Wharton, University of Pennsylvania

Wharton was founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, and that spirit of innovation still drives us today. We offer a distinctively collaborative MBA experience, unparalleled academic and career resources, and a commitment to learning and personal growth.

Wharton offers a truly international environment, with MBA students from 70 countries and experiences such as the Global Immersion Program, which organizes multi-week trips to meet business leaders in such regions as Africa, South America, Greater China, and Southeast Asia.


Wharton gives you frequent opportunities to hear directly from the the world's business and community leaders, with perspectives on their careers and the challenges of their industries. Visiting executives in MBA classrooms help place critical management issues in their real-world, real-time contexts.


-http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/

__________________
..ich habe mir angewöhnt, dass ich jeden Tag in den Garten schau und eine Blume hinrichte..." (Edmund Stoiber, Bayrischer Ministerpräsident)

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MBA-Studium

If you think that Wharton is the right place for you, we encourage you to apply. A successful application combines substance, presentation, and good timing. It should tell your own story and make each element of your application as strong as possible.

Use our online application system to apply and to check your status. The system walks you through the required steps, including electronically submitted transcripts, recommendations, and essays.

* Apply or Check Status
* Using the Online Application System

Fall 2007 application deadlines and decision release dates:
MBA Program
Application Deadline Decision Release Date
Round 1 October 12, 2006 December 21, 2006
Round 2 January 4, 2007 March 22, 2007
Round 3 March 1, 2007 May 17, 2007
MBA/MA–Lauder Program
Application Deadline Decision Release Date
Round 1 October 12, 2006 December 21, 2006
Round 2 January 4, 2007 March 22, 2007

All deadlines are 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Fall 2007 Wharton MBA Application Essays

The Admissions Committee is interested in getting to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid, and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself.

First Time Applicant Essays
All first time applicants and those who applied for an entering class prior to Fall 2005 are required to complete the first time applicant essays. Candidates who applied for the Entering Fall 2005 or 2006 class and wish to reapply are to complete the Reapplicant Essays.

Essay 1 (Required)
Describe your career progress to date and your future short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect an MBA from Wharton to help you achieve these goals, and why is now the best time for you to join our program? (1,000 words)

Essay 2 (Required)
Describe a failure or setback that you have experienced. How did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself? (500 words)

Essays 3 & 4 (Required)
Please complete two of the following four questions (500 words each):

1. Describe a personal characteristic or quality that will help the Admissions Committee to know you better.
2. Describe an impact you’ve had on a team, group or organization. How has this experience been valuable to you or others, and what did you learn?
3. What do you do best?
4. When have your values, ethics, or morals been challenged? How has this shaped who you are today?

Essay 5 (Optional)
If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words)

Additional Joint Wharton MBA/MA–Lauder Applicant Essays
(required for all Lauder applicants in addition to the appropriate set of essay questions above)

1. Describe a cross-cultural experience in your adult life that was challenging to you. How did you meet this challenge and what did you learn from the experience? (1,000 words)
2. Please explain why you are currently applying to Lauder. How do you expect the Wharton/Lauder joint-degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and personal level? (1,000 words)


-http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/apply/overviewapply.cfm

__________________
..ich habe mir angewöhnt, dass ich jeden Tag in den Garten schau und eine Blume hinrichte..." (Edmund Stoiber, Bayrischer Ministerpräsident)

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http://www.business-podium.com

Once you've registered and created a username and password, you can work on your essays and information and save your work over many sessions, then submit your final application. When you apply online, you will be able to track the status of your application electronically.

If you have questions: Visit our Online Application FAQ, and explore the student2student discussion forum to ask or see whether the answer is there.
Application System Requirements

This application has been tested for compatibility on Netscape 6 and higher, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 and higher, Safari (for Macintosh users), and Mozilla Firefox 1 and higher. Parts of this application may not function properly on other browsers and pop-up blockers should be disabled. Do not use AOL’s internal browser. In addition to a compatible browser, you will need a web browser that has Javascript activated and the free Adobe Reader to access certain documents. If you wish to use the Transcript Template to speed processing of your application, you will also need to have access to Microsoft Excel 97 or higher.
Transcripts

Applicants have two options for providing us with records of your academic work. You can submit unofficial transcripts of your academic work using the Microsoft Excel 97 Transcript Template in the online application. This option requires that you have access to Microsoft Excel 97 (or higher) and that you use a Web browser (such as Netscape 8 and higher or Microsoft Internet Explorer 6) that supports form-based file uploads. Using the Transcript Template substantially accelerates application processing. Alternatively, you can have your academic records sent to us from the institutions at which you studied.

