January 12, 2021 Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Live Chat Transcript
COVID Related Questions:
Chat Participant: Is getting admitted more competitive now with the pandemic?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: No, the pandemic has not changed our evaluation process. Our admission criteria and selection process remains the same and we continue looking for the same attributes in our candidates.
Chat Participant: How are instruction activities going to be facilitated in the fall, given the pandemic?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: At this point, nothing has been determined for the Autumn 2021 format. We are optimistic about providing an increased amount of in-person activities. However, there will likely still be at least some virtual classes/opportunities offered for students who do not feel comfortable attending classes in-person during this time.
Chat Participant: Will there be a chance to attend a class (masterclass) because of the ongoing pandemic?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Hello! Yes, we plan on scheduling another Masterclass series. More to come soon! Check out this blog to view previous MBA Masterclass sessions here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/chicago-booth-mba-masterclass-series
Chat Participant: Is the program 100% in-person?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: At this time, the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA is not 100% in-person. We still have online classes. 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: I see that the number of applicants increased with the beginning of the pandemic - have you continued to see this trend, or has it leveled off? Also, what are the predictions for Fall 2021 - will the classes be in person?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We've been thrilled to see an increase in applications to our program in the midst of the pandemic and certainly hope that this trend continues. Unfortunately, the mode of teaching has not been determined for Summer or Autumn quarter and the University is monitoring the situation closely. We are hopeful for a return to in-person learning by Autumn quarter, but it is still too early to tell. You can monitor campus planning information here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/coronavirus
Chat Participant: Due to the pandemic, are distance learning options available or are all candidates required to travel to Chicago?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: At this time remote options continue to exist for Winter quarter (classes started January 11) and Spring quarter (classes start March 29). We continue to monitor the situation closely and no decisions have yet to be made regarding the format of Summer or Autumn quarter. At this time, Weekend students who live outside of Illinois are not traveling to Chicago and continue to take their classes remotely. You can find up to date campus planning information here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/coronavirus
Chat Participant: Given the current pandemic situation, were all class shifted to online, right? And how will class be shifted back to the campus? Will this based on CDC recommendation?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: We have implemented a dual-modality approach since the Autumn 2020 quarter. Some classes will offer a partial in-person component for students based in Illinois to attend. For classes that offer this format, a small percentage of students will attend in-person with the rest of the class on Zoom in real-time. Students based outside of Illinois are continuing to take classes virtually. We are assessing the situation quarter-by-quarter. Our goal is offer more in-person opportunities as each quarter passes.
Admissions Questions:
Chat Participant: What types of experiences and qualities are important in an applicant?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We value leadership potential in candidates, and experiences they can lean on that illustrate collaboration, problem-solving skills, and underscore the strengths they bring to the table.
Chat Participant: What is the decision timeline for the Civic Scholars program if applying for Autumn 2021?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: You can find more detailed information about admissions here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/civic-scholars/admissions - all decisions for Civic Scholars will be released on March 18, 2021
Chat Participant: If a candidate has a poor GPA from undergrad, how can they make up for that in their application?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: The most straight-forward way to overcome a poor GPA in undergrad is to get an above average GMAT, GRE, or EA score. You are also welcome to take advantage of the optional essay to explain why your undergraduate performance is not the best representation of your candidacy for Booth.
Chat Participant: What are the most important things you look at when evaluating an application?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Our application process is holistic and we take a variety of factors into account- you can learn more here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/requirements - the overarching categories are academic preparedness, community involvement and career progress. Best of luck w/your application!
ticipant: What does the application process look like?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: We just wrote a great article about the application process that gives you an insiders look and a few insights into the process as a whole. Check it out here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/5-tips-and-a-few-secrets-from-the-part-time-admissions-team?sc_lang=en You can also find more information about how to apply here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply
Chat Participant: Does a candidate have a better chance at getting in if they apply sooner?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: No, there is no competitive advantage to applying early. You will receive your decision sooner the earlier you apply ð but this does not impact whether or not you are admitted.
