wharton mba essay examples

• Our Clients
• Tips & Advice
• Client Login
• Request Consultation

2024-2025 Wharton MBA Essay Tips + An Example

Originally published on July 13, 2023. Updated on July 3, 2024.

The Wharton MBA essay prompts are confirmed for 2024-2025 and they remain unchanged from last year. The questions are direct and allow enough word count to paint a robust picture of who you are and why Wharton is right for you (and vice versa). As such, this application can be a good one to tackle early in the process. The deadlines are also early in each round, which lends additional credence to this approach.

To help you get started, we’re sharing a Wharton MBA essay example as well as some tips to use while crafting your own. 

Wharton MBA Essay Questions

• How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)
• Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Wharton MBA Essay Advice

While the Wharton essay questions read as fairly straightforward, don’t let them lead you down the path of writing bland essays.  Run of the mill essays do nothing to help you stand out from the sea of applications Wharton receives. Additionally, despite the generous word count, you will absolutely need to be strategic about what you include – and don’t.

Your Career Goals Are the ‘Anchor’ For Essay One

When it comes to the first essay, the critical thing to keep in mind is that all of your content should be ‘anchored’ by your short – and long-term career goals . If you haven’t given robust thought to these and done your due diligence to ensure they are sound, now is the time to do so.

Once you have defined and refined your career goals, you need to think backwards and forwards.

By thinking backwards, we’re encouraging you to think about the formative experiences that led you to your post-MBA career goals. Perhaps in your work as a consultant you were staffed on a healthcare project that opened your eyes to how complex yet exciting the healthcare industry can be. This sparked your interest in shifting to a strategy role within a healthcare company where you can make a lasting impact on the industry and those it touches. Tell the story of that case, focusing on why it was so eye-opening, so the adcom can really feel your passion and the authenticity behind your goals.

By thinking forwards, we’re recommending that you think very specifically about the skills you need to build to be successful in your target career. Then, research and describe the unique elements of Wharton’s program that will help you to build them. If the examples you cite are offered by other business schools, they are not specific enough to make a compelling argument as to why Wharton will best position you for success. Getting this part right takes work and that is exactly why it matters.

Focus Essay Two on Being a ‘Giver’ Not a ‘Taker’

When it comes to the second essay, take a cue from what Wharton professor extraordinaire Adam Grant’s concept of ‘ givers and takers ’. Whereas the ‘why Wharton’ section of the first essay can cover what you will ‘take’ from the experience, this essay should focus on the ways in which you will be a ‘giver’ while at Wharton and even after graduation. A giver ‘…[looks] to help others by making an introduction, giving advice, providing mentoring, or sharing knowledge, without any strings attached.’

To be in a position to ‘give’, you need to have a unique knowledge base, personality trait, or past experience from which others will benefit. This is the crux of the essay. It is, first and foremost, the place to share what distinguishes you from other applicants. Because the first essay is so career focused, we urge clients to write about something personal here.

For example, a past client discussed how she would use the determination that had helped her overcome personal challenges to motivate her peers in Wharton Women in Business. She went on to describe a specific area of programming she would bring to the club that tied in with some of the personal challenges she had conquered.  The essay was strategic, specific, and thoughtful (and it was successful in earning her an acceptance with full scholarship).

Wharton MBA Essay Example

Because it’s often hard to put theory into practice, below is a Wharton MBA essay example from one of our clients who was accepted (with scholarship!).

Wharton MBA Essay Example – Essay 1

My experience advising consumer products companies at [company x] and driving strategic go-to-market decisions at [company y] have sparked a fascination with strategy at the intersection of consumer and technology. Coupled with a Wharton MBA and a post-MBA role at a consumer technology startup, I plan to leverage these experiences to, one day, lead the strategy function of a company that disrupts a previously-established market by understanding and changing consumer behavior, like Airbnb or StitchFix.

In my work to date, I have seen both ends of the innovation spectrum, which has driven home the importance of responding to quickly evolving customer needs. At [company x], while interviewing company executives on a project for a multinational food manufacturer, I was surprised to find that they were focusing investment on legacy products that, while historically lucrative, would not position the company for future success in the face of changing consumer trends. In contrast, [company y] makes every strategic play based on customer needs. When customers became increasingly segmented by industry, we reorganized the sales team into industry verticals. When COVID-19 struck, we released [product], a product that helps customers evaluate how to safely restart operations. Combining my [company x] and [company y] experiences, I see an opportunity to leverage a deep understanding of consumer trends, based in data and analytics, to disrupt a consumer market with technology.

To succeed in this journey, I need to build the core business principles that were not a part of my liberal arts undergraduate education and develop my personal leadership style. At Wharton, a double major in Business Analytics and Strategic Management will provide a deep understanding of business fundamentals while teaching me to be an innovative strategic leader. Classes like Managing the Emerging Enterprise with Exequiel Hernandez will provide hands-on experience analyzing high-growth organizations, teaching me the fundamental principles of managing a disruptive consumer technology firm, from early competitive positioning to organizational structure and the strategic and operational art of expansion.

Further, understanding and developing my personal leadership style will be paramount to my future career. By taking part in the McNulty Leadership Program’s Leadership Ventures, such as the Quantico Intensive, I will apply my existing teamwork skills to a fast-paced problem-solving exercise. As someone who has always found growth in situations outside my comfort zone, I am excited to explore my personal leadership traits in this intense, hands-on environment, which will prepare me for the dynamic pace of the consumer technology industry.

Lastly, a leadership position in the Technology Club will provide access to Wharton’s broad industry resources and alumni base, preparing me to hit the ground running in a post-MBA role at a consumer technology start-up. Joining an existing but early stage company will expose me to the ins and outs of my target industry and, as is the nature with start-ups, provide experience playing multiple roles in a dynamic format. This breadth of experience will provide a holistic perspective on a consumer technology company’s growth levers and industry dynamics, solidifying my preparation to serve as a strategic leader.

Wharton MBA Essay Example – Essay 2

My parents nicknamed me “the quiet giant” because I was always the underdog whose determination surprised those who underestimated me. I grew up smaller than my peers, so when my softball coach told me that my size would prevent me from being competitive, I was crushed by his quick judgment of my size. Rather than letting this criticism deter me, I became resolved to prove him wrong. I persistently practiced my pitching technique and, two years later, was the best pitcher in the league, going on to win the all-star championship. In this pivotal moment, I was overcome with pride and realized that success was possible if I kept my will to persevere and pushed past my ‘limits’.

Throughout my life, I have leveraged this determination to benefit the communities and teams of which I have been a part. At [company y], I led a team of ten to create an automated headcount dataset that saved the strategy organization hundreds of hours of manual work each quarter. While this project required strategic alignment and technical creativity, my biggest contribution was my ability to motivate the team. We hit many roadblocks, but I took on every challenge with an open mind, encouraging my team to think creatively and listening receptively to each person’s perspective. As a result, our solution transformed the way the organization reports on headcount growth.

These same motivating principles and teamwork skills will allow me to make valuable contributions to the Wharton community. I look forward to using my determination to help motivate my learning team when coursework is challenging or the demands of recruiting wear on us. Through core classes like Corporate Finance, the difficulty of which has been emphasized by current students, I will work closely with my learning team and encourage my peers to persevere.

As a leader of WWIB, I look forward to working alongside my female peers to build our confidence in business settings and otherwise. As a woman in the male-dominated field of consulting, I have unfortunately felt the impact of being overlooked. After joining [company y], I attended courses on public speaking for women and was encouraged to voice my opinions. As a result of my determination to grow in this way, my confidence and presentation skills improved, which enabled my promotion to Manager. I look forward to continuing to develop these skills within WWIB alongside my diverse and talented female peers.

We hope you found this Wharton MBA essay example helpful and can apply our essay writing tips to your own personal narrative. We’re here to help if you’re struggling. Click here to request a free consultation . 

Katie is a passionate mentor and coach, helping her clients craft a unique, compelling story by leveraging her experience as a corporate executive, alumni interviewer, and campus recruiter. Before completing her MBA at Kellogg, Katie spent five years in banking where she learned practical finance skills as well as how to operate in a demanding, high pressure environment. She pursued an MBA in order to transition to an industry role where she could utilize her finance knowledge to drive change within an organization. Post-MBA, she worked in finance and strategy for a leading CPG firm, progressing to an executive role leading the finance function for a $2B business segment. Her experience managing diverse teams led to a passion for developing others. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, she led her firm’s MBA recruiting efforts and served as an alumni admissions interviewer for Kellogg.

Leveraging Online Courses and Certifications to Strengthen Your MBA Application

Columbia mba essay questions, tips & advice for 2024-2025, no comments, post a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• GMAT CLUB TESTS
• FORUM QUIZ - NEW!
• QUESTION BANKS
• DECISION TRACKER
• SCHOOL DISCUSSIONS
• MARKETPLACE
• T&C and Privacy Policy
• GMAT Club Rules
• Login Register Forgot password?
• ${glob_var/L_LOGIN_LOGOUT}
• Quick Search

A Wharton MBA Essay Example and Tips for Making Yours the Best They Can Be

The Wharton MBA essay prompts are direct and allow enough word count to paint a robust picture of who you are and why Wharton is right for you (and vice versa). As such, this application can be a good one to tackle early in the process. The deadlines are also early in each round, which lends additional credence to this approach. To help you get started – don’t delay, the clock is ticking for Round 1! – today we’re sharing a Wharton MBA essay example as well as some tips to use while crafting your own.

Wharton MBA Essay Questions

• How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)
• Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Wharton MBA Essay Advice

Your career goals are the ‘anchor’ for essay one.

When it comes to the first essay, the critical thing to keep in mind is that all of your content should be ‘anchored’ by your short- and long-term career goals. If you haven’t given robust thought to these and done your due diligence to ensure they are sound, now is the time to do so.

Once you have defined and refined your career goals, you need to think backwards and forwards. By thinking backwards, we’re encouraging you to think about the formative experiences that led you to your post-MBA career goals. Perhaps in your work as a consultant you were staffed on a healthcare project that opened your eyes to how complex yet exciting the healthcare industry can be. This sparked your interest in shifting to a strategy role within a healthcare company where you can make a lasting impact on the industry and those it touches. Tell the story of that case, focusing on why it was so eye-opening, so the adcom can really feel your passion and the authenticity behind your goals.

By thinking forwards, we’re recommending that you think very specifically about the skills you need to build to be successful in your target career. Then, research and describe the unique elements of Wharton’s program that will help you to build them. If the examples you cite are offered by other business schools, they are not specific enough to make a compelling argument as to why Wharton will best position you for success. Getting this part right takes work and that is exactly why it matters.

Focus Essay Two on Being a ‘Giver’ Not a ‘Taker’

When it comes to the second essay, take a cue from what Wharton professor extraordinaire Adam Grant’s concept of ‘ givers and takers ’. Whereas the ‘why Wharton’ section of the first essay can cover what you will ‘take’ from the experience, this essay should focus on the ways in which you will be a ‘giver’ while at Wharton and even after graduation. A giver ‘…[looks] to help others by making an introduction, giving advice, providing mentoring, or sharing knowledge, without any strings attached.’

To be in a position to ‘give’, you need to have a unique knowledge base, personality trait, or past experience from which others will benefit. This is the crux of the essay. It is, first and foremost, the place to share what distinguishes you from other applicants. Because the first essay is so career focused, we urge clients to write about something personal here.

For example, a past client discussed how she would use the determination that had helped her overcome personal challenges to motivate her peers in Wharton Women in Business. She went on to describe a specific area of programming she would bring to the club that tied in with some of the personal challenges she had conquered.  The essay was strategic, specific, and thoughtful (and it was successful in earning her an acceptance with full scholarship).

Wharton MBA Essay Example

Because it’s often hard to put theory into practice, below is a Wharton MBA essay example from one of our clients who was accepted (with scholarship!).

Wharton MBA Essay Example – Essay 1

My experience advising consumer products companies at [company x] and driving strategic go-to-market decisions at [company y] have sparked a fascination with strategy at the intersection of consumer and technology. Coupled with a Wharton MBA and a post-MBA role at a consumer technology startup, I plan to leverage these experiences to, one day, lead the strategy function of a company that disrupts a previously-established market by understanding and changing consumer behavior, like Airbnb or StitchFix.

In my work to date, I have seen both ends of the innovation spectrum, which has driven home the importance of responding to quickly evolving customer needs. At [company x], while interviewing company executives on a project for a multinational food manufacturer, I was surprised to find that they were focusing investment on legacy products that, while historically lucrative, would not position the company for future success in the face of changing consumer trends. In contrast, [company y] makes every strategic play based on customer needs. When customers became increasingly segmented by industry, we reorganized the sales team into industry verticals. When COVID-19 struck, we released [product], a product that helps customers evaluate how to safely restart operations. Combining my [company x] and [company y] experiences, I see an opportunity to leverage a deep understanding of consumer trends, based in data and analytics, to disrupt a consumer market with technology.

To succeed in this journey, I need to build the core business principles that were not a part of my liberal arts undergraduate education and develop my personal leadership style. At Wharton, a double major in Business Analytics and Strategic Management will provide a deep understanding of business fundamentals while teaching me to be an innovative strategic leader. Classes like Managing the Emerging Enterprise with Exequiel Hernandez will provide hands-on experience analyzing high-growth organizations, teaching me the fundamental principles of managing a disruptive consumer technology firm, from early competitive positioning to organizational structure and the strategic and operational art of expansion.

Further, understanding and developing my personal leadership style will be paramount to my future career. By taking part in the McNulty Leadership Program’s Leadership Ventures, such as the Quantico Intensive, I will apply my existing teamwork skills to a fast-paced problem-solving exercise. As someone who has always found growth in situations outside my comfort zone, I am excited to explore my personal leadership traits in this intense, hands-on environment, which will prepare me for the dynamic pace of the consumer technology industry.

Lastly, a leadership position in the Technology Club will provide access to Wharton’s broad industry resources and alumni base, preparing me to hit the ground running in a post-MBA role at a consumer technology start-up. Joining an existing but early stage company will expose me to the ins and outs of my target industry and, as is the nature with start-ups, provide experience playing multiple roles in a dynamic format. This breadth of experience will provide a holistic perspective on a consumer technology company’s growth levers and industry dynamics, solidifying my preparation to serve as a strategic leader.

Wharton MBA Essay Example – Essay 2

My parents nicknamed me “the quiet giant” because I was always the underdog whose determination surprised those who underestimated me. I grew up smaller than my peers, so when my softball coach told me that my size would prevent me from being competitive, I was crushed by his quick judgment of my size. Rather than letting this criticism deter me, I became resolved to prove him wrong. I persistently practiced my pitching technique and, two years later, was the best pitcher in the league, going on to win the all-star championship. In this pivotal moment, I was overcome with pride and realized that success was possible if I kept my will to persevere and pushed past my ‘limits’.

Throughout my life, I have leveraged this determination to benefit the communities and teams of which I have been a part. At [company y], I led a team of ten to create an automated headcount dataset that saved the strategy organization hundreds of hours of manual work each quarter. While this project required strategic alignment and technical creativity, my biggest contribution was my ability to motivate the team. We hit many roadblocks, but I took on every challenge with an open mind, encouraging my team to think creatively and listening receptively to each person’s perspective. As a result, our solution transformed the way the organization reports on headcount growth.

These same motivating principles and teamwork skills will allow me to make valuable contributions to the Wharton community. I look forward to using my determination to help motivate my learning team when coursework is challenging or the demands of recruiting wear on us. Through core classes like Corporate Finance, the difficulty of which has been emphasized by current students, I will work closely with my learning team and encourage my peers to persevere.

As a leader of WWIB, I look forward to working alongside my female peers to build our confidence in business settings and otherwise. As a woman in the male-dominated field of consulting, I have unfortunately felt the impact of being overlooked. After joining [company y], I attended courses on public speaking for women and was encouraged to voice my opinions. As a result of my determination to grow in this way, my confidence and presentation skills improved, which enabled my promotion to Manager. I look forward to continuing to develop these skills within WWIB alongside my diverse and talented female peers.

We hope you found this Wharton MBA essay example helpful and can apply our essay writing tips to your own personal narrative. We’re here to help if you’re struggling. Click here to request a free consultation .

The post A Wharton MBA Essay Example and Tips for Making Yours the Best They Can Be appeared first on Vantage Point MBA .

VantagePointMBA

Published in MBA , Vantage Point MBA , Admission Consultants and Blog

2024-2025 Wharton MBA Essay Tips and Example Essays

Jun 17, 2024

• Who is Wharton looking for?
• How should I answer Wharton essay questions?
• Get into the Wharton MBA
• Wharton Deadlines

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on July 10, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below.

In 1881, Joseph Wharton started the world’s first collegiate business school. In the more than 100 years since, Wharton has maintained its position as one of the world’s top destinations for talented business professionals. 

With numerous opportunities (many of them overseas) to develop your leadership skills and build relationships with fellow students, Wharton offers a highly challenging yet highly collaborative approach to business education. 

