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MBA PROGRAM
Wharton MBA Application Instructions
Fall 2015 Application Deadlines
MBA, MBA/MA Lauder Program and MBA/JD 3 year Penn Law Program:
Application Deadline
Decision Release Date
Round 1:
October 1, 2014
December 16, 2014
Round 2:
January 5, 2015
March 24, 2015
Round 3:
March 26, 2015*
May 5, 2015
*This round is not open to Lauder or 3 year JD/MBA Penn Law applicants.
All deadlines are 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).
This application is to be completed online and submitted electronically once you have
answered all of the required questions. You do not have to complete the online application in
one sitting--you may access your application and edit your information many times by logging
into the application system with your email and password. To navigate through the system,
please use the navigation links located on the left of your screen.
Once you have completed the application forms to your satisfaction, you should submit your
application by clicking the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page. This will take you
through the steps to electronically submit your application to our office.
Please note that you can submit your application only once per academic year and, once
submitted, you will not be able to make changes to your application information using the
online application system.
Please note that your recommender can submit their recommendation after you have submitted
your application. Please do not wait in submitting your application while waiting for your
recommender to submit their recommendation. You can continue to check the status of their
submission and send reminders after you have submitted your application.
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Application Instructions
Preparing to Apply
Keep in mind that the application is designed to provide a comprehensive profile of candidates
for the Admissions Committee. The Committee evaluates academic and personal
accomplishments, as well as leadership and managerial potential. Particular attention is paid to
the recommendations and personal essays. Diversity of background and outside interests, as
well as depth of self-appraisal and commitment, are especially valued. Each part of the
application should be completed thoroughly and honestly.
Please review the application information on our website, and the following details below
before completing this application.
International Applicants
The Wharton School is global in scope and welcomes applicants from around the world.
International candidates are assessed according to the same criteria as U.S. candidates and
evaluated relative to the entire pool of applicants. Wharton has no country or regional quotas.
Interdisciplinary Program Applicants
The Wharton School offers dual-degree programs in conjunction with other graduate and
professional programs at the University of Pennsylvania, The Johns Hopkins University and
Harvard University. Dual-degree programs allow students to earn two degrees in less time than
would be required if pursuing the degrees separately. Students typically complete their MBA
requirements within three, rather than four, semesters.
Dual-degree applicants should request application materials from each school or department of
interest. Letters of recommendation and other application materials should be submitted
separately to each program, as admissions decisions are made independently by each school or
department. Applicants must be offered admission to both schools to be admitted to the
combined program. If admission is granted to just one of the programs, only that program may
be pursued. Students already enrolled in a program with whom Wharton has a dual-degree may
apply to the MBA program provided they have one full year remaining in their program at the
time they would matriculate at Wharton.
Please note that the 4 year JD/MBA program is available to current Penn Law School students
only.
You can find a list of interdisciplinary programs on our website at Interdisciplinary Programs.
Reapplicants
Candidates who submitted an application to Wharton in a previous year are welcome to
reapply. All sections of this online application, two additional letters of recommendation, and
the required essay(s) must be completed.
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More information about the reapplication process can be found on our website.
Employment History
Beginning with your most recent position, please complete the Employment section with your
full-time experience, including military and entrepreneurial experiences. You can also include
any significant part-time or summer employment since the beginning of college.
The Employment section allows you to list your three most recent employments; however, all
employment is important to us. Please use the upload feature at the bottom of the page to add
any additional employments, using the same format as the online application. Feel free to use
the optional essay to explain any gaps in employment.
Please make sure that information entered in the Reason for Leaving questions are visible
when you print your application using Adobe Acrobat PDF. If you are unable to view entered
text, return to the field and adjust it until it becomes visible. Formatting will impact the
visibility of text in the field.
Academic Background
Beginning with the high school from which you received a diploma, please complete the
Education and Transcript section for all of your academic experiences, including your
bachelors or bachelors-equivalent degree, study abroad, summer school, and post-
baccalaureate classes. If you have more information than the three forms will allow, please use
the Microsoft Excel 97 Multiple Transcript Template to record your additional education.
To ensure the quick processing of your application, we are no longer accepting mailed
transcripts at the time of application. Instead, please submit your transcript(s) as a scanned
document or use the excel template, found in the downloadable forms section to the left. Use
the upload feature, provided at each school listing, to submit your self-reported transcript(s).
If admitted, you will be required to provide official transcripts of all previous academic work
to verify the information provided in the uploaded documents. If there are discrepancies
between the self-reported academic work and official records, your offer of admission will be
withdrawn. Offers of admission are not binding until academic records are verified.
Instructions for Scanning and Uploading Scanned Transcripts
• Only scan the important parts of your document. Do not scan pictures, graphics and
unnecessary text.
• Save the scanned object as a pdf file with the proper 3-letter extension. Also, please do
not attempt to upload a document that is password-protected or that contains macros.
This will cause the process to fail.
• Close the pdf file.
• Check the size of your file. It should not exceed 10 MB.
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• Upload your file using the buttons.
