{"id":49294,"date":"2020-07-15T17:09:30","date_gmt":"2020-07-16T00:09:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=49294"},"modified":"2020-09-29T12:20:44","modified_gmt":"2020-09-29T19:20:44","slug":"wharton-mba-essay-tips-deadlines-2020-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wharton-mba-essay-tips-deadlines-2020-21\/","title":{"rendered":"Wharton MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines: 2020-21"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School once again asks applicants to submit two essays for the 2020-21 application season. This year, the school has tweaked the second essay prompt. The applicants can also write an optional essay to provide additional information and explain extenuating circumstances. The reapplicants also have to write an additional required essay. The word limit for all the essays remains unchanged. The candidates have 900 words to present their candidacy for the Wharton MBA program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Wharton Blog<\/strong>: Our main goal is to get to know you\nthe best that we can, and the change to our second prompt was largely motivated\nby that desire. We hope to give applicants room to reflect on their unique\nbackgrounds and think about what their value-add will be to the Wharton\ncommunity. Applicants should remember that the Admissions Committee is looking\nfor candidates who will contribute to all aspects of Wharton life<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Application Deadlines:<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n Round<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n Application\n Deadline<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n Interview\n Invitations<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n Decisions<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Round 1\n <\/td>\n September 15, 2020\n <\/td>\n October 28, 2020\n <\/td>\n December 16, 2020\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Round 2\n <\/td>\n January 5, 2021\n <\/td>\n February 11, 2021\n <\/td>\n March 25, 2021\n <\/td><\/tr>
\n Round 3\n <\/td>\n March 31, 2021\n <\/td>\n April 15, 2021\n <\/td>\n May 11, 2021\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Applications\nare due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the day of the deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applications submitted after the\ndeadline for Round 1 or 2 will get rolled into the next round. Wharton will not\naccept applications submitted after the Round 3 deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For\nmore information about applying for the Wharton MBA, visit the Wharton admission website.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2020-2021\napplication will open in July.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wharton Essays<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\ntwo required essay questions expect you to explain how Wharton can\nhelp you achieve your goals and what you can contribute to the Wharton community. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know you on both a\nprofessional and personal level. \"We encourage you to be introspective,\ncandid, and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself<\/em>.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is MER's analysis of Wharton\nessays :<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essay 1:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 What do you hope to gain\nprofessionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although\nthis essay is a classic career goals essay, the expectation of the admission\ncommittee sets it apart. You have to think of a bigger picture and where you\nsee yourself in the next 15-20 years. That is, you have to explain your short-term\ngoals, long term vision, and the broad impact you made on your industry,\ncommunity, or country. Also, you have to illustrate how the skill set and experience\nacquired at Wharton will help you fill the gap between your present career and\nyour long-term goals. The focus of this essay should not be on your\nprofessional history and key accomplishments, but on your career objectives and\nyour 'fit' with the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though\nthe essay does not ask about your professional history, I suggest providing a\nbrief account of your vital professional experiences that have kindled your\nambitions and given you the clarity regarding your goals. Explain what you hope\nto achieve professionally both in the short term and then in the long term.\nThen share your present mindset and explain why an MBA at this stage in your\ncareer will bring you closer to your goals. You need to do a self-critique of\nyour weak points and highlight how the MBA experience can help cement them. The\nthought here is to demonstrate self-awareness and resolve to look for\nsolutions. Try to showcase how Wharton business school can abet you in\novercoming your weaknesses and filling gaps in your skillset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then\ngo ahead and explain how an MBA from Wharton will help you fill those knowledge\ngaps and how the resources and offerings at Wharton will support your goals.\nYou can do this by conveying to the admission committee that you understand the\nWharton community and what the school offers. Outline how you fit into the\ndiverse Wharton community. Be specific about how your professional goals are in\nline with various resources and offerings at Wharton. Including specific\ninformation from your Wharton research and linking it to your goals and values\nis the key here. For instance, you could talk about how unique educational\nopportunities, culture, activities, student clubs and organizations, rich and\nflexible curriculum, and the accomplished faculty at Wharton can be a pathway to\nyour goals. The bottom line is making a case for Wharton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essay 2: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking into consideration\nyour background \u2013 personal, professional, and\/or academic \u2013 how do you plan to\nmake specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last\nyear's question asked about a single impactful experience and how the\ncandidates intended to contribute to Wharton using learnings from that\nparticular experience. This new question provides them the flexibility to\nchoose experiences from their personal, professional, and academic life. The\nadmission committee is