July 14, 2021 Live Admissions Chat
Evening Weekend Admissions Live Chat
7/14/2021
Admissions Questions:
Chat Participant: can you let me know more about the two recommendation letters for the Admission?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: You can find more details about letter of recommendation expectations here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply. We typically prefer one letter to come from a current supervisor (if applicable). The second letter is up to the applicant to decide. It can remain professional in nature, but it can also fall outside of the professional realm of your network.
Chat Participant: but I would like to keep my Admission Confidential to my current employer, is that okay to provide you two other professional recommendations from my previous Colleagues?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director, Admissions: We do prefer a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, but we understand that is not always possible. Please feel free to use two other professional letters. We will also ask you to briefly explain in the application why you didn't ask your current supervisor.
Chat Participant: Is Evening MBA primarily focused on applicants based out of Chicago/IL area?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The Evening program is typically for those that live and work in the Chicagoland area while the Weekend program is designed for those that live outside of Illinois. In fact, 77% of our weekend students are from outside of the state of Illinois and pre-Covid would commute in every weekend in order to take classes at Chicago Booth. Evening program classes take place Monday-Friday from 6pm-9pm and weekend classes take place on Saturdays from 9am-12pm and again from 1:30pm-4:30pm.
Chat Participant: I have Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and since then I have been working as research scientist. How percentage of Booth Students have Ph.D. or other advanced degrees?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Thanks for sharing and congrats on earning your Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. Our MBA Program attracts students from all academic backgrounds, including areas like education, political science, psychology, engineering, and business to name a few. In fact 3r% of our students hold graduate level degrees so you would be in good company and it is definitely something that we evaluate in reviewing your application.
Chat Participant: Hello! As we prepare to apply. How would you best recommend preparing our resume?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager:I would highly suggest reading more regarding resumes on our Admissions blog: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/mba-application-work-experience-resume
Chat Participant: As far as displaying quantitative skill set needed to excel in the MBA program are professional certificates considered as a valuable source by the committee? Of course detailing the relevance in the application
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director, Admissions: We look at everything included in your application very closely. If you want to include certificates on your resume for example, then we encourage you to do so, but we look at everything holistically. A certificate alone does not make you more competitive. I hope that helps!
Chat Participant: Hello, I am currently preparing my application for the Weekend program. My question is: if I submit my application this September, but I am hoping to start the class March or September 2022, is it possible?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: You can currently start your application for the Winter 2022 or Spring 2022 quarters. Winter quarter classes begin January 3rd 2022 and Spring quarter classes begin March 21st
Chat Participant: Is there significant benefit or advantage in joining in Fall semester vs Winter Semester?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: There is no advantage or benefit in applying to a specific semester. Choose the semester that makes the most sense to you. Many start in the Autumn because it's traditionally when students in the United States start a new academic year.
Chat Participant: How diverse is the current Evening/Weekend Class? Is there specific ratio maintained?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director, Admissions: You can see the complete class profile of the part-time programs here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/class-profile We do not have specific ratios we try to target, but we are always trying to increase the diversity of our students
Chat Participant: what are the scholarship opportunities available to part-time MBA applicants? If there are, what factors are taking into consideration when deciding who and what amount is awarded?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: The Evening and Weekend program offers merit-based scholarships that range from $5,000- $35,000 total. All admitted students will be separately evaluated for the potential to receive a merit scholarship. There is not a separate application for this, and candidates will be evaluated on their academic background, professional experience, and potential community impact. Admitted students will be notified if they receive a scholarship prior to their decision deadline.
Test Score Questions:
Chat Participant: What’s the minimum score should be score in EA?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We do not have any minimums and take a holistic application review. You can view our class profile and see that the average EA is a 153. However, please note that we began accepting the EA in March 2020 so still have some limited data. View profile here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/class-profile
Chat Participant: I have Masters of Science in Engineering with GPA of 3.75, Can you guide me a little bit more on the GMAT score that we might need have to be accepted at Booth?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: We do not have a minimum GMAT score. We definitely look at the entire application, but a strong GMAT is helpful (please keep in mind the current average GMAT is a 677). We have a holistic review and look at academics ability (from both your undergrad and your Masters), 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.
