The deadlines for our EMBA programs are right around the corner:  Feb. 4 for the Philadelphia program and Feb. 6 for San Francisco.  If you feel that won’t be enough time to complete your application, it may not be too late.  Contact us to discuss your circumstances and see what is required for your application. Depending on your specific situation, we might be able to work with you to provide an accommodation or extension.

To check the status of your admissions materials, you can log on to your application to confirm when it’s complete.  Please be patient, as it usually takes a few weeks to manually sort through all of the transcripts, sponsorship letters and other credentials we receive and to update the status of each online.  Rest assured that we will contact you if anything is missing.

If you still need to take - or retake - the GMAT, we’ll accept GMAT scores until March 2.  A copy of your GMAT scores may be scanned and emailed or faxed to the East or West Coast office, but you also must have an official copy sent directly to Wharton.  The GMAT codes for the Wharton MBA Program for Executives are G56-97-36 for Philadelphia and G56-97-14 for San Francisco.

While interviews are required for Fellows applicants, they are strongly recommended for everyone.  If you haven’t already interviewed, please contact the office immediately -- the slots are quickly filling up.

Admissions decisions can be viewed by logging on to your application.  San Francisco program applicants will be notified by March 22.  Philadelphia program applicants will be notified by April 5.

If you have questions, please contact us as soon as possible. We are here to help you!

The University of Pennsylvania will close for winter break on Fri. Dec. 21, 2012 and will reopen on Wed. Jan. 2, 2013. If you have any immediate admissions questions, please contact our offices before that time.

As you work on your application, here are a few things to keep in mind:

- The application deadline for the West Coast program is Feb. 6, 2013. The application deadline for the East Coast program is Feb. 4, 2013.

- If you still need to take the GMAT, you have until March 2, 2013 to take the test and email our East or West Coast office your unofficial results. You also must have an official copy sent directly to Wharton. The GMAT codes for the Wharton MBA Program for Executives are G56-97-36 for Philadelphia and G56-97-14 for San Francisco. Scores are valid for five years.

- Don’t wait to schedule your interview! If you don’t get a chance to schedule your interview before our offices are closed, make sure to contact us on Jan. 2, 2013 to schedule one. By this time of year, appointments on class days fill up fast.

- We’ll be hosting more online and in-person receptions in January.  Check out our event schedule to see if you’re able to join us for any of them.

We wish everyone happy holidays and look forward to hearing from you in 2013!

We're hosting a Virtual Reception to provide you with insights into applying to the Wharton MBA Program for Executives.  The Admissions Committee will be joined by a current first-year executive MBA student who will share his successful journey through the admissions process.

Mon., December 17, 2012
5:30-6:30pm ET / 2:30-3:30pm PT

Virtual Reception Panelists:

    Dan Pohlig - 1st year MBA Exec Student
    Catherine Molony - Director of Admissions, Wharton MBA Program for Executives
    Bernadette Birt - Executive Director, Wharton | San Francisco
    Katherine Lilygren - Director of Admissions, Wharton | San Francisco
    Diane Sharp - Director of Marketing, Wharton MBA Program for Executives

We'll provide an overview of the admissions process, including tips on how to approach it, followed by a discussion that will be shaped by your questions.  We hope you can join us online!

How to participate:   Download Wharton MBA Exec_Virtual Reception Instructions

The 2013-2014 Academic Calendars for the next entering class have been posted on our website. The second-year, 2014-2015 calendars, will be posted in the spring. If you're applying to Wharton's Executive MBA program, you can print the PDF for the campus to which you're applying, San Francisco or Philadelphia. Don't forget to share it with everyone at work and home!

We often get the question “Do you need to be a math major to succeed in Wharton’s EMBA program?”  The answer is no.  As Wharton | San Francisco EMBA alumnus Mike Gipe, WG’05, puts it:  “Wharton’s EMBA program is very rigorous, but students from all types of backgrounds can be successful here.”

