July 07, 2020 Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Live Chat Transcript
COVID Related Questions:
Chat Participant: Could you let us know if there is an opportunity to attend an in person or online class this fall?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We are still working on that and while I doubt in person class visits will be possible given classroom size limitations and our need to adhere to social distancing policies, we are looking into the option of providing people the opportunity to visit a class virtually. Stay tuned for more!
Chat Participant: How different does recruiting look like during this time? Have you seen students change industry and function after their MBA?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Campus recruiting for students seeking fulltime roles will be virtual. Companies will host networking events, meet & greets, and interviews through virtual platforms. Students do not need to physically be in Chicago to participate in campus recruiting events or interviews, but events will typically be scheduled in the Central time zone. We see a significant number of students change industries and functions, as cited by our career data here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact
Chat Participant: With the growing pandemic situation, will there be any waivers for GMAT into the Weekend MBA program?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We will not be waiving the test requirement. We continue to be as flexible as possible and continue to work with candidates impacted by test center closures. However, we know that test centers are slowly reopening and we continue accepting the online GMAT and online GRE. We are also now accepting the online Executive Assessment for candidates who received their bachelor's degree eight years ago or more.
Chat Participant: Hello, Thanks for hosting this session. Do we know any direction on how long the online classes are going to continue, instead of in person? Thanks!
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We do not at this time know how long online classes will exist at Booth. Given the nature of Covid-19 and the ever changing landscape it is difficult to predict. I can share with you our students are currently entirely online for the summer quarter, and will participate in a hybrid form of classes this fall – with all classes being able to be done remotely and some having an in-person optional component. We will continue to evaluate the virus with our health experts and alert you to updates for the winter quarter and beyond.
Admissions Questions
Chat Participant: Hello. Is 33 too old to apply for the evening MBA program?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: There is no age limit for our Evening or Weekend MBA programs! We want you to apply when you are most ready and will benefit most from the program.
Chat Participant: Are graduate degrees considered in admissions?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: Yes - we have many applicants who have graduate degrees. The application review is extensive and holistic- focusing on all areas of the application, from your career progress, interpersonal skills, and academic abilities to involvement. We seek out candidates who are well-rounded and who will contribute to the Booth community.
Chat Participant: Any financial assistance available?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: We have a financial aid team that works with Booth students to assist with their financial needs. You can learn more about their resources here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/scholarships-and-aid
Chat Participant: I want to start my MBA but want to be considered for scholarships/financial assistant? When is best for me to apply?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: When you submit your application, you are automatically considered for merit scholarships as well. You will be notified shortly after being admitted if you will be receiving a scholarships. Please keep in mind that scholarships are very limited and competitive in nature.
Chat Participant: What’s the difference between winter and spring quarters? Is the weekend MBA option available for both quarters?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: There isn't any academic difference in terms of which quarter you start, however, we only matriculate students in the Weekend program in the Autumn and Spring. We accept Evening students in all four quarters.
Chat Participant: How does outside activities weigh in terms of the application process?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Volunteer work, leadership positions, hobbies and interests help tell the complete story of who you are. I would prioritize those things that relate directly to what you are looking to do at Booth, or significant passions of yours. Also any place where you can illustrate leadership skills, collaboration, or success in projects/initiatives that you helped run and develop are good areas to highlight in your resume and in a potential interview.
Chat Participant: Will tuition for Winter 2021+ remain the same if there is an update to full or partial online learning?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: Tuition is an essential source of funding for the University’s ongoing mission and operations. Costs are not decreased when teaching is online. Reducing tuition for students would require substantial cutbacks in operations, which would hinder the University’s ability to provide all of its current educational offerings and to fulfill its core research and education mission. You can find 2020-2021 tuition rates here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/cost
Chat Participant: Do you have any upcoming virtual information sessions about the part time MBA program?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: Yes! The next information session will be held on July 28th. You can view and register for all of our online events here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/events
Chat Participant: Will you all still be running the Chicago Business Fellows application process for the upcoming Spring? Could you provide a bit of guidance around max work experience allowed to apply through the Business Fellows program?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We will be seeking applicants for our Chicago Business Fellows program for spring! Our guideline is that candidates have 3 years or less of work experience. Read more here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/early-career-programs/chicago-business-fellows
Chat Participant: If I get a change in circumstances partway into the application process is there a way to note this? Say I've already submitted my resume and then receive a promotion (which might happen); is there a way to notify someone of this change so it is considered as part of my application?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Absolutely! You are welcome to submit any updates to your application electronically by emailing our hotline: EveningWeekend-Admissions@chicagobooth.edu
Chat Participant: What are the application deadlines for applying to the part-time and weekend program?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: You can find deadline information here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply , for our Evening program our next deadline for winter quarter is October 2 and for our Weekend program, our next deadline is our spring quarter deadline, which will be January 8
Chat Participant: I have only been in the work force for 2 years but am thinking of applying for an MBA in the next year or so. Do you recommend waiting a couple of years before getting an MBA?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: The Chicago Business Fellows program would be a great place to start. It is a sub-set within the Evening and Weekend part-time programs and allows for students with three years or less of working experience to apply and receive the same education and network as traditional students – along with a cohort of younger professionals around your age/experience to go through this journey together. You may find more information here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/why-booth/stories/topic/chicago-business-fellows?sc_lang=en#sort=%40articledate%20descending
Chat Participant: Are the admissions criteria, acceptance rate exactly same for weekend and evening programs?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: Yes, it is the same and we look for the same quality of student in each program.
