Great things happen in Philadelphia, including earning an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. In this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students, get to know some of the newest members of the leading business school.
The MBA Class of 2022 at Wharton is one of the largest in the school’s history, comprising 916 members. The school had received 7,158 applications, which represents a 20 percent increase over the previous year. Forty-one percent of the new class are women and 19 percent are international. In regards to U.S. ethnicity, 24 percent identify as Asian American, 10 percent as Black/African American, six percent as Hispanic/Latinx and 39 percent as White. Wharton also reports LGBTQ+ enrollees, and six percent of the new class identify accordingly.
During their undergraduate years, 38 percent of new students had majored in the humanities. Thirty-four percent had studied business and 28 percent STEM. Based on U.S. institutions with a 4.0 scale, the group averaged a GPA of 3.6. When it came time to take the GMAT or GRE, the Wharton MBAs also excelled. Their average GMAT score clocked in at 722 and average GRE scores landed at 161 for both Quant and Verbal.
Prior to matriculating, Wharton MBAs worked across a myriad of industries, accumulating an average of five years of work experience. Consulting topped the list, claiming 24 percent of pre-MBA backgrounds. Twelve percent had worked in private equity/venture capital and 10 percent each in tech or non-profit/government. Eight percent came from financial services and seven percent from investment banking. Five percent each had worked in healthcare, investment management or consumer goods/retail.
Wharton also partners with graduate schools across Penn for 12 joint degree programs. They also offer three fully integrated, interdisciplinary programs: the Lauder MBA/MA Joint Degree in International Studies; the Carey JD/MBA program, and the MBA in Health Care Management. 80 candidates enrolled in the Lauder program, 76 in Health Care Management and 17 for the JD/MBA.
Click through the following pages to meet some of the newest members of the Wharton MBA class, what drew them to the school, their lessons from admissions and more.