However, with increasing competition to join this innovative, collaboratively-minded university, it’s more difficult than ever to successfully apply to Wharton. 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Wharton admissions essays to stand out . We’ve rounded up our best tips and links to Wharton MBA sample essays to ensure you give your Haas application your best shot.

1. Who is Wharton looking for?

“Our mission is to develop leaders who act with a deeper understanding of themselves, their organizations, and their communities, and contribute positively to the growth of each.” Wharton Admissions

As one of the most consistently top-ranked business schools, Wharton has become almost synonymous with elite business education. With a strong focus on innovation and their unique Lauder dual-degree program in international studies and Health Care Major , it’s no surprise that Wharton is at the top of many applicants’ lists of dream schools. 

Each year, Wharton selects just under 900 students from 70 countries to take part in its two-year program. Though there is no one “perfect” type of Wharton student, the university does favor high test scores. The median GMAT for the Class of 2025 was 728 (slightly down from 733 for last year’s class) and the average GRE score was 162 Quant, 162 Verbal.  

Though often called a “finance factory,” Wharton builds a diverse class each year by looking beyond traditional investment banking professionals to fill its class. In fact, the number of Wharton post-MBA graduates breaking into industries like tech has only increased over the past few years. With the launch of Tangen Hall last year, that number is only likely to continue growing. 

Beyond the numbers, Wharton tends to value students who demonstrate a collaborative personality, leadership potential, global mindset, and an ability to think outside the box and innovate. 

If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Wharton’s admissions essay questions. 

2. How should I answer Wharton essay questions?

2.1. essay 1.

Essay 1: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Before starting, you might want to review the tips the Wharton admissions committee gives on how to approach the essays. 

In this essay, you have a big task. In around 500 words , you need to discuss:

• Context for your goals
• Your specific-post MBA goals and why you are pursuing them at this moment
• Why you believe an MBA is necessary to reach these goals
• How a Wharton MBA will help you reach these goals

Each of these elements must be included and must build off of each other. 

First of all, many candidates think they do not need to specifically state their goals, or that it’s better to leave “their options open.” If you are applying to elite business schools, however, you must have and present absolute clarity about your goals. 

TOP TIP : If you’re having trouble figuring out what your post-MBA goals are, we’ve prepared this post to help you decipher this essential part of the application process! 

However, goals without context can be a little confusing to decipher or understand (or they can just seem a bit lackluster). For this reason, we suggest starting your essay with context. 

For example, a client last year initially started his essay by saying: 

“I want to become a Business Development Director at a Brazilian company.”

While interesting, it’s better to give a little bit of context to help these goals come to life. Check out the final version of the same essay’s introduction:

“In the 1970s, the phrase “think global, act local” came into use, suggesting that to have global impact, one must be active locally. With this mindset, I focused my career on Brazilian multinational companies to start creating global change at home. While at Company 1, I led a diverse global team, which showed me that clear communication is essential. I later accepted a finance position at a real estate company where I learned how new technologies can impact traditional local industries and that leaders must adapt to these trends to maintain competitiveness. Most recently, I joined Company 2 to participate in its daring globalization plan. At Company 2, I have learned how challenging it is to formulate effective global strategies to thrive in diverse markets. I have also developed management skills since becoming Financial Coordinator, learning how important establishing a culture of collaboration is to providing stability for organizations.

I now seek to take the next step to becoming a “global” leader by becoming Business Development Director at a Brazilian company pursuing globalization, giving me the experience to assume my long-term goal of CEO of one such company.”

Second, you should clearly demonstrate why you need an MBA. 

An MBA is not a catch-all degree that serves a purpose for all career paths. As such, you need to demonstrate that the goals you have set for yourself require the additional training an MBA can provide. 

Be thoughtful about this particular section. If you don’t need to improve in any meaningful way, you might be presenting the argument the admissions committee needs for why you can’t actually benefit from an MBA. 

Furthermore, if you show fluffy or unsupported reasons you need to hone your skills, you’ll also likely see your application tossed aside in favor of an applicant who was able to clearly demonstrate how they plan to leverage their time at business school. 

Third, add how Kellogg can specifically help you grow in the areas you’ve identified. Mentioning that you want to go to Kellogg because of its ranking will not cut it here. 

Instead, show that you understand the unique offerings Wharton’s curriculum provides (I highly suggest you mention the pathway or major you’re interested in) and have done significant, thoughtful research into how the opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom can help you grow. If you have space, it’s also highly recommended that you mention how you can contribute to the community. 

End with a winning conclusion statement that reinforces your personal brand and ties the whole essay together. 

Need more guidance? 

Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of Wharton MBA essays that worked to get our clients admitted to help you plan out a winning Wharton essay. 

Our library also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join ! 

2.2. Essay 2

Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

For this essay, we highly suggest that you focus on multiple examples. In our experience over the years, 3 ways you plan to contribute tends to work best, though we have seen essays with 2 examples and 4 examples work in very special circumstances.  

There are many different ways you can contribute to the Wharton community, so many different stories and “lessons” you can apply at Wharton are valid here.  

For example, if you have worked extensively as part of an international team, highlighting a specific experience where diversity was the key to “winning the day” and showing how you would promote diversity while at Wharton could work very well. 

Or, you might have a specific ability that has proven valuable in analyzing business challenges, might be an outstanding communicator, etc. There really are endless opportunities for this essay. 

When telling your stories, make sure to use the STAR method to ensure you clearly demonstrate what happened, your role in the events, and what you learned. Then, link this lesson to specific resources and opportunities at Wharton, showing how you will improve the overall community. 

To create an amazing essay, stay focused, do your research on Wharton, and choose your examples wisely. Showing you’re a leader and team player who fully understands the Wharton experience and who is prepared to contribute to the Wharton community is the key to success. 

2.3. Reapplicant Essay

Required Essay for All Reapplicants: Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected [on] and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

We have written two extensive posts on how to approach reapplying to business school and on how to handle the reapplicant essay . Make sure to check them out!

2.4. Optional Essay

Optional Essay: Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

As with nearly all elite business schools, Wharton does not want to see a summary of your profile or a restatement of why you want to attend Wharton. 

However, if you have extenuating circumstances that merit additional explanation (a good overview of what kind of circumstances quality can be found here ), make sure to explain them clearly and directly. 

Looking for Wharton MBA essay examples? Check out our real sample essays that got our clients admitted here .

3. Get into the Wharton MBA

One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA essays is that candidates fail to tell compelling stories . This is important because if your stories are not compelling, they will not be persuasive. At the same time, they must be backed by strong examples that establish a track record of success and prove to the admissions committees why you belong at their school. 

Striking this balance between content and creativity can be tough, however, as succeeding means not only choosing the right stories but ensuring they are told in an optimal manner. 

This is why our iterative developmental feedback process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting helps you mold your message through the application of our storytelling expertise until it reflects exactly what makes your profile stand out and show fit with your target program.   

Not only can you take advantage of our iterative feedback process through multiple edits – you can also benefit from it after a single review! If your budget is tight, our editors will be happy to help polish your text as much as possible and leave “bonus comments” so you can keep working on it on your own!

No matter how long we work with you, we will always ensure your essays shine . Sign up to work with our team of storytelling experts and get accepted.

4. Wharton Deadlines

The deadlines below apply to the 2024-2025 application cycle. You can start your online application here . 

Wharton Round 1 Deadlines

Application Deadline : September 4, 2024

Interview Notification : October 24, 2024

Decisions Released : December 10, 2024

Wharton Round 2 Deadlines

Application Deadline : January 3, 2025

Interview Notification : February 19, 2025

Decisions Released : April 1, 2025

Wharton Round 3 Deadlines

Application Deadline : April 2, 2025

Interview Notification : April 18, 2025

Decisions Released : May 13, 2025

Wharton Deferred Admissions Deadlines

Application Deadline : April 23, 2025

Interview Notification : May 29, 2025

Decisions Released : July 1, 2025

Real MBA Essays That Got People In

School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted

Get Access Now

98.9% Success Rate

With our expertise and 98.9% success rate in placing our consulting clients in at least one of their target schools, we can add more value to your application than you ever thought possible.

Recent Articles

How to Successfully Complete the Kellogg Video Essay

Sep 12, 2024

Why does Kellogg require a video essay? How does the Kellogg video essay work? Which types of questions are asked? The difference between a good and great video essay Make sure you get into Kellogg...

How To Successfully Complete the Oxford Kira Video Interview

Sep 11, 2024

With its focus on ethical leadership and social...

The Rotman MBA Video Essay Questions – And How to Successfully Answer Them

Sep 9, 2024

Why does Rotman require a video essay? How does the Rotman video essay work? Which types of questions are asked? The difference between a good and great Rotman MBA video essay Get expert help...

Ready to start your MBA Success?

Stay on top of the latest insights.

Advice, tips and insights from the admissions dream team., table of contents, wharton mba essays: tips & strategy.

• By Judith Silverman Hodara

The two Wharton MBA essay questions are designed to let the admissions committee get to know you on a personal and professional level.

First-time MBA applicants and re-applicants are required to complete both Wharton application essays. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself. Below is my advice on how to respond to each required Wharton admissions essay question, along with the overarching strategy to keep in mind for making a compelling case for your candidacy. (For a candid assessment of your chances of admission and to learn more about Fortuna’s  MBA coaching services and packages , sign up for a  free consultation .)

First, a bit of context. As Wharton’s former head of admissions, I can attest that Wharton is, without a doubt, team-based, but it’s also community-based. With more than 900 students in any incoming class, the Wharton MBA experience is about being part of a much larger organism than your learning team or your cohort. The admissions committee is interested in discerning how your unique experiences will shape the experiences of many of your fellow students, the program, and the institution writ large. Wharton’s two required essay questions explore these cultural values.

Decoding the Wharton MBA Essays

In essence, Wharton’s first essay question asks what you’ll get out of Wharton, while the second question asks what Wharton will get in return. This is a big bottom line for admissions: What are the forces that shape who you are, and how do they shape the kind of leader and community member you will be? Successful essays reflect self-awareness and a profound understanding of the community you’re hoping to join.

Wharton Essay 1

How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

The first Wharton MBA essay question is straightforward. It asks you to connect a persuasive career vision to how a Wharton MBA will position you to achieve your greatest aspirations. Wharton admissions officers want assurance that you can create a viable path to follow. They understand that while actual industry and functions are variable, but want to be assured that you will enter the program with a sense of purpose.

The question also requires a deep understanding of Wharton’s values, culture and what makes it special. If you don’t convey a nuanced appreciation of its distinctive community and program offerings — gained by thorough research, thoughtful networking and, whenever possible, a campus visit — the admissions committee may not see you as a good fit. It’s key to acknowledge the specific things that stand out about the school and why they are important to you.

With the explicit reference to past experiences “you might consider,” Wharton is really looking to learn about skills you have gained in your career thus far and how these skills will propel you into your MBA program. Using the Wharton MBA degree, what are your short and long-term career goals? The important thing here is to clearly identify your long-term goal and describe how your short-term goal will help get you there. You want to create a cohesive story so Wharton understands where you’ve been, where you’re going, and how they fit into your story.

What do you want to do, and how will Wharton get you there? For a question like this, the “why” behind the goal is as important as the goal itself.

Chicago Booth’s first MBA essay poses a similar question, and my Fortuna colleague   Bill Kooser (former Chicago Booth Associate Dean) offers this perspective: “Think of your long-term goal in terms of impact — personal, organizational and social/community wide — not just in terms of a position or role. Why is this goal important to you? What led you to it?”

For a deeper dive and some great examples of short and long-term goals, view this article by Fortuna’s Heidi Hillis on How To Create MBA Goals: Long-Term Vs. Short Term-Career Vision .

Wharton Essay 2

Taking into consideration your background — personal, professional, and/or academic — how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Your history is really important to Wharton in this question, especially how it relates to the next steps of a Wharton education. The admissions officers want to understand your ‘origin story’ and how it informs the next steps of your leadership journey. They want to know what you envision doing while a student in Philadelphia and then as an alumnus of the school as you continue to make an impact on your wider community.

The specificity of this question’s wording signals that you should connect the dots for the admissions committee between where you are coming from and where you are heading. There is little room for ambiguity but a lot of room for backstory. This essay question invites you to go deeper into clarifying how elements of your identity and background shape your awareness and why it matters going forward. Don’t just reinforce a link to how your background will “aid in my teamwork skills,” or how you’ve developed better communication skills. Rather, share specifics with your reader that go deeper into who you are, what makes you unique and what you stand to offer. The admissions committee wants specifics.

Do you have a background in community organizing that lends itself directly to such activities at Wharton? Does your choice of academic study, family background or culture influence what you have chosen to pursue professionally? In this question, Wharton is offering you a lot of leeway choosing which influences to focus on. Get introspective and be discerning about what historical threads you choose to share and their significance, both for you and the future community with whom you hope to engage.

Let’s Get You In

Fortuna Admissions is a dream team of former MBA admissions directors and officers from top business schools, including Wharton. With our unparalleled collective expertise, we can coach you to develop a clear vision of your goals for business school and beyond. We work closely with you throughout the application process and provide expert guidance at every stage to maximize your chances of admission to a top school.

Our free consultations are consistently rated as the best in the industry. To learn more about Fortuna and assess your chances of admission to Wharton and other top programs, book your free consultation session now .

Want More Advice?

Check out our team’s latest articles, videos, and analysis related to how to get into Wharton:

• MBA Admissions Masterclass: How to get into Wharton
• Acing the Wharton TBD  (blog w/ video)
• What is Wharton Looking For? Key Criteria & Qualities of the Ideal Candidate (video)
• Personal MBA Experience: Insider Advice on the Wharton Business School (video)

• Posted on July 31, 2024

Share this article on social media

Sign up now for a free 30-minute discovery session to get personalized feedback on your profile and learn how Fortuna can help you secure admission to your dream school!

Sign up for a free consultation

Sign up for our free bi-weekly newsletter and get the best MBA admissions advice straight to your inbox.

First Name *

Last Name *

• Guide Books
• All Articles
• Business School Admissions
• Essay Examples
• Resume Examples
• Recommendation Examples
• Interview Questions
• Application Writing
• Advisory Services
• Free Consult
• Your cart is currently empty.

Wharton MBA Essay Analysis & Examples

Analysis of wharton's mba essay 1 and essay 2 with several essay examples from past wharton mba applicants..

I Overview II Analysis Essay 1 III Analysis Essay 2 IV Wharton Essays 1 + 2 Example – Associate Consultant V Wharton Essay 1 Example – Business Intelligence Scientist VI Wharton Essay 1 Example – Public Sector Consultant VII Wharton Essay 1 Example – Medical Doctor Intern

This article offers general guidance for crafting your Wharton MBA essays and features essay examples from past applicants. While the essay examples may be what brought you to this page, I urge you to delve into the essay overview and analysis sections as well. If you’re considering applying to several MBA programs, explore additional MBA essay examples and topic analyses available on mbaSTORY.builders for a comprehensive understanding.

The Wharton admissions committee has two goals a) to select the best applicants and b) to balance the skills, aptitudes, backgrounds, and experience of individual participants to create a diverse incoming MBA class.

Any top-20 MBA admissions committee can take half of the applications it gets and throw them in the proverbial poubelle (that’s French for garbage). They can do that right off the bat because at least half of applicants won’t meet their baseline criteria (at Wharton baseline criteria = 710+ GMAT). Other criteria include ‘insufficient work experience,’ ‘lackluster recommendations,’ ‘low GMAT/GPA,’ ‘too old,’ etc. For the admissions committee that’s the easy part. The challenge is in what to do with the other half of the applications – the ones that aren’t in the garbage.

Now the admissions committee needs to distinguish the super-excellent candidates from the merely excellent ones. But if the admissions committee were to take the academic and file data from all competitive c

The problem is that candidates with ‘good numbers’, ‘good jobs’ and proven abilities are all astonishingly similar to one another. What makes one stand out from the pack are a) a great, story-based resume (the backbone of any application), and b) good essays.

Return to table of contents

II Analysis Wharton MBA Essay 1

Essay 1: how do you plan to use the wharton mba program to help you achieve your future professional goals you might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at wharton. (500 words).

This is a classic Career Goals/Why MBA? essay. There are five main components to a Career Goals/Why MBA? essay:

• The Past : Personal and professional experience that have brought you to this moment in your life and have planted the seed for your future ambitions.
• The Present : Why do you want an MBA at this point in your personal life and professional career?
• The Future : What are your short and long-term goals/vision and how will you leverage your experience as a student, your MBA degree and the alumni network to achieve those?
• Why an MBA? : Why an MBA and not another kind of degree or why not forego a degree altogether in favor of just working and networking your way towards your goals?
• Why Wharton? : Why do you want an MBA from this school in particular?

What I like about these five components is that you can start off by answering them one by one. Then you can mix and match the components into paragraphs that flow well together. You don’t necessarily have to begin by talking about the past.

