April 13, 2022 Live Admissions Chat
Admissions Live Chat
04/13/2022
Admissions Questions
Chat Participant: Is the weekend/evening program on a rolling admissions basis? If so when are the typical start dates per quarter?
Mary Beth Lantzy | Associate Director of Global Outreach and 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 its 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. For more information, check out our website https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply
Chat Participant: Do you have any campus events that are going to be happening in the spring or summer so we could visit the campus, attend a class, and maybe meet with some of the admissions team?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! Yes, we will be hosting a variety of events in the coming months. To sign up for these events, please check out our registration page. https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/events
Chat Participant: Hi, I have got more than 8 years of experience, including 5 years in industry (full time) and 3 years of postdoctoral experience (full time). I am curious if I qualify to apply for EMBA program at Booth. Please let me know. Thanks.
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - the average years of experience in the EMBA program is around 13-14 years. For questions specific to the Executive MBA, I would encourage you to contact their admissions team xp@chicagobooth.edu
Chat Participant: Hello! What are your tips for making an application to the civic scholars program?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hi - The application is primarily the same for the Civic Scholars application as the general Booth application. There is an additional writing supplement that will ask you to speak more about your goals as they relate to social impact. I would encourage you to focus on your social impact story, and to be intentional in thinking about why Booth well help you accomplish your goals. I hope this helps!
Chat Participant: Hi, thanks for hosting this live chat! For the Motivations and Goals section of the application, do you have a preference between short-answer or essay styles of response to the short and long term goals questions given the word count limit?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: We do not have a preference for the formatting style in the goals section. Feel free to respond to the prompt however you believe gets your point across the best!
Chat Participant: What is the best way to list contract work?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - you can list it in your resume, just as you would any other professional position, highlighting that it is part-time or contract employment. You can do the same in the employment section of the application (just make sure it is not at the top of the list, or our system will think that is your current main job). I hope this helps!
Chat Participant: What is the most important components of an applicant’s application to be accepted at Booth. Work experience? Undergraduate Marks? GMAT score?
Mary Beth Lantzy | Associate Director of Global Outreach and Admissions: The application is evaluated in three parts: academic (including your undergraduate institution, courses taken, grades earned, post college work, and EA/GMAT/GRE test score), work experience (including quality and quantity of your career path), and life experience/individual fit with Chicago Booth. We take a holistic approach and evenly consider all aspects of your application and interview. For more information, check out the website here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply
Chat Participant: For international students who are working full time, do you have limitations on the type of visa they hold? Usually, students hold a H1B I think, but would it be okay to hold a L1 visa?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! In general, most international students hold an H1B visa. The main thing to look at is the study regulations on a given visa. Oftentimes there are restrictions on being able to seek a degree vs allowing someone to take non degree seeking classes. We recommend checking in with your consulate on the specific visa regulations
Chat Participant: Hello everyone. Are UChicago professional education certificates considered as a part of the MBA application?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Yes! You are welcome to add any certificate programs you have completed in the application. It will help us learn more about you, your qualifications, and the academic/professional interests you have.
Chat Participant: Hi team - What are the certain skills/talents that the admission team is looking for in an applicant’s resume? As a manufacturing operations professional, it would be greatly helpful to me to know how to add/improve my resume to have a better chance at joining Booth.
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! When it comes to looking at someone's resume, we are looking to learn more about the experiences and projects you have gotten to work on as well as get a chance to learn more about you, your interests, and your skillsets.
Chat Participant: What is the minimum years of experience required for Weekend MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: We do not require a minimum amount of work experience, but successful applicants are expected to be working full-time when they submit their application. It is also helpful to have at least a small amount of full-time work experience to help the candidate justify their reasoning for applying to one of our part-time programs.
Chat Participant: Is there any preference from your staff regarding the timing of an application submission in a given application window? Is earlier in the window more advantageous?
Mary Beth Lantzy | Associate Director of Global Outreach and Admissions: There is not! We recommend submitting your application whenever it is ready, whether that is well in advance of the deadline or on the deadline itself. All applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and will receive a decision within 4-6 weeks.
