September 22, 2020 Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Live Chat Transcript
COVID Related Questions
Chat Participant: How has COVID-19 effected the MBA process (e.g., # of applicants, students taking classes remote vs. in person, extracurricular activities, etc.)
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We've been pleased with how quickly we've adapted to the global pandemic. From all aspects Booth maintains its commitment to excellence for our students, alumni, staff, and community. We’ve come together and worked hard to continue to support the mission of the school while prioritizing the health and safety of our community. You can learn more about our response here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/coronavirus. From an admissions perspective not much has changed. Our application requirements and review process remain the same. The key difference is that all interviews are conducted 100% virtually and there are currently no opportunities for in person visits. Classes just started yesterday so we still do not have data on the number of students that opted for dual modality (this provides an in person component) versus fully remote, but look forward to seeing how Autumn quarter shapes up. The students continue to find ways to engage and build community in many exciting and innovative ways during this time as well.
Chat Participant: Will there be an option to visit a Part-time MBA class during the quarantine? I noted on the website there are currently no immediate plans but is this something that will ever be available?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: At this time, there is no option to visit an in-person Part-Time MBA class during quarantine. Although, we plan to schedule a "Masterclass" webinar, taught by a professor, to help applicants get a better feel for what it is like to be in a Chicago Booth classroom. More information will be forthcoming.
Chat Participant: How has the degree program structure changed due to COVID and are changes still anticipated to be in place next Fall (2021)?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Dean Madhav Rajan and his COVID-19 task force to continually work to respond to the changing circumstances – thinking ahead and building many contingencies to ensure that Booth is prepared as this situation evolves. We anticipate an announcement on the structure of classes for the Fall quarter in the next month or two, and are preparing for a number of different possibilities.
Testing: Both the GMAT: GMAT COVID-19, and the GRE: GRE COVID-19 have provided updates from their respective sites. They are becoming more and more flexible with test takers under these circumstances. Booth's Evening and Weekend programs have begun accepting the Executive Assessment as an option for those 8+ years removed from an undergraduate degree
We will continue to monitor the pandemic and keep health and safety for students/staff first. I cannot predict Autumn 2021 but we will have online classes through Spring 2021 as of now
Chat Participant: How have classes been adjusted due to COVID? Is everything virtual?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We are offering classes in a format of dual modality, which means that residents of Illinois have access to select in person classes on a rotating basis. However, anyone who opts for a 100% virtual experience has that option available to them as well. You can learn more about the dual modality (often referred to as hybrid) mode of instruction here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/coronavirus/autumn-planning
Chat Participant: Are there any plans to expand future online offerings in the part-time program in light of the current situation?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Those conversations are ongoing. While we do not yet know what the future will bring in terms of offering an online program or online component long term, we know it will be an option for Winter 2021 and Spring 2021.
Chat Participant: Do you require official GMAT score reports and official transcripts when I submit my application? Due to COVID, there are unanticipated delays in obtaining the official score reports before the submission deadline
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: We do not require official documents until after an admissions decision has been made. In order to submit your application, we simply require your self-reported test scores and scanned copies of your transcript(s).
Chat Participant: Hi! Thank you for taking the time to answer questions. Curious if students who commute from out of state for weekend classes generally participate in clubs and campus activities?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:100%. Student groups host events on weekends too, so you can participate widely. It's also possible to be a club leader as a weekend student. Time management is the key. COVID has shifted the culture to virtual events which have presented an opportunity for us to engage even more students and alums from around the country and globally. I hope that we keep virtual options post-COVID!
Chat Participant: Thanks for the session. My question relates to how much does the weekend MBA program differ than full time for the scholarship scenario? Considering the COVID scenario many are facing pay cut or furlough situation. And what other private scholarship we can assess to cover the fees?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: In general, the Full-Time MBA program will be more competitive from an admissions and scholarship perspective. However, the admissions process for all of Booth's programs are competitive. Scholarship availability across programs are limited and very competitive in nature. Chicago Booth has a financial aid team that assists students navigating the loan process and third-party scholarships.
Chat Participant: How is the 30% who have the option to attend classes in person determined? Will that ratio remain or be widened during Winter and Spring Quarters 2021?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Classes just started yesterday, so we are still learning the details on how this is being executed from our student life and academic services teams. As I understand it, those that opted for in person classes will attend on a rotating basis assigned at random to ensure that everyone who wants the in person experience will have an opportunity to sit in on class in person.
Chat Participant: Is the spring semester completely remote or do you offer in-person classes as well?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: This Autumn quarter, we are offering classes in a dual-modality format. Illinois residents will have the option to partially attend classes in person. Students who do not want to meet in person or live outside of Illinois will have access to all of the same classes remotely. The status for the Winter and Spring 2021 quarter have not been determined yet. We will have more information to share about this in the next 4-5 weeks.
