Penn / Wharton MBA News

Published: February 15, 2022

The Financial Times 2022 Global MBA Ranking: Wharton Returns on Top

The Financial Times (FT) released its rankings of the 100 best MBA programs for 2022. While COVID kept several schools on the bench last year, a total of 151 schools participated in the 2022 edition. “It’s important to remember that COVID took a toll on the rankings last year, but several programs seem to be making a comeback,” says Graham Richmond, Co-founder of Clear Admit. “For instance, six schools in this year’s top 20 were not a part of last year’s ranking due to COVID abstentions. Wharton even storms back to grab Read more

Published: February 7, 2022

Four Reasons to Apply to MBA Programs in Round 3

As Round 2 interview invitations and decisions roll out, the Round 3 deadlines of leading MBA programs still glimmer on the horizon, holding chances for redemption, acceptance or even just practice. Conventional wisdom in the MBA admissions world suggests it’s best to avoid the final rounds when applying to top business schools, but sometimes circumstances dictate otherwise. One thing to keep in mind is that all indications suggest that this year could actually be a good one in which to apply in R3. The bump to application volume due to the pandemic is showing signs of fading. A strong job Read more

Published: November 28, 2021

Forté Foundation Celebrates Record Women’s MBA Enrollment on 20th Anniversary

The Forté Foundation is kicking off its 20th anniversary by celebrating the findings of its most recent research report. In the fall of 2021, women’s MBA enrollment reached 41%, exceeding the 40% milestone the foundation had been hoping would be met in 2020. Forté’s research has revealed impressive gains in the effort to close the gender gap in MBA programs. For the first time, three business schools—The George Washington University School of Business, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Read more

Published: November 21, 2021

The Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast Hits Milestone 200th Episode!

The Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast has turned 200! That’s right, this week’s episode is the 200th edition of a podcast that was first launched in March of 2018. Needless to say, it has wildly exceeded our expectations. In celebration of such a milestone, we want to share a handful of fun facts and figures from the podcast. IF YOU RECORD IT, THEY WILL COME: Nearly a quarter of million people have tuned into the show over the past 3+ years (from virtually every corner of the planet). REAL HUMANS: Our “WireTaps” episodes, which air each Monday, Read more

Published: November 14, 2021

Wharton MBA Employment Report for 2021 Reveals Impressive Results for Grads

See the Wharton MBA employment report for the Class of 2022 here. The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has released its MBA employment report for the Class of 2021, and its successes point to a Wharton degree’s value in the job market. An impressive 99% of MBA graduates seeking employment received a job offer within three months of graduation, while 96.8% had accepted job offers. The median class salary was $155,000, a record high for the school. Maryellen Reilly, Deputy Vice Dean of Wharton’s MBA Program, had this Read more

Published: November 9, 2021

Episode 198: Real Humans of the Wharton Lauder MBA/MA Class

We have a special edition podcast episode for you in which we welcome two current students of the Wharton School’s Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies class. As part of our Real Humans: MBA Students series, current Wharton Lauder students, Wendy Yu and Juliana Escobar, share their experiences with the joint degree program. Wharton Lauder students earn two degrees in two years: A Wharton School MBA plus an International Studies MA from the University of Pennsylvania. Wendy Yu (left) and Juliana Escobar, Wharton Lauder MBA/MA Candidates Our first guest, Wendy Yu, is a top Read more

Published: November 1, 2021

Episode 196—Wharton Team-Based Discussion (TBD) Tips

In this special edition of the podcast, your hosts Alex Brown and Graham Richmond break down Wharton’s group interview – known as the Team Based Discussion (TBD) – and offer a wealth of tips and background to help applicants ace it. Alex and Graham, who both formerly worked in admissions at Wharton, set out to tell you everything you need to know to be successful in your Wharton TBD. They’ll discuss: The history of the TBD Why Wharton uses it How to prepare for it How to perform in it What this year’s Read more

Published: October 27, 2021

Wharton’s Team-Based Discussion Prompt 2021-2022

The prompt for the Wharton School’s Team-Based Discussion (TBD) for the 2021-2022 MBA admissions season is below. The exercise focuses on Wharton Interactive, a new initiative in online, game-based learning. The prompt is: “A few weeks ago Wharton announced the official launch of Wharton Interactive, a venture dedicated to transforming teaching through interactive games and simulations. Wharton Interactive has a unique team of interactive fiction writers, pedagogy experts, game designers, and programmers. This venture is the first major effort by any university to create a scalable and fully automated platform built on simulations, interactivity, Read more

Published: October 20, 2021

Ace Your MBA Interview: Clear Admit’s Interview Guides

The MBA interview—the nail-biting, stomach-churning, sleep-robbing component of the MBA application process that ties some applicants up in knots—is upon us. But there’s no reason to fret: not with Clear Admit’s in-depth Interview Guide Series as part of your arsenal. Providing expert advice and insider tips on what to expect and how to prepare, these guides are ready and waiting to help you conquer your jitters and ace your interview. The Clear Admit Interview Guides include first-hand interview accounts submitted by real applicants over the years through our Interview Archive. The Clear Admit team has Read more

