UPenn / Wharton MBA News

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Published: November 3, 2024

Wharton’s Team-Based Discussion (TBD) Prompt 2024-2025

The prompt for the Wharton Team-Based Discussion (TBD) for the 2024-2025 admissions season is below. The exercise this year focuses on two Impact Communities around social equity and the environment. Here is the prompt: “The Wharton MBA program is dedicated to developing impactful, globally conscious leaders who are passionate about meaningful change. To advance this mission, Wharton has introduced two Impact Communities: Social Equity and Environment. MBA students interested in one or more of these critical issues are invited to join the associated Impact Community to discover the many resources available at Wharton. These communities Read more

Published: October 24, 2024

Clear Admit Webinar Series: Deferred Enrollment MBA Programs, November 2024

Do you have your sights set on deferred enrollment MBA programs? Join us to hear how to amp up your application for these special pathways to b-school. Full-time MBA programs traditionally require several years of full-time work experience, but deferred enrollment MBA programs allow candidates to apply – and secure a seat in a future class – during their senior years of college or final years of masters study. How can you demonstrate your fit for this kind of program? How should you approach the admissions process? Hear directly from leading programs in this two-part Deferred Enrollment MBA Read more

Published: October 22, 2024

The M7 Business Schools & Why They Matter

Anyone preparing an MBA application will have seen the phrase “M7” crop up in their research. Time and time again “M7” will be thrown in a comparative article, a “best-schools” listicle, or an employability review. Each article references them as the pinnacle of business-school prowess, the ultimate application goal, the top-of-the-game MBA offering. So, what actually is an M7 school? The short answer is that the M7 are a super-elite, informal group of private business schools in the U.S. The “M” stands for “magnificent” or, occasionally, “magic.” The long answer involves decades of careful Read more

Published: October 20, 2024

The Week Ahead: Wharton Interview Invites & JHU Carey Admissions, October 21-25, 2024

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Round 1 Continues The 2024-2025 MBA admissions season is now underway. Interview invites are also rolling out, and final decisions continue for early action round candidates. Wednesday, October 23, Johns Hopkins / Carey is scheduled to release its Early Action decisions. Johns Hopkins / Carey also has its Round 1 application deadline. Thursday, October 24, UPenn / Wharton is scheduled to release its Round 1 interview invites. How “The Wires” Can Help Visit MBA LiveWire for Read more

Published: October 10, 2024

MBA Admissions Interview Primer: Group Interviews

In this, our third installment of our interview series, we’ll take a closer look at an MBA interview permutation—the team-based interview or group discussion. You can view the first two parts of this interview series here: open versus invitation-only interviews and application-based interviews versus resume-based interviews. What Is the Team-Based Discussion for the Wharton MBA? Several years ago, the admissions office at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School partnered with the Wharton Innovation group to launch a new evaluation method, the team-based discussion (TBD). As its name Read more

Published: September 29, 2024

Wharton MBA Class of 2026 Profile: High Application Growth, Strong Cohort

The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania released the profile of its new MBA Class of 2026, a cohort that showcases diversity and excellence. This year, 866 students enrolled from an applicant pool of 7,322; last year, 874 students matriculated out of 6,194 applicants, marking an 18 percent increase in application volume for the latest class. Professional and Academic History The Wharton MBA Class of 2026 arrived on campus with an average of five years of professional experience. Twenty-eight percent hailed from consulting, making Read more

Published: September 16, 2024

Bloomberg Businessweek B-School Rankings 2024-2025 Key Takeaways

Graduating students, recent alumni, and companies that recruit MBAs weigh in via survey to form Bloomberg Businessweek’s 2024-2025 Best B-Schools ranking. Top business schools globally are sorted by region, with assessments of programs spanning the U.S., Europe, Asia-Pacific region, and Canada through a rigorous analysis of data and survey responses. This year, the ranking covers 111 full-time MBA programs. To qualify, programs had to be taught primarily in English and meet a minimum threshold of survey response rates. Bloomberg Businessweek surveyed 5,292 students, 9,222 alumni, and 734employers, and also considered compensation and employment data to determine schools’ Read more

Published: September 4, 2024

LinkedIn Ranking Expands to 100 Full-Time MBA Programs for Career Growth 2024

The LinkedIn ranking goes global this year, as their list of full-time MBA programs expands from its inaugural 50 U.S.-based schools to 100 with the inclusion of international business schools in 2024. Like last year, the ranking is based on job placement (hiring rate and labor market demand), career advancement, network growth and strength, leadership potential, and gender diversity. Eligibility criteria required accreditation by AACSB or EQUIS, a full-time program structure, and a minimum of 1,500 alumni. They lowered the required number of graduates from 500 last year to at least 400 graduates Read more