Admissions Questions
Chat Participant: All MBA Programs at Booth yield the exact same MBA degree. Is that including EMBA? Will there be any difference on the diploma?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Correct! We pride ourselves on offering the same caliber of MBA in four different formats (Executive, Full-Time, Evening, and Weekend). Our faculty teach across all of our programs so you have access to the same world class faculty and the same rigorous curriculum. There is no distinction from a diploma perspective, you just need to figure out which one is the right fit for you personally and professionally. I'll respond to your additional questions on that in a second.
Chat Participant: I am Chinese a green card holder a female received PhD of Mechanical Engineering worked at Caterpillar and Cooper Tire, and have 4 years with General Motors as a senior analysis engineer GMAT got 730 (Quantitative:50;Verbal:39)
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the profiles for the Executive MBA and Evening/Weekend Program as well as attend events for each. We both also offer resume reviews on our websites.
Chat Participant: Part time week vs EMBA that is what I am struggling to apply, any suggestions？
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 your goals.
Chat Participant: Do people travel from different states to participate in the part time program?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, roughly 74% of Weekend students are located outside of Illinois and commute to Chicago.
Chat Participant: My background is in computer Science (Bachelors in CS 2016), Do I have to complete any additional requirements for Weekend MBA Entrepreneurship program?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: You can find additional requirements for the Weekend MBA application here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/requirements
Chat Participant: Are there people that come from Northeast (specifically NY) How do they manage travel, weekend classes and staying over in Chicago?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: There are people that come from the Northeast, specifically Weekend Students. 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: How can I address weakness in my business school application?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Great question! We offer an optional essay within our application that allows you to address any weaknesses in your business school application. We want your application to be as authentic as possible, so we appreciate any story or explanation that supports your reasoning as to why some things may be seen as a shortcoming.
Chat Participant: Hello, thank you for your time. I've heard of students transitioning from the evening program to the weekend program and vice versa. What does this process look like?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Evening and Weekend students are allowed to transfer between programs once during their time at Booth. It should also be noted that students need to be enrolled in the program for two quarters before requesting a transfer in between the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA programs. If you plan on transferring Programs, you can speak to an admissions officer to help you through the process.
Chat Participant: Do you have any GPA requirement for weekend or evening MBA?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Your GPA is one of the many factors we will evaluated in our holistic review to understand your academic potential. Please keep in mind that for the 2019 incoming class (Evening and Weekend combined) the average GPA was a 3.3 with the mid 80% range being 2.87-3.85. These are not cutoffs or guarantees, but provide you with a sense of where the bulk of the incoming students fell in terms of GPA.
Chat Participant: What is the application deadline for the evening MBA, starting Fall of 2021?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: That date has not been finalized but you can continue to monitor our deadlines on this page: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply. More to come soon!
Chat Participant: What is the process for the Dual MBA and Master's in Computer Science Program. How long does this program take in the Part-Time program?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: You can find more details about the application process and course plan for the MBA/MPCS program here: https://masters.cs.uchicago.edu/page/joint-mba-mpcs-program. You do not necessarily need to apply to both programs at the same time. Degree completion time for this joint degree program will vary on the individual, as you will still be able to control how many classes you take in a quarter. Typical degree completion time is about 2.5-3 years.
Chat Participant: I would consider myself a nontraditional business school applicant. My training is in public health. I wondered what experiences I should highlight on my resume. More specifically, what type of outcomes are most important to include.
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: We have applicants of all different backgrounds who apply to Chicago Booth. I would highlight any sort of leadership opportunities, volunteer experiences, and professional development you have participated in your professional and personal life. I think it's important to not only highlight your responsibilities but also any goals you have achieved throughout your work experiences.
Chat Participant: How do you find students from non-traditional business disciplines are most successful in the program?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:Success depends on what you're aiming to get out of the program. I have a non-traditional background (social sector and government) and I chose a business degree to complement my skills sets. So, I'm focusing on areas like finance and entrepreneurship to round out my skills. The key is understanding what you seek to gain from the experience. Once you do that, there are courses, co-curricular activities, and advising opportunities to help you meet that goal.
Chat Participant: When applying to the Chicago Booth Scholars (deferral) Program, am I limited/binded to the MBA format I choose? (part-time, weekend, full-time) Also, what does the scholarship process look like for the deferred program?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: You are not binded to the full-time or part-time programs. Merit scholarships (at least for the part-time programs) is determined upon when you would like to matriculate into the program.
