The facts and figures in business schools’ yearly class profiles get a lot of attention each year, often signaling trends within graduate business education. This week, Personal MBA Coach discusses four notable takeaways from the Wharton class of 2027 profile and what these might mean for 2026-2027 MBA hopefuls.
Trend 1. The % of women continues to decline at Wharton
Just a few years ago (for the class of 2023) women comprised over 50% of Wharton’s graduating class for the third year in a row. Yet women represent just 42% of the class of 2027 (down from 47% one year prior). While the school does not report any explanation for this decline, Wharton also ended its relationship with the Forté foundation last year, likely driven by political pressures.
Implications for 2026 – 2027 Applicants: This drop in female representation does not mean that women should be discouraged. On the contrary, for qualified female candidates, this may actually present a meaningful opportunity. When applicant volume within a particular demographic decreases, strong applicants often benefit from reduced internal competition and greater visibility within the admissions process.
Trend 2. The % of international students once again declined
After reaching 36% for the class of 2023, the % of international students at Wharton has continued to decline. For the class of 2027, only 26% of students were international. Excluding the class of 2022, which was greatly affected by the Covid pandemic, this represents a 10-year low for Wharton.
It is also worth noting that 68 countries are represented in this year’s cohort (down from 77 countries a few years ago).
This trend is likely driven by continued visa concerns.
Implications for 2026 – 2027 Applicants: As Personal MBA Coach has repeatedly shared, we see this as an opportunity for current international applicants who will likely face a very different political environment when they graduate in 2029 when the US is expected to be under new leadership.
Trend 3. Total number of applications increased
While a few years ago Personal MBA Coach noted that total applications to Wharton were down to 6,319, class of 2027 applications jumped to 7,613 (up from 7,322 the year prior) and reached an all-time high. This increase is likely driven in part by an increase in the average number of schools applied to. However, it also demonstrates that despite noise about the value of an MBA, demand for graduate business education remains strong. This is unsurprising given the high ROI of an MBA.
Implications for 2026 – 2027 Applicants: This rise in application volume reinforces the importance of differentiating yourself during the application process and ensuring that you develop a well-rounded and deep school list. Personal MBA Coach’s average client applies to 5-7 schools.
Trend 4. Average GMAT/GRE scores continue to rise.
As the number of applicants to Wharton rose, so did the average GMAT score. Wharton’s average legacy GMAT score was 735, up from 732 last year. The average GMAT focus edition score this year was 676 (Wharton did not report an average focus edition score for the year prior). Similarly, the average GRE Quant score increased one point to 163 while the average GRE Verbal score remained at 162.
Implications for 2026 – 2027 Applicants: This consistency in high average GMAT/GRE scores is not a surprise to Personal MBA Coach. While test-optional and test-flexible policies do exist at some top MBA programs, the majority of the M7 schools continue to place a strong emphasis on test scores. This puts the burden on applicants to invest in adequate test preparation.
MBA hopefuls who are building their target school lists can use this information as benchmarking data. Remember, however, that these numbers should serve only as an initial guide, as the entire applicant package matters more.
Ready to get started on your round 1 application? Reach out today! Personal MBA Coach has already started working with 2026-2027 MBA applicants through our comprehensive packages and expert tutoring support.
