2008 Wharton MBA Waitlist Chat with Thomas Caleel

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Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 12:59:30 PM)
Hello. My name is Linda Abraham. I am the founder of Accepted.com and the moderator of today’s chat. First I want to welcome you all to Accepted.com’s Wharton waitlist chat.
I also want to welcome Thomas Caleel, Wharton’s Director of Admissions, and Wharton students, Dan Bowermaster and Amelia Shiu, members of Wharton’s MBA Class of ‘08.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 12:59:58 PM)
Dan and Amelia, thank you for sharing your time today!

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:00:00 PM)
Thanks to everyone for joining. Please post your questions, and I will choose as many as possible from the ones you post and our guests will respond. I will direct waitlist questions to Thomas and questions about life at Wharton to Dan and Amelia so don’t limit your questions to “How can I get off the waitlist?”

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:00:41 PM)
Before we start taking your questions, I want to post a little background information about Dan and Amelia so you can better direct your questions for them:
Amelia Shiu is a second year student at Wharton. While at Wharton she was the Admissions Officer in Wharton Women in Business (WWIB), Panel Director of the WWIB Conference, and the Logistics Chair of Wharton Welcome Weekend in 2007. In the summer of 2007, Amelia spent two weeks in Chiang Mai, Thailand representing Wharton in an International Volunteer Project. Amelia is also a member of Adcom. Amelia graduated from UC Berkeley in 2001 with degrees in Computer Science and Economics. Prior to Wharton, she spent five years as a software engineer in the Silicon Valley. Upon graduation, Amelia will be joining Citigroup Credit Services in New York.
Dan wrote, "I am a second year MBA/MA student from California. Prior to Wharton, I worked for seven years in the medical device industry in Silicon Valley, Germany, San Diego, and Dallas. At Wharton, my three main activities include teaching the undergrads in two MGMT 101 weekly discussion sections, serving as a GA on the admissions committee, and serving as Co-President of the Wharton Crew (rowing)."
Other than that limitation, this is your chance to ask questions about Wharton’ waitlist policies.

thurston (Apr 2, 2008 1:01:32 PM)
Hi Thomas, I am a R2 waitlist candidate for Wharton. First, thank you for hosting this chat. Second, I have a quick admissions question for you. Let say we have two hypothetical RE-APPLICANTS. Both have similar app packages: work experience, extra curricular, GPA, GMAT, references, interview, etc. In fact, the only difference is in a previous year one was waitlisted and the other was outright denied admissions. Both are re-applying and both have demonstrated *very similar* improvements in their application. If you MUST chose between the two, who would you admit -- and, more importantly, why?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:01:47 PM)
Thurston, thank you for the question. It's really impossible to say outright which one.
This process is very holistic (as Dan and Amelia can attest to), and there is never "one" thing that means admit or deny.

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:02:32 PM)
For Dan and Amelia: What attracted you to Wharton? Has your experience met your expectations?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:02:48 PM)
I do think you are concerned that being on the WL might give you some preference in the re-app process. The answer there is not really. For re-apps, we look at the learning the candidate has undergone, and how they express that in the re-app.

heavywait (Apr 2, 2008 1:03:14 PM)
Thomas: What does it mean to be waitlisted in both round 1, then again in round 2? Is it a positive sign, or am I just a backup with a long shot at getting in? Also, can you give us a sense, from last year, what ballpark percentage of applicants who were admitted off the waitlist, were admitted after round 2?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:03:23 PM)
By the way, simply sitting down and re-reading your original app will be very helpful should you choose to re-apply...

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:03:42 PM)
Heavy, it just means that this is a very, very competitive year. We don't keep a "courtesy" WL, so if you're on it, you have a very real chance at being admitted.

John (Apr 2, 2008 1:03:59 PM)
Thomas: Instead of just passively waiting by the candidates, will Wharton appreciate proactiveness of candidates? E.G., I really would like to further elaborate on ones capabilities and strong interest to the MBA program, but I worry that it will negatively impact the application on the contrary.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:04:13 PM)
We don't disclose stats on the WL, but don't worry, it really varies from year to year...

