August 3, 2022 Live Admissions Chat

Admissions Questions

Chat Participant: Is there any age limit for MBA programs?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: There is no age limit for our programs. It's a matter of when the right time is for you to pursue the degree. We have students in the program with a wide range of work experience.

Chat Participant: Hello. Are fellowship funds (like Forte) available for the Weekend MBA Program?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! Yes, we do award Forte Fellowships to competitive female identifying applicants in the Part-Time program.

Chat Participant: Can you talk a little about the Chicago Business Fellows program?  How competitive is it and what is the curriculum like?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: The Chicago Business Fellows program is designed for Evening MBA and Weekends with 3 years or less of full-time work experience upon program entry. CBF students are still considered evening/weekend students and have access to all of the same courses and resources as general Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students. The admissions requirements and standards are the same for the Evening/Weekend programs, regardless of CBF or non-CBF.

Chat Participant: Can you talk about what attributes differentiate candidates?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! Thank you for your question. We take a holistic approach to application review, and candidates are evaluated on academics, professional experience, and goal alignment with a Booth MBA. We also look for students that will embody a pay-it-forward mentality, as well as indicators that you will contribute to our community beyond academics. I hope this helps!

Chat Participant: Are there any prerequisites for students applying who received their undergraduate degree in a major other than business?
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: No, there are no prerequisites to applying if you did not major in business during your undergrad. We see applicants from all different backgrounds apply to the MBA Program. If interested in taking a course before starting the program, feel free to check out our Graduate Student at Large Business courses here - https://professional.uchicago.edu/find-your-fit#block-compareprograms

Chat Participant: Is it common for those in the part-time program to switch over to the full-time program after a year or so?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: No. You cannot transfer into the full-time program. You can only transfer between Evening and Weekend. That is why it is important to do the soul searching up front and figure out which format is right for you. Should your situation change and you find you are no longer working while in the part-time program, you would be able to take more courses and thus accelerate the pace at which you graduate.

Chat Participant: Is the Chicago Business Fellows a separate program from the normal Evening and Weekend MBA program? Are there overlapping classes?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: CBF students navigate the curriculum and resources in the same fashion as general Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students. CBF is unique with its optional professional development and social opportunities specifically for the CBF community.

Chat Participant: Are there any additional steps during the application to be considered for the Chicago Business Fellows program?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: No additional steps are needed! The application requirements, including the admissions interview, are the same.

Chat Participant: I just graduated college (philosophy) and will begin working at JLL. When should I apply and what kinds of things will make me competitive in admissions process. Position? Academics? Industry?
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: There's no minimum number of years for work experience that's required but it may be best to gain a few years of work experience before applying to the program. With that being said, we have the Chicago Business Fellows Program which is targeted to applicants with 3 years or less of professional work experience. You should apply for the quarter you are ready to start. Please see here for a list of our application requirements and helpful tips: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply

Chat Participant: What advice could you give when writing the admissions essay?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Ultimately, we want to learn more about you and better understand why you are interested in an MBA, but also Booth specifically!

Chat Participant: Is the weekend MBA a cohort?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students can enter the program in any quarter (Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn). Students start the program with their incoming class, but are not required to take classes together or in a certain order.

Chat Participant: How big is the full-time MBA class?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: The incoming class this year is roughly 600+. You can learn more about the FT class profile by clicking this link: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/full-time/admissions/class-profile

Chat Participant: What kinds of extracurricular involvement and activities are you interested in seeing on an application and resume? Should I really list involvement from my undergraduate experience?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: This section allows Booth to learn more about your and what your passions/interests are outside of the professional context. If you are over 3 years of full-time work experience, you do not necessarily need to include college activities. There isn't really a right or wrong answer to this question. It simply comes down to what you want to share about yourself.

Chat Participant: I am an international student. What is the probability of getting an F1 Visa for the weekend/Evening MBA program? Or is the F1 visa limited to Full time MBA?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Correct. Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students are not eligible for student visas. The international students in the Evening and Weekend Program are living and working in the US on valid work visas.

Chat Participant: If one does apply for the Full-Time MBA is it possible to migrate to the weekend/evening program after being issued a visa?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Unfortunately, it is not possible for students to transfer between the Full-Time and Evening/Weekend programs.

Chat Participant: What other distinctions other than the built in internship is present between full time MBA and part time/ weekend?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: The internship component is the biggest difference. The degree is the same, and the courses are even taught by the same professors. The clubs and organizations that you can take part in are also different between the two programs. I would say the biggest benefit to the Part-Time MBA as opposed to the Full-Time MBA is that you can apply what you're learning in real time, which is a big plus!