Chat Participant: Is there an average GRE score for admitted students for the weekend program?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: We do not have aggregate GRE scores, however we convert GRE scores to a GMAT score using this conversion tool https://www.ets.org/gre/institutions/about/mba/comparison_tool. We do have a program for candidates earlier in their careers called the Chicago Business Fellows program. I'd highly recommend you look into it! Find out more info here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/early-career-programs/chicago-business-fellows
Chat Participant: Do you have any guidance on EA score?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We accept the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment and don’t have a preference among the three. As long as you submit your application within 5 years of taking the exam you will be fine. Evening and Weekend Booth students average a 680 on the GMAT. Our Executive Assessment average is 153. This is not a minimum but rather indicates where the average booth student falls.
Chat Participant: Is GMAT required for the Executive MBA program?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: The Executive MBA program, like the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA programs, requires applicants to take the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment.
Chat Participant: Do I have to take all three tests: GMAT/GRE/EA or any one of them?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: You only have to take one of those 3 tests. We accept the GMAT, GRE, and EA as well as their virtual options.
Chat Participant: Do I have to take all three tests: GMAT/GRE/EA or any one of them?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director, Admissions: No, you only have to pick 1 test, but you have the option from those 3. Hope that helps!
Chat Participant: I have a pretty decent GRE score that's going to expire this November. Can I still use it if I submit my application before it hits the 5 year mark? Or will I have to re-take it since it will have expired when I start the MBA program?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: As long as you submit your application prior to the exam expiration date, the admissions team will accept it.
Chat Participant: Can you provide me with some information about the Executive Assessment? How long is the assessment?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director, Admissions: Hi! I would encourage you to read up about the EA here: https://www.gmac.com/executive-assessment/about. The test is generally around 90 minutes long!
Academic Questions:
Chat Participant: Can an evening MBA student take some weekend MBA classes?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Evening MBA students can take Weekend and Full-Time classes throughout the program.
Chat Participant: Hi Good day! I was hoping to understand the structure of the evening MBA program. Is it every weeknight or are there specific days the classes are held?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: Classes are held Monday through Friday from 6pm-9pm. Each evening class is held once a week. Most Evening students take 1-2 classes a quarter.
Chat Participant: will the classes for evening/ weekend program for the autumn quarter take place virtually?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: There will be a mix of 100% in-person, 100% remote, and dual-modality classes offered to Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students in the Autumn 2021 quarter. Moving forward, students will have the flexibility to take up to 25% of classes required to graduate (up to 5 out of 20) in a remote or dual-modality format. In-person attendance will be required for the remaining percentage of classes.
Chat Participant: If you start out in the Evening MBA program and your company relocates you, is it a fairly easy process to transition to Weekend MBA program?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: All Evening and Weekend students are able to transfer into the other part-time program once throughout their time at Booth. In order to start the process, you must fill out a form through Academic Services to petition the Dean for a one-time transfer.
Chat Participant: I really wanted to experience the campus in person / attend a sample class. Are there any plans to start offering trial classes in person again soon?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: We will begin to offer in-person class visits this fall, and have more information on class visits in September. In the meantime, you my view a previously recorded masterclass -- a form of the in-class experience we provided to prospective students while our Booth classes were virtual. You may check out the recordings and any new offerings here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/events/masterclass
Chat Participant: Is the expectation that the weekend program will return to entirely in-person instruction?
Kayla Anderson | Office Manager: For the Autumn 2021, students will still have the opportunity to take some courses online. However, conversations regarding the future format of the Weekend program are still ongoing. We are hopeful we will be able to continue to offer more flexibility for our students. In the meantime - if you apply for the weekend program, I would do so under the assumption it will be 100% in person.