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:04:23 PM)
John, excellent question. In your WL letter, we give specific instructions to please NOT send in additional information.

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:04:49 PM)
Choosing Wharton was a very personal decision. I had a few criteria in mind. I knew I wanted to be in a school with a good international reputation. I also really enjoy meeting people. At Wharton, you can expect to meet people every single day. As a second year I am still meeting new friends on a daily basis. Lastly and most importantly, I came to visit before making the decision and I found Wharton to be a great cultural fit for me.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:04:51 PM)
John, This includes "unsolicited" letters from alumni, etc.

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:04:51 PM)
I am very interested in international business and languages. One of my majors during undergrad was international relations. Thus I had two criteria: a top five program and a strong international business program. Wharton offers the Lauder program- a 24 month dual degree MBA/MA (in international studies) program with a language component and a regional focus. That sealed it. No other school offers such a program.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:05:14 PM)
Linda and I had a long discussion on this last year (check the archives for all the reasons...).The main purpose is to give everyone a fair and equitable chance at admission.

WS2010 (Apr 2, 2008 1:05:59 PM)
Q1. Will Waitlisted applicants be notified of updated status on May15th or on an on-going basis between now and May 15th?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:06:01 PM)
Please note that this policy definitely differs by school, so please be sure to get the inside story on each school you are applying to. Some prefer you to express interest...

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:06:19 PM)
WS, no, all decisions will be released on May 15th

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:06:32 PM)
We have had several waitlist chats this year and you can see a wide range of policies.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:06:37 PM)
After May 15th, we will release summer WL decisions approximately every other week.

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:07:12 PM)
In addition most schools spell out their policy quite clearly. For example, Yale’s recent newsletter had a clear article on the subject -- for Yale.

WS2010 (Apr 2, 2008 1:07:23 PM)
Q2. Is their an order to the waitlist, i.e. are applications ranked in any particular order?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:07:34 PM)
One thing to note is that in final committee, all WL files are put in with that Round's files, so you get full consideration each round.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:07:41 PM)
WS, no, there is no order or ranking.

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:08:01 PM)
Dan and Amelia: Are you and your colleagues getting job offers? Are you nervous about the job market?

focussedonwharton (Apr 2, 2008 1:08:24 PM)
Thomas: Thank you for taking our questions on this chat . Given Wharton's waitlist policies would it be advisable to talk to adcom/meet them etc, but not submit new materials?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:08:35 PM)
Focus: not really.

jack (Apr 2, 2008 1:08:51 PM)
Thomas: The majority of Round 3 applicants are US applicants. Does that mean that Adcom has already picked the international candidates for the class of '10? If I am an international applicant, does that mean my chances are better?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:08:57 PM)
Focus, it always pains me to see applicants spend time and money to visit Wharton to "show their interest."

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:09:19 PM)
Jack, I'd have to disagree with your underlying assumption...

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:09:31 PM)
Linda, from my observation, I feel that the job offer rate is about the same as last year.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:09:39 PM)
Jack, rest assured we DO admit int'l applicants in R3 (from the round and off the WL)

Kamran Shafiei (Apr 2, 2008 1:10:00 PM)
Dan and Amelia: is the financial market meltdown impacting the salary ranges being offered?

Jo (Apr 2, 2008 1:10:19 PM)
Thomas, how many applicants are currently on the waiting list?

Jo (Apr 2, 2008 1:10:29 PM)
Thomas, what percentage of waitlisted applicants got admission offers last year?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:10:41 PM)
Jo, apologies, but we really don't release either number as it leads to a lot of (incorrect) speculation...

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:10:56 PM)
Linda: Second year students haven't experienced anything different than what we all see in the news. Of course, Bear Stearns isn't offering any summer internships, but I have not heard of any issues with first year summer internships. Also, I heard (via a third party) that someone with a fulltime offer from Bear got a similar offer from JP Morgan.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:11:07 PM)
In the case of the WL, prior performance definitely has NO impact on future returns.

