August 11, 2020 Live Admissions Chat Transcript
COVID-19 Related Questions:
Chat Participant: Due to COVID 19 I believe most of the classes are online. What are the plans going forward?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We will have a dual modality format for the Fall which means 100% of classes will be online, and of those classes some will also contain an optional in-person opportunity for in-state students to attend. Weekend students out of state will be completely virtual and evening students will have this option. We are working to understand the options & limitations of this format moving forward and working with healthcare experts and state regulations to ensure safety for students, faculty and staff moving forward. I am unable to predict further than this autumn due to the ever changing landscape of Covid-19.
Chat Participant: Hello. How has COVID-19 affected the Weekend MBA Program, particularly for out of state students? I am from California and would love the opportunity to attend but am now unsure how this will work.
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: Hi, the way we've handled it for Spring and Summer is through remote learning where we've had live lectures using zoom in the classes I've taken. Most of my classmates are taking classes from where they live currently. We've also done things like having breakout sessions within zoom for opportunities to discuss topics in smaller groups in some of my classes like Technology Strategy this summer. We're also having virtual events currently with speakers and things like that through student groups. The school is working on a plan for what it will look like in the fall though so would suggest taking a look at our website to learn more or also reaching out to someone from Admissions for additional details
Chat Participant: Hi, thank you for doing this. Has the MBA or Executive MBA curriculum changed at all due to COVID? Are classes structured differently if they are offered online?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: We have not seen any significant changes in the curriculum. The structure of each course will ultimately depend on the professor, but overall it is similar to as it would be in person as well.
Chat Participant: Hello! I would be interested to know how Booth is handling classwork during the pandemic with the need to social distance and conduct more coursework online?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: Yes that is correct! There are a variety of measure implemented during this time, including social distancing and dual modality courses (allowing limited in person classwork in addition to some online coursework). To get a better sense of this, I suggest checking out this announcement for initial plans for the Autumn quarter: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/why-booth/stories/autumn-quarter-2020-updates
Chat Participant: How are you adjusting both the admissions process and classes due to the current Covid environment?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, Evening and Weekend MBA Programs Office: Great question! As of now - the biggest change for admissions is that all of our interviews are being held virtually. To protect our community and to allow the most flexibility given air travel and commuting challenges and the uncertainty about future virus outbreaks, Booth is planning for dual-modality teaching for the autumn quarter. With dual modality, faculty have the option to be remote or in class, and students have the option to be remote or in class. Our Booth IT team is working with Zoom engineers to ensure faculty and students can be connected, visible, and audible. We will adapt schedules as needed to ensure we can follow class-size limits in accordance with social distancing guidelines. Some classes will be offered in a hybrid format, with some students in class and some remote, while some classes will be offered remotely only.
Chat Participant: Have the number of applicants reduced in light of COVID i.e. is it easier for one to get accepted now than under pre-COVID circumstances?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: Good question! No, it isn’t a different application process, and our admissions requirement are remaining consistent. I would suggest checking out these pages to get a sense of the application process and class stats of our student body:
Evening: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/evening#
Weekend: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/weekend#
Chat Participant: Hello: I'm sure that Booth is taking many things into consideration when deciding what's best for students for in-person/on-line classes. How has the feedback been from students that have been participating in on-line classes?
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: I'm not able to speak to the feedback more broadly but I have taken a couple of classes virtually over the Spring and Summer quarters when we moved to the virtual format. I was hesitant about what the format would look like but found I was able to enjoy classes still and take away the material well. We also have the opportunity to provide feedback in our classes for professors to be able to incorporate into their approaches moving forward so think we'll continue to see things evolve as we're all getting adjusted to this format
Chat Participant: Hi, Thanks for doing this. Will there be any opportunity for potential candidates to get classroom experience virtually in next couple of months?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, Evening and Weekend MBA Programs Office: While we are unable to provide class visits in the traditional sense, we are planning on having a variety of faculty teach virtual master classes in the Autumn quarter. We are in the early planning stages of this, so more to come later!
Chat Participant: Do you envision the school to open up in person classes for Spring 2021
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: At this time, it is unclear if classes will be 100% in-person for Spring 2021.
