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Last Updated on April 28, 2023
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has one of the most prestigious and highly ranked MBA programs in the U.S. An M7 school, Wharton ranked #2 among full-time MBA programs on U.S. News’ 2022 list of the Best Business Schools and has consistently landed in the top 5 in recent years.
So, what kind of GRE scores do you need to be competitive at Wharton? In this article, we’ll take a look at the average GRE scores of students accepted to Wharton’s MBA program, as well as other key data points that will help you set your score goal.
To start, let’s take a look at some key incoming class stats.
- The Wharton MBA Class of 2023
- Setting Your Wharton GRE Score Goal
- Does Wharton Prefer GRE or GMAT Scores?
The Wharton MBA Class of 2023
Wharton MBA applications have been on the rise in the past couple of years. For the class of 2023, the MBA program received 7,338 applications, up from 7,158 for the class of 2022. That may not seem like much of a jump, but consider this: the number of applications for the class of 2022 was 1,200 greater than the number for the class of 2021, an increase of 21%.
So, since 2020, there has been a significant increase in the number of MBA hopefuls vying for a seat at Wharton. At this point, it’s tough to say whether this increase is pandemic-related or due to larger trends in the job market. Either way, you’ll have plenty of competition if you’re applying to Wharton’s MBA program, as its percentage of accepted applicants has hovered in the low 20s, according to the most recent data available.
KEY FACT:
According to the most recent data available, the percentage of applicants accepted to Wharton’s MBA program has hovered in the low 20s.
OK, so we’ve established that the Wharton MBA program is both popular and competitive. Let’s take a closer look at the makeup of the class of 2023, and some recent demographic trends.
The Demographics of Wharton’s MBA Class of 2023
As we’ll discuss in further detail shortly, when you ask yourself, “What GRE score is needed for the Wharton MBA program?,” looking at the average GRE scores of accepted students is just one piece of the puzzle. You also need to ask yourself how other aspects of your profile stack compare to the “average” Wharton student.
So, let’s take a look at some key demographics for the Wharton MBA incoming classes over the past three years.
*Per the Wharton MBA class profile, race/ethnicity data includes only the incoming class members who hold U.S. passports, which for the class of 2023 was 63% of students.
If we consider the class entering Wharton in 2020 (the class of 2022) a pandemic-related exception to the general trend, there are a couple of interesting things to note.
For one, the average number of years of work experience and average GPA of accepted students has held steady in recent years. Moreover, these averages are right in line with other top business schools.
KEY FACT:
The work experience and GPA averages at Wharton are right in line with other top business schools.
Secondly, the number of female and international students entering Wharton’s MBA program is on the rise. Notably, Wharton reported that the class of 2023 was the first in the school’s 140-year history to be more than 50% composed of women and that this milestone was a direct result of the school’s efforts to be more inclusive.
Now that we’ve identified some important trends in Wharton’s incoming classes, let’s delve a little deeper into the professional and educational backgrounds of accepted students at Wharton.
Wharton MBA Students: Industries and Education
Let’s take a look at the academic backgrounds of the three most recent incoming classes at Wharton’s MBA program:
As we can see in the chart above, Humanities has remained the most common undergraduate major among incoming students over the past three years, with the rest of students fairly evenly split between STEM and Business majors.
KEY FACT:
Humanities has remained the most common undergraduate major among incoming Wharton MBA students over the past three years.
Now let’s take a look at the top five industries that incoming students hailed from in the class of 2023 compared to the previous year’s class.
As we can see, the top five industries didn’t change from the class of 2022 to the class of 2023, and Consulting remained the most common industry among incoming students in both classes. However, there was an uptick in students coming from the Financial Services industry in the class of 2023.
We’ll keep this data in mind when we discuss how to determine what GRE score you need to be competitive at Wharton. For now, let’s look at the primary data point you’ll need to consider when setting your GRE score goal for Wharton: average GRE scores.
Wharton Average GRE Scores
Scoring 320+ on the GRE certainly isn’t a requirement for entry to Wharton’s full-time MBA program (Wharton states that it has no minimum test score requirements). However, as we look at the Wharton MBA GRE scores in the past three years, you’ll notice that the average GRE scores have remained just above 320. Consider the average GRE scores below.
