Wharton TBD interview 2026-2027: what the team-based discussion actually evaluates

The Wharton team-based discussion is an interview format most candidates have never experienced. You work through a prompt with a small group of fellow applicants, then sit down for a short one-on-one conversation with a member of the admissions team. Candidates who prepare for it like a standard interview often find the format rewards something they never practiced.

Some candidates arrive with a polished idea and spend the discussion defending it. Others hold back to avoid seeming aggressive and leave the room without a clear contribution. And many treat the one-on-one afterward as a formality, even though it is where the committee can confirm what it observed in the group.

This session is designed for candidates who have received, or expect to receive, a Wharton TBD invitation this cycle.

During the session, we will discuss:

• What the committee is observing during the discussion, and why the quality of your idea is only part of it.
• How candidates lose the room without realizing it, often in the first few minutes.
• What the one-on-one conversation adds to the committee’s read of you.

Susan Berishaj, founder of Sia Admissions, will walk through what the team-based discussion rewards and where well-prepared candidates most often misread the format.

Enrollment for Wharton TBD interview prep is now open. Register here.

Register for the event and submit your questions in advance, attend live on Thursday, October 29 at 10:00 a.m. ET, and receive the replay directly in your inbox.

To get support preparing for the Wharton and other M7 and T15 programs for Round 2 and beyond, book a strategy consultation with Sia Admissions or request a written profile evaluation. Learn more about the Sia Method.