Published: September 1, 2024

The Week Ahead: Round 1 & Early Action Deadlines, September 2-6, 2024

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Round 1 Deadlines The 2024-2025 MBA admissions season is now underway. Monday, September 2, Oxford / Saïd has its Stage 1 application deadline. Wednesday, September 4, Harvard and UPenn / Wharton have their Round 1 application deadlines. Duke / Fuqua has its Early Action application deadline. Thursday, September 5, UVA / Darden and Notre Dame / Mendoza have their Early Action application deadlines. Friday, September 6, London Business School has its Round 1 application deadline. How Read more

Published: August 29, 2024

Can You Get into an MBA Program Without Work Experience? Exploring Deferred Enrollment MBA Programs

The question of whether it’s possible to get into an MBA program without work experience is one that many people, particularly those still in their undergraduate studies, often ask. The traditional MBA admission process often emphasizes the importance of professional experience, with many programs requiring applicants to have between three to five years of post-graduate work on their resume. This requirement is based on the belief that students with professional experience are better equipped to contribute to class discussions, grasp complex business concepts, and leverage the MBA for career advancement. Therefore, the evolving landscape Read more

Published: August 20, 2024

Looking Back at the 2024 Olympics: The Athletes Who Attended Business School

You would be hard pressed to find someone more impressive than an Olympian. Years of dedicated training and mental commitment, displays of unimaginable athletic ability and stories of sacrifice across the board. With the closing ceremony drawing a line under the 2024 Olympic games earlier this month, we’ve been reflecting on just how incredible the teams who went to Paris were. What if we told you that, on top of all the hard work of which you already know, many of the people you saw compete in the 2024 Olympics have also earned business school degrees? Read more

Published: August 15, 2024

Inside the MBA Admissions Process Webinar Series Fall 2024

Join our exclusive webinar series designed specifically for prospective MBA applicants! Gain insider knowledge from admissions officers of 15 top MBA programs. This series of three virtual interactive events will provide invaluable insights and tips to navigate the MBA admissions process successfully. Dates: September 11th, September 18th & September 25th. Time: 12 pm-1 pm Panel & 1 pm-1:30 pm Breakout Q&A with Individual Schools (all times Eastern) Event Highlights: – Exclusive Access: Hear directly from admissions officers of 15 top MBA programs. – Expert Guidance: Clear Admit co-founder, Read more

Published: August 14, 2024

MBA Degrees & Majors with a STEM Designation

The past few years have seen a surge in business schools that run MBA programs with a STEM designation. MBAs, that is, that are now classified as a science, technology, engineering or mathematics degree. The new STEM MBA designation is promising students a multitude of new opportunities – but what is it, really? Read on to find out what a STEM MBA is, which schools offer it, and what this all might mean for you. What Is a STEM MBA? The structure of a STEM MBA is relatively simple. The foundational knowledge and core concepts of Read more

Published: August 7, 2024

Famous MBA Alumni: Big Tech & Social Media

Are you familiar with the famous MBA alumni in tech? The names at the top of major corporations boast diverse and impressive resumes. They’ve founded companies, networked with household names and generated strategies that have changed the face of business. There is, however, one thing that these people have in common; one point that crops up time and time again amongst the lengthy lists of accomplishments. For many of these leaders, it all started with an MBA: the degree that laid the foundations of success for some of the biggest names in business. Read more

Published: July 30, 2024

Early & Round 1 MBA Deadlines 2024-2025

To help you stay organized, we’ve compiled a chart of the earliest deadlines, including Early Action and Round 1, of the top business schools in one place. For schools that have announced their essay topic(s), you’ll find links to our corresponding Essay Topic Analysis in the “Essay(s) Released” column. We will continue to update this table as more Round 1 MBA deadlines and essay topics are announced. Deadlines are for Round 1 (unless otherwise noted). Last updated: August 19, 2024 School Deadline Decision Essay(s) Released? Application Live? Cambridge / Judge 8/27/2024 Yes Read more

Published: July 18, 2024

Ready, Set, Write!

