The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business introduced a team-based discussion interview process earlier this year, and uncertain impressions from the first round of applicants have been surfacing. Poets and Quants has compiled some early verdicts on the 45-minute group interviews, comparing the process to a Survivor-style game of elimination. Quoting mbaMission’s own Angela Guido, the article suggests that the team-based interviews offer Wharton a new way to test applicants’ skills in a more spontaneous, realistic environment. “I think Wharton truly does have a commitment to innovation, and they are really trying to do something new here,” Angela commented. “They are acknowledging it as an experiment. They aren’t entirely sure how useful the information they get is going to be. But they are willing to be creative. To some extent, they are also trying to give applicants a taste of what it is like to be in business school.”
Despite uncertainties and some uneasy reactions, the outlook for Wharton’s new test seems to be generally positive. As the article mentions, mbaMission has developed its own Wharton Team-Based Discussion Simulation to help applicants prepare for the test. Check back for new simulation dates to be posted for Round 2 interviews!