Executive MBA

Asia

Live Chat With Executive MBA Admissions

Curious about applying to Chicago Booth's Executive MBA Program? Join us for a live chat with Admissions staff where we will answer questions about the admissions process, tips for application, student life, and other program-related questions.

Thursday, January 08, 2015: Noon - 1 p.m. CT

From -> To Message
Moderator -> Everyone Hello everyone! Thank you for joining us today. Our chat will begin promptly at 12:00 p.m. CDT. Feel free to begin submitting your questions now so we can start providing answers at noon.
Moderator -> Everyone Hello everyone! Our chat will begin promptly at 12:00 p.m. CDT and last 30 minutes. Feel free to begin submitting your questions now.
Melissa -> Everyone Welcome Everyone! Thank you for joining us today! I am looking forward to answering your questions today.
Toby -> Everyone Hi everyone - I'm exited to chat with you this afternoon.
Moderator -> Everyone Hello everyone. Welcome to our live chat! We are eager to answer all your questions for the next 30 minutes, so please continue to submit them.
Marie -> Toby The tuition fees include accomodation for the week in Hong Kong and the week in London. My parents live in Hong Kong and my sister in London. Do i need to pay for accomodation or can I stay with them?
Toby -> Marie Hi Mari - thanks for joining us today. This question is not uncommon but yes - you would still pay for the accommodations. We find with the late hours of studying and socializing student certainly prefer to be in the same facility as their classmates.
Sarah_McPhee -> Melissa Good morning, almost afternoon. My first question is about the difference between the programs offered within the MBA Program. Specifically, what percentage of the Executive MBA Program is offered online for full-time professionals?
Melissa -> Sarah_McPhee Sarah, thank you for your question. As of now, there are no online course offerings for our Executive MBA students. All of the courses content is delivered in person in the classroom. This allows for a dynamic classroom environment and enhanced learning. All of our students are working professionals so the structure of the program is designed with that in mind (classes generally held on Fridays and Saturdays).
yasinshahzad -> Toby how much is fee ? how long is course? can i get finacial assistance or loan ? if how much? i am US Citizen with SS Income of onlyUS$606.00 PER MONTH. 73 YEARS OLD.
Toby -> yasinshahzad Hi yasinshahzad - tuition for the 21 month program is $174,000. We do provide support for financial aid in the form of federal student loans.
Ryan -> Melissa Hello. What is the high-level admissions schedule for EMBA Round #2 (deadline 2/2)? Specifically, when can applicants expect to be notified of a decision?
Melissa -> Ryan Ryan, the application deadline is, as you mentioned, is February 2nd. We will review applications and invite applicants in for an interview during the couple of weeks following that deadline. We have an interview day on Saturday, February 21 but will also be conducting interviews in our office during the week. Following the completed interview, we generally tell people to expect a decision within about six weeks.
alex_z -> Melissa how much is distance learning, versus in class?
Melissa -> alex_z Alex, as I mentioned previously, all the learning takes place in the classroom. We do not offer any online course options at this time.
Marie -> Toby Can you estimate the amount of work that needs to be done outside of class hours?
Toby -> Marie Hi Marie - the amount of work outside of class is quite dependent upon your own expertise - for example an accountant spends less time studying for accounting courses than marketing courses. That said - I've heard everywhere from 5-20 hours spent outside of class studying. The last thing I would add is that you are not taking these courses in a vacuum - you are with a study group of about 6 people throughout the program for support as well.
Mark -> Toby Have the elective courses been determined for the XP86 class?
Toby -> Mark Good question Mark - no - actually we just finalized classes for XP-85.
Michael -> Toby what's the duration and cost for EMBA?
Toby -> Michael Hi Michael - 21 months - $174,000
Amit -> Toby Are people admitted in the program on a rolling basis?
Toby -> Amit Hi Amit - yes - we admit on a rolling basis. Our final application deadline is April 1st but I encourage you to submit your application as soon as you believe it is ready.
Scott -> Melissa Hello-First, thank you for providing this forum for prospective students. I am in the final step of gaining company approval to support my eMBA (...a lengthy process). Are my admissions chances lessened by applying within the last deadline?