Mike - who runs the consulting business xaplap in Saratoga, CA and teaches a weekly tutorial session for core courses in the EMBA program - ran a one-day Quantitative Review Workshop on the San Francisco campus for prospective students.  “Anybody who has applied to our program likely has had most of the math courses they need so it’s more a matter of brushing up on those skills.  How often would a nonprofit manager need to use calculus on a daily basis?  It’s something a lot of people are rusty in and this workshop was designed to help them catch up,” says Mike.

The round one deadline for applying to Wharton | San Francisco is Mon., December 3, 2012.  Here are a few things to keep in mind if you're applying in the early round:

1. Call our office to arrange your admission interview.  Your application does not have to be complete before you schedule your interview, but the calendar fills up fast, so email us or call our offices at 415-267-6313 to check availability.
2. We encourage all applicants to visit class.  We will do our best to accommodate your interview and class visit for the same day.

If you’re thinking about applying to Wharton’s EMBA program this year, we encourage you to attend one of our MBA for Executives Information Receptions where you can get all of your questions answered and talk to alumni and students about their experiences in the program. If you don’t see a city near you listed on our events list, please check back because more locations are in the works.

Upcoming information receptions and special events:

Albuquerque, NM - 11/12/12        Houston, TX - 11/13/12                    Portland, OR - 1/7/13
Atlanta, GA - 11/7/12                    Irvine, CA - 9/6/12                           Sacramento, CA - 11/27/12
Berkeley, CA - 11/8/12                 Las Vegas, NV - 10/8/12                 Salt Lake City, UT - 10/9/12
Boise, ID - 12/5/12                        Los Angeles, CA - 10/3/12              San Diego, CA - 11/8/12
Carlsbad, CA - 10/18/12               Manhattan Beach, CA - 11/17/12    San Francisco, CA - 10/13/12
Charlotte, NC - 11/8/12                New York, NY - 12/4/12                   San Francisco, CA - 11/16/12
Dallas, TX - 11/14/12                   Palo Alto, CA - 10/24/12                  Seattle, WA - 12/4/12
Denver, CO - 10/23/12                 Pasadena, CA - 9/14/12                  Toronto, ON - 11/26/12
Fresno, CA - 12/1/12                    Philadelphia, PA - 11/28/12             Washington, DC - 10/30/12

Events To Be Confirmed:  Baltimore, MD / Boston, MA / Chicago, IL (11/27/12) / Mexico City, DF

Other special events:

Philadelphia Open House, Sat., September 1: Morning, 8:30AM-2:00PM or Afternoon, 10:30AM-4:00PM

San Fransisco Quant Prep Workshop, Sat., September 8: 9:00AM-3:00PM

New York Dine & Discuss Info Sessions: Wed., September 19: Lunch, 12:00-1:30PM or Dinner, 6:30-8:00PM

We also encourage you to visit our Chats archive to listen to audio recordings about our program.

We’re looking forward to meeting you at an upcoming event!

If you haven’t already started an online application account, you can do so nowa:  Start/Continue App.  The two biggest changes in this version are a new Essay Question (#2), which we hope will help us to get to know you better, and a few of the questions in the Recommendation Form have been updated.  The Wharton application process is designed to be holistic.  We’re interested in learning about you as a professional, as well as what makes you a unique individual.

An important part of your application is the interview.  Did you know you can schedule one before submitting your application?  In fact, we encourage it-- all we need is your resume.  Please contact the Philadelphia or San Francisco office when you have your calendar in front of you and schedule an appointment on an upcoming class day, so you can experience the program and get information that will help you as you complete your application.

Reminder:  Check our Events Page to see when we’re hosting an admissions event in your area.  And don't forget to keep checking back, as we’re adding new events regularly.  We’ll also be hosting several virtual receptions starting in September.  The schedule for those will be posted shortly.

We look forward to meeting you soon!

The Wharton MBA Program for Executives Admissions Team

We're updating the MBA Exec online application for those applying to the class entering in May 2013.  You'll now have the opportunity to write about personal events and experiences that have influenced you. This new essay question (replacing question #2) will allow you to tell the Admissions Committee what makes you unique and how you will impact the learning environment at Wharton.