Here is an example of how you might leverage the five components to create your own, unique outline. You could lead with your short-term goal to transition from consulting into non-profit strategy (The Future). Then you might give us some of the backstory: What you’ve done in the past (work or personal experiences) and how that led you to be extremely passionate about the non-profit world (The Past). Next you might talk about how an MBA from Wharton will enrich you on a personal and professional level such that you’ll be uniquely prepared to take on future challenges (Why an MBA?). Finally you might circle back to your future vision and paint a picture of where you hope to be in 10-15 years time (The Future).

In this essay you need to discuss your professional goals and very briefly contextualize why those goals are realistic for you within the context of your career progression to date. You then need to aboard how you will leverage and engage with the resources at Wharton in order to pursue and reach your goals. You can do that by showing the Adcom that you understand the school’s offering and have given thought to how you will engage with the Wharton community and all the school has to offer. Don’t just rattle off a few course offerings, but look for deep connections between your goals and interests and the activities you plan to participate in. If you’re a bit stumped, take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the left list resources at Wharton that will benefit you. On the right list resources at Wharton that you can impact upon and benefit through your knowledge, experience or interests. Basically you’re breaking things down into take and give relationships.

When thinking about the personal growth aspect of this essay I would encourage you to have a good think about what your true weak points are and how you might leverage your two years at business school to work on them. Would you like to be just a bit more extroverted? You’ll have plenty of opportunities for public speaking and voicing your opinion in the classroom. Has your leadership experience been limited to superior/subordinate type situations (with you leading from the front as the superior or you leading from the middle as the subordinate)? Think about how you might gain experience you don’t have by leading peers in your study group or being the president of a club? Do you just want to get outside of your comfort zone? Think about how a trek to a foreign country or the Wharton Follies might help you do just that. The idea here is to simply demonstrate a certain level of maturity and self-awareness.

III Analysis Wharton MBA Essay 2

Essay 2: taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the wharton community (400 words).

Need text here

IV Example Wharton MBA Essays 1 + 2 Example - Associate Consultant

Wharton mba essay 1: how do you plan to use the wharton mba program to help you achieve your future professional goals you might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at wharton. (500 words).

As a member of Accenture’s Transfer Pricing Team, I helped multinational organizations determine the price at which goods and services ought to be ‘sold’ between internal business units. An economist by training, over the course of many interviews with client-side managers, I developed an appreciation for the technical and political complexities of corporate operations as well as a deep understanding of GAAP accounting practices. More recently, as part of the Data First Advisory Team, I find myself leveraging creativity and economic research methodologies in equal measure to solve for unique and often unprecedented business problems: for instance, estimating the present-day value of land confiscated from the Sioux First Nation 160+ years ago or working out whether cannabis legalization in the State of Wisconsin will negatively impact Pabst beer sales.

In 20XX I was invited to join Accenture’s nascent Global Warming Advisory Team thanks to my track record of creating innovative environmental evaluation analyses such as a tool that helps communities identify environmentally sustainable infrastructure projects. Convincing clients to embrace progressively-minded ideas is extremely satisfying. In the future, I want to continue in that vein by helping companies to build profitable business strategies that are not just ‘sustainable’ but that proactively benefit the environment. Post-MBA I plan to do that as an Associate with a consulting practice like McKinsey Sustainability or the Bain Center for Climate & Sustainability. In the long-term I see myself transitioning to a client-side corporate strategy role with a focus on marrying sustainability and profitability.

I’m drawn to companies like Whole Foods which now give customers a choice between electric vehicles and conventional ones when using their grocery delivery service. This appeals to consumers’ desire to embrace green businesses and supports electric vehicle manufacturers. It’s a win-win scenario for Whole Foods, its stakeholders, and the environment. While most climate change news one reads about in the Wall Street Journal centers on the challenges it presents to businesses, there are likewise opportunities to ideate, innovate, and ultimately, profit.

Over the next two years, I hope to develop a better understanding of the environmental and financial issues and the complexities around operations, design, and communication that are key to crafting good business strategy. At Wharton I hope to combine traditional business courses such as Professor Allon’s Operations Strategy , with elective courses such as such as Professor Kousky’s Environmental Sustainability and Value Creation . Wharton’s Global Immersion Program will expose me to best practices in sustainable strategy from leading countries like Germany and Costa Rica. There are just a few of the many opportunities at Wharton that will equip me to drive business transformation that leads to long-lasting climate action.

Wharton MBA Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Cost-benefit analysis is a technique that weighs the pros and cons of each variable involved in a decision. For example, in choosing to pare down its product portfolio, a company may weigh an initial decline in sales against the benefit of a product offering that is easier for consumers to understand, lower marketing costs, a decrease in the number of parts held in inventory, etc. At Accenture, I use cost-benefit analysis to help clients make decisions ranging from public transit investment to regulatory design. I also host presentations to internal teams and clients on the power of this technique which forces a person to document how they assign relative importance to each variable; something that people generally do subconsciously (without realizing it).

I would love to share my knowledge with the Wharton community; exploring new ways to use the technique. I could do that by hosting workshops for students who seek to enter sectors where decision prioritization is critical – namely the energy or transportation sectors via the Energy Club and Future Mobility Club . Hopefully other classmates might find the topic interesting as well, integrating the approach into their own decision-making. I would also like to engage with the Business, Climate, and Environment Lab to share my experience in evaluating the financial and non-financial impact of sustainability programs and to discover new ways in which this technique could be used in my own future, sustainability-centric professional journey.

My significant other, Andrea, is a fan of those personality quizzes one runs into online or in magazines and since meeting her in 20XX, I’ve completed enough to know that ‘inquisitive’ and ‘good listener’ are two of my defining personality traits. Besides making restaurant ordering tricky (as a foodie I always have too many questions for the server), being inquisitive and a good listener has facilitated conversations with stakeholders which have in turn allowed me to successfully lead complex client projects. I’ve come to appreciate the fact that there is almost never just one right answer or one path to it.

At Wharton, I will no doubt be working alongside incredibly accomplished and smart peers. In small team settings I hope to use my listening skills and ability to respectfully question ideas to help my team refine its ideas. Outside the Wharton classroom, I look forward to participating in the business school’s annual Innovation Challenge where I would likewise help facilitate brainstorming sessions while sharing my knowledge of frameworks from Deloitte such as the ‘Playing to Win’ framework, a playbook to develop and execute ideas.

In conclusion, I look forward to benefitting from and contributing to the dynamism that is the hallmark of the Wharton community – both as a student and as an alumnus of the school. I thank you for your time in reviewing my application.

V Example Wharton MBA Essay 1 Example - Business Intelligence Scientist

“I don’t think we’ve seen the tip of the iceberg. We’re on the cusp of something exhilarating and terrifying.”

“It’s just a tool though, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not, no. The actual content is going to be so different to anything that we can really envisage at the moment. The interplay between the user and the provider will be such that it’s going to crush our ideas of what (communication) mediums are all about.”

This was a 1999 interview with the BBC. The medium in question was the internet. Journalists were still printing articles questioning whether the worldwide web would truly catch on. At the same time, the interviewee, David Bowie was clear-eyed and prophetic in his assessment of its potential. As a musician, Bowie was an expert communicator and therefore knew a thing or two about mediums ; songs being the primary way people got news prior to the internet’s precursor (i.e. Gutenberg and his printing press).

Like Bowie, I also feel (even in 20XX) that the internet and emerging technologies such as Chat GPT, are full of unrealized potential. One lesson I’ve learned during my career is that technology can’t be understood in isolation. It must be studied in conjunction with its human user. Together the two create a sort of Gestalt, which is larger and more complex than the sum of their parts. I mention this because a great deal of my work at T-Mobile has been at the intersection of technology, data, and human psychology.

At T-Mobile people are likewise at the heart of my work as a Business Intelligence Scientist. I’m currently working with a talented group of contributors on our new 5Ghome internet product line, a top priority for senior leadership. In its first year (20XX-XX) home internet drew 32 million home new subscribers, a figure that continues to grow. Lately I’ve been deepening my understanding of what drives a customer to entrust T-Mobile with their business by creating marketing ‘personas’ and dialoguing with end users. Their input is a luxury that can help the team quickly home in on an issue or a previously overlooked area for improvement, but it’s a luxury that we don’t always benefit from. Sometimes, oftentimes actually, we must work independently, with incomplete information, to identify and deliver on client needs.

That was the case a few months ago when I was asked to assess whether our network could deliver reliable data transmission for Boeing’s fleet of TU2SU drones. A multimillion-dollar contract was at stake, and while the sales team had only requested a yes or no answer, I felt that it wasn’t sufficient to really sell Boeing on partnering with T-Mobile. Instead, I imagined I built a drone prototype over the weekend so that I could walk into that Monday morning meeting and show rather than tell . The sales team was surprised, my boss was pleased, and Boeing signed on the dotted line. Although I consider myself to be first and foremost a team player, I’m equally comfortable thinking and acting independently and will successfully navigate the demands of the online MBA program by drawing on professional experiences like this one as well as the self-reliance I developed as a new immigrant to the U.S. in 20XX.

I’m looking forward to leveraging my lessons learned in conjunction with the formal business and leadership education offered through the Wharton MBA to transition to a product management role overseeing T-Mobile’s network infrastructure.

While a background in both engineering and product is a net strength, I lack formal training in accounting, financial analysis, human resource management, and business strategy; to name just a few areas where an MBA would shape me into a more well-rounded businessperson. To that end, the Fundamentals of Business course with instruction in financial accounting, microeconomics, and statistics, would serve as the perfect foundation for electives. I’m also eager to enroll in Managing Inside the Firm which delves into topics like employment law, operations, and organizational behavior as well as Strategic Planning for Growth and Technology and Information Systems Management . Improving my leadership skills is another one of my goals in undertaking an MBA hence my interest in Wharton electives such as Management Communication for Leaders and Business Environment and Leadership .

Reading about Timor Smith’s experience as a Wharton MBA, and how the program helped him transition from programming to product management, I was even more convinced that Wharton is the right place for me to pursue my own goals while contributing to the business school community. I look forward to connecting with you and thank you for your time in reviewing my application.

VI Example Wharton MBA Essay 1 Example - Public Sector Consultant

I wanted to let you know that my client came in today upset because we still cannot process her case.  She’s raising three grand kids, and her only income is her RSDI.  The food bank near her won’t have boxes until Wednesday.

In early March of 20XX, e-mails like the one above flooded my inbox. The issues stemmed from the implementation of the California Integrated Eligibility project, a computer system responsible for administering government assistance programs including food stamps and welfare. The personal stories of these individuals hit home, reminding me of the challenges my own family had faced in the past and the importance of my current work for the citizens of California.  Back in 1992, my family had emigrated from the Ukraine, penniless and escaping impending war. The U.S. government helped my parents feed our family while they learned English and secured employment.

Working within the public sector over the last three years, I’ve realized that the same fundamental business challenges private enterprise face, such as budgeting and managing changes in policy and technology, are fundamentally the same one stack led by governmental organizations. After honing my business skills at Wharton, post-MBA I hope to return to public sector consulting to deliver strategic and fact-based policy recommendations. In the public sector, our stakeholder is the everyday taxpayer who rightfully demands that their money be spent judiciously. I view managing large-scale projects that improve access, lower overhead, and provide effective government services as worthwhile and gratifying professional endeavors.

I’ve been impressed by the strategy and data-driven policy recommendations developed by firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. In fact, the project I’m currently implementing for the State of California is founded on strategic advice from McKinsey on freeing individuals from a cycle of poverty through effective job training.

One policy issue I’m particularly drawn to is food availability in rural and inner-city areas, where a lack of grocery stores limit access to nutritious food and negatively impacts quality of life. By majoring in Business Economics and Public Policy, I want to learn to leverage analytical frameworks to promote effective policy decisions. To that end, courses like Introduction to Business Economics and Public Policy, Risk Management, and Urban Fiscal Policy would be particularly relevant.

In addition, courses that address policy implementation on the global stage, such as Conflict, Leadership and Change: Lessons from Rwanda , are unique to Wharton and would allow me to stretch myself beyond a purely domestic perspective.

Through case studies and in-classroom discussions I know that my fellow students and professors will challenge me, helping me to question presumptions and expand my understanding of international affairs. That process is crucial for anyone who aspires to develop effective policy in the globalized world. I also hope to build a strong network of fellow classmates interested in tackling similar domestic and international challenges.

I’d like to bring my perspective and experience on governmental policy and my vision for the future of governmental services to Wharton and I’m eager to grow my leadership skills within the Wharton community of distinguished professors and swell as my future classmates.

VII Example Wharton MBA Essay 1 Example - Medical Doctor Intern

While the goal I set for myself when I embarked on medical school – to impact both human health and individual lives in concrete terms – hasn’t changed, after much reflection I’ve decided to recalibrate my career ambitions from practicing medicine as a doctor to working at the intersection of business and science.

Reaching my goal requires curiosity, creativity, and a penchant for innovation – characteristics that I’ve sought to cultivate as a student, medical intern, and active participant in my family company, Lejos Group, and its charitable arm.

At Hospital Universitario La Paz in Madrid, I helped reduce infection spread by collaborating with a team of peers in developing a unique system of flash cards that alert staff to the correct PPE (personal protective equipment) to use for individual patients. As a Junior Board Member at Lejos Group since early 20XX, I’ve tried to be a change agent, advocating for diversification and outside management. Last year I spearheaded the revitalization of our charitable arm – bringing in outside board members and introducing best practices in strategy setting and outcome measurement.

With the benefit of an MBA from Wharton Business School, I plan to pursue a career at the intersection of healthcare and technology. That could mean joining an innovative company such as San Francisco-based Enlitic or Boston-based PathAI, both of which help doctors make more accurate diagnoses through artificial intelligence, or securing a position within the innovation center of a large pharmaceutical company. Johnson and Johnson has four such centers where businesspeople and scientists collaborate to identify investments in promising medical innovations from leading companies and universities.

With a view to the long term, I hope to return to the Lejos Group – a platform from which I hope to either start up or invest in a cutting-edge healthcare company.

While my education in life sciences and my formation as a medical doctor have taught me to be a team player and to use critical thinking to tackle complex problems, I lack the foundational business knowledge that will prove crucial to me in my future professional endeavors. I look forward to participating in core Wharton MBA courses like corporate finance, operations, and marketing before enrolling in pertinent electives. One such class is Managing Health Care Organizations which places special emphasis on measuring performance as a first step to tangible improvement. Professor William Alexander’s course Strategies and Practices of Family-controlled Companies represents an opportunity to think more deeply and strategically about the future of Lejos Group. I believe that honing one’s leadership skills is a lifelong endeavor. Wharton’s Leading Effective Teams is a thought-provoking course that emphasizes techniques that can be used to diagnose and intervene in issues within team settings.

If offered the opportunity to join the Wharton MBA class of 20XX, I plan to bring my optimism, energy and professional knowledge to the community in order to build new and long-lasting friendships and advance my dream to impact others through technology applied to healthcare.

Privacy Preference Center

Privacy preferences.

Thanks for requesting a free consultation. I’m looking forward to learning more about you when we chat!

I’ve just sent you a follow-up email. Look for a second email in the next 24 hours along with a google calendar invite scheduling our call . The time and day will be based on the availability you indicated in the form.

• If you accept the Google calendar invite, I’ll consider the call confirmed .
• If you prefer another day or time, please email me. I’m happy to reschedule.

My goal is for our conversation to be a powerful one for you. That’s why one of the first things I’ll ask you is What’s been on your mind? .

Best, Leah Derus

Inspira Advantage

Everything You Need To Know About The Wharton MBA Essays

The Wharton MBA essays are an essential aspect of your application. By allowing a deeper look into your values, experiences, and motivations, your essay submissions significantly affect the way Wharton’s admissions committee views your MBA candidacy. This information can cause the writing process to seem extremely intimidating, but you don’t need to fret. This article outlines everything you need to know about the Wharton MBA essays.

What Are the Wharton MBA Essays?

Typically, there are two essay prompts in the Wharton MBA application, along with one optional prompt. There are also essays specifically for those applying to joint-degree programs and an additional essay for reapplicants.

The Wharton MBA essay prompts can change from year to year. However, you can find many of the same themes and ideas in the various essay questions. Here are some examples of past Wharton MBA essay prompts: ‍

What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words)

This essay is pretty straightforward – How will Wharton benefit you?

How to Approach this Essay

Start by outlining specific short-term and long-term career goals, demonstrating a clear connection between these objectives and the Wharton MBA program. Highlight the program's unique features, emphasizing how these elements will contribute to your professional development. 

Showcase a keen understanding of the skills and knowledge gaps you aim to address through the Wharton MBA, stressing the program's experiential learning opportunities and collaborative community. Conclude by explaining the long-term impact you envision, both on your career trajectory and your ability to make meaningful contributions to your chosen industry. 

‍ Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

This prompt might take a bit more thought. What qualities, experiences, or skills can you use to contribute to the Wharton School?

This prompt might take a bit more thought. What qualities, experiences, or skills can you use to contribute to the Wharton School? ‍

Begin by reflecting on specific aspects of your background that have shaped your perspectives and values. Identify key themes or experiences that highlight your commitment to diversity, collaboration, and innovation. 

Be concrete in outlining your plans for active participation in cultural or affinity groups, as well as your contributions to student-led initiatives or clubs. Demonstrate an understanding of Wharton's community and how your skills and experiences will enhance it. 

