collage of mothers at Booth with their families

Balancing an MBA with Family and Work Responsibilities

Booth students who are also parents discuss what it’s like balancing the MBA with family and work responsibilities. Read on to hear their first-hand perspectives.

In this blog, Chicago Booth students who are also parents provide their honest perspective of what it’s like to balance an MBA with family, work, and other responsibilities. Read on as they provide more context around (1) uncovering their work-life balance; (2) finding community within the Parents of Little Ones student group; and (3) advice for other mothers also considering an MBA.

About our Boothies...

Manu Chintapalli headshot

Manu Chintapalli is a first-year full-time MBA student at Chicago Booth. Manu started her career as a software engineer after earning her master’s in computer science, spending nearly a decade building products in tech. Over time, Manu found herself gravitating towards product management and strategy roles. She decided to pursue an MBA to formally build her business acumen, expand her leadership skills, and pivot fully into product management at a more strategic level. Manu chose Booth because she wanted to enroll in a program that would challenge her thinking with an analytical framework while also offering the flexibility to chart her own path. Booth’s flexible curriculum and strong tech recruiting resources made it the perfect fit.

Manu has a four year old son, and to him, Booth is more than just where his mom goes to school; it's where his little world has grown too. Through POLO, he's found his own community of friends who light up every event they attend. In fact, half the parents of his daycare buddies are Boothies, so familiar faces greet him everywhere--at playdates, birthday parties, and POLO gatherings. For Manu and her family, these moments are a reminder that their journey isn't one they are taking alone. Booth has given them a village and him a childhood full of friends, joy, and belonging.

Fun Facts about Manu: (1) Manu loves exploring global cuisines and trying to recreate dishes from her experiences. (2) She’s always been fascinated by retail and luxury, especially how people connect with brands. In her free time, she loves diving into consumer trends and behaviors, and dreams of channeling that passion into designing a product or launching something of her own one day. (3) Manu enjoys learning new languages and currently speaks four. She’s now learning her fifth: French!

 

Linnea Madsen headshot

Linnea Madsen is a part-time Evening MBA student at Chicago Booth. Linnea grew up in Chicago and went to the UChicago Lab school from ages 4-18, so she’s always been part of the UChicago community. The Harper Center was built around the time Linnea was in high school and remembers often going there for their off-campus lunches; she jokingly always hoped someone might think she was a Boothie and now can say that dream has become a reality! Linnea received her bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and then worked in digital marketing before becoming a programmer. During her time on maternity leave with her daughter, Rowan (22 months), Linnea had a lot of time to think about the next steps in her career. She decided to embrace her passion for tech leadership and strategy, and felt an MBA would be the perfect next step in her career trajectory. When she got her acceptance letter from Booth, she knew it was meant to be!

Fun Facts about Linnea: She loves to read and is in two book clubs! Her favorite read this year was The Lemon by SE Boyd, and her favorite parenting book is Thirty Million Words: Building a Child's Brain by Dana Suskind. She also loves Peloton (team Olivia and Power Zone Pack!) and along those lines is a sucker for any way to gamify her life.

More on their MBA Experience and Involvement within the Parents of Little Ones Student Group

What has been your experience balancing family time and your other responsibilities while pursuing your MBA?

family portrait of Manu Chintapalli with her husband and child

Manu: Balancing family and an MBA has been both rewarding and humbling. I consciously chose to pursue a full-time MBA because I wanted to fully focus on my academics and my child and family, rather than adding work as an additional layer, like I would have with a part-time program. That decision has allowed me to be more present in both worlds, even though there are still moments of juggling and tradeoffs. I’ve learned to let go of perfection and lean into “good enough” in some areas so I can be fully present where it matters most, whether it’s showing up for my child’s milestones or making the most of classroom discussions. My partner’s support has been invaluable; he manages a demanding full-time remote job while stepping in with our child whenever I have classes, assignments, or recruiting events, and I contribute whenever I can to balance the load. It truly takes a team, and I’m grateful we’ve been able to navigate this chapter together.

selfie of Linnea Madsen and her daughter

Linnea: It has been an added challenge. I don’t really have a personal village as my mother passed last year, my father is almost 90, and my in-laws live in another country. With that in mind, we often need to find childcare when I’m in class since my husband also has evening commitments. Even with most of my peers not having kids’ schedules to worry about when planning meeting times for group work, no one I’ve worked with has been anything but kind and accommodating.

How has the Parents of Little Ones (POLO) student group provided you with a sense of community while at Booth?

Manu Chintapalli with her husband and son at Easter Egg Hunt event at Harper Center

Manu: POLO has been a lifeline. It’s a space where you’re surrounded by people who just get it, who understand what it’s like to juggle nap schedules, school drop-offs, and recruiting events. Beyond practical tips, POLO has given me a sense of belonging in a business school environment that can sometimes feel geared toward traditional paths. I’ve loved this community so much that I’m now co-chairing it, which has been incredibly meaningful. It’s reminded me that parenthood and ambition can coexist, and it’s been inspiring to share this chapter with other parents carving their own paths.

What advice would you give to mothers who are considering pursuing their MBA?

family portrait of Manu Chintapalli with her husband and child

Manu: If you’re considering an MBA as a mother, my biggest advice is: believe in your “why.” There will be sacrifices, and some moments will feel overwhelming, but staying rooted in your purpose will carry you through. Build your village early, whether it’s family, friends, or fellow parents, and don’t hesitate to ask for help. Also, give yourself grace: you don’t need to excel in everything at once. There’s strength in showing your kids what it looks like to chase dreams, even if the path is messy.

selfie of Linnea Madsen and her daughter

Linnea: It will be hard in different ways depending on your life and support system. However, try to keep in mind that you’re doing this for your future self as well as your children. The opportunity to expand your own horizons by learning helps you grow as a person, as well as opening up career development opportunities. I also think it’s easy to feel guilty about leaving your children to study, but it’s actually setting a great example for them about setting your mind to something and accomplishing goals.

Check Out More Recent Stories from Mothers at Chicago Booth across All MBA Programs…

We hope after hearing more about the student experience as a parent at Chicago Booth you have a better understanding of the feasibility of pursuing your MBA as a parent and what resources Booth has in place to help you along the way. As you continue to learn more about Chicago Booth, we encourage you to sign up to receive more information from us regarding application tips, upcoming virtual and in-person events, latest news from the Booth community, and more.

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