October 6, 2021 Live Admissions Chat
Evening Weekend Admissions Live Chat
10/06/2021
Admissions Questions
Chat Participant: What is the policy regarding admission deferment for the Weekend program? The reason I'm asking is that my employer would need enough lead time to relocate me to the Chicago area.
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Deferrals are handled on a case-by-case basis. Approvals for deferrals are typically reserved for situations that occur after a candidate submits their application. Our applications typically open about 6 months prior to its respective deadline. I recommend submitting an application farther in advance prior to the deadline you are targeting. If you would walk through your specific situation, you are welcome to email me at patrick.mchale@chicagobooth.edu and I'll be happy to chat!
Chat Participant: I have a question about the Civic Scholars Program; "The Chicago Booth Civic Scholars Program offers substantial tuition awards up to 100 percent to MBA students who work in a 501(c) designated nonprofit organization or for the government." What determines the amount of tuition award a student for this program receives?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Scholarship amount is determined by application strength, which includes but is not limited to academic achievement, professional progression, and alignment of goals with Booth and the mission of the Civic Scholars Program
Chat Participant: Is the Civic Scholars Program compatible with the joint JD/MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, it is not possible to jointly apply to both of these programs.
Chat Participant: Would like to get a better idea of the time commitment involved in the evening vs weekend program. Is it possible to outline a typical week in the respective programs?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director, Admissions: For sure! The great part about a Booth MBA is that flexibility is the name of the game. You can create a schedule that meets and works with your own personal schedule. Most students take two courses per semester on average, which would equal two class sessions per week. However, you can take more than that, less than that, or take a given semester off if you have a lot of responsibilities during a certain time. Part-Time Booth MBA students have up to 5 years to complete their degree, so you can go at a pace that works best for you. The main difference between Evening & Weekend is just when the classes would be taken. Evening classes take place on weeknights while weekend courses take place on Saturdays.
Chat Participant: Is there a session planned to interact with current students to learn about their academic experience and tips for application?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: I recommend keeping an eye on our admissions events here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/events. Many of our events offer a partial/full Q&A session where you can interact with students/alumni, ask application questions, and learn more about the academic experience beyond what is on our website.
Chat Participant: Is it typical for those that live and work in Chicago to participate in the evening or weekend program
Skyler Adams | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes! 91% of our Evening MBA students live in Illinois, and 23% of our Weekend MBA students live in Illinois.
Chat Participant: Would it be possible to transfer from the weekend/evening program into the full-time program or vice versa?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director, Admissions: Hello! We are not able to facilitate a transfer from the Evening/Weekend program into the Full-Time MBA program. We recommend applying to the program that best meets your needs when it comes to pursuing your MBA. All courses are offered across all programs, and faculty teach across all programs. It is essentially the same MBA experience, but part-time students continue working full time, which is the big difference.
Chat Participant: I was wondering if you could describe the timeline after you submit your application in terms of interview invitations and final admissions decisions.
Skyler Adams | Associate Director, Admissions: Sure thing! We offer rolling admissions and about 80% of our applicants submit the week of the deadline. Unlike rounds, we begin reviewing your application once it is received and complete and typically process within 4-6 weeks. We do not wait until the deadline to begin our application review. If you are invited to interview, you will hear from an Admissions Committee member 7-10 business days after submitting a completed application.
Chat Participant: Is the weekend MBA open to out of state students? If yes, what steps do you take to make classes more and more online for ease in case one cannot make it every weekend?
Amber Agarwal | Current Student: Yes, both the evening & weekend programs are available for everyone from any geography across the world. Historically, there was no online option available and students were expected to attend in person during weekday evenings and Saturday. However, since COVID started, the pattern has shifted to dual modality for a few classes. This change is temporarily and the management is working on quarter by quarter basis to determine the courses available as dual modality (both in person & virtual option available) or in person only classes. In addition to that, you may ask the admissions coordinator you are working with to connect with some specific group of current students or Alums. They would be more than happy to connect you with the right group (may be based on location, job profiles etc.). Also LinkedIn is a great platform to connect with other Boothies.
Chat Participant: In terms of professional progression and goal alignment, what does a strong application package for the Civic Scholars Program look like, generally? Specific examples are fine, too, if that's easier to outline.
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: In regards to the Civic Scholars program, strong experience in the non-profit and government sectors is expected. In addition, we expect a commitment to staying within these fields by using a Booth MBA to advance your career. There are many great opportunities for graduate programs for individuals in these sectors. Strong applications are expected to include a strong reasoning as to why the Booth MBA program is their ideal program of choice.