If you use the Transcript Template and are offered admission, you will be required to provide official transcripts of all previous academic work to verify the information provided in the Template. If there are discrepancies between the self-reported academic work and official records, the offer of admission will be withdrawn. Offers of admission are not binding until academic records are verified.
Recommendations

The Admissions Committee requires two recommendations. You have two options for submitting these letters: electronic and paper. Recommenders with Web access and an e-mail address should submit recommendations electronically. After you have contacted them about providing you a recommendation, complete the recommendations request form on the Recommendations page, and check "Please e-mail this person a recommendation request" beneath each recommender you wish us to contact. They will be sent e-mail messages with instructions and a Web address they should go to in order to complete your recommendation. You will then be notified by e-mail when we receive each recommendation.

To submit paper-based recommendations, download the Recommendation Form from the online application system, print one copy for each recommender, and follow the directions provided on the form.
Essay Questions

All the essay questions have fields large enough for you to answer each question thoroughly.



-http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/apply/onlineapp.cfm

__________________
..ich habe mir angewöhnt, dass ich jeden Tag in den Garten schau und eine Blume hinrichte..." (Edmund Stoiber, Bayrischer Ministerpräsident)

heute schon gemichelt? michelforum.ca

http://www.business-podium.com

Academic Profile

We evaluate academic profiles looking for the ability to handle the Wharton MBA curriculum. Because the curriculum is quite rigorous, we must ensure that every admitted candidate can manage the workload successfully, with time left over to explore opportunities offered outside the classroom.

In any given year, 70 to 80% of candidates are admissible based on academic factors alone. However, less than 14% of the applicant pool can be admitted, so keep in mind that while your academic profiles is very important, it isn't the only factor we consider.

Measures of academic ability include undergraduate/ baccalaureate preparation, advanced degrees, post-graduate diplomas, certificates or other coursework, as well as standardized test scores and other credentials (e.g., CPA, CFA).

Undergraduate/Baccalaureate Preparation: Your performance and preparation are considered based on the factors that led you to choose your school, the competitive level of your school, the curriculum you chose, and academic trends on your transcript.

Your intellectual curiosity may be demonstrated by the electives taken outside your major. Your grade point average (GPA), class division and/or class rank is weighed against other demands on your time, such as working while in school and/or heavy involvement in extracurricular activities. Note: Not all universities award GPAs, class division, or class rank. Applicants should not calculate any of these items if they are not reported by their universities.

Additional Academic Work: All additional academic work is relevant, including continuing education credits, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees in related and unrelated fields. If you didn't perform at a high level in some of your undergraduate classes, additional coursework may show stronger academic motivation and ability. If you don't have an analytic or mathematical undergraduate background, taking calculus, statistics, or other business-related quantitative classes may bolster your preparation.

Test Scores: The General Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are one other part of the academic profile.

GMAT: The total GMAT score, as well as each section of the test, is evaluated. There are no minimum cut-off scores, though we are concerned about verbal and quantitative section values that fall below the 80% threshold. If you're disappointed with your test score and believe that with additional preparation you could improve your score, then we encourage you to retake the test. We always consider your highest total test score.

TOEFL: A complete command of the English language, including proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking is essential for success in Wharton's MBA program. All international applicants for the MBA Program whose native language (language first learned and spoken at home) is not English, or who did not complete a degree from an institution where English was the language of instruction, are required to take the TOEFL in addition to the GMAT.

Other Credentials: Professional certifications such as a CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst), or MSE are considered as parts of your academic profile.


Essays

Focus your energy on painting a concise, complete, and well-thought-out picture of who you truly are, rather than present what you think the Admissions Committee is looking for in response to essay questions, Use the essays to elaborate your candidacy while answering the specific questions at hand within the suggested guidelines. It is important to answer all questions that we present, using good judgment with respect to length. We provide guidelines for word count that reflect our strong sense of how long an essay should be. We don't count words or expect you to list a word count, but if your essays are twice as long as the guidelines suggest, there may be a more concise way to address the question.

Candidates who have worked in nontraditional careers (or for companies that may not be as familiar to the Admissions Committee) will need to explain issues in a little more detail. If that's your situation, please feel free to write more while still using your good judgment. For more information about nontraditional backgrounds and careers at Wharton, please visit Nontraditional Students.