• Make sure scanned documents are clearly legible. Illegible documents will not be
accepted and will delay the evaluation of your application.
Test Information
We require ALL applicants to take the GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) or the
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations).
GMAT
Please request MBA.com to report your score for the GMAT to Wharton. We evaluate only
GMAT results from tests taken prior to the receipt of your application. The highest score is
considered and we do not combine multiple scores. GMAT scores are valid for five years. We
will accept the scores of tests taken within 5 years of the start date of the program. (10/31/2009
to 3/26/2015 for the class beginning Aug 2015)
When self-reporting your score(s) in the application please list your highest score first.
GRE
Please request ETS.org to report your score for the GRE to Wharton. We evaluate only GRE
results from tests taken prior to the receipt of your application. The highest score is considered
and we do not combine multiple scores. GRE scores are valid for five years. We will accept the
scores of tests taken within 5 years of the start date of the program. (10/31/2009 to 3/26/2015
for the class beginning Aug 2015)
When self-reporting your score(s) in the application please list your highest score first.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
A complete command of the English language, including proficiency in reading, writing, and
speaking is essential for success in Wharton's programs. All international applicants whose
native language (language first learned and spoken at home) is not English, or who did not
complete a degree from an institution where English was the language of instruction, are
required to take the TOEFL in addition to the GMAT. If you believe that your situation
warrants a waiver of the TOEFL, please provide an explanation in the optional essay.
TOEFL scores are valid for 2 years. We will accept the scores of tests taken within 2 years of
the start date of the program. (8/1/2013 to 3/26/2015 for the class beginning Aug 2015)
GMAT and ETS Codes
The GMAT and ETS codes (respectively) for requesting your scores to be sent to the Full-
Time MBA and MBA/Lauder Programs are:
• GMAT: G56-97-73
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• GRE: 6802
• TOEFL: 2926 (02)
If admitted, you will be required to provide official test score(s) to verify your self-reported
score(s). If there are discrepancies, your offer of admission will be withdrawn. Offers of
admission are not binding until test scores are verified.
Please note: Only submit your application if you are able to include your test scores. If your
application is submitted without them, we will move your application to the following round.
Test scores are required and must be submitted before we can begin reviewing your
application.
Recommendations
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.
The title or position of the evaluator is not as important as his/her ability to comment
knowledgeably and specifically about you. Submit recommendations from people who can
speak directly about your aptitudes and capabilities.
We require all recommendations to be submitted electronically. After you have contacted your
recommenders, please complete the form on the Recommendations page.
The online recommendation asks the recommender to answer all of the questions in a single
document and to submit it using the Upload Document button at the bottom of the page.
In addition to the questions below we also ask the recommenders to fill out a grid that
appraises some of your attributes. It is important that this be completed as well, so please make
sure that your recommender receives access to and submits the online form.
The recommendation is to address the following:
1. How do the candidate's performance, potential, or personal qualities compare to those
of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
(300 words)
2. Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the
applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response. (250 words)
Request that your recommender does the following:
• Answers all of the questions in a single document.
• Single-space their answers.
• Separate their answers by writing each question at the top of each response.
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It is possible that, after having selected your recommenders, there is a reason to alter this
selection. If the selected recommender has not begun their recommendation, you can delete
them and assign another recommender.
If both recommenders have begun their recommendation contact Bonny West or Charicha Ford
for assistance.
Interviews
The Wharton Admissions Committee interviews by invitation only, selecting candidates to
interview after their applications have been evaluated. Interviews are not conducted prior to
submission and evaluation of an application.
More information about the interview process can be found on our website.
Application Fee
A non-refundable application fee of $265, paid by credit card, must accompany this
application. Credit card payments, made with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express and
Discover only, are processed through a secure server using College Net. You will not see the
payment option until you submit your application.
Prior Conviction Information
If you have ever been convicted of, or plead guilty or not contest to any felony or misdemeanor
(excluding minor traffic violations) you must report that information. Failure to disclose this
information may result in the withdrawal of any possible offers of admission. We offer a
secure site for you; answers will be reviewed by the Wharton MBA Admissions Review
Officer. This information will not be provided to the admissions committee as part of the
regular academic review process. If you have questions, you may contact the Review Officer
directly by email.
Application Status Check
Once you have submitted your application, you can track the status of your application by
returning to the application, logging in using your email and password, and following the link
to your Applicant Portal.
Printing Your Application
Once your application is submitted, you are given the option to print your application using
HTML or Adobe Acrobat PDF. We suggest that you select Adobe Acrobat PDF. This will
allow you to view your application as the Admissions Committee receives it. Adobe will retain
formatting of submitted answers in text fields (e.g. Employment section, Reason for
Leaving...). If, when reviewing the PDF, you find that what you have entered appears
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truncated, please be reassured that the admissions committee will still have access to what you
entered.
If you use HTML, you will be able to view all of the information you enter; however, it will
not retain any formatting and is not the version we use to evaluate your application
Mailing Address
Wharton MBA Admissions and Financial Aid
111 Vance Hall
3733 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104!
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