Chat Participant: What is the most memorable application you've reviewed, and why?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: I could call out a number of great application examples. On top of demonstrating strong academic competency and career progression, these candidates were able to present their story, goals, and alignment with Booth's mission in a clear and authentic way. They avoid generalizations and talk about what this MBA experience would mean for them professional and personally.
Chat Participant: Hi Good Afternoon to all. I have a question about school transcripts. I have attended graduate school but did not complete it because of a career change. Do I need to submit that transcript?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: It would be in your favor to submit any transcripts whether you have completed graduate school or not. We like to get the full scope of your academic history to gain a better understanding of you as an applicant and person.
Chat Participant: Hello! Is there more than one yearly cohort for the Chicago Business Fellows Program? If so, what would the timeline look like?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: It is possible to apply for the Evening MBA Chicago Business Fellows program in the Spring and Autumn quarter each year. For the Weekend MBA CBF program, it is only available for the Autumn quarter each year. Applications open about 7-8 months prior to the deadline, candidates are able to submit their application at any time with a typical decision timeline of 4-6 weeks.
Chat Participant: Will the interview be conducted on selection basis? Is there any difference between applying early or late between deadlines?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We have no preference when you apply, however the earlier you apply the sooner you will have a decision. Our timeline is 4-6 weeks from applying. You will be notified within the first 10 days of your submission as to whether you are granted an interview.
Chat Participant: What is the weighted % for undergraduate GPA in the application process?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We do not have a weighted scale or % for undergraduate GPA or the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment counts for your evaluation. Each component of the application plays a part in our holistic review process.
Chat Participant: How does holding a professional degree (i.e, JD, MPH) affect the work experience requirements?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: There is not a preference, as we only require applicants hold an undergraduate degree when applying to Booth. Those who have advanced degrees do help set themselves apart from other candidates academically. This can also help offset lower test scores or some difficulties in an Undergraduate degree.
Chat Participant: I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from another country, but I have a Master's degree in the same major from Illinois Institute of Technology. Do I still need to evaluate my BSc Transcript while I have a masters from a US school?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Yes, we will require your Bachelor's degree transcript. If it is in English, we simply need scanned copies in order for you to apply. If admitted, you will provide the same document to us in-person, and we will make scanned, notarized copies for our records while giving you back the original document.
Chat Participant: I thought I saw mentioned that there is a resume review resources on the website. Is that available prior to applying as a way to strengthen our application? Where is it located on the webiste?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: Yes - you can submit your resume for review here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/resume-review.
Chat Participant: If accepted into the program for the Fall 2021 and classes are still virtual, can we delay our acceptance until the following year?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We evaluated deferrals on a case by case basis. Thus far we have generously granted deferral requests based on those that want the in person experience. However, given the unpredictable nature of this pandemic, we do not know when that might be and we do not want people punting it down the road over and over. We also typically only grand deferrals to the next intake and rarely grant deferrals for an entire year.
Chat Participant: Hi, thanks for doing this. I started my Booth application and selected my concentrations in there. Will I be able to change them later after I start the program, and would my selection of concentration impact admission in any way?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: The concentration you selected has no bearing on your admissions decision. You will also be able to change your concentrations at any point as a student. You would just work with our Academic Services team to do so.
Chat Participant: I understand that students who ultimately matriculate at Booth come with varying levels of professional experience, so what other facets (duration aside) of professional experience do you expect a qualified applicant to have?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We take a very holistic approach in evaluating your candidacy, taking into account every component of your application. We look at your application through three broad lenses: 1) Academic Preparedness - We look for applicants who have both the ability and desire to thrive with a challenging and stimulating curriculum and rely on test scores, academic recognitions, certifications, GPA, etc...2) Community - We look for applicants who unique personal and professional experience will contribute to a strong, congenial community that supports its members and pushes them to be the best they can be. 3) Career - This is the piece you touched on already.
Chat Participant: Does the Weekend Program provide any financial assistance options or is that only for Evening/FT options?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, the Weekend program offers merit-based scholarships to those admitted students with significant levels of academic and professional success. You can find more information here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/funding-your-mba-scholarships-financial-aid?sc_lang=en
Chat Participant: I can’t get a letter of recommendation from my current supervisor. Can I speak with someone to discuss alternatives?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: While we highly recommend that at least one letter of recommendation come from a current supervisor or manager, we understand there are circumstances where that might not be possible. When completing your application, you will be asked to explain this and can provide us with information as to why you did not submit a recommendation from your current supervisor/manager.
Chat Participant: What are some of your best tips for prospective applicants? Things you wish you’d known prior to applying, for example.
