How To Prepare for Wharton’s Team Based Discussion

UPDATE: This article was originally posted on February 13, 2019. It has been updated with 2024/25 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. 

Testing applicants’ ability to thrive in this teamwork-focused environment is precisely why Wharton’s interview process totally deviates from the process employed at other top business schools. 

Though the Team Based Discussion (TBD) might sound daunting, by preparing in advance and developing a clear game plan for your session, you can minimize your anxiety and ensure you perform at your best. 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you navigate Wharton’s TBD to ensure you give your Wharton application your best shot.

 

How the Team Based Discussion works 

As one of the most elite business schools in the world, getting invited to Wharton’s Team Based Discussion is no easy task. Thus, if you have passed to this phase of the Wharton application process, congratulations! This is already an exceptional achievement.

When you receive your invitation to the TBD, you will also receive a PDF with ample instructions. You will also receive a sign-up link that lists the dates TBD is available for you. This year, TBDs will take place online, via Zoom. 

The times available when you sign up for your TBD are listed in Eastern Time, so make sure you convert these times to your local time zone. For candidates in the southern hemisphere, keep in mind that the US will end Daylight Savings Time on November 5, 2023. We suggest you use this tool to calculate the time difference for the day of your actual TBD, just to be sure!

Source: Wharton’s Website

On the day of the TBD, you will sign into a Zoom link, which Wharton will provide to you in advance. There will be five or six other people in your group interview, as well as one to two members of the Admissions team (current student Admissions fellows or a member of the Admissions Committee) and potentially an admissions committee member, who will monitor the group’s performance. 

TOP TIP: Join the session 10 minutes early to ensure you have clear audio and video. You should also use this time to introduce yourself to other participants since you will not be given time for this once the session officially starts. 

To kick off the actual session, each applicant will have one minute to present their ideas on a predetermined prompt. There will be a timer visible on the screen that counts down 60 seconds for each pitch. 

The prompt for this year is:

The Wharton MBA program is dedicated to developing impactful, globally conscious leaders who are passionate about meaningful change. To advance this mission, Wharton has introduced two Impact Communities: Social Equity and Environment. MBA students interested in one or more of these critical issues are invited to join the associated Impact Community to discover the many resources available at Wharton. These communities will consolidate resources and opportunities in research, academics, and career growth, acting as a hub for MBA students to uncover insights, attend engaging events, and connect with peers, faculty, and organizations.

The Wharton School is exploring the addition of a new Impact Community focused on an emerging topic of global interest. For today’s discussion, you and a team of fellow MBA students have been chosen to propose a new Impact Community.

As a team, address the following aspects:

• • Define the emerging global issue your proposed Impact Community will address.
  • Identify one or more potential partner organizations that could collaborate with the community by offering resources, support, or engagement opportunities.
  • Identify resources within The Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania that could support the proposed Impact Community (e.g., academic programs, conferences, research initiatives).
  • Outline the key learning outcomes the Impact Community aims to achieve for its members.

Your final presentation should clearly articulate the vision for the new Impact Community, emphasizing how it will provide a unique and impactful learning experience aligned with Wharton’s mission to prepare leaders for the world’s most pressing challenges. Consider discussing why your team selected this emerging global issue, as well as the relevance of the resources and partner organizations identified.

After each person presents, your group will then have 25 minutes to discuss ideas and come up with a final recommendation. A 25-minute timer will count down on the screen so the group knows exactly how long it has left. 

The TBD will end with a small presentation that summarizes your group’s ideas. The timer will reset to 5 minutes, after which the session will end. 

After the TBD session ends, the facilitators will let the group know the order of their 1:1 interviews and will put the entire group into the waiting room. 

At their denoted time, each group member will then be let back into the room for a short one-on-one interview with the admissions team. The interview will last 10 minutes and will focus on your motivations for wanting to pursue the Wharton MBA. In previous years, the questions were:

• Why do you want to do an MBA? 
• Why Wharton? 
• Do you have any questions for us?

TOP TIP: As the TBD will take place online, please make sure you are aware of the following guidelines on materials, listed below:

• You may use prepared paper notes during the Zoom.
• We encourage you to have a pen and scratch paper nearby for note taking.
• Tablets, cell phones, and use of internet browsers are not allowed during the Zoom.
• The Zoom whiteboard and chat box functions will be restricted during the TBD.
• We ask that you do not use reaction emojis or the “raise hand” feature during the TBD.

 

Who is Wharton looking for?

(Photo courtesy of Wharton Magazine)

“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 around 900 students from 60+ 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 2026 was 732 and the average GRE score was 163 Quant, 162 Verbal).  

Source: Wharton’s website

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 recent 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 ability to think outside the box and innovate. 

 

How can you prepare for your TBD?

According to the Wharton Admissions Committee, “Our hope is that through the Team Based Discussion, our applicants will not only be able to present how they approach and think about certain challenges and opportunities, but that they will also have a chance to experience, firsthand, the teamwork and learning dynamic that is central to the Wharton MBA Program.”

