November 9, 2021 Live Admissions Chat
Evening Weekend Admissions Live Chat
11/09/2021
Admissions Questions
Chat Participant: Is there an age restriction to be admitted in the week-end or evening MBA program?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! We do not have an age restriction for our MBA program. In our current class profile, we currently have students with ages between 22 and 48. At the end of the day, what we look for is to understand how our specific MBA program can help you in reaching your next step
Chat Participant: Is it possible to change the Weekend program to Evening Program incase my job allows me to relocate to Chicago?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hi - great question! It is possible to transfer one time between the Weekend program and Evening program. You cannot, however, transfer from the Part-Time MBA program to the Full-Time MBA program. That being said, no matter what program you're in, you will have the opportunity to take courses across programs should your schedule permit.
Chat Participant: Hi, I was wondering if anyone could talk about the CBF program. Are there any additional social and professional development opportunities offered in this program? Also, how is the CBF cohort integrated into the Evening/Weekend MBA programs?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Students who are a part of the Chicago Business Fellows program (3 years or less of full-time work experience) are still considered Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students. CBF students are fully immersed in the Booth community. They take classes and are in student groups with other Evening and Weekend students. CBF students are able to participate in 2 events/programs per quarter specifically designed for part-time early career candidates. These main focus on professional and social skill development, such as etiquette dinners, career services workshops, reserved tables at upcoming professional conferences, and more!
Chat Participant: What is the maximum scholarship offered and will the scholarship be adjusted as the 1st fee installment in the 1st quarter itself or will it be adjusted across all quarters?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - great question! We do offer merit aid to competitive applicants, and that amount ranges from $10-30,000. The amount would be stretched across 10 quarters, which is the average completion time of the program.
Chat Participant: For Merit-based aid, what are the primary drivers to receive?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: In general, we select merit scholarship recipients from the quarter's applicant pool who demonstrate significant academic and professional success. A typical scholarship recipient is expected to have strong test scores, grades, and recommendation letters. Like the application review process, the scholarship review process is holistic.
Chat Participant: What is an average time of completion of an MBA course for evening and weekend MBA?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: The average time is 2.5 years, but you have up to 5 years to complete the program.
Chat Participant: Besides the amount of work experience, are there any separate requirements for the Chicago Business Fellows Program that differ from the evening and weekend application requirements?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - good question! There are not any special requirements for Chicago Business Fellows applicants beyond the expectation of three or less years of professional experience. The program is a subset of Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs that offers the same academic experience and MBA degree with additional professional development opportunities and social programming.
Chat Participant: Are there admissions statistics reported specifically for the CBF program versus the broader part-time program or should we think of admission criteria as largely the same
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: The class profile for CBF versus the Evening/Weekend community are largely the same, with the exception of years of work experience. This includes test score, grades, reasons for applying to Booth, and so on.
Chat Participant: What are some typical trends for out of state students, specifically for non-driving distance? Do they eventually relocate to Chicagoland area during their MBA to attend classes and graduate?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hi - good question! 70% of our Weekend MBA students live outside of IL, and commute to Chicago for classes on the weekend. Weekend courses are offered on Saturdays, and typically students take two courses on that day. You can take a look at our Blog to learn more about a typical weekend in Chicago for our students commuting to the city: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/36-hours-in-chicago-life-of-a-chicago-booth-weekend-student
Chat Participant: Is there a format or template for the resume in the application?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: There is no specific resume format we are looking for. From your resume we are looking to understand more about your work experience and trajectory, your educational experiences, any certifications or volunteer opportunities you've been a part of, as well as getting a sense of who you are as a person and your personal interests
Chat Participant: Is there any difference in Evening or Weekend MBA degrees? Does it say anything on the final transcript?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: There is no difference on the final transcript and it does not state which program you are in. The difference comes down to the schedule and which program makes the most sense for you and your lifestyle
Chat Participant: When determining which quarter to apply to, what are the primary factors you recommend applicants consider? Additionally, are there any significant differences between a spring quarter versus summer quarter start?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: The Evening/Weekend admissions process is rolling, so applicants typically receive their admission decision within 4-6 weeks of the application submission. We also offer applications for all 4 quarters of the year. We typically publish a new application about 6-7 months prior to it's respective deadline. Finally, the quarter you choose to apply for does not have any impact on the competitiveness of your application. As a result, you can confidently choose to submit an application for the quarter you would like to start taking classes. Incoming class sizes will vary quarter-by-quarter, but this will not have any impact on the quality of the experience from day 1.