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:11:30 PM)
Thanks Dan and Amelia.

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:12:16 PM)
Kamran, for most banks, the salary package is pretty standard across the board and I don't believe it has been affected by events taking place in the financial industry.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:12:29 PM)
Kamran, the meltdown really sped up right before R3, so we expect to see a stronger uptick next fall...

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:12:58 PM)
Kamran, for smaller firms such as hedge funds and private equity shops, the salary range can vary greatly, even in good years, so it's hard to make a judgment on that.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:13:09 PM)
But unlike the dot.com meltdown, there are now major int'l business centers to absorb some of the employment fallout (Shanghai, HK, Dubai, London)...

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:14:10 PM)
Dan and Amelia: You’re both active in a number of different extra-curricular activities. How do you find the time, and could you tell us a little about them?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:14:25 PM)
In that line of thought, I am still being contacted daily by companies I meet with on my travels, asking for more Wharton MBAs!

heavywait (Apr 2, 2008 1:14:42 PM)
Thomas: Do most admits from the waitlist, after round 2, come on the round 3 notification date, or at some other point in the process (like a deposit deadline, for instance)?

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:14:50 PM)
Kamran, also, despite the strong presence of financial companies on-campus, the industry base of recruiters is quite diverse including energy, tech, etc.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:15:14 PM)
Heavy, all decisions will be released at once on May 15^th.

Lucia (Apr 2, 2008 1:15:26 PM)
Hi Thomas, in waitlist guidance, we were told R3 decision could be admit waitlist, waitlist continue, and deny waitlist; what does waitlist continue mean?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:15:26 PM)
Lucia, We will retain a "summer WL" as well, but that will be quite small.

Cathy He (Apr 2, 2008 1:16:00 PM)
Hi Thomas, I am also a R2 waitlist candidate for Wharton. I noticed that there are a lot more applicants waitlisted by Wharton than previous years. Is it related to the current economic situations in the U.S? Or are you expecting more applicants in R3?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:16:02 PM)
Please realize the AdComm understands what a stressful process this is, and we don't like creating so much anxiety with the WL...

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:16:29 PM)
Linda, when engaging in extra curricula’s, I think it's the most important thing is to focus on a few activities that you are truly interested in. For example, I am very interested in admissions related activities so I chose to focus on that. It is very easy to want to try everything when you're here and risk spreading yourself too thin.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:16:29 PM)
Cathy, don't believe everything you hear... Our WL is really no larger than it has been in previous years.

thurston (Apr 2, 2008 1:16:46 PM)
Thomas -- what's the latest you've admitted folks from the waitlist in prior yrs?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:16:58 PM)
Thurston, usually in early July.

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:17:07 PM)
Linda, the most interesting activity that I have been involved in so far was the Wharton International Volunteer Program

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:17:12 PM)
Thurston, the Program Office wants to be sure they have enough time to relocate, prepare for classes, etc.

focussedonwharton (Apr 2, 2008 1:17:19 PM)
Thomas: Hi. I am a R2 waitlister. Is it okay to for a waitlister to call the office or meet with adcom?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:17:25 PM)
Wharton begins Aug 1.

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:17:35 PM)
Amelia, what is that program? What do you do?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:17:47 PM)
Focus, again, I would carefully read your decision letter. We discourage applicants from calling, writing, or visiting...

Jason_T (Apr 2, 2008 1:17:59 PM)
Thomas: In case we re-apply, is it possible to apply as a Lauder candidate next year after having applied for general admission this year?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:18:08 PM)
Jason, of course!

FrankChang (Apr 2, 2008 1:18:15 PM)
As an international applicant, I wonder in this year would Wharton accept fewer foreign students because it seems that there are more domestic applicants?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:18:18 PM)
Jason, just be sure to clearly articulate why you made the change...

