Online MBA Forum

Wharton School gets in the vicinity of 8,000 applicants to their MBA program each year, but only 12 percent get admitted. What sets those applicants apart? If Wharton is where you'd like to earn your MBA, there a few intangibles that can help you get in.

Just as it is in any business school, Wharton School MBA candidates are usually admitted because they have demonstrated a commitment to Wharton itself. They are the students who believe in giving back to the school and sharing their experiences and background with their fellow classmates.

Some of the more important traits possessed by Wharton MBA candidates are leadership, confidence, enthusiasm, and loyalty. Of course, this doesn't apply only to Wharton, but to any school you choose to pursue your MBA.

Getting good grades and being smarter than the next applicant isn't always enough to win over MBA admission committees at top ten schools. In fact, good grades and an excellent GMAT score are expected. The only way to set yourself apart from the average applicant in the eyes of MBA admission committees is to seek out unique experiences between your undergraduate degree and your MBA application date. Look for the most unique opportunities as an entrepreneur or even community activism that showcase your best skills. MBA admission committees look favorably on initiative and spending your break doing something worthwhile can only help your chances.

According to the MBA Career Services Council, the job market is improving for MBA students. A recent survey of 57 business schools found a clear trend in the recruiting practices of financial and consulting companies.

This is obviously good news for students looking forward to a MBA career. For the first time since 2001, many MBA programs are seeing an increase in recruiting.

Some additional findings of the new survey:

Most of the schools surveyed reported that a high percentage their 2004 graduates had at least one job offer within three months of graduating.

The 2004-2005 job market would be even better than the previous academic year according to 91% of the schools surveyed.

2004 graduates received an average base salary of $71,096 and the percentage of students receiving a signing bonus increased in 2004 over 2003.