Chat Participant: Booth offers a variety of executive/professional education courses, would you recommend a specific course that has relevancy to a achieving in a Booth MBA curriculum?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: It is actually quite rare for applicants to take Executive Education courses prior to starting at Booth. Future applicants will more commonly explore the Graduate Student-at-Large: Business program: https://grahamschool.uchicago.edu/academic-programs/graduate-student/graduate-student-at-large-business This program allows non-degree seeking students to enroll in actual Booth classes. Up to 3 classes can apply towards Booth degree requirements for students who eventually apply and matriculate as a Booth student. Students in this program will commonly explore classes like Financial Accounting, Microeconomics, and Business Statistics.
Chat Participant: Hi! Will we have the flexibility to take some of the classes remotely?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: For Autumn 2021 we are continuing to provide remote and dual modality courses. We are not yet 100% sure of the future of the program and the level of remote learning long term as those conversations are ongoing. We are hopeful that we will continue offering some type of virtual offering going forward, but those decisions are not yet finalized. Stay tuned :)
Chat Participant: Generally, how many classes are part time students taking at a time? Also, how many groups/clubs are students involved in?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director, Admissions: Generally part-time take 1-3 courses with 2 courses being the most popular option, but the program is flexible and you have the option to select the amount that works for you and your schedule. Students are generally involved in a number of groups - we have over 46 to select from, and generally students will be a leader in 1 or 2. I hope that helps!
Chat Participant: If you have time, what are your favorite classes? Thank you!
Tim Turner | Current MBA Student: There are so many great classes, but a few that stand out are New Venture Strategy, Leadership Studio, and Managing in Organizations
Student Life and Career Services Questions:
Chat Participant: Thanks for hosting the session. Can you please elaborate on the career services and placements for PT Students?
Marcus Wordlaw | Associate Director, Admissions: Career services is offered to all students and alumni. The department has adjusted hours for Evening and Weekend students’ schedules and workshops for career changers, career advancers, and entrepreneurs. Workshops include salary negotiation, professional resume review and mock interviews along with many more. Other resources include Campus Recruitment and a job database that allows students to apply to mid-high level positions while at Booth.
Chat Participant: Hi, I see that Booth holds certain diversity events throughout the year. Can you provide an example of one? How are they structured and how do they increase inclusivity?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: I can do my best to capture a few of the events Booth plays a role in. Our Alumni Relations team and alumni volunteers participate in our D&I Dialogues https://www.chicagobooth.edu/alumni/diversity-and-inclusion-dialogues Diversity and inclusion also have an increased presence in the LEAD curriculum. LEAD is a leadership development courses that all Booth students are required to take. Workshops such as Inclusive Leadership will allow you to take into account your identities and how unconscious bias plays a role in our decision making. There are also well-established affinity groups that host productive programming throughout the year. Some of these groups include the Minorities in Business, Graduate Women in Business, Pride Group, and OUTreach.
Chat Participant: What are some of the Entrepreneurial focused clubs/programs in Booth that I should check
Tim Turner | Current MBA Student: There are a couple of experiences I'd highlight. As far as clubs, there's Built@Booth which is student organization focused on entrepreneurship and venture capital. I'd also recommend looking into the New Venture Challenge - Booth's pitch competition which has been running for 25 years. There are also great class offerings such as Building the New Venture, New Venture Strategy, etc. that I'd recommend.
Chat Participant: Hi all, Thanks for hosting the session. I am curious about the activities of different clubs for the weekend program. Are the clubs usually active throughout the week or are there separate clubs for the weekend program. Would love to know more about it
Tim Turner | Current MBA Student: The student organizations span both Evening/Weekend program. The organizational leaders try to have programming on both the weekends and throughout the week so all students can participate. I'd say the balance of events are probably mostly on the weekends, so folks who are flying and local folks can both have access to them.