Chat Participant: To meet up with embassy timelines can the admissions process be expedited for individuals to meet up with visa interviews and processes?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Our typical decision timeline from when you submit your completed application is 4-6 weeks. Hopefully this timeline accommodates what you are looking for.

Chat Participant: What proportion of students are fly-in versus local?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: 76% of our Weekend students are from outside the state of IL and commute in to Chicago to take classes on Saturdays. You can our enrollment breakdown and national footprint here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/class-profile

Chat Participant: What other fellowship opportunities are available to Evening MBA students outside of Civic Scholars and Chicago Business Fellows?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: The other fellowship opportunity would be the Forte Fellowship, which is specifically for women-identifying candidates. We do offer merit-aid ranging from $10-30,000, but there is not a specific fellowship attached to this.

Chat Participant: Do any application requirements vary if you have already earned a graduate degree from Uchicago?
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: No, application requirements do not vary if you already earned a graduate degree from UChicago.

Chat Participant: I have 6+ years of work experience in engineering and I'd like to keep my options open for a complete shift in my career to management/consulting/finance, which would be a better option for me? Full time or part time?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! Either program would provide you with opportunities to make a career shift. You can learn more about what our Part-Time students have done after graduation by clicking this link: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact

Chat Participant: Do you have any tips for out of state students who plan to relocate to Chicago?
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: If you plan to relocate to Chicago, make sure that you have your housing planned and that you speak with your employer to set expectations about also becoming a part-time student in the process. Additionally, come visit campus/Chicago to check out what we have to offer!

Chat Participant: what are the Visa requirements for international students for weekend MBA?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students are not eligible for student visas. Our Evening and Weekend Programs welcome international students who are living and working in the US on a valid work visa (H-1B for example).

Chat Participant: Do you have a link that further shows the credits/class, cost/credit, or cost/class? What other costs should be considered for PT/Weekend?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: You can view our Part-Time MBA Tuition and Fees here. We charge tuition per course and all students must take 20 courses to graduate. https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/cost. Please keep in mind that your tuition rate is locked in at the rate of the quarter in which you matriculate for four consecutive years.

Chat Participant: How many people apply for your part-time/fully employed MBA program each year? How many applicants does your program accept each year (is there a certain number you stick to or is it open)?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! Because we are on rolling admissions and accept applications every quarter, these numbers can vary significantly depending on the quarter you are applying. Because of that, we do not disclose application data/acceptance rates.

Chat Participant: What are some aspects of Booth that differentiate it from other PT MBA schools?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! I think there are few distinctive qualities at Booth: 1) The flexibility - you only have one required class at Booth, so you get to tailor the program to your interests and needs. You also have flexibility in how you pace the program - you have up to 5 years to complete the degree; 2) The location - we are right in the heart of Chicago, and thus you will have access to companies and thought leaders in every industry; 3) The community - this is a place where top down, people care about your success!

Test Score Questions

Chat Participant: Is it mandatory to take TOEFL exam, for foreign students?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: If English is not your native language, you’ll need to submit proof of English proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This requirement can be waived if any of the following apply:

• Are a citizen or permanent resident of a country where English is an official language
• Have earned an undergraduate or postgraduate degree from an institution in which English is the language of instruction
• Have been living and working full time in the United States for two or more years

Academic Questions

Chat Participant: Hello! Curious to know the curriculum for the Evening MBA program. Is there a link/page I can refer to? Thanks!
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: You can view the course search feature here: https://intranet.chicagobooth.edu/pub/coursesearch/coursesearch. To learn more about our flexible curriculum you can do so here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum

Chat Participant: Can students in the evening MBA program also take weekend courses if there schedule allows?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Flexibility is the hallmark of our program. Therefore, students can take classes outside of their home program as long as their schedule permits it. It is very common for Evening students to take a class on the Weekend with weekend students and it exposes you to students who are commuting from all over the country on Saturdays!

Chat Participant: And if I take the weekend MBA program, how will the schedule look like? I fly in on Friday and take the class on Saturday? Will the school help cover some costs for travel and accommodation?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Courses in the Weekend MBA program are offered Friday evenings at 6-9pm and Saturdays at 9am-12pm, and 1:30-4:30pm. Students typically take two courses a quarter (10 weeks). Many weekend students opt to travel in Friday evening or Saturday morning to take the two courses on Saturdays. Booth offers a free shuttle service that takes students to and from Chicago's airports on Saturdays. Hotels near the Gleacher Center offer UChicago student discounts as well.

