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UPenn / Wharton MBA News

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Published: December 19, 2024
Clear Admit Event: Deferred Enrollment MBA Application Overview, February 2025
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: December 9, 2024
The Wharton School: What You Need to Know About Applying
The Wharton School of Business enjoys an internationally renowned reputation. It is considered a global leader of MBA programs and an influential force in the landscape of business education. It is rigorous, global, and highly selective.  The school’s high level of selection translates to an acceptance rate of 24.8%, and a class with an average GMAT score of 732. Admission is incredibly competitive.  With this in mind, we’ve put together this guide to applications at the Wharton School. The guide will walk you through the admissions process, detailing what Read more
Published: December 8, 2024
UPenn Wharton MBA & HCM Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
I applied for the Healthcare Management program at Wharton. This meant I had to do the team-based discussion and a separate interview with the Director of the HCM program. We started the team-based discussion by everyone going around in a circle and giving their pitch for the topic. The team-based discussion was challenging because the group did not ultimately pick the topic that I had prepared answers for, but I was still expected to give my thoughts along the prompt. Ultimately, we all have to divide our answer into a final recommendation for the two students observing us. Then, we Read more
Published: December 8, 2024
The Week Ahead: Many MBA Decisions & Boston Carroll Deadline, December 9-13, 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! Busy Decision Week Many final decisions are now being released. Monday, December 9, Rice / Jones is scheduled to release its Round 1 decisions. Tuesday, December 10, Boston College / Carroll has its Round 2 deadline. Harvard, UPenn / Wharton and Georgetown / McDonough are scheduled to release their Round 1 decisions. Wednesday, December 11, Northwestern / Kellogg, UVA / Darden, UNC / Kenan-Flagler and Johns Hopkins / Carey are scheduled to release their Round 1 Read more
Published: December 5, 2024
Submit a Chicago Booth, HBS, INSEAD, Stanford GSB, or UPenn Wharton MBA Interview Report – Receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card
If you’re interested in sharing your MBA interview experience, we are awarding a $10 Amazon gift certificate to each applicant who submits an MBA interview report for Chicago Booth, HBS, INSEAD, Stanford GSB, or UPenn Wharton by Sunday, December 8th, 11:59 pm EST. To be eligible for the $10 gift card, you must be signed into your clearadmit.com account at the time that you submit your report. You must also include the following information in your report:* School/Date/Admissions Round Description/location of visit and/or interview atmosphere Type of interview (alum/adcom/first- or second-year student, resume-based vs. application-based) List of interview questions Commentary (Did Read more
Published: November 13, 2024
Round 2 MBA Application Deadlines 2024-2025
To help you stay organized, we’ve compiled all of the Round 2 MBA application deadlines (and some Round 3 ones) all in one place. You’ll find links to our corresponding Essay Topic Analysis in the “Essay Analysis” column. School Deadline Decision Essay Analysis Application Live? INSEAD (R2 August Intake) 11/5/2024 1/10/2025 Yes Yes Michigan State Broad 11/15/2024 1/31/2025 Yes Yes Minnesota Carlson 12/1/2024 2/1/2025 Yes Yes Indian School of Business Read more
Published: November 11, 2024
Real Humans Profile: Wharton’s MBA Class of 2026
The University of Pennsylvania Wharton MBA Class of 2026 represents a global community of ambitious individuals, from military officers to former consultants, all drawn to Wharton’s collaborative and inclusive culture, as we’ll see in the profiles in this Real Humans: MBA Students. The program’s reputation for supporting entrepreneurial ventures and offering unmatched resources across various industries continues to be a pivotal attraction. As the class embarks on their journey, they bring diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to growth, making them a transformative cohort in Wharton’s rich history of business leadership. Wharton welcomed 866 Read more
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
UPenn / Wharton
Image of 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

2
December 19, 2024 4:44pm ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Stanford GSB
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Insurance
Post-MBA Target Industry: Entrepreneurship
GRE: 318
GPA: 3.59
Years of Work Experience: 3.5
Location: Georgia
Post MBA Location: Southeast
Notes:

Looking to launch a tech startup post MBA, without any background in tech. Come from a quant heavy background and undergraduate coursework. I regularly attended admissions events, in person and online at my schools. I hope that focusing energy on my few top schools and spending a lot of time on essays will help me overcome the less than average test score (164 quant 154 verbal) and GPA.