Chat Participant: Hi - Regarding to the scholarship, roughly what percentage of PT MBA students receive scholarship? And since "scholarship decisions are based on your MBA application", is there any area that will be weighted more for scholarships? Eg. Essay, GMAT, etc.
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Since admissions is not required to distribute a specific amount of scholarships in a given quarter, we are not able to share a reliable percentage of scholarship recipients. However, please keep in mind that scholarships are competitive and limited in nature. In regards to what we consider for "merit" potential, we consider academic experience and professional progression.
Chat Participant: Hi, I see that for applications through Autumn 2022, there are 2 essays whereas for applications beginning winter 2023, there is one essay. Is that correct? Or I am missing anything?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Starting with the Winter 2023 application, we will only require one essay in the Evening and Weekend applications.
Chat Participant: Could you expand on what you mean by quantity and quality of career path with respect to admissions?
Mary Beth Lantzy | Associate Director of Global Outreach and Admissions: The qualities that contribute to your future success may be evident early in your career. The qualities we seek include:
A track record of success
Resourcefulness
Sense of personal direction
Time-management skills
Realistic expectations for the MBA
Additionally, our students represent various interests and career paths, and are open to sharing their unique perspective as a student with you. Reach out directly to students via our Connect with a Student page: https://apply.chicagobooth.edu/portal/studentvolunteer
Chat Participant: I have some issued patents and publications - should I be including them on my resume for the applications?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Absolutely! This will be helpful information for admissions to review when evaluating your profile.
Chat Participant: Hello, if I am planning to submit an application in the upcoming weeks, would it make sense to wait for the Winter intake rather than the Fall intake, keeping class sizes in mind?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - one of the benefits of the Part-Time program is that you can apply for and start in any quarter. We encourage students to apply when they feel their application is at its best. So, if you feel ready and would prefer to start in the fall, I would suggest you apply for that quarter.
Chat Participant: Where is the campus of the Weekend & evening programs? Are they both located at the downtown campus or at the Hyde Park campus?
Mary Beth Lantzy | Associate Director of Global Outreach and Admissions: Good question! Gleacher Center is the downtown Chicago campus. Conveniently located in the heart of Chicago's vibrant business district just off the Magnificent Mile, the location is home to our part-time Evening and Weekend MBA Programs, Chicago-based Executive MBA Program, and Executive Education courses. The Charles M. Harper Center is the global headquarters of the University Of Chicago Booth School Of Business in Hyde Park for our Full-Time program. But you also have the flexibility to take classes at the Hyde Park campus, if it works with your schedule.
Chat Participant: Hi, how is the part time MBA differ from the weekend MBA? And do they all have 5 years in which to complete the program? Thanks.
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: The part-time and Weekend MBA programs are one and the same! Our part-time MBA programs consist of our Evening MBA and our Weekend MBA. Both of these programs allow up to 5 years to complete their degree.
Chat Participant: Since the PT MBA has a flexible curriculum, do you have a spring and a fall session for the program? Or do all the PT programs only start in Fall like the FT MBA.
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! We offer four start times per year (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn). With that, students are able to start whenever they want and take classes whenever they want!
Chat Participant: How long does it take to complete an evening or weekend MBA? I know you mentioned in an above answer that students usually take 2 courses at a time so in that scenario how long would it take to complete the program?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - on average, students complete the program in 2.5 years (10 quarters). That being said, you have up to 5 years to complete the program.
Chat Participant: Hello - Is it possible to provide an estimate of total costs of accommodation/traveling for out-of-state students? Thanks!
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: This will vary significantly depending on where you are commuting from. I cannot speak to flight costs, but we do offer a free airport shuttle service to and from the Gleacher Center. Many students fly in/out of Chicago on Saturdays to take classes. For students looking to stay overnight, there are many hotels in the area that offer a small discount to UChicago students. Hotel costs will vary as well but cheaper options could be ~$100 a night in the area depending on the time of year.
Chat Participant: When is the application due date for Weekend MBA?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - you can see our application deadlines here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply
Chat Participant: Is there an accelerated MBA option for students who may have taken management courses in previous programs?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Booth does not offer an accelerated option. Accounting, Business Statistics, and Microeconomics are woven into the larger curriculum, where future courses will build on these foundations and help students assess problems holistically. All Booth students are required to take 20 courses to earn the degree. Any students who demonstrate significant experience in any of the academic areas above, advanced alternative courses are available to satisfy the foundational areas.
