Wharton to be using behavoral questions again this year

Wharton to be using behavoral questions again this year

Oct, 24, 2011

UPDATE: My preparation guide to Wharton interviews is here.
My colleague and friend, Vince Ricci,  reports that Wharton will be using behavoral questions:
“My client recently contacted his friend who is a member of the Wharton Alumni Association. The alumni member confirmed that Wharton will be asking behavioral questions again this year.

I do not know the exact questions but I imagine they will be the same or similar to those asked last year.”

Please see here for Vince’s complete analysis of Wharton  interviews. We are both trying to get more information on Wharton specifically intends to do this year.  Wharton’s description of the interview states the following:


“The interview will be a 30-minute conversation, which will be used to assess your communication skills and your thought process in certain situations. Your interviewer will ask you a series of questions that will allow you to elaborate on specific events in your life, or situations that you have encountered, which will help to illustrate how you make decisions or function in team settings.”

As was widely reported last year, the questions were totally standardized.   Last year, Poets and Quants was able to provide the most complete information before anyone else:

Wharton alums are being told to ask applicants three questions, selected from six, on three “competencies” identified by students, alumni, recruiters, and faculty as key factors in the success of a Wharton student: “team building,” “facilitative leadership,” and “persuasive communication.”

The questions on “team building” are:
“Describe a time when you have been working toward the completion of an important task, when it has been necessary to consider the opinions and feelings of others.”
“Describe a time when you have worked as part of a team working towards an important goal, when you have addressed conflict between two or more team members.”

The questions on “facilitative leadership” are:
“Describe a time when you have worked with others to complete an important task, when there was no formally appointed group leader.”
“Describe a time when you have ensured an important task has been completed, when you felt others were less focused than you on completing the important task.”

The questions on “persuasive communication” are:
“Describe a time when you have had to persuade others to your way of thinking, when at first they did not buy into your idea.”
“Describe a time when your ideas have been challenged by others, requiring you to defend your opinions.”

Whether these will be the same three general categories or six standard questions for Fall 2012 is not known yet.

My suggestion is that if you get a Wharton interview, don’t try to be first to interview if more information on it has not come out. I suggest watching GMAT Club, clear admit, and accepted very closely for interview reports.

By the way, Vince and I have worked together since 2002. During that time we have done extensive interview preparation with each other’s clients. In recent years, many of our clients admitted to Wharton, HBS, Stanford, and the other top schools have done interview preparation with both of us.   You can find out more about Vince’s interview prep services here. 

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