Chat Participant: Is there a certain time of year you have to apply in order to be considered for Civic Scholars? Or is it a possibility for all quarters?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Our Civic Scholars start in the autumn quarter and have an application that is due in early spring. We will be releasing the application dates shortly, so please do keep watch! Thank you!
Chat Participant: Would you say it's easier to get scholarships for Evening/Weekend MBA compared to Full time MBA?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The Evening and Weekend MBA programs seek the same qualities as the Full Time programs- they're all a Booth MBA, so no, I would say that it's equally competitive to receive a scholarship in any of our programs.
Chat Participant: If you are accepted to a specific quarter, can you defer your start to another quarter? i.e. If accepted to winter 2021, can you defer your start to Spring 2021?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Deferral requests from admitting/incoming students are handled on a case-by-case basis. Typically, deferrals are only approve if anything significant in your life/career has changed since the time you submitted your application.
Chat Participant: I know it was told earlier that students in evening/weekend MBA program cannot transfer to FT MBA. However, could there be exceptions made in case of visa issues. Im on a work visa and things are a bit unpredictable for us right now. I As much as I want to do an MBA, I also need to be aware that a situation change could kick me out of the country. Would I be able to come in a as a full time student?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Unfortunately there are no exceptions and I know that is difficult to hear given the unpredictable nature of things right now and the sensitivity around visas and H-1Bs in particular. For our Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students who are on work visas, we want to make sure they are aware that if one’s work visa were to expire while in the program, we are unable to sponsor an F1 visa or provide another alternative. Our Dean of Students is looking into what options might be available to students who perhaps lose their visa status while in the program.
Chat Participant: Being a non- citizen to USA, what are my chances to get scholarship
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Your chances are the exact same. We evaluate every candidate for scholarship and have no restrictions based on whether or not you are a citizen.
Chat Participant: If I were to apply for both Civic Scholars program and weekend program, would I need to submit two different applications?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Only one application will be required. When it becomes available, please start an Autumn 2021 Weekend MBA application. In the application, you will see a prompt where you can note you are applying to the Civic Scholars Program. This will activate a Civic Scholars essay for you to complete.
Chat Participant: Will I be considered for the Civic Scholars program even when I worked for a 501(c) organization part time? Since I'm on a work visa, I can't do that full time
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: You must currently work for a 501(c) organization and receive your check from that organization. We can speak in greater detail about this if you'd like to email eveningweekend-admissions@chicagobooth.edu
Chat Participant: I am a little confused on how The Chicago Business Fellows Program works. Is it a Master’s degree that you get?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The Chicago Business Fellows is merely a subset of the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs. From a curricular perspective its 100% the same and yields the same Booth MBA. The difference is that CBF is designed for individuals with three years or less of professional work experience and they are provided with professional development opportunities.
Chat Participant: Does professional designations like the CFA help?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Regarding your application, the review is extensive and holistic- focusing on all areas of the application, from your career progress, interpersonal skills, and academic abilities to involvement. We seek out candidates who are well-rounded and who will contribute to the Booth. So if you are a CFA, it can certainly help, since we take all backgrounds and professions into account.
Chat Participant: How do you assess work experience?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: With work experience, we value individuals from all industries and with a variety of experiences. We are looking for quality of experience- how have you contributed to your company? Have you received promotions? We want you to be able to share your experiences with your peers in a meaningful way in the classroom.
Chat Participant: I have a bachelor's degree from India and getting transcripts from there would be quite challenging since I graduated 10yrs ago. Would you accept WES evaluation for the degree from India? Or I can provide photocopies of originals.
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Yes - we would accept WES evaluation.
Chat Participant: Is 21 years of age too young to apply for this program? Do you recommend applying for the Chicago Booth Scholars program instead?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: The Chicago Business Fellow program might be a better fit for you. The program is designed for early career candidates with three years of less of professional work experience. On average most CBF candidates have two years of work experience. Feel free to reach out to us at eveningweekend-admissions@chicagobooth.edu if you would like to chat about this further. We can look over your work experience and provide further guidance about whether CBF is a good fit for you or not.
