UPenn / Wharton MBA Recommendation Questions
The MBA application for the Wharton School requires one letter of recommendation from an individual who is well acquainted with your leadership, teamwork, and analytical skills, as well as your potential for success in professional settings. Make sure you select someone who can speak directly about your aptitudes and capabilities, such as a current or former supervisor, colleague, or client. The Wharton MBA recommendation questions for the 2026-2027 admissions season are below.
2026-2027 Wharton Recommendation Questions
Recommender Information
The recommendation begins with the recommender’s contact information, followed by a handful of background questions:
Relationship With Applicant: (e.g. Direct Supervisor, Advisor, Indirect Report/Subordinate)
During which period of time have you had the most frequent contact with the applicant? (Select dates)
Are you a graduate of Wharton or any other University of Pennsylvania school? (Yes / No)
Are you a faculty member of Wharton or any other University of Pennsylvania School? (Yes / No)
Summary Appraisal
For every set of three positive descriptors, select one that is most characteristic of the applicant. Although all statements are favorable, please choose only the single descriptor that best fits the individual.
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Applicant Assessment
How do the candidate’s performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (500 Words)
(Optional) Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (500 Words)
(Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
Clear Admit Resources
Get started on your research into the Wharton MBA program with more from Clear Admit:
- UPenn Wharton School of Business Profile on the Clear Admit website: up-to-date advice and admissions information
- Clear Admit LiveWire: admissions updates submitted in real-time by applicants to Wharton
- Clear Admit DecisionWire: school selections in real-time by admits to Wharton
MBA Applywire
Currently working at Big4 Tax Advisory for Foreign Portfolio and Institutional Investors. Have a low GPA but positive trajectory from 2.00 in Semester 1 to 3.73 in Semester 6 and a Finance Major GPA of 3.64. CFA L3 candidate, hopefully cleared by the time I join.
Profile handicaps also include a 3 year gap post graduation and had to repeat Year 1 in college due to failing a subject.
4 YoE at matriculation. T1 Indian engineering college (Mech Eng.). Long term entrepreneurial goal building sports infrastructure and improving access to high quality training facilities and credible pathways to professional leagues. Played football (soccer) extensively through school and college as captain in school. Football community head in Hyderabad with around 60-70 members.
-5 year Division I student athlete
-3x captain
-3.97 masters gpa (business analytics)
-undergrad major is sport management
-4 years at Fortune 500 med tech company (3 different positions)
-started a fund 5 years ago to help families affected by cancer in memory of my mom (plan annual events, present to 200+ people per event, allocate funds to event beneficiaries)
-targeting round 2
-Taking the GRE in Oct
Any advice on a range for a target GRE score and based on my profile do you think the 3.3 will hold me back from those top M7/T15 schools that I plan to apply to?
(I assume to help offset the 3.3, my GRE score will need to be pretty high)
MBA LiveWire
Submitted application on August 19th. Completed optional Kira Interview
Application submitted 06 Sep
Applied on August 27.