One question that I often get when meeting prospective students is why one would choose Wharton over another program. What, in my opinion, makes Wharton special? What makes our program stand out? For me, this is one of the most difficult and easiest questions to answer. Difficult because the program I know best is Wharton. Easy because the answer that always comes to mind is the same. It is our community and the people of which it is comprised.
My role in Admissions allows me the good fortune of being introduced to that community at every stage – from candidate to admit to student and finally as an alumni. We first introduce prospective candidates to this environment through our various presentations, industry panels, coffee chats and receptions. This past spring and summer, our global community engagement was evidenced from South Korea to South Africa, from Poland to Peru – showcasing the wide range of industries and areas that our students and alumni represent.
The Team-Based Reception is another wonderful opportunity for candidates, who interview off-campus, to enjoy interaction with alumni, staff and their future classmates in a casual environment. While the reception is not part of the interview process itself, it does allow candidates to get further exposure to the Wharton community and to gain a fuller sense of how they may fit into that mix.
Admitted students are then welcomed into the community in a variety of ways – phone calls, happy hours, welcome receptions. Our campus visit program also becomes a useful tool in terms of gaining a better sense of the on-campus and Philadelphia communities as well as the overall energy that encompasses the Wharton campus.
As we all are aware, there are many great MBA programs out there. One of the key differences is in a program’s students, its alumni and in its overall community. So I encourage all of you to talk with current students and alumni, to attend an event and to come to campus, if possible. These interactions will help determine if Wharton is some place you could see yourself flourishing in for 2 years and, more importantly, is a network and community in which you can see yourself being a part of far beyond that.
Claire Bruno
Sr. Associate Director, MBA Admissions & Financial Aid