Meet Wharton’s MBA Class Of 2027

A RANKINGS JUGGERNAUT

While the Class of 2027 boasts impressive numbers, the rankings reflect an even healthier state of the program. The Wharton School again claimed the #1 spot in The Financial Times MBA Ranking for the third time in four years. The school also staked sole possession of first place in the latest U.S. News MBA Ranking. At the same time, Wharton ranked as the world’s #1 MBA program by both CEOWORLD and QS, along with graduate research rankings produced by both The Financial Times and the University of Texas at Dallas’s Jindal School. While Wharton earned runner-up honors in Bloomberg Businessweek (and finished 4th in LinkedIn’s global ranking), it continues to reign as the top undergraduate business school according to Poets&Quants (which ranked Wharton as the top Executive MBA program too).

One reason for Wharton’s continued domination? Think a reputation for all-around excellence.

In the latest Thinkers50 poll, Wharton placed four faculty members – Adam Grant, Katy Milkman, Angela Duckworth, and Ethan Mollick – among the best business minds in the world. When U.S. News surveyed business school deans and MBA directors earlier this year, Wharton posted the highest score for Finance, while ranking 2nd for Marketing and Accounting and 3rd for Management and International Business. Even more, it finished among the best in Business Analytics (4th), Entrepreneurship (6th), and Production (7th).

Such sentiments undermine Wharton’s reputation for being a finance school. “While Wharton is renowned for its finance curriculum, my experience has shown that it offers just as much depth in social impact, marketing, strategy, and leadership development,” observes alum Aarati Cohly. “Some of my most engaging courses have been in non-traditional areas, including Strategy and Sustainability, The Economics of Diversity and Discrimination, and Influence—classes that not only develop critical skills but also explore how businesses can drive meaningful change.”

And contrary to stereotype, Whartonites aren’t finance bros or cold and cutthroat urbanites either, adds alum Simi Shah. “I have never met a more gracious, generous group of people. Whether you need help with a job interview or a study guide for class, people will go out of their way to show up for you… We cheer, champion, confide in, challenge, enable, and (devil’s) advocate for each other in all the best ways – not only, but especially, when it matters most. And man, do we have fun while we’re doing it!”

PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM

Better still, explains ’25 grad Mallika Patkar, most Wharton MBAs live in the same neighborhood in Rittenhouse Square, adding students “can’t walk 5 minutes without seeing a friendly face.” And that’s just one of the benefits of Wharton’s location. More affordable than New York City and Boston, Philadelphia boasts one of the nation’s best public transportation systems. That doesn’t count eight Fortune 500 companies, including Comcast, Lincoln Financial, Aramark, Cencora, Toll House, and Campbell’s. More than that, it is just 2.5 hours – each way – to either New York City or Washington, DC.

“Philadelphia is a legacy city — steady, historic, and quietly powerful,” explains Tanishi Agarwal. “It doesn’t seek attention. However, it leaves a lasting mark — much like Wharton itself: rooted in tradition, built for real change, and focused on substance over show.”

Entrepreneurship is one area where Wharton is particularly substantive. The school features a campus on San Francisco, where students can complete a semester of innovation-themed coursework while taking advantage of internship and partnership opportunities in the Silicon Valley ecosystem. That’s all the more valuable with 2,847 Wharton alumni working in venture capital firms according to PitchBook. The Bay Area digs are just the start. Zoë Spence cites the Venture Lab. Housed in Tangen Hall – a seven-story innovation center covering 68,000 feet – the lab brings the entire Penn community together, holding startup competitions, pitch nights, networking events, and expos. Within Tangen itself, you’ll find digital and engineering spaces to develop prototypes, food and retail labs to test concepts, and incubation spaces to build ventures. Beyond the physical space and resources, Wharton boasts some of the best minds in entrepreneurship, including Ethan Mollick and Karl Ulrich.

Megan Burton, a ’24 grad, leveraged the Tangen Food Lab to launch BrainFood, a sparkling water designed to promote brain health. She also touts a course, Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship, for teaching her as much about finance and strategy as contracts and liabilities.

“The biggest lesson I learned was that VC funding isn’t the only path to success. In fact, it’s not right for every business,” Burton explains. “This class empowered me to map out a strategic trajectory for BrainFood that doesn’t rely on chasing VC dollars. Instead, I’m focused on starting small, testing product-market fit, and growing profitably in a way that works for us. This approach allows me to focus on the essentials—refining our product and strategy—without the constant pressure to fundraise. And if we ever decide to scale significantly, we can explore other avenues, like angel investors, when the timing is right. This class gave me the freedom to envision BrainFood’s growth on my own terms.”