Chat Participant: Can the resume be 2 pages?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, resumes can be 1-2 pages in length.
Chat Participant: Hello, what kind of scholarships are available to applications and is a separate application required?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We offer merit-based scholarships to admitted students who illustrate significant levels of academic and professional success. There is not a separate application for this, as all admitted students will be automatically reviewed upon admittance. The overall strength of your application will be taken into account during this review.
Chat Participant: Is there any experience bar for student? I have 15 year experience and would like to attend EW option for the number of concentrations provided.
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: No. While our average student has anywhere from 2-9 years of experience, we certainly have students who fall outside of that range.
Chat Participant: For the program for early career professionals, is there anything that needs to be completed differently in the evening admissions process for a Summer Quarter start?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The Chicago Business Fellows (CBF) program is a subset of the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Program for those with 3 years or less of work experience, and offers additional professional development programming. It yields the exact same degree and your classes will be with traditional MBA students, but the additional programming helps build some of the softer skills that can be important early in a career. For the Evening CBF program, we have two admissions intakes per year (Autumn and Spring only) and for the Weekend CBF Program, we have one per year (Autumn only). Thus, we do not have a Summer intake for CBF.
Chat Participant: How do you assess leadership potential?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We certainly look at various parts of your application to get a sense of his including your resume and look for any leadership roles or community involvement. In addition, we ask your recommenders about your leadership potential and we also have a current essay question that allows for a more introspective view. The question is "Leadership depends on how well you communicate, collaborate, and motivate people. Chicago Booth understands the importance of developing leaders beyond their business acumen and technical expertise, and we believe that each individual has their own leadership style. How has your family, culture, and/or environment influenced you as a leader?
Chat Participant: What type of community involvement experiences are you looking for? Board position?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: We are not looking for any specific roles or amount of involvement when it comes to community activities. We encourage candidates to list any positions they would like to share so the admissions committee can learn more about them and what they are passionate about.
Chat Participant: What is the average number of individuals that get accepted into the civic scholars program?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: On average, we have a Civic Scholars cohort of between 8-12 individuals that begin the program each year. We do not release the number of individuals that applied or were admitted. Thanks!
Chat Participant: Hello! For the Civic Scholars Program specifically, is there a preference on who we ask to write our second letter of recommendation?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: No preference at all. Please pick someone who knows you well and can give us perspective on why you're a strong applicant!
Chat Participant: Would having experience as a Research Assistant for a Booth professor be valued?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, this certainly would be valued and add another unique layer to your application.
Chat Participant: In terms of career progress, are you only looking for applicants who have gained a promotion?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Not necessarily. We look for signs of career progression and growth. This goes beyond traditional promotions and it is the candidate's responsibility to identify these growth points and in turn use them to support their readiness for the MBA program.
Chat Participant: What is the average scholarship for the Civic Scholars Program?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The scholarship dollar amount varies year on year and is dependent on the grant from the Neubauer Family Foundation. However, it is always a generous award, close to the full amount of tuition.
Chat Participant: Does my nationality factor into the admissions process as an international student? I heard somewhere that demographics are important for Business schools and applicants from some countries can be at a disadvantage?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Your demographics will not factor negatively into our decision. We are looking for diverse candidates however we will never take an applicant’s race or nationality to negatively profile them in any way. We are more concerned with the ways you look to impact the Booth community and your unique skill-set.
Chat Participant: What is the admission rate for the Evening program during the Summer and Winter Quarters?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We do not provide the rate of admission for candidates. We offer opportunities to speak individually and provide you with a much more accurate depiction of your potential competitiveness as a Booth applicant. If you would like to connect about your background and potential at Booth please email our admission hotline at eveningweekend-admissions@chicagobooth.edu
Chat Participant: Is the interview process an "invitation-only" process or do we sign up before submitting the application?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: Correct. Our interviews are invite-only. You will receive an email from our office if you are invited to interview with a member of our admissions committee.