Chat Participant: From a 'culture fit' standpoint, what is the school looking for in a candidate?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - we take a holistic approach to application review. From a cultural fit standpoint, we do look for strong interpersonal skills as well as a spirit of wanting to contribute to the Booth community.
Chat Participant: For the weekend MBA, do you offer classes on Sunday as well?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: We do not have class offerings on Sunday. For our Weekend offerings, they would be offered on Saturdays
Chat Participant: Regarding letter of recommendation, do you need two? If so, should it be my current manager & manager's manager?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Yes, we would be looking for two letters of recommendation. One from a current manager and the other from anyone who can speak to you in the professional context, whether that be a former manager, a skip level supervisor, a client, a mentor, or anyone else who would be a good fit.
Test Score Questions
Chat Participant: What constitutes a generally acceptable EA score?
Mary Beth Lantzy | Associate Director of Global Outreach and Admissions: Good question! Our Executive Assessment average is 153. This is not a minimum but rather indicates where the average booth student falls. Please see our profile page for more information: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/class-profile
Chat Participant: How significant is the GMAT score in the overall application? In the event of a score being on the lower side, Is there a way to strengthen the application to make up for it or is it recommended to give the test again?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: We evaluate applications holistically, where no application requirement is more important than another. Previous undergraduate or graduate academic performances can help offset a lower test score. However, many applicants take the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment more than once to try to get the highest score possible. Since we only consider the highest score, there is little/no risk taking this option.
Chat Participant: Is there a preference to take EA over GMAT at all?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Admissions has no preference as to which test you take! All candidates must take and submit results from the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Executive Assessment (EA). There is no minimum required GMAT, GRE, or EA score to be considered for admission.
Chat Participant: Hi Team, in the class profile the overall GMAT score range is provided for the program. That is very useful, however do you have range of scores for other components of GMAT such as Integrated Reasoning and AWA? Also, how influential are the scores for Integrated reasoning or AWA in admission decisions?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - we do not list score ranges for other components of the GMAT. These are factored in as part of our holistic review, however, we primarily look at your cumulative score as well as your verbal and quantitative scores.
Academic Questions
Chat Participant: Hi Team -Is there a possibility that prospective students would get an opportunity to attend some classes in person in near future? Masterclass series is a great way to get a glimpse into the ecosystem of the classroom, however I believe attending a class in person is more impactful.
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Hi there, you can sign up for an in-person class visit here: https://apply.chicagobooth.edu/portal/EWClassVisit
Chat Participant: Hello - I was curious with COVID, are you requiring in-person attendance for every weekend class at this point?
Mary Beth Lantzy | Associate Director of Global Outreach and Admissions: Prior to COVID all of our classes were 100% in percent including for the Weekend students who commuted from outside of Illinois to take classes in person on the weekends. At this time Evening and Weekend classes are taking place in different modalities including a virtual option. However the plan is to return to 100% in-person courses as soon as possible.
Chat Participant: Does the Evening/Weekend MBA program offer classes in online synchronous/asynchronous format too or only in-class format?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: While Booth has relied on remote options during the past two years, the curriculum is shifting back to in-person only classes this year.
Chat Participant: Hi Everyone! My understanding is the weekend classes are currently dual modality. Is that accurate? If yes, will it continue to be dual modality for the near future?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! Yes, we do still have dual modality options for the Weekend MBA program. We do not have an exact timeline of how long dual modality will be an option/how many options will be available. We anticipate there being some options, but for the most part we are seeing a return to mostly in-person offerings
Chat Participant: Hello everyone! Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. Could you provide some details around the GPHAP program for Evening MBA students? Are the courses for the GPHAP program offered in the evenings, or would evening students need to accommodate their schedule to a day class in those quarters?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: We recommend reaching out to our colleague in GPHAP admissions to learn more about the schedule for GPHAP classes. Please email lbotwinick@uchicago.edu and their team will be happy to assist!