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:The more clarity you have about your end goals, or even the things you want to test while in school, the better your chances of hitting the ground running. You can make a career change, advance in your own field, and start an entrepreneurial venture while in school. If you know what you want - you can run straight to it. If you want to test out all three - you can do that as well. But going in with clarity will help you maximize every minute. This will help with you application/interviews as well.
Chat Participant: Can you go over the timeline for applying and allocation of merit scholarships?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: You may apply at any point prior to the deadline, with a 4-6 week window for your decision. Merit scholarships (if awarded) would be given within 1-3 weeks after your admittance. You would know your final answer regarding scholarships before your decision to attend Booth or not is due to us.
Chat Participant: I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from another country, but I have a Master's degree in the same major from Illinois Institute of Technology. Do I still need to evaluate my BSc Transcript while I have a masters from a US school?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Yes, we will require your Bachelor's degree transcript. If it is in English, we simply need scanned copies in order for you to apply. If admitted, you will provide the same document to us in-person, and we will make scanned, notarized copies for our records while giving you back the original document.
Chat Participant: How are acceptance rate different from round 1, 2, and 3?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: They aren't much different. Rolling admissions allows you to apply when your application is at its best, and we will make a decision from there. There isn't necessarily a program that is more/less competitive to apply to.
Chat Participant: I graduated from my undergraduate program in 2018 and have just over 2 years of work experience. I understand that this is at the lower end of Booth's average - do you have any advice on how to make my application stand out even though I may have less work experience than many applicants?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: If you haven't done so already, I recommend taking a look at our Chicago Business Fellows program. It is a great opportunity for the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA candidates with 3 years or less of full-time work experience. Even though you do not have as much experience as the average Evening/Weekend student, you can still present a strong application from an academic/career perspective. It will be essential for you to explain why is now the right time for you to pursue a part-time MBA.
Chat Participant: For the Chicago Business Fellows Program, it indicates 3 years or less of full time work experience. If I have 3 year 2 months of FT work experience, is that something I would be eligible for?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We offer some flexibility and typically by the time someone begins the program if they have more than 3.5 years of professional work experience they may not be the best fit and more importantly, they may not get as much out of it.
Chat Participant: Are there any opportunities to converse one-on-one with an admissions counselor?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes. Please reach out to us at EveningWeekend-Admissions@chicagobooth.edu and let us know you'd like to speak to an admission director.
Chat Participant: Is there a limit to number of application cycles you can do in a year? I.e., applying in spring 2021 for summer, not getting in but getting good feedback and applying again in fall 2021?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: You must wait 6 months before re-applying to Booth if you were not admitted. In your example, You in theory could apply again for the fall 2021 if you previously applied for the spring 2021 in the winter -- so long as 6 months exist between two applications. This is designed to allow for your own personal growth and time to address areas of opportunity in your application.
Chat Participant: Does the weekend program financial assistance has the same parameters and same budget to offer to a merit based application?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: 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: I am working on my startups. What are some of my possibilities for the letter of recommendation?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Great question! We have an excellent blog post by one of our directors of admissions regarding what to look for in letters of recommendation https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/lor-tips.
Chat Participant: Good afternoon, if applying for the Spring Weekend MBA are there any pros or cons associated with submitting the application early?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Great question! There is no advantage or disadvantage to applying at a certain point once the application is available. The typical decision timeline from when you submit your completed application is 4-6 weeks.
Chat Participant: Thank you for hosting this live chat session. Is there an opportunity for prospective students to connect with current students offline to ask follow-up questions to this session? I would appreciate learning more about the student experience as I prepare for the upcoming application cycle.
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Absolutely! Please feel free to email us at eveningweekend-admissions@chicagobooth.edu. Please mention you would like to connect with a student. Feel free to mention any industries, functions, or interests you would like us to target as well.
Chat Participant: Do you consider a physician residency as "work experience"?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: This could potentially be considered, but it is something that would add impact to your application either way.
Chat Participant: What is the acceptance rate for the weekend program?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We do not share this information simply because it varies widely from quarter to quarter. This does not, however, mean that one quarter is more competitive than another. We also don't want people getting caught up in this and instead encourage them to familiarize themselves with our class profile and work on putting together the strongest possible application.
Chat Participant: What is the role of GMAT score in awarding merit scholarships?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Merit scholarship recipients stand out from the candidate pool both academically and personally. In the application, we primarily look at test scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation to determine scholarship potential. There is not a set threshold to be qualified for scholarships. However, since the average GMAT score is 680, I encourage candidates to attempt to get a score of 680 or higher to put themselves in a better position for scholarship potential.
