December 8, 2020 Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Live Chat Transcript
COVID Related Questions
Chat Participant Can you give color on the level of dislocation of these programs with COVID-19? What is the approach to re-offer those programs? Is there a timeline? What can prospective candidates who want to take advantage of these opportunities expect?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: We are optimistic study abroad opportunities will return for students in 2022. At this time, our options and school partnerships are expected to remain the same. If you are interested, I would be happy to connect you with a student or recent alum that studied abroad. Feel free to email me at patrick.mchale@chicagobooth.edu and I will help facilitate the connections.
Chat Participant: Hello! Another question from me: I currently work as a Global Product Lead at a Tech company. Under normal circumstances, my job takes me all over the world. I anticipate travel will resume once COVID is no longer a risk (hopefully soon!) and I'd love to hear if/how students have balanced work travel with the PT MBA program. Thanks!
Shelby Wenner | Current MBA Student: Hello again! Absolutely. As you can imagine, this is something that quite a few students also deal with. If students know they're going to have heavy travel for work during a quarter, they will maybe not register for classes for a quarter. I'm not sure if COVID will change anything, but typically all students are required to attend classes in person -- there are often attendance and participation grades. On the other hand, if you know you'll be traveling during the week and have weekends available to attend classes but you're normally an Evening student, you can easily register to take weekend classes instead to make it all work together. Luckily the program is pretty flexible and students find ways to accommodate different priorities.
Chat Participant: What does weekend MBA program look like with the pandemic? Are all classes remote or is there a hybrid option?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: At this time classes are offered in dual modality format meaning anyone who wants a 100% virtual experience has access to that. For our students that are residents of Illinois, they have the option of taking classes in person for classes that are offered in dual modality format. At this time, true Weekenders are not commuting to Chicago to take classes in person, but are taking them fully online. You can stay up to date on COVID updates here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/military-resources-at-chicago-booth
Admissions Questions
Chat Participant: Does Booth offer Resume review for Weekend MBA application?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, you may submit your resume for review here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/resume-review
Chat Participant: How are the number of Civic Scholars distributed across the various MBA programs (FT, Eve, Weekend)?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: There is no set number we look to have in each program. Up until Autumn 2020, the Civic Scholars Program was only available to Weekend Students. This past Autumn quarter we welcomed our first group of Civic Scholars across the programs.
Chat Participant Hi, I’m interested in the weekend MBA program. I’m wondering I what kind of candidate Booth prefers? Like strong academic background, or plenty of work experience?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: We look at each candidate from a holistic point of view. We look at academic background, GPA, test scores, letters of recommendation, work experience, etc. when deciding on who to admit. We encourage you to put forth the strongest application possible, so if you are able to improve essays, test scores, etc. - than you should do so! Our students have anywhere to 2-9 years (or more) of work experience, so if you are a young professional, I encourage you to look into our Chicago Business Fellows Program.
Chat Participant Hi All, thank you for your time! My question is around scholarship opportunities. I've heard that part-time programs have less scholarships available than full-time programs do. Do you have any measures on how much debt PT graduates generally have and what options Booth has to help alleviate the cost of attendance?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, we do not collect data on student debt at graduation. I am happy to connect you with a member of our financial aid team to help you walk through the process. If you get a chance, please email me at patrick.mchale@chicagobooth.edu and I will facilitate the connection.
Chat Participant: Do you have any tips for applicants from the government/nonprofit sector to highlight to be competitive with private sector candidates?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: The sector you work does not matter with regard to your potential admittance. You are not operating from a disadvantage working for the government or a non-profit. With all applicants, we look for leadership potential and professional progression. Ideally if you can describe your strengths, and unique experiences and how those may translate to the Booth community that is helping to create competitiveness with your application.
Chat Participant: Is being a corporate sponsored candidate something that we should mention in applications?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Yes. In fact, there is a question you will be asked if you are being sponsored by your company and if so the percentage you are receiving in tuition reimbursement. This is non evaluative and used for data collection purposes only.
Chat Participant: If I originally started an application for the Spring deadline but now want to submit for the Summer quarter, do I need to start a new application and re-request recommenders? Or can I use the same application I started already?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: No - you can email our hotline at eveningweekend-admissions@ChicagoBooth.edu and we can move your spring application to the summer. No need to start a new one!