Chat Participant: Hi! For the fall, winter and spring application deadlines for the evening MBA, would you say there is a difference in number of applicants you may receive in say a winter or spring vs. fall semester?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: We see a larger application pool and incoming class in the spring and autumn quarters compared to summer and winter quarters each year. However, each quarter's application pool is equally competitive. We evaluate candidates the same way regardless of the quarter they apply for.
Chat Participant: Do we have a timeline when application for the Fall 2021 will open then?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We offer rolling admissions. For Autumn 2020 the application deadline was originally June 8, 2020, but given COVID-19 we extended the deadline to July 1. The app was published 9 months prior. We have not yet published the Autumn 2021 application, but will likely do so sometime in early May. Keep an eye out!
Testing Questions
Chat Participant: Can you please let us know Mid-80% EA range for the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We only recently began accepting the Executive Assessment (EA) test from candidates who received their undergraduate degree eight or more years ago. The EA test evaluates candidates on higher-order reasoning in three sections: Integrated Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. We use the EA to measures business school readiness and skill level. At this time we do not yet have enough reliable test taker data to provide an average test score. However, our Executive MBA Program, which has been accepting the EA for four years, reports an average of 153, which is the 75th percentile of all test takers. While this is a helpful data point, you should focus on doing your best on the exam and showcasing your ability. Keep in mind that the EA score is just one piece of your application, which undergoes a very holistic review.
Chat Participant: Is the online executive assessment will be part of the application process or is this prior to the start of the application?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We are accepting the online Executive Assessment for people who qualify. We accept the EA exam from individuals who graduated with their bachelor's degree eight years ago or more. The test is required to submit your application.
Chat Participant: What is the Executive Assessment?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: It is an alternative entrance exam to the GMAT and GRE for students 8+ years removed from their undergraduate degree. You may find more information here: https://www.gmac.com/executive-assessment
Chat Participant: My GMAT score is 700 but a little skewed (QA 47, VA 40). Should I retake the GMAT since I'm an engineer and my QA looks kind of weak?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Congrats on completing the GMAT and scoring above our average! It is up to you – if you think you can improve significantly and have the bandwidth to re-test then it would be a good idea to try and maximize your score not only for admission but potential merit scholarship opportunities. However if you do not re-test you can discuss your engineering background and quant ability on your day to day role.
Chat Participant: Until when will you be accepting the Executive Assessment in lieu of GRE and GMAT? (I completed a MA in Business and Entrepreneurship in 2013)
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: A test score is required of all applicants, regardless of background or years of experience. We accept the GMAT or GRE and for people who graduated 8 plus years ago we accept the Executive Assessment as well. We just posted a great blog post on choosing the right test for you: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/gmat-gre-or-executive-assessment?sc_lang=en
Chat Participant: I saw a previous answer regarding average test scores for those admitted to Booth. Do these ranges change with regard to the Civic Scholars program?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Yes these ranges include the Civic Scholars Program. If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out the profile of our Civic Scholars here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/civic-scholars?sc_lang=en. The range of incoming Civic Scholars has varied from year to year but anywhere from 7-10 is what we anticipate. We also recently expanded it to include Evening and Full-Time.
Chat Participant: Within the GMAT, do you provide breakdown of average or expected score ranges for each section -specifically for IR/Quant/Verbal? Thank you!
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We don’t have specific breakdowns of the sections. The average Booth Part-Time student scores 680 on the exam. If you are significantly stronger in one section than another, you can consider re-testing or looking at your background and highlighting achievements and skills that supplement the lower section.
Chat Participant: If I'm planning to apply for first round fall 2021 in August/September, is it a good use of my time to retake the GMAT to get a higher score (mine is in the low 700s) or to spend more time working on my essays and working with my recommenders? I am getting conflicting advice from across the internet.
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs do not have rounds. This live chat is focused on our part-time programs specifically. If you are looking to learn more about full-time please reach out to admissions@chicagobooth.edu. That said, my understanding is that the average GMAT for the full-time MBA Program is 730 so if you feel you are able to improve to make yourself a more competitive candidate by retaking the exam, you would be more than welcome to do so. Keep in mind you want to submit the strongest application possible and not sacrifice that to submit earlier if you feel there are places you would strengthen your app.
Chat Participant: What GMAT score is a good target for admissions?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Based on the previous year of incoming students, the average GMAT score was 680. The mid-80% range was 630-740. These are good stats to keep in mind as you prepare for the exam.