Whether it's through leadership in projects, workshops, or events, emphasize the tangible and specific ways you plan to contribute to the dynamic and collaborative environment at Wharton. Conclude by expressing a genuine enthusiasm for being an integral part of the Wharton community and contributing to its continued success and growth.

Essay 3 - Required Essay for all Reapplicants:

Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

This essay is an excellent way for reapplicants to highlight any growth they have had since the previous application cycle.

When addressing changes and growth since a previous application, focus on key areas of improvement. Clearly outline any additional coursework you've pursued for skill enhancement and highlight the impact of changes in your professional role on your skills and perspectives. 

Mention relevant extracurricular or volunteer engagements to showcase personal and societal contributions. Use concrete examples to illustrate growth and conclude by expressing ongoing enthusiasm for the program, emphasizing how these developments strengthen your candidacy. 

Essay 4 - Optional Essay: ‍

Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

While this essay is optional, it can be a good space to clear up any issues that the admissions committee could have with your candidacy.

As you can see, these essays are meant to be relatively brief yet provide personal insights into who you are as a person. Using these prompts as examples, this article will outline the best ways to approach your Wharton MBA essays.

When addressing this essay prompt, use space to provide unique insights not covered elsewhere in your application. If there are gaps or inconsistencies, address them transparently, emphasizing the lessons learned or steps taken to overcome challenges. 

Use the opportunity to highlight distinctive strengths, experiences, or perspectives that contribute to your candidacy. Maintain a professional tone and focus on offering valuable information that enriches the admissions committee's understanding of your journey and qualifications.

Purpose of the Wharton MBA Essays

You can find the following statement on Wharton’s website regarding their MBA essays :

“The Admissions Committee is looking to understand more about you and your unique personality and how that can ultimately contribute to the Wharton community. We are a student-driven campus and need each and every MBA to bring something to the table.”

There are many essential pieces of information that you can glean from this statement about the purpose of the Wharton MBA essays. 

1. The Wharton MBA essays allow the admissions committee to see your personality.

The admissions committee has your resume and test scores, meaning that they already know the basics of your education and experience on a professional level. Essays are a way for them to dig a bit deeper and learn about who you are as a person, the events that have impacted you, and the values that you have gained through your experiences.

2. The Wharton MBA essays portray what you can contribute to the community and how well you can collaborate with others.

Business school is a great place to strengthen your skills and further your career on an individual level. However, what ideas or experiences can you bring to Wharton that will benefit your classmates or the program as a whole? The essays show the admissions committee how you will serve as an addition to the Wharton MBA program.

3. The Wharton MBA essays portray your leadership capabilities.

By stating that they are a “student-driven campus,” the admissions committee shows that they are looking for people that can carry out plans and lead their classmates toward goals that will benefit the program overall. This statement also indicates that the committee is looking for individuals who can find problems and work to solve them, creating change effectively.

By keeping these ideas in mind, you can then begin crafting your own essays.

Top Tips for Crafting the Wharton MBA Essays

Now that you understand the primary purpose of the essays and the possible themes, here are some tips to help you determine how to craft your Wharton MBA Essays.

Wharton’s website outlines these three tips for writing your MBA essays:

1. Write out everything first, then worry about word count.

‍ The essays are pretty short, and when it comes to your career aspirations or your background, you might have a lot more to say than just 400 or 500 words. The short word count can make the writing process intimidating, as you might be constantly checking the word count and hesitating to write anything out in detail.

When writing your first draft, ignore the word count; just get your ideas out there. Then, once you’ve finished, start looking for areas to cut out or shorten. By doing this, you can get through the writing process while also ensuring that you include everything you want to portray.

2. Connect the “Three Career Dots.”

Wharton’s website outlines these “three career dots” as follows:

“What have you done to date, what unique things do you already know, and what do you have still to learn? How can Wharton help you and how can you help the Wharton community? How does that all connect to your goals post-MBA?”

Basically, in the Wharton MBA Essays, your past, present, and future should connect. What are some unique skills and experiences that you have gained through your studies or career that you can bring to Wharton’s MBA program? What do you hope to gain from Wharton, and how does that relate to your future career goals? By answering these questions, you can begin to paint a holistic picture of your hopes and aspirations for the Wharton MBA program. ‍

3. Be yourself.

‍ Writing these essays is a process that will already be difficult enough, and being anything but authentic will only make it more challenging. Don’t write what you think an admissions committee wants to hear; be true to yourself and your goals in your essays, and it will pay off in the long run.

Here are some additional tips for crafting your essays: ‍

1. Do your research.

Why are you applying to Wharton? What makes this school a suitable program for you? Which classes are you hoping to take, or which faculty members are you excited to meet? By being specific about Wharton’s program, you will show an admissions committee that you have extensively researched the program, know what you are getting into, and understand how Wharton can help you achieve your goals. ‍

2. Make sure you are answering the prompt.

‍ This tip might seem like a no-brainer, but it is a common mistake that many applicants make. Maybe there was an impactful experience in your career that made you want to pursue an MBA, or you have a unique background that you want to express in your essay.

These are important details about who you are , but are those experiences applicable to the essay prompts' specifications?

Sometimes, the most exciting or unique stories aren’t the most relevant. Everything in your essay should serve a purpose, and if you cannot relate that purpose to the question Wharton is asking, then it might be time to cut some things out.

3. Less storytelling, more concrete points. ‍

This tip relates to the previous one. You have a minimal amount of space in these essays, so make sure that every word has a purpose. Don’t fill your essay with a long story about the moment you decided to pursue an MBA or a detailed history of your childhood. If these events are important, you can briefly mention them, but try to focus on your skills, goals, and why Wharton is right for you.

Wharton MBA Essay Examples and What Made It Successful

The following is an excerpt from a successful Wharton MBA Essay written for the 1st previously mentioned example prompt.

Essay 1: What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? 

Introduction:.

Innovation in healthcare has historically existed in two spheres: the sophisticated yet aspirational, and the simple yet practical. I’ve experienced both sides of the coin; from developing AI for cancer detection and intensive care while at [University] to now dissecting commercially-successful healthcare businesses at [Company]. The bridge between aspiration and result in healthcare is fraught with well-known obstacles to innovation.

In this introduction, the writer brings up their past and present career experiences and explains how those experiences have shaped their understanding of the healthcare field. They also introduce an existing problem, thus setting up the rest of the essay for how they hope to solve this problem.

Body Paragraph 1:

My overarching goal is to bridge this gap and develop next-generation AI to mitigate physician and nurse burnout. By building and commercializing tools that reliably automate routine elements of patient care, I wish to create a more resource-efficient and outcome-centric global healthcare system. I’ve cultivated the raw engineering and business skills at [University], [Company], and [Company], and the Wharton MBA will equip me with the venture toolkit, network, and relevant healthcare entrepreneurship skills to succeed.

Strengths:‍

Having established the existing problems that the writer has observed in the healthcare field, they now drive the essay forward with how they hope to solve those issues. They also outline the skills they’ve learned through their past experiences and explain how the Wharton MBA will further develop those skills.

Body Paragraph 2:

Central to the lasting success of my MBA experience would be the Wharton community. The prospect of developing lifelong relationships and collaborating with accomplished peers through the cluster model inspires and excites me. I also look forward to mentorship opportunities from professors like Christian Terweisch. I often used his concept of innovation tournaments to drive collaboration at client organizations as a management consultant.

Here, the writer explains in detail how Wharton will help them to achieve their goals. By mentioning the cluster model and the mentorship opportunities that Wharton offers, the writer shows the admissions committee that they have done their research. Also, by naming professor Christian Terweisch, the writer further establishes that they understand how the Wharton MBA program, in particular, will assist them in pursuing their aspirations.

Conclusion:

Wharton startups such as Burrow and Harry’s have revolutionized numerous industries, transformed value chains, and changed millions of lives worldwide. Standing at this critical juncture in my career, I am excited to follow in their footsteps, realize my true potential, and build an organization that improves healthcare around the world. For that, I see no better platform than a Wharton MBA.

In this conclusion paragraph, the writer gives examples of successful products of the Wharton MBA program and how those startups specifically benefited the world. This connects to the writer’s previously mentioned goal of creating change in the healthcare field. The writer shows that they understand how Wharton can help them take the necessary steps in building their career.

Overall, this essay incorporates all of the tips mentioned above. The writer briefly summarizes their past experiences, what they learned, and the issues they observed in the healthcare field. 

Then, the writer links the past to the present, detailing how their experiences have contributed to their current goals. They then discuss the future, outlining how specific aspects of Wharton’s MBA program will help them achieve their career aspirations. 

Each sentence has a purpose, and overall, the writer connects past, present, and future to concisely answer the prompt.

Essay 2: How do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?

As a Wharton MBA, I plan to seek opportunities that exploit my strengths contributing to team environments. First, I thrive in settings where I can leverage my broad knowledge base and strong analytical foundation to help solve problems across a number of functions. Similarly, my empathetic style of leadership has been effective in engaging a range of perspectives and voices towards a common goal. Both aspects position me uniquely to take on roles where I can bridge Wharton with the surrounding community.

In this introduction, the author talks about their strong skills and how they’ll use them to contribute to the community. The author mentions specific skills and sets up a scene of how effective their skills are. 

Dance education is an initiative I’m highly motivated to support, as dance has been an amazing therapeutic outlet for me. The countless hours I’ve spent bhangra dance moves have been both highly meditative and endlessly entertaining. Dance is also perhaps the most powerful unifier of people I’ve ever experienced. All personal differences seem to wash away when people can join around their common love of dance. While at Wharton, I plan to combine my appreciation for performance and excitement to engage with the community by working with Wharton Dance Studio, which brings Wharton students together in a broad variety of styles and and cultures, for events such as the Wharton Dance Studio & India Club’s joint Bollywood Fusion Diwali Dance Workshop. Whether teaching, organizing live events for the community, or even taking the stage as a dancer myself, I am excited about the range of ways I can spread the joy of movement through the Wharton Dance Club.

Another area of personal interest where I intend to contribute meaningfully to the Wharton community is golf. I played golf extensively growing up, but talents lie less on the fairway and more in the front-office. For years, I have maintained an avid interest in the advanced analytics of golf as a scouting / decision-making tool, even going so far as to create my own statistical models. As a widget industry professional, I’ve become well-versed in the emerging technology companies advancing the applications of data analytics to the golf handicap industry. 

In this body paragraph, the author uses personal anecdotes and connects it to how they have contributed to those interests. The author also explains how they plan on using those experiences and use them to contribute to the Wharton community. 

Working with the Wharton Golf Club, I am eager to help lead the Wharton team competing at the MBA Masters tourney at Duke University and the annual Spring Scramble, and I would love to organize teams of Wharton golfers to work with inner-city Philadelphia high school and collegiate kids, helping to promote the adoption of advanced golf statistical handicapping to elevate athletic performance at the amateur level.

The author does a great job using their working experience at the Wharton Golf Club and explaining their dedication to helping the golf team succeed. The author also uses a specific example of how they’d support the community with this specific experience. 

If you still have questions, check out these frequently asked questions. 

1. Should I answer the optional Wharton MBA essay prompt?

The optional essay prompt is a great way to address any discrepancies you might have in your application, including poor academic performance, gaps in your resume, or low test scores. Use this essay to clear up any lingering questions that an admissions committee might have regarding your candidacy.

2. I’m reapplying to the Wharton MBA program; Do I have to answer essay prompts 1 and 2? Or can I resubmit my previous essays?

Wharton requires reapplicants to answer both essay prompts 1 and 2 and a prompt specifically for reapplicants. The writing prompts may change from year to year, so your previous submissions may not be entirely relevant anymore. If the prompts haven’t changed, it is still a good idea to reevaluate the quality of your past essays.

3. Is it okay to submit essays that I used for other applications if the prompts are similar?

Generally, you should avoid submitting the same essay that you’ve used for another school. You can use pieces from other essays you’ve written, but you need to make sure that you tailor your Wharton MBA essays explicitly to the Wharton MBA program.

Different programs have varying missions and values, so using the same essays for every application will not benefit your application.

4. What should I talk about in my Wharton MBA essays?

Generally, the purpose of essays is to “make the invisible visible,” meaning that they are a place to show the admissions committee a side of you that they cannot see anywhere else in your application. Rather than listing experiences that the admissions committee can already find in your resume, try to focus on things you’ve learned or your future goals.

5. If I’m applying to a joint-degree program at Wharton, do I have to write additional essays?

Those applying to the Francis J. & William Polk Carey/JD MBA program “are strongly encouraged to answer the application essay questions in relation to the Carey JD/MBA Program as opposed to only the Wharton MBA Program.” Those applying to the Wharton/Lauder Institute Joint-Degree Program must answer one additional Lauder prompt.

6. Can I write about my undergraduate experiences in the Wharton MBA essays?

Your undergraduate years were likely full of learning opportunities and growth, which is why briefly mentioning them could be insightful in your essays. However, don’t make them the focus of your essay, especially if you have several years of work experience.

Use your undergraduate experiences to establish where you came from and how much you’ve grown, and then connect them to your present motivations and future goals.

The Wharton MBA essays offer the admissions committee a brief glimpse into your personality and motivations. The writing process may seem intimidating at first, but just make sure to stay true to yourself and don’t focus on word count in your first draft. Then, in the editing process, you can evaluate areas to cut and refine, focus on connecting the past, present, and future, and highlight why you chose Wharton in particular.

By following these tips and tricks, you can craft an essay that genuinely portrays who you are and why you would be a great fit at the Wharton School of Business.

About Inspira Futures

Schedule a free consultation, you may also like.

How to Get Into Kelley School of Business - Complete Guide

3 Diversity Essay Examples For Business School

Wharton Essay Questions and Strategic Guidance, 2024-2025

When you hear “Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania,” the first thought that pops into your head might be “Finance!”—and understandably so, given the Wharton MBA program has been a leading institution in the subject of finance since the school was founded in 1881. But what you may not realize is how much of a powerhouse UPenn Wharton is in other business domains. Its marketing and customer analytics courses are cutting edge, while aspiring entrepreneurs will find loads of resources in Wharton’s new Tangen Hall, the largest student entrepreneurship hub in the world.

UPenn Wharton asks candidates to submit two essays as part of its application. As you will see once you examine the essay prompts (as we do in detail below), Wharton really wants to know two things: What can Wharton do for you, and what can you do for Wharton? To compose an effective response, you will need a strong grasp of Wharton’s offerings as well as which of those offerings will be most valuable for you. Though you should demonstrate in these essays that you have done your homework on the program, remember that the admissions committee ultimately uses the essays to learn more about you.

Essay 1: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Wharton does us by favor sharing exactly what we would recommend for a career-oriented essay. In short, one of the easiest ways to approach this question is to present a brief overview of your relevant past experiences, share what you hope to do after business school, and then explain how Wharton will help get you from where you are now to where you want to go.

• Your past: Do you have a defining professional experience from your past that you can share, perhaps something that clarifies how you became interested in your target career or reveals what motivated you to apply to business school? You might even highlight a story or vignette that relates to one or more of Wharton’s key values.
• Your goals: Give the schools a sense of where hope to head after graduating from Wharton. Contrary to what you might hear from others, you do not need to be overly specific (though if you have clearly defined goals in mind, by all means, communicate them!). What is more important is that you have at least a general sense of where you are headed and that your plans make sense in the context of your past experiences.
• Why Wharton: You should dedicate approximately one-half of the allotted word count to the “Why Wharton?” element.  Before you begin working on your essays, do some in-depth research on the Wharton MBA experience and identify specific reasons the program appeals to you. For example, which classes are you excited to take? What will you major in? Which skills and experiences do you need to have to be able to achieve your career goals, and which offerings at Wharton will provide them? Which clubs will you join, and what role(s) will you play in them?  Remember, Wharton wants to know specifically what you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA (not just any MBA program in general). Give Wharton every confidence that you can clearly imagine yourself on campus and that you fully understand why it is the right MBA program to help you advance toward your professional goals.
• When researching Wharton, go beyond the school’s materials and website and also sign up for virtual classes and contact and speak with students and alumni. As you do your research, your goal is not to find the most unique or little-known classes or resources; instead, you want to identify several offerings that will enable you to close the gap between where you are now and where you want to go after business school.

Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

While the school’s first question is about how Wharton can help you, this second one is about how you can help Wharton.

