Notes from the Director: Preparing for Round One

Ankur Kumar, Director of Admissions

Huntsman Hall is back up and buzzing with energy and activity these days. After a summer spent interning all over the globe, our second year students are reunited and back on campus – and already welcoming the first-year students to the program and Philadelphia. As classes reconvene and student clubs hold their first meetings of the year, Admissions is busy preparing for our Class of 2014 Round 1 deadline, less than a month away.

As you prepare your applications, I thought it would be helpful to clear up a few common myths we hear around the process and share some tips on preparing a strong application. Remember, the application is your vehicle to tell us about you and the many dimensions that you bring to the table. Don't focus on trying to 'stand out' – by giving us a glimpse into who you are, and how you think, you will inherently stand out as your unique self. You've made a number of thoughtful choices to this point of your lives; stay confident in your judgement and spend your energy and time focused on what you can truly control in this process – your application!

I hope you find these helpful and for more on these and other application and admissions questions, please refer to our Student2Student forums. It's a fantastic resource, where you can ask our alumni and students their advice and opinions on Wharton.

Also, our On-Campus Visit Program begins again in one week, please check out the website for details on how to sign up. Hope to see you on campus this fall.

We look forward to reading your applications in a few weeks!

Myth: When it comes to selecting recommenders, ask the most senior person at your company and/or a Wharton alumnus/a.

Fact: You should select recommenders who can speak in depth about your professional experiences, and who can provide concrete examples of your accomplishments and potential. Letters of recommendation are key for applicants to share further insight with us about your professional accomplishments, learnings and leadership.

You should choose recommenders who can speak directly about your aptitude for (and accomplishments in) your daily work, big-picture thinking, leadership and management. An effective recommender will do more than check the right boxes and write a few sentences about how great you are; he or she will include examples that illustrate the points – and also be able to tell us what your development areas are. No one comes to business school fully formed – we want to hear about the room you have to grow, in addition to areas in which you're already accomplished. I would recommend taking your recommenders to coffee and sharing your thought process around business school. Arm them with your motivations for applying and refresh their memories around all of your accomplishments so that they can be fully informed when answering the questions.

Side Note: We recognize that some of you may be applying in confidence, and not able to therefore ask your direct supervisor. If that is the case, use your best judgement on selecting an alternate recommender. Use the Optional Section to let us know your situation and why you chose the alternate recommender.

Myth: Candidates who majored in business have an edge over non-business majors.

Fact: Over two thirds of our students did not major in business, and instead studied the Social Sciences, Humanities and Hard Sciences in undergrad. And, for what it's worth, nearly two-thirds of our students came to Wharton from fields other than consulting or investment banking (click here to see our current class profile).

At Wharton, we actively seek diversity in the academic and professional backgrounds of our students. Bringing together 800+ people with varying experiences, perspectives and interests is the hallmark of the Wharton experience. Diversity is truly the backbone to innovative thinking about industries, companies and economies around the globe.

That being said, we always want to ensure our students are academically prepared for the rigors of business curriculum. If you haven't taken quantitative classes in your undergraduate studies, it may be prudent to pursue some basic mathematics or business classes through continuing education; calculus and/or statistics can provide excellent grounding for business education and will help you understand the curriculum you'll be experiencing in school. Clearly demonstrating your aptitude for quantitative subjects is something to keep in mind as you prepare your application. We look holistically at your academic background, GMAT/GRE and any continuing education courses when evaluating this dimension of your candidacy.

Myth: Applicants who apply early have an advantage over those who wait until later rounds.

Fact: At Wharton, we offer three rounds of admissions each year precisely because there isn't necessarily one right time to apply for everyone. That being said, we strongly encourage applicants who are serious about coming to school in a given year to apply in either Round 1 or Round 2. Round 3 is inherently filled with more uncertainty – for us and for you. There are years where we admitted double and triple digit numbers of students in Round 3…and years where we haven't been able to admit any candidates. Applying earlier can have added benefits for you, as receiving an earlier decision from Wharton may give you more clarity in your business school decision process. In addition, if you are placed on the waitlist in an earlier round, you will have the opportunity to be considered for admission again in a subsequent round. That said, a student should apply when he or she feels most confident and ready. Wharton is interested in the best applicants, not the earliest ones, and you are best served by taking the time to present the strongest application possible.

Myth: You must have a certain number of years of work experience before you should apply to business school.

Fact: There is no "right" or preferred time in a career to start thinking about business school from our standpoint. The decision to go to business school is truly a personal one, and the timing will be different for everyone. Some candidates already know that they plan to attend an MBA program while they are still in their undergrad studies. others spend a few, or even more, years working before they make the decision to attend an MBA program.

Some industries may have more natural inflection points at which candidates may apply. Candidates coming from other industries and sectors – like the military or after having completed their Ph.D – may have different, or less clear cut inflection points. We tailor our marketing programs to meet the varied timelines of all applicants, and our Admissions officers are more than happy to help you at whichever point you may be at in your business school application process.

I hope these tips help you as you put the finishing touches on your applications. Remember to always reach out to the Admissions Office with any questions.

We look forward to receiving your Round 1 Applications on October 4th!

Sincerely,

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