LEARNING LEADERSHIP … IN THE WILD

Among the Class of 2027, leadership was another Wharton differentiator, particularly the McNulty Leadership program. For over 30 years, McNulty has been Wharton’s flagship leadership development program. Its programming includes one-on-one executive coaching, experiential learning projects, coursework and workshops, reflections, and fellowships. Andy Yim, for one, is looking forward to participating in Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows Program, where he’ll hold a non-voting board seat. However, most MBAs cite the Wharton Leadership Ventures (WLV) as the marquee attraction in the leadership programming. Here, students practice teamwork, gain self-awareness, and absorb leadership principles through 7-14-day treks that take them everywhere from sailing around the British Virgin Islands to backcountry hiking and rafting across Patagonia.

For many, the WLV is a chance to pursue growth and bond with classmate in a “high-stakes environment,” in the words of Natalie Fredman, who plans to move deeper into the impact investing space after graduation. Her classmate, Tanishi Agarwal, shared similar sentiments.

“Spreadsheets never made me sweat, but a glacier might,” she jokes. “I came to Wharton to grow, and WLV throws you into situations where there’s no hiding — physically or otherwise. It’s not just adrenaline; it’s discovering how you show up when plans break and roles blur. That’s the kind of leadership practice no boardroom can give me — and exactly what I need now.”

Ask alumni and they’ll also cite various extracurriculars among their most memorable moments at Wharton. That includes Boxing Club, where students learn to fight – and eventually participate in a Fight Night with their counterparts at Penn Law. Wharton also maintains a dance studio with choreographers, with one showcase featuring everything from street style to bellydancing. Maybe the most popular tradition among alums is a Storyteller Slam held monthly at an open mic comedy club. Here, MBA students – and even faculty – get on stage to share their personal stories and connect more deeply with their classmates.

“No phones, no judgment – just real moments of vulnerability,” observes Simi Shah. I’ve heard veterans recount experiences on the battlefield, men and women open up about grief and resilience, and friends share defining moments that we’d never hear in day-to-day conversation. It’s special because you can’t easily simulate the feel of a slam in real, non-MBA life… In these moments, where we strip away the cases and the credentials and just share who we are, we’re reminded why everyone here is so special – and how lucky we are to have this community for life.”

In 2025, the Wharton School continued to garner headlines, launching an MBA concentration in AI, laying the groundwork to move its San Francisco campus, and landing its largest donor gift ever. What else can applicants, students, and alumni expect from the school in the coming months? How does the school support graduates and first-year and international students? What are some of its initiatives around Artificial Intelligence? Here are some thoughts from Alix Lamay, senior associate director of marketing and communications at Wharton MBA Admissions, in an exclusive interview with Poets&Quants.

WHARTON INTERVIEW

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?

Lamay: “In April we launched our newest major, AI for Business. With the demand for AI expertise continuing to grow, this major prepares students to navigate not only the technical aspects of AI, but also its ethical, economic, legal, and societal implications. It reflects Wharton’s commitment to equipping MBAs with the skills and perspective to lead in a rapidly evolving business landscape.”

P&Q: What do you see as the main differentiator that distinguishes your MBA program from other schools? How does it enhance the student experience and make them more attractive to employers?

Lamay: “The flexibility built into Wharton’s rigorous curriculum is a defining differentiator. Students shape their experience through 21 majors, 200+ electives, 10 academic departments, global travel opportunities, and leadership development programs. With so many options, no two paths through the MBA look alike. This flexibility not only allows students to tailor their learning to personal and career goals, but also makes them highly attractive to employers, whether by front-loading courses to prepare for internships or exploring multiple industries before diving into recruiting. Ultimately, Wharton’s flexible design equips students with the skills, perspectives, and networks to become adaptable, well-rounded leaders.”

P&Q: What types of services do you provide to first-year MBAs to ease their transition into business school?

Lamay: “At Wharton, we dedicate the three weeks before classes begin to Pre-Term, a comprehensive orientation designed to ease the transition into business school and build a strong foundation for the MBA journey. Recognizing that many students are returning to the classroom after several years, Pre-Term combines academic preparation with opportunities to connect and build community. Students take part in introductory sessions with each department, meet their career advisor, engage in facilitated team-building, and begin their first credit-bearing course, Management 6100, with their learning team. This blend of academic, professional, and social resources ensures that students feel supported, prepared, and connected before fully diving into the MBA experience.”

P&Q: What types of support do you provide to international students before and during business school to enable them to better acclimate to your country?