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:18:28 PM)
Linda, each year, Wharton sends about 50 or 60 students to developing countries to engage in volunteer projects. I spent two weeks in Thailand working for an NGO on a business problem. It was truly rewarding as I was able to utilize skills that I've learned here at school and at the same time fully immerse myself into a different culture.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:18:42 PM)
Frank, we seem to be on track with previous years.

jack (Apr 2, 2008 1:18:54 PM)
If I am an international student and I can finance my education without a loan, should I give this information to the committee? Would this change my waitlist status to July, or are all international applicants notified earlier to have time for scholarships and visas?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:18:57 PM)
Frank, there are more applicants overall, but no significant increase in US apps

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:19:12 PM)
Jack, it really doesn't change anything.

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:19:23 PM)
Linda, Wharton also offers many international travel opportunities. Over Winter Break a few months ago, I traveled to India for 16 days with 60 of my classmates.

WS2010 (Apr 2, 2008 1:20:04 PM)
Thomas: Are all wait listed applications read again along with R3 applications?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:20:15 PM)
WS, they are not re-read fully, but they are in the final committee bins, so they are re-reviewed at that time.

joisy (Apr 2, 2008 1:20:35 PM)
Thomas, thanks you for your time! My question is: For international students, a decision released after May means limited time to prepare for visa (even not enough time). I believe the admission office are also aware of that, does that mean the odds for international students to get off WL is very small?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:20:52 PM)
Joisy, we are aware of all the complications. But if you get in off the WL and have visa issues, we will work to help you resolve them.

fiona (Apr 2, 2008 1:21:20 PM)
Q2. For waiting list, will it be re-considered based on region or working experience? For example, if a consultant from US rejects Wharton, will you choose a consultant from US on the waiting list or just a consultant, no matter where is he from?

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:21:25 PM)
Linda, one of the best classes I've taken was an elective called Entrepreneurial Inner City Housing (and Housing Renovation Lab). The course catalog states: "Focus on the theory and practice of revitalizing neighborhoods through the experience of renovating a house in West Philadelphia. Attention to design, finance, and planning aspect of project." We basically learned all about urban redevelopment: financing, construction, legal aspects, politics, development, etc during lecture. On the weekends, the class fixed up an abandoned brownstone house that it had purchased. Students did all of the planning and work. When the house is finished, it is sold at cost to a local, first-time home buyer. The profits go back into the fund to buy the next house.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:21:27 PM)
Fiona, every year I spend several weeks on the phone with various consulates around the world. If you are flat-out denied, we can defer your admission.

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:22:24 PM)
Dan, neat project! Isn’t' there a reality show like that?

Cathy He (Apr 2, 2008 1:23:30 PM)
Hi Thomas, how are you going to decide who will get off the waitlist?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:23:44 PM)
Cathy, we review all WL files in the context of the current round.

Lan Zhang (Apr 2, 2008 1:23:51 PM)
Thomas, if there is no rank order to the waitlist and there is no "re-read" of applications, how do you select candidates off the waitlist?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:24:16 PM)
Lan, the files are not re-read, but by the time they are in the final committee bins, they have many, many notes.The committee reviews the notes, and will usually read sections of the file again

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:24:29 PM)
Dan and Amelia: Do you know students who were initially waitlisted? Are they at any disadvantage or in any way distinguishable among your classmates?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:24:50 PM)
Lan, believe me, by the time we look at the files in committee, we know them quite well already!

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:25:06 PM)
Linda, Wharton, like all MBA programs, demands a lot of time management skills. It is very important to be able to prioritize your activities. Sometimes it may mean sleeping less!

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:25:39 PM)
Linda, one of my very best friends and cohort-mates was on the WL until two days before pre-term. He was a bit busy moving for the first few days, but he had a great time.

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:25:42 PM)
Linda, I agree with Amelia. Also, I don't know of any WL-related issues.

Kamran Shafiei (Apr 2, 2008 1:25:52 PM)
Thomas: as we know one of the most troubled sectors of the credit market is the student loan business, do you see any impact to the financial aid and/or student loans of Wharton students?

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:26:18 PM)
Linda- Definitely, a good friend of mine was waitlisted last year and is now a first year student. He is doing as well as any other and was in fact one of the first people I know to have received an internship offer!