Admissions Questions:
Chat Participant: Is there an official/unofficial upper age limit to pursue a part time MBA at Chicago Booth?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: There are no age limits for the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA programs. We have students with as little as 1-2 years of work experience, but also ones with around 15 years of work experience as well. Students with more than 15 years of experience typically look to apply to the Executive MBA program.
Chat Participant: What makes the CBF program different from the standard weekend/evening MBA? What sorts of additional resources are they given? Also, when is the application deadline for CBF Spring 2021?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, Evening and Weekend MBA Programs Office: You will participate in additional leadership/professional development seminars geared toward younger professionals. This is in addition to the leadership training that is required for all students. The Chicago Business Fellows (CBF) sessions are done with your fellow incoming CBF group, so you will also get the benefit of a cohort feel, as you get to know these classmate very well. You can find more information on our website here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/weekend/admissions/early-career-candid The CBF program is available for Evening MBA applicants in the Spring and Autumn quarter. It is available for Weekend MBA applicants in the Autumn quarter only. Applicants based outside of the Chicago area are equally considered for the program. The Spring 2021 deadline is January 8th.
Chat Participant: Hi, I have a question regarding recommendations: I'm a consultant and because of short term projects, I haven't worked with a supervisor/manager for more than 4 months. Is that enough time for a credible recommendation? How do I communicate this with the adcom team?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: This is a scenario where it would be acceptable for you to look towards clients and colleagues to provide recommendation letters. We understand that supervisors may not be the best sources for recommendation if you have only been working with them for a short period of time.
Chat Participant: If you are an employee of the university, are you able to take a class before applying to the program? Or do you have to be in the program to take a class that goes toward your MBA curriculum?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We don’t have a special program for University employees to take classes outside of Booth, however any person can enroll in the Graduate Student at Large Business (GSALB) program within the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies. This would allow you to take a Booth class without being a Booth student – that would transfer to your Booth degree. You may find more information on this option here: https://grahamschool.uchicago.edu/academic-programs/graduate-student/graduate-student-at-large-business
Chat Participant: Are fall 2021 intake application deadlines/essay topics published yet?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We have yet to publish our Fall 2021 application. This typically happens 6-8 months before the application deadline.
Chat Participant: As a weekend student, is it possible to do a joint degree with CIR (MA in International Relations)?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: For the Weekend program, we generally do not see individuals doing dual degrees because of only being on the ground during the weekend. Thank you!
Chat Participant: Can I apply to both the full-time and part-time MBA programs in the same year?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Yes, you can apply to both Full-Time and Part-Time MBA programs in the same year. Although, I would recommend figuring out which Program works best for you and your lifestyle because it will not be possible to transfer between programs if you do get accepted into one.
Chat Participant: Do you outside Chicago candidates as well for Weekend MBA?
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: Yes! I'm about to graduate from the weekend program and while I live in Chicago, have friends who travel in from other cities. There is a range where some will take the train or drive and carpool with other students from the same area to come in on the weekends, then others who fly who live further away as well
Chat Participant: Could an applicant submit 3 letters or is 2 letters both the minimum and maximum?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: We require 2 letters of recommendation. Applicants are able to submit a third letter if they choose to do so.
Chat Participant: Hi, thanks for setting up the session. I am curious about the work experience needed for the weekend/evening program. Do we have a minimum requirement?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: Great question! There’s no required minimum for the work experience, however keep in mind the Part-Time programs are intended for individuals working full time. The 80% range of work experience for Weekend students is 3 – 10 years, and 2-9 years for the Evening program.
Chat Participant: Are the final decisions a hard yes or no? Or can you come back with asking to provide something more to demonstrate a certain skill, working style etc.?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We do give a final admissions decision and do not give feedback on applications if you are not admitted. If you are not admitted and you feel Booth is the right place for you, you are welcome to reapply and our Admissions Directors can speak to you about tips that we recommend during the reapplication process. I hope this helps!