As such, your number one priority during the entire TBD should be to show the admissions committee you’re just the type of collaborative person they are looking to invite to join their next MBA class. 

Everyone else in your group interview is also likely to be on their best behavior, but there are a few key strategies you can employ to enhance your performance. 

1. Prepare a strong pitch. Make sure that your pitch answers all of the requirements listed in the guidelines. Some of the main errors I see when training applicants is a failure to fully address the prompt. I also suggest choosing a topic you’re familiar enough with to be able to contribute to a meaningful discussion on your idea later on. 
2. Respect time limits. Unlike in previous years, this year, a timer will be visible on the screen. During pitches, the timer will count down the 60 seconds you have available for your prompt. Make sure you practice extensively to ensure that your prompt fits in under 1 minute. I suggest 55 seconds, since you may not speak quite as fluidly when you’re nervous.  Additionally, you’ll have a clear amount of time broken out for the discussion and for the presentation, so the role of the timekeeper is no longer needed. If you’re a bit on the shy side and previous participants suggested you contribute by keeping track of time, work in advance to think of other ways you feel comfortable contributing. 
3. Consider playing the role of “facilitator” during the TBD. In this role, make sure that everyone in your group is having an equal chance to participate while also keeping track of the timing to ensure your group is able to finish fully discussing your idea before the 35 minutes end. Though you may be tempted to be the “star” to show Wharton you possess strong leadership potential, demonstrating that you’re a good team player is a safer bet. However, if you play this role, make sure you don’t neglect to contribute ideas and concepts to the discussion. 
4. However, if no one steps up to take the role of leader and you notice the group is floundering, feel free to step up. If you do assume the role of leader, however, be careful not to dominate conversations. Rather, show you’re a leader who cares about fostering the success of the whole team and who promotes collaboration. 
5. Don’t be afraid to disagree. A successful group is not necessarily one that immediately approves all ideas. It’s ok to push back or bring up challenges to ideas, as long as this is done respectfully and for a productive reason. We don’t advise playing “devil’s advocate” just for the sake of playing this role. 

In addition, Wharton provides these additional tips.

“When preparing for your TBD, keep the following tips in mind:

• Show your personal skills and strengths. Consider various methods that you have used in the past to help move your team(s) forward. These ideas may help your team reach the best possible outcome.

• Be adaptable. Think back on past experiences where you have had to successfully acclimate in various group dynamics. What made you successful in your approach?

• Be yourself. There is no specific role that is expected of you. Be true to yourself and the strengths that you bring to the table.

• Relax. Being invited to interview means that we see you as a potential fit for our program. Be proud of all that you have accomplished at this point – and try to enjoy this part of the process.

 

TOP TIP: Though it may sound obvious, make sure you don’t come across as arrogant. Though you may be itching to demonstrate your confident demeanor, steamrolling your group members is not the way to impress the admissions committee. 

Follow general best practices for group interviews

Unlike a traditional MBA interview, Wharton’s group interview means they are not just paying attention to what you say, but are also really focusing on the finer points of how you interact with others. As such, we recommend you keep these group interview best practices in mind during your entire TBD session. 

(Photo courtesy biginterview.com)

Rehearse your pitch on the prompt in advance

After receiving your question via email, we suggest you prepare your 1-minute pitch. One minute passes incredibly quickly, so without any preparation, you may find your answers miss the mark. 

When preparing your pitch, we suggest you take into consideration the following questions:

• Does your pitch fully answer the prompt?
• Is the suggested answer one that can be easily understood?
• Can the answer be communicated fully in one minute? (If you have to speak at the speed of light, reduce the content in your pitch. It’s better to say “less” than to not be understood)
• Is the answer interesting?
• Does the answer reinforce your personal brand?

Though you don’t want to appear robotic, we suggest lightly rehearsing your answer to ensure you’re able to deliver an interesting, clear pitch in under one minute. If you’re not sure your idea makes sense, try practicing with friends or colleagues you trust. 

The one-on-one interview

After the TBD ends, you will complete a short individual interview with the student Admissions Fellows or Admissions Committee members who watched the TBD session. You will not know anything about these interviewers beforehand. 

Based on client reports, the Wharton individual interview tends to last 5-10 minutes and has historically included these types of questions:

• How did you think your group performed?
• What could it have done better?
• What did it do particularly well?
• How would you classify your own strengths and weaknesses in the TBD?
• Why do you want to do your MBA at Wharton?
• Do you have any questions for us (1-2)?

 

Make sure you get into Wharton

You have stressed about every aspect of your MBA application, and now you are ready for your Team Based Discussion! With the right preparation, this can be your chance to shine and get a highly-coveted spot at an elite business school. 

However, maybe you don’t know where to start in preparing, or maybe you tend to ramble on and lose focus, especially during their 1-minute pitch. 

Our interview prep focuses on helping you determine how to present yourself during your team based discussion while using appropriate, impact-driven language without being artificial, or worse, robotic.

That’s why 98.9% of our clients secure admissions to at least one of their target schools. 

Want to put the Ellin Lolis advantage to work for you? Schedule your preparation session with our team of interview experts today!