Chat Participant: Hi all! I hope your day is going well. I live in Indianapolis and work for a large manufacturing company. I'm interested in the Evening & Weekend MBA program. I'm curious to know how a routine weekend looks like for a weekend MBA student who needs to fly / drive to Chicago for classes? When do they typically arrive and leave Chicago?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! I would encourage you to take a look at this blog: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/36-hours-in-chicago-life-of-a-chicago-booth-weekend-student. This gives a student's perspective on weekend student experience. Weekend classes are held on Saturdays, from 9am-12pm; and then from 1:30-4:30pm.
Chat Participant: Also would it be possible to switch between weekend and evening classes by quarters?
Mary Beth Lantzy | Associate Director of Global Outreach and Admissions: We do not have a co-hort model. We are arguably the most flexible MBA Program, which means that our students paths look very different (like choose your own adventure story) - and can take classes in both programs. The way in which you pace yourself, and what classes you take will vary from your peers. Our students come in at one entry point and then go off into whatever direction suits them and their needs. We offer 4 intakes a year and so we want people to apply to the quarter in which, if offered admission, they are confidently able to start the program.
Chat Participant: When do classes begin and end on Saturdays, and which hotels offer discounts for Booth students?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! There are two class sessions available on Saturdays. The first class goes from 9 AM - 12 PM and the second class option goes from 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM. For a list of discounts associated with the University of Chicago, please see this link https://finserv.uchicago.edu/purchasing/travel/uchicagodiscountprograms.shtml
Chat Participant: When do classes begin for the evening classes and do you have classes all 5 days of the week?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - evening classes are held M-F from 6-9pm. On average, students will take 2 classes a quarter. So, most students have class 2 nights a week.
Chat Participant: Is there a maximum number of classes you're able to take in a quarter?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - on average, students take 2 classes per quarter. You can take up to 3 - if you would like to take an additional course beyond this, you would need to get approval from the dean.
Chat Participant: Does the weekend MBA offer summer quarters? If so, could you potentially complete the program in less than 2 yrs?
Mary Beth Lantzy | Associate Director of Global Outreach and Admissions: There are four academic quarters (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall); Winter quarter typically begins the first week of January, Spring quarter begins in the middle of March, Summer quarter begins near the middle of June, and Fall quarter begins around the end of September. Our students typically take 2 courses per quarter and at that pace if they do not take any quarters off are on track to graduate in 2.5 years. The 2 classes for a Weekend student would more than likely take place on Saturday (AM and PM classes). However, you dictate the pace of your MBA so it is entirely up to you and could vary quarter by quarter.
Chat Participant: Are there are any dual programs alongside MBA that we can pursue in the part-time?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: If you’re a current or future student in Booth’s Evening MBA or Weekend MBA Program, you may enroll as a joint-degree student in the Masters Program in Computer Science or can consider a dual enrollment in another program at the University of Chicago. Please note: the majority of the non-Booth classes take place during the day. Therefore, enrolling in a dual MBA program or a certificate program may not fit with your particular work schedule.
Chat Participant: If we are coming from Tech background and have no prior knowledge of some subjects such as Finance, what suggestions would you give for us to cope up in the class well?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Each course has excellent structures in place to help students succeed, including faculty and TA office hours. In general Booth students look out for one another and if there is a particular subject or topic you are struggling with, you will find support if you ask. In addition, our Academic Services team is a great resource for students as they think about the bigger picture and map out their academic journey, which will certainly include new and challenging learning areas.
Chat Participant: Looking at the curriculum, in the Foundations courses I see there are advanced alternatives. If a student has a background in one of these areas and would like to take a more advanced course, does permission need to be granted by the university or the faculty member?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: That is correct, enrolled students reach out to the faculty member of the course they are looking to get into to gain approval to bypass the prerequisites.
Chat Participant: If you complete Booth courses as a graduate-at-large, is your performance factored into the Booth MBA application?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - yes, we do look at these courses as part of our review. The clock also starts on your 5 years to complete the MBA once you start taking graduate-at-large Booth courses.
Chat Participant: What resources are there to support us if we want to venture into entrepreneurship?
