Who's Getting Into Wharton's MBA Program These Days?

The profile for Wharton’s 2019 Class is eerily similar to its predecessor – and that’s good news. During the 2016-2017 admissions cycle, Wharton received 6,692 applications – roughly the same as the previous year. In the larger context, this represents an 11% jump over the past three years. In the process, Wharton accepted 864 students, up 13 from the previous year. At the same time, the program remained one of the most selective anywhere, accepting just 19.2% of all applications. More than that, it was a highly popular choice, with 2 out of every 3 students receiving an acceptance letter ultimately enrolling in the program.

For most, a 730 GMAT would be a Godsend. At Wharton, it is simply the average. For the second year in a row, the incoming class boasted a 730, tying it with Chicago Booth (with at least one Wharton first year attaining a near perfect 790). The class’ median score, however, jumped 10 points to 740 – 10 points better than Harvard Business School. The 2019 Class is again comprised of 44% women, tying it with Tuck for the highest concentration of female students (though Wharton is home to roughly 250 more first-year women due to a far larger class size). The percentage of international students also held steady at 32%, while U.S. minority students rose a point to constitute 33% of the class.

In terms of academic backgrounds, Wharton is sometimes considered a “liberal arts” school, much like Stanford GSB and Dartmouth Tuck. Despite its reputation as a hangout for financiers and operations professionals, the largest bloc of students generally hail from the humanities and social sciences. This year, that bloc constitutes 41% of the class, down five points over the Class of 2018. On the surface, that change may appear to be newsworthy. However, it is simply a return to normal as the class of 2017 featured a 42% share for liberal arts majors. That said, the percentage of STEM majors did climb from 28% to 32% among first years, with business majors adding a point to 27%. The 2019 Class also closely resembles its predecessor in terms of professional backgrounds. Consultants again hold the most seats, making up 26% of the class (up three points). Private equity and venture capital holds onto another 13%, followed by non-profits, government and the military (12%), technology and internet services (9%), investment banking (8%), and healthcare (6%).

In fact, “the people” tended to be one of the biggest Wharton draws for the Class of 2019. Forget the East Coast stereotype of cold-shouldered, conceited cutthroats. Instead, students tend to be, on the whole, modest, socially engaged, and focused – always busy but never enough that they can’t stop and pitch in. That is what Suyog Karnawat, a first-year MBA at Wharton, experienced when he visited campus – and this impression has only been reinforced since he started the MBA program.

“From current students to alumni to school administration, everyone went out of their way to help me better understand the opportunities at Wharton, provided guidance on the application process and helped me get a true sense of Wharton culture,” he asserts. “I could easily discern the collective passion, respect and admiration everyone shared for the Wharton community. For me, learning from a diverse class of accomplished individuals was one of the key reasons to pursue an MBA. And there is no better place to be than with the collaborative Wharton community! Now, having interacted with my fellow classmates here in ‘The City of Brotherly Love,’ I know I have made the right decision!”

Despite learning on the grand stage, the Class of 2019 defines success at Wharton in rather humble terms. Alex Daniels, a Duke undergrad who is in the latest incoming class of MBAs, jokes that he hopes to “finally understand all the acronyms in the Wall Street Journal…along with taking a deep dive into entrepreneurship. Mi has already drawn up a buck list, which includes being seen as both a “supportive and reliable teammate and leader.”

For Eric Majors, success encompasses the dreams common to most first years, who yearn from adventure, growth, and acceptance. “I think building incredible relationships with my classmates, learning innovative concepts, traveling to new countries and landing my dream internship are some key components of what a successful first year looks like for me,” he says.

Related Stories In Our Meet The Class of 2019 Series: 

The Pioneering MBAs In The Class of 2019

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business

Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business

Vanderbilt University’s Owen School of Management

London Business School

University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business

Notre Dame University Mendoza College of Business

UC-Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

New York University Stern School of Business

University of Texas-Austin McCombs School of Business

University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business

MIT Sloan School of Management

University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business