Chat Participant: I'll be close to 39 when I'll apply for admission for my MBA at Chicago Booth with some considerable gaps on my CV. I fear that my high age will be viewed negatively by the admissions committee. Are my fears justified?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: I think it would be beneficial for you to reach out to us at eveningweek-admissions@chicagobooth.edu. A member of our team will be happy to chat with you about your profile. Being on the more experienced side compared to the program average is not necessarily a negative. We can provide some tips on how to present a competitive application.
Chat Participant: Do you have to be currently employed when applying to the Weekend MBA Program? I am at an interesting place at my job and considering quitting to solely focus on applications, with the intention of finding a new job immediately after applications are submitted. Would this hurt my application in any way?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We do strongly prefer that you have full-time employment upon matriculating with the program. It is usually a requirement for the program, but with the extenuating events of COVID-19, we are being more flexible with this requirement. We would recommend having full-time employment at the time of application.
Chat Participant: If I have a direct supervisor who knows me very well and another supervisor who is at a more senior position but doesn’t know me as well, who would you recommend I get my recommendation from?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Your direct supervisor is definitely one you should include as a recommender over the more senior individual.
Chat Participant: Are we able to apply to multiple rounds within the same school year? So for instance if we apply for Autumn and don't get in, can we apply for the upcoming Spring quarter?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: You are considered a reapplicant if you have submitted an application to any Chicago Booth MBA program within the past two years. If you choose to reapply to any Chicago Booth MBA program (Evening MBA, Weekend MBA, Full-Time MBA, or Executive MBA), you must wait six months from the date you submitted your original application AND apply to a Chicago Booth MBA program that begins in a subsequent quarter to your original application. For example, if you originally applied to the Full-Time MBA Program for the Autumn Quarter and would like to reapply to the Evening MBA Program, you must wait a minimum of six months from your Full-Time MBA application submission date AND apply to the Evening MBA Program for the Winter Quarter (subsequent quarter to the fall quarter) to be considered an eligible reapplicant.
Chat Participant: Admission requirement says that: Three years or less of full-time work experience in a business career by start of classes. I work in Architecture profession my work is not directly related to business. Can I still make strong application?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Absolutely! We have become much for flexible with this requirement and equally value candidates with experience outside of traditional business areas.
Chat Participant: I recently had a change in management at my work so I'm just getting to know my new boss. In this case, would I be able to get a LoR from my previous manager without having it hurt my application?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, you may certainly do this. There will be a place in the application when listing your recommenders that ask you to "detail why you've chosen these recommenders" in which you can in a sentence or two explain this situation. This is common among applicants and would not hurt your application.
Chat Participant: Is there an in-person interview for applicants in the Chicago vicinity?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: For the foreseeable future all of our interviews are being conducted by members of our Admissions Committee in a virtual only format. We look forward to the day when we can bring candidates back on campus for in person interviews. Luckily, we continue to receive great feedback from candidates and interviewers alike about the virtual format.
Chat Participant: How do you use LoRs to evaluate a candidate?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: It is a great qualitative aspect of the application. We ask your recommenders to touch on your strengths, areas of development, ability to collaborate with others, and their overall recommendation for you applying to Booth's part-time program.
Chat Participant: Is there any preference for diversifying whom the recommendation letters are from (e.g. Professor and Manager/Colleague vs Manager + Colleague) or is the only factor the quality of substance of the letters? Thank you!
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, Evening and Weekend MBA Programs Office: We strongly encourage one of your recommenders to be your current supervisor. For the second letter, you can chose a previous supervisor, your mentor, or someone who knows you well from volunteer/community service activities, for example. Most recommendations are professional in nature. This is logical, as the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs are designed for full-time working professionals. If you don't have a direct supervisor, you can get creative and select recommenders in your professional life -- a client, board member, business partner, etc. In the application, you will explain why you chose your recommenders.
Chat Participant: For the letters of recommendation - I'd imagine people are hesitant to get them from their current employers - more so for the full time MBA. How do people overcome that particularly if they've been in the same job for a while? Somewhat related - is there preference/criteria on who provides the letter?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We actually do most often see candidates getting letters of recommendation from their current supervisors. If you are unable to do so or do not feel comfortable doing so, we do have an extra essay where you can address it. We recommend addressing it if you are unable to get a letter from your current supervisor. We strongly prefer a letter from your current supervisor.