Chat Participant: How many application you have receive so far? And how many Evening/ Weekend students do you plan to grant admission to for each?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: We have multiple applications available each year. 4 for the Evening MBA program and 2 for the Weekend MBA program. Application numbers will vary from quarter-to-quarter. Booth does not have a set amount of students to admit each quarter. This is dependent on the individual candidate and the overall applicant pool.
Chat Participant: Does the Weekend program start in August or September?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: If you were to apply for the Spring Quarter classes typically start in March. If you were to apply for Autumn, around end of August or early September, specific dates are TBD.
Chat Participant: What is the deadline to apply to CBF?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: It is possible to apply for CBF as an Evening MBA candidate with the Spring and Autumn applications. It is only available for the Weekend MBA program in the Autumn application. The upcoming deadline for the Autumn quarter application (Evening or Weekend) is June 11th, 2021.
Chat Participant: For a re-applicant (denied from FT program), how much will a previous application be looked at?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We will look at the previous application to see what has changed between applications, as well as if we have any questions while reading your most recent application (for clarity). Generally, we put more weight on your current application because that is the most recent and relevant information.
Chat Participant: To clarify, for CBF, the earliest upcoming application deadline is June 11, 2021?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: Yes - the Spring 2021 deadline was on January 8th. The Autumn 2021 deadline for CBF is on June 11th.
Chat Participant: I have a master’s in public health already. Will that decrease my chances of getting admitted to an MBA program?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: Not at all. We have many students who have previously received a master’s degree in various fields. We accept students from all different backgrounds!
Chat Participant: Will more candidates with over ten years of work experience be given preference over candidates with fewer years of experience?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We don't have a preference for a certain number of years of work experience and more work experience doesn't necessarily mean stronger experience. We see it as quality vs. quality- we seek those with intellectual curiosity, strong problem solving skills and great critical thinking skills.
Chat Participant: What is considered work experience?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: On average our students begin the program with approximately 6 years of professional work experience. That number is calculated on the number of months one is employed post-graduation from undergrad. On the application we ask for months of full-time professional and military experience and exclude any undergraduate internships, summer employment, volunteer work, etc.
Chat Participant: Are admissions interviews and decisions rolling? ie: sooner you apply the sooner a admit/reject decision is received or does everybody find out together sometime after the June deadline?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Rolling admissions means the sooner you apply the sooner you will hear your decision.
Chat Participant: If an interview hasn't been requested, does that lessen your chances of getting admitted?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: All admitted candidates participate in an interview. After submitting the application, candidates are informed if they are invited to interview or denied from the program without an interview.
Chat Participant: Would a strong graduate GPA be able to overcome a weaker undergrad GPA?
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, GPA, and academic abilities to involvement. We seek out candidates who are well-rounded and who will contribute to the Booth. All-in-all, if you have a strong graduate GPA, it will show progress, strong work-ethic, and personal initiative to overcome past challenges. I also recommend utilizing the personal essay option if you want to address any concerns regarding your undergrad GPA.
Chat Participant: Is the a minimum GPA from undergrad that is required for admission
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: No - we do not have a minimum GPA requirement.
Chat Participant: Does government awarded financial aid usually cover the cost of classes
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: This will depend per person, with the amount of aid you are eligible for. You may contact our financial aid office that can speak further to this question at financial.aid@chicagobooth.edu
Chat Participant: How do I determine if I meet the 3 years or less criteria for CBF program? For example, would 3.5 years at time of application disqualify me?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: We base the "3 years or less" criteria on the time you matriculate into the program. We can be flexible with admitting candidates to CBF if they are at 3.5 years upon matriculation. However, if you are at 3.5 years at the time you apply, the general Evening MBA or Weekend MBA programs will likely be a better fit.