Chat Participant: What does the standard yearly cost of admission look like for the Evening or Weekend MBA programs?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! That depends on how many course a student takes at a time as your bill is determined on a per-course basis. Each course is $7,492. Once you begin the program, we lock your tuition at its current price point for four years. For more information on tuition and financial aid at Chicago Booth, check out this link https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/cost
Chat Participant: Wanted to check the feasibility of travelling every weekend - What percent of weekend program students travel from west coast before the pandemic?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: You can see the breakdown by states here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/class-profile
Chat Participant: I know I saw you answer this question before (apologies in advance)... how many courses are required to complete the MBA
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: We require 20 courses to graduate!
Chat Participant: In the event you are waitlisted or rejected, is there certain period we have to wait before reapplying?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: We ask that an applicant wait 6 months since the date they applied before applying again as a reapplicant.
Chat Participant: Also, do you have any preference of regions while granting admissions?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: No we do not have any preference and we get applicants from many different states!
Chat Participant: Will there be an admission interview?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: Yes, applicants have to be invited to interview after they apply. The interview is invitation only and it is done by either a current student or an alumni.
Test Score Questions
Chat Participant: is there a particular Score range (GMAT/EA) that Booth Accept for Weekend MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Referencing our class profile page https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/class-profile the average GMAT score is just under 680 and the average EA is 153. We do not have a minimum score requirement, as the application review process is holistic.
Chat Participant: Is there any requirement on the recency of the GMAT score? I have a GMAT score from Dec 2016, can I use it for the application?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: We are able to accept a GMAT score up to 5 years after it has been taken. All you would need to do is submit your application before its expiration date and we would be able to accept it!
Academic Questions
Chat Participant: Will the 2022 class have in-person classes for the Weekend MBA program or a hybrid of both in-person and online classes?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Great question! Currently we are offering some courses in a dual-modality format, but, the plan is to return to 100% in-person classes.
Chat Participant: How is the Evening/Weekend program looking to incorporate remote learning options in the future?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Many of Booth's Evening and Weekend courses currently offer a dual modality format, where students have the choice to attend a class in-person or remotely. Booth plans to continue offering remote flexibility as long as COVID-19 remains relevant. No permanent plans have been made for the future regarding remote learning formats at this time.
Chat Participant: Will I be able to take Evening MBA classes remotely as a Weekend MBA student?
Stephanie Gunn | Director of Admissions: As part of our flexibility Weekend students can take Evening classes regardless of the modality and vice versa. So yes, if there is an available "Virtual seat" in a remote Evening class you as a Weekend student could take that class. Same is true for in-person classes. You are not limited to taking classes within your home program only.
Chat Participant: Are there any opportunities for Evening MBA program students to take courses that are also offered to the Full-Time MBA students?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hi - yes! If your schedule permits, you are able to take courses offered to the Full-Time MBA students.
Chat Participant: for the evening and weekend MBA, are there certain classes that are offered only certain quarters? If so, how does the plan of study changes or will Booth help us with plan of study to complete the MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: The vast majority of Booth courses are offered in each program (full-time, evening, and weekend) at least once per year. Active students use the course search tool https://intranet.chicagobooth.edu/pub/coursesearch/coursesearch among over resources to plan out their course plan for the future. Students can also meet with an academic services team member throughout their time in the program. As a result, students are set up to succeed academically, which includes doing well in the classroom and picking out the best courses that align with your interests and goals.
Chat Participant: When can return to 100% in-person classes?
Stephanie Gunn | Director of Admissions: If someone wants a 100% in-person experience right now there are sufficient classes offered in that format to craft that schedule out. Similarly, there are currently still many classes offered in remote or dual modality (hybrid) format. Booth is committed to offering courses in dual modality and online for the Part-Time MBA Programs as long as the pandemic persists. Post-COVID plans on this are unknown at this time. Here is a helpful blog that was recently published regarding Booth's dual modality option and the future of having the option for virtual courses: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/chicago-booth-dual-modality-classes-for-part-time-mba-students?sc_lang=en%27%20target=%27
Chat Participant: Hi, I am currently working as an Enterprise Strategy analyst for Amazon Web Services. I am based in Seattle currently and I can work remotely from anywhere. I am considering the option to relocate to Chicago vs plan for weekend travel combined with virtual attendance for the program. With 77% of the class being out of state and the great flexibility offered for in-person vs virtual attendance, what percent of the class is able to make it in person typically? I understand things have been different due to Covid recently, but historically do most students travel on most weekends to attend in-person?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: Prior to the pandemic, 100% of the Weekend students traveled to Chicago for Weekend courses. There were no virtual options and students had to commit to traveling every weekend in the quarter. Right now there is flexibility, and virtual options exist and will continue to exist as long as the pandemic exists.