Chat Participant: How admission panel officers consider IFS Officer (Indian Foreign Service) with Master degree in India?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and industries! We value diversity in the classroom of every sense!
Chat Participant: I don't want MBA to study subjects like finance or sales... I want MBA experience to collaborate with different sort of people, to learn from them etc., To be honest I want to stay with my computer science, technical area or research area... If I write frankly like this Do admission panel give me a seat in Booth???
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Our evaluation process is holistic and we want you to be honest with your goals and interests. However, part of the MBA process is giving you a very well-rounded general management foundation. We do have a very flexible curriculum, so you could take fewer classes in areas that hold less interest to you, but if you are not interested in gaining skills in management, the MBA may not be the right degree for you. I'd encourage you to continue doing research and to interact with our current students.
Chat Participant: For international undergrad degrees (non GPA system), do we need to have the GPA converted prior to submission or Booth handles that?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: On the application itself, you can input your marks/GPA score as well as the base (if it is not on a 4.0 scale) for the school you attended. We will use this for the evaluation of the application.
Chat Participant: Are the requirements the same across all offerings - weekend vs evening vs full time?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, the application requirements are the same across all of our MBA programs!
Chat Participant: My undergraduate is not from a US university but I have 8 years of work experience. Do my undergrad degree/grades still matter? I'm not sure if I even have any transcripts.
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, we would need a copy of your transcripts in order for you to apply. It can be an unofficial copy of your transcripts, but we would need an official copy if you are admitted.
Chat Participant: Age criteria for Full Time MBA Program? Does PhD research experience is considered as work experience?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We do not have any age requirements for any of our programs. PhD research experience is not considered work experience. Thank you!
Chat Participant: Is there an advantage in applying early? Also, is there a difference in number of students that are enrolled in Autumn vs Winter
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: There is no competitive advantage nor disadvantage with applying early. However it does allow you to receive a decision sooner than applying closer to the deadline. With our rolling admission, you will receive a decision within 4-6 weeks of submitting your application. We typically receive more application for the autumn quarter, but we also enroll more autumn students. Therefore you aren’t at an advantage in either quarter. You should plan to apply to the quarter you feel is best to begin your MBA journey at the time you feel you have your most competitive application.
Chat Participant: So MBA is the basic criteria to do PhD in Booth Right? Or I can my Postdoc or PhD with my PhD in CS from India?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: No- the MBA is a separate degree. If applying for a PhD, it is a separate application process through that particular program. You can find more information here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/phd
Chat Participant: Will the Autumn 2021 application be different than the current one?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: It will be mostly the same format other than a few questions that are specific to Autumn quarter. Keep in mind, it is best to apply for the quarter that will work best for your personal timeline and plans for enrollment.
Chat Participant: I am aiming to apply for 2023, what can I do in coming 2 years that will make me good candidate?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: 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: For international students - do we need a consolidated transcripts?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: At the time of application, we will need an unofficial transcript when you apply that should include all coursework, marks/GPA in the coursework, degree conferred and date conferred in English.
Chat Participant: I am planning to apply for weekend MBA for Spring 2021. Can I get resume review before applying?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Yes! You can request a resume review here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/resume-review
Chat Participant: Can acceptances be deferred? If so, and if scholarship money was granted with that acceptance, would the scholarship money carry over as well? If acceptances cannot be deferred, does not enrolling after being accepted in any way hurt your chances on an application the next year?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Booth Evening and Weekend programs have rolling admissions -- meaning once the application for a given quarter is open (roughly 6 months before the application deadline) you may apply at any point until the day of the deadline. Admissions will review applications on a first come basis, and you will receive a decision within 4-6 weeks. Deferrals are case by case, reviewed by the Deans of the program. I do NOT recommend applying early with the intent to defer. Rather, try as best you can to target the start date you intend to start, and if things change after you've applied then you can look into a deferral at that point. There is no advantage in applying early. Most applications are submitted the week of the deadline. Same goes for scholarships- we typically wait until all applications have been submitted before making scholarship decisions. If you apply early, it is likely you could be admitted but would not find out about scholarships until after the actual deadline.