Chat Participant: Should applicants submit professional recommendations from mentors within different past jobs/experiences?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Outside of getting a letter from your current supervisor, this is a great option for the second letter. However, we are flexible with the second letter. Candidates can use their judgment on who would be the best choice for the second letter.
Chat Participant: Just to clarify for the CBF program, is it under 3 years of experience at time of application or when the Autumn or spring term begins upon admission?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: It is upon matriculation, so when you start the program.
Chat Participant: Can you comment on what you would consider a strong recommendation letter and who would be a suitable recommender for a potential applicant?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We strongly prefer a current supervisor for letters of recommendation if you are able to obtain one- this gives us insight into your current accomplishments, how you work with others, etc. If you're unable to obtain a letter from a current supervisor, a previous supervisor is great- or anyone who you feel knows you well and can speak to who you are.
Chat Participant: How will you assess leadership potential from a resume if there is a career change? Should I list that in an optional essay?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We know people's careers are dynamic and ever-changing- so we are looking not just to your resume, but also to what your recommenders are saying for your potential for leadership, the organizations you've taken leadership roles in- and where you're putting in effort to act like a leader- ex: leading a team informally, leading a project, etc.
Chat Participant: How long does it take to make a decision after applying?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: You will have a decision within 4-6 weeks of applying.
Chat Participant: For MBA/MPCS you pay separate tuition for both programs (MBA and MPCS) or you pay $X amount per course so tuition really depends on how many courses you taking?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Students in the Joint MBA/MPCS Program with the Booth school of Business are registered as Booth students and pay Booth tuition for the duration of their studies. You can learn about part-time MBA costs here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/cost
Chat Participant: In the beginning of my career I worked several part time jobs, averaging a 40 hour work week between them all. Would this be considered full time work for admissions sake?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, this would likely be considered full-time work. We would take a look at the type of work this consisted of but it seems to be full-time.
Chat Participant: Can you apply to both the Civic Scholars Weekend MBA Program and the general Weekend MBA program at the same time?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: You cannot apply to both programs, we require that you pick either the Civic Scholars program or our Weekend program.
Chat Participant: Is there a different admissions rate between the Evening and Weekend programs? Other than the priority of taking classes in evening or weekend, would it be advantageous to one or the other (for reasons other than personal/work commitments)?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: It depends which program would be the best fit for you. One program is not more advantageous than the other since we apply the same application review process in both Evening and Weekend MBA Programs.
Chat Participant: For those who intend on using the GI bill, what percentage part time student are you considered for taking 1, 2, 3 classes, respectively?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Most students will take 2 classes each quarter. I may be misinterpreting your question, but feel free to email me at Patrick.McHale@chicagobooth.edu and I'll be happy to clarify or get more info!
Chat Participant: If you apply to the summer quarter, in the instance you get accepted are candidates allowed to defer to the next quarter for start date? Or must you start on the quarter you are accepted for?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: We recommend that you start on the quarter you are accepted for but we understand that there are a number of reasons why a student may need to defer, so we review deferrals on a case-by-case basis. In the end, it is possible to defer to the next quarter.
Chat Participant: Is it more competitive to apply to Evening vs Weekend program?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: The programs are equally competitive. The main difference between the programs is the time of the week in which classes are held. From an academic standpoint - it's the same MBA!
Chat Participant: Is there a difference between the candidate pools in Evening vs Weekend? For example, years of work experience
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Not much. Weekend candidates tend to have a slightly higher average years of working experience and slightly higher average GMAT score, but otherwise they are essentially the same. You can view the weekend program profile here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/weekend and the evening program profile here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/evening
Academic Questions:
Chat Participant: Can we finish Evening or part time MBA in 2 years?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: Part-Time students can accelerate their pace and take 3 classes in a quarter, or decelerate and take one or zero classes in a given quarter. In order to take a 4th class, students would need to consult with academic advising and detail their reasoning along with a career plan. We don’t encourage taking 4 classes in our part time program because of the rigor paired with a job, and if you are not working we’d like to better understand your plans before affirming a 4th class. Three classes can be taken without such discussions.