Chat Participant: Can international students who work on OPT enroll in the part-time program?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director, Admissions: That is a great question! When it comes to the student visa, the main concern would be working to ensure that your visa would stay active for as long as you would need to complete the program. Given that we are unable to provide student visas through the part-time program, it will be important to make sure you have a valid work visa that will carry you through the program. If you are looking for more information on this, feel free to reach out to our admissions hotline and we can provide some more information. eveningweekend-admissions@chicagobooth.edu
Chat Participant: Good afternoon, I want to know the investment of the evening MBA
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: You can find more information about program costs here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/cost. Please note that students are required to complete 20 courses in order to earn the MBA. The total cost for the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA programs is roughly $150,000.
Chat Participant: Hi-- what are some ways that we can engage with the Booth community during the admissions cycle, and prior to starting in the MBA program? Maybe connecting with alumni, attending events, etc
Amber Agarwal | Current Student: There are tons of events organized by the admissions team throughout the year, Check out the link: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/events. Also you may ask the admissions coordinator to connect you with any Booth alums and current students. Additionally, LinkedIn is a great platform to find and connect with Boothies.
Chat Participant: Hi there! Are there any plans of bringing back the campus visits, as well as attending a class?
Stephanie Gunn | Director of Admissions: We are hoping to resume campus visits for visitors as soon as possible, but are not quite there yet as we settle into the Autumn quarter and focus on resumption of in-person activities for students, faculty, and staff. We are hoping for some in-person opportunities for prospective students towards the end of the year and class visits in 2022. Stay tuned! In the meantime, we have various virtual events and the Masterclass Series for an inside look at the classroom.
Chat Participant: Can I apply for the evening MBA program if I don’t have 3+ years of full time work experience?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director, Admissions: Good question! Yes, we do have students apply with less than 3 years of professional experience. We encourage applicants to apply when they feel the time is right for them, and it is important that you articulate why now is the right time to pursue your MBA at Chicago Booth in your application. We also do have a program specifically for students with less than 3 years of professional experience called the Chicago Business Fellows Program. You can learn more about this program by clicking this link: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/early-career-programs/chicago-business-fellows
Chat Participant: So if you can take courses across programs for any given quarter, does an applicant need to specify evening vs weekend when applying? From a timing perspective, how much time is needed between taking the GMAT and applying & start of classes? Are new students starting every quarter, or only once a year?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, you will need to open and submit an application for either the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA program. Being an Evening or Weekend MBA student will determine your priority enrollment group of courses (Evening students first select from Monday-Friday evening courses and Weekend students first select from Friday evening and Saturday courses. Open enrollment across programs occurs after the priority enrollment phase). The timeline to work on the application, take the GMAT, GRE, or EA, and starting classes will vary by individual. Test scores are valid for 5 years, so some candidates may start their application already with test scores. The Evening MBA and Weekend MBA programs have incoming students for all 4 quarters of the year. Available applications are on our webpage here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply
Chat Participant: Can you detail the admission profile desired for the MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: I recommend reviewing our class profile here to get a better sense of our Evening MBA and Weekend MBA population: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/class-profile
Chat Participant: On your Weekend MBA program, do you have students who are out of state and would travel to Chicago for the class? Is commuting weekly by air advisable or would relocating be the wise choice if admitted?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director, Admissions: Hello! Excellent question. We see a large portion of our weekend MBA students commute to campus on a weekly basis. In fact, 77% of our weekend MBA students travel from outside of Illinois. With that, we have seen our out of town weekend students meet up with fellow Boothies along the way and form their own travel groups! Some students may choose to relocate, but it is by no means a requirement or necessary. At the end of the day, we recommend finding which option would work best for you as the individual. For a breakdown of our class profile and national footprint in the Evening & Weekend MBA program, please see this webpage. https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/class-profile
Chat Participant: For the letters of recommendation, does one start the application process and the two authors are contacted directly? Or should the applicant approach the two colleagues and ask for these letters directly? Is there specific content the recommendations should address?
Stephanie Gunn | Director of Admissions: We encourage you to have a conversation with your recommenders as soon as possible so they have ample time to consider your request and write the recommendation letters. When you input their information into the application, an email will be generated and sent out to them so it's important to give them a heads up before this step happens. If you open up the accordion called "Two Letters of Recommendation" on this website you will see the exact questions we ask of your recommenders. Providing them this information in advance would be helpful. https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply
Chat Participant: Which is the difference between the Part-Time MBA vs Chicago Business Fellows Program? Regardless of the work experience.
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Chicago Business Fellow students are still considered Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students. They have access to the same courses, resources, and experiences as the general Evening/Weekend population. CBF students have optional opportunities each quarter to participate in events focused on professional development and networking for early career professionals.
Chat Participant: Is it okay to put extra-curricular and volunteering aspects in the resume along with professional experience? I do see those aspects useful to highlight my complete profile.
Skyler Adams | Associate Director, Admissions: Hi - good question! Yes, you certainly can add extra-curricular and volunteering aspects to your resume. There is also a spot in the application where you can list hobbies and interests.
