Class of 2028 Application:
Now Open and Newly Updated

The application to join the Wharton MBA Class of 2028 is now open! This year, for the first time in several cycles, we’ve made a few updates to the application. We regularly review our application data to strengthen how we evaluate and select talent for the Wharton MBA Program, and this year’s changes reflect years of analysis. We’ve studied how different parts of the application relate to success at Wharton: in the classroom, across the Penn and Wharton community, and in post-MBA careers. Each update has been designed to enhance the predictive power of the application and to create a smoother experience for both applicants and their recommenders.

Essay Updates

Essay 1: Two short-form questions
Essay 1 has been restructured into two short-answer questions, allowing candidates to focus exclusively on their professional goals.

• What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 words)
• What are your career goals for the first three to five years after completing your MBA, and how will those build towards your long-term professional goals? (150 words)

Essay 2: Long-form essay
Essay 2 remains a long-form response but has been refined to center on the impact you’ll bring to the Wharton community, rather than how you’ll spend your time while in the program.

• Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to add meaningful value to the Wharton community? (350 words)

Letter of Recommendation Updates

We’ve reduced the number of required recommendations from two to one and will now use the GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation, which is already in use at many peer schools. We’ve also updated the recommender assessment that accompanies the letter, allowing recommenders to evaluate the applicant’s strengths across a broad range of competencies.

As a reminder, here are the dates and deadlines for this year’s application cycle:

We hope these updates make the application process more straightforward and reflective of who you are and what you hope to achieve. You’ll find a range of resources on our website to support you, including live events, recorded webinars, a step-by-step application guide, and more. We look forward to learning more about you and the impact you hope to make at Wharton and beyond.