The recommendation form is also being revised to ask more specific questions on the leadership abilities and interpersonal skills of the candidate.  At Wharton, academic abilities alone are not enough; we are looking for well-rounded candidates who are effective leaders and work well with others.

It's ok to start an online application account but we recommend that you don't delve into it too much until the new application is live.  (We'll send out an announcement.)  And it's always good practice to save your work in a Word document.  In the meantime, please call us in Philadelphia or San Francisco if you have any questions about the new application or the admissions process, in general. 

If you’re planning to take the GMAT soon, there are some changes you should know about. As of Tues., June 5, 2012, a new section will be included called Integrated Reasoning.

The new 30-minute section is designed to measure your ability to evaluate information presented in multiple formats from multiple sources. According to MBA.com, the skills being tested were identified in a survey of 740 management faculty around the world as important for incoming students and are ones that “you already use, and skills that you will need to succeed in our data-rich world.”

Wharton | San Francisco has grown quite a lot since its first class of 65 students arrived in 2001. Eleven years later, the program is now located in the historic Hills Brother Plaza and is welcoming a record number of 102 students.

The West Coast incoming class is comprised of approximately a quarter women with almost 18% of the class commuting from outside California. Those students are based in locations such as Georgia, Minnesota, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Texas and even Mexico and Hong Kong.

Philadelphia deadline:   Wed., 2/1/12 at 11:59pm EST
San Francisco deadline:  Mon., 2/6/12 at 11:59 PST

Please call the office of the program to which you’re applying if you need to arrange an extension of the deadline.  Phila: 215-898-5887 / SF: 415-777-1000

Ins and Outs of Interviews for Wharton EMBA Candidates

If you are applying – or thinking of applying – to Wharton’s MBA for Executives program, call us soon to schedule an interview.  Don’t wait until you’ve finished your application to schedule an appointment because slots on class days are filling up fast.

Having recently overseen the move of Wharton’s West Coast facility into the Hills Brother Building on San Francisco’s Embarcadero, we asked COO of Wharton | San Francisco Bernadette Birt to tell us about the move and the new campus.

Q. Students experienced the new facility for the first time in early January. How have they reacted?

There have been a lot of ‘Wows!’ which are exactly what we want to hear.  They are thrilled with the quality of the classroom experience, the number of group study rooms, and having places to connect with each other during the day. For example, we have an incredible dining space with stunning views of the San Francisco Bay where our students love to gather with their laptops and iPads to collaborate and relax as the sun sets.

Get insights on the future of jobs from a top Wharton professor, learn more about our EMBA program from Philadelphia and San Francisco alumni, and see what our new campus looks like in San Francisco, then make sure to join us for a virtual reception on Mon., January 23 from 9:00pm-10:00pm EST / 6:00pm-7:00pm PST.

Hosted by Vice Dean Anjani Jain, the event will feature a presentation by renowned labor expert Prof. Peter Cappelli on how the global economy is impacting careers and what this means for the future of employee development. Prof. Cappelli, who teaches negotiations, also will share tips that may help you secure support for your MBA studies and career development.

Afterward, a panel of alumni from our Philadelphia and San Francisco EMBA programs will discuss how the Wharton MBA and network have shaped their careers.  You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions of both Prof. Cappelli and the panelists via your computer or mobile device.

In addition, West Coast COO Bernadette Birt will take participants on a virtual tour of our beautiful new San Francisco campus.  A 21st century learning environment, you’ll see how our technologically advanced facility was designed to provide the most cutting-edge and connected classrooms possible.

To register for this live webcast on Jan. 23, click here.

 University of Pennsylvania will be closing on Fri., Dec. 23rd at 12:00pm EST.  If you have any immediate admissions questions, please contact our offices before that time.  Our Philadelphia office will reopen on Tues., Jan. 3rd at 9:00am EST. Wharton | San Francisco will close at 12:00pm PST on Dec. 23rd and reopen on Jan. 3rd at 9:00am PST.

As you work on your application over winter break, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Wharton | San Francisco MBA Exec candidates who submit their application by December 1, 2011, will receive a decision by January 16, 2012. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can reach the admissions office at 415-777-1000 or via email at lilygren@wharton.upenn.edu. We look forward to reading your application. Good luck!