• To start, let us share a potentially uncomfortable truth, but one you need to keep in mind with respect to this essay. All of the following contributions are incredibly valuable, but you should assume that many—even most—other Wharton applicants can offer them as well: analytical skills to help classmates who might struggle with some of the initial coursework (this scenario is actually extremely rare), a robust network, a willingness to help (other) international/LGBTQAI+/minority/etc. classmates get settled, and an interest in being an alumni mentor and/or interviewer. Does that mean that under no circumstances should you mention any of these? Of course not! But if you do, you absolutely must offer clear stories and reasons that substantiate why you are (or will be) especially adept at what you propose.
• Regardless of what you choose to highlight, your essay should not end up being just a laundry list, in part because you do not have enough space to enumerate a large number of ideas, but more importantly, because this is about quality , not quantity. In your mere 400 words, you want to highlight two or three examples (not referenced in Essay 1) of how you will participate in the community—the Wharton community, the Penn community, and/or the Philadelphia community more broadly. How can you make an impact? Have you identified a gap in the school’s offerings that you could help fill or a way of improving something that is already available (innovation!)? Can you offer something relatively unique based on your personal experiences and background? What would you do, and what role would you take?
• A key part of this essay question that applicants often overlook is the intro phrase: “Taking into consideration your background.” Wharton is asking not just about what you expect to do, but why . What is motivating you to participate in the activity you mention? How does it connect with your life experiences, good or bad? Of all the many things you could choose to be involved in at Wharton, what has prompted you to focus on this one?
• And to set the record straight, you do not have to avoid getting personal or worry about being “basic.” The main thing is to be authentic. For example, if you are an expert skier or a wine connoisseur, stating that you plan to join the ski club or wine club is perfectly acceptable, but you need to then go a step further and explain what you specifically can bring to the table.

To summarize, the key with this essay is not just telling the admissions committee how you anticipate being involved as a Wharton student but also why doing so is important to you and what impact you will have.

More about Wharton:

We have added this section because too often, we hear candidates dismiss Wharton because they assume Wharton is either too competitive or too focused on finance. While Wharton is full of driven, ambitious students, so is every top business school; collaboration on campus is still pervasive. Likewise, Wharton’s finance curriculum is top-notch, but so is its prowess in marketing, strategy, entrepreneurship and more. See below for more thoughts on what Wharton is really about and what it seeks in applicants. These notes can be helpful as you consider what to write about in your essays.

At Wharton, collaboration is crucial to success. From its team-based admissions interviews to the structure of its learning teams, Wharton demonstrates again and again that working with others to achieve a mutual goal is held in high regard. With respect to its essays, highlighting teamwork examples can therefore be useful, but note that a team involves people in many different roles, and various types of leadership are valued. Do not feel you must present an example of professional success or a team you “led” to be able to submit an effective essay; examples that demonstrate other types of leadership, or other roles on a team, can be equally or even more effective. (Note: If you are not familiar with the McNulty Leadership Program and what it offers, quickly reviewing it would be worth your time.)

Wharton has tried hard to break free of its former reputation as mostly a “finance school,” and one of the ways it has succeeded is by embracing innovation , through its courses, venture conferences and competitions, and student body. Demonstrating that you have an interest in being innovative, or in engineering change in any form, can help convince Wharton that you will be a good fit with its program.

Your analytical skills can be communicated through your GMAT/GRE scores and your undergrad coursework and GPA, but if your skills are lacking—and even if they are not—your essays (and/or your resume) can offer additional avenues through which to show the admissions committee your analytical prowess. Wharton wants to see quantitative proficiency, so make sure to show evidence of such. Note that we are using the word “show” here intentionally; you want to include examples that effectively “show” the admissions committee that you possess these skills, not just tell the schools that you have them.

In an effort to create future leaders with a global mindset , Wharton prides itself on the diverse makeup of its student body, with members hailing from around the globe. Describing the experiences you have had across different regions and cultures, and explaining what you learned/gained from those experiences, can reveal your ability strengthen the student body.

Topics in this resource:

MBA Essay Questions and Strategic Guidance

Previous Entry

Next Entry

• MBA Admissions Officer Interviews
• Part-Time MBA Admissions Officer Interviews
• Student Profiles
• Best GMAT Prep Courses 2024: Student
• Browse Reviews
• About the GMAT Focus Edition
• Top 10 MBA Admissions Consulting Firms of 2024
• About MBA Admissions Consulting
• Scholarships

How to Tackle the Wharton MBA Essays

• September 20, 2022

Wharton MBA Essay Questions

• How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)
• Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Wharton MBA Essay Tips

The Wharton essay prompts are direct and allow enough word count to paint a robust picture of who you are and why Wharton is right for you (and vice versa). As such, this application can be a good one to tackle early in the process. The Wharton deadlines are also early in each round (September 7 th is the Round 1 deadline), which lends additional credence to this approach.

While the Wharton essay questions read as fairly straightforward, don’t let them lead you down the path of writing bland essays.  Run of the mill essays do nothing to help you stand out from the sea of applications Wharton receives. To be precise, Wharton received 7,338 applications last year and only accepted 1,338 of those applicants. Additionally, despite the generous word count, you will absolutely need to be strategic about what you include – and don’t.

Essay 1 Should Be Grounded in Concrete Career Goals, a Solid ‘Why’, and a Thoughtful ‘How’

When it comes to the first essay, the critical thing to keep in mind is that all of your content should be ‘anchored’ by your short- and long-term career goals. If you haven’t given robust thought to these and done your due diligence to ensure they are sound, now is the time to do so. In short, your immediate post-MBA goal should be specific down to the title, function, and industry you will target – you may even include a few potential companies you would like to work for. Your long-term career goal can be higher level but should be ambitious and a reasonable follow on to your targeted post-MBA role.

Once you have shared your career goals, look to address the ‘past experience’ part of the essay prompt. What the Wharton adcom is looking for here is your ‘why’. Think about the formative experiences that led you to your post-MBA career goals. Perhaps in your work as a consultant you were staffed on a healthcare project that opened your eyes to how complex yet exciting the healthcare industry can be. This sparked your interest in shifting to a strategy role within a healthcare company where you can make a lasting impact on the industry and those it touches. Tell this story so the adcom can really feel your passion and the authenticity behind your goals.

After sharing the ‘why’ underlying your goals, shift focus to the ‘how’. While you likely bring a host of really impressive skills to the table, there are also inevitably gaps in your experience that you will need to close in order to achieve your ultimate career ambitions. Do an honest and detailed assessment of these gaps and then describe the unique elements of Wharton’s program that will help you to build them. If the examples you cite are offered by other business schools, they are not specific enough to make a compelling argument as to why Wharton will best position you for success. Getting this part right takes work and that is exactly why it matters.

Essay Two is All About Differentiating Yourself

When it comes to the second essay, take a cue from what Wharton professor extraordinaire Adam Grant’s concept of ‘givers and takers’ . Whereas the ‘why Wharton’ section of the first essay can cover what you will ‘take’ from the experience, this essay should focus on the ways in which you will be a ‘giver’ while at Wharton and even after graduation. A giver ‘…[looks] to help others by making an introduction, giving advice, providing mentoring, or sharing knowledge, without any strings attached.’

To be in a position to ‘give’, you need to have a unique knowledge base, personality trait, or past experience from which others will benefit. This is the crux of what you should share in this essay. It is, first and foremost, the place to share what distinguishes you from other applicants. Because the first essay is so career focused, we urge clients to write about something personal here, if possible.

To begin the essay, preview your ‘differentiator’ and why it will make you an asset to the Wharton community. This will likely entail telling a story from your past from which your ‘differentiator’ originated. Next, think to the future and share ~two concrete ways you will leverage your ‘differentiator’ to make an impact at Wharton. Perhaps you will bring a unique perspective to classroom discussions or leverage exemplary teambuilding skills to unite your cohort? The key is to communicate contributions that are specific, unique to you (i.e., every other applicant wouldn’t be equally as well positioned to make them) and demonstrate knowledge of Wharton.

For example, a past client discussed how she would use the determination that had helped her overcome personal challenges to motivate her peers in Wharton Women in Business. She went on to describe a specific area of programming she would bring to the club that tied in with some of the personal challenges she had conquered.  The essay was strategic, specific, and thoughtful (and it was successful in earning her an acceptance with full scholarship).

We hope these tips ideas are helpful as you work to differentiate yourself and demonstrate the amazing mark you would leave on the Wharton community. If you’d like assistance with your Wharton essays or your broader MBA application strategy with Vantage Point MBA, click here to schedule an initial consultation!

Guest post by:

Vantage Point MBA

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Youth Program
• Wharton Online

2024-2025 Application Guide

Below you will find full details on prerequisites, application fees, essay topics, gre/gmat test scores, references and other details you’ll need to satisfy the wharton mba admission requirements. however, the most detailed instructions are included in the application itself. remember, you must complete the online application to be considered for the mba program., mba application checklist & requirements, transcripts.

To apply for the Wharton MBA program, applicants must have completed an undergraduate program in an accredited U.S. college or its equivalent in another country. You must upload transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate academic programs that you attended. You may upload unofficial transcripts or self-report grades using our transcript template. If you are admitted, you will be required to provide official transcripts.

International Student Transcript Information

If academic records and diplomas are not issued in English by the institution, submit both the official record and an authorized English translation. All translations should be complete and literal renditions of the original record. Records should show the date of enrollment, courses taken, units of credit or time allotted to each subject during each term or year, your marks or ratings in each subject, and, if available, your rank in the total class or group.

The institutional grading scale (or other standards of evaluation, including minimum passing and failing marks and the definitions of grades between them) should appear on official records, or you should provide them as an attachment.

All applicants must submit results of either the Graduate Management Admission Test (older version or Focus Edition, both now referred to as GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). We accept scores from tests taken at a test center or at home/online. All at-home tests are monitored by a human proctor online. Scores may be self-reported; when self-reporting your score(s) in the application please list your highest score first. Should you receive an offer of admission, official scores will then be requested for verification.

Valid Testing Dates

Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)

The Analytical Writing Assessment section (AWA) is not currently required to apply to the Wharton MBA Program. For the application cycle 2024-2025, the AWA section will be optional.

• If you took the GMAT before November 7, 2023: The AWA section was included in your test and this section score will be reported.
• If you took the legacy GMAT between November 7, 2023, and February 1, 2024: The AWA section was included in your test and this section score will be reported.
• If you took the GMAT after February 1, 2024: The AWA section is not included in your test and no score is required.

If you would like to supplement your application with the AWA section, please refer to the GMAT for more details.

How to Submit Scores

Test codes for the Wharton MBA Program are:

• GMAT: G56-97-73

English Language Test

Results from the TOEFL iBT, PTE, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test are required if you did not attend an institution where English was the language of instruction. If you earned a degree from an institution where English was the language of instruction, the test may be waived.

• TOEFL: U se code D810-99
• PTE: Report your scores directly to The Wharton MBA Program
• DET: Select Wharton MBA Program as the institution to share your scores with

Applicants should upload a current, one-page resume that highlights your functional job skills, breadth and depth of experience, leadership and management skills, and your potential for growth. Your resume should be uploaded as a PDF document with the proper 3-letter extension, and should not include a password protection or macros which will cause the upload to fail. Your file size should not exceed 10 MB.

⭐ Tips from the Admissions Committee

One-Page Format: We expect your resume to be one single page. A one-page resume is easier to read, allows you to narrow down and highlight your most important qualifications, and demonstrates your critical-thinking skills. If you’re struggling to edit your resume enough to fit into a single page, try reducing the page margins, inserting bullet points, or eliminating any objective or summary statements.

Bullet Points: The bullet points for each role should not read like a basic job description. We are looking at your resume to identify growth, progression of responsibilities, accomplishments, and proof of analytical skills, communication skills, teamwork, collaboration, leadership, and impact. Quantify the outcomes or impacts of key projects with metrics: team size, increased revenue, costs saved, valuations, project timelines and budgets, returns on investments, deals closed, etc.

Work Experience: There is no minimum required or maximum allowed years of work experience. When listing the employers you’ve worked for, don’t assume that we know every single company and what they do. If your employer is not a household name, please provide a brief 1-2 sentence company description.

There are two essays that are required for all applicants. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid, succinct, and most importantly… be yourself!

Required Essays

Essay 1 : How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Essay 2 : Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Reapplicant Essay (required for all reapplicants)

Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

Optional Essay

Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (500 words)

Essay 1: We recommend approaching this essay by addressing these three points:  (1) The Setup: This is who I am, what I’m doing, and what I’ve learned. (2) The Pivotal Moment: I realized I don’t know enough about X and need to gain skills in X to succeed. (3) The Future: These are my short-term and long-term goals, and why I need an MBA from Wharton to achieve them.

Essay 2: This essay provides you with a space to share how you can add value to our student-led community. When approaching this essay, it’s helpful to mention some of the extracurricular and/or co-curricular involvements you hope to participate in at Wharton and how your previous experiences might allow you to positively influence those spaces.

Optional Essay: You can format this as a paragraph or in bullet points. This essay is a good place to address information that you believe warrants any additional context. Acknowledging any part of your application that you might feel is “weaker” will not disadvantage you in any way.

Two Letters of Recommendation

We require two letters of recommendations from individuals who are well acquainted with your performance in a work setting, preferably from a current or former supervisor. After you have selected and contacted your two recommenders, please complete the form on the Recommendations page which will trigger an email inviting them to submit their recommendations through the application system. If you or a recommender have questions, please reach out to  [email protected] .

What does my Recommender See?

List 1: Choose up to two traits from this list that you feel best represent the candidate you are recommending to the Wharton MBA Program. (Determined, Humble, Disciplined, Engaged, Intellectually Curious, Analytical, Flexible, Persistent, Conscientious, Results Oriented)

List 2: Choose up to two traits from this list that you feel best represent the candidate you are recommending to the Wharton MBA Program. (Collaborative, Persuasive, Innovative, Confident, Self-Aware, Professional, Resilient, Energetic, Emotionally Stable, Agreeable)

Question 1: Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will find success in the Wharton MBA classroom. (300 words)

Question 2: Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will find success throughout their career. (300 words)

How to Select a New Recommender

If you need to select a new recommender, you may delete them and assign another person.

Please note: Your new recommender will not appear on the recommendation page of your application, however we will see the new listing when you submit your application.

Choosing your recommenders: The title or position of the recommender is not as important as their ability to comment knowledgeably and specifically about you. A detailed recommendation from a current or former supervisor, colleague, or client will provide us more insight than someone with a prestigious title like CEO.

Preparing your recommenders: Provide your recommender with a copy of your resume, your essay answers, and a list of projects and responsibilities you’d like them to highlight. Provide reminders to your recommenders to make sure they submit by the application deadline, but you can still submit your application even if your recommendations are not completed yet.

Non-traditional recommenders:   If you’re an entrepreneur or working for a family business, consider asking your professional mentors, clients, or business partners to write your recommendations.

Application Fee

The application fee for Wharton’s MBA program is $275 and non-refundable. It can be paid by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express), with your application.

Fee Waivers

Fee waivers are available for:

• U.S. military active duty or veteran applicants: Follow the instructions in the application when asked about your military service.
• Applicants whom the application fee would create an extreme financial hardship:  Once you have started your application, please e-mail  [email protected]  with information detailing their financial need. We will then follow up for supporting documentation. Requests must be submitted no later than 15 days prior to application submission, and no requests will be granted after the application deadline for the round in which you applied.

Our Process

As you begin to think about why you want an MBA, why now, and why Wharton, we want to provide you with a better understanding of our application process and what we’re looking for in your application.

Two independent reads: Every application to the full-time MBA Program is read by two people with no knowledge of what the other reader’s feedback is. This allows for us to reduce bias and noise and give everyone a fair and equal shot at being admitted.

What are we looking for? When reviewing your application we are asking ourselves 3 questions. What will you be able to achieve and contribute to the Wharton classroom, within the Wharton community, and throughout your post-MBA career?

Each component of your application provides some insight into all three of these questions. As a committee, we use the information you share to forecast your future success in Wharton’s highly collaborative and analytically focused environment where communication and teamwork are key.

Application Requirements for Joint Degrees and Interdisciplinary Programs

Carey jd/mba, lauder mba/ma, interdisciplinary programs.

Francis J. & William Polk Carey JD/MBA Program is a joint-degree program and therefore shares admissions requirements with the Wharton MBA Program. In addition to the elements of the full-time MBA application, the Carey JD/MBA application includes a Law School section that requests additional information specific to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School JD program.

Note: You may not apply to the Carey JD/MBA Program and simultaneously apply individually to the Wharton MBA Program and/or the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School JD Program in the same application cycle. Once you have submitted an application for the Carey JD/MBA Program, you cannot switch to the other degree programs or vice versa.

For additional questions about the Carey JD/MBA Program, please contact [email protected]  or visit the Carey JD/MBA Program website .

Application Eligibility Requirements

All applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree to be eligible to enroll in the Juris Doctor (JD) program. Applicants who are admitted to the Carey JD/MBA Program are admitted for the fall semester on a full-time basis only. All applicants must take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is not required. If an applicant takes the LSAT, they must also take the GRE or the GMAT. Regardless of test format, all applicants must register with the LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and all test scores must be reported. (See Standardized Tests and LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) information below.)

Regular Decision

If you submit and complete an application for Round 1 or Round 2, you will receive a decision according to the Wharton MBA Admissions decision release timeline. Regular Decision applicants who are taking the LSAT should take the LSAT no later than September of the application year for Round 1 and November of the application year for Round 2.