The essay requirements of MBA applications are well documented as extremely time consuming and utterly crucial. With high effort and high stakes, it’s no wonder that many candidates spend swathes of time and effort attempting to simplify the application process, hunting for explanatory resources and poring over clarifying analysis. With some of the essay questions for the 2024-2025 season released and since analyzed, perhaps your mind has already been eased and preparation is already underway. Perhaps you feel as if you have a firm grip on what schools are likely to ask you, Read more

Published: July 18, 2024

Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Forms

We are back with another Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site, as we prepare for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: Georgetown McDonough Indiana Kelley Johns Hopkins Carey MIT Sloan Stanford GSB Washington Foster Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Georgetown McDonough Johns Hopkins Carey Read more

Published: July 17, 2024

Admissions Director Q&A: Blair Mannix of The Wharton School

In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we’re back with Blair Mannix, the Director of Admissions of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Blair has over 17 years of experience in selective admissions at the University of Pennsylvania. She was made Director of MBA Admissions in 2018. In the fall of 2022, Blair took over leadership of the Wharton MBA for Executives Admissions Office and was named Executive Director of Graduate Admissions. Blair has a deep passion for the business of admissions. She has a masters degree from the University Read more

Published: July 10, 2024

How Top Business Schools Are Going AI

“We are once again answering society’s call,” said Nancy Rothbard, Deputy Dean of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in an announcement last month, “to address the needs of tomorrow.” The “need” of which she speaks is the ever present question of AI; the “tomorrow,” a futuristic concept turned fast-approaching reality; and the “answer,” the school’s new collaboration with OpenAI. The collaboration is the latest in a steady stream of business schools going AI. The move is no surprise – the statistics Read more

Published: June 27, 2024

MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series Summer 2024

We’re sure you’ve already heard that the application essays are a crucial component of the MBA application. So how can you ace this part of the admissions process without the use of sample essays? Get essay tips straight from admissions representatives at leading business schools during our upcoming MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series! Dates: July 10, July 17, July 24 & July 31. Time: 12 pm-1 pm Panel & 1 pm-1:30 pm Breakout Q&A with Individual Schools (all times Eastern) Each session will start with a 60-minute roundtable panel, Read more

Published: June 23, 2024

The Week Ahead: HBS & Wharton Deferred Decisions, June 24-28, 2024

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Final rounds are concluding. With the exception of a few MBA programs offering rolling admissions through the summer, official deadlines for the leading MBA programs are concluding this week. Thursday, June 27, Harvard is scheduled to release its 2+2 final decisions. UPenn / Wharton is also scheduled to release its deferred admissions decisions. How “The Wires” Can Help Visit MBA LiveWire for the latest “buzz” about MBA admissions, including interview invitations and decision notifications. There are Read more

Published: June 20, 2024

Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Forms

We are back with another Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site, as we prepare for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: Dartmouth Tuck Michigan / Ross UVA / Darden Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Read more

Published: June 6, 2024

Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines

We are back with another Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site, as we prepare for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: Columbia Business School UPenn / Wharton Yale SOM Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: UT Austin / McCombs Read more

Published: May 26, 2024

The Week Ahead: Interview Invitations & Decisions, May 27-31, 2024

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Deferred Enrollment & Late Round News Tuesday, May 28, UPenn / Wharton is scheduled to release its interview decisions for its deferred admissions program. Wednesday, May 29, Georgetown / McDonough is scheduled to release its Round 4 decisions. HBS is scheduled to release its 2+2 interview invitations or early release decisions. Friday, May 31, Cornell / Johnson is scheduled to release its final notifications for Round 3. How “The Wires” Can Help Visit MBA LiveWire for Read more

Published: May 12, 2024

The Week Ahead: Round 3 MBA Admissions Decisions, May 13-17, 2024

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Round 3 Decisions Round 3 decisions are beginning to roll out. Monday, May 13, UPenn / Wharton is scheduled to release its Round 3 decisions. Wednesday, May 15, USC / Marshall is scheduled to release its Round 3 decisions. Thursday, May 16, MIT / Sloan and Yale SOM are scheduled to release their Round 3 decisions. Friday, May 17, Cornell / Johnson has its initial notification deadline for Round 3. Oxford / Saïd is scheduled to Read more

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UPenn / Wharton

CLASS SIZE: 866

Women: 47%

MEAN GMAT: 732

MEAN GPA: 3.7

Livewire Decisionwire Interview Reports Essay Topic Analysis MBA Admissions Deadlines View Full Profile

MBA Applywire

November 9, 2024 1:17pm ET

Applying: Duke / Fuqua, Georgetown / McDonough, Johns Hopkins / Carey, Michigan / Ross, Michigan State / Broad, Rice / Jones, Rochester / Simon, Toronto / Rotman, UVA / Darden, Vanderbilt / Owen,