Chat Participant: What specializations does the EW MBA program offer?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: It depends on what courses you are interested in. We offer 13 different concentration areas that students can choose to pursue as part of their academic journey. Most students will graduate with 3-4 concentrations, and many courses double count towards different concentration areas. Booth's curriculum is very flexible, allowing you to pursue your different areas of interest! You can find more curriculum information here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum
Chat Participant: What are the minimum number of courses needed to be take per semester, once enrolled in the evening or weekend MBA to remain in the program?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: You can take quarters off as needed, but basically you just need to finish the program in five years, which would be taking one class per quarter every quarter for five years. Most people take 1-2 per quarter, but I definitely knew people who planned to take the whole five years. I believe you can take zero classes for one quarter without even notifying the school, and you can take longer breaks if you let them know. One of the admissions staff may be able to confirm my numbers here! The program is really flexible, though.
Chat Participant: Will the joint MBA/MPCS program cost more tuitions (require students to complete more credit hours)?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Please email us at eveningweekend-admissions@chicagobooth.edu and we can put you in touch with a student in the joint program who can also provide insight into their experience and the logistics. Tuition is assessed through Chicago Booth per course rate for Evening and Weekend students. You can also learn more here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/joint-degree/mpcs-mba. Keep in mind that in order to earn the joint degree, students complete 14 Booth only courses and 7-9 MPCS-only courses. Typically a Booth MBA requires 20 courses to graduate so a student would take 1-2 more in order to earn the dual degree.
Chat Participant: It was mentioned that a part time program typically takes 2.5 - 3 yrs. Do part time MBAs typically take summers off? If so, does that change the offering availability in Year 1, 2 or 3?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: It really depends how you want to schedule yourself! Generally, it's recommended that part time students take 2 classes per quarter, which would mean that you finish in 2.5 years without taking summer quarters off. That said, lots of people do take summers off, and lots of people finish faster or slower than 2.5 years (personally, I was 2.75 years to finish, and I had friends who intended to take one class per quarter and take the full 5 years to finish). It's super flexible, so you can change how many classes you take quarter to quarter and also take quarters off if needed. It doesn't change the courses that are available to you - different courses are available in different quarters, but you get the schedule well in advance of an academic year. The fewest courses are run during summer quarter because lots of people do take it off, but otherwise, it's a pretty consistent course schedule.
Chat Participant: What are the typical profiles of the faculty and course staff? Are most of the faculty full time teaching and academic professors?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, most faculty teach/research for the school full-time. Booth also hires clinical, non-tenured faculty to teach across our programs as well.
Chat Participant: What is the typical class format (e.g. discussion, lecture) and what is the average class size?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: It really depends on the class - generally speaking, I'd say quantitative classes tend to be primarily lecture based, and the more qualitative classes are usually discussion based or a combo of lecture followed by discussion. Big lecture classes can run as large as 60 students, and I think the smallest class I was a part of was 10. In your first couple quarters, you'd likely be in mostly the big lecture classes, but I will say that having small homework groups to work in (which is almost always the case) and plenty of TAs around never made the classes feel too big or like I couldn't interact with the professor if I needed/wanted to.
Chat Participant: What are the major differences in the curriculum for students who take the Part-time and Weekend MBA programs as opposed to the Full-Time MBA?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: There is virtually no difference in the curriculum between the Full-Time and Evening & Weekend programs. Students in each program can take classes across all three programs, and while there are some classes that are only offered in the Full-Time program (lab classes) these are available for Evening and Weekend students as well. Faculty teach across all three programs.
