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?
(Photo courtesy of @whartonschool on Instagram)
“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
