Read these Wharton MBA essay examples for some inspiration when writing your own! The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania is considered one of the best MBA programs in the world, and getting accepted is tough. The Wharton MBA admissions essays are one way for you to give your application a boost and stand out. In this blog, we’ll look at how to write an MBA essay for Wharton School of Business, what the requirements are and some samples to help guide you.


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How Important is the MBA Essay for Wharton? Wharton MBA Essay Requirements Wharton MBA Essay Examples FAQs

How Important is the MBA Essay for Wharton?

Wharton School of Business is a part of the HSW trinity, along with Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business, and is considered one of the best MBA programs in the US and globally. Wharton’s reputation as a top business school and its relatively competitive admissions means it is challenging to get accepted. The acceptance rate at Wharton is around 12%, which is quite selective for an MBA program. Wharton also receives thousands of applications every admissions cycle. This means successful applicants need to not only have a strong application, but they also need to stand out from a pool of competitive applicants.

The Wharton MBA essays are one way to help distinguish your application, strengthen your candidacy and personalize your application. Wharton is looking for more than a high GPA, impressive GMAT scores and a stellar MBA resume. You need to make a lasting impression on the admissions committee. You need to share why you want to pursue an MBA and how you will contribute to the MBA program at Wharton.

Tips for writing your Wharton MBA essays

As you’re preparing to write your Wharton MBA essays, keep in mind the school’s mission and values. Your aim should be to demonstrate as much as possible how Wharton’s specific MBA program will contribute to your achieving your goals, how your experience and background will contribute to Wharton and why you have chosen Wharton, in particular, over other MBA programs. Wharton’s mission statement is:

“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.”

As you can tell, leadership and self-awareness are important at Wharton. The admissions committee also wants to hear your genuine voice and perspective. Wharton highlights these three tips when it comes to writing your admissions essay:

  1. Don’t worry about word count at first
  2. Be yourself
  3. Connect your ideas

For the first two tips, it’s a reminder to dig deep and self-reflect on your personal and professional decisions. Let your genuine voice shine through your essay. And as for the word count, worry about editing your essay later, or ask someone to proofread your work for you.

As for connecting your ideas, your essay should seamlessly connect ideas about where you are coming from or what you have already done, what you hope to learn or accomplish after your MBA, and lastly, why Wharton is the program that will help you do those things. It’s important to have a strong answer to the question “why Wharton?” and share which specific aspects or values of the school drew you in.

If you’re not sure where to start with writing your MBA essay, check out our Wharton MBA essay samples below, or look into an MBA essay writing service or MBA essay consultant to help you craft a stellar admissions essay.

Wharton MBA Essay Requirements

An MBA personal statement is one of the common MBA requirements and acing the Wharton MBA essay questions is an important step. For the traditional MBA program at Wharton, there are 2 required essays, an optional essay, and a required essay for any reapplicants. Your essays are written in response to specific prompts set by the school. These questions ask you to share your motivations, experiences and career goals, beyond what can be found in your MBA extracurriculars or work experience.

The Wharton MBA essay prompts are:

Wharton MBA Essay Examples

Check out these Wharton MBA essay examples to help spark some ideas for writing your own! Or read some Harvard MBA personal statements or Stanford MBA personal statement examples if you’re applying to the HWS trinity of MBA programs.

Wharton MBA Essay Example #1

Prompt: 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 max)

Having worked in a dynamic corporate environment for several years, I have developed a solid foundation in strategy and leadership. However, to achieve my entrepreneurial goals of becoming an app developer serving international travelers and students abroad, I recognize the need for a more comprehensive skill set and a deeper understanding of global business practices. The Wharton MBA program provides the perfect platform to bridge these gaps and take my career to new heights.

The Wharton MBA program's commitment to social impact and entrepreneurship perfectly aligns with my aspirations. The access to the Wharton Social Impact Initiative and the extensive entrepreneurship resources will empower me to develop sustainable business models and effectively tackle social issues. The program's emphasis on ethical leadership and corporate social responsibility will further shape my understanding of the intersection between business and social impact, enabling me to drive change as a responsible leader in the corporate world. Furthermore, Wharton’s emphasis on experiential learning through real-world projects and case studies will enable me to develop practical problem-solving skills and a strategic mindset, which are crucial for effective decision-making in complex business scenarios.