looking for candidates who can make an impact while\nbeing at Wharton and later as alumni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\ncan pick 2-3 most significant experiences from the past where you made an\nimpact on your organization or community, and then explain how these\nexperiences have prepared you to contribute to the Wharton community. Throw\nlight on what challenges you faced and how you dealt with those challenges, eventually\nmaking an impact. You must also share the learnings you gleaned from the\nexperience and then elucidate how the Wharton community can benefit from your\nexperience. Your contribution should directly stem from your experience. You can contribute\nin many different ways:  in the\nclassroom, within the group project, or any clubs or student organizations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wharton\nvalues teamwork and diversity and wants a student group that can support each\nother. For instance, you overcame stress at work by learning meditation or\nyoga, and now you can use that experience in taking yoga classes and help\nfellow students to overcome stress. To answer this question, you must familiarize\nyourself with Wharton's resources and offerings and the school's culture. Also, your impact\nshould extend beyond your two years at Wharton. So\nyou need to show to the admission committee that you will enrich the Wharton\ncommunity not only as a student but also as a valuable alumnus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Required Essay for all Reapplicants:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how\nyou have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any\nrelevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life,\nadditional coursework, and extracurricular\/volunteer engagements). <\/strong>(250 words)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wharton\nis inviting reapplicants to reflect on their candidacy. If you are a\nreapplicant, you need to illustrate here that you have grown and evolved since\nthe last time you applied. Discuss your enhanced professional qualifications,\nimproved records, the actions you took to familiarize yourself with the culture\nat Wharton, or the efforts you have made to strengthen your candidature. For\nexample, if you have improved your GMAT, received promotions, gained more\nclarity on your goals this time, or if you have taken new quantitative classes\nor certifications, share that information in this essay. Since the word limit\nis 250 words, it is advisable to give a crisp, straight jacket account of areas\nyou have improved upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Optional Essay:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please use this space to\nshare any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere\nin your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions\nCommittee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances\n(e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders,\ninconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.)\nthat you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An <\/a>optional essay<\/em><\/a> is an\nopportunity for you to give relevant information to the Ad Com that you could\nnot provide in other parts of your application. The optional essay is a great\nplace to address extenuating circumstances, which means that you should explain\nany weaknesses in your profile. For example, if you have lower than average\nGMAT score, any grades below a C on your transcript, academic probation, or a\nsignificant employment or education gap, you can explain it in this essay. Also,\nif you cannot get your recommendation letter from your current supervisor,\nplease explain that in the optional statement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To provide context for a weakness in your profile, make sure\nyour reason is genuine to convince the Ad Com that your low grades or\nemployment gap occurred due to unforeseen circumstances beyond your control.\nYour response should be positive, straightforward, and fact-focused and should\nnot sound like you are making excuses for a weakness in your profile. Your\nweakness may also bring out a positive aspect of your personality. For example,\nif you are discussing your employment gap, you may explain that you did\nsomething productive during that period, such as traveling, volunteering, or\nhandling a family medical emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do not have any weakness in your profile but think that you did not get a chance to present every vital aspect of your candidacy, you can do that in an optional essay. For example, you can throw a spotlight on a significant professional accomplishment, extracurricular accomplishments, or community involvement. If you have done a whole lot of community work and you could just touch upon it in the second essay, you can elaborate on it here. Perhaps you have a stellar leadership story or entrepreneurial experience that you did not get a chance to share elsewhere, feel free to use this space for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To meet the stringent word limits,\nyou need to be extremely precise in presenting your case and make every word count.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For additional essay writing resources, see the essay tips article<\/a> on the Wharton website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to learn more about what it\ntakes to get into Wharton, check out Wharton admit Mansi's video interview<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Free Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10 Key Essay Tips with Examples<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essay Analysis of Other Top Programs-2020-21<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/a>MER Students Share their success Stories<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case Studies <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2011, MER (myEssayReview<\/em><\/a>) has helped many applicants get accepted into the top 20 MBA programs. (Poonam is one of the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club<\/a>.) Do you have questions about your application? E-mail Poonam at poonam@myessayreview.com<\/a> or sign up here<\/a> for a free consultation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article<\/a> was first published in myEssayReview<\/a> blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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