor’s or
master’s degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction, the test
may be waived.
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APPLICATION TIPS