Chat Participant: What percentage of E/W admits receive scholarships? What is the average amount received?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We don't release the percentage of students that receive a scholarship, but the range is anywhere between $10,000-$40,000, directly applied to tuition. There's nothing you need to do to be considered for scholarship- just apply!
Chat Participant: Is there scholarship for international students? Do international students often get scholarships?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Every candidate admitted to the program is automatically considered for scholarship at the time of their admission. There is no separate application process. Successful scholarship recipients have excelled academically and often have above average test scores and GPA. International students are evaluated in the same way. We do not collect data on percentage of students receiving awards as it varies quarter to quarter based on the availability of funds and the competitiveness of the applicant pool.
Chat Participant: What make the top applicants stand out amongst all applications?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The things that stand out most to us are well-rounded applicants who have demonstrated an aptitude for success in the classroom (things like strong GRE/GMAT scores, a strong transcript, great critical thinking skills), a collaborative nature, strong involvement in the community and clear goals! We have a truly holistic application process where we look at each component of your application!
Chat Participant: What is the average age & work ex that is good for an MBA application?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The average age of our students is around 28 years old and around 5 years of work experience, but we do not have any requirements as far as a requirement for age or work experience- we see candidates ranging in experience from 0-15 years of experience and a variety of ages.
Chat Participant: Are the essay questions the same for both the October and January deadlines? I saw that these deadlines are for Jan 2021 and March 2021 start dates, respectively. When will the deadline for Fall 2021 be and will the application be different for that? Also, what are the size of the incoming classes for each starting session?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: Yes, the essay questions will be the same for both applications. You can expect the Autumn 2021 application to be published in mid-September 2020.
Chat Participant: How do you look at a low undergrad GPA (2.67/4.00) of a candidate who has a grad degree with high GPA (3.76/4.00)?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: In these cases we would expect a successful candidate to present a strong GMAT/GRE score to further showcase their ability to succeed at Booth from an academic standpoint.
Chat Participant: Do Booth Offers MBA for PhD Computer Science Graduates who have some years of experience in deep learning research?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We see MBA applicants coming from all sorts of different backgrounds including those with a PhD background!
Chat Participant: Do many folks interested in nonprofit leadership participate in the evening/weekend programs?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, and in fact we have a program dedicated to students working for the government or a non-profit organization call the Civic Scholars Program. Here, you would earn the same degree as a traditional Booth student but also have special programming with other Civic Scholars, networking with Non-profit executives, opportunities to expand your reach within your own organization, while having a scholarship associated with the program. This program enrolls students once a year during the Autumn quarter with an application deadline of late February. Aside from this, the Evening/Weekend program also has resources such as the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation, the student-led Booth Social Impact club, and competitions like the Social New Venture Challenge for entrepreneurs with a product/services that meets a social need.
Academics Questions:
Chat Participant: Chelsea, how is balancing work with school on the weekends? Do you prefer the evening MBA or the weekend MBA with a full-time job?
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: Balancing work with school can be a challenge at times but I've found that in addition to getting adjusted and planning out my time carefully, the curriculum flexibility has helped me be able to take classes I've been interested in. I've also been able to make time to get involved in the community (for example as a co-chair of one of our student groups). In terms of preference for both evening and weekend, it comes down to a personal preference. I traveled a lot for work so weekends worked better for me. There is also the opportunity to take classes outside your home program (ex. taking an evening class if you're in the weekend program)
Chat Participant: Do you offer full time MBA online?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, we do not offer a standard online full-time MBA.
Chat Participant: Can we transfer credit from other MBA schools?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, no. The only credit that transfers are classes taken within the Graduate Student at Large Business program within the University of Chicago.
Chat Participant: Hello is there a special concentration / specialization in the MBA coursework for Media?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, there are no specific concentrations at Booth related to Media. However, you will find that Booth offers classes that are related to that industry.
Chat Participant: Are there any major/concentration limitations for Evening vs Weekend?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: No. Evening and Weekend students have the ability to attain any of the 13 concentrations. Typically, Booth students graduate with 3-4 different concentrations.