We just ask that letters of recommendation are no older than 6 months when you submit your application.
Chat Participant: Hello, I am still undecided between a full time and a part time MBA at Booth. Can I apply to both?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Hi Clara! 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: Hi, Is there a max limit for work experience? At what experience level would you suggest one to take up executive MBA, instead of fulltime MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: There are no clear cut boundaries for years of work experience for our programs. On our website, each program will have a class profile. Evening/Weekend students have on average 6-7 years of work experience and Executive MBA students have about 14-15 years of experience. Students will pick the program that best matches the desired experience of the student population along with how they want their program/academic experienced structured.
Chat Participant: Is there an opportunity to convey to the Admissions Committee that the Applicant has flexibility to participate in either the Weekend or Evening program?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: This is something you can add to the optional essay. You would still however need to determine which program you would like to apply to (Evening or Weekend) and you would still be considered for that particular program. There is not a competitive advantage/disadvantage applying to Evening over Weekend, or vice versa.
Chat Participant: Am I able to include an exceptionally strong professional Letter of Recommendation I submitted for my PhD application as an additional reference in my MBA application?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: You may use the same recommender to provide that recommendation as a third recommender. You may add him/her to your application and let them know you'd like them to be a final recommender for your application.
Chat Participant: Hi all! Outside of immediate supervisors, who else can letters of recommendation be accepted from?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Anyone who is professional in nature and can speak directly to your skill-set, personality, and work ethic. Examples of these include former professors, colleagues, peers who volunteer with you, etc.
Chat Participant: Hello All, with regards to the admission process, are students admitted to the Full-time MBA, Evening MBA and Weekend MBA quarterly or a couple of times of year?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: The Full-Time program admits students annually (fall). The Weekend program admits students twice a year (spring, fall), and the Evening program admits students four times a year (fall, winter, spring, summer).
Chat Participant: Are any scholarships ever awarded to evening or weekend students?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Merit based scholarships are provided to admitted evening and weekend students illustrating exceptionally high levels of academic achievement and professional experience. They are evaluated after an applicant is admitted, and there is not any additional form or application needed.
Chat Participant: I know the application accepts resumes up to 2pgs in length. What are some additional sections that the admissions committee likes to see highlighted on the extra page?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Nothing out of the ordinary for the resume is expected. We see most resumes more or less include relevant professional and academic experiences. In addition we also see sections for skills, professional certification, project/research, and interests.
Chat Participant: Are there any opportunities available for in person networking/classes for Chicago locals? Specifically does it look like with any of the upcoming terms there will be an option for dual modality?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, all admissions, networking, and visit events for prospective students at Booth will be virtual at least through June. We are hoping to resume in-person activities for admissions later in 2021.
Chat Participant: Hi! I’d like to apply for the part time program while continuing working in my current job; however, as a STEM OPT international student, my work authorization might expire during the program. Does the part time MBA program offer any CPT so that I could continue working while finishing the MBA? Thank you!
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: International students in the evening and Weekend Program must have valid work visas that require that they work full-time and enable them to take part-time coursework ( a common example is an H1-B visa). The Evening and Weekend Program does not sponsor F1 visas. If someone is on a work visa, they would need to be mindful of their pace in the program in relation to the expiration date of their visa.
Chat Participant: Hi All, If a student already has an advanced degree is that information (transcripts/GPA) sufficient for admission?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, we will require the grades and transcripts for any degree-granting institution you have attended (bachelor's degree and any advanced degrees).
Chat Participant: Will admissions take into consideration extracurricular work such as a personal blog focused on future intended studies, cross-functional experience at work, past case studies/projects from undergraduate education, etc. ?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Great question! In general, 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.
Chat Participant: How much is the entire tuition fee/full course fee for evening and weekend MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: You can review the current tuition and fees here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/cost
Chat Participant: Booth is currently ranked as the #1 MBA for part-time. What factors would you highlight about Booth that would differentiate or explain Booth's position from other top part-time programs?
