In his most recent job interview, Wharton MBA student Edward Nevraumont was asked only one question: "If you woke up tomorrow and discovered you owned the moon, what would you do with it?"
Despite his answer involving the mass advertising of Coca-Cola, he did not get the job.
For Nevraumont, that was just one in a slew of interviews he has had this past week.
From Jan. 30 until Feb. 6, all core first-year MBA classes are canceled. This week, called "Dedicated Interview Period," gives students time off to find a summer internship.
During DIP Week, students have an opportunity to interview with on-campus recruiters from more than 80 companies.
Students are given the time off because an internship between a student's first and second year is considered a critical component of the Wharton education.
Students consider the internships a vital part of their future careers.
"It is important for each person to find their career path, and summer is a step down that path," said Graham Balch, an MBA student seeking an internship in financial management or public finance.
Balch has found the process more hectic than he anticipated. He had initially thought that all of the recruiters would come to Penn and that the interviews would be staggered. Yesterday, though, he needed to travel to New York for an interview and then return to Philadelphia in time for another.
However, he said that he and his friends are not as worried as everyone expected them to be.
"Either it won't go well and we'll be drinking at the bar on Friday, or it will go well and we'll be drinking at the bar on Friday," Balch said.
Before the celebration, the students must endure a week of thinking on their feet.
Balch said that interview questions can often be odd and bizarre. One of his friend's interviews consisted only of the question, "Would you rather buy Beatles music or Madonna music and why?"
Nevraumont agreed, saying that he was "probably more nervous before it started. Now there's no time to be nervous."
He admits that he is experiencing some stress "since there is pressure to do everything at this school."
"But Iwouldn't use the word 'cutthroat.' Even though we are competing head to head with each other, we are still very supportive of one another."
Last year, there was a 99 percent placement ratio from Wharton schools for summer internships, the best placement ratio of all other business schools.