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:26:20 PM)
Kamran, this is something we are looking at quite closely at the moment, both as Wharton and at the University level as well. From the Dean to myself, we are all working with Citibank and other lenders to make sure that our admits have access to the best financial aid options.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:27:24 PM)
Often, there is no "one" thing that puts you on the WL. I know that is an unsatisfying answer, but we are talking about very fine degrees of separation in a truly exceptional applicant pool...

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:28:58 PM)
To Amelia's point, no-one ever knows you were on the WL unless you tell them! And recruiters could care less... It's the same bar to get in, no matter when you get the call.

Lan Zhang (Apr 2, 2008 1:29:10 PM)
Thomas, what changes has the new Dean brought to Wharton?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:29:26 PM)
Lan, the Dean has brought a great energy and sense of purpose. He is very internationally focused, with a strong believe in educating leaders who are socially responsible.

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:29:59 PM)
Dan and Amelia do you see changes since Dean Robertson arrived?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:30:21 PM)
Lan, he is just now beginning to unveil his programs, and his presentation to the Boards last week was very well received.

focussedonwharton (Apr 2, 2008 1:30:58 PM)
Thomas: Is it okay for waitlisters to contact the office?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:31:03 PM)
Lan-There is a continued focus on academic excellence, international scope and presence, maintaining the best and brightest student body, and increasing access to global business for all members of the Wharton community.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:31:52 PM)
Focus, I would strongly recommend following the instructions in your decision letter. Visiting the office has no impact on your WL status.

fiona (Apr 2, 2008 1:32:13 PM)
But Thomas, there are lots of wait-listers in China, so did you have regional difference when you give offers?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:32:16 PM)
Focus,we do this to ensure fairness and equality in the system

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:32:27 PM)
Fiona, not sure I understand the question.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:33:22 PM)
I would also note that letters from Alumni are not encouraged. We do not want to give preference to those applicants who may know alumni... The concern here is equity and transparency.

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:33:33 PM)
Linda, like Thomas mentioned, the new Dean is just beginning to unveil his programs. He has been communicating with the student body consistently since he took over and I believe that he will bring wonderful changes to Wharton while maintaining the current culture.

fiona (Apr 2, 2008 1:33:39 PM)
How many Chinese students do you enroll every year? Is there any change this year?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:34:03 PM)
Fiona, since 2005, the number of Chinese students has been increasing steadily. We now have ~40 Chinese per class.

Wharton_hopeful08 (Apr 2, 2008 1:34:27 PM)
I have a couple questions 1) Have all candidates on the waitlist basically passed the academic qualifications for Wharton? Basically, do WL folks have to worry about a low GPA/GMAT? 2) Are unsolicited "green sheets" from Wharton alums ok? Will it hurt in any way?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:34:44 PM)
Fiona, but we have no "quotas" for any demographic or country...

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:34:57 PM)
Amelia, what changes do you foresee?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:35:13 PM)
Hopeful, 1) That is case by case. 2) No. We discourage alumni redos. Please see my previous post...

John (Apr 2, 2008 1:35:40 PM)
Thomas: For international students, if they have accepted another school’s offer but then are accepted by Wharton, do you know if there will be difficulties in re-applying the student visa to Wharton (as student visa is tagged to the school right?)

SFtoPA (Apr 2, 2008 1:35:49 PM)
Dan, that sounds amazing. Did that class turn any of your fellow students toward real estate?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:36:12 PM)
John, should not be a problem... Happens every year, and consulates tend to be quite understanding.

FrankChang (Apr 2, 2008 1:36:32 PM)
Thanks a lot for your time. What advice would you give to people in WL?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:36:37 PM)
John, it can even go more quickly as you've already passed the security checks

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:36:50 PM)
Frank, as difficult as it sounds, just sit tight and try to relax.

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:36:57 PM)
SFtoPA, most of the students in the class were already interested in real estate prior to taking the elective. It was also interesting as the class composition was 2/3 Wharton and 1/3 Architecture, Design, Planning, etc.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:37:02 PM)
Frank, I know this can be frustrating, but it's really the best course of action...