Serial entrepreneur with a history of profitable small businesses. Was promoted twice in 3.5 years. Involved in many extracurricular activities in and outside of work. My background is very centered around financial services/insurance, is this a red flag for a pivot to Tech Entrepreneurship?

Transferred between two state schools in the southeast. School I graduated from is a top 25 undergrad business program. Obtained a few professionals designations post grad.
3
December 18, 2024 11:38am ET
Applying: Michigan / Ross, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Vanderbilt / Owen
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Held various positions in Finance and Accounting in a healthcare institution
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Other Companies: BCG , Deloitte , Other
GPA: 3.0
Years of Work Experience: 11
Location: International
Notes:

I am passionate about healthcare enhancing patient quality care. So exploring in that field is what I would love. Got a 72k scholarship from Vandy and named Forte Fellow. UNC 50k. I'm having a hard time deciding though my heart is leaning towards Owen
3
December 18, 2024 10:23am ET
Applying: Arizona State / W.P. Carey, Indiana / Kelley, Ohio State / Fisher
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Facility management
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting
GRE: 309
GPA: 2.8
Years of Work Experience: 3
Notes:

Graduate GPA -3.869
4
December 18, 2024 2:57am ET
Applying: IESE, INSEAD, MIT Sloan, U. Chicago Booth
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Engineering
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology, Undecided Companies: Amazon
GMAT: 690
GPA: 3.26
Years of Work Experience: 4
Location: Chile
12
December 17, 2024 6:19am ET
Applying: Columbia, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Georgetown / McDonough, Harvard Business School, Michigan / Ross, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, NYU Stern, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, UT Austin / McCombs
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Registered Nurse
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting Companies: Bain , BCG , McKinsey
GRE: 326
GPA: 3.5
Years of Work Experience: 3
Location: Colorado
Post MBA Location: Chicago/NYC
Notes:

25F, lgbtq
Education: Bachelor's degree in Nursing (GPA: 3.5) from a top 2 nursing school
Work Experience: 3 years as a high-risk OB Registered Nurse at a major hospital, with leadership roles in various healthcare initiatives and patient care management.
Additional Experience: Currently working as a GP
Operations Specialist at an early-stage healthcare/tech-focused venture capital firm, where I optimize operational processes and support investment decisions in the healthcare sector.
I understand my background is somewhat non-traditional for an MBA program and that my stats are about average for these schools, but I believe my experience in healthcare and VC provides a unique perspective and skill set. Which M7 or T15 schools do you think I should realistically target, especially those known for strong consulting programs? With my stats and experience do I realistically have a shot at admission to a top program? I have a particular interest in Kellogg and Booth, as I'm planning on pursuing a career in healthcare consulting.
Additionally, I would love any guidance on how to present myself as a competitive candidate and effectively showcase my strengths and experiences in healthcart and venture capital. Thank you for your help!
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MBA LiveWire

December 20, 2024 1:15pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via email on December 18, 2024
GMAT: 645
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: Brazil
Note:

CFA Charterholder with background in Finance | Also applied with a 168 EA
December 20, 2024 12:30pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal on December 18, 2024
GPA: 3.45
GRE: 331
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Other
December 20, 2024 10:44am ET
Rejected at NYU Stern
Round: Round 2
Received via portal on December 18, 2024
GPA: 3.60
GRE: 310
Program Type: One Year Program
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: Indonesia
December 20, 2024 9:28am ET
Accepted to Georgetown / McDonough
Round: Round 1
Received via phone on December 09, 2024
GPA: 3.1
GRE: 313
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Florida
December 19, 2024 10:03pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal December 19, 2024
EA: 165
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: Brazil
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