Chat Participant: If I am considering enrolling in the Winter Quarter, what is the deadline to complete the GMAT?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Our Winter Quarter deadline is October 2, 2020. I recommend visiting GMAT's website to see when you can schedule and complete your exam before the deadline. https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat/before-the-exam/register-for-the-gmat-exam/schedule-your-exam
Chat Participant: Hi, thank you for doing this. How can we prepare for the GMAT exam? Any recommendation?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Our best advice is to give yourself plenty of time to prepare and practice practice practice! Practice exams are your friend. Some students find they benefit from taking a prep course, but that is completely up to you.
Chat Participant: Does a higher GMAT score help with getting scholarships?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Our scholarship review process is holistic- meaning we take a look at all pieces of your application. Your GMAT score is just one metric- we are looking for folks who are well-rounded, give back to their community and who have been successful academically. So no- a higher GMAT wouldn't necessarily make you a better candidate for scholarship.
Chat Participant: If you did graduate 8+ years ago and are considering the GMAT vs. EA Exams - would you suggest one over the other as you are evaluating program entrance exams?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: I recommend looking at them both. GMAC owns both exams, and information on both can be found on their website. Determine the characteristics of the exams, your strengths and amount of time you can put into studying. All these factors will help determine which is best.
Chat Participant: How does one take the EA?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: You can register for the Executive Assessment through the GMAC website. You can learn more here: https://www.gmac.com/gmat-other-assessments/about-our-other-assessments/executive-assessment-online.
Academic Questions
Chat Participant: Hi, I was wondering if you can explain the difference between the Full time and Evening/Weekend MBA in terms of the work load and classes that students will take per day?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: There is no difference academically in the quality or type of classes you can take. Faculty teach across the Full-Time and Part-Time programs so your degree will be the same regardless of the program you choose. Typically full-time students take about 4, and part time students take 2 classes per quarter. However we have flexibility in the Part-Time program where students can take anywhere from zero classes in a quarter (taking it off entirely) to 3 classes without any issue. There may be opportunities to take a 4th class in the part time program but that would require a discussion with Academic Advising and information on your job status and plan moving forward. Each class on average requires 5 additional hours per week outside of class. As a student you are given data on the average hourly commitment outside of each class.
Chat Participant: Are your weekend and evening MBA programs online?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Prior to the pandemic our Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs were 100% in person. Weekend students from outside of Illinois would commute to Chicago every weekend to take classes. For Spring and Summer quarters we were 100% online in response to the pandemic. Our plans for Autumn quarter are more of a dual-modality model and you can learn more here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/why-booth/stories/autumn-quarter-2020-updates. We are not sure how for how long we will continue to offer online options.
Chat Participant: How many hours on average do students end up spending in the program? I understand this varies from student to student. But if you have access to any data based on the past, it would be helpful
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: On average, I'd say most students spend 10 hours a week outside of class on school events/homework/projects/etc. This varies student to student and quarter to quarter. Before I register for classes, I look at the data which shows the student estimate on how much time they spent on a specific class so I can estimate my own workload for that quarter. On top of that I participated in club events and social events which added hours on top.
Chat Participant: How much flexibility does a WMBA student have in choosing electives outside of the program - to broaden knowledge and enhance/explore interests not directly related to business?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Much of this depends on your flexibility- most students stay within the bounds of the Weekend MBA courses because of when they're taught- on Saturdays. Most of the other grad offerings at UChicago are full-time programs, so are taught during the day. If you have flexibility during the week, you could take other classes (with approval), it just depends on your own schedule.
Chat Participant: Hi, thank you for hosting this session. Is it possible to start taking classes before taking the GRE or GMAT exam which could count towards the MBA degree?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: You can look into the Graduate Student at Large Business Program. This allows you to take Booth courses without being a Booth student. If later admitted into Booth up to three of these courses would count towards your degree. You can learn more about GSALB here: https://grahamschool.uchicago.edu/academic-programs/graduate-student/graduate-student-at-large-business/apply
Chat Participant: Are there courses exclusively available for the evening program and not for the weekend program, because of class scheduling/availability? For courses that are not offered to Weekend students because of scheduling issues, any suggestions or thoughts on how weekend students can take/sit-in those evening courses, if they are of a lot of interest to the weekend student? Thank you
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: There is no difference academically in the quality or type of classes you can take. Faculty teach across the Full-Time and Part-Time programs so your degree will be the same regardless of the program you choose. There is a bidding process for classes, an each student has priority in their home program. After a period of a few days (giving students the opportunity to bid on classes in their specific program) all remaining classes open to the entire Booth community. It is at that time that Weekenders can select Evening classes, and vice versa. Each class on average requires 5 additional hours per week outside of class. As a student you are given data on the average hourly commitment outside of each class.
Chat Participant: Hi there everyone! Would my classes taken from my current MBA program be transferable to the Booth program?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Chicago Booth does not accept transfer credits. However, if you have previous coursework completed, it could potentially serve as a prerequisite to take a more advanced class to fulfill that particular framework area.