Melissa -> Scott Scott, good question and good luck gaining support from your company! We are deliberate in managing the diversity of the class make up. As such, you will not see more than about 15% of our students coming from one particular industry or one particular function area. With this in mind, I generally tell applicants that it is helpful to apply earlier. However, we will absolutely still have space available for our final application deadline. In addition, we would not turn away a qualified applicant. Instead, if we felt there was an over representation from that person's industry / function, we would accept them for the following year.
alex_z -> Toby what is the size of the alumni for eMba? or MBA?
Toby -> alex_z Hi alex_z - there are just under 50,000 Chicago Booth alumni spread all over the world. About 6000 are EMBA.
Michael -> Toby I took three months courses preparing PMP exam, can that be accounted as some sort of credit?
Toby -> Michael Chicago Booth does not accept transfer credit of any kind from any institution... so unfortunately no.
Ryan -> Melissa Is there any published GMAT data for current students in Booth's EMBA program? The data available via US News and World Report appears to be for the full-time program.
Melissa -> Ryan Ryan, we offer the opportunity for our applicants to waive the GMAT requirement based on their work experience and analytical background. As such, the GMAT data we collect is not complete and we therefore do not publish averages or minimums.
Mark -> Toby Is it possible for a spouse to also attend a class visit?
Toby -> Mark Hi Mark - that would be great! - just let us know in advance. Getting buy-in from a spouse/partner is incredibly important.
Laks -> Melissa is it mandatory to be employer sponsored for enrolling in Exec MBA course ?
Melissa -> Laks Laks, you will be required to submit a letter of support from your employer to participate in the program. This letter is an acknowledgment that your employer supports you in this endeavor and in the time required away from the office. They do not have to support you financially.
Marie -> Toby can you tell me where in HK the campus is located?
Toby -> Marie We are currently in the Cyberport (100 Cyberport Rd.) through 2017 and are constructing a new building of our own on the west side of Mt. Davis.
Susan_OBrien -> Melissa Hello Everyone, I am wondering, if accepted into the EMBA program, could students buy books early to get a head start?
Melissa -> Susan_OBrien Susan, all course materials are included in the cost of the program. This is meant to ease your load and reduces the effort required of you to locate and purchase the materials. We definitely attempt to have materials available well in advance of the course start so you will have time to get a jump on things. For the first courses in June, the materials are mailed directly to you.
Scott -> Toby Melissa and Toby - Would a previous masters degree (MS) and previously taken graduate level statistics courses be considered in lieu of the GMAT?
Toby -> Scott Hi Scott - absolutely. The receive a GMAT waiver you will start an application and in the "GMAT Scores" section there is a place to apply for the waiver. We make waiver decisions weekly so you will find out quickly.
Amit_K. -> Toby Can you please explain more about the concept of International Study Group and how often they meet and what kind of activities / assignments they do ?
Toby -> Amit_K. the international study groups consist of 6 people - 2 from each campus (Chicago, London and Hong Kong) they only work together during the international portion of the program during the first quarter.
Marie -> Toby there is only one intake per year, correct?
Toby -> Marie Yes Marie - only one intake per year. We start the class in June each year.
Laks -> Melissa Is there any mandate that one has to be continuously employed while enrolled in Executive MBA program ?
Melissa -> Laks Laks, it is expected that our students maintain employment during their time in the program. However, unexpected things do occur and occasionally we have a student that becomes unemployed. When this occurs, students are not asked to leave the program.
Siva -> Toby When should I apply for loans and how long will it take to get approved?
Toby -> Siva Hi Siva - good question. I THINK February is the right time but don't quote me. I'm going to refer you to our financial aid office for this. Please contact the Chicago Booth office of Financial Aid at 773.702.3964 or email them at financial.aid@ChicagoBooth.edu.
Laks -> Melissa Can admissions secured this year be actually used for next academic year or following ?
Melissa -> Laks Laks, if accepted to the program, your admission will be for the June 2015 start. However, there have been circumstances in the past when an admitted applicant needs to defer their admission for some reason. Should this occur, we will work with you in attempting to defer your admission for one year.