Early Decision (Binding)

The Carey JD/MBA Program’s Early Decision option is designed for applicants who have thoroughly researched their law school options and determined that the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School is their first choice. Our Early Decision program is binding. Applicants who wish to be considered for early decision must commit to matriculate in the Carey JD/MBA Program if admitted. If admitted, you must withdraw your applications from all other law schools and refrain from initiating new applications. You may not submit an early decision application to more than one law school.

Note: Applications must be submitted through Wharton no later than September 6, 2023, for Early Decision Round 1 and no later than January 4, 2024, for Early Decision Round 2. Early Decision applicants who are taking the LSAT should take the LSAT no later than September of the application year for Round 1 consideration and no later than November of the application year for Round 2 consideration.

How to Apply

As an applicant to the Carey JD/MBA Program, you are required to submit your application through Wharton Round 1 or Round 2. Please do not fill out nor submit the Fall 2025 – First Year JD application through the LSAC Electronic Application service. Once you have submitted your application through Wharton, the MBA application process is conducted independently by each school but the evaluation and decision-making are conducted jointly. The Law School will begin processing Carey JD/MBA applications in early October.

You are strongly encouraged to answer the application essay questions in relation to the Carey JD/MBA Program as opposed to only the Wharton MBA Program.

Standardized Tests and LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS)

All applicants to the Carey JD/MBA Program must take the GRE or the GMAT. We will accept at-home GRE, GMAT, and LSAT scores. The LSAT is not required. If an applicant takes the LSAT, they must also take the GRE or the GMAT. We will accept LSAT results from any exam taken from June 2018 or thereafter for the class entering fall 2024. GRE or GMAT test dates must align with the Wharton MBA test date requirements for the appropriate application round. If you take a test more than once or take more than one testing format, all scores will be considered and must be reported in the application form. All test scores should be submitted in the JD/MBA application as directed. In addition, you must request GRE and/or GMAT official score reports from ETS and/or GMAC to be sent directly to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s school code is 4122 for GRE score reporting and G56-RV-81 for GMAT score reporting. The Law School will not accept test-taker score reports directly from the applicant nor can we accept score reports transferred from Wharton.

Regardless of the testing format you choose to use, each applicant must also register with the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and arrange to have all transcripts sent to LSAC from each college or university attended. When the Law School receives your application from Wharton, the Law School will request your CAS report, and LSAC will send it directly to the Law School. Please note that your CAS report will not be released by LSAC until all required transcripts have been received and processed by LSAC. In addition, if you have not or will not take the LSAT, please select the GRE/GMAT only checkbox in the LSAT section of the Test Information section.

The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School requires that any international transcripts be submitted through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service for applicants who completed any post-secondary work outside the US (including its territories) or Canada. You must use this service for the evaluation of your international transcripts. The one exception to this requirement is if you completed the international work through a study-abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a US or Canadian institution, and the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript. This service is included in the Credential Assembly Service registration fee.

Recommendation Forms and Letters

You must submit two recommendation letters through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service. If you have obtained two letters of recommendation to be used for the Carey JD/MBA application, these letters can satisfy the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School requirement but you must have your recommenders submit duplicate copies of these two letters to LSAC. Your CAS report will not be released to us until two letters of recommendation are on file with LSAC and assigned to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. This service is included with your Credential Assembly Service registration. You and your recommender must use the letter of recommendation form available online through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service for each letter submitted to LSAC.  Please do not send letters directly to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.

Carey JD/MBA Interview

Carey JD/MBA interviews are granted by invitation only. If you are invited to interview, you are required to complete the Wharton Team Based Discussion as well as a Carey JD/MBA interview.

Application Status/Questions

The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School Admissions Office is committed to serving our applicants as efficiently and effectively as we can during the MBA application process. Please be advised that it may take approximately two weeks from the date that we receive the Carey JD/MBA application from Wharton to process and complete the applicant file. We will notify you of the date upon which we receive your application from Wharton and inform you of any missing documents upon receipt of your Credential Assembly Service report. We will also notify you of the date upon which your application is complete.

You can check the status of your application at any time using Application Status, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s online status checker. To access the online status checker, please visit https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/jd/ .

For additional Law School application instructions, please visit  https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/jd/how-to-apply.php .

Tuition and Financial Aid

For detailed information on Law School tuition and financial aid, please visit https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/financing/ .

The Lauder MBA/MA Joint Degree in International Studies Program offers a joint-degree MA in International Studies in tandem with the Wharton MBA or JD programs at Penn. The Lauder Institute shares MBA program requirements with the Wharton MBA program, and the application is reviewed in its entirety by both the Lauder and Wharton Admissions committees. Accepted Lauder MBA/MA students are admitted jointly into both programs, not independently into each. Lauder applications are accepted in all 3 application rounds.

In addition to the Wharton MBA application, Lauder requires that you complete a language assessment called the Oral Proficiency Interview(s), Lauder essays, and answers to supplemental questions regarding international/cross-cultural experience. You will be prompted to submit these items in the online application.

For any questions you have about the Lauder/MBA application process, please contact the Lauder Admissions office at [email protected]

Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

An Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) is required of all Lauder applicants and must be scheduled and completed with Language Testing International (LTI). To schedule an OPI, complete and submit LTI’s online application . When scheduling your OPI(s), please be sure to register as a Lauder applicant with LTI. There is no need to forward your scores to the Admissions Committee—Lauder OPI scores are available for the Admissions Committee to review through LTI’s online portal.

The OPI may be completed any time after July 1, 2024 to count for the current admissions cycle.  OPI ratings are valid for a single application cycle, and reapplicants to the Lauder program will need to retake the OPI(s). If you have any questions about scheduling the OPI please contact LTI by phone at +1-914-963-7110 (extension 115 or 127) or by email at [email protected] . Please consult with the Lauder admissions office if you have questions regarding the language requirements for Lauder.

For applicants to one of Lauder’s five Programs of Concentration : An OPI in the proposed language of study is required. The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines for the OPI range from Novice to Distinguished, and an Advanced rating is the expected level for admission to Lauder.

Educated native speakers of Romance languages* [such as French, Italian, Spanish] will be considered for the Latin America/Portuguese program without prior knowledge of Portuguese. These applicants should test in their native language and are required to submit a Superior-level OPI rating for that language. In addition, educated native speaker applicants who speak some Portuguese should take an OPI in Portuguese even if the expected rating is at or below Advanced.

Educated native speakers in Romance languages* [such as French, Portuguese, Spanish] will be considered for the Europe/Italian program without prior knowledge of Italian. These applicants should test in their native language and are required to submit a Superior-level OPI rating for that language. In addition, educated native speaker applicants who speak some Italian should take an OPI in Italian even if the expected rating is at or below Advanced.

* a person who speaks that particular language as a first language AND whose formal education was delivered in that language through high school.

For applicants to Lauder’s Global program: One OPI in a language other than English is required of all applicants to the Global program. Applicants to the Global Program must test at the Superior level. Applicants may test in their native language provided it is not English.

For applicants to Lauder’s General Track Africa Program  of Concentration:  Candidates applying to the General track Africa Program must demonstrate Superior-level proficiency on the OPI in any language other than English. Applicants may test in their native language provided it is not English.

Lauder Essays

Essay 1: Discuss why you are applying to the Lauder Institute, detailing specific reasons, experiences, and background for choosing your Program of Concentration, as well as your interest in further study in that Program. Applicants to Programs of Concentration involving language study (Africa-French; East and Southeast Asia; Europe; Latin America; South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa) should also discuss what they hope to gain from advanced language and cultural education, as well as describe how they have learned the language they will study (e.g. undergraduate courses, undergraduate major, etc.).   Finally, please describe how you see yourself benefiting from, and contributing to, the Lauder community.   (800 words)

Essay 2: Describe a challenging intercultural or politically sensitive situation where you had to navigate a difference in perspective or opinion. Explain how you handled it and any lessons learned. (200 words)

Lauder Interview

Lauder interviews are granted by invitation-only, based upon a full review of your submitted application. Typically, the Lauder interview is conducted remotely or on-campus with a current Lauder student. If you are invited to interview, you are required to complete the Wharton team-based discussion as well as a Lauder interview.

The Lauder Institute is committed to supporting candidates who are admitted to the Lauder Institute. In fact, nearly all of our students receive some kind of financial support for the graduate degree in International Studies. Please visit our website for more information on Lauder fellowships, tuition and financial aid .

Lauder applicants may also apply for the University of Pennsylvania’s Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships program .

Interdisciplinary study is central to our curriculum, with a wide array of dual and joint-degree options. In general, a dual-degree requires one  less year than it would take to pursue the two degrees separately. Joint degrees are fully integrated with the Wharton MBA curriculum and use a shared application. We offer two joint-degree programs: The Lauder MBA/MA in International Studies and the Carey JD/MBA .

Two programs combine the Wharton MBA with graduate study at other institutions; others combine a Wharton MBA with University of Pennsylvania biotechnology, design, engineering, law, medicine, nursing, and social work masters degrees.

Applying for Interdisciplinary Programs

You must apply to both Wharton and the second school or program. This means that the appropriate standardized test scores (e.g., LSAT, GRE, or MCAT), a completed application form, your transcript(s), and your letters of recommendation must also be sent to the partner school.

Admission decisions are made independently by each school, and you may pursue a dual-degree program only if admitted to both schools. Unless otherwise indicated, you may apply to both programs simultaneously. However, if you are admitted to both programs and do not want to begin at Wharton, you will need to request a deferral and will be subject to our deferral policy.

If you are already enrolled in a program, you may apply to Wharton in the fall semester following commencement of study in the co-sponsoring school. If you are applying to a three-year program, you may apply in the fall of your second year. If you are enrolled in the MD, DMD, or VMD program, you may apply to Wharton to start during any August up to and including the August following the third year of enrollment in the medical program.

To satisfy the MBA program requirements of the dual-degree program, you must take at least 15 courses at Wharton. Courses taken at Wharton prior to admission and matriculation into the Wharton MBA program may not be applied toward the degree requirements of the MBA.

Applicants to the three-year Carey JD/MBA Program must apply via a shared application. Given the unique nature of the program, applicants may not, after receiving an offer of admission, decide to enroll in one school and not the other (i.e., an applicant may not choose to only attend Wharton and not Penn Law, or vice versa, after a joint decision has been rendered). Applicants are encouraged to apply prior to matriculation in the Law School. However, since the first year of the three-year JD/MBA program takes place at Penn Law, Penn Law students have the option of applying during their 1L year, during Round 1 or Round 2 of the Wharton MBA admissions timeline.

Also, the joint-degree Lauder Program application is reviewed in its entirety by both the Lauder and Wharton Admissions Committees, and you must apply via a shared application. Accepted MBA/MA students are admitted jointly into both programs, not independently into each.

We are proud to be recognized by Poets & Quants as one of the top MBA admissions consulting firms in 2023 and 2024!

• Let’s Talk!

Wharton MBA Essay Tips

W harton has unveiled their essay questions for the 2021-22 MBA application season. As a Wharton alum, I wanted to share my tips on creating an essay set that will impress your readers on the Wharton Admissions Committee.

Wharton MBA Essay 1

The prompt for Wharton Essay 1 has appeared on the school’s application in one form or another for several years now. Firstly, you should communicate a clear narrative arc in this essay. The arc begins with the path you have taken in your career so far, but your goal should be to devote the majority of your essay to a discussion of where you imagine yourself going and how Wharton will propel you there.

Wharton wants to understand your overarching career goals – the “big picture” of where you want to go in your career in the long term. At the same time, they want to get a sense of where you imagine yourself immediately post-MBA. Whereas you can and should dream big on your long-term goals, your post-MBA career plans must appear realistic and achievable. Moreover, you are going to be in a stronger position in an admissions officer’s eyes if the field you want to enter is one in which Wharton has historically excelled in placing students (e.g., finance) or is growing its footprint (e.g., tech, entrepreneurship).

Secondly, your essay needs to demonstrate how the Wharton MBA will prepare you for the next step in your career with some specificity. This essay is the place to show off your knowledge of Wharton’s unique resources and culture. Your essay is going to stand out from the pack if you have visited campus, spoken to current students and/or alumni, and researched course offerings and extracurricular activities in depth. The more you show a clear connection between your aspirations and what Wharton specifically offers, the more successful this essay will be.

Finally, the AdCom expects you to be both “candid and succinct” in your essay. A 500-word essay is only about one page single-spaced; use this space wisely to provide the reader with as much specificity and supporting detail as possible. Weave a narrative but don’t waste words fluffing up your story or trying to flatter.

Wharton MBA Essay 2

Wharton’s Essay 2 question — first introduced in 2020 — offers you the opportunity to showcase distinctive aspects of your background that will enrich the Wharton community. Here, the AdCom asks you to connect your past with your future in Philadelphia. My advice as you set out to draft Wharton Essay 2: Ground the essay in your personal and professional experience while showing admissions officers that the Wharton community presents perfect outlets for your talents, knowledge, and interests.

What I like about Wharton’s essay question is that you are granted the freedom to take your response in any direction you choose. As the AdCom suggests, be yourself. You may find it helpful to cite two or three specific examples from your personal, professional, or undergraduate experience to ground your essay in something easy for the reader to visualize.

How will what you’ve experienced make you a more valuable community member? A persuasive essay will describe specific and concrete contribution areas. Do not leave it to the AdCom to connect the dots from your past to your future. Prove to them that you have done your homework on Wharton and show them how you plan to operate on campus.

For example, an essay that focuses on self-discovery and leadership gained while facilitating difficult group conversations might increase your value during a Wharton Leadership Venture or in the P3 Program. Alternatively, an experience that taught you about intercultural communication in a non-profit setting is a natural place to discuss how you can play a leading role in Wharton’s Global Impact Consultants initiative.

Where can you start your Wharton research? Try the Wharton Office of Student Life’s website. There you’ll find many outlets for your energy and talents amongst a multitude of clubs and conferences. Complement your online research by speaking with student leaders — many clubs’ websites include contact information for club officers, and Wharton students are usually generous with their time for prospective students. An A+ essay clarifies for the AdCom both how and where you see yourself contributing to the Wharton and Philadelphia communities.

Avoid topics where any experiences or accomplishments you cite benefited you more than others. This essay is not the place to talk about graduating at the top of your class or training for a marathon, no matter how real and hard the obstacles were. AdCom’s usage of the word “meaningful” speaks to its desire to see that you have done great work in the service of others and that you plan to add significant value to the Wharton community. Unsuccessful essays that I have seen focus on topics like dining out, meeting diverse classmates or playing on an intramural sports team. While these examples may be of intrinsic importance to the candidate, they don’t show how, in Wharton Professor Adam Grant’s terminology, you will act as a giver to — and not just a taker from — the Wharton community.

Lastly, watch out for a credibility gap between your experience and your aspirations as a Wharton student. If you’ve never taken a finance course, don’t write about leading a finance tutoring group. If your resume is light on community service, don’t pitch the idea of founding a non-profit initiative. If you do, you’ll only raise questions about your self-awareness and ability to set realistic goals.

In both essays, specificity is critical. The Wharton AdCom is using these essays to find candidates who will add to their diverse student body of socially aware individuals who are excited about contributing to small teams and the broader community.

Demonstrate that you are an influencer with a coherent career narrative and developed a sense of self through your essays. Picture yourself making a tangible difference at Wharton, and with some luck, the admissions committee member reading your application will picture you in a future Wharton class!

Talk to an Admissions Expert

Do you know how to make your MBA application essays stand out ? Talk with one of our MBA admissions experts today!

Let’s Talk!

↑ To the Top

Related Articles

• Stanford GSB – What Matters Most and Why?
• Stanford GSB – Why Stanford?
• Harvard Business School
• Chicago Booth
• Consulting Terms & Conditions

© 2024 Prep School Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

How to Nail the "Why Wharton" MBA Essay

Learn how to craft a compelling 'Why Wharton' MBA essay that sets you apart from the competition. Elevate your application to stand out.

Posted January 31, 2024

Featuring Matt P.

Planning Your MBA Application

Starting friday, september 6.

12:00 AM UTC · 45 minutes

Table of Contents

The "Why Wharton" MBA essay is an essential part of your application to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. In this essay, you have the opportunity to explain why you are specifically interested in Wharton and how the MBA program aligns with your career goals and aspirations. To help you stand out from other applicants and demonstrate your fit with the school, it is crucial to approach this essay strategically and thoughtfully.

Understanding the "Why Wharton" Essay

Before diving into the specifics of crafting a compelling essay, it is essential to understand why the "Why Wharton" essay holds such significance. This essay is an opportunity for the admissions committee to assess your motivation, fit, and potential contribution to the Wharton community. It enables them to understand your unique perspective and evaluate whether you will thrive in their program.

The admissions committee receives numerous applications, and the "Why Wharton" essay allows you to differentiate yourself and make a memorable impression. It is crucial to show genuine interest in the school and convey how your values and goals align with Wharton's mission.

The Importance of the "Why Wharton" Essay

The "Why Wharton" essay plays a pivotal role in the application process. It allows you to showcase your research, knowledge, and understanding of the school - highlighting why you believe Wharton is the ideal place to pursue your MBA.