Chat Participant: Can you please give some detail on the evening MBA class schedules for 2021- class hours, how many classes / week?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: The class schedule for the 2020-21 academic calendar should be available by the end of this month. At this time, we do not know if classes will be held in-person or remotely in 2021. That decision will be made later this year. Evening classes are held once a week Monday-Friday at 6-9pm. Students will typically take 2 classes per quarter.
Chat Participant: Are there options to test out of certain classes for the evening MBA program? For example if you have applicable courses from a previous Master's degree?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: Booth's curriculum is highly flexible, so you shouldn't ever have to retake any courses that you have previously mastered. To obtain your MBA, you will complete 20 courses and our required LEAD course. You can learn more about Booth's flexible curriculum here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum
Chat Participant: Is there a link or information on courses required and available for the program?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Hello, I recommend visiting this link for a glimpse into our MBA curriculum: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum?sc_lang=en
Chat Participant: Generally speaking, what kind of teaching methodologies are employed by the program? Are these primarily lectures or case study based? Thank you!
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Great question! In regard to Booth's teaching pedagogy and teaching methodologies, it really depends on the course. For example, a marketing strategy class can utilize case-based work as assignments and include group projects. Many classes are quant-based, however, some did not use cases or used minimal cases during the course (Econ, Stats, Data-Driven Marketing). It really depends on the course, the professor, and how the class is structured.
Chat Participant: Hi, I plan to pursue a dual degree and would like to find out if the Evening MBA par time program is compatible with the MPCS?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, It is. You may find more information on this dual degree here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/joint-degree/mpcs-mba
Chat Participant: Can you accelerate the evening MBA by taking additional classes?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: You have the flexibility to take as long or as short of a time as you need to complete your MBA. I've taken 2.5 years to finish which is par for the course but I have had friends who have finished in less than 2 years by taking 3 or 4 classes a quarter.
Chat Participant: Is it possible to take a course from another school other than Booth (let's say a tech course) at the university if that seems to fit my long term goals?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, you can take up to 6 courses during your time at Booth as electives within any of the UChicago undergraduate or graduate class offerings. You would pay the Booth tuition rate for those classes and select them within the schedule they are offered in that department.
Chat Participant: Hi! I have taken a couple classes to help with my lower undergrad GPA. The classes I took were Math for Management and Intro to Microeconomics at UC Berekely Extension. Would these classes be sufficient or should I aim to take a few more? Please note that I have already taken Macroeconomics and Stats during undergrad. Thank you!
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: While we do not accept any transfer credits, we will certainly look to these courses when evaluating your candidacy. It's up to you if you feel you want to continue taking courses as a way to strengthen your application and expose yourself to the material. Your application will undergo a very holistic review and you should consider using the optional essay to address your low undergraduate GPA.
Chat Participant: Hello! For the evening program, how many times do the classes meet per week?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Classes meet 1 evening a week, for 3 hours. Most students take 2 classes per quarter, so they will be in class 2 evenings/week. Thanks!
Chat Participant: Can you please give an insight to teaching methods at Weekend/Eve MBA - is this lectures/ case studies/ group projects/ live projects with companies?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: You can use of course search tool (https://intranet.chicagobooth.edu/pub/coursesearch/coursesearch) to get a better sense of the modes of instruction each class will use.
Chat Participant: What technology platforms are used for group projects and organizations to keep evening students connected and engaged? Does Booth have their own platform or do students use email/slack on their own?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Students use Slack and Zoom...and the old school telephone to stay in touch!
Chat Participant: I'm interested in pursuing MBA for Entrepreneurs. Can you help me find the MBA course details?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: You can find more information on classes offered during the evening and weekends through our course search tool: https://intranet.chicagobooth.edu/pub/coursesearch/coursesearch. You can also find more about entrepreneurship-focused curriculum here: https://polsky.uchicago.edu/entrepreneurship-education/
Chat Participant: I am based out of Seattle and I can only come for Saturday and Sunday classes? Would that workout for weekend MBA?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes- that works perfectly for our Weekend MBA! Classes for the Weekend program are taught on Saturdays in the morning and afternoon, so most students will opt to take 1 morning and 1 afternoon class for 2 classes/quarter.
Chat Participant: Hello. If admitted, would one have to finish all core courses before proceeding to electives?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The flexibility of our program extends to the curriculum itself. Booth does not have a required curriculum or coursework that everyone must complete. You dictate the pace of the program and the order in which you take your classes. While I believe most students attempt foundational courses first (Statistics, Microeconomics, Accounting) there is no requirement that it be in that order before taking electives.
