The Wharton EMBA application is officially open. The first Wharton EMBA deadline is in October and the second in January.
The Wharton EMBA application includes two required essays and one optional essay. After shortening the word count last year, Wharton has increased the length of essay 1, but otherwise, left the questions unchanged. In what is seemingly an effort to simplify the process for the Wharton admissions committee, Wharton’s EMBA essays and its full-time MBA essays are the same.
If you are considering an Executive MBA, Wharton’s program is among the top EMBA programs in the world. With campuses in Philadelphia and San Francisco, the program offers working professionals the option to choose the location that best meets their needs. Check out our Wharton school page here for more details.
Below, please find the 2024-2025 application deadlines and Personal MBA Coach’s advice on how to tackle the Wharton EMBA application essays along with details about our Executive MBA Packages.
Upcoming Wharton EMBA Application Deadlines:
Round 1: October 14, 2024
Round 2: January 14, 2025
Wharton EMBA Essays 2024-2025
Wharton EMBA Essay 1: What are your career objectives and how will the Wharton MBA Program for Executives contribute to your attainment of this objective? (500 words maximum)
Personal MBA Coach’s Tips: For this first question, we recommend a straightforward response. State your goals clearly and provide some brief perspective on how you arrived at these aspirations. In most cases, candidates should include both a short-term and a long-term goal.
This question does not require you to walk through your entire resume. Instead, focus on your past just enough to establish your key skills as well as how and why you will succeed in the future.
Be specific about how Wharton will help you close your skill gaps and what opportunities you plan to take advantage of on campus. Avoid vague statements and do your research to determine what Wharton specifically will offer you. While you should not include a laundry list, think about classes you are particularly interested in or perhaps professors you are looking to study with. Be sure to show your understanding of Wharton’s culture here as well.
With only 500 words, you will feel limited here so be sure to minimize any filler language.
Wharton EMBA Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words maximum)
Personal MBA Coach’s Tips: This second essay question is required for both full-time and EMBA applicants. In general, our advice for EMBA applicants mirrors our advice for full-time applicants. Be sure to check out our detailed advice for how to tackle this essay question. Keep in mind that, as an EMBA applicant, you may need to be a bit more creative as you consider ways that you will contribute on campus.
Essay 3 (Optional): Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (300 words maximum)
The third optional essay question should be answered only by those with extenuating circumstances. Read more on our approach to optional essays here.
Need help with your EMBA applications? Personal MBA Coach is here to guide you with our Executive MBA Admissions Consulting including essay editing, interview preparation, resume review, and more!