Charles -> Melissa Just wanted to confirm: Booth XP MBA admissions accepts a score from either a GMAT or GRE exam, correct?
Melissa -> Charles Charles, this is correct!
Marc_M. -> Toby What is typical criteria/qualifications do you seek in an EMBA student? What are the typical constructs of your EMBA students in a given class? I'm a successful entrepreneur who's launched/sold/bought/manage privately held businesses and as such I often question the need for an MBA in my professional line of work.
Toby -> Marc_M. Hi Marc - great question.... each year we bring together a group of 90 people. We work very hard to make this a group of diverse individuals who are going to be able to add value to the conversations in the classroom. When evaluating applications I like for a candidate to explain to me how they believe they are going to add value to the experience of their classmates. On the other side we want to make sure that you understand what you're getting into. We ask you to explain what you hop to get out of the program and make sure that is in light with what we actually provide.
Steve -> Melissa Sounds like this GMAT waiver might allow me to apply sooner than I had hoped! What are the requirements for the waiver? I have two bachelors degrees and 14 years of work experience. My employer would absolutely provide a letter of support for an EMBA
Melissa -> Steve Steve, great question. Here is the information from our website on the GMAT waiver process:
Very senior level managers, usually with twelve or more years of management experience may be granted an exemption from the GMAT/GRE requirement. Examples might include CEOs, Managing Directors, CFOs, and Division Heads etc. A waiver may also be considered for a candidate whose work experience and training indicate a high level of quantitative and analytical skill and an ability to apply those skills to a rigorous and analytical MBA Program. Examples might include: Treasurer or Chief Accounting Officer, or a CFA, or a candidate possessing another advanced degree or diploma in a quantitative field. The criteria above are not meant to be exhaustive and candidates who believe they are able to provide evidence of similar quality not listed are encouraged to speak to an admissions representative. To be considered for a waiver, you must have completed the "personal," "academic record," and "work experience" sections of the application, and have uploaded a copy of your resume and transcripts. Your waiver request will not be processed until all of these sections are complete. Once these sections have been completed, please fill out the Waiver Request Form found in the application section "GMAT/GRE Scores." We will review your request and notify you of the decision on your waiver as soon as possible.
Susan_OBrien_ -> Melissa Thank you, Melissa. Regarding materials being mailed early & ahead of the official start of the program, would that be all the material for all the classes, or just the first quarter?
Melissa -> Susan_OBrien_ Susan, we distribute materials one quarter at a time so it will one be the first quarter's materials that you will receive in the mail.
Laks -> Melissa If I graduated from a university that is not in the US will I have to provide transcripts ? Most likely yes but does booth have a template that I can use. Pls help.
Melissa -> Laks Laks, you are required to submit a transcript from any university that you received a degree from. If you anticipate this being a problem, let's talk offline about your options. Feel free to email me at: melissa.patterson@chicagobooth.edu
Amit_K. -> Toby I understand that the major difference between regular MBA and EMBA is that students in EMBA cannot participate in the many extra-curricular activities that regular MBA students can. However, if an EMBA student wants to participate in the research centers, how would they do that remotely ?
Toby -> Amit_K. Hi Amit - your statement isn't entirely accurate. Executive MBA Students are able to participate in almost any of the extra-curricular events. The problem is proximity as you allude to. Working with the research centers is not limited to local students by any means. The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship for example works with students and alums all over the world. It's just a matter of reaching out to the right people - and we are happy to facilitate those connections once you're a student.
Semmy -> Melissa With years of work experience, Matsers degree and professional certifications.. Do I still need a GMAT to apply for the executive MBA?
Melissa -> Semmy Yes Semmy, a GMAT or GRE score is required for all applicants unless the applicant received a GMAT waiver. Please see my earlier post regarding the process for applying for this.
Mark -> Toby Thanks Toby. Follow up question on electives. Can we find the XP-85 electives list online, to get an idea of what is being offered for that group? This would be interesting to see.