How much work experience is required to apply to Wharton’s MBA Exec Program? What are the requirements for sponsorship? Is the application procedure different for candidates under the age of 30? To learn the answers to these and many other questions, please join us on Sat. Oct. 1, 2011 from 9:00am-10:00am PDT/12:00-1:00pm EDT for a phone chat with members of our Admissions Committee from both our San Francisco and Philadelphia locations.

To listen to the phone chat, dial 1-270-400-2000/Access Code 433559#. To be online during the chat to post questions, register for this event here. If you’re unable to be online during the call, but would like to send us questions in advance, please email us at: mbaexec-myapp@wharton.upenn.edu.

Do you want to learn more about Wharton’s executive MBA program? If so, then we encourage you to attend one of our MBA for Executives information receptions where you can ask questions as well as talk to students and alumni about the program. Please check our listing of events because we’ll likely be coming to a city near you. Upcoming receptions include:

Mon. Sept. 12, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm in Santa Clara, CA

Wed. Sept. 28, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm in Portland, OR

Mon. Oct. 3, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm in Las Vegas, NV

Tues. Oct. 4, 2011, 11:30am-1:00pm in Salt Lake City, UT

Tues. Oct. 4, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm in Scottsdale, AZ

Admissions chats also are a great source of information. To watch recent Webcasts and listen to audio recordings on a wide range of topics, please click here.

We hope to hear from you soon!

If you’re considering applying to Wharton’s executive MBA program this year, this is a good time to create an account to access our online application. Once you begin, you’ll be able to save your work and keep track of your progress until you’re ready to submit your information.

We also invite you to attend one of our many upcoming MBA for Executives information receptions where you can learn more about the admissions process from our staff as well as talk to alumni and students about their experiences in the program. We’ll be hosting receptions around the world, but a few events coming up include:

Mon. Sept. 21, 2011, 6:00–8:00pm at Wharton | San Francisco

Tues. Sept. 27, 2011, 6:00–8:00pm in Bellevue, WA

Tues. Oct. 4, 2011, 5:30–7:30pm at the Wharton School, Philadelphia, PA

Tues., Oct. 11, 2011, 6:00–8:00pm in Los Angeles, CA

Tues. Oct. 11, 2011, 5:30-7:30pm in New York, NY

Wed. Oct. 19, 2011, 6:00–8:00pm in Denver, CO

Tues. Oct. 25, 2011, 5:30–7:30pm in Washington, DC

Tues. Nov. 1, 2011, 5:30pm – 7:30pm in Boston, MA

For the full listing of information receptions or to register for a specific event, please click here. You also can visit our Admissions Receptions and Chats site to watch recent Webcasts and listen to audio recordings about a diversity of topics such as women and the MBA, career management, full-time vs. executive formats, and many more.

And it's not too late to attend tonight's event at Wharton | San Francisco, Wed., August 17, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm, tomorrow night's event in Seattle, Thurs., August 18, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm or next week's event in Palo Alto, Thurs., August 25, 2011, 6:00-8:00pm.

We’re looking forward to meeting you at an upcoming event!

If you’re interested in learning more about Wharton’s MBA for Executives Program in San Francisco, we invite you to attend one of our West Coast events this summer. At these First-Person Perspectives, alumni and students will share their experiences in the program as well as participate in interactive Q&A sessions. Wharton staff also will provide an overview of the program and the admissions process.

Upcoming events include:

Sat., July 23, 2011, 11:30am -1:00pm in Manhattan Beach, CA

Mon., July 25, 2011, 11:30am – 1:00pm in downtown Los Angeles, CA

Tues., July 26, 2011, 11:30am – 1:00pm in West Los Angeles, CA

Wed., Aug. 17, 2011, 6:00pm – 8:00pm at Wharton | San Francisco

Thurs., Aug. 25, 2011, 6:00pm – 8:00pm in Palo Alto, CA

Stay tuned for more information about additional locations and dates throughout the North America!