Chat Participant: Would classes be in Hyde Park or River North?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: Weekend MBA and Evening MBA courses are all in the Gleacher Center which is located in River North
Chat Participant: How does the Graduate Student At Large work with the MBA program? Is there a maximum number of credits one may attend before being accepted into either the part-time or full-time program? Also, what are enrollment deadlines for At Large, are they the same as being in a program?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: If you choose to apply to and are granted admission into Chicago Booth School of Business, up to three business school courses may be transferred into the Booth MBA program. Please note that there is a five-year time frame to complete your MBA and time for completion of the MBA begins with your first GSALB course. You can learn more about the Graduate Student At Large program, including deadlines, by clicking this link: https://professional.uchicago.edu/find-your-fit/personalized/graduate-student-large-business
Chat Participant: What days of the week and what times are the evening MBA classes usually taught?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: Hi! Evening classes are during the week - M-F, starting at 6pm-9pm central time.
Chat Participant: How many nights a week do Evening MBA program students typically attend classes?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Great question! That'll depend on how many classes you decide to take per quarter. Each class will meet once a week. You have the flexibility to choose how many courses you want to take each quarter. On average, we see students take 2 courses per quarter, which would even out to two nights of class per week in total
Chat Participant: Hello, given the current curriculum design, how many concentrations at most can one complete in the Evening MBA program?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: On average Booth students have 3-4 concentrations. As you are able to pick your own electives, you are able to take as many courses towards a concentration. You can read more here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum/concentrations
Chat Participant: Do we have to decide the concentration (like operation, finance, etc.) prior to starting the course or can we change as we go through the MBA?
Stephanie Gunn | Director of Admissions: Concentrations are a great signal to an employer that you have knowledge in a specific area, but they tend to happen very organically. We have 13 concentrations to choose from and on average a student graduates with 3-4. You do not "claim" them until you are getting ready to graduate and even then you can select which ones you want to appear on your transcript or not. You can learn more here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum/concentrations
Chat Participant: Are there any online pages with sample course catalogs/schedules for weekend MBA students?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: Yes, feel free to check out the course catalog here: https://intranet.chicagobooth.edu/pub/coursesearch/
Chat Participant: Is there study abroad opportunity for weekends MBA program?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! Yes, students in the part-time MBA programs can take part in study abroad opportunities, either for a full quarter of study or as a short-term study abroad option lasting 2-3 weeks. For more information, I'd recommend checking out this webpage! https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/international-programs-and-study-abroad
Student Life and Career Services Questions
Chat Participant: Hello - I have a question regarding full-time recruiting. Is it harder to get interview invitations as Weekend MBA student, compared to Full-Time MBA Students?
Stephanie Gunn | Director of Admissions: Preparation for on campus recruiting for full-time jobs is the same, but the experiences can differ. For example, Full-Time students tend to participate in Campus Recruiting for internships as well as full-time positions. Also, most Full-Time students have more time to allocate to their job search. That additional time and practice can impact the level of preparedness and overall Campus Recruiting experience. Please note that Evening and Weekend Students do not have access to internship recruiting in the same way as full-time students. In terms of recruiting in general, keep in mind that while it is a great opportunity, last year about 22% of those who changed employers did so through Campus Recruiting. The majority of changers (78%) found their next opportunity through other sources such as leveraging the network or Booth job postings. Whichever the method, Career Services tailors its programming and coaching approach to the nuanced needs of the Evening and Weekend population.
Chat Participant: Are networking events for full time students available for weekend and evening students to attend if in Chicago for work?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - great question! Yes, if your schedule permits, most Full-Time events are also available to Part-Time students.
Chat Participant: Can anyone share experience with the 2-3 week short study abroad sessions? Would someone be able to continue working remotely while taking one of these courses or is this designed for taking vacation time? How does this 2-3 weeks fit into the quarter schedule for regular classes?
Stephanie Gunn | Director of Admissions: To my understanding most students use PTO when completing the short term study abroad to allow themselves full access to the class and other campus events social activities. That said, it really is up to the individual. Each short-term program lasts two to three weeks and counts as one full course toward your degree requirements. They all tend to take place during the summer quarter so if you were planning to take class during the summer quarter you could not combine it with a short-term study abroad as the timing does not work out.
Chat Participant: What sort of on campus recruitment opportunities are available to weekend MBA student?
Sarah Palomo | Associate Director of Admissions: Weekend MBA and Evening MBA students are able to participate in on-campus recruiting for full-time jobs. There are some requirements you must meet in order to participate and you can learn more here https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact (at the bottom under campus recruiting). Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students are not able to do OCR for internships as they are expected to be working full-time.