Cathy He (Apr 2, 2008 1:37:02 PM)
Amelia, I do love the Wharton International Volunteer Program. If I have the chance to get in, I will definitely want to go to Africa to help the kids over there.

Jason_T (Apr 2, 2008 1:39:11 PM)
Thomas, if you applied as an international applicant, and during the application process I was issued a green-card, would that have any impact on the admissions/wait list process? Should I communicate this with someone at Wharton?

focussedonwharton (Apr 2, 2008 1:39:21 PM)
Dan and Amelia: I might be visiting campus soon in relation to a conference in Philly? Would either of you be available to chat for half hour? I have met some students already and that really helped me understand my fit with Wharton and it will really help to get more perspective form current students

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:39:26 PM)
Jason, no, it really only impacts financial aid, in that you can now apply to various US loan programs such as FAFSA

Kamran Shafiei (Apr 2, 2008 1:39:41 PM)
Thomas, have you been seeing more applicants from BRIC countries due their recent economical boom and expanding middle class?

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:40:00 PM)
Linda, some initiatives set out by the Dean includes commitment to attracting and retaining highly talented faculty, increasing our international presence, increasing the use of technology at Wharton, etc.

Rui Fan (Apr 2, 2008 1:40:19 PM)
Hi Thomas, is there any fixed ratio for international student to get admitted from one region in one year? Does it mean that the chance to get in off the WL for international student only happen when the total amount of students from this region is not enough?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:40:28 PM)
Kamran, indeed we have, but the flip side is that the same booming economies are keeping people at home due to the increase of great career opportunities!

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:40:52 PM)
Rui, we have absolutely no quotas of any kind. This applies to all demographics and countries. You will actually see the number of students from each country go up and down from year to year. This is due to (among other things) # of apps, app quality, etc.

SFtoPA (Apr 2, 2008 1:41:24 PM)
To tag onto Kamran - have private loan deals been secured for 2008-09 and 2009-2010?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:41:45 PM)
SFtoPA, we are in the process of extending the current loan program out to 2010.

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:41:56 PM)
Cathy, yes, WIVP is a wonderful opportunity to get international exposure while making impact. There are a number of projects each year that take place in Africa. You can also get involved in the planning process, in which case you would have say in which NGOs to partner with.

Jo (Apr 2, 2008 1:41:57 PM)
Dan & Amelia, when did you receive your job offers?  Did they come from the same companies as your summer internship?

Rui Fan (Apr 2, 2008 1:42:02 PM)
I see. Thanks!

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:42:13 PM)
SFtoPA, because we negotiate as part of the larger UPenn portfolio, we have good leverage with the lenders...

jack (Apr 2, 2008 1:42:17 PM)
Wharton's feedback sessions are a wonderful and very helpful idea. Does carefully evaluating Wharton's feedback to me and improving my weak areas greatly increase my chances of acceptance?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:42:40 PM)
Jack, I can't quantify it, but certainly listening and responding to the feedback can be quite helpful. But it does not in any way guarantee admission...

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:43:03 PM)
Jo, I received my job offer before Winter Break. I will not be going back to my summer employer.

Jason_T (Apr 2, 2008 1:43:07 PM)
Thomas, if you applied as an international applicant, and during the application process I was issued a green-card, would that have any impact on the admissions/wait list process? Should I communicate this with someone at Wharton?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:43:29 PM)
Jason, no, it would only impact financial aid (see my reply above).

