The Wharton Pre-Baccalaureate Program

For ambitious high-school students interested in business, economics, finance or entrepreneurship, the Wharton Pre-Baccalaureate Program offers something more rigorous than a conventional summer enrichment course. Designed by the Wharton Global Youth Program at the University of Pennsylvania, it allows high-school juniors and seniors to enroll in credit-bearing Wharton courses taught online by Wharton instructors. Students study in small classes composed entirely of high-school participants, while working at a level intended to reflect the expectations of undergraduate business education.

The curriculum spans Wharton fields including finance, management, marketing, statistics, business economics and public policy, health care management, and operations and information. Depending on the session, students may encounter subjects such as behavioural economics, data science, financial markets, management, consumer behaviour, or the impact of artificial intelligence on business. The objective is not merely to introduce business vocabulary. Students learn how to interpret data, evaluate decisions, analyse markets, discuss cases, apply quantitative reasoning and communicate arguments with academic precision.

The program is fully online, making it accessible to international students. Courses combine live classes with asynchronous learning, which can include recorded lectures, readings, assignments and group work. Live meetings are mandatory and may involve lectures, discussions, simulations, case studies and presentations. Students should therefore treat the experience much like a genuine university course rather than a flexible online certificate. Each successfully completed course awards 0.5 University of Pennsylvania course units, generally equivalent to approximately two college credits.

Eligibility is narrow. During the academic year, applicants must be enrolled in Grades 11 or 12; during summer sessions, they must be rising Grade 11 or 12 students. Students who have already graduated from high school are not eligible, nor are incoming Penn freshmen. International applicants must also demonstrate English-language proficiency, although students attending schools where English is the primary language of instruction may have this requirement waived.

Admission is selective. Wharton looks for academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, strong written communication and evidence that a student is willing to embrace academic challenge. Applicants are expected to have at least a 3.5 unweighted GPA, or its equivalent, and submit school transcripts, written essays and a recommendation that speaks to their academic performance and potential. The essays matter: they help Wharton assess both motivation and writing ability, not simply enthusiasm for the university.

Sessions generally run for approximately six weeks, with several entry points across the year. As of August 2026, the next Fall 2 session runs from October 19 to December 2, with an application deadline of September 9; Spring 1, 2027 runs from January 19 to March 5, with applications due November 25. International students should apply well before the deadline, allowing time for recommendations, transcripts and English-language documentation.

For students seriously considering business at university, the strongest attraction is authenticity. This is not a campus-tour experience dressed up as academics; it is an opportunity to test whether a student enjoys the pace, discipline and analytical demands of university-level business study before arriving at college.