If you’re interested in Wharton’s Full-Time MBA Program, you’ve likely encountered some inaccurate information during your research.
To separate fact from fiction, Executive Director of Wharton Graduate Admissions Blair Mannix debunks 10 of the most common misconceptions we hear about the application and the full-time MBA Program.
1. I don’t have a background in finance or consulting, so I won’t be considered.
The biggest misnomer in the MBA admissions landscape is that you must come from a finance or consulting background. Wharton accepts students from an array of backgrounds, including non-profit, government, military, energy, and technology industries. The employers who come to campus are increasingly diverse. We admit students who will make the most of our community. Because of the diversity and breadth of the Wharton culture, community, and career resources, our programs are not exclusive to finance and consulting.
2. If I apply during Round 1, I’ll have a better chance of being accepted.
Wharton has three rounds. The number of applicants and the admission rate per round is almost identical during rounds one and two. Therefore, your chance of being admitted is nearly the same. If you feel your application is ready for the Round 1 deadline, go ahead and submit. If not, submit it during Round 2. Round 3 is different in that, depending on the talent yield during the year, the class can have fewer admissions.
3. Admissions can’t possibly read all 6,000+ applications and essays.
Every single application receives two independent reviews! In addition to our full-time admissions team, we employ 40 part-time application readers, some of whom are Wharton MBA alumni or have professional backgrounds in admissions, to ensure that every application file receives a thorough and fair review.
4. My undergraduate academic record isn’t strong enough, so I shouldn’t apply.
We want business school to be a place where you stretch yourself and take risks. To do that, we admit people who have made mistakes, taken risks, and failed. We understand that you are more than the sum of your academic record. So, please apply.
5. I’m an undergraduate and I don’t have enough work experience yet to apply.
Admitted students have an average of five years of work experience, and so their experience levels vary. We admit students who have only worked for two years, and students who have worked up to 15 years. It’s not about your years of experience. It’s more about where you are in your career.
If you’re concerned you don’t have enough work experience to apply, the Moelis Advance Access Program is our deferred enrollment program for current undergraduates. Undergraduate seniors or graduate students in their final year of study can apply to the Wharton MBA, work for two to four years, and then join the MBA Class with a guaranteed spot.
6. Once accepted, Wharton students are too competitive, and I won’t fit in.
It’s a common concern, but Wharton students usually find that their experience is different from what they initially expected. Our MBA program emphasizes collaboration and teamwork, creating an environment where support and encouragement from your classmates are the norm. You’ll find that while Wharton students are driven, they are equally invested in each other’s success.
7. If I visit campus, it will improve my chances of being accepted.
If you visit campus, it will not improve your chances of being accepted. Not all students have the money to visit campus — let alone visit more than once. To ensure the fairness of admissions decisions and decrease bias, we do not factor event attendance into admissions decisions.
8. If I go to business school, I’ll be pigeonholed into a career in finance.
Look no further than Wharton’s annual Career Report to dispel this common myth!
9. If I go to Wharton, I’ll be committing to living on the East Coast after graduation.
Wharton students are open to following their careers wherever the opportunity exists. Less than half our recently graduated students who remained in the United States after graduation remained on the east coast. You can learn more about post-MBA location choices in the annual Career Report.
10. Wharton focuses on finance and consulting, and doesn’t offer resources for social impact, ESG, and DEI.
Wharton offers extensive resources for students passionate about social impact, nonprofit work, ESG, and DEI!
Our is a cross-disciplinary center dedicated to research, training, and outreach that strengthens business-based solutions to social and environmental challenges. Wharton’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Initiative is a cross-disciplinary center dedicated to research, training, and outreach that strengthens business-based solutions to social and environmental challenges. Through the McNulty Leadership Program, you can gain hands-on experience in the nonprofit sector via programs like the Lipman Family Prize Fellows and Nonprofit Board Fellows. Additionally, Wharton offers over 30 courses focused on social impact, along with student clubs like the Wharton Social Impact Club, which are tailored to these career paths.
Posted: December 13, 2019
