Jenett Cheng is a Full-Time MBA student at Chicago Booth who applied through our deferred MBA program, known as the Chicago Booth Scholars Program. Jenett is originally from New Jersey, she studied Economics and Business Analytics at Rutgers. After graduating, she moved to Chicago and spent three years at NielsenIQ working in different roles across the commercial organization, helping CPG companies use consumer data to better understand everyday shoppers. Jenett has always taken a developmental approach to her career, so she wanted to focus on building skills first before deciding exactly where she wanted to land. Over time, she realized she wanted to pivot into tech to work on products that impact consumers at scale. Booth felt like the perfect place to make that transition while filling in skill gaps along the way.
Read on to learn more from Jenett Cheng about the Chicago Booth Scholars Program and the benefits of applying to a deferred MBA program.
The Chicago Booth Scholars (CBS) Program is Chicago Booth’s deferred MBA option open for undergraduate students to apply during your senior year. This program is great for college students who have interest in pursuing an MBA in the future. Because you apply during undergrad and secure your seat early, you alleviate any stressors associated with applying to our Full-Time or Part-Time MBA Programs while balancing job responsibilities. The added flexibility to defer your admission for 2-5 years allows you to go out and explore your career interest.
What stood out to me about the Booth Scholars Program was the chance to secure something I already knew I wanted to do while still exploring early in my career. Booth also has an incredibly strong community culture, which was especially appealing since I graduated college during COVID and felt like I missed out on that experience. I was also attracted to Booth’s academic flexibility. After double majoring in undergrad with a very structured schedule, the idea of “choose your own adventure” academics was quite exciting. Ultimately, I figured: If I knew an MBA was in my future, why not try for it now?
From what I remember, the application process itself was pretty straightforward. The more challenging part is really reflecting on why you want an MBA and how it fits into your story, especially since you’re applying before having full-time work experience. My advice would be to spend time understanding your own working style and what you hope to explore professionally, even if you don’t have a five-year plan. Also, be original and let your personality come through; I actually wrote my personal statement about hot pot. And of course, pick recommenders who really know you and submit everything on time.
What was the application process like? Any advice for individuals considering the Chicago Booth Scholars Program?
During the deferment period, Booth offered a connection program that paired deferred students together, which was a great way to start meeting people early. Through that program I actually met a good friend via her now-fiancé, and I’m going to their wedding next month. I also tried to attend Booth programming whenever possible. We had a deferral day that was similar to Booth Bound Admitted Student Weekend, and I met two people there who ended up matriculating the same year as me. They’re still close friends to this day!
How did you stay engaged with Booth during the deferment period?
At Booth, I’ve been recruiting in tech and staying relatively function-agnostic as I explore different roles in the industry. One course I highly recommend is New Products and Services, which was a great hands-on introduction to building and evaluating product ideas. I’ve also really enjoyed Competitive Strategy and Consumer Behavior, both of which felt directly applicable to tech and product thinking. Outside the classroom, the Booth Technology Group, the Kilts Center, Career Services programming, and my classmates have all been incredibly helpful resources throughout the process.
What industry are you pursuing at Chicago Booth, and what Booth-specific resources have you found most helpful?
I’ve been involved in a range of communities, including serving as co-chair of the Asian American Student Association (AASA), Boxing Club, and AudioBooth. I’m also a tour guide. I led a Random Walk my second year and during my first year helped with Booth’s Admitted Student Weekend (Booth Bound) and TechCon. One of the great things about Booth is that friendships form everywhere—through clubs, events, tours, and even welcoming incoming students. Some of my favorite moments have been meeting prospective students on a tour and later seeing them show up at Booth Bound as admits. One student I met during admit weekend even joined my Random Walk and is now an incoming AASA co-chair!
Tell us more about your involvement at Chicago Booth and how it’s contributed to the connections you’ve made throughout your MBA journey.
Click here to learn more about the Chicago Booth Scholars Program.
If applying to a deferred MBA program interests you, we encourage you to connect with us to receive more information about the program and its benefits.
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