Chat Participant: I read somewhere above the average work experience of weekend programs is 7 yrs. while executive is 14yrs. Is it common to have someone with 13-14 yrs. of experience in the weekend program?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, there are many students with 10+ years of experience in the Weekend program. It comes down to preference. The structure of the Executive and Weekend programs are very different. So understanding how you learn best, what your schedule is like, and how you want your Booth experience to be are very important.
Chat Participant: Hello, thanks for organizing this. How long after your decision on an application does a candidate have to respond?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The timeline varies and due to rolling admissions depends on when they are admitted. For example, someone who is admitted today for Winter quarter might be given more than a month to make their decision. However, for those that apply on or near the deadline, they usually have 2-3 weeks to contemplate the offer. During that time we make sure that you are connecting with current Boothies, attending events (in this case virtual), and getting all your questions answered to make an informed decision.
Chat Participant: Hi, I posted this earlier but I don't think I received a response: I've heard of students transitioning from the evening program to the weekend program and vice versa. What does this process look like?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Evening and Weekend students are allowed to transfer between programs once during their time at Booth. It should also be noted that students need to be enrolled in the program for two quarters before requesting a transfer in between the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA programs.
Chat Participant: Is there a particular work experience that is preferred while applying? Most of my work experience is based in from the education field.
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: We take a holistic approach in reviewing your resume so we do not prefer one work experience over another. We strongly prefer you list each role at a company, as we want to see your progression. Your resume will support what you input into the application, but please fill out the full employment section as well.
Chat Participant: In terms of class composition - When years of work experience is mentioned what is the right balance of years as leadership/management experience and years in non-managerial roles?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: There isn't an ideal combination -- as this differs for everyone depending on what your roles have called for. Ultimately we would like to see some form of leadership potential. This doesn't have to be in the form of direct reports, but perhaps in taking the lead on a long/short term project. Or leadership outside of the workplace in professional clubs or volunteer work. Through your years of experience we want to get a sense of how you developed professionally and the skills you acquired along the way.
Chat Participant: I know it is an odd question, but how would you differentiate Booth from Kellogg, if someone has an admission to both schools? What makes Booth a better option?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Not an odd question at all! Chicago is very fortunate to be home to many great educational institutions. Kellogg and Booth are both fantastic MBA programs. What sets Booth apart from its peer institutions is its commitment to academic rigor in order for students to identify unearthed problems, question the status quo, and create better solutions. Booth also takes pride in offering the most flexible MBA curriculum for students, both full-time and part-time, to benefit from. On top of this, you will enter a community of intelligent and supportive individuals, which includes students, faculty, staff, as well at 55,000+ alumni around the world!
Academics Questions
Chat Participant: Is there flexibility between Booth's Weekend, Evening, and Full-Time MBA programs should a student’s circumstances change?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The hallmark of the Booth MBA is our flexibility! Students can take classes outside their home program should their schedule permit them to do so.
Chat Participant: And, do part-time students have the same interactions with professors as full-time students?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:Absolutely. Most courses are mixed with FT, Evening, and Weekend students. Groups are also often mixed. Professors make no distinction. Anecdotally, I've had multiple professors share how much more they like their evening/weekend sections of courses because the discussion is richer and the questions are deeper because of the experience the students bring.
Chat Participant: Are you able to take a Friday evening class if you are in the weekend program?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:Yes. Friday evening, Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon courses are considered "Weekend" courses, but you also have the flexibility to take courses in the Evening sections (M-Th evening) or Full-Time Sections (M-F daytime).
Chat Participant: Is there flexibility in scheduling if you have to travel for work? For example if you're a weeknight student can you attend a Saturday session to make up for missed class?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:Absolutely. Every Prof sets their own policy on that. I'm more than halfway done and I've found every Professor to be flexible when you reach out for accommodations.
Chat Participant: Is there any difference between Evening and Weekend MBA when students can take classes at any timing?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Evening MBA students will have priority enrollment for evening classes Monday-Friday. Weekend MBA students will have priority enrollment for Friday evening and Saturday classes. Once this priority enrollment phase passes, students will be able to enroll in any open classes in the Full-Time, Evening, and Weekend programs.
Chat Participant: I very much enjoyed reviewing Booth's The Chicago Approach. How does this data-driven and multidisciplinary framework infiltrate the everyday experience of a Booth MBA student?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:I think the better question is - how does it NOT show up every day? Every course I've taken - even the qualitative ones - rely on evidence-based approaches to develop/teach frameworks for thinking about problems systematically. Professors welcome healthy debate and encourage students to question theories and assumptions based on their own reference points. The Chicago Approach is alive and well - even in this environment.