As we can see in the table above, the average GRE Quant and Verbal scores of Wharton MBA students have basically been consistent over the past three years, with the class of 2023 having an average total score of 324. Writing scores have declined slightly over the past three years but remain above 4.5, so above the 80th percentile of all GRE test-takers worldwide.
Interestingly, on average, Wharton MBA students tend to perform equally well in Quant and Verbal — something to keep in mind when you’re setting your score goals.
Now, an average is just that; it’s not a hard-and-fast rule as to what scores any Wharton applicant needs to have to gain acceptance. Some accepted students will have scored below the averages and some will have scored above the averages. So, let’s discuss how to weigh the average GRE scores against other data points in your profile in order to determine your target GRE score.
KEY FACT:
The Wharton class of 2023 had an average total GRE score of 324, evenly split between Quant and Verbal.
Setting Your Wharton GRE Score Goal
Generally speaking, good GRE scores for Wharton will be equal to the average GRE scores of accepted students. However, all MBA applicants are different, so desirable GRE scores for one prospective student may not be so desirable for another.
The reality is test scores are just one factor among many that affect admissions decisions at MBA programs. Furthermore, business schools generally seek to create a diverse and dynamic learning environment for their students, one that reflects the real world. Thus, to figure out what GRE score will be good FOR YOU, you need to carefully weigh the strengths and weaknesses of your application. So, you’ll factor in your GPA, work experience, and academic and personal background, while also considering how your recommendations and application essays look.
If, for instance, you come from an overrepresented background or industry, you may want to set a GRE score goal that beats the Wharton averages, so you can stand out from the pack. For example, let’s say you have an undergraduate degree in the Humanities, a GPA of 3.6, and about 5 years of work experience in consulting. In that case, there may be many other Wharton applicants with profiles similar to yours. Thus, a 162Q/162V GRE score may not do much to make your application stand out. So, you may want to shoot for a score of 165Q/165V or higher.
TTP PRO TIP:
If you come from an overrepresented background or industry, consider setting a GRE score goal that beats the Wharton averages, so you can stand out from the pack.
On the other hand, let’s say you’re a student from an underrepresented background with a degree in a STEM field, a GPA of 3.9, and 6 years of work experience in the energy sector (from which only 3% of Wharton’s class of 2023 hailed). Particularly if you have great recommendations and strong essays, you may feel perfectly comfortable applying with GRE Quant and Verbal scores in the 155-160 range. You may, in fact, be a highly competitive candidate. Of course, even if you are from an underrepresented group or industry, it’s still safer to submit GRE scores that at least meet the Wharton averages.
Additionally, regardless of whether you’re from an overrepresented or underrepresented group, if your GPA or years of work experience are notably lower than the averages of the most recent incoming class, consider aiming for a GRE score that is comfortably above the average of 324, something in the 330+ range.
TTP PRO TIP:
If your GPA or years of work experience are notably lower than the averages of the most recent incoming class, consider aiming for a GRE score that is comfortably above the average of 324, something in the 330+ range.
Now that we understand the factors to consider when setting your target GRE score for Wharton MBA admissions, let’s discuss one final concern that many aspiring Wharton students have: whether the GRE or GMAT is preferred.
Does Wharton Prefer GRE or GMAT Scores?
Many prospective students applying to top MBA programs wonder whether there is any difference in how GRE scores and GMAT scores are regarded by admissions committees. In the case of Wharton, let me set your mind at ease. Wharton has been accepting GRE scores since its fall 2010 class, and the MBA program clearly states that it does not have a preference for one test over another.
In fact, according to a statement from the program’s director of admissions, the number of applicants submitting GRE scores more than doubled in the 5 years leading up to 2020. So, there really is no reason to worry about submitting a GRE score instead of a GMAT score with your Wharton application.
KEY FACT:
When it comes to submitting GRE or GMAT scores, Wharton’s MBA program states that it does not have a preference for one test over another.
Now that you have all the facts you need to set your GRE score goal for Wharton, you may want to check out this article on how to get started with your GRE prep.
