Meet Wharton’s MBA Class Of 2026

‘ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTENTIONALITY’

Thus far, the Class of 2026 have been impressed with the school culture…and their classmates. Araceli Sandoval observes that the school creates an atmosphere that “motivates you to push your limits and surrounds you with classmates who inspire, challenge, and, most importantly, support you.” Others, such as Elyshia Geter, reference the team-driven environment where students must work together to succeed. For Nitin Sethi, two words define the Wharton experience: accountability and intentionality.

“Since majority activities on campus are student-run, accountability is the foundation of effective performance at Wharton. The experience is designed to trust students to be responsible members of the student community and looked at as not consumers but co-owners of the experience. Given the vast variety of opportunities, I constantly find myself and my peers prioritizing those avenues in which they find true purpose and those which are best suited to their long-term goals. The sheer thought behind each action that every member of the Wharton community puts in is truly inspiring.”

A CLASS PROFILE

Like many business schools, Wharton applications surged during the 2023-2024 cycle. Over the past year, applications rose from 6,194 to 7,322 – the second-highest number over the past decade. Among the 866 members of the Class of 2026, more than a quarter are pursuing a dual MBA degree. That includes 89 students who are also earning a Master’s in Health Care Management and anther 76 who are part of the Lauder program. In addition, the class includes 62 students from the Moelis Advanced Access Program, which provides a pathway to undergraduates to enter the Wharton MBA after completing 2-4 years of work experience.

As a whole, women comprise 47% of the class, down from the 50%-plus share they’ve held over the previous three classes. Another 31% of the class hails from outside the United States – 65 countries, to be exact. First generation and LGBTQ students make up 11% and 10% shares of the class respectively, with military veterans accounting for another 6%.

Academically, 78% of the class earned undergraduate degrees from American colleges and universities. The class is also nearly equal parts of students who pursued undergraduate majors in the Humanities (36%), Business (32%), and STEM (32%). In terms of admissions, the class boasts a 732 average GMAT, with GRE scores settling in at 163 (Quant) and 162 (Verbal). The Class of 2026 also averaged a 3.7 undergraduate GPA.

Looking at their careers so far, consulting and finance dominate the class. Consultants make up 28% of the class. Private Equity and Venture Capital holds another 15% of the class, along with another 9% who worked in either Financial Services or Investment Management. Nonprofit and Government professionals constitute 11% of the class, followed by Technology (10%), Healthcare (4%), Consumer Products (2%), and Media (2%).

PIVOTING TO AI

This past year, the Wharton School grabbed headlines for making a deep commitment to Artificial Intelligence. This includes providing all Full-Time and Executive MBA students with ChatGPT licenses and starting two funds devoted to supporting AI research and coursework. Even more, the Wharton School is setting out to make AI mastery a cornerstone of MBA education, adds Nancy Rothbard, the school’s deputy dean.

“Developing a fluency in AI and its impact on business decision-making is no longer an option, it’s a requirement to be competitive in any organization. We are once again answering society’s call to address the needs of tomorrow and we’re excited to provide our students and the business world with the tools and applicable knowledge they need to excel as we collectively confront the most transformative technology of our time.”

What else is on the horizon at Wharton? P&Q posed this question – and several others – to Blair Mannix, Executive Director of Wharton Graduate Admissions. Here are her thoughts on new developments, as well as global business and soft skills programming and career services.

AN INTERVIEW WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GRADUATE ADMISSIONS BLAIR MANNIX

P&Q: What have been the two most important developments in your MBA program over the past year? What type of impact will they have on current and future MBAs?

Mannix: “One of the biggest developments has been our New Parents Accommodation Policy, which is designed to give student parents more support and flexibility. Parenting while in business school is no small feat, so the policy provides options that help make balancing family and school more manageable. New parents can tailor their schedules with the help of academic advisors to ensure they’re staying on track without compromising their graduation plans. It covers everyone, too—expecting mothers, surrogates, and adoptive parents—so they’re all able to transition smoothly during this major life change.”

P&Q: Every January, P&Q publishes a “10 Business Schools to Watch” feature that highlights how schools are raising the bar and enhancing the student experience through innovation or expansion in programming or resources. What is one innovation that sets your school apart from your peer programs and makes you a business school to watch? Why is it so groundbreaking?

Mannix: “Over the summer, Wharton launched its AI & Analytics Initiative which has already made a huge impact on our program and culture. As part of this initiative, Wharton provides ChatGPT Enterprise licenses to all full-time and executive MBA students, allowing them to explore generative AI in practical, hands-on ways. This innovation marks the first collaboration between a business school and OpenAI, the company that makes ChatGPT.