The optional essay is truly optional, and may be presented in one paragraph of 250 words or less. It should be used to highlight any inconsistencies your application may need to address, or you can use it to explain your choice of recommenders, if you believe they are not a traditional choice. We recommend that you don't skip over any issue that may present a concern to an evaluator.

If there is a potential issue (e.g., one poor semester/term at university within an otherwise impressive academic experience, a year out of your career to explore), explain its context, what you learned from the experience, as well as how it may affect your time at Wharton. If you do not explain the context, the Admissions Committee may make uninformed assumptions.


Recommendations

Beyond your personal essays, the Admissions Committee would like to learn about you from two independent people who know you well. We prefer recommendations from people who can speak directly about your aptitude for, or accomplishments in, leadership and management. Thus, work-related recommendations are more valuable than academic ones. Supplementary recommendations, including those from a peer, may be submitted, but should offer additional and valuable insights not addressed in the two required recommendations.

Select the two people who really know you and your work, who you believe can best address the questions asked, not the two most important people you know. If a Wharton graduate happens to be one of those two people, he or she may be able to use his or her understanding of Wharton to describe how you will fit into the Wharton culture. Please don't seek out alumni who aren't truly qualified to write about you.

Recommendations should address the range of questions asked on our Recommendation Form and provide details, depth, and insight. Please make sure your recommenders understand that an effective recommendation is more than checking the right boxes and writing a couple of sentences. If the recommender believes that you are a good team player, he or she should present an example or two that illustrates that point. Useful recommendation letters are usually two to three pages long. You may want to brief your recommenders beforehand so they understand the competitive nature of the admissions process in which you are engaging.

Some candidates submit an additional recommendation. While this is acceptable, carefully consider whether the third recommendation will really add a new perspective.

Applicants working in family businesses, entrepreneurial environments, or other nontraditional environments will need to be more creative in terms of choosing recommenders (and perhaps use the optional essay to allow us to understand how you made your choices). You may consider clients, mentors, or those that you have worked with in the community.


-http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/apply/preparing.cfm

__________________
..ich habe mir angewöhnt, dass ich jeden Tag in den Garten schau und eine Blume hinrichte..." (Edmund Stoiber, Bayrischer Ministerpräsident)

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http://www.business-podium.com

Checking Your Status

At each step of the application and admissions process, you may check your status on the online application system. Statuses include:

* Submission of application
* Application is complete (lists all items submitted)
* Application is incomplete (lists items submitted and missing)
* Invitation to interview
* Admissions decision (e.g., admit, deny, waitlist, waitlist continue)
* Matriculation

Interviews

Interviews are by invitation, following a thorough review of your completed application. Instructions are provided at the time of invitation. Interviews are conducted worldwide by alumni, staff, and students. All interviews carry equal weight in the admissions process. No applicant is admitted without an interview.
Admissions Decisions

Admissions decisions are made in a series of three rounds. There is no particular order in which interview invitations or final decisions are released. Decisions are announced via e-mail and a phone call from an admissions officer; they are also posted to your online account. Admitted students are invited to one our Welcome events to visit the School and aid them in making their decision to attend. Full details about the matriculation process, academics, careers, and Philadelphia are also provided.



-http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/process/index.cfm

__________________
..ich habe mir angewöhnt, dass ich jeden Tag in den Garten schau und eine Blume hinrichte..." (Edmund Stoiber, Bayrischer Ministerpräsident)

heute schon gemichelt? michelforum.ca

http://www.business-podium.com

FINANCING YOUR MBA

We are committed to helping you finance your education. Financing and financial aid options are available to all students, including international students. Federal and private loans are offered to domestic and permanent residents. A guaranteed loan program is offered to international students without a cosigner. A variety of fellowships, scholarships, assistantships, and need-based grants are available to all students, including underrepresented groups, women, early career and direct-from-undergraduate candidates, and international students. You will receive information about all these options once you are admitted.

Wharton and Penn underwrite nearly 56% of MBA education costs, a contribution factored into the final cost of tuition and fees. As an MBA student, you contribute to such program costs as tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and health insurance. We encourage everyone considering an MBA to save income and assets, reduce consumer debt, and prepare for a moderate student lifestyle.
Financial Aid FAQ

Find answers to financing questions on our Frequently Asked Questions, from “How are scholarships awarded?” to “Are credit cards accepted to pay tuition?”


-http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/finance/index.cfm

__________________
..ich habe mir angewöhnt, dass ich jeden Tag in den Garten schau und eine Blume hinrichte..." (Edmund Stoiber, Bayrischer Ministerpräsident)

heute schon gemichelt? michelforum.ca

http://www.business-podium.com