Tips for Submitting Your Best Application

What makes an application to business school competitive? Applicants often worry about having the most relevant information on their resume, including a high-profile recommendation or strong test score. It’s important to note that Chicago Booth takes a holistic approach when evaluating applications for admission. This means that no one piece of your candidacy is more important than any other. Knowing that, there are a few tips our Admissions team is happy to share that will help you submit your best application.

1. Think about your goals and articulate them.

Before you even start an application, consider your rationale. Why are you pursuing an Executive MBA Program? What do you hope to achieve, and how will Booth get you there? Start by writing down your motivations for doing an MBA and be sure to align those to concrete goals, whether that means career advancement, exploring a new field, expanding your skill set, or launching an entrepreneurial idea.

2. Do your research.

Research all aspects of our program, from curriculum to community, to understand why an Executive MBA from Chicago Booth will be the best fit for you. Register for events, talk with current students and alumni, or even try to visit a class. These different touchpoints will all provide valuable insight into the student experience at Booth.

Do you want a global experience? Is the time commitment realistic for you? What industries do the other students come from? What kind of elective courses are available? These are all important questions to address before you apply to business school. The admissions committee will evaluate how your objectives align with Booth, but not before you’ve also had a chance to do the same from your side.

3. Get your materials in order.

Resume and Essay

Your career milestones and educational background help us to understand your previous experience and the value you will contribute to the classroom as well as your readiness for the Executive MBA Program. To help us assess, we look to your professional resume as a summary of your career achievements. Instead of listing out your job duties, focus on leadership and impact—what have you done to drive real outcomes in your organization or industry? If you can quantify that impact, that’s even better.

You can also share details that shed light on who you are outside of the office. If you sit on a board, participate in civic organizations, or speak at conferences, include those activities. Be sure to make these specific and highlight how the experiences can add additional perspective to your MBA cohort.

The required application essay is another touchpoint that helps us understand who you are, your self-awareness, and your aspirations for the future. We want to know why you’re pursuing Booth for your Executive MBA experience and how the program is going to help you achieve your goals. For more advice on how to approach the required essay for Chicago Booth’s Sokolov Executive MBA Program, check out insights from Booth alumnus, Rick Weiland MBA ’80 (XP-45) here.

Transcripts, Test Scores, and Test Waivers

Chicago Booth is an academically rigorous institution, and we want to ensure you can demonstrate academic readiness as you prepare to re-enter the classroom. Your educational and professional background provides insight into your abilities. This includes academic transcripts and standardized test scores.

Applicants are asked to satisfy the testing requirement in one of three ways: (1) automatic test waiver, (2) submitting a test waiver review request, or (3) submitting a standardized test score. To learn more about Chicago Booth’s Executive MBA exam requirements and waiver options click here.

Transcripts are also required for any postsecondary courses you have completed. When reviewing transcripts, we are looking for course names, credits, marks or grades, class rank (if applicable), and your dates of enrollment. As a global admissions team based in Chicago, London, and Hong Kong, we are well-versed with educational systems outside of the United States. A few low grades is no reason to panic, but if your overall academic record is not strong then you may want to address this in the short answer section and bring additional focus to other aspects of your application.

Many Executive MBA candidates have not taken an exam in years. We understand and want to reiterate that standardized test scores may not be necessary for Booth applicants who automatically qualify or request a test waiver review. For individuals taking the exam, we strongly recommend setting aside time to prepare for one of the three accepted standardized tests: Executive Assessment, GMAT, or GRE. For those less familiar, the Executive Assessment is a good option for Executive MBA candidates. It was specifically developed to capture the real-world skills of executives and is more streamlined and shorter in duration than the GMAT and GRE.

Letter of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit one letter of recommendation. This letter should come from a current supervisor, who can assess both your strengths and your areas for growth. If it’s not feasible to ask your immediate supervisor or maybe you own your own business, choose another professional contact, such as a former supervisor, a business partner, someone your boss reports to, a manager from another department, or a client. Just be sure to explain in your application why you are not selecting your current supervisor.