Lamay: “Wharton provides dedicated support to international students both before arrival and throughout their MBA experience. As students prepare to move to Philadelphia, we work closely with Penn’s International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) to offer immigration guidance and resources. Before Pre-Term begins, we also host a special welcome event for international students and their families to help them start building connections and community. Once on campus, the global makeup of our program, with 26% of the incoming class, ensures that international voices are an integral part of every classroom discussion, student club, and social experience.”

P&Q: How does your program integrate other disciplines, such as the liberal arts and STEM, across your curriculum to provide students with a more interdisciplinary experience in business school?

Lamay: “Wharton encourages students to take a truly interdisciplinary approach. In addition to our wide range of majors and electives, you can take courses at Penn’s other graduate schools, including education, engineering, and design. We also offer joint programs like the MBA/MA with the Lauder Institute, the JD/MBA with Penn Carey Law, and the Health Care Management program, each combining business with deeper expertise in language and culture, law, or healthcare. Our curriculum also includes the Communications Program, which offers courses in persuasive speaking and writing and gives students hands-on practice applying communication principles across business settings.”

P&Q: What are two ways that your program is incorporating Artificial Intelligence into your programming? How do they better prepare students for the future world of work?

Lamay: “In addition to the new AI for Business major, Wharton now provides all MBA students with ChatGPT Enterprise licenses, making it the first business school to partner with OpenAI in this way. This gives students hands-on access to generative AI tools as they explore how the technology can be applied across industries. Wharton has also launched the AI Research Fund, which supports faculty projects at the intersection of AI, business models, and global economies. Together, these initiatives ensure students are not only learning about AI in theory but also gaining the practical skills and insights needed to lead in a rapidly evolving world of work.”

P&Q: What types of educational and career support do you provide to alumni after graduation? How does it make them more valuable to employers during their careers?

Lamay: “Wharton supports alumni well beyond graduation with educational and career resources available online, on campus, and worldwide. Through our Lifelong Learning initiative, alumni have access to online courses, faculty-led webinars, and exclusive events such as Wharton in Focus and Global Forums. We also provide robust career services, including one-on-one advising, an alumni job board, and tools for negotiation and compensation. By continuing to invest in alumni learning and career growth, Wharton ensures graduates remain adaptable, well-connected, and valuable to employers at every stage of their careers.”

ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS

“As a Moelis Fellow (Wharton’s deferred MBA enrollment program), my advice is most relevant to undergraduates considering the application process. Don’t worry about checking every “traditional” business box. Instead, focus on showing how your academic, extracurricular, or other experiences demonstrate leadership, initiative, and curiosity about business. Authenticity will always come through more strongly than trying to fit a mold.”
Aditi Rathore (’27)

“It is not like any other admissions process. We were not the 850 most accomplished applicants. Yes, our accomplishments and ambitions earned us consideration, but MBA programs aren’t just ranking students; they are building classes.  I was accepted to the Wharton MBA class of 2027, but there’s no guarantee I would have been accepted to the class of 2028 or 2026. Each class is meticulously designed to help its cohort achieve their dreams and lift each other.

What this means for you is simple: Just be you. Your goal shouldn’t be to get into every business school you apply to; it should be to just get into one. Each business school knows who has the best chance of thriving, so let them see you and give you the gift of an acceptance or a rejection.”
Gorav Menon (’27)

“Read up on Professor Adam Grant’s Give and Take theory – it underpins the essays.”
 Natalie Fredman (’27)

MBA Student	Hometown	Undergraduate Alma Mater	Last Employer
Tanishi Agarwal	Mumbai, India	Indian Institute of Technology, Madras	Goldman Sachs
Victoria Bernstein Fenoglietto	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE)	McKinsey & Company
Natalie Fredman	Miami, FL	Brown University	Social Finance
Amos Jackson III	West Palm Beach, FL	Howard University	The Office of Barack & Michelle Obama
Sheena Ma	Chengdu, China	Duke University	HSBC
Gorav Menon	Toronto, Canada	UCLA	Netflix
Aditi Rathore	Chicago, IL	Northwestern University	Gates Foundation
Samidha Sane	Pittsburgh, PA	University of Pennsylvania	Boston Consulting Group
Zoë Spence	Chicago, IL	University of Notre Dame	Kraft Heinz Company
Nyla Thompson	Bronx, NY	Williams College	JPMorgan Chase
Gabriel Villarreal	Monterrey, Mexico	Tec de Monterrey	EY-Parthenon
Jacob Yallowitz	Little Falls, NY	U.S. Coast Guard Academy	U.S. Coast Guard
Andrew (Andy) Yim	River Edge, NJ	U.S. Military Academy	U.S. Army

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