The Wharton Adcom blog posted the Wharton's 2007 application questions last week. Here they are with my comments indented:

The Admissions Committee is interested in getting to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid, and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself.

Great advice!

First time applicant essays

All first time applicants and those who applied for an entering class prior to Fall 2005 are required to complete the first time applicant essays. Reapplicants who applied for the Entering Fall 2005 or 2006 class are to complete the Reapplicant Essays in the following section.

Essay 1 (Required)

Describe your career progress to date and your future short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect an MBA from Wharton to help you achieve these goals, and why is now the best time for you to join our program? (1,000 words)

Almost the same as last year's question, Wharton's #1 for years has been a classic b-school goals question. This question explicitly asks you to connect the dots between your past, present, and future. Use specifics to highlight your achievements and pivotal experiences in your past. Then show how your future goals developed from those experiences and how Wharton will help you to achieve your goals.

Make sure you address the Why Now part of the question. That element is the only part of the question that has changed and become more specific. It doesn't ask why is now a good time for you to leave the work force or get an MBA, but it asks why is now the right time for you to attend Wharton.

Essay 2 (Required)

Describe a failure or setback that you have experienced. How did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself? (500 words)

This is similar to a question that was optional last year, but it is basically new for Wharton this year. Like most failure questions, it is not an easy one to answer. It requires honesty and candor...and a little damage control. So choose a real failure, preferably a few years ago so that you can show how you handled a different situation with aplomb since the initial bomb. Also, try to use this question, and all questions, to bring out a different side of you.

Essays 3 & 4 (Required)

Please complete two of the following four questions (500 words each):

• Describe a personal characteristic or quality that will help the Admissions Committee to know you better.
• Describe an impact you’ve had on a team, group or organization. How has this experience been valuable to you or others, and what did you learn?
• What do you do best and why?
• When have your values, ethics, or morals been challenged? How has this shaped who you are today?

Choose the two that will allow you to highlight facets of your experience and background not covered in the first two essays. Don't duplicate material, if at all possible. You want to show the adcom that you are a well-rounded person with multiple experiences and breadth as well as depth. If you can include an international component in your file, be sure to do so.

Essay 5 ( Optional)

If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words)

This is a limited optional question. You can include here information about extenuating circumstances that may change the way the adcom would evaluate a weakness in your profile. Even here, however, while you should certainly answer the question, don't whine or make excuses; describe, analyze, and show how you have overcome those circumstances to be an even better candidate. Try to end on a positive note.

Reapplicant Essays

Reapplicants are required to complete three essays, with the option of a fourth essay that may be used to address extenuating circumstances. (Please note: reapplicant essays are for Fall 2005 or Fall 2006 applicants only; reapplicants from prior years are to complete the first-time applicant essay.)

Reappplicant Essay 1 (Required)

Describe your career progress to date and your future short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect an MBA from Wharton to help you achieve these goals, and why is now the best time for you to join our program? How has your candidacy improved since the last time you applied? (1,000 words)

Reappplicant Essays 2 & 3 (Required)

Please complete two of the following five questions (500 words each):

• Describe a personal characteristic or quality that will help the Admissions Committee to know you better.
• Describe an impact you’ve had on an individual, group or organization. How has this experience been valuable to you or others, and what did you learn?
• What do you do best and why?
• When have your values, ethics, or morals been challenged? How has this shaped who you are today?
• Describe a failure or setback that you have experienced. How did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself?

Reappplicant Essay 4 (Optional)

If you feel there are extenuating circumstances about which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words)

Not much different here than in the new applicant essays, however, if you are a reapplicant you need to focus on recent activities and ensure that this application addresses issues raised in the feedback session you should have had. Don't simply submit your essays from last year; they didn't work last year, and they are less likely to work this year. Show growth, more responsibility, more impact, and more maturity this time around.

If you are aiming towards round 1 deadlines, now is a great time for you to start on your Wharton application essays, as well as the essays for the other b-schools that have published 2007 MBA essay questions. Not only will you really be ready when those deadlines roll around, you can save 10% on Accepted.com's (non-rush) MBA essay editing and advising services if you purchase on or before July 31.

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