Published: October 7, 2021

Wharton MBA Class of 2023 Achieves Long-Sought Milestone

See the Wharton MBA Class of 2024 profile here. The years-long effort to promote gender parity in the business leadership pipeline has paid off for The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, whose MBA Class of 2023 hit a historic milestone for the representation of women. The 897-member class also made records for GMAT score highs and LGBTQ representation. Keep reading for more details about the latest Wharton MBA class profile. Dean Erika James, who also has the distinction of being the first woman appointed to lead the school, announced in the school’s press Read more

Published: August 9, 2021

Wharton Welcomes MBA Class with a Milestone Majority of Women

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania reaches a pivotal milestone this fall: For the first time in its 140-year history, a majority of incoming MBA candidates will be women. The incoming class of 2023 MBA students will be comprised of nearly 52 percent women, representing a 10 percent increase over last year’s first-year students. “This landmark achievement demonstrates Wharton’s commitment to providing a diverse and representative community for our students,” Dean Erika James said in a statement. “As a female leader, I understand firsthand the significant impact that experiencing meaningful gender representation can have on women as Read more

Published: July 20, 2021

Admissions Director Q&A: Blair Mannix of The Wharton School

Blair Mannix, Director of Admissions at the Wharton School We are rolling along with our Admissions Director Q&A series and are thrilled to welcome Blair Mannix, Director of Admissions for The Wharton School. Blair has a rich history in higher education, working at Penn since 2008 and specifically in admissions at Wharton for nearly a decade. She has an undergraduate degree from Saint Joseph’s University and a master’s degree from Penn’s Graduate School of Education, where she studied Early Decision programs at selective universities. In this interview, Blair talks about: The life of an MBA application at Read more

Published: June 30, 2021

Wharton Joins AltFinance, a $90M Investment in HBCUs

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is investing in the promise of alternative finance to bring diversity to the financial industry. The business school has partnered with Apollo Global Management, Ares Management, and Oaktree Capital Management to launch the $90 million AltFinance: Investing in Black Futures™, an initiative that will fund recruiting, training, and career opportunities at three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) over the next ten years. The consortium of finance companies has established a non-profit, ALT Finance Corporation, to administer the program, with $3 million from each company pledged annually. This initiative is the Read more

Published: June 21, 2021

New DeFi Toolkit: Wharton Professor & World Economic Forum Collaboration

At the peak in May, over $80 billion in digital assets were locked into Decentralized Finance, or DeFi, applications (i.e., MyEtherWallet and BurnerWallet) generally as liquidity or collateral supporting various services. Due to this new phenomenon, DeFi became a major development in global finance. However, many policy makers and other individuals struggled to understand the details of this new development. Therefore, The World Economic Forum decided to partner with Professor Kevin Werbach from The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania to create the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Policy-Maker Toolkit. Read more

Published: May 31, 2021

Real Humans of Merck: Drew Soloski, Wharton ’16, Project Manager, Global Project and Alliance Management – Oncology & Vaccines (Late Stage)

The Wharton MBA encourages students to develop an international mindset. From required global-focused core classes, international dual-degree programs, and global consulting opportunities, Wharton’s MBA students gain global perspectives. That’s what attracted Drew Soloski, Wharton MBA ‘16, to Wharton, where he pursued a joint degree program with the Lauder Institute that allowed him to study the Chinese language and travel the world — all while earning his business degree. Beyond allowing him to explore his international interests, earning his MBA helped fill in the necessary gaps for him to pivot Read more

Published: May 25, 2021

University of Pennsylvania Receives $5M Bitcoin Donation to Support Financial Innovation at Wharton

The University of Pennsylvania has received an anonymous $5 million bitcoin donation — the largest cryptocurrency gift the University has ever received — which will be used to support the intersection of finance and technology at The Wharton School. According to a University announcement, the bitcoin donation will support the growth of programs at Wharton’s Stevens Center for Innovation in Finance, which champions research, collaboration, and global impact in fintech. “This investment marks a new era and mode of giving to Read more

Published: May 18, 2021

MBA Essay Insight Events: Join Us On July 28!