Chat Participant: Have you seen any significant changes to the curriculum since moving to a virtual environment? Are there any courses that are not being offered virtually?
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: When we moved to the virtual format, I was still able to take the classes I had originally planned to take in both the Spring and Summer quarters and can't think of any examples of a class that wasn't held due to shifting to the virtual format these quarters (to my knowledge). Professors have been adjusting their learning plans to move to using zoom for our lectures, where all the classes I've taken still have live lectures and use features like breakout rooms to have discussions with smaller groups to still provide opportunities to engage in the material in class
Chat Participant: Hi admission officers, I am wondering is there a maximum of how many classes to take in a quarter. I know most people take 1-2 per quarter but they can take more if they want right?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Most Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students take 2 classes per quarter and finish the degree in 2.5-3 years. However, the program is quite flexible, allowing students 5 years to complete the degree, as well as the ability to set their own pace throughout! Students sometimes will take just 1 class in a given quarter, or perhaps bump up and take 3 if their work schedule allows. There are breaks between quarters, but classes are offered year round (Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer quarters).
Chat Participant: Hi, I have passed both CPA and CFA, do I still need 20 classes to graduate? Can I skip some classes on Accounting and/or finance?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: You will need to take the required course load during your MBA. I would also note that we do not accept transfer credits from other institutions. Thank you!
Chat Participant: Hello, I am a foreigner working in the US. I am interested in part-time MBA program at Booth. I believe Graduate student at Large:Business is not eligible for international student. So what about regular GSAL and can I take business school classes and get them transferred to Booth MBA program later?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We do not accept transfer credits to our program. We do often see candidates who have taken GSAL classes that are helpful to them! Thank you!
Chat Participant: What are the different concentration options and at what point do you have to choose your concentration (does this change at all for the CBF)?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, Evening and Weekend MBA Programs Office: Chicago Booth offers 13 concentrations to students in the Full-Time, Evening, and Weekend MBA programs. You can view more about our concentrations here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum/concentrations
Many students will end up with 3-4 concentrations. There isn't any specific time in which you have to declare your concentrations, but you will have access to Academic Advisors who can help advise you on how to get the most out of your academic experience. CBF doesn't affect any of this!
Chat Participant: If I get enrolled in Spring 2021 for weekend MBA, will I able to choose to take classes online even if there will be some classes in campus?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that this will be the case. However, it is difficult to envision the university requiring in-person attendance for the majority of 2021.
Chat Participant: Is it difficult to enroll in popular classes?
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: At times it can be challenging but we have a bidding format where we each get bidding points that we can bid on the classes we're interested in. You'll see some classes that aren't offered as much for example may go for more points, but it lets us to prioritize which classes are most important to us and bid more on those. I've been able to get into all the classes I had on my must take list during the program (and am ending up with extra bid points) so it can just mean a bit of extra planning for when you take those types of classes.
Chat Participant: I know applicants whom are looking for significant career change typically do the Full Time MBA. Historically, have many alumni been successful in utilizing concentrations during the evening program to switch into a new career upon graduation?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Weekenders typically leverage a combination of career service resources (council on industries, alumni connection, a database to apply for jobs as a student, and possibly campus recruitment for full-time jobs), industry-focused student groups (ex. Consulting club, marketing club, fintech club), and their growing Booth network. Since the quality of the Booth degree is the same across all programs, companies recognize this as well. Concentrations and your Booth classes from a knowledge standpoint will certainly help this transition. As you work with Career services to determine the skills you need to build to make this transition it will directly impact your class selection. You can check out our part-time career data to better understand what our recent alumni have done with their evening or weekend Booth degree: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact
Chat Participant: What are the most popular MBA concentrations at Booth?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: The most popular include Entrepreneurship, Finance, Strategic Management, and Business Analytics. Keep in mind most students earn 3-4 different concentrations upon graduation.
Chat Participant: Have you had many actuaries in your program? If so, are the actuarial credentials particularly valued in the admission process?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We have seen actuaries in the program! We value all sorts of different backgrounds who apply to our program, so your background would be more than welcome!