Chat Participant: Are there clubs or opportunities specifically designed to help women grow into leadership roles?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director, Admissions: We have the Graduate Women in Business Club, which hosts many opportunities for women to network, as well as different events for women in business. You can read about the club here: https://groups.chicagobooth.edu/gwb/home
Chat Participant: What kind of networking opportunities are available for the Weekend MBA students?
Tim Turner | Current MBA Student: There are several networking opportunities. Formally, there are several student-led organizations you can join that span both personal and professional interests. These organizations generally have their own networking events or other events where you can meet folks. You'll also network through coursework as classes tend to have at least some degree of group work component. Less formally, the time between classes on Saturdays or after classes during the week and on Saturdays is a great opportunity to network. I would use this time to grab food or beverages with my classmates to get to know them better. There are also fun events like the boat cruise, winter formal, ski trip, etc. where you can connect with your peers.
Chat Participant: Thanks for sharing Tim. Could you share more information about the events, I know that the previous year was virtual. Given that events are generally moving in-person, Do you think that clubs will continue to host virtual events. This would help me understand the effort required to actively participate.
Tim Turner | Current MBA Student: Sure - so I expect clubs will do a mix of in-person and virtual events going forward. There is a strong appetite among the student body to get back to the in-person connections we all appreciated prior to COVID, but I think student group leaders have learned that virtual events can be a viable option to allow traveling students to enjoy more programs and events. So I think you'll see clubs offering both, with probably a higher proportion of weekend events being in-person.
Chat Participant: Hello! Of course the situation is constantly changing, but do you anticipate short-term study abroad programs will return in 2022?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director, Admissions: This is a great question, and unfortunately we do not yet have an answer. We are eager to resume in-person events and travel, as long as it is safe, and we will always follow the university and all state and federal guidelines. I would encourage you to reach back out in the Fall (around October) as we will likely know more at that time.
Chat Participant: Can you elaborate on the resources that career services provides? How often do you meet with them and how do they help you? Also, are they still available to help you after graduating?
Tim Turner | Current MBA Student: There are many opportunities to engage with Career Services. If you're looking for support in making a career change, preparing for an interview, applying for a promotion, etc. you can reach out to Career Services to schedule an appointment. Beyond that, if you'd like to work on a strategic approach to your career plan, you can work with a career coach from the Leadership Office to create a development, assess your strengths, and chart your career path. Alumni also have access to career coaching upon graduation. No shortage of resources available, but it's up to the individual to proactively connect with Career Services and the Leadership Office to use these resources.
Chat Participant: What kind of full-time MBA resources can be shared with the weekend students? I've always wanted to attend a full-time program, but really don't want to leave my current job. So generally I'm wondering how different the weekend program can be in terms of the resources, experiences, etc.
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: You will find there are more similarities than differences between the part-time and full-time programs outside of their respective format. Booth faculty teach across the full-time and part-time programs. Experiential learning and lab classes are also available across programs. Since the faculty, classes, and degree requirements are the same across the programs, the MBA degree truly holds the same weight across the programs with no differentiations on the diploma. Full-Time students will of course have more time to invest in extracurricular and career development. However, Evening and Weekend students are able to take advantage of the same career resources (with the exception of internship recruiting). The Evening and Weekend programs also have 45 student groups that focus their programming and events on when part-time students are available (weeknights and especially Saturdays).
Chat Participant: How active are Booth alumni after graduation? If we never live in the Chicago area, are there still alumni events in other big cities area on the east/west coast, or even in Europe?
Tim Turner | Current MBA Student: Yes, there are several alumni events you can participate in. I think the biggest opportunity would be Management Conference / Reconnect, which serves as a bit of a reunion for Booth alumni every spring. Additionally, I believe local alumni chapters host events periodically throughout the year. But I'd add that if you make connections through the program and network, you can remain active in the alumni community by hanging out with the friends you made through the program.