Toby -> Mark Hi Mark - the best I can do for the purposes of the chat is send you to a list of courses offered over the past couple years. We try to update this as new courses are added. http://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/exec-mba/academics/curriculum/electives
Moderator -> Everyone Our chat is scheduled to end at 12:30. Due to the high volume of participation, we will continue answering questions submitted up to this point but will not be accepting new questions. Please remain online as we share our answers. Thank you for your interest!
David -> Melissa Honest answer - Do you think that people view the MBA program in the same regard as the EMBA program?
Melissa -> David David, good question and my response is - absolutely! Here at Chicago Booth, there are four paths for obtaining the same degree - full time, part-time evening, part-time weekend, and Executive MBA. All students at Chicago Booth take similar courses taught by the same faculty. In addition, your degree will say University of Chicago MBA and will make no mention of it being an Executive MBA.
Scott -> Moderator Melissa and Toby, thank you for all of your time and support today. This was very helpful. I look forward to submitting my application soon. Stay warm!
Scott -> Toby I am interested in attending one of the class visits. What can i expect from my visit and do you have suggestions on how I can maximize my time while there?
Toby -> Scott Hi Scott - when you show up for your visit you will be greeted by our program manager at the front desk and given a nametag and materials for the day. A current student will come meet you and host you for your visit. They will take you into the classroom, introduce you to the faculty and other classmates. You will sit in class and then network with students during the break and after class. Once class ends you are free to go.

The goal for the day in my opinion should be to get a a feel for the culture. To decide if this is an environment and group of people you feel connected to.
KN -> Melissa Hi Melissa/Toby, thank you for the opportunity to be able to ask questions. In your estimation, do you have candidates who come in, and are also interested in changing careers?
Melissa -> KN KN, great question and the answer is definitely yes. We generally classify our students into three categories when considering their future career path - career advancers, career changers and entrepreneurs. You will find students in the program in all three categories.
Marie -> Toby Does an EMBA hold as much value as an MBA in the job market?
Toby -> Marie Hi Marie - as far as Chicago Booth is concerned there is no difference. We are giving you an MBA - the format you take it in is conducive to the schedule of an executive.
Ryan -> Melissa From an admissions standpoint, to be candid, would it be detrimental to attend an official "information session" after the admissions deadline? I notice there is a session on Friday 2/13, approximately 10 days after the Round 2 deadline. It looks like I have a schedule conflict with the next Chicago "information session" on Saturday 1/17.
Melissa -> Ryan Ryan, I always think it is beneficial for any applicant to gain as much information about Chicago Booth and the Executive MBA program as possible when considering such an important investment. As such, it think it is a great idea to attend the Information Session on February 13th. In addition, I would also recommend a class visit for someone considering our program. You can sign up for a class visit at this link: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/exec-mba/admissions/visit/chicago
Alicia -> Toby Is the GMAT required/necessary for entry into this program? I've been in the workforce for over 20 years.
Toby -> Alicia Hi Alicia - we do offer an opportunity to get the GMAT waived. To apply for a waiver you start an application and in the "standardized scores" section of the application is a place for you to apply. We make these decisions weekly so you will know in advance of completing the rest of the application whether or not we need a GMAT from you.
Sanjay -> Melissa What is the approximate time frame for receiving a decision on a GMAT waiver request?
Melissa -> Sanjay Sanjay, GMAT waiver decision are turned around fairly quickly. You should have a decision within about a week to ten days of applying.
Marie -> Toby could you be a little bit more explicit about how the GMAT can be waived? what kind of work experience do you need? for example, i am a certified six sigma black belt. THe training for this certification includes a lot of statistics. Would I be able to waive the GMAT?
Toby -> Marie "Very senior level managers, usually with twelve or more years of management experience may be granted an exemption from the GMAT requirement. Examples might include CEOs, Managing Directors, CFOs, and Division Heads, etc. A waiver may also be considered for a candidate whose work experience and training indicate a high level of quantitative and analytical skill and an ability to apply those skills to a rigorous and analytical MBA Program. Examples might include: Treasurer or Chief Accounting Officer, or a CFA, or a candidate possessing another advanced degree or diploma in a quantitative field. The criteria above are not meant to be exhaustive and candidates who believe they are able to provide evidence of similar quality not listed are encouraged to speak to an admissions representative."
