Wharton EMBA R1 Oct 14: 4 Months Away, How to Make It

Key insights from EMBA Expert Dr. Shelle, MBAAdmit.com.

The first of two deadlines for Wharton’s EMBA program is October 14, 2024. That is just four months away! If you want to submit your application in Round 1 when the most seats are available, how can you prepare your application on time? Consider these steps.

Turn Your Resume Into a Winning Application Resume. You should reach out to Wharton in the next month or so, just to touch base so they know you will be applying. But, you should not reach out before you revise your resume to make it an outstanding application resume. Your resume offers a crucial snapshot of your candidacy, and you want to make an important impression so the admissions committee is excited about your candidacy from the start. An application resume is different from a job resume, so tailor your resume to serve you well in the admissions process. It should showcase your strengths in the areas Wharton most cares about with regard to admission.

Executive Assessment. Begin to prepare for your Executive Assessment standardized test and try to take your first test by the end of August. That way, if the score does not come in as high as you would like, you will have time for a couple more tries in September.

Draft Your Essays. The Wharton EMBA application includes required essays and an optional essay. For the goals essay, give yourself time to think through what you will present as your short-term and long-term goals. Be able to articulate why you need a Wharton EMBA to achieve your goals. Present a compelling portrait of what you can offer to your fellow EMBA peers in terms of knowledge, skills, expertise, and contributions to the community. Begin drafting your essays as soon as you can so you have plenty of time to revise the essays and make them exceptional.

Visit Wharton. If possible, visit Wharton. Visiting the campus signals to the Admissions Committee that you are very interested in the program and willing to sacrifice time and resources to get on campus and truly understand all the school offers. If you are within a reasonable distance from the school – say, only an hour’s flight away – the school will wonder why you did not bother to visit.

If you simply cannot visit Wharton due to distance or time, take steps to show you made other efforts to learn in-depth about the school and its curriculum, culture, and offerings. You should show interest in the program beyond simply reviewing their EMBA website.

Ask for Recommendations. You should reach out to your recommendation writers as early as possible and ensure they compose outstanding recommendations before the deadline. Take time to consider who will be the best writers for you. Who can write a stellar recommendation that provides abundant details about your leadership and strengths as a businessperson? Once you decide, contact the writers, secure their commitment to write for you, and guide them so they understand what an outstanding recommendation letter should look like. Help them understand what traits to stress, what stories to share, and how long the recommendation should be.

Don’t forget that many recommendation writers will be unavailable at the end of summer when they may go on vacation. They may also be busy digging out from a backlog of work in early September. Pace things well so that your rec writers don’t need to cram and write the recommendation quickly in the last weeks. Last year, Wharton did not allow recommendations to come in after the deadline, so take steps to ensure there will be no delay in the submission of your recommendations.

Do you need assistance with your applications? Feel free to reach out to Dr. Shelle at info@mbaadmit.com.