Chat Participant: Does degree would say Evening MBA or just MBA? Just trying to understand whether degree is reworded differently for different MBA programs
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The degree says Master of Business Administration, there is no designation between Evening/Weekend/Full-Time/Executive MBA
Chat Participant: I read on the website that most classes are held downtown and not at the Hyde Park campus. Why is that?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: We have two campuses. The Hyde Park campus houses our Full-Time MBA program. The Gleacher Center is located in downtown Chicago. The students in the part-time programs are full time professionals and many work downtown. It's more accessible and easier for our students to take classes in the evenings and weekends compared to the Hyde Park campus. The Hyde Park campus is nearly 7 miles south of downtown, so it's not as easy to commute to after work.
Chat Participant: How many estimated hours per week is a MBA evening or MBA weekend student spending on course and coursework?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: It really depends on your schedule - classes are 3 hours each week in the classroom, and homework time will probably run you 2-4 hours on average. That said, it can be much less or much more! I took classes with lots and lots of homework and classes with less homework, and you also get to choose if you're taking 1, 2, or even 3 courses per quarter, so you can balance out your time commitment. When you're looking at class options, you can see the average number of hours that past students report spending on the class outside of the classroom, so you're able to predict pretty well how much homework time you'll spend (and you're unlikely to be surprised by a class with a ton of homework hours)
Chat Participant: I would be a potential out of station student in the Weekend program. What is the schedule for the weekends typically?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: Generally, weekend students take one or two classes on Saturdays, with a morning class, a lunch break, and then an afternoon class. Most people I knew in the weekend program would fly in Friday night and then fly out Saturday night or Sunday. There are lots and lots of events on Saturdays because weekend and evening students are both available, so there's regularly events during the lunch break and immediately after the afternoon class ends. Even before COVID, a lot of group meetings happened virtually, so you would probably expect some evening calls for group work on weeknights and a full day on Saturdays
Chat Participant: Do certain course offerings differ between evening and weekend programs?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The course offerings vary from quarter to quarter, depending on professor availability. Generally, courses are similar as far as offerings go from quarter to quarter!
Chat Participant: Are the Professors across part-time and full time programs the same? Or are there some professors that only teach full time MBA classes?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Our faculty aren't designated to Full-Time or Part-Time and teach across all programs. Much of their schedule is dependent on personal commitments and availability, but all are able to teach across all programs- its one Booth! :)
Testing Questions:
Chat Participant: Do most applicants take the GRE or the GMAT?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Most applicants will take the GMAT, since it is historically an exam for business schools. However, most schools accept the GRE as well. Booth's part-time programs also accept the EA, which is a newer exam.
Chat Participant: Hi there, for the GMAT, do you accept the online administered version, or do applicants need to take the exam in person?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We do accept the online administered version of the GMAT!
Chat Participant: What would the merit-based scholarships be assessed on? GMAT/GRE score?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: The totality of your application including Test scores, transcripts, and professional experience. There are not data points you need to reach to guarantee a scholarship as we take into account a number of factors including the competitiveness of other applicants.
Chat Participant: I took the GMAT online test, and it doesn't include AWA part. Will you accept the GMAT online results in the application?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We will accept the online version of the test.
Chat Participant: How does the executive assessment work? What does it focus on?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: Here's a blog we wrote about the EA test- https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/executive/admissions/executive-assessment - I would also encourage you to visit the GMAC website where there is more explanation of the test as well. They administer the test.
Chat Participant: Do you have any tips you can offer when studying for GMAT while working full time?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: The GMAT was my least favorite part of business school! I found that I needed to carve out consistent time in my evenings, make sure I was studying consistently, plan ahead for practice test days, and scheduling my weeks appropriately. I did a lot of actually putting study sessions on my calendar and planning periodic practice tests. Honestly, you can think about it as a warm up for business school - an MBA program will almost certainly take up more time in your week than GMAT studying (though it's a lot more fun), so if you're finding it really challenging to carve out time for the GMAT, that's an important data point for you.
