Invitations for Round 1 applicants to interview were sent November 2, and if you were invited, you will participate in a Team Based Discussion (TBD) and a one-on-one interview in the next few days — either on campus in Philadelphia, or in one of several major cities around the world, including Beijing, Delhi, Dubai, London, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Singapore and Tokyo. We encourage you to interview at a location most convenient to you.
Much has been written about the Wharton TBD, which is meant to model the highly collaborative nature of the Wharton MBA environment in order to identify characteristics (communication style, level of engagement, leadership skills, decision-making process, etc.) that we believe contribute to the success of Wharton students. This is your oppo
rtunity to express who you are as an individual, but perhaps more importantly, as a member of a functioning team.
The TBD is one element of the admissions process that, when pieced together with your written application, helps paint a clearer picture of who you are and how you may fit into the Class of 2019. Our hope is that through this process, you will not only be able to present how you approach and think about certain challenges and opportunities, but also have a chance to experience, firsthand, the team work and learning dynamic that is central to the Wharton experience.
When thinking about how to approach the TBD, the advice I most often give applicants is to reflect on your day-to-day interactions, both personally and professionally. Each of us engages in TBDs every day of our lives. Pay attention to the role you typically play in those discussions, and when you get to the TBD, own that role! Are you the quiet consensus builder? The big idea person? The compromise negotiator? All have a role and usually flourish in our TBDs.
We wish you all the best as you enter this exciting phase of Round 1 interviews, and we look forward to meeting you at a TBD very soon!
Frank DeVecchis
Director | Wharton MBA Admissions