Shelby Wenner | Current MBA Student: There are quite a few things that I think distinguish Booth from other part-time programs, I'm glad you asked. 1) Booth's part-time and full-time programs utilize the exact same professors, courses, and requirements. The academics really do stand out in terms of rigor and variety. 2) The level of student activities and leadership opportunities are significant and wide-ranging, covering student interests from social impact, professional/industry groups, affinity groups, and social groups. 3) Booth offers a variety of abroad opportunities. 4) The network is extremely strong! I continuously engage with Boothies from the part-time and full-time programs regularly still, even though I'm not based in Chicago anymore.
Chat Participant: I have often heard that an optional essay in the application should only be completed to provide greater detail about something negative on one's application or something questionable. Is this the case with Booth? Meaning, should we provide the optional essay no matter what?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, the optional essay is most commonly used as a way for the candidate to call out a negative aspect of their application. It also serves as an open platform for the candidate to address any part of their profile they believe needs greater attention. However, the optional essay is never required or expected. It is truly optional!
Chat Participant: Hi, is it a good time to apply to Booth with the number of applicants significantly higher compared to previous years? Should we wait before applying this year?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The time to apply is whenever is right for you and you feel your application is at its best and strongest. There is no competitive advantage to applying now or later. Because of our flexible program we do not have a co-horted model and can admit the students we are most excited about. We would welcome your application whenever you feel is the right time for you.
Chat Participant: Are there metrics on the number of candidates who move to Chicago to attend the evening MBA? Or do the majority of these candidates travel in for the weekend program?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: The vast majority of those in the Evening MBA live in the Chicagoland area due to classes being held in the evenings during the week. Because all of our students work full time, it would be difficult for most to live outside of Chicagoland. Nearly 80% of our Weekend students live outside of Chicago and commute every weekend for classes.
Chat Participant: My wife and I were admitted to the Full Time MBA program for the class of 2023. Is there an opportunity for me to switch into the Part-time weekend MBA program?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, you and your wife would need to apply to the Part-Time program as the Full and Part-Time programs have different applications. If this is something you two are interested in we can certainly help with this.
Chat Participant: Hi, As the weekend program is 2.5 years long (minimum) means that I would need to travel to campus every weekend for 2.5 years if your take courses in every quarter?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: The only requirement for program completion is to take 20 courses within 5 years. You can choose how many classes you want to take each quarter, including having the option to take quarters off. Weekend students will often take at least a quarter or two off during their time as a student.
Chat Participant: Good Afternoon. I am planning to apply for evening MBA program. If I need to move out of Chicago area while enrolled in the weekend MBA program for family or business reasons, Will I be able to continue in the weekend MBA program?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: Yes - all students may transfer between the Weekend and the Evening MBA programs once during their time at Booth. They may not, however, transfer to the Full-Time program.
Chat Participant: If I am interested in applying for the Evening program, commencing Autumn quarter 2021, can I apply now? Or should I wait until after the Summer 2021 application deadline?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Hi Lauren, The Autumn 2021 application is available so you can apply now.
Chat Participant: Does Booth offer application fee waivers? If yes, what are the steps to request this? Thank you!
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: Yes - we offer application fee waivers for who work at the University of Chicago, the nonprofit/government sectors, military veterans, and those who are experiencing financial hardships. Once you begin your application, there will be a link where you can fill out the fee waiver form.
Chat Participant: Can international applicants apply for the weekend program?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, international applicants must have a H1B work visa in order to apply to the Evening MBA or Weekend MBA programs.
Chat Participant: Hi, I'm currently a Software Engineer in Seattle and I'm interested in the weekend MBA program. My primary purpose is to start my own tech company. I was wondering what resources Booth offered that would bootstrap my future venture. Specifically 1) Courses/Faulty 2) Funding through Booth 3) Access to investors 4) Student groups
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: There are various resources available for those with entrepreneurial ambitions from courses and faculty to the Polsky Center, New Venture Challenge, and Student Groups (Entrepreneurship through acquisition) to name a few. I recommend you take a bit of a deeper dive into the Polsky Center to see what it has to offer.
Chat Participant: Hi, is it not possible to apply to the weekend program on B1/B2 visa?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Given the program on average take 2.5 years to complete, we tend to have applicants use some form of work visa since the program is also designed for working professionals. I am happy to speak with you further if you have a unique case here but the H1B visa tends to be what most applicants to the program use.
