I’ve encountered quite a few misconceptions about part-time MBA programs at Booth, specifically the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs. Let’s set the record straight by busting two of the most common myths.
Myth: You won’t have the same academic experience as the full-time MBA students.
Truth: At Chicago Booth, all of our MBA programs yield the exact same MBA degree. The Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs actually have the exact same curricular requirements as our full-time MBA Program. The same faculty teach the same material across all three programs. In fact, there are typically two or three sections of a course during the quarter, and each section has the same lecture. This illustrates the academic equality and flexibility of our programs.
Did you know? Regarding flexibility, if you cannot attend a Saturday section because of a personal commitment, you can connect with your faculty and ask to attend an alternative section earlier in the week. At Booth, you can rest easy knowing that academics will not differ from the Full-Time MBA Program.
Myth: I will miss out on important networking opportunities.
Truth: Frankly, I believed this myth as well when I started at Booth eight years ago. I was thrilled to see how active our Evening and Weekend students are in the Booth community and beyond. I’ve watched our Evening- and Weekend-specific student groups grow from around 20 to over 40, and this is all driven by our students (they create and run the groups; we provide support and guidance as needed). The majority of events are on weekends, so all of our students can participate. For those living and working outside of Illinois, get involved in your local alumni club. They love having current students involved at the local level. The key is that you have to prioritize, plan ahead, and make yourself available. You also have access to alumni from all of our MBA programs via our Community Directory - there are no limits on who you can connect with.
Tip: Take a look Holly Shearer’s blog post about our student community to learn more. Holly oversees the student life experience for the Evening and Weekend MBA Programs.
I hope this helps dispel some myths or misconceptions you have about our part-time MBA programs.
My advice is always to look beyond what a school is “known for” or what someone tells you about a program. Take the extra step to experience it for yourself by visiting campus, connecting with students, alumni and admissions.
As you progress in the application process, here are some useful tips and words of advice from the Booth community geared towards helping you successfully submit your MBA application.
Admission Advice and Application Tips for Prospective Students
In part two of our MBA Soft Skills Return on Investment piece, Admissions continues to address commonly asked questions regarding the soft skill benefits associated with an MBA degree.
MBA ROI Series: Soft Skill Benefits Associated with an MBA - Part Two
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