Chat Participant: Hi! Is there an accelerated route to complete the MBA program (EW)? ie are certain undergrad courses eligible to count toward the core MBA courses?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We do not have an accelerated program. All students must take 20 courses (2,000 units) in order to graduate from Booth regardless of background or prior work experience. However, with our flexibility, you pick the classes that are right for you and can opt for more advanced courses. Given the flexibility, you are never repeating coursework you've already taken and you are always being challenged.
Chat Participant: For applicants looking to boost our application, is it helpful at all to take business courses in the GSALB program prior to applying to Booth?
Part-Time Program 2: It's totally up to you. GSALB is a great way to dip your toe and get a sense for the Booth classroom. In some cases, it can also help strengthen an application with a weaker academic profile. If someone is taking courses through GSALB we recommend the foundational courses such as Statistics, Economics, and Financial Accounting. If you are later admitted into Booth, up to three of the courses taken through GSALB would count towards your 20 courses required to complete the degree.
Chat Participant: On average, how long and frequent are classes for the weekend MBA vs the evening MBA?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: Weekend classes are on either Saturday mornings or afternoon throughout the quarter (10 or 11 weeks per quarter). Evening courses are held throughout the quarters as well at 6pm throughout the week.
Student Life/Career Services Questions:
Chat Participant: One of the primary benefits to a tradition MBA is the summer internship that has the lotto lead into a full time role following graduation, how does recruiting work for the weekend program? do companies view it the same as traditional?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Though there is no formal internship process for weekend students, the resources in Career Services are otherwise the same between Weekend and Full-Time students. Weekenders typically leverage a combination of career service resources (council on industries, alumni connection, a database to apply for jobs as a student, and possibly campus recruitment for full-time jobs), industry-focused student groups (ex. Consulting club, marketing club, fintech club), and their growing Booth network. Since the quality of the Booth degree is the same across all programs, companies recognize this as well. There are some companies that will traditionally hire from their interns and if an internship is something you desire you can leverage the above resources to help position yourself for that as well. You can check out our part-time career data to better understand what our recent alumni have done with their evening or weekend Booth degree: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact
Chat Participant: Are there any limitations put on E/W students for using on-campus recruiting resources?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, Evening and Weekend MBA Programs Office: The only career services resources that is not available to Evening/Weekend students is internship recruiting. While optional, Evening/Weekend students can participate in on-campus recruiting for full-time positions with full-time students. Otherwise, resources are shared across the programs.
Chat Participant: What career resources do you all have available to Evening/Weekend students who want to switch careers but wouldn't be able to participate in internship recruiting?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Outside of internship recruiting, you have all of the career resources that a full-time student would receive. This includes individualized and ongoing career coaching meetings, facilitated workshops on specific career change topics with participation from other students, access to multiple platforms and databases to stay up-to-date on industry trends, an online job posting site with over 5,000 posting per year seeking Booth MBA caliber candidates, preparation for on campus recruiting for full-time positions, and more!
Chat Participant: Are the networking opportunities the same across all offerings - weekend vs evening vs full time?
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: I can't speak to full time as closely from my personal experience but for evening and weekend have seen similar networking opportunities. I have friends across both programs and there are a lot of opportunities to get to know other students through both more informal events as well as planned activities like participating in student groups, formals, etc. These types of activities to get involved in the community are available across the programs too (including some joint events)
Chat Participant: Can part-time MBA student involve in study abroad opportunities? If so, how much can they participate?
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: Yes, part time students are still eligible. I've done two international trips that weren't for class credit (London then Argentina) with the school which were with other part time students. I also know others who have pursued study abroad opportunities to take coursework. I've seen both shorter term programs (ex. 2 or 3 weeks) as well as those that are longer (ex. a full quarter) that students can look at.
Chat Participant: Till how many years after graduation can we participate in on campus interviews?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students must complete 12 out of 20 courses required to graduate in order to participate in on-campus recruiting.