When writing your essay, it is important to go beyond surface-level information about Wharton. Delve into the specific programs, courses, and resources that Wharton offers that align with your career aspirations. For example, you could discuss how Wharton's emphasis on experiential learning through the Global Modular Courses will provide you with the hands-on experience you need to excel in your chosen field.

Furthermore, you can explore the various student clubs and organizations at Wharton that align with your interests and goals. Whether you are passionate about entrepreneurship, social impact, or finance, Wharton offers a wide range of extracurricular activities that can enhance your learning experience and provide networking opportunities.

By writing a strong "Why Wharton" essay, you demonstrate your dedication and seriousness about joining the Wharton community. It shows your ability to think critically and explains how attending Wharton will help you achieve your professional goals.

What Wharton is Looking For

Wharton is seeking candidates who are not only academically accomplished but also possess qualities that align with their values. In your "Why Wharton" essay, you should emphasize your unique mix of skills, experiences, and interests that make you a valuable addition to the Wharton cohort.

Wharton values applicants who are intellectually curious, emotionally intelligent, and collaborative. They appreciate individuals who have demonstrated leadership potential and have a passion for making a positive impact on society. Therefore, your essay should reflect these qualities and emphasize how Wharton's program will enhance and nurture them.

For example, you could discuss a time when you took the lead in a team project and successfully motivated your teammates to achieve a common goal. Highlighting your ability to collaborate and inspire others will demonstrate your potential as a future leader in the Wharton community.

Additionally, Wharton values candidates who have a global mindset and are open to diverse perspectives. You can showcase your international experiences or discuss how Wharton's global immersion programs will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of different cultures and business practices.

Ultimately, the "Why Wharton" essay is your opportunity to showcase your fit with the school and convince the admissions committee that you are the right candidate for their program. By highlighting your unique qualities, experiences, and aspirations, you can make a compelling case for why Wharton is the perfect place for you to pursue your MBA.

How to Prepare Your MBA Essay Writing

Before you start writing your "Why Wharton" essay, it is essential to take the time for self-reflection and goal setting. Begin by asking yourself why you want to pursue an MBA and how it aligns with your career aspirations. Consider your strengths, values, and long-term goals - how can Wharton help you leverage these?

Equally important is conducting thorough research on Wharton's MBA program. Familiarize yourself with the school's curriculum, faculty, clubs, and other offerings. Look for specific aspects of the program that resonate with your goals and interests.

Self-Reflection and Goal Setting

Self-reflection is a crucial step in the application process. It helps you identify your motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. Take some time to reflect on your professional journey, achievements, and the skills you want to acquire during your MBA.

Consider your short-term and long-term goals and how an MBA from Wharton will contribute to achieving them. Reflecting on your past experiences and future ambitions will enable you to articulate a compelling argument in your essay.

Research the Wharton's MBA Program

Wharton is renowned for its rigorous curriculum and world-class faculty. As you research the school, look for specific courses, clubs, or centers that align with your career goals or personal interests.

By highlighting these areas of alignment, you demonstrate a genuine interest in Wharton and its offerings. The more specific you can be about how you will leverage these resources, the more persuasive your essay will become.

Free trial!

From 135 top coaches

Access a library of videos, templates, and examples curated by Leland’s top coaches.

Example essays.

Example Resumes

Application Prep

Video Courses

4 Ways to Craft Your "Why Wharton" Essay

Once you have completed your self-reflection and research, it's time to start crafting your "Why Wharton" essay. Here are crucial elements you should include:

Understand the Essay Prompts

Before you dive into writing, thoroughly understand the essay prompts provided by the business schools you're applying to. Break down each prompt, identifying key elements and requirements. This foundational step ensures that your essay addresses the specific aspects sought by the admissions committee.

Create a Structured Outline

Organize your thoughts by creating a well-structured outline for your essay. Divide it into clear sections, such as introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each section should contribute to a cohesive narrative that effectively communicates your story and goals. A well-organized essay is easier for the reader to follow and understand.

Focus on the Content

Begin your essay with a captivating introduction that grabs the reader's attention. Clearly state why you are interested in Wharton and briefly outline the main points you will cover in your essay.

In the body paragraphs, delve deeper into your reasons for choosing Wharton. Personalize your essay by sharing your relevant experiences, skills, and interests. Be specific about the resources, courses, and clubs at Wharton that will help you achieve your goals.

Remember to organize your thoughts logically and transition smoothly between paragraphs. Use relevant examples and anecdotes to add depth and authenticity to your essay.

Highlight Your Unique Perspective

Wharton values diversity and appreciates different perspectives. Use your essay to showcase your unique experiences and cultural background. Emphasize how your perspectives and experiences will enrich the Wharton community.

Consider discussing any challenging situations you have faced and explain how these experiences have shaped your character and prepared you for the rigors of an MBA program. By highlighting your resilience and adaptability, you demonstrate your potential for success at Wharton.

Remember to Polish Your Essay

After completing your initial draft, it's essential to refine and polish your essay to ensure a compelling narrative that captivates the reader. Here are some important steps:

Review and Revise

Set aside time to review your essay critically. Check for clarity, conciseness, and coherence. Ensure that your essay flows smoothly and that each paragraph contributes to the overall message.

Read your essay aloud or share it with a trusted friend or mentor for feedback. Revise as necessary to eliminate any unclear or redundant content.

Seek Feedback

Another valuable step in polishing your essay is seeking feedback from others. Reach out to professors, colleagues, or friends who can provide valuable insights and suggestions. Consider incorporating their feedback to improve the quality of your essay.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While preparing your "Why Wharton" essay, be mindful of these common mistakes that you should avoid:

Being Too Generic

Avoid writing a generic essay that could apply to any business school. Your essay needs to demonstrate a deep understanding of Wharton's program and highlight the unique aspects that attract you to the school.

Instead of mentioning generic reasons like "world-class faculty" or "diverse student body," provide specific examples of how these factors align with your personal and professional aspirations.

Overemphasizing the School's Reputation

While it is important to acknowledge Wharton's prestigious reputation, avoid solely focusing on this aspect. Admissions committees are interested in understanding how you will contribute to the Wharton community and how the program will benefit you personally.

Balance your appreciation for Wharton's reputation with a genuine enthusiasm for the specific resources, courses, and opportunities that make the school an ideal choice for your MBA journey.

In conclusion, the "Why Wharton" MBA essay is a critical component of your application. By understanding the significance of this essay and following the strategies outlined above, you can craft a compelling essay that showcases your fit with Wharton's program, values, and aspirations. Remember to invest ample time in self-reflection, research, and revision to ensure that your essay stands out and impresses the admissions committee. Good luck!

Browse hundreds of expert coaches

Leland coaches have helped thousands of people achieve their goals. A dedicated mentor can make all the difference.

Browse Related Articles

July 4, 2024

How to Write a Powerful MBA Essay—With Examples

The MBA essay is critical to your business school application. Read our guide to writing the perfect MBA essay, with successful admit examples.

January 31, 2024

Wharton MBA Tuition & Fees Breakdown

Discover the ins and outs of Wharton MBA tuition and fees in this comprehensive breakdown.

August 6, 2024

5 Expert Tips for the "Why Stanford?" MBA Application Essay

Discover 5 expert tips to help you craft a compelling "Why Stanford?" MBA application essay that sets you apart from the competition.

January 28, 2024

How to Nail Your Stanford GSB Short Answer Questions

Learn how to stand out with your Stanford GSB short answer questions.

January 10, 2024

Wharton MBA Letters of Recommendation Guide - Questions, Tips, & Examples

Learn how to navigate the Wharton MBA letters of recommendation process with our comprehensive guide.

January 9, 2024

Wharton MBA Acceptance Rates

Discover the latest Wharton MBA acceptance rates and gain valuable insights into the competitive admissions process at one of the world's top business schools.

February 1, 2024

The Wharton School – MBA Waitlist Strategy

Learn effective strategies for navigating the MBA waitlist at The Wharton School.

February 2, 2024

Wharton MBA Curriculum Overview - Concentrations, Core, and Electives

Discover the dynamic and comprehensive Wharton MBA curriculum, exploring the diverse range of concentrations, core courses, and elective options.

The Wharton School – EMBA (Executive MBA) Program Overview

Discover what sets The Wharton School's EMBA program apart from the rest.

The Best Wharton MBA Online Courses & Certificates

Discover the top Wharton MBA online courses and certificates that will elevate your business acumen and propel your career to new heights.

Wharton MBA Class Profile – Key Insights & Takeaways

Discover the essential insights and takeaways from the Wharton MBA class profile in this comprehensive article.

Wharton MBA Employment Report – Key Insights & Takeaways

Discover the key insights and takeaways from the latest Wharton MBA Employment Report in this comprehensive article.

We can improve your MBA profile and boost your candidacy. Gain insight into the review process and eliminate weaknesses from your MBA application.

Note: You must have javascript enabled to submit the form.

Tuesday Tips: Wharton MBA Essay Tips 2024-2025

The Wharton School seeks to understand who you are and what motivates you in this set of essays. The SBC consultant team includes former Admissions Officers from the Wharton School, who shared that the program looks for solid applicants across all dimensions, with an emphasis on strong GMAT performance and professional experience.

SBC consultant Anthony, a former Wharton MBA Admissions Officer, notes that Wharton is looking for an “exceptional career trajectory and demonstrated leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills.” Above all, Wharton seeks a class that will work well with each other and wants to admit passionate learners. SBC’s Wharton MBA essay tips will help you prepare your best possible application package.

You can get to know the Wharton community through networking and reading. Wharton has a specific culture, and learning more about it will pay off in your application. Resources on the Wharton website, such as Wharton Stories , are a great place to start. Likewise, Sample Wharton essays from successful SBC admits are also highly instructive to applicants.

Curious about your chances of getting into Wharton? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session  with an SBC Principal Consultant. 

Wharton MBA Essay Tips

Essay 1: how do you plan to use the wharton mba program to help you achieve your future professional goals you might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at wharton. (500 words).

This essay prompt reflects that Wharton has always been very career-goal-oriented. “They are acutely interested in what your short-term and long-term career plans are,” says a recent SBC client who was admitted to Wharton. This career goals question focuses on why Wharton is the right fit for you.

However, it’s also a question about your personality and potential success in the program. Meghan, a former Wharton Admissions Officer who works on our SBC team, reveals that “Wharton will turn down interesting/unique candidates who lack clarity of goals or the ability to succeed in recruiting.”

Wharton MBA graduate Jordan Mock wrote an evergreen blog post with three excellent tips for this essay, saying, “Wharton is unique and your essay should reflect that.”

Focus on the question of how a Wharton MBA will help you “connect the three career dots” that Jordan discusses.  Also, consider your past experiences. Think about the critical moments of your professional life that led to your goals. Focus on telling the story of those decision points. Remember, anything unique in your background is always worth describing.

Check out SBC’s Inside Scoop for Wharton Applicants

Finally, one of our best Wharton MBA essay tips is to include exactly how you fit with the program and describe what Wharton will do for you. That will also help you navigate interactions with the Wharton admissions committee. Consider including specific information from your Wharton research in this essay.

For example, mention the faculty you want to study with or the unique classes offered at Wharton. Consider what it might be like to live in Philadelphia. Think about the many clubs and student activities. Also, research the unique leadership development opportunities, such as traveling to Antarctica with your classmates.

Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Wharton is an intense academic environment, but it also has a strong community focused on teamwork and learning from each other. SBC consultant Meghan notes that “Wharton looks for applicants who will be active and engaged on campus and who will take on a leadership role within a club and activity that they are passionate about. Wharton generally wants to see past extracurricular involvement.”

As you select a topic for this essay, think about your particular background. What have you done in the past that can show how you will contribute?

Your contribution to the Wharton community could be in the classroom, in clubs, or within small group projects. You might bring your experiences launching a new product to your marketing case studies. Maybe you will lend creative ideas to your learning team as you prepare a research project because you have demonstrated creativity in your past accomplishments.

Perhaps you have shown a tendency to teach and mentor others, and you plan to help your learning teammates with skills that they may not have learned in their past work.

For example, you might contribute to the Media and Entertainment Club by leading a career trek or bringing a new speaker to campus because you have connections from prior career experience. Brainstorm anything learned in your career or undergrad that could help your classmates at Wharton.

Required Essay for all Reapplicants: Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

All re-applicants are required to provide information that supports their renewed candidacy. The most successful version of the re-applicant essay will provide tangible evidence that you have improved the overall package you are submitting this year.

Improvements such as GMAT scores or new quantitative classes are particularly relevant and convincing. But a promotion, an increase in responsibility at work, a job change, or even a change of goals and mission can serve as reasonable updates.

A rejection or waitlist last year is a form of feedback and may have led to soul searching for you. When you describe your changes, make sure to reflect on your ability to take feedback and improve. Describe how you approached the reapplication process after assessing your strengths and weaknesses. It is also helpful to describe your efforts to improve.

Optional Essay: Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee.

You may use this space to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

The optional essay is a great place to cover any areas of concern in your application. Wharton looks for solid academics and quant skills.  So, your essay could address a low GPA or GMAT, gaps in your resume, or grades under a C in any quantitative course. Another relevant issue could be disciplinary action in undergrad.

Start by explaining the issue clearly and succinctly. Then, use evidence to show how you have improved and addressed any concerns. Finally, discuss how you plan to maintain positive momentum.

Listen to B-Schooled Podcast Episode #80 : Spotlight on Wharton

Here is a recent client admit announcement:

Dreaming of just one admission to an M7 school. I applied to 6 of them and received acceptances to 4! I am so grateful to SBC and excited to say that I will be matriculating at The Wharton School this fall!

And another one:

With the SBC team’s support, I was accepted to two M7 schools, Wharton and Sloan with significant scholarship offerings from both schools. I would strongly recommend the SBC team for anyone with the goal of being admitted to a top business school!

Now that you’ve seen our Wharton MBA essay tips, get in touch to learn how we can help with your Wharton application. We offer multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our All-In Partnership to hourly help reviewing your MBA essays, resume, and more! Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session  to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team .

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School Kellogg MBA

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School MBA, the Wharton School

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

Admissions Officer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)

Asst Director MBA Admissions at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Director MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Minority Admissions, the GSB Diversity Programs, the GSB

Associate Director MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute

Director, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Professional Writer

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) NYU Admissions

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) M.S.Ed, Higher Education, U of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS)

Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure.  Ashley  holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years,  Ashley  was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...

Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and  ...

A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally.  Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.  For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...

Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).  In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds.  Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students.  In additio ...

Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years.  Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...

Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.  In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School.  Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...

Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...

Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...

Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications.  She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...

Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford.   Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...

Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year.   Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...

Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...

Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team.  During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students.  She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...

Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS).  During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...

Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...

Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director.  Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants.

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from Harvard HBS, Wharton and every elite business program in the US and Europe.  These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Just two of the many superstars on the SBC team: Meet Anthony , who served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise.

Meet Andrea , who served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions Marketing at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.

Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation .

You May Also Like

Wharton Applicants, Get SBC’s Inside Scoop

Wharton MBA Acceptance Rate, Deconstructed

7 Qualities of the Ideal Wharton MBA

Interview advice for wharton mba applicants, leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Learn About Our All-In Service

Meet the sbc consulting team.

(323) 934-3936 info@StacyBlackman.com

Latest Blog Post

So, who’s doing your mba interview.

Your MBA interview is a pivotal part of the business school application process. It not only allows you to present your personality and strengths beyond your written application but also helps the school decide ... →

Wharton MBA Application Deadlines and Wharton MBA Essay Tips: 2024-2025

The Wharton School has confirmed the 2024-2025 MBA application essays. Again, Wharton has decided to keep its first and second essay questions the same as the previous application cycles. Wharton has an additional required application essay for reapplicants along with an optional essay.

Below, please find this year’s deadlines along with Personal MBA Coach’s analysis of the Wharton MBA application essays.

The Upcoming Wharton MBA Application Deadlines Are As Follows:

Round 1:  September 4, 2024

Round 2:  January 3, 2025

Round 3: April 2, 2025

2024-2025 Wharton MBA Essays:

Founded by a  Wharton MBA graduate, Personal MBA Coach is intimately familiar with the Wharton MBA program and the culture at Wharton. We advise candidates to think about each question differently, ensuring answers complement each other AND show readers multiple aspects of their candidacy. Watch this testimonial from a Wharton admit to find out how Personal MBA Coach can help you with your Wharton applications.

Wharton MBA Essay 1:  How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton.  (500 words)

This is a fairly traditional goals essay (to find out more about MBA application essay types, read How to Write Winning MBA Essays ). With this first Wharton MBA essay question, you should discuss your specific short-term goals, but also think more broadly. Essay 1 allows you to reflect at a higher level on your aspirations. Think about where you see yourself in 10, 20 or even 30 years. Consider the path you will take to get there.

It is also expected that you touch upon your past successes, explaining how they are relevant to your future objectives. This question does  not  require you to walk through your entire resume, and candidates are advised not to do so. Instead, focus only on your past to establish what your key skills are as well as how and why you will succeed in the future.