Chat Participant: Are there specific scholarship opportunities that I can explore apart from Financial Aid option?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director, Admissions: We offer our Chicago booth Merit based scholarships for our Weekend and Evening Programs! If you are admitted to the program, you are automatically considered for one of these scholarships and there is no additional application to be reviewed! You can find out more about financial aid and scholarship on this page of our website! https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/scholarships-and-aid. There's information about both financial aid and scholarship there. Hope this helps!
Chat Participant: Hello! Are you able to use an advanced degree (PhD) to substitute testing requirements? If not, how long are scores good for?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: All Evening MBA and Weekend MBA applicants are required to submit valid test scores from the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment. Unfortunately, we do not offer waivers for this application requirement.
Academic Questions
Chat Participant: For weekend MBA students, can they choose which campus to attend, Downtown chicago campus or the main campus?
Amber Agarwal | Current Student: The weekend classes typically happens at Gleacher Center. However you may choose to attend some of the classes in the Full Time section happening at Harper Center.
Chat Participant: Are there any opportunities for Weekend MBA students to study abroad at Booth's London campus?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Unfortunately, classes at the London campus are for Executive MBA students. However, there are plenty of opportunities to student internationally! You can explore more options here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/international-programs-and-study-abroad
Chat Participant: For evening MBA students interested in global exposure abroad, can you participate in both an IBEP quarter and a short term program, or are you limited to a single IBEP experience?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Students can take up to 2 courses through IBEP, which can be short-term or long-term.
Chat Participant: It looks like there are full-quarter study abroad opportunities with the London School of Economics and London Business School. Are those opportunities typically offered every year?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Yes, these are typically offered every year.
Chat Participant: So logistically speaking, could one take all their classes on Saturday or Sunday in the weekend program vs multiple trips per week in the evening program? In other words could weekend be more efficient of commute is a consideration?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director, Admissions: Students enrolled in the Weekend MBA program will have all of their courses offered on Saturday and Sunday. You can take advantage of courses across programs, however. For example, if you wanted to take a Friday evening course for one quarter, you can do that. There is a tremendous amount of flexibility in setting your course schedule.
Chat Participant: Hi, I am a software engineer and one of my big reasons for wanting to get an MBA is to gain the skills to transition to entrepreneurship eventually. I have a rough idea for my venture- I was hoping you could talk a little about the resources available to students to create business plans to commercialize their ideas. I am particularly worried about access to entrepreneurship resources and professors as I will be flying in from California on weekends for classes.
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Thanks for joining us today! I recommend taking a look at our Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation https://polsky.uchicago.edu as well as our course search tool https://intranet.chicagobooth.edu/pub/coursesearch/coursesearch. As you will see, Weekend students are still able to tap into these resources and accelerate their entrepreneurial career.
Chat Participant: Hi. What makes the booth part-time MBA different from other part-time program? There are plenty of online resources discussing what makes the full-time MBA different, and far less discussing the part-time MBA. Any insights or directions to relevant resources would be much appreciated. Thank you!
Amber Agarwal | Current Student: Academic wise - the Full Time program is exactly same as the part time programs. You get to attend classes from the same professors across the three sections. Additionally, you may also attend some Full Time classes depending on your time schedule and vice versa wherein Full Time students attends some of the evening / weekend classes. With regards to clubs, Evening / Weekend have their separate SAC board and manages the club activities solely for evening weekend students. We have more than 40 student led clubs at Booth organizing fun / informational events all year long.
Student Life and Career Services Questions
Chat Participant: What are the career counseling activities to help guide the student towards choosing a major and/or specific direction of the program?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director, Admissions: Great question! Our academic services team is an excellent resource to assist students in selecting courses and navigating the curriculum. Students are not required to declare a concentration in advance. Students are aware of the concentration requirement and select courses in the concentrations they are looking to complete.
Chat Participant: How does the cohort experience differ between the evening and weekend MBA programs?
Stephanie Gunn | Director of Admissions: The Evening and Weekend MBA Programs are very similar in terms of structure and design. The biggest difference is when you take your classes. Evening classes take place Monday-Fridays in the Evening and Weekend classes take place on Saturdays.
Chat Participant: What are some of the ways students maintain a sense of connection to other students in a part-time program?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director, Admissions: There are lots of ways that we facilitate community building between students! We put on numerous events throughout the year for our students to engage with one another, as well as with our robust alumni network. We also have numerous student clubs specific to the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA program. You can learn more about the student experience at Booth by clicking this link: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/student-experience
Chat Participant: Could you please describe the career placement and internship options that the program facilitates. Do you practice placing the students into real-life projects at companies for a short period, i.e. study internship?
Amber Agarwal | Current Student: There's a dedicated team of career coaches available to help the evening weekend opportunities with the internship and full time job positions. The Booth portal - GTS is updated throughout the year with internship / Full time jobs. In addition to that one can participate in the OCR (On Campus Recruitment) to get into the Full Time jobs. There are many student groups too such as Booth Consulting Club, Corporate & Strategy Group which brings in career opportunities for the current students.