Chat Participant: How does admission work for MBA/MPCS program? Is GMAT still a preferred test?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: On the application there is a question that asks if you are interested in the MBA/MPCS program. If you are admitted to Booth and answer "yes" to that question you will be put in touch with our admissions colleagues Computer Science. The joint program is intended to offer students the opportunity to combine a business and technology education leading to opportunities in technology product management, FinTech and entrepreneurship. Students must be admitted to BOTH the Booth MBA and the Master’s Program in Computer Science, but Admissions are handled separately by each program. While we accept GMAT, GRE or EA, you would need to consult the MPCS admissions page to learn if their test requirements differ from ours. You can learn more here: https://masters.cs.uchicago.edu/page/admissions
Chat Participant: I do understand that the EA is new but what is the average score of the applicants in the weekend program
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: The average we have seen so far is around 153- please do keep in mind, though that this is with very few data points!
Chat Participant: Also, do you take into consideration the Integrated Reasoning and Analytical Writing sections, or just Quant and Verbal?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: We do consider the IR and Analytical Writing section- we look at an overall score.
Chat Participant: How is the AWA score from the GMAT considered?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: The AWA section is considered along with the other components of the test. This score can take a week or two to generate once you have tested, but we will look at your overall score, along with the breakdown of each section to better understand your areas of strength and weakness in the exam.
Student Life/Career Development Questions:
Chat Participant: Are there opportunities for Weekend MBA students to interact with those from the full-time program?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: There's a lot of crossover between the Weekend and the Evening programs, but it's a little less between the part time programs and the full time program (the part time programs share a set of clubs, which really drives a lot of the events and social interactions, but full time has its own clubs). That said, you definitely run into full time students in your classes and at events. By the time I finished the program, I definitely knew the most students in the Evening program, which was my home program, but I knew plenty of Weekend and full-time folks as well
Chat Participant: How many people in the weekend programs will go into a PHD program in an area of expertise they have chosen in the MBA
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: I do not have that exact data specific to PhD programs however what might be helpful in general is referencing our career data from recent alumni -- which can illustrate what our students are doing upon graduation. You can find that page here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact
Chat Participant: Have you had students who have MBA already and looking for career change?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: It is rare, but there are a few Booth students with an MBA degree from another institution. It is realistic that some of these individuals are seeking a career change.
Chat Participant: Would you have placement data for Evening students by industry/sector?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: You can view information on our career data here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact.
Chat Participant: Could part-time evening/weekend MBA program share networking events with Executive MBA program in Booth?
And what's the main difference between part-time evening/weekend MBA program and Executive MBA program?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: There are opportunities for Evening and Weekend students to come together with our Executive MBA students. In the past, we have allowed Evening and Weekend students to participate in electives week with the Executive MBA students. In terms of the biggest difference, the Executive MBA Program is a lock-step 21 month, co-horted program. The Evening and Weekend Program offers more flexibility and is not co-horted. The Evening and Weekend Program is typically completed in 2.5 years and students have up to 5 years to complete the program. The Executive MBA Program meets in a combination of alternating weekends and week-long residencies and includes rotations in our London and Hong Kong campuses. The other difference is in terms of the years of work experience. On average, our students have 6-7 years of work experience whereas the Executive MBA students on average have 14 years when they begin the program.
Chat Participant: Can you talk about recruiting events that happen over the weekend available to weekend MBAs? What to expect in terms of options, how many events, etc.?
Andrea Calderon | Associate Director, Admissions: There are often competitions sponsored by employers (a great way to get to know organizations), coffee chats and presentations. Many events do take place in the evenings as well, and our Weekend students are welcome to attend those, too!
Chat Participant: Can you help provide a general sense for what percentage of the part-time MBAs stay with their current firm vs. transitioning to a new employer?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: It's fair to say about 50-60% of students will stay/advance with their current employer and the remaining percentage moves to a new organization.