Discuss classes you are particularly interested in or perhaps professors you are looking to study with, etc. Do not include a laundry list. Instead, carefully think through how each offering will allow you to fill in your skill and/or experience gaps. Be sure to show an understanding of Wharton’s culture here. Avoid writing vague statements and copying and pasting content from other MBA application essays.

Wharton MBA Essay 2:  Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?  (400 words)

Essay 2 gives candidates the opportunity to share past accomplishments and detail potential contributions to the Wharton community. Think about what you have done beyond what is in your resume. Consider items you wish you had space within your resume to elaborate on. Ask yourself what makes you special.

This question gives you the freedom to consider talents, impressive extracurricular accomplishments and/or unique professional skills. We advise candidates to think broadly here about what makes them unique and how they have succeeded both professionally and personally in the past.

Then, consider how you might share these passions, experiences, and successes with your future peers. Tell the reader how you will improve and enrich the Wharton campus. Be sure to do your research on all that Wharton has to offer and to be specific on the contributions you will make. Is there a club you want to join? Perhaps there is a talent you want to share?

As with essay 1, avoid listing items. Instead, select a few unique areas where you will contribute and discuss the mark you hope to leave. Then, as you discuss the specific contributions you will make, tie these to the past experiences you have just brainstormed. A strong essay will cover multiple contributions that flow naturally from your personal story, your passions and your career goals.

Required Essay for all Reapplicants:  Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements).  (250 words)

Reapplicants should use the required additional essay to demonstrate growth. We advise candidates to review  our tips for reapplicants  before tackling this essay.

Optional Essay:  Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

Looking for more information on Wharton’s MBA program? Check out our Wharton guide to find out what sets the program apart, get the latest class profile information, and more.

Ready to apply to Wharton MBA? Reach out to Personal MBA Coach and find out how we can help you today!

You also may like these other blog articles:

Find out why we are consistently ranked #1. Sign up for a 30-minute consultation today!

We have over 200 5 Star Reviews. Find out WHY!

schedule consultation

Sample MBA Essay for Wharton

James Woodson/Photodisc / Getty Images

• MBA Programs & Rankings
• Business Degree Options
• Choosing A Business School
• Business School Admissions
• Business Careers and Internships
• Student Resources
• Homework Help
• Private School
• College Admissions
• College Life
• Graduate School
• Distance Learning

MBA essays can be hard to write, but they are one of the most important parts of the MBA application process . If you need help getting started, you may want to view a few sample MBA essays for inspiration. The sample MBA essay shown below has been reprinted (with permission) from EssayEdge.com . EssayEdge did not write or edit this sample MBA essay. It is a good example of how an MBA essay should be formatted.

Wharton Essay Prompt

Prompt: Describe how your experiences, both professional and personal, have led to your decision to pursue an MBA at the Wharton school this year. How does this decision relate to your career goals for the future? Throughout my life, I have observed two distinct career paths, my father's and my uncle's. My father completed his engineering degree and secured a government job in India, which he continues to hold to this day. My uncle's path began similarly; like my father, he earned an engineering degree. My uncle, on the other hand, continued his education by moving to the United States to earn an MBA, then started his own venture and became a successful businessman in Los Angeles. Evaluating their experiences helped me understand what I wanted from my life and create a master plan for my career. While I appreciate the excitement, flexibility, and independence my uncle has in his life, I value my father's proximity to his family and culture. I now realize that a career as an entrepreneur in India could provide me with the best of both worlds. With the objective of learning about business, I completed my bachelor's degree in Commerce and joined KPMG in the Audit & Business Advisory Department. I believed that a career with an accounting firm would serve me in two ways: first, by enhancing my knowledge of accounting -- the language of business -- and second, by providing me with an excellent introduction to the business world. My decision seemed to be a sound one; in my first two years at KPMG, I worked on a wide variety of assignments that not only strengthened my analytical and problem-solving skills, but also taught me how large businesses managed their sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution functions. After enjoying this productive and educational experience for two years, I decided I wanted greater opportunities than what the audit department could offer. Thus, when the Management Assurance Services (MAS) practice was established in India, the challenge of working in a new service line and the opportunity to help improve the risk management mechanisms of businesses influenced me to join it. In the last three years, I have improved risk management capabilities of clients by addressing strategic, enterprise and operational risk issues. I have also assisted the MAS practice in tailoring our international portfolio of services to the Indian marketplace by conducting risk management surveys, interacting with professionals in other developing economies, and conducting interviews with senior client management. Besides becoming skilled at process risk consulting, I have also significantly improved my project management and new service development abilities in the last three years.

During my tenure with the MAS department, I have encountered challenges that have motivated me to seek  a management degree . For example, last year, we conducted a process risk review for a cash-starved Indian auto ancillary that had expanded capacity without assessing sources of competitive advantage. It was clear that the company needed to rethink its business and operational strategy. Since the MAS department lacked the necessary skills to execute the project, we hired consultants to assist us in the assignment. Their approach of reviewing both the strategic and operational aspects of the business was an eye-opener for me. The pair of consultants used their knowledge of international business and macroeconomics to evaluate key industry trends and identify new markets for the company. In addition, they employed their understanding of supply chain management to benchmark key capabilities with competition and identify opportunities for improvement. As I witnessed the progress made by these two consultants, I realized that in order to achieve my long-term professional goals, I needed to return to school to expand my understanding of the fundamentals of corporate and industry analysis. I also believe that management education can help me develop other vital skills essential to my standing as a professional. For example, I will benefit from the opportunity to further polish my public speaking ability and hone my skills as a negotiator. Also, I have had limited experience working outside India, and I feel that an international education will equip me with the skills necessary to deal with foreign suppliers and customers. After graduating from Wharton, I will seek a position in a strategy consulting firm in its business building/growth practice. In addition to providing me with an opportunity to apply what I have learned, a position in the growth practice will expose me to the practical issues of new business creation. Three to five years after earning an MBA, I would expect to establish my own business venture. In the short-term, however, I may explore exciting business ideas and examine ways to build a  sustainable business  with the help of the Wharton Venture Initiation Program. The ideal education for me includes the Wharton Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management majors coupled with unique experiences like the Wharton Business Plan Competition and the Wharton Technology Entrepreneurship Internship. Perhaps even more importantly, I look to benefit from the Wharton environment -- an environment of boundless innovation. Wharton will give me the opportunity to apply the theory, models and techniques I learn in the classroom to the real world. I intend to join the 'entrepreneurs club' and consulting club, which will not only help me form lifelong friendships with fellow students but also give me exposure to  top consulting firms  and successful entrepreneurs. I would be proud to be a part of the Women in Business club and contribute to the 125 years of women at Penn. After five years of business experience, I believe that I am ready to take the next step toward my dream of being an entrepreneur. I also am confident that I am ready to participate actively as a member of the incoming Wharton class. At this point I am looking to gain the requisite skills and relationships to grow as a professional; I know that Wharton is the right place for me to accomplish this objective.

• How to Write and Format an MBA Essay
• MBA Essay Tips
• Chicago Booth MBA Programs and Admissions
• MIT Sloan Programs and Admissions
• Do You Make a Good MBA Candidate?
• Understanding the MBA Degree
• MS Degrees vs. MBA Degrees
• The 10 Best U.S. Business Schools
• Weekend MBA Programs
• MBA in Management
• Why Business Students Get an Executive MBA
• An Overview of the M7 Business Schools
• The 10 Best Business Schools in Texas
• What Is the Average Cost of an MBA Degree?
• Why Get an MBA?
• Top Ranked California Business Schools

MBA Admission Essay Samples

Featured Expert: Anand Singh, MBA

Are you looking for some MBA admission essay samples? Look no further. In this blog, we share four outstanding MBA admission essay samples that will definitely inspire you to write your own. 

Most business schools will give you specific essay prompts that you will need to answer with your essay, but ultimately, you will either be writing an  MBA personal statement , an  MBA statement of purpose , or an  MBA diversity essay . These are the three most common types of admission essays, and they can all be challenging to write. Reviewing examples, giving yourself enough time to write and edit, and working with an expert such as an  MBA essay consultant  can really improve the quality of your admissions essay. To help you get started, we’ve put together a few examples with prompts from some of the top business schools.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free initial consultation here <<

Article Contents 8 min read

Mba admission essays: sample #1.

Prompt from Wharton Business School : Considering your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words).

Fifteen years ago, after graduating from high school, I left Tanzania and moved to the United States because I wanted to study multimedia marketing, and my research told me there was no better place to learn. I moved halfway across the world at the age of seventeen to follow my dreams of becoming an advertising expert and opening my own firm one day.

It took me some time to find my footing in the US. I often felt isolated and confused. Sometimes, it was little things. For example, I remember the first time I went into a grocery store and found that the food was measured in pounds. I grew up using the metric system, so instead of spending twenty minutes in the store as planned, I spent almost an hour because I had to calculate the weight of things.

Other times, it was bigger things that made me feel isolated. Like the second time I went to that same grocery store and asked a young woman who worked there where I could find scallions, she responded with a blank stare. After I explained what they were, she informed me that they are called spring onions and that if I was going to live in America, I should learn to speak English, or I could go back to where I came from.

I always made it a point to try and learn as much as possible about the places I visited to ensure that I didn't make anyone feel uncomfortable or end up feeling uncomfortable myself. I eventually found the International Student Association at the University of X, where other international students embraced me and introduced me to American students with whom I am still friends to this day. One of whom I fell in love with and married.

My experiences as an international student helped me understand the importance of being welcomed and having access to information. I know that 30% of Wharton business school's student body comprises international students and that every year, it welcomes more. I would like to join the efforts of the students who help make their transition to life in America easier.

Furthermore, I believe that my experiences have taught me to be more open-minded. I look forward to sharing my point of view with students from all over the world and having the chance to learn from them too.  (396 words)

Want to see more Wharton MBA essay examples ?

Prompt from Harvard Business School : Briefly tell us more about your career aspirations. (300 words)

My long-term career goal is to advise small businesses in my community and help them grow. I have been working as an associate business advisor with a local bank for almost a decade, and one of the many things that I have learned from this position is that several business owners do not have access to information that can go a long way toward improving, and sometimes even saving, their businesses. 

Having grown up in a relatively underserved community, I understand the importance of supporting local businesses and ensuring that we reinvest in our own communities. However, as a consumer, I also understand how difficult it can be to do this when there are cheaper and faster ways to access the same products or services that a local business offers. 

Over the years, I have built and maintained relationships with over 100 business owners in various industries and helping them manage their finances has taught me about business financial planning. Furthermore, I have had the opportunity to build practical experience through an internship with a local consulting agency.

I believe that these experiences have given me a solid foundation, but to achieve my goal of becoming a business consultant and helping small business owners, I need to learn more about business administration and management. 

I chose to apply to the Harvard Business School MBA program because it has a rigorous curriculum emphasizing real-world experience through the FIELD immersion program and partnerships with other institutions. This is the perfect program for a person like me who learns by doing. 

I am ready and eager to take this next step in my career so that I can help those around me get the most out of their businesses. I believe that this is the perfect program to help me improve on the skills required to achieve my goal.

Want to learn how to write a Harvard MBA personal statement ?

Prompt from Kellogg Business School : Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip & inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created lasting value. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn? (450 words)

As one of six operations managers in a contact center, I spend most of my days making decisions that are meant to create lasting value. I lead a team of thirty employees, and my job is to maximize efficiency by ensuring that we have enough employees to provide the service requested by our clients and that the employees have everything they need to do their jobs well.

I was promoted to this role a year ago, and one of the issues I wanted to tackle was our high turnover rate. I know that contact centers have notoriously high turnover rates, but instead of the expected 30 - 40%, we were averaging a rate of 60%. This was not only costing the company a lot of money, but it was reducing the quality of the service that we could provide for our clients.

I spent months pouring over the numbers, trying to understand why we were losing so many employees and what we could do to change it. We pay our agents above market average, give employees good health benefits and vacation time, and hold several contests and competitions to keep them motivated.

After a few months of analyzing the data and finding nothing, I decided to go straight to the source. I changed the company's exit strategy procedure. Instead of a conversation between exiting contact center agents and their former supervisors, they would simply fill out an anonymous survey online that only a few people had access to.

The comments on these surveys helped me understand that the issue actually came from our hiring practices. Most of the comments showed me that many of our new recruits were not understanding the role they were signing up for. So, they would begin working, find something completely different from what they expected and decide to leave.

This information allowed me to take the lead and make some changes that benefited the whole company. I worked with an HR consultant to create better job descriptions that all the different managers now use when hiring contact center agents. Our turnover rate is now 22%, which is lower than the national average for contact centers. 

I pride myself on my ability to look at problems objectively and approach them from different angles until I find a solution. In this case, I was able to do the same thing, and in the process, I learned the importance of asking questions and looking beyond the numbers.

I am conscious of the fact that I still have a lot to learn, and I am eager to do so because I know that the knowledge I gain from this program will help me do right by my team. (449 words)

Check out more Kellogg MBA essay examples !

Prompt from Columbia University : Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you. (250 words)

When I first started writing this essay, I began by writing a list of all my favorite books. I had filled about two pages with titles when I realized that I don't have one favorite; I have several. I initially told myself that I should talk about a business book, or something related to finances, but as much as I enjoy such books and as much as I learn from them, they are honestly not my favorites. 

After careful consideration and a few pro-con lists, I decided to write about one of the books that I have read and enjoyed multiple times: The girl with the louding voice, by the Nigerian author Abi Dare. This book follows a young girl from a poor and remote community as she tries to raise enough funds to get an education and use what she calls her 'louding voice.' Her story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. 

This particular book resonates with me so much because it reminds me of the importance of literacy and that millions of young girls worldwide do not have access to education. A cause that I am very passionate about.

I have and continue to donate my time and money towards changing things for the better. That is why I started an initiative in our publishing house to distribute books in underserved areas and underfunded schools. I hope that the knowledge and know-how that I will gain from your MBA program will allow me to do even more to help.  (250 words)

Want to see more MBA admission essays from the best MBA programs in the US ?

• More Columbia MBA essay examples
• Chicago Booth MBA essay examples
• Haas essay examples
• Stanford MBA personal statement examples
• Kelley MBA essay examples
• Yale MBA essay examples
• Cornell MBA essay examples

As you can tell from the different essays you just read, business schools can ask MBA applicants about various topics. Sometimes, the same school might even give you several different prompts and ask you to choose a few from the list.  Harvard MBA personal statement  prompts are a great example of this. It is therefore important to review as many MBA admission essay samples as possible to get inspiration and familiarize yourself with the proper structure of an admission essay.

We would be remiss if we did not remind you that while looking at MBA admission samples for inspiration is great, you should not use these essays or parts of these essays as your own. Not only is this unethical, but  universities can detect plagiarism , and it can have severe consequences.

After reviewing examples, you should start by brainstorming for your own essay. Think about the experiences and motivations that have led you to apply for an MBA program and your reasons for choosing each particular MBA program that you are applying to. You can then use this information, along with examples and anecdotes from your academic and professional background to create an MBA admission essay that will stand out.

Write down as much information as possible when you are brainstorming for your essay, this information can be very helpful when you start to prepare for MBA interviews . ","label":"Bonus tip","title":"Bonus tip"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

We recommend that you give yourself at least six to eight weeks to go through this process. If you're unsure how to craft your own essay, invest in MBA admissions consulting . The consultants can guide you through the brainstorming, writing, and editing process to help you ensure that you are submitting an essay that is not only compelling but original. Thus, improving your overall chances of getting into your chosen MBA program. 

Your admission essays are very important. They give you an opportunity to present your strengths and explain your weaknesses to the admission committee. They also give you a chance to tell them exactly what you have to offer and why you deserve a spot in their class. A well-written essay can differentiate you from other candidates and significantly improve your chances of getting into your program.

MBAs are highly sought after, so the competition to get into the programs can be fierce, especially for the top institutions such as  Ivy League schools . You will need a stellar application if you want to get in.

That will depend on the school you are applying to and the specific type of admission essay that has been requested. Unless otherwise specified by the school, your essay should be between 400 and 650 words.

Not all MBA programs ask for one, but the majority of them do. Many schools require more than one admission essay, so you should always verify the school's requirements you're interested in.

A personal statement is one of the many different types of admission essays. You may be required to write a personal statement and a different type of essay, such as a letter of intent. Or your chosen school may only require one essay. Either way, you should verify the school's admissions page for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

They don't necessarily change every year, but they are subject to change depending on the school and the admission committee. You should always check the school's website before you start writing your essays to be prepared.

If you want your MBA admission essay to stand out, you need to make sure that you are showing instead of telling. Use specific examples and short anecdotes to back up any claims that you make about yourself. You should also make sure that you are following any instructions or guidelines provided by the school. If you truly want to beat the competition and craft an outstand essay, you may want to work with an MBA essay consultant.

An MBA essay consultant is an admission expert that helps students through the MBA admissions process, specifically with admission essays. They guide students as they try to craft their personal statements or other MBA admission essays. These consultants also help students improve their research and writing skills.

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

Apple Podcasts

Like our blog? Write for us ! >>

Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions, get started now.

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webclass: 

How to make your mba application stand out.

And Avoid the Top 5 Mistakes That Get Most Rejected