Chat Participant: Thank you for hosting this session everyone! It has been very helpful - with regard to the virtual interview, I was wondering if it is behavioral-focused?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, the interviews are behavioral-focused. If invited to interview, you will have a conversation with a current student or alumni about your background, MBA motivation, career progression, and skill-set. Candidates enjoy the conversational nature and it gives them a chance to dive deeper into their strengths.
Chat Participant: For those conducting the application interview, will they have seen what I have submitted for my application?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Interviews will only be able to review your resume. They will not review any other piece of your application.
Chat Participant: if you have different Master degree and have foundation classes taken. Is it possible to get transfer credit?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, no. We do not accept transfer credit from an outside institution and if they were classes taken within the University of Chicago for a Master's degree the classes can only be used once toward a Master degree.
Chat Participant: Question: Is merit-based financial aid/tuition waivers available?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, both are available. You can write a note to admissions specifically stating your financial hardship in detail as to why you feel a tuition waiver is necessary. Merit based scholarships are provided to admitted students illustrating exceptionally high levels of academic achievement and professional experience. They are evaluated after an applicant is admitted, and there is not any additional form or application needed.
Chat Participant: Thank you for hosting this session! With the current restrictions on class visits, what is your best suggestion for experiencing Chicago Booth firsthand?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: We have a masterclass series taught by some of our faculty. It is not the exact same as an actual class -- but it emulates a virtual classroom experience. You may register at the following link for the remainder of our masterclass series this month: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/events/masterclass
Chat Participant: Hello! I did my bachelors in India 13 years back. GPA is based on percentage rather than point system. How do you evaluate Bachelor's degree? What is the weightage of GPA in admission and what are the chances of getting admission for less GPA?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: GPA is very subjective as much of it depends on the program of study, classes you took, and rigor of the program. We are much more interested in the classes you took and grades achieved than your GPA. If you have a lower GPA than you would like, it is important to highlight more recent examples of successes in the areas you struggled while earning your degree. If you struggled in math, but currently use data analytics and work with numbers you should highlight your success there.
Chat Participant: What information is provided to interviewers before the admissions interview?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: They will receive your resume prior to the interview. They will not be able to view any other part of your application.
Chat Participant: How long does it take to receive an answer from the admissions committee for the acceptance into the program?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Our timeline is 4-6 weeks from the date we receive a completed application.
Chat Participant: Hi all, when will you be accepting applications for the next Civic Scholars Program?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Hi, please see our Civic Scholars Program deadlines here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/civic-scholars/admissions
Chat Participant: Does booth accept gi bill/yellow ribbon programs?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: yes! In fact Booth recently doubled its contributions under the Yellow Ribbon Program. Qualifying veterans now receive up to $30,000 in benefits from the school. This is a significant expansion in teh program. You can learn more here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/military-resources-at-chicago-booth
Chat Participant: Hello! Are you able to provide any statistics (test scores, GPA, background, etc) for applicants who receive merit-based scholarships? Or is it entirely based on the applicant pool? Also, is Booth's PT program part of the Forte Fellowship?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, the merit-based scholarship review process is dependent on the applicant pool. During this time, we seek out standout candidates both professionally and academically. For example, since our average GMAT is 680, I encourage candidates to try to get a 680 or higher to push for scholarship potential. It's not a hard cutoff, but getting above average is a good goal to have.
Chat Participant: Q: As an applicant from the Bay Area, I want to ask how many students in the weekend program are from West coast states that need to spend 4 hour non-stop one-way flight in and out of Chicago? I know Booth offers a lot of helps to accommodate students out of the state, but how do students on their side manage the time commitment on their side? Any tips would be appreciated
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: I am not sure of the number of students at this moment, but it is a strong market for us in general and we have a number of students that fly in from the West Coast every weekend (at least pre Covid). We would be happy to connect you with students in the Bay Area to discuss the many tools and tricks they used for time management. Anecdotally, I know that many would use their time on the plane and in airports as a way to catch up and study. Some opted for red eye flights allowing them to get to Chicago in time for 9am classes on Saturday while others preferred to come in on a Friday and work from Chicago for the day.