Wharton’s extensive courses covering technology, analytics and finance will be essential for developing my understanding of the industry and provide me with practical, real-world skills I will need to achieve my goals. I am especially intrigued by the program’s courses on Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation, and Digital Marketing and e-Commerce, which is an area of my professional skillset I am keen to develop further.

Lastly, Wharton's strong network of alumni and industry connections will offer unparalleled opportunities for internships and networking, allowing me to gain hands-on experience and forge valuable relationships. As an aspiring entrepreneur, fostering these partnerships and collaborations are essential to my success and continued learning as I find new career paths.

By leveraging the Wharton resources, I am confident that I will emerge from the Wharton MBA program as a transformative leader, ready to make a positive impact and contribute meaningfully to both the business community and society at large.

Wharton MBA Essay Example #2

Prompt: 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 max)

Drawing upon my diverse background encompassing personal, professional, and academic experiences, I am eager to contribute to the vibrant and dynamic Wharton community. The program has many unique and enticing student clubs and activities which have piqued my interest. By actively engaging in traditions such as Follies and student clubs like the Brewmasters' Guild, I aim to foster a sense of camaraderie, creativity, and innovation, while also leveraging my skills to enhance the Wharton experience for my fellow students.

I have cultivated a passion for performing arts throughout my life, and I believe that my background in theater and comedy will bring a unique perspective to the Wharton community. I plan to contribute to the Wharton Follies by utilizing my creative talents in writing, acting, and directing. I am a long-time participant of the Wildfire Improv Troupe in [city] and I have participated in the [city] Fringe Festival as a comedic actor, director and playwright for the past 6 years. By participating in Follies, I hope to entertain and engage my peers, creating a space for laughter and lightheartedness amidst the demanding academic environment. Through collaborations with fellow students, I aim to create memorable performances that celebrate the diverse talents within the Wharton community.

My professional experiences have fostered strong skills in event planning, organization, and team leadership. As a member of the Brewmasters' Guild at Wharton, I intend to utilize these skills to contribute to the community in a distinct way. By organizing and hosting beer tastings, workshops, and networking events, I seek to create a platform for students to explore the art and science of brewing while cultivating a sense of community. As Philadelphia is a hotspot for microbrewing and craft beer making, I am excited at the prospect of exploring what Wharton and the city have to offer my taste buds.

I am eager to see how my passions will blossom and add to the student community at Wharton, and how I might use my professional and extracurricular skillsets to enhance an already vibrant and exciting community.

FAQs

1. How to write a Wharton MBA essay?

Your Wharton MBA essay should share the highlights of your professional experience so far, why you want to pursue a Wharton MBA, what your future career goals are and why Wharton’s MBA program will help you achieve them. Your essay should be no more than 500 words.

2. How do you stand out in an MBA essay?

To stand out in an MBA essay, it’s important to be genuine and allow your natural voice to come through. You should answer the prompt as directly and fully as you can, while remaining succinct and within the word count. Share specific career goals you have and concrete reasons why you chose the school you are applying to.

3. How hard is it to get into Wharton MBA?

Wharton MBA has one of the lowest MBA acceptance rates in the US, as it is also considered one of the best MBA programs in the world and is highly selective. So, getting into Wharton MBA is quite challenging.

4. How long should my Wharton MBA essays be?

The Wharton MBA essays have a word count limit of 500 and 400 words for the required essays. The optional essay prompt has a word count limit of 500 words.

5. What are the Wharton MBA essay topics?

The Wharton MBA essays have fairly straightforward essay topics. They ask you to explain why you chose Wharton and what your future career goals are, and they want to know how you will meaningfully contribute to the Wharton MBA program.

6. What qualities does Wharton look for in MBA applicants?

Some of the biggest things Wharton looks for in its applicants is professional maturity and demonstrated leadership. This means no matter your career background, you should show a progression of professional development, responsibility and a variety of contributions to the workplace. What you’ve done for work or how many years of experience you have is less important than how and how much you contributed to your field.

7. What are the Wharton MBA essay prompts?

Wharton has 2 required essays. The prompts are: “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” and “Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?”

8. Is the Wharton MBA essay important?

Yes. Wharton receives thousands of applications every year, and your MBA personal statement or admissions essay is one of the best ways to distinguish yourself from all the other applicants. Your MBA essay also reveals important information about you and your goals that the Wharton admissions committee will want to know.

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting


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