Kamran Shafiei (Apr 2, 2008 1:43:38 PM)
Thomas, what about overall acceptance rate, has there been any change this year?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:43:58 PM)
Kamran, we will dissect all that once we are finished with the application process.
But you can easily see our app volume, admit rate, and yield as we post our class profile every year online

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:44:20 PM)
Jo, my job offer arrived just before Thanksgiving. I did consulting this summer in Europe and quickly learned that the industry is not for me. I chose a very narrow focus for the fall fulltime recruiting and spent October and November doing recruiting.

focussedonwharton (Apr 2, 2008 1:44:33 PM)
Thomas: There seems to be a lot more focus on social interest in the top schools and from reading posts on Wharton’s site it seems the Dean is interested in encouraging this as well. Are you seeing more candidates that are interested in this area and how are you responding?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:44:54 PM)
Focus, we are indeed seeing an increase in applicants who express an interest in SIM.

joisy (Apr 2, 2008 1:45:06 PM)
Hi, Thomas, I noticed that more bankers are admitted by Wharton in China this year, is this because more bankers are applying this year? If so, does Wharton try to keep a similar percentage of bankers? Or increase accordingly?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:45:09 PM)
Focus-But an expressed interest and a history of involvement are two very different things...

SFtoPA (Apr 2, 2008 1:45:37 PM)
All: What's a "green sheet"?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:45:45 PM)
Joisy, not sure how accurate that assumption is...

SFtoPA (Apr 2, 2008 1:45:58 PM)
Does that mean you favor the history of involvement, and discourage faddish expressions of interest? :)

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:46:07 PM)
Joisy, but if it were true, it probably means that there were more apps from bankers who did a great job in the app process.

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:46:17 PM)
History of involvement speaks volumes. Expressions of interest are empty.

Lan Zhang (Apr 2, 2008 1:46:31 PM)
Thomas, if I don't get off the waitlist, I will re-apply to Wharton next year. Will I be able to receive feedback from Wharton on my applications? What are you looking for in re-applications?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:46:51 PM)
Lan, if you are denied, you will receive instructions in the decision letter on how to apply for a feedback spot.

SFtoPA (Apr 2, 2008 1:47:09 PM)
Many high-quality candidates take active steps to evolve in their careers - and we may have embarked on interesting new ventures since we applied. Isn't that valuable information for the committee? How do you strike the balance between "equity" and leveraging that information?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:47:12 PM)
Lan, due to the incredible amount of apps we receive every year, we regret that we are unable to offer everyone a feedback session...

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:47:35 PM)
To support Linda and Thomas, I worked for two years in HR, focusing primarily on recruiting. It is quite easy to discern the difference between interest and involvement.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:47:42 PM)
SF, we understand that things can change, but if they change after the IV, they are unlikely to impact the decision process. By which I mean that we take the candidate as a whole, and one career advancement or change is unlikely to change the overall application

Waits4Wharton (Apr 2, 2008 1:48:52 PM)
Thanks for taking the time to do this chat Thomas. So would you say that waitlisted students who eventually became admitted the past five years literally did nothing from notification to decision?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:48:55 PM)
SF-But you can certainly communicate any updates in the IV

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:49:37 PM)
Waits, I would say that we weigh all factors when we make decisions, including whether the applicants follow the specific guidelines in the decision letters. But in general, re-applicants tend to be admitted at a higher rate than first-time applicants. Nothing magic to that, they just have a deeper understanding of themselves and the process...

Kamran Shafiei (Apr 2, 2008 1:51:27 PM)
Thomas and Amelia, if I remember correctly you guys are both from California, how do you like living in Philadelphia?

Cathy He (Apr 2, 2008 1:51:40 PM)
Thomas, I do respect the fairness and equality Wharton offers applicants. But with my application, there is a letter from alumni. I don't even know what he is telling adcom about me. Does it hurt my chance to get in Wharton because you don't like this kind of response?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:51:50 PM)
Kamran, having done my undergrad at Penn and my MBA at Wharton, Philly seems like home to me! But I do miss sunshine in February...

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:52:17 PM)
Kamran, I'm from CA as well..and I love Philly.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:52:37 PM)
Cathy, don't worry too much about that. We just want to discourage applicants from asking every alumnus they know to write a letter if they are on the WL. With over 82,000 alumni worldwide, you can imagine the flow of letters and emails I get in this regard.

