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Admission & Application Survey |
| Full-time MBA Program |
I put a lot of time into researching business schools. Since I went
through the admissions process at Wharton twice, I got to know it pretty
well! My first year I applied was 3 years out of undergrad. After my
rejection I called to get feedback, which was very candid - and to my
surprise! - made a lot of sense: stay at one company more than one year
(I had already had 3 jobs) to show that you can progress and get
promoted. I followed their advice, and reapplied the following fall.
The admissions process itself can be grueling. From early September to
November I devoted nearly every spare minute to writing essays for the 5
schools to which I applied: Tuck, Fuqua, Stanford's GSB, Kellogg and
Wharton. I submitted each for the first round. Each school except
Stanford invited me to interview (although I think Fuqua interviews
everyone). Tuck, Fuqua and Wharton accepted me into their programs. At
the latter 2, into the health care programs.
Advice on getting in. Do your research. Know how programs differ, and
what appeals to you most. Now I'm on the admissions committee at
Wharton, so I see how important it is for candidates to express their
enthusiasm for our school. The candidate pool, especially first round,
is so impressive! Differentiators often come down to the amount of
effort the candidate has put into getting to know Wharton students, our
extra-curriculars, coursework, and approach to learning. I'd also
encourage candidates to be honest. The more they can reveal about who
they are, what interests and motivates them, the better we can
appreciate how they could contribute to our community.
The essays and interview are equally important. At Wharton, we do
these "blind", meaning that those who read the application do not
conduct interviews for the same person.
I interviewed with alum for Kellogg, Duke, Dartmouth and Wharton. This
was more convenient for me, and I don't think it hurt my chances of
getting in. Each school seemed to place high value on their alums
opinions. Again, why I was interested specifically in their institution
seemed to be the biggest concern. Other questions focused on leadership
and teamwork experience, and goals.
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University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) Admission & Application Surveys