We’re sure you’ve already heard that the application essays are a crucial component of the MBA application. So how can you ace this part of the admissions process? Get essay tips straight from admissions representatives at leading business schools during our upcoming MBA Essay Insight Event Series! We had our first two events on July 14th & July 21st and will be hosting one additional free online event – on July 28th @ 12 pm ET – to provide some insider advice to MBA applicants. Each session will start with a 60-minute roundtable panel, hosted by Clear Read more

Published: May 13, 2021

Wharton Venture Lab Announces Virtual Startup Challenge Winner

University of Pennsylvania students recently competed for $135,000 in prizes in The Wharton School’s 2021 Venture Lab Virtual Startup Challenge. The competition invited student teams from across the Penn community to present their start-up ideas. In response, Penn students from the Wharton School, The College of Arts and Sciences, The School of Engineering and Applied Science, Penn Carey Law, Perlman School of Medicine, and Penn Nursing submitted business plans. Out of 29 semi-finalists, eight finalists made their pitches at the final virtual event on April 30, 2021. Clear Admit’s co-founder, Eliot Ingram, attended the virtual event and Read more

Published: May 13, 2021

Fridays from the Frontline: How I Navigated Virtual Recruiting and Secured My Summer Internship

Current Wharton MBA student, Nancy Zhang MBA ’22, shares her journey through virtual recruiting to a summer internship in this week’s Fridays from the Frontline. How I Navigated Virtual Recruiting and Secured My Summer Internship Nancy Zhang, Wharton MBA ’22© Matt Greenslade Nancy Zhang, WG’22, is interviewed by Sugirtha Stathis, Director of Student Programs and Communication, MBA Career Management Sugirtha Stathis: What did you do before coming to Wharton? What did you want to explore during your time in the MBA Program? Nancy Zhang: Prior to coming to Wharton, I spent five Read more

Published: May 4, 2021

Real Humans of Amgen: Angelinda Chen, Wharton ‘18, Global Marketing Manager, Oncology Pipeline

After walking away from Wharton’s prospective student presentation, Angelinda Chen immediately knew that the University of Pennsylvania’s business school could help translate her dreams into reality. From that day on, embarking on her MBA at Wharton enabled her to own her career in a meaningful way. Beyond Wharton’s interdisciplinary healthcare program, which provided Angelinda the perfect combination of strategy and healthcare-specific classes, she also had the opportunity to participate in an internship at Amgen. A biotechnology innovator since Read more

Published: April 22, 2021

May 5 & 12: MBA Application Overview Event Series

You’ve got your grades and (maybe) your test scores. You’ve put in the time and effort at work, and have accomplishments and skills to show for it. You’re active and involved in your community, however you define it. You have the raw materials. So how do you put them together into a compelling MBA application? Join us for our Application Overview Event Series to get answers to just that question! We’re hosting two events next month – on May 5th & May 12th @ 12pm ET (both Wednesdays) – each with representatives from five leading business schools. We’ll start with 60-minute roundtable panel. Read more

Published: March 29, 2021

Real Humans of Nike: Margaret Souther, Wharton ’20, Manager of Global Member Growth, Lifecycle Strategy

Just do it! Nike’s mission is about doing everything possible to expand human potential, from innovating sports and creating sustainable products, all while striving to have a positive impact in communities. Nike has become one of the largest and most recognizable athletic brands on the planet; and as the world’s largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel, it’s a first choice for many graduates across business schools. One alumna who gravitated toward this brand is Margaret Souther from The Wharton School. With a passion for sports and an appreciation of forward-thinking, Margaret Read more

Published: March 29, 2021

U.S. News 2022 Business School Rankings: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

U.S. News & World Report has released its 2022 Best Business Schools Rankings. Despite a rather tumultuous year in world events, this year’s results in the MBA rankings realm remain largely unchanged. Stanford Graduate School of Business ranked number one this year, no longer sharing the top spot with the Wharton School, which came in second. Stanford boasts the highest reported salary and full-time average undergraduate GPA and GMAT scores combined with the lowest acceptance rate. Chicago Booth remained at number three but is no longer tied with Kellogg, now ranked Read more

Published: March 19, 2021

The Wharton School & Deloitte Partner to Advance Inclusive Leadership

“What are the barriers to inclusive leadership?” The Wharton School recently announced a partnership with Deloitte, a consulting and advisory company, to research and resolve this pressing question. The school and firm plan to collaborate to gain a more nuanced understanding of effective sponsorship and mentorship of minorities. Their efforts will build on previous research conducted by Wharton Professor Stephanie Creary. Her research suggests that leaders may provide their racial minority direct reports with qualitatively different types of support. The partnership’s new research will survey managers from racial minority and majority groups. Additionally, they will conduct a field experiment Read more

Published: March 17, 2021

Wharton Professor Named Next Director of Cambridge Judge Business School

Professor Mauro F. Guillén of the Wharton School will assume the role of Director of Cambridge Judge Business School on September 1, 2021. He succeeds Professor Christoph Loch, who had a successful decade of service to the business school. Mauro Guillén, Wharton Professor & New Director of Cambridge Judge Professor Guillén has taught at Wharton since 1996. He held the Zandman Endowed Professorship in International Management. Between 2007 and 2019, he served as director of the Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies. Additionally, he is a trustee of the Royal Foundation of Spain and a Read more