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:53:23 PM)
Kamran, I must say that living on that East Coast is a brand new experience for me. The most apparent differences are the weather and the fact that I walk everywhere. It does take a little getting used to but I love Philly now!

Rui Fan (Apr 2, 2008 1:53:57 PM)
Does the Wharton WL policy mean that we can not update any current information after package submitted or interview? Even though there are some big changes in the career path, like job change?

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:54:09 PM)
Also, Philly has GREAT restaurants.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:54:21 PM)
Rui, that is correct. You can update in the IV, of course (and should do so!).

Cathy He (Apr 2, 2008 1:54:25 PM)
So relieved. Thanks a lot, Thomas!

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:54:56 PM)
Fiona, of course. We reserve Fellowship funds for WL admits.

Lan Zhang (Apr 2, 2008 1:55:03 PM)
Thomas, on average, what percentage of students get jobs in the energy industry or relevant fields?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:55:26 PM)
Lan, I don't have that number off the top of my head. It's not huge, but it is certainly increasing.

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:55:30 PM)
Lan, there is a website that you can get this information from: http://mbacareers.wharton.upenn.edu/report/index.cfm

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:55:51 PM)
Lan, In fact, I'm heading to Houston in two weeks to speak at the annual meeting of the Wharton Club of Houston, which has a LOT of alumni in the energy sector. Plus, there is an Energy Club.

Lan Zhang (Apr 2, 2008 1:56:11 PM)
Thank you, Thomas and Amelia!

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:56:22 PM)
Lan, thank you!

lokomotiv (Apr 2, 2008 1:56:31 PM)
Mr. Caleel, I am sure this question was asked earlier (I was unable to join) - is there any chance waitlisted candidates could hear before the R3 decision release date?

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:56:35 PM)
Lan, the Energy Club also organizes an Energy Conference.

Kamran Shafiei (Apr 2, 2008 1:56:45 PM)
How about the trends in Venture capital job offers?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:56:50 PM)
Loko, no worries. All decisions will be released at once on May 15th.

thurston (Apr 2, 2008 1:56:56 PM)
Thomas, do WL candidates get preferences for feedback sessions?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:57:20 PM)
Thurston, we do reserve some spots for those on the summer WL.

Kamran Shafiei (Apr 2, 2008 1:57:28 PM)
Thomas, about the history of involving in social, do you also take into account the impact of an applicant’s professional life. For example I have been involved in social volunteering but I also spend over 60 hours a week working, I assume people with lighter workload will have greater chance at doing social work

Lan Zhang (Apr 2, 2008 1:57:32 PM)
Sounds fantastic, Dan!

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:57:53 PM)
Kamran, don't worry, we know how hard our applicants are working, and we certainly take that into account. But I don't remember seeing many applicants who work < 60 hrs week! ;-)

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:12 PM)
Thank you again all for participating today. Special thanks to Thomas, Dan, and Amelia for taking the time to virtually meet with you, provide this information, and make this process as transparent and humane as possible.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:13 PM)
Waits, many thanks.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:20 PM)
Linda, thank you for the invitation.

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:25 PM)
Thanks everyone!

DanBowermasterWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:27 PM)
Thanks everyone.

Linda Abraham (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:29 PM)
Have a very good day! Good luck with your applications!

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:29 PM)
All: thank you for your great questions and patience!

AmeliaShiuWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:32 PM)
And good luck!!!

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:35 PM)
Dan and Amelia, you're the best! Good luck to all in R3!

John (Apr 2, 2008 1:58:58 PM)
Dear all (especially Thomas), thank you very much for your time and information. That's really helpful.

WS2010 (Apr 2, 2008 1:59:43 PM)
Thomas: thanks for your time. We do appreciate the openness of the admissions process

focussedonwharton (Apr 2, 2008 1:59:50 PM)
Thank you Dan Amelia and Thomas. Hopefully my interest and commitment to Wharton will pay off. This is my second time applying. If not, I certainly would be interested in learning about areas of improvement.

Lan Zhang (Apr 2, 2008 1:59:54 PM)
It's been a very insightful session for all of us.

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