Wharton MBA
Welcome Weekend
Thursday, January 29 – Saturday, January 31
Join us in Philadelphia for a weekend of connection and insights, where you’ll meet current students, staff, and future classmates as you explore life at Wharton.
Event Schedule
All events held on Thursday and Friday are optional, and require you to opt-in through the registration form. The Saturday schedule is the same for all attendees and does not include opt-in sessions.
Thursday, January 29
| Time | Event/Location |
| All Day | Apartment Tours / Center City A number of apartment buildings favored by MBA students offer private tours. Interested in seeing one firsthand? Use the links below to schedule a visit. • ICON | 1616 Walnut Street | Click here to request a tour • The Sansom | 1605 Sansom Street | Click here to request a tour • 210S12 | 210 South 12th Street | Click here to request a tour |
| 5:30PM – 8:30PM | Optional: MBA Pub / Lucy’s Join us for MBA Pub, a long-standing Wharton tradition held every Thursday evening. Enjoy an open bar with beer and wine, plenty of food, and the chance to experience one of Wharton’s favorite weekly gatherings. |
Friday, January 30
| Time/Location | Description |
| 9:00AM – 4:00PM (All Day) |
Event Check-in / Huntsman Hall, MBA Commons The registration table will be open all day on Friday. Stop by anytime to check in, grab your lanyard, and get ready for an exciting weekend on campus! (Luggage check available all day in MBA Commons) |
| 9:00AM – 3:00PM | Drop-in Financial Aid Advising / Huntsman Hall, MBA Commons There will be 3 Financial Aid counselors available for private, one-on-one advising sessions to discuss financial aid, loans, funding options, and veteran-related funding. |
| All Day | Apartment Tours / Center City A number of apartment buildings favored by MBA students offer private tours. Interested in seeing one firsthand? Use the links below to schedule a visit. • ICON | 1616 Walnut Street | Click here to request a tour • The Sansom | 1605 Sansom Street | Click here to request a tour • 210S12 | 210 South 12th Street | Click here to request a tour |
| 10:00AM – 12:00PM (Tour 1) 2:00PM – 4:00PM (Tour 2) |
Campus Tour and Coffee Chat / Huntsman Hall, MBA Commons Join a guided campus tour led by a current student, offering an insider’s perspective on life at Wharton. After the tour, enjoy a coffee chat with your group and student host to ask questions and gain deeper insights into the student experience. (Luggage check available all day in MBA Commons) |
| 4:30PM – 6:30PM | Affinity Happy Hour / Two Locals Brewing Join us for happy hour for our affinity populations. We’ll be joined by current student clubs that may include: Wharton African American MBA Association, Caribbean Business Initiative Club, Wharton Latin American Students Association, Wharton Hispanic American MBA Association, Wharton African Student Association, Out for Business, Veterans Club, and Women in Business. To foster an environment of openness and inclusivity, this event welcomes all applicants, irrespective of background, orientation, or identity. |
| 7:00PM – Evening Hours | Small Group Dinners / Various Restaurants Attend a small group dinner hosted by a current Wharton student. Prior to your dinner, your student host will provide dinner details via email. Each dinner gathering will be limited to six admits, accompanied by two current Wharton students, fostering meaningful conversations and a deeper understanding of life at Wharton. |
Coming soon! We are coordinating with local real estate agents to offer exclusive property tours of popular Philadelphia apartment buildings. Details will be shared as soon as they are confirmed.
Saturday, January 31 (Admitted Student Schedule)
If Saturday is your first day attending, you must check in at registration at 8:30 AM to pick up your lanyard before joining the day’s activities. Breakfast will be available in the Forum starting at 8:30 AM, and the schedule officially kicks off at 9:30 AM.
| Time | Event/Location |
| 8:30AM – 9:30AM | Event Check-in & Breakfast / Huntsman Hall, MBA Commons & Forum Start the day by checking in at the MBA Commons in Huntsman Hall. Next you’ll head to the lower level Forum to grab some breakfast and mingle with your fellow admits. |
| 9:30AM – 9:40AM | Cluster Homeroom A quick stop in your cluster homeroom to greet your cluster-mates. |
| 10:00AM – 11:00AM | Welcome Ceremony / Annenberg Auditorium All attendees will come together to hear greetings from Dean Erika James, a panel of MBA senior leadership, and current student leaders. |
| 11:30AM – 1:30PM | Student Panel & Lunch / Huntsman Hall, Cluster Homerooms Join your cluster back in your homeroom to meet Student Life Fellows; ask questions during a student panel while you enjoy lunch. |
| 1:30PM – 2:30PM | Financial Aid Overview / Huntsman Hall, Cluster Homerooms Join the Director of Student Finances for a discussion about budget, tuition, student loans, funding opportunities, and more. |
| 2:30PM – 3:30PM | Master Class / Huntsman Hall, G-06 Join Gad Allon, Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions, for a Master Class called “Moats in the era of AI”. |
| 3:30PM – 4:30PM | Navigating the Recruitment Journey / Huntsman Hall, Cluster Homerooms Join MBA Career Management and Student Career Fellows to learn about the recruitment process, and how current students utilize Wharton’s career resources to find their internship and full-time roles. |
| 5:00PM – 6:30PM | Closing Reception & Club Fair / Pottruck Health and Fitness Center End the weekend by exploring our MBA Club Fair. Each club will host its own table, giving you the chance to walk through, meet student leaders, and learn about club activities and opportunities. Open bar and food provided. |
| 6:00PM – Evening Hours | Dual-Degree Dinners (for dual-degree admitted students only) Health Care Management Program: La Viola | 6:00PM JD/MBA Program: Giorgio on Pine II | Time TBD Lauder MBA/MA Program: Time & Location TBD |
Saturday, January 31 (Partner's Schedule)
The schedule of events for Partners is coming soon!
Club-Hosted Weekend Events
Events will auto-update from a Google sheet. Please toggle between in-person and virtual options at the bottom.
Additional Details
Attire
The dress for Welcome Weekend is business casual. We recommend that you wear comfortable footwear that allows you to walk comfortably on Penn’s cobblestone walkways. If you have limited mobility, please reach out to us for accommodations.
Hotels & Lodging
There are many hotels just a short walk away from Penn’s campus, click here for a full list of accommodations. Visit Philly also maintains an accurate list of accommodations in the city, as well as many things to do while in Philadelphia.
Questions?
If you have any questions or need accessibility accommodations or special assistance, please email us at mbaevents@wharton.upenn.edu.