Chat Participant: Are there specific requirements for the letters of recommendation?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: You can find more about what we expect regarding letters of recommendation here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply. The most important is that one of the letters must be from your current supervisor and the other should be from another professional contact or from someone who has worked with you in an organization, club, or volunteer project.
Testing Questions
Chat Participant Hello - Currently I am working as a Software Engineer and planning to do weekend MBA from Booth in couple of years. My question is whether GMAT and GRE required or both? What else is needed for admission? Like professional certifications and recommendations.
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Hi, I recommend checking out this blog for more information about the GMAT, GRE, or EA: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/gmat-gre-or-executive-assessment. You can take either test. Please view this link for admissions requirements: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/requirements
Chat Participant What else outside of GMAT score is an integral piece of the application process? Past GPA? Essay? Are any weighted differently than the others?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Thank you for your email. We do not have a minimum GMAT score. We definitely look at the entire application, but a strong GMAT is helpful. We have a holistic review and look at academics ability, professional background, professional accomplishments, career goals with an MBA, and interests/community involvement outside of work. In short, we are looking for well-rounded individuals who have a high level of intellectual curiosity. Our Evening MBA and Weekend MBA incoming classes for 2019 had: 3.3 undergraduate GPA (average), 7 years of work experience (average), and the mid-80% GMAT range is 630-740. Hopefully this helps you get an idea of our student profile and what we are looking for in candidates.
Chat Participant: Hello, what is the average GMAT score for the program?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Hi, our GMAT (mid 80%) average is 630-740 for the Evening and Weekend MBA Programs.
Chat Participant: Does GMAT Online carry the same weight as GMAT On-Site? As GMAT Online has comparatively very new protocols
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We are accepting all online versions of the exams being offered (GMAT, GRE, and EA) and weigh it in the same manner as in person exams. We do recognize that some test takers experience technical issues, proctor issues, or whiteboard problems when taking the online version and opt to utilize the optional essay to explain the challenges that were associated with the online version of the exam.
Chat Participant: Hello, I have taken the GMAT once but I am planning to retake it again in the first week of January. Is it possible for me to apply with my old GMAT score and later on update my profile with my new GMAT score (even if it means a couple of days past the deadline date of Jan 8)
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: I highly recommend waiting to submit your application until you have added your new scores. We have a one week grace period after the deadline for candidates to add in scores and get rec letters in. Your application will remain open through January 15th.
Chat Participant: Executive Assessment score still an option for weekend MBA program?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Yes -the Executive Assessment score is still an option for the Weekend MBA Program. Check out this blog for more tips and info: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/gmat-gre-or-executive-assessment
Chat Participant: What weight it placed on the GRE/GMAT for admissions? For example, the last time I took it was in 1998 prior to entering (and then completing) a PhD. Does time in one's industry (in my case, college education) weighed together with standardized test results.
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: We do not place a specific weight on the exam requirement or with any of our application requirements. We use a holistic review approach to all applications. Candidates can offset a lower exam score in a number of ways, including academic success outside of the exam, strong career progression, and more.
Academic Services Questions:
Chat Participant Topic: Hyde Park Campus vs Gleacher Center - differences, similarities, and the level of integration. Booth highlights the that both programs have the same faculty, requirements, and degree. Do part time students only have access to the Gleacher center? Do PT and FT candidates take classes together?
Shelby Wenner | Current MBA Student: Hello! Lots to say about Hyde Park/Gleacher. Generally, the programs are identical and you're more than welcome to take classes on either campus,. Part-time students have complete access to both Gleacher (downtown) and Harper (Hyde Park). Clubs and activities are mostly separate between the two programs.
Chat Participant How many courses from each category are offered in the evenings each quarter?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: You will find at least a few courses in each concentration area in the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA program each quarter. You can filter your course search for the current academic year here: https://intranet.chicagobooth.edu/pub/coursesearch/coursesearch
Chat Participant Can the joint degree programs -- MBA/MSW, MBA/MPP -- be completed part time in the evenings?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: As an Evening student, you can have dual enrollment with Booth and another program. However, this is not common in the Part-Time program due to classes in the other program (MSW or MPP) taking place during the day. Typically this is difficult when balanced with work.