Chat Participant: To follow up on the workload question (RE two classes on average per term), how is the Weekend MBA term structured? Do classes extend through a whole semester or are they intensives (on average)? How long is a summer term/semester?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: In normal circumstances, Weekend students most often travel to Chicago on Saturday morning to get to the Gleacher Center for the morning class from 9am-noon. The afternoon class runs from 1:30-4:30pm. With student events going on between and after classes, Weekend students are able to get the full student experience in a single day before returning home. Classes are held once a week at the same time. Our quarters are 11 weeks long with the exception of the Summer quarter, which is 10 weeks.
Chat Participant: For the class structure - what is the percentage of group/team work versus individual?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: It depends class to class. I would say a majority of my classes have had group homework. Exams and final projects tend to be individual but quite a few classes will allow us to form groups of 3-4 to work on homework each week and also group presentations.
Chat Participant: Hi, I understand that to complete the MBA there are 3 mandatory pre-requisites, 6 general study classes, and 11 electives. Would you be able to provide the link that explains this and shows the elective courses to choose from? Thank you
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: You can find more information on Chicago Booth elective courses here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum
Student Life & Career Services Questions
Chat Participant: Can you please let us know about career transition -- and what resources are available for Part Time vs Full Time MBA?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Evening MBA & Weekend MBA students can participate in on-campus recruitment after completing 12 courses in the program and can apply to any roles. We have a robust career services center with coaches that help you with advancing your career or making a pivot. The only exception is that Evening & Weekend students cannot apply for internships. Those are only for our Full-Time students. Thanks!
Chat Participant: Hi - I'm curious about the amount of exposure to various higher level leaders throughout the program. I.e. what exposure to different leaders of other organizations, how frequently does this happen and how is it done (what formats).
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: Some of the students in the part-time program are higher level leaders within their own companies. We also have had speakers in some of my classes that are industry leaders, thought leaders, C-suite, etc. who will speak about their experiences and interact with students. There are also annual events like Worldwide Booth, Economic Outlook, Booth 2020 that have allowed me to come into contact with Booth alums who are leaders within their industry. Clubs also host events where they will bring in speakers from different companies throughout the year. Many clubs also host treks to visit companies in the Chicagoland area and meet with leaders at those companies to learn more about that company and how an MBA has helped them in their career.
Chat Participant: Are there any differences between Evening MBA and Full Time MBA in terms of in-person bonding and networking opportunities?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We find that our students in our Evening MBA program have strong bonds- they have meals together, are part of clubs, networking events and of course in class together, too! So we see the student life experience in the Evening program as very robust. You can read more here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/student-experience
Chat Participant: Have spouses ever gone through the evening/weekend MBA program together? Or is it encouraged that they apply at different times of the year for separate cohorts?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Yes!!! We actually ask that question on the application and we recently posted a blog post about two of our couples. You can read it here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/part-time-mba-blog/2020/seeing-double-booth-student-power-couple-faye-and-kirke-suter
Chat Participant: What are your favorite organizations on campus?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: I was a member of the Booth Marketing Club so definitely partial to them and they were one of the reasons I was able to successfully switch into marketing at my current company. I was also a member of the Student Advisory Council which acts as the student board for the part-time program and they put on some amazing events throughout the year. The centers at Booth are also amazing. I've participated in events with the Kilts Center for Marketing and I've had friends who have participated in events through Polsky and Rustandy as well.
Chat Participant: Are Clubs and groups are different for Weekend and Full time students?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: There are different clubs between the part-time and full-time program. As an example, I was part of the part-time marketing club but there is also a full-time marketing club. We operate independently but also collaborate on events we want to host together and invite each other's members to both clubs' events. If there is a club in the part-time program, there is generally a full-time counterpart and vice versa.
Chat Participant: Where can I find more information about the evening or weekend student organizations?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: We offer a variety of student-led groups! Please visit this link to learn more about our student organizations. https://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/evening/student-experience/beyond-classroom/groups
Chat Participant: If I'm looking to change careers but still want to keep working at my current job during the degree process is there a way to safely network without the risk of scaring my current company? Mostly just looking for advice on this one, job hunting while currently employed is not something I have much experience with.
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: I career switched while completing my MBA and I've had other friends who did it as well. I spent quite a bit of time talking to classmates at companies I was interested in and went to speaker events and panels to talk to students and recruiters at companies I was looking at. Career Services can also help navigate the process of job hunting. I leveraged them heavily and I'm currently meeting with my career advisor to talk about what the next steps in my career are and what I can do. I'd say that there are plenty of ways to network without scaring your current company that are in a non-official way of networking.
Chat Participant: Part time programs and full-time programs happen on 2 different campuses. How would one reconcile with that if they're seeking amore immersive experience?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Students are completely immersed within their program, and the campuses make that inclusive environment possible. It also allows for flexibility. Often Full-time students choose to take classes at the Gleacher Center for a number of different reasons – allowing for networking to exist between both programs. There are also large events that happen across Chicago near each campus such at the Economic Outlook, Booth 20/20, Alumni Fireside Chats, and the UChicago Graduate China Forum. Each instance creates a dynamic network among Full-Time and Part-Time students. Two campus multiplies the amount of resources at your disposal and increases social, civic, and entrepreneurial initiatives.