“On top of that, we’ve launched two new funds to drive even more advancements in AI research and education. The Wharton AI Research Fund gives our faculty resources to dive into projects that connect AI developments with real-world business models, industries, and economies. The Education Innovation Fund supports faculty in updating and reshaping their courses to integrate AI tools and concepts. These initiatives are laying the groundwork for Wharton to stay at the forefront of AI education.”

P&Q: What types of programs do you offer to sharpen your students’ soft skills? What areas do you emphasize and how do you instill these skills in your students? 

Mannix: “At Wharton, we know that leadership is about so much more than technical skills—it’s about understanding people, adapting your approach, and knowing how to inspire others. That’s where the McNulty Leadership Program comes in. It offers a range of programs to help our students really hone their soft skills through hands-on experience, reflection, and real-world practice.

“Two standout programs are the Executive Coaching and Feedback Program (ECFP) and our Nonprofit Board Fellows (NBF). ECFP is specifically for second-year MBA students and offers six one-on-one coaching sessions. The program guides students to dig deep into their strengths and development areas through feedback from peers and colleagues, so they can create a personal leadership plan that’s authentic to who they are and how they want to lead.

“NBF provides a unique opportunity for students to be placed on the boards of local nonprofits in the Philadelphia area for nine months. It’s an incredible way to gain board-level experience while contributing to meaningful projects that support the organization’s mission. Programs like these go beyond the classroom, providing students with practical, hands-on leadership experience that I think is invaluable.”

P&Q: What types of programming – through classroom instruction, extracurriculars, and treks – does your school offer to expose students to country-specific and global business practices? What have students told you were the most educational and fun aspects of these activities?

Mannix: “Students have several ways to gain valuable global exposure at Wharton, ranging from academic, credit-bearing courses to co-curricular trips. Our Global Modular Courses and Global Immersion Programs are short, 4–10-day courses that run during Block Weeks or school breaks, giving students a deep dive into the economic, cultural, and geopolitical factors driving various cities around the world. Students get to visit international companies, meet with local Wharton alumni, and really get a feel for business in a specific country—so they’re learning on the ground, not just in the classroom.

“Beyond academics, students often plan their own global career treks and social trips like the Brazil Club’s cultural trek to Brazil, or the Investment Management Club’s Career Trek to Asia to meet companies in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai. These kinds of trips are not only incredibly educational, but students also tell us they’re some of the most fun experiences they have during the MBA. They get to connect with classmates, see new places, and build their global networks—memories that really stick with them long after graduation.”

P&Q: What types of support does your career center and alumni provide to MBA students? How have these services and relationship made your graduates more competitive in the marketplace?

Mannix: “Wharton’s MBA Career Management Office offers incredible support to help students navigate their career paths. They provide advising for 24 different industry pathways, each with its own tailored action plan, timeline, and recruiting strategies. Many of these industries also have student-run clubs that are well-connected with top companies and alumni, so students benefit from strong networks within their field of interest. Career advisors work hand-in-hand with these clubs to deliver career education and prepare students for a successful recruiting experience.

“One of the standout tools we offer is MAP (My Action Plan), an online platform developed by our Career Management team. MAP is a personalized support tool that adapts as students progress, offering tailored advice to achieve specific career outcomes. MAP is even incorporating advanced analytics, so it can deliver curated content based on each student’s profile, assessments, and search stage. These kinds of resources—along with our active alumni network—really give our graduates an edge in the job market and help them feel confident and prepared at every step.”

Click on the links below to access in-depth profiles of members of the Class of 2026

MBA Student	Hometown	Undergraduate Alma Mater	Last Employer
Aleczander Escamilla	Palmdale, CA	Brigham Young University	Civiltec Engineering Inc.
Elyshia Geter	Norwalk, CT	New York University	Artemis Real Estate Partners
Mansi Jain	New Delhi, India	Delhi University	NoBarr
Brendan Lorton	Columbia, MD	U.S. Military Academy	Onebrief
Kenton McNeal	Memphis, TN	Morehouse College	Deloitte
Steve Murphy	London, United Kingdom	University of Cambridge	Citi
Claire North	Dallas, TX	Duke University	Gemeni
Araceli Sandoval	El Paso, TX	U.S. Military Academy	U.S. Army
Nitin Sethi	Panchkula, India	IIT Roorkee	McKinsey & Company
Itay Zitvar	Tel Aviv, Israel	Tel Aviv University	Hyro

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