Chat Participant: Good afternoon! What is the typical breakdown in courses between foundational courses, concentration courses, and electives? For a Weekend MBA student, what would a typical quarter's course load consist of?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Three (3) foundational courses, six (6) functional courses (ex: one marketing class, one operations class, one finance class, etc.) and eleven (11) elective courses. A typical quarter consists of (on average) two classes. One Saturday morning at 9am CST and the other Saturday afternoon at 1:30pm CST for ten weeks.
Chat Participant: Hi, how many courses can you take in 1 quarter?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: 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: How many weekends of the year is the Weekend MBA? All year long, normal school year (no summer), etc.?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Our quarters are 10-11 weeks long. If you were enrolled in the Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters. That would be a total of 33 weekends of travel at most.
Chat Participant: Is the evening program flexible in regards to taking more, less, or no credits in a specific quarter due to external circumstances for example?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: Yes - students may fill out a Leave of Absence form if they need to take a quarter or more off from their studies. Students have 5 years to complete their MBA, so we often see students take time off for various reasons.
Chat Participant: Are there some classes it would not be possible to take as a Weekend student vs. an Evening student?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Depending on your schedule, you have the flexibility to take coursework across programs. We often will see Weekend students taking an Evening course if they know that they'll be in Chicagoland that quarter and vice versa!
Chat Participant: How heavy is the course work for about 2 courses in 10 weeks?
Shelby Wenner | Current MBA Student: Hello! It sort of depends on which courses you're enrolled in. I always recommend that students balance a quant-heavy class and a qualitative-focused class if they can. Once enrolled in the program, there are also resources to show students how much time others have spent on classwork for each course. Generally, a good expectation is to spend at least 3-4 hours outside of class on assignments or group work.
Student Life/Career Services Questions:
Chat Participant How much interaction is there between weekend, evening, full-time, and exec MBA cohorts? Is the answer different for academic vs social/extracurricular settings?
Shelby Wenner | Current MBA Student: While part-time and full-time students can easily register for classes across programs, there are separate student groups for each. Part-time activities/groups are Evening and Weekend programs together. There are definitely some events that cross between all programs, but mostly they are separate. There are some programs and activities that allow for Executive MBA to engage with part-time students, but their experiences are more separate as well.
Chat Participant: Hello, does booth differentiate between part time and full time students when it comes to career services and access to employers?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Full-Time MBA students have access to internship recruiting, unlike the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA programs. Outside of that, access to career resources, including recruiting for full-time positions, are available across these programs.
Chat Participant: Hi there, Thank you for hosting this session! I'm interested in the Evening Program. Outside of clubs, I'm curious to know how community is fostered amongst students. If admitted, I plan to move to the Chicago area and would love to jump right into the community!
Shelby Wenner | Current MBA Student: So glad you asked this one. The community for the Evening Program is really strong. There are of course the professional/industry student groups, but there are also social clubs like running club, wine club, Studio Booth (an arts and culture club) that are very active and are always coming up with neat events and gatherings -- and they've gotten very creative during COVID! Students will often gather after class either in the Midway Club or out nearby after class for drinks... of course, now things look a little different, but there are still ways to connect informally with classmates after class or between sessions. Some of my strongest Boothie connections came from group work during classes, and I still chat with many people I worked with on projects.
Chat Participant: Hello! One of the qualities listed on the admissions requirements page under the career section says "Realistic Expectations for the MBA" - can you elaborate a little more on what you mean by that? Thank you!
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: I interpret this as you assessing why you are applying to a particular program format. For example, in applying for the Evening or Weekend program, it comes with the expectation that you will continue working and progressing in your career as you pursue your MBA at Booth. Candidates should be able to explain why that program format makes the most sense for them to achieve their short-term and long-term goals.
Chat Participant: Hi! Can you please explain the differences between the full time and part time international opportunities?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Full-term study abroad is for the entire quarter (10-11 weeks). Short-term study abroad is typically 2 weeks. Each format counts as 1 class completed towards your degree requirements. They travel to the same locations as well. Since part-time students are working full-time, they typically pursue the short term option.