Chat Participant: Can you speak more to the how the Civic Scholars Program’s cohort experience and partnership with the Rustandy Center work in the context of the part-time MBA program? Is it through special courses (are they a part of or in addition to the general required courses), extra-curricular activities, etc.?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The partnership is in addition to the Booth MBA experience. Civic Scholars have special guest speakers, events and faculty sponsors that are part of Rustandy that focus on leadership in the public sector. I think of it as MBA+ with a focus on cultivating your skillset to be a future leader in the nonprofit/government/social impact space.
Chat Participant: Does WMBA students get to participate in all the regular career fairs?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Evening and Weekend students have access to a variety of career services resources including job postings, career coaching, alumni career advisors, campus recruiting (with the exception of internship recruiting, which is exclusive to full-time students), and more. You can learn about the extensive array of career resources here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact
Chat Participant: How effective is the student recruitment for professionals looking for career switch?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Aside from a specific internship guided process for Full-Time students, career services remain the same for Weekend, Evening, and Full-Time programs. This includes campus recruitment. It is effective but there are many avenues Part-Time students use to find new jobs, including a database to apply to mid-high level jobs as a student, workshops, mock interview processes through career services and industry specific student clubs that focus on job recruitment within that industry. If you know you’d like to make a change you can leverage these resources early on and develop a plan that puts you in the best position possible to make this change. Also, the Part-Time network of yours will consist of working professionals some of whom likely in your intended industry which can help facilitate a change as well. You may reference our Part-Time career data here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact
Chat Participant: How do you access community involvement?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: There are lots of ways to become involved within the community. You can join any one of the dozens of student clubs at Booth. These clubs include professional and industry focused clubs as well as more social clubs like the Booth Running Club/Tennis Club/Outdoors Club. You also have the opportunity to attend quarterly social events before and after class to engage with other students. The Student Advisory Council also hosts events and activities throughout the year to engage students. There are also study abroad/student-led trips organized every year that allow you to travel with other students.
Chat Participant: what are the primary industries that recruit grads from this program?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: You can find more information about major industries students move into here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact/industry-salary
Chat Participant: Is the Polsky Center separate from the Booth School? How does that work?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The Polsky Center partners closely with Booth- students can take classes there, take advantage of networking opportunities and competitions and have access to world class faculty who teach classes at Booth through Polsky. Find out more here: https://polsky.uchicago.edu/
Chat Participant: If I were to pursue a weekend or evening MBA, how can I be a part of on-campus organizations? How can I take advantage of all that Booth has to offer its students? I am not a full time student?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: The part-time program has its own set of clubs and groups that are separate from the full-time program clubs and groups. We host meetings and events primarily at Gleacher and the members are composed of primarily of part-time students. Many of the events (speaker series, lunch-n-learns, technical skills development, panels, etc.) occur in the evening before class or on Saturday during the lunch hour so part-time students can attend.
Chat Participant: What are some key attributes that sets Booth apart from other programs? Thanks!
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: Booth's flexibility is one way it is different than other programs. As a student I can take the courses that are relevant to my personal and professional goals and craft an MBA that matches my needs. Part of that flexibility is also the ability to have up to 5 years to complete the MBA so if I have changes in my work schedule, I'm allowed to make changes to the speed at which I take classes.
I would also say that the community at Booth is very welcoming and diverse. I've met classmates who come from a wide variety of professional and personal backgrounds which has expanded my horizons. The community is also very friendly. Booth students and alumni are easy to approach and set up 1-on-1 conversations with or set up coffee chats.
Chat Participant: I imagine it is difficult due to COVID right now, but are there any opportunities now or in the near future for networking and getting to know the student body as a whole?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We recommend reaching out directly to our students! Feel free to reach out to clubs you're interested in joining or alums in your network. You can find a list of our student led clubs here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/student-experience/groups - or reach out to admissions to be connected to a current student. Thanks!
Chat Participant: Thanks for all the information so far! With your Weekend MBA, can you share what % of students are from out of state? Also, any diversity metrics in particular for your most recent class with regard to students who identify as LGBTQ?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Based on our previous year of data, 77% of Weekend students commute from outside of Illinois. Unfortunately, I do not have that data point readily available at this time. However, I would like to look into this further. If possible, could you please send me an email at patrick.mchale@chicagobooth.edu. I can follow up with more info on this.