Chat Participant: Thanks for doing this. The lack of lab courses in the weekend program in my field of interest (healthcare) is concerning to me. Are lab courses treated the same way as regular courses, in that full-time students get priority to full-time labs? Are there other ways I can enroll in the lab I'm interested in?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:In my experience, lab classes are application based, regardless of the program. So, you're evaluated only on the application itself and don't have to bid for them. In addition to lab courses, if you wanted an experiential project in an area that a lab is not offered, you could consider an independent study - create your own course with support from a faculty advisor.
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: As a Weekend student you have flexibility to take both Evening and Full-Time (daytime) classes along with your Weekend class -- in any given quarter. It is fairly common for a Weekend student at some point to take a Friday night class along with Saturday class.
Chat Participant: For evening and weekend MBAs, typically do you see students go straight through with no breaks between quarters? Or do you typically see a student take a break half way?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: It is very common for us to see students take a break and leverage the flexibility. You are in the driver's seat and can dictate the pace and that may vary from quarter to quarter depending on what is going on in your personal and professional life. That said, most students take 2 classes per quarter. If they do not take a quarter off, they are then on track to graduate in 2.5 years. However, many do take some time here and there (summer is popular for a breather) and tend to graduate closer to 3 years instead. But again, you can really leverage that flexibility. Maybe you take summers off and in Winter quarter elect to take 3 classes instead of 2.
Chat Participant: How often do the classes meet? - Is it every weekend? Or every other weekend? Please explain. Thank you
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: For the Weekend Program, students come to classes every Saturday. Classes are 3 hours long with the last one ending at 4:30pm. Weekend student are also able to take classes Monday-Friday, if their schedule permits it. Evening classes are held once a week Monday-Friday at 6-9pm. Most students take 2 courses a quarter.
Chat Participant: Thank you everyone for hosting today's event! Have the current MBA students find the classes and exams challenging? What is grading system at Booth?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Class exams can be challenging and tend to make up a large part of your grade. However, they differ per professor. We provide data for students on all our classes including exams and the type of exams that are offered. There is usually a curved grading system in class, but keep in mind that you will form groups in most of your classes and much of your assignments will be done within a group.
Chat Participant: I have 12 years of work experience in PE, VC, and Corporate Finance. I am an International student. I’m likely to be I Chicago for 3-6 months starting May. I’m looking for short full/part-time courses at Chicago which specializes in Finance functions like PE/VC or Multiple Asset Classes Investments. Would you be able to please recommend any course at Chicago Booth.
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: You would be best served contacting the our Graham School for continual learning for non-degree-seeking students at gsalinfo@uchicago.edu
Chat Participant: Are there class schedules for Sunday? Could you do one class on Saturday and one on Sunday? Also, are you required to take 2 classes in a semester - could you only take 1?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: There are no classes offered on Sundays. All students at Booth need 20 courses in order to complete their degree. On average students take 2 classes per quarter. We only offer 2 classes on Saturday. The morning class at 9:30am and the afternoon class at 1:30pm. Thus, a Weekend student can take two classes on Saturday and at that pace graduate in 2.5 years without taking any breaks. Taking 3 would be a fairly heavy load. Weekend students can also take classes during the week, should their schedule permit. If you wanted to take a third class, then perhaps Friday evening class would make the most sense in that case.
Test Score Questions
Chat Participant: What is the weightage % for GMAT score in the application process?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We do not have a weighted scale or % the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment counts for your evaluation. Each component of the application plays a part in our holistic review process.
Chat Participant: I already have GRE score and plan to retake it but what are some of the ways to buttress my applications with a relatively poor score
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We do not have a weighted scale or % the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment counts for your evaluation. Each component of the application plays a part in our holistic review process. In your situation it is important to focus on the other components of the application. Hopefully you can improve your score but you want to also place added emphasis on your story – the reasons why you are applying to Booth. If you have skills that you feel better illustrate your work with numbers or data for example – express that to us to help offset a lower test score.
Chat Participant: Hello Panel - I completed my Bachelor’s degree in 2006. Do I qualify to take the Executive Assessment for admission? Thank you for your time
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Yes, you do qualify to take the EA. 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: Do you prefer the GMAT over GRE?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We have no preference in either exam. Along with the Executive Assessment for students 8+ years removed from undergrad you should take the test best for you.
Chat Participant: Do you have any statistics available for the class of 2021 or 2022 in terms of average GMAT, GPA etc?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: We publish our data based on the previous year of admitted students.
Evening MBA class profile: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/evening#
Weekend MBA class profile: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/weekend
Darcy Rendon: Do you foresee continuing to accept the Executive Assessment during the FY21 application process for weekend programs? Does the Civic Scholars Program accept the EA?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: We plan on continuing to accept the Executive Assessment during FY21 for the Weekend and Evening program. The Civic Scholars Program does accept the EA.