Chat Participant: Can you speak to partner resources for spouses (general networking and recruiting)? How are partners involved in a part-time MBA program if at all?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We have a partners club within the Evening and Weekend admissions program that is student run. This club is dedicated to programming, events and opportunities for Booth partners to engage in the experience alongside their spouse. Additionally the Student Advisory Council organizes partner and family friendly events throughout the year including a winter formal dance, Zoo and boat cruises and many other. Booth students are encouraged to bring partners to these events and they are able to engage with the Booth network as well.
Chat Participant: Does Booth offer a global learning exchange program to weekend MBAs?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, Booth has a long-term (quarter-long) and short-term (2 weeks) international exchange programs. These are available for full-time and part-time students. Most part-time students will opt for the short-term program. You can learn more here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/international-programs-and-study-abroad
Chat Participant: Do weekend students typically have the opportunity to be a part of clubs or other activities?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: Absolutely! The evening and weekend programs share a set of 40+ clubs, and as a weekend student you could join any of them. I'd say the majority of club events actually happen on Saturdays exactly so weekend program students can attend, so there's usually tons of events during the lunch break or after the afternoon class. Also, the big social events (there's a Booth prom, for example) are all scheduled on weekends. I don't think there's much of a difference at all between evening and weekend students in terms of club involvement.
Chat Participant: Is recruiting for part-time MBAs separate from the full-time MBAs? For weekend part-time MBAs, what type of recruiting events can be expected?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and 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: Are there organized opportunities to interact with professors outside of class?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: Yes! On the not organized front, you run into professors at events and around the building a lot. From a more organized perspective, most professors have office hours of some sort, whether they're scheduled blocks of time for dropping in or whether that means hanging around after class/coming in early/scheduling separate time to chat with students who need help or want to speak. Professors are also given the option to host social hours for their classes sometimes, so after class is over one day the whole class and the professor gather for snacks and beverages. Those don't happen for every class in every quarter, but I went to a bunch during my time in the program and they were always really great.
General MBA Questions:
Chat Participant: What resources are provided to students who travel from out of state for the weekend MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: During this time, Weekend students based outside of Illinois are taking classes remotely. In the current environment, we have seen these students take more advantages of class and extracurricular opportunities during the week virtually. In normal times, we offer a free shuttle service that takes students to/from the Chicago airports on Saturday mornings and afternoons when classes are held. In addition to accessing a wide array of classes and student group events on Saturday, our Student Life, Career Services, and Leadership Development offices are open on those days as well.
Chat Participant: Have students ever transitioned from part time to full time in the event they wanted to pursue a summer internship?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Hello, 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. You can only participate in an internship in the Full-Time Program.
Chat Participant: Is there a difference in the MBA experience of students from the Chicago area vs non-local students?
Erin Kelsey | Current MBA Student: Yes, but I don't think it's a huge difference. I was local and in the evening program, so I had a different class schedule than my fellow weekend program students and had more flexibility to attend events on weeknights, but there is a really conscious effort to schedule things when weekend students can attend. Saturdays are definitely the busiest days for events, because both evening and weekend students can join - there's usually tons of options on the lunch break and after the afternoon class. I always found the weekend program students to be a really tight knit group, because they all had so much the same schedule (fly in Friday night, Booth all day Saturday, fly out Saturday night or Sunday) that they took really similar class schedules and were on campus at the same times. And honestly, even before COVID, tons of Booth work happened virtually, so homework groups would meet over Google Hangouts and events would be live streamed, and I'm sure that's even truer now.
Chat Participant: Do class sizes vary between weekend and evening programs?
Vanessa Prachack | Associate Director, Admissions Marketing: Yes - class sizes do vary between Weekend and Evening Programs. Historically, we admit more Evening MBA students since there are more Evening MBA applications.
Chat Participant: If you have less than 3 years of experience, can you still apply to full time MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, Booth's programs do not have a set minimum or maximum amount of work experience to apply.