Chat Participant: How hard is it to make a career change by doing weekend MBA compared to the full the MBA at Booth?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Career services remain the same for Weekend, Evening, and Full-Time programs. If you know you’d like to make a change you can leverage these resources early on and develop a plan that puts you in the best position possible to make this change. Also, the Part-Time network of yours will consist of working professionals some of whom likely in your intended industry which can help facilitate a change as well. You may reference our Part-Time career data here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact
General MBA Questions
Chat Participant: Since this is a more personalized question: Could you please tell me whether can I get a resume and profile assessment for my candidacy for the part-time program?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: You may request a review of your resume here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/resume-review?sc_lang=en
Chat Participant: How can pursuing an MBA at Booth help me advance my career as an entrepreneur?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Great question! A Booth MBA can help you advance your career as an entrepreneur in so many ways. Many of our students take advantage of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship, https://polsky.uchicago.edu/, and offers a curriculum focused on experiential learning. Our Booth network allows you to build strong connections and will act as a support system as you successfully startup or pivot your business.
Chat Participant: Hi. Are there many differences in the evening MBA versus the Executive MBA?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs offer more flexibility while the Executive MBA Program is a 21 month lock-step cohorted program that meets in a combination of alternating weekends and week-long residencies in the Chicago, London, and Hong Kong campuses. On average students in the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA tend to have 7 years of work experience, while students in the Executive MBA tend to have on average 14 years of work experience. Again, these are by no means cutoffs, but it comes down to the format that will help you achieve you
Chat Participant: What are the key differences between a full-time MBA at Booth vs an evening or weekend MBA?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Any of our MBA programs earn a Booth MBA and take coursework with the same faculty- it's the same degree. The main difference is how you balance your time. Full-time students are just that- full-time, so they will take classes during the day and balance other obligations in their free time. Our Evening/Weekend students take classes in evenings or weekends and take advantage of the 40+ student clubs while balancing a full time job.
Chat Participant: How did you balance work, classes and also make room for clubs/events?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: Each quarter I have to determine what my priority is and what I need to focus on. I have a general idea of the workload I expect to see at work. I take classes with an expected workload that will not overburden me and I know I can handle in case things get out of hand at work. In terms of clubs/events, I have always operated with the mantra of staying after class for 15 minutes to chat with friends over drinks is going to be more valuable than not staying after class at all. I also found time throughout the day that I didn't know I previously had. When I was commuting for work to the suburbs, I used the train time to study and prep for class. I've had friends who fly on the weekends who use their flight to complete reading and HW as well. You'll be surprised to find out how much time you actually have in the day and what all you can use it for to balance work/school/life.
Chat Participant: Is it realistic to conduct the weekend MBA from the West Coast, flying in as needed?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: Absolutely. I have been in classes with many students who fly in from the West Coast every week. Most of them fly in the Friday evening before class and then fly out Saturday evening after classes.
Chat Participant: I know this might not be related to this chat directly. But, are there plans to offer an online MBA anytime soon? I am on the west coast in California. So, just curious.
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: For the upcoming Fall quarter, we are offering a hybrid model of both online and dual-modality learning. We will continually assess the situation, but we are not offering an online MBA specifically at Chicago Booth.
Chat Participant: What technology do you recommend students procure prior to enrollment?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Booth does not have any strict technology requirements or recommendations for prospective/admitted students.
Chat Participant: Can I eventually switch to full time program after joining in the part time weekend program?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: Unfortunately, it is not possible for an Evening/Weekend students to transfer to the Full-Time program and vice versa.
Chat Participant: How long does the average weekend MBA student take to complete the program?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: All students must complete 20 courses in order to graduate from the program. On average students take 2 classes per quarter and are then on track to graduate in 2.5-3 years. However, Evening and Weekend students have 5 years to complete the degree.
Chat Participant: Is there an opportunity to switch from Weekend to Evening Program?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: Yes - Evening and Weekend students are allowed to transfer between programs once during their time at Booth.
Chat Participant: Are the evening MBA programs only for residents in Chicago?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions:
Generally our Evening MBA students are Chicagoland residents because coursework takes place in the evening in downtown Chicago. If you have the ability to be in downtown Chicago in the evenings and you don't live in Chicagoland, you could apply for the Evening MBA, but for the most part it is folks who live in Chicagoland. That said, there is no requirement that you live in Chicagoland.
Chat Participant: I'm glad to hear it. In that case, what is it that you most enjoy about working here, and if applicable about being a student here?
Ritvik Bansal | Current MBA Student: I actually work at Abbott Laboratories as a Product Manager. I'm a member of the Admissions Committee at Booth so that I can help answer questions for prospective students and interact with them. I'd say my favorite part of Booth has definitely been the community. I've made some amazing friends here and we're always ready to help each other out. I've received help and helped connect people to someone at a company they're interested in, had coffee chats, and provided help on a work project.