Wharton expands MBA early admission program to undergrads from any university

The Wharton School announced that it will extend its early admission program to any undergraduate or graduate student in their final year of studies — not just students from Penn. 

The program, called Wharton MBA Advance Access, now allows students in their final year from any university to be accepted early to the full-time MBA program after working for two to four years after graduation. Launched in 2017, the program has previously only been open to Penn seniors from any undergraduate school.

The original program was the product of a $10 million donation made by 1980 Wharton graduate and 1981 Wharton MBA graduate Ken Moelis and 1981 Wharton graduate Julie Taffet Moelis. Ken Moelis was inspired to create the program after his own submatriculation to the Wharton MBA program in his senior year. He aimed to extend early admission to all Penn undergraduates, as opposed to only those in Wharton.

In the past, the MBA program has attracted not only Wharton undergraduates but students with majors ranging from engineering to English.

Moelis Fellow Halle Abraham said in the press release that having the security of admission to the Wharton MBA program encouraged her to take more professional risks involving social entrepreneurship. 

"[The Moelis Advance Access Program allows me to] spend the next few years of my life really getting my hands dirty solving some of the world’s hardest unsolved problems, and then bringing that perspective back to the Wharton MBA classroom, when I’m ready to take the next step forward in my career," said incoming MBA student Devesh Dayal on the Wharton website. He is currently working as a Facebook software engineer. 

The MBA Admissions Committee assesses applications based on academic rigor, standardized test scores, work experience, and letters of recommendation. 

The application deadline is April 1, and decisions will be posted by May 8.