Chat Participant: For those living outside of Illinois, what resources are available to assist in the weekend MBA program? Is there a class calendar set for upcoming cohorts to begin planning?
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: Hello! For those living outside of Illinois there are a few resources in regards to travel such as airport shuttle service, discounts at hotels, and on-campus opportunities on Saturdays to engage with the Booth community. The calendar of events will be provided when admitted to the program. The main event to look out for is LAUNCH which functions as orientation before the start of your quarter - this will be a great opportunity to begin engaging with students who will start at the same time as you.

Chat Participant: How long does one course last for?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: An individual course meets once a week at the same time for 3 hours. The quarter runs for 10 weeks.

Chat Participant: Are the classes for Weekend and Evening MBA held in the same location? Which one has more networking opportunities with the FT students?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! Yes, Weekend and Evening courses are both held at the Gleacher Center downtown Chicago. No matter which program you are in, you will have numerous networking opportunities with both Part-Time and Full-Time students.

Chat Participant: Are any courses available virtually or are all courses in person?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The program experience should be that of in-person, but there are some limited courses offered virtually for increased flexibility. You can view those here: < https://intranet.chicagobooth.edu/pub/coursesearch/coursesearch

Chat Participant: What is the expected weekly time commitment for the weekend & evening MBAs? Is there a significant difference?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Classes in the Evening MBA program are held M-F from 6-9 pm; classes in the Weekend program are heled on Saturdays from 9am - 12 pm, and then again from 1:30-4:30 pm. Most students with take 2 courses per quarter. The additional time commitment would be homework outside of class which will vary depending on the courses you are enrolled in.

Chat Participant: Hi again. Will classes meet every weekend, every other weekend, etc.? What does the typical schedule look like for a Booth Weekend MBA student?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: Classes meet 1x per week for 3 hours. Evening classes take place Monday-Friday from 6-9pm and weekend classes take place Saturdays from 9:30-12:00 and then 1:30-4:30. Most students take 2 classes per quarter. A weekend student who is commuting in from outside of IL typically takes 2 classes on Saturday, but sometimes will add in a 3rd on Friday night. It's completely up to you what you want your schedule to look like. You have complete control and flexibility.

Chat Participant: What resources are offered for weekend students that live far from Chicago?  For example, if weather causes issues with travel to campus, are there options so the student doesn't miss class?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Students who need to miss class due to travel issues work with their individual professors to find a solution to stay caught up on coursework. Professors understand that there may be some situations outside of your control that prevent you from making it to class. Students can attend a different section during the week, meet with the professor/TAs, and/or work with classmates to stay caught up on the material.

Chat Participant: Hello, is there a link to the actual courses/curriculum as part of the evening program?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The course search allows you to view Evening and Weekend classes specifically: https://intranet.chicagobooth.edu/pub/coursesearch/coursesearch

Chat Participant: I am having trouble finding the specific dates classes start each quarter on the website. Can you please provide that?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/how-to-apply

Chat Participant: Are the weekend and evening MBA classes held in the same location? Which one provides more networking opportunities with the current FT students?
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: Yes, Evening and Weekend MBA classes are held at the Gleacher Center. In both programs there will be some opportunity to engage with Full-Time students through student groups and Booth-wide events.

Chat Participant: For the study abroad program for part-time students, do they take on a full semester of coursework abroad or apply for an internship to work abroad and take those classes part-time?
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: If your schedule permits, Booth offers short-term programs of two to three weeks to study abroad.

Chat Participant: Does the curriculum consist of general MBA courses as well as industry-specific classes based on interest? Does the curriculum look the same for every student or is there flexibility with classes to take?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! There is only one required class in the MBA program, and that is a leadership development course. Students have a lot of agency and autonomy in the rest of the 20 courses they take. Some are broader, and some are more industry specific. You can learn more about the curriculum by clicking this link: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/academics/curriculum

Chat Participant: Is there a limitation on the number of courses a PT student can take in a given semester (I understand that the average is 2 per semester).
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: If you wanted to take more than 3 courses in a given quarter, you would need to request for special approval to do so.

Chat Participant: If Weekend MBA'ers take typically take two courses a quarter, how long would the program take to complete?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: The average completion time is 2.5-3 years. You have 5 years to complete the degree and can take quarters off as needed.

Chat Participant: Does the program partner with any local non-profits or charities?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Yes! The Rustandy Center is our social impact center at Booth, and partners with local non-profits in the Chicagoland area. You can learn more about the work they do by clicking this link: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/research/rustandy

Student Life/Career Services Questions

Chat Participant: How probable it is to pivot your career in an Evening MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: I recommend taking a look at our career data here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact. We see our students make some excellent pivots in the Evening and Weekend programs.