Chat Participant: Are OnlineGRE tests valid due to the pandemic? I have not been able to take it due to the pandemic.
Vanessa Prachak | 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: How Booth evaluate IR in GMAT?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We look at all parts of the exam. The IR measures how well you integrate data to solve complex problems and that is what Booth does in the classroom so in many ways the IR portion of the exam tends to mimic the Booth classroom experience.
Chat Participant: How do you weigh the verbal vs. quant scores of the GMAT/GRE? Any tips for applicants that have lower quant scores to improve chances of admittance (if overall score is within the range)
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We would also look at your undergraduate work and evaluate the types of courses you took and how you performed in them. Some candidates elect to take external courses prior to applying as both a way for them to have further exposure to the material and strengthen this portion of their application. By no means is this required, but just something we have seen candidates do.
Chat Participant: Is the Executive Assessment required for those 8 plus years out from undergrad or is it an alternative to the GRE and GMAT?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We require a test from every candidate. 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. Also, even if you meet the criteria to submit an EA score but prefer the GMAT or GRE that is completely fine as well.
Student Life/Career Services Questions
Chat Participant: I am a physician who recently graduated from my residency program and am definitely interested in healthcare administration opportunities down the road. Are there any interesting healthcare opportunities at Booth?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We have the popular healthcare club run by students with an interest/passion in healthcare and related fields. We also offer a joint MBA/Graduate Certificate program in Health Administration and policy. You can read more about this opportunity here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/joint-degree/gphap-mba?sc_lang=en
Chat Participant: Are there any opportunities/benefits offered to the full time students that weekend/evening/executive students will not have access to?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: One resource that part-time students do not have access to is internship recruiting, which is only available to full-time students. Otherwise, access to resources is vastly the same.
Chat Participant: Are there any international classes that Part-Time evening students can participate in? If so, is there a list of classes and places that these take place and the length of the engagement?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We do offer short term study abroad opportunities that tend to work really well for Evening and Weekend students as they are typically 2 weeks in duration. Given the current pandemic, however, international study abroad opportunities are temporarily discontinued, but we hooe they can resume soon. We also have study abroad opportunities for the entire quarter in duration and while evening and weekend students can certainly participate if their schedule permits them to do so, it tends to be more rare. You can view the list of full-quarter study abroad destinations and short-term study abroad programs here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/international-programs-and-study-abroad
Chat Participant: I know that those looking to pivot careers are generally best served with a full time program but does it still happen with the part time program?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Yes! Part-time students are able to navigate a wide variety of career pivots, including changing functions and/or industries. Part-time students have access to all of the same career resources as full-time students, with the exception of internship recruiting. You can find more part-time student career data here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact
Chat Participant: Please provide the access to career services for a student in the weekend program
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: 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: What do you see as the most important aspects of the Booth culture?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:Intellectual rigor - in everything we do - courses, social events, etc. The depth of analysis and rigor make this school second to none in terms of how capable students are coming in and how well prepared them are for anything after.
Questioning everything and always asking why is an also a significant part of the culture that's encouraged by all - peers, faculty, staff, and leadership.
Independence is also up there. It's the most flexible MBA program, and the students who come in have to be able to chart their own path through the experience.
Chat Participant: About what time does the shuttle need to leave from the airport in order to make it to class on time at 9am?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The shuttle is not being offered at this time as in person classes are limited to Illinois residents only. However, under normal circumstances I believe the shuttle departs the airports at 8:15 or so to ensure its arrival at Gleacher by 9am.
Chat Participant: If you have the data and could be shared, what is the average compensation of students enrolled for weekend/evening class?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: You can find that information here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact
General MBA Questions
Chat Participant: Hi, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions today. How would you describe the Booth MBA culture, especially for entrepreneurs?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:There's no exaggeration in the marketing materials about the Chicago approach of asking why. The culture of questioning and testing assumptions - regardless of whether you are questioning a fellow student or a Nobel Laureate is alive and well at Booth. In the entrepreneurship space - we have a thriving community of entrepreneurs who've started ventures before and during their MBA, wantrepreneurs who are dabbling in these spaces, and everything in between. Check out Built@Booth, our entrepreneurship and venture capital community for more info. (I am a co-chair).
Chat Participant: Does living out of state currently impact admissions decisions at all? But obviously, if admitted, would relocate and obtain employment in Chicago.
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager, E&W MBA Programs Office: Almost 80% of our Weekend students live out of state, so their location does not have an impact on our admissions decisions. If you were to apply to the Evening program, it wouldn't make the most sense because classes are usually taken Monday thru Friday in the evenings. Most of our students living outside of the Chicagoland area typically apply to the Weekend program.
