The University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business is famous around the world for its business degree programs. It is extremely competitive in terms of admissions, so almost all students will have a tough time getting accepted. According to the class profile, 845 enrolled from an applicant pool of 6,442. While nothing will guarantee admission, there are some helpful guidelines which may assist you in preparing to apply for the Wharton MBA program of the University of Pennsylvania.
GMAT:
This is going to be a tough hurdle for many applicants. The average GMAT is about 720, which is around the 94th percentile. While most people are not going to have the aptitude to score this high, you do not necessarily have to to get accepted. But you will probably need a better-than-average GPA, substantial work experience, or something else in your background showing tremendous potential for success in a business leadership role.
The range of the GMAT is around 560 to 790. With 560 being around the 52nd percentile, there are a few people that do slip in with only an average GMAT. But you can’t rely on that. So it would be best to start preparing early at MBA.com, the official website for the GMAT exam. There are also many GMAT prep courses ranging up to over $1,000. But don’t expect these to work miracles. If you take a practice test and are scoring 500, most likely no course is going to get you anywhere close to 700. That’s just the way it is with tests that rely on natural aptitude. But it may be worth it to spend money on a course if you feel that raising your score 50 or so points will be enough to get admitted into Wharton to study for an MBA.
Technically, you can also take the GRE instead of the GMAT. You may wish to take the GRE first and see what kind of percentile score you are getting for that. Some students may score better on the GRE, while the natural aptitude of other students may fit better with the GMAT.
Education:
You need an accredited bachelor’s degree in any field. It can be from a foreign country as long as the program was accredited in that country. Ask the school if your foreign degree qualifies if you are not sure.
You do not need a business degree to get accepted. In fact, around 40% of admitted students have a degree in liberal arts.
TOEFL:
You can get a wavier of the TOEFL if you have either an undergraduate or master’s degree from a university in an English-speaking country or a university in another country where the language of instruction is English. Otherwise, you must take the TOEFL if you are not a native speaker. The typical average TOEFL score is 633/110. At the time of this writing, you may not take the IELTS to qualify.
Work Experience:
There is no minimum requirement, but students who gain admission have an average of about 5 to 6 years of work experience. According to the University of Pennsylvania Wharton MBA FAQ, the number of years is less important than the quality of the leadership positions held and work contribution. In addition, work at a Fortune 500 company is not considered more valuable than a smaller organization or even a government agency. This is because Wharton values diversity in its MBA admissions decisions.
In all, only about 25% of students have 0 to 3 years of work experience. So you would need a stellar short-term background or some kind of leadership record to qualify in this category.
Contact Details:
For further information, use the following address, phone number or email:
Office of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid
The Wharton School
University of Pennsylvania
Vance Hall, Suite 111
3733 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104.6340
215.898.6183
[email protected]
Sources:
University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business MBA FAQ