Chat Participant: I am planning to apply to the Weekend MBA and I will be traveling from the San Diego. What specific advice do you give part time Weekend MBA students traveling across the country?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! Thanks for your question. We have a lot of great blogs from Weekend MBA students who talk about their experiences traveling in for class. Here is one great example: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/mba-life/chicago-booth-how-to-be-a-weekend-warrior

Chat Participant: Hi, I am a working professional who wants to make a career change. I currently work in media but want to see any opportunities in Investment Bank media sector. For the weekend MBA program, how much career /networking opportunity can we get, compared to full-time MBA? Is on-campus recruiting accessible for part-time MBA students as well?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Making a significant leap from a non-business area to a field such as investment banking is typically better suited for the Full-Time MBA program due to the industry's internship requirements. In the Evening/Weekend programs, it is possible to get internships and make a pivot to investment banking. However, it is a much more rugged path compared to the Full-Time MBA program, which has built in internship experiences.

Chat Participant: What opportunities does Booth foster for social collaboration outside of the classroom?
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: We have roughly 45 Part-Time specific clubs that you can become involved in. More details can be found here to see what clubs are offered: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/student-experience/groups. Additionally, there are many Booth-wide events that take place from leadership workshops to faculty talks where you can continue engaging with the Booth community

Chat Participant: Hello - Can you touch on the additional development opportunities and social programming that are incorporated in the Chicago Business Fellows Program?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Here are some upcoming programs available in the upcoming academic year for CBF students:

• Inclusive Leadership with Groundswell Change
• Hearing One Another + Welcome Reception
• CBF Presents: LinkedIn Learning + Masterclass
• CBF table at Economic Outlook 2023
• Career Currency
• Thinking in 3-D: Giving and Receiving Feedback
• Designing Your Life
• CBF Reunion
• CBF Etiquette Dinner

Chat Participant: How effective is the PT MBA for career growth but not for pivot to a new career?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Many of our students intend to stay with their current company and/or industry. Students have the ability to tailor their curriculum to their current and future professional work. Career services offers excellent resources for career advancers, including career coaching sessions to help you navigate your individual career progression.

Chat Participant: Do I need to be employed for the entire duration of the MBA? Can I leave my job and try to expedite the MBA by attending day classes and trying for internships?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: The expectation is that you will remain employed full-time throughout the duration of your MBA experience. You can change jobs at any time, but we discourage students from leaving their jobs to try to replicate the Full-Time experience in the Part-Time program.

Chat Participant: Are there specific club seats for Weekend MBAer?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Our student clubs (https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/student-experience) are all available to both Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students.

Chat Participant: Hello, how are current students able to engage with the alumni network outside the classroom while in the MBA program?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: Hello! You will have access to our alumni network from day 1! There is an online resource for students to connect with alumni on their own, and our career services team also can facilitate this. There are also numerous networking events where you will have the opportunity to engage with alumni.

Chat Participant: Is an internship required for weekend MBA?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: No, the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA programs are designed for full-time working professionals

Chat Participant: Is there a shuttle that goes from the Hyde Park campus to the Gleacher center?
Stephanie Gunn | Director, Student Recruitment and Admissions: No we do not yet have a shuttle between campuses and are currently offering a Lyft Ride Smart program for students for travel between Hyde Park and downtown. We're not sure if this program will be extended beyond this academic year at this time.

Chat Participant: What are some career/networking opportunities can weekend MBA students get?
Skyler Adams | Associate Director of Admissions: You will have access to a career services team dedicated to our Part-Time MBA students from day 1. There are also numerous networking opportunities that will be held throughout your time at Booth and beyond.

Chat Participant: Referring to the previous question about on-campus recruiting for PT MBA in the field investment banking, doe it applies the same (less opportunities/ rugged path) for corporate strategy field?  Currently in corporate strategy would like to see if there's any on-campus recruiting or intern opportunities for PT MBA in corporate strategy. 
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Many Evening/Weekend students who transition to corporate strategy do not require internships. Recruiting for full-time positions is equally available to both Full-Time and Evening/Weekend students.

Chat Participant: Can PT students have access to career fairs and other career resources?
Mia Palmejar-Takaki | Assistant Director of Admissions: Yes, PT students have access to our Career Services department which includes things like career fairs, alumni mentors, individualized coaching, etc.

Chat Participant: Is there somewhere I can a profile of weekend MBA students? What industries did they go after graduation?
Patrick McHale | Associate Director of Admissions: Class Profile (2021 incoming students): https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/admissions/class-profile. Career impact: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/mba/part-time/career-impact