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: There are a variety of resources available when it comes to entrepreneurship! We have our entrepreneurship concentration https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum/concentrations/entrepreneurship as well as resources available through the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation https://polsky.uchicago.edu
Student Life/Career Services Questions
Chat Participant: I would like to get my MBA to transition from my current role in the CPG world to Consulting/Strategy and want to ensure that I can make that jump with the evening or weekend MBA and do not need the full-time. Would you be able to speak to that some?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hi there - you certainly would be able to accomplish this in the Part-Time program. While we do require students to remain employed full-time while in the program, we know that many of our students are looking to leverage their MBA to change jobs are fields. Our career services team will be able to help you navigate this, and you can even take part in things like recruiting. A large percentage of our students will career change after getting their MBA. I hope this helps!
Chat Participant: Good Afternoon, thank you for your time and for setting this up. Are the OCR recruiting process available for both part time evening and weekend programs similar to full time?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Yes, recruiting for full-time positions is equally available for Evening, Weekend, and Full-Time students. Internship recruiting is only available through the Full-Time MBA program.
Chat Participant: What networking opportunities are there outside the classroom?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Our Evening and Weekend programs are home to 45 students groups, which host a wide variety of professional and social events throughout the year. These events are almost always held in the evenings and Saturdays to accommodate the schedules of our students.
Chat Participant: Hey there- Can you describe any differences in recruiting opportunities between Full-Time and Part-Time programs? (success rate, industry types at recruiting events, preferences on PT v. FT for recruiters, etc.)
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - There are numerous differences between the PT and FT program, but the degree is the same and the career outcomes are very similar. I would encourage you to take a look at both career impact pages on our website: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact AND https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/full-time/career-impact/employment-report.
Chat Participant: Hi! Thanks for having us. I would like to learn more about the study abroad opportunities for part-time students. For example, specific schools and specific class offerings for Short-term Programs, etc. Thank you!
Bobby Ganzer | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! You can find the partner schools for our short-term study abroad opportunities at this link https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/international-programs-and-study-abroad
Chat Participant: Good afternoon, thanks for everyone's time on the panel. Do part time students have the same access to offerings at the various research and innovation centers as the full time students? Or are those opportunities open full time students first?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello - our Part-Time students do have access to the research and innovation centers at Booth! Involvement will sometimes vary for students, given that they are also working full-time, but many of our students take advantage of these opportunities.
Chat Participant: Outside of events hosted by student groups, does the program arrange for additional opportunities to get to know fellow program participants? Are there additional formal/informal opportunities provided?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Yes, there are a number of post-class social events each quarter. The Gleacher Center (where all Evening and Weekend classes are held), has excellent reception spaces and a bar for students and faculty to get together any evening of the week. Our Student Advisory Council sets up our larger social events during the year, including our Winter Formal (~600 students attended earlier this year), Cubs rooftop games, and more. Informally, many students stick around the Gleacher Center outside of class to get work done and chat with other students.
Chat Participant: Historically, have folks been able to use weekend MBA program to pivot their careers?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Absolutely, I recommend taking a look at our career data to see outcomes for our students https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact. We see both Evening and Weekend students consistently making successful career changes each year.
Chat Participant: Are there opportunities for community outreach or volunteering through the Booth Evening MBA program? Historically, is it typical to see classmates find different avenues to give back to the Chicagoland community together?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Yes, Booth partners with larger University of Chicago initiatives to help our local and global communities. We also have a Social Impact club who have a greater interest in this space. Students also stay connected via Slack to promote any smaller or personal community service or volunteering opportunities.
Chat Participant: If we want to go into specific post-MBA careers such as Consulting, what kind of mentorship or guidance does Booth provide? Also are we assigned one of the faculty members as a mentor or advisor?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: I recommend taking a look at our career impact page https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact to get a better sense of Evening MBA and Weekend MBA career services resources and career outcomes for students (including consulting specifically).
Chat Participant: Are there any opportunities to work with global companies during the program, through a summer project or capstone project perhaps?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Yes, we offer study abroad programs https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/international-programs-and-study-abroad which connect students with key industries in the given area. Please note that most part-time students elect the short-term study abroad option. Our lab and experiential learning courses allow students in many cases to serve as pro-bono consultants for actual firms.