Chat Participant: If you are coming from outside of the state of Illinois, does Booth offer any housing accommodations or anything of that nature while in Chicago?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Booth does not offer any housing accommodations or stipends of any sort. If you are outside of Illinois, many Part-Time students converse via internal message boards to give tips and advice for living in Chicago.
Chat Participant: What is the average class size for the Weekend MBA programs?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: The size of the incoming class will vary each quarter. We see our largest incoming classes in Spring and Autumn since we having both incoming Evening and Weekend students. We do not have a limit on seats in any incoming class.
Chat Participant: Does the evening MBA have a cohort, if so, how many students are in the program at the same time?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: We are not a cohorted program but during LAUNCH, our orientation program, students are put into teams that you will work closely with during the these days. Many of these teams keep in close contact even after LAUNCH. For study groups, students are typically able to select their own groups. We allow our students this flexibility and freedom, as we are not a cohorted program.
Chat Participant: How would you describe the culture of the Evening/Weekend MBA program? Are all networking events equally available to both Part-Time and Full-Time students?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: The culture is very inclusive, and flexible. Students in the part time program are extremely interested in the Booth network, cultivating relationships and sharing experiences. Many networking events are created by student club leaders. Clubs for the Evening/Weekend program are separate from Full-Time clubs to work in conjunction with the schedules of working professionals. Therefore, some networking events will be different, but you in all likelihood will find a professional industry club in the part-time program that is very similar to a full-time counterpart. There is also opportunity for crossover in many of the interest-based clubs between Full and part-Time.
Chat Participant: How are the logistics of the class handled? Do most student stay over in Downtown Chicago Friday night or do they fly in Saturday morning?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Keep in mind that in order to minimize the spread of COVID, we are not promoting students to travel to Chicago, as a Part Time student at this time. Historically, 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. Some student may choose to stay over in downtown Chicago Friday nights, to prepare for class the next day. Some even fly in Saturday morning to make it to their afternoon classes. It depends on your schedule.
Chat Participant: I am interested in staying in the nonprofit space during and after completing a Booth MBA. What are Booth's connections to nonprofits in Chicago if I want to be involved locally?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:I came to Booth while in the nonprofit sector. We have a large community of students from the sector. Student groups like Booth Social Impact are well-connected in the nonprofit sector because of nonprofit consulting opportunities. The Rustandy Center also has deep connections across the social sector in Chicago and they provide concierge service, i.e., they'll work with you 1:1 to help you achieve your goals.
Chat Participant: Hi. For students who start their MBA with one plan but in the course of their MBA decide to change paths... are there any common themes in their stories? Anything unique about Booth that might spur change?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Typically this happens through either class discovery or transformative events. Most students have a direction in mind they’d like to take their career when entering Booth. However, the beauty of the program is being exposed to so many different areas of Business that you might not have previously had contact with. The additional fact that students are working and currently in these industries and adding insight to class and group discussions allows for knowledge to pass organically. Students I’ve spoken to who have made an unexpected career change say it’s stemmed from these conversations or classes they’ve taken based on peer recommendations. They became interested/inspired by a different direction and began exploring that further until it became their new career.
Chat Participant: Hi Rabia, where do you commute from for the weekend program and how do you balance work life with school on weekends?
Raabia Budhwani | Current MBA Student:I commute from Washington, D.C. I live by my calendar - everything is scheduled. Making the most of dead time - like commuting - is essential. My travel (pre-covid) was actually productive time for me - to catch up on readings/assignments without being disturbed. It's also important to schedule downtime - many students I know just turn school off on Sun afternoons, for example. I think the key is figuring out what you want to prioritize during the 2.5 years you're in school because you can't do it all - and then making time for those things. My social life in DC has definitely waned - but that was an intentional choice because I wanted to immerse myself in the Booth community.
Chat Participant: Does Booth have diversity events available on Saturdays for weekend students?
Vanessa Prachak | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: There are diversity events available on Saturdays for weekend students. Under current circumstances, many of our events are virtual now and mainly take place on the weekend. For example, The University of Chicago hosted a "Management Leadership for Tomorrow" which focused on conversations surrounding diversity, equity and access. There are many events you can take part of!
Chat Participant: And are there considerations to not require weekly travel for people who live out of state?
Patrick McHale | Assistant Director, Admissions: Weekend MBA students outside of Illinois have been taking classes remotely since the Spring quarter and this will officially continue through the end of the year. There will be an update for early 2021 by next month. It is possible Weekend MBA students will continue to take classes remotely for at least the Winter 2021. In normal circumstances, Weekend MBA students are expected to travel to Chicago every week when classes are held.