Intake Year: 2025

Pre-MBA Career: Pharmacist(Novartis)

Post-MBA Target Industry: Pharmaceutical Companies: Astra Zeneca , Johnson & Johnson , Merck , Novartis , Pfizer , Roche

GRE: 332

GPA: 4.02

Years of Work Experience: 6

Location: Nigeria

Post MBA Location: Nil

November 8, 2024 8:50am ET

Applying: Columbia, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, Stanford GSB, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton

Intake Year: 2025

Pre-MBA Career: Investment Management

Post-MBA Target Industry: Asset Management, inc. HF Companies: Goldman Sachs

GRE: 340

GPA: 3.65

Location: Canada

Notes:

Deferred MBA applicant with a job offer in Investment/Asset Management. Previous internships in banking/finance and lots of social impact work and international experience on the side. Post-MBA goal is impact investing.

November 7, 2024 2:00pm ET

Applying: All Schools

Intake Year: 2025

Pre-MBA Career: Financial Advisor

Post-MBA Target Industry: Investment Banking, Venture Capital, Private Equity, Asset Management, inc. HF, Commercial Banking, Entrepreneurship, Undecided Companies: Bank of America , Capital One , Citibank , Deutsche Bank , Goldman Sachs , JP Morgan , Merrill Lynch , Morgan Stanley , JP Morgan Chase , Wells Fargo Securities , Sequoia Capital , Venrock , Bain Capital , Blackstone , Goldman Sachs Principal Investment Group , Fidelity , Goldman Sachs , JP Morgan Asset Management , Vanguard

GRE: 320

GPA: 2.96

Years of Work Experience: 5

Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Post MBA Location: Utah

Notes:

SIE, Series 7, Series 63 Investment licenses, Fluent Russian Speaker, Extensive volunteering background. Primary focus post-MBA is in the financial industry.

November 6, 2024 10:34am ET

Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, Michigan / Ross, Oxford / Saïd, U. Chicago Booth, UNC Kenan-Flagler, UVA / Darden, Yale SOM

Intake Year: 2025

Pre-MBA Career: Social Impact Consultant

Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting Companies: BCG , McKinsey

GRE: 323

GPA: 3.82

Years of Work Experience: 8

Location: India

Notes:

- My highest GRE score is 323 (V - 155, Q - 168) and in another attempt, it came to 321 (V - 160, Q - 161).
- I am a re-applicant in most of these colleges (applied late in R2 last year).
- I have interviewed at Haas, Ross, and Tuck (guaranteed interview) this year.
- I have extensive experience in the education sector (non-profit and social impact consulting) in India.
- Female applicant.

November 6, 2024 8:52am ET

Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Columbia, Emory / Goizueta, Harvard Business School, Northwestern / Kellogg, U. Chicago Booth, UVA / Darden

Intake Year: 2025

Pre-MBA Career: Data Analytics

Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology, Consumer Goods

GPA: 3.9

Notes:

I'm a deferred MBA applicant. I have completed 3 summer internships, 2 of which were at the same company. I have leadership involvement across my campus, including a being a Lead Student Fellow, co-president of an intersectional feminist multimedia organization, and a 5-time instructional assistant for classes in my department spanning python programming, web design, computational networks, and career coaching. I hope to apply in spring 2025.

Additionally, I am a South Asian woman and have a parent that attended HBS (but did not get an MBA).

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MBA LiveWire

November 9, 2024 11:04pm ET

Interview Invite to Stanford GSB

Round: Round 1

Received via email on November 07, 2024

GPA: 3.72

GMAT: 665

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Application Location: New York

Note:

Received via email just as I was losing hope. Looks like they are still sending some out!

November 9, 2024 7:19pm ET

Interview Invite to UMD / Smith

Round: Round 1

Received via email November 9, 2024

GPA: 3.72

GRE: 325

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Healthcare

Application Location: Nigeria

November 9, 2024 2:18pm ET

Accepted to Washington U. / Olin

Round: Round 1

Received via email on November 06, 2024

GPA: 3.5

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Technology

Application Location: Zimbabwe

November 9, 2024 11:43am ET

Rejected at NYU Stern

Round: Round 1

Received via email on November 06, 2024

GMAT: 720

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

November 9, 2024 11:34am ET

Accepted to Oxford / Saïd

Round: Round 2

Received via email on November 07, 2024

GMAT: 710

Program Type: One Year Program

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