Testing Questions:
Chat Participant: Do you accept GMAT executive assessment?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: We are now accepting the Executive Assessment (EA) in lieu of the GMAT or GRE for applicants who graduated 8+ years ago. So for example, anyone who graduated May 2012 or earlier is eligible to apply this month with the EA.
Chat Participant: In case of more than one GMAT scores, do you take the highest, average, most recent or some sort of composite of all scores?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: We only consider the highest overall score. For example, if you have taken a GMAT and scored 650 and 680, we will only consider the 680 exam.
Chat Participant: What's the lowest GMAT/GRE score you have ever admitted?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We do not release that information. We evaluate applications holistically and GMAT is just one metric. We of course encourage you to do your best with the GMAT. We see a wide range of scores. I would encourage you to visit this page on our site to find out more about admissions: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/requirements
Chat Participant: I have 8+ years of experience after graduating from school. Can I take the EA? Is there any benefit in taking the GMAT over the EA? Are they treated at the same parity by the Admissions department?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Yes, you are eligible to take the EA. We view them the same as well!
Chat Participant: What is the avg good GMAT score for an MBA?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The mid-80% GMAT range for the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs is 630-740 with the average being a 680, and we look for equivalent GRE scores. We have no preferred exam- take whichever you prefer. These are by no means cutoffs of guarantees of admission, but serve to paint a picture as to where the majority of our students tested. I always encourage people to shoot for the average, but to try to test and fall within the range for starters.
Chat Participant: What steps can you take to demonstrate quantitative aptitude outside of standardized test?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The GMAT/GRE/EA is just one way we assess quantitative aptitude, you are right. Some other things we look at are your undergraduate transcript, the type of work that you do, any other coursework you've taken and your letters of recommendation.
Chat Participant: Hi! Are you currently accepting the Executive Assessment in lieu of GMAT/GRE?
Part-Time Program 2: We accept the EA for someone who graduated 8 years or more ago from undergrad. For example, someone who graduated in May of 2012 or prior would be eligible to apply using the EA exam in lieu of the GMAT or GRE.
Chat Participant: As the EA is relatively new, can you throw some light on the mean scores accepted at Booth? Those numbers are not available online
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We 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. However, 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. This is a great resource: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/executive/admissions/executive-assessment
General Booth MBA Questions:
Chat Participant: Hi there! Do part-time MBA candidates attend class at the same campus as full-time MBA candidates?
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: We have two separate campuses - one is the Gleacher Center which is downtown then there is also the main campus down in Hyde Park. The E/W classes are held at Gleacher then the full time is in Hyde Park. However, as a student you do have the opportunity to take classes outside your home program - so for example I have taken classes in the full time sections too
Chat Participant: Given the flexibility of this program, can students take a pause? If so, how long can it be?
Keenan Gannon | Senior Assistant Director, Admissions Operations and Analytics: Yes, you are allowed to request a leave of absence during your studies. These are usually requested for the length of a quarter. This allows you the flexibility to continue your studies, while also providing you flexibility for any other life events that might arise.
Chat Participant: How does the payment structure work? Do you pay per semester (according to the number of courses you have taken for that semester)?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: You pay tuition each quarter you are enrolled in classes. For example, if you enrolled in 2 classes in a quarter, you would only be billed for those two classes.
Chat Participant: How is travel and stay financially handled by the school for out of state weekend students?
Chelsea Adams | Current MBA Student: Travel and accommodations are up to students to plan out but there are special hotel rates available for example, as well as shuttles to the airports on Saturdays. I've seen friends do a range of things to coordinate travel with classmates too (ex. carpooling from Indiana)
Chat Participant: Hi All! What percentage of the program participants typically live in the Chicago area?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Nearly all Evening MBA students (~700-800) live in the Chicago area. About 74% of Weekend students (~400-500) live outside of Illinois.
Chat Participant: Can you switch between the Evening and Weekend programs?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, Evening and Weekend MBA Programs Office: Yes - students are allowed to switch between the Evening and Weekend Programs ONCE during their time at Booth. Please note that students cannot switch between E/W programs and Full-Time.
Chat Participant: What is the average age for the full time, evening and weekend MBA?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Our average age is around 28, but we do not have a requirement regarding age or work experience! Thank you.