Kenton McNeal

Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

“I am an unyielding dreamer who refuses to stop dreaming.”

Hometown: Memphis, TN

Fun Fact About Yourself: I attended a creative and performing arts middle and high school and was classically trained in piano performance for 7 years.

Undergraduate School and Major: Morehouse College, Psychology

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Deloitte, Consultant

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the Wharton School’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Wharton’s wide range of classes and teaching styles as well as a well-renowned faculty and core-curriculum were very attractive to me. As someone with a background in psychology, I was certain I would learn core business concepts in a style that works best for me.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at the Wharton School? I am excited to participate in the Hospitality Club to continue to learn about the industry and explore the way organizations in space are able to be successful with ever shrinking margins

When you think of the Wharton School, what is the first word that comes to mind? Why? Finance! Wharton’s worldwide reputation for training leaders in finance lives up to its name as our alumni base is filled with many leaders in the finance industry.

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized the Wharton School was the right MBA program for you? Why? I was a part of the Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) program, which focuses on supporting underrepresented applicants gain admissions into top MBA programs. The program had us list out the criteria for our dream school and then rank schools based on how much they aligned with it. Personally, I wanted a school that was diverse, had a strong education in finance, and that was located in a diverse major city. Wharton ranked #1 in all of these categories for me.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Breaking into consulting with a background in psychology and then being sponsored by Deloitte to attend business school still feels surreal to me. So many people told me I could never work in consulting with my major. Also, only the top 10-20% of Deloitte Consultants are eligible for sponsorship. Working in my dream industry and being sponsored by my firm seemed like a dream 5 years ago and it still feels very unreal.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? I hope to return to Deloitte Consulting in the hospitality sector and continue to grow our practice by building our portfolio of clients in that space.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I talk to a lot of Wharton Alumni and listen to their experiences. These conversations are so important to me because they inform my decisions on how to get the best out of my business school experience. I constantly take note of things they wished they would have done differently and focus on implementing those strategies during my educational journey.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Harvard Business School

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Wharton School’s MBA program? When putting together an application, be sure that it is authentic to you. Often times we will try to construct an application or essay that is similar to those that have already been admitted. This is unnecessary as Wharton truly does value diversity and trying to make your application similar to those that have been admitted can cause you to lose authenticity.

DON’T MISS: MEET WHARTON’S MBA CLASS OF 2026