Virudhs -> Toby Good Afternoon. Is there a minimum GMAT score for EMBA program?
Toby -> Virudhs Hi Virughs - no. no minimum.
Alicia -> Toby Can I apply / fill out the application and defer for a year? Would that be possible?
Toby -> Alicia Yes - we encourage you to apply in the year you are ready to start but yes - you can defer your admission for one year.
Virudhs -> Moderator thanks toby
alex_z -> Melissa Is travel experience required. Is there an international business elective? are there any electives?
Melissa -> alex_z Alex, there is an international travel component to the program. All of our students spend a week in London the first July that they are in the program and a week in Hong Kong in August. In addition, we offer a two week elective period the second summer our students are in the program. All students are able to take about three to five electives during their time in the program. Students can chose to take electives that interest them or focus in a particular area such as capital markets, corporate finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, strategy, leadership and management.
Scott -> Toby I have done extensive research on the different eMBA programs available. I would love to hear from either of you what seperates Booth, in your opinion, from the other schools.
Toby -> Scott Hi Scott - I love this question. If you're considering Booth you're considering a lot of terrific schools. I believe that most of the top tier programs have great faculty (although I can argue ours are the best), great alums connections, and in general you're going to get a great education. That said big differentiators for us are the diversity of the class and the international experience. It's just hard to find a program that can compete with us in these areas.
alex_z -> Melissa Are case studies, and other group assignments done in class. or will this be via Skype and other communication tools
Melissa -> alex_z Alex, yes, there will be group work and assignments outside of class with your study group. Please see Toby's comment regarding study groups.
santosh -> Toby Is study group is valid only for first quarter, or you have different study group for each quarter
Toby -> santosh Hi Santosh - You are in 2 different study groups.
International Group: 6 people (2 from each campus) and you work with this group during your first quarter.
Local Group: 6ish people. this group is made up of people from your local cohort. These groups change every 2 quarters.
Steve -> Melissa This 21 month program being disucssed for EMBA with 5-20 hours spent outside studying - is this a part time program while still working full time? How much class time per week? My company will pay for my tuition however it must be part time (nights/evenings)
Melissa -> Steve Steve, the Executive MBA program is considered a part time program and our students maintain their full time employment during the program. With the exception of the five residency weeks, the general structure of the program is that classes are offered every other weekend all day Friday and all day Saturday (one class in the morning from 9:00am - 12:00pm and one in the afternoon from 1:30 - 4:30pm)
Sanjay -> Melissa What is the acceptance rate for the EMBA program?
Melissa -> Sanjay Sanjay, while we do not publish our acceptance rates, the Executive MBA program has a selective admissions process like our other Chicago Booth programs.
Alicia -> Toby Do you hold weekend classes? What is the schedule like for EMBA?
Toby -> Alicia Yes Alicia - we have classes on the weekends. Classes are usually held every other weekend all day Friday and Saturday. Class begins at 9 am and ends at 4:30pm.

Occasionally we have some Thursday afternoon or Sunday morning classes. You can click on the link below to see the full schedule for students starting this June.
Click Here
alex_z -> Melissa What are the typical businesses, and business sectors affliated with this program?Also, geographically, where do most of students come from to attend this eMBA?
Melissa -> alex_z Alex, please see this link for some information regarding the industry break down of the students that started this past June: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/exec-mba#simple2. About 60% of our current class is commuting in from outside of the Chicago area coming from states across the US and we have three countries represented here in the North America program (US, Canada and Mexico).
Moderator -> Everyone Thank you for joining us today. The chat session has now ended. We apologize if we were unable to answer all questions submitted. You can review the chat transcript at http://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/exec-mba/admissions/events/north-america/online-events. Thank you for your interest.
Toby -> Everyone Thank you everyone for all of your great questions today. Please continue the conversation with us by joining us at one of our on campuses information sessions or coming to visit a class. Have a great day!
Melissa -> Everyone Thank you so much for joining us today! I enjoyed chatting with you online and am available at melissa.patterson@chicagobooth.edu to answer any additional questions.