Margaret (Maggie) Carton

University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

“Curious, loyal, and hard-working. Avid skier, fly fisherman, and runner (when I am not injured).”

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was a driver in a Presidential Motorcade – I have never driven so fast in my life!

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Chicago – Major in Psychology, Minor in Statistics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Ariel Investments – Research Analyst

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Passing Level I and Level II of the CFA exam on my first attempt. I am still waiting on my level III results (fingers crossed)!

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? The classmates I have met thus far are kind, welcoming, passionate, and ambitious. A killer combination!

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? I attended the University of Chicago for my undergraduate degree. As an undergrad, I took several classes at Chicago Booth; the faculty, facility, and coursework impressed me. University of Chicago cares an immense amount about intellectual curiosity and pushing its students to do their best. I believe Chicago Booth embraces this ethos.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Participating in the Private Equity Lab.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Getting an MBA has always been at the back of my mind. At Ariel Investments, the vast majority of Portfolio Managers and Research Analysts had MBAs from Chicago Booth.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? Should I say Monte Carlo simulation with net payout as the dependent variable? Honestly, it is a very personal decision, but I believe in the power of education. Degrees last a lifetime.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I only applied to Booth!

How did you determine your fit at various schools? My research was done mostly through my experience taking Booth classes as an undergrad at the University of Chicago. The classes I took really sparked my interest in getting an MBA at Booth and, as a fourth year, I applied for early admission through the Booth Scholars program. I deferred for several years, working as a Research Analyst at Ariel Investments.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are?

Right after graduating college, I decided to take Improv at Second City. I took Level A through Level E at Second City, preforming three shows live for friends and family. Improv pushed me out of my comfort zone. I usually like structured presentations that are planned carefully in advance. Improv forces you to let go and think more about your Improv ensemble than yourself. Since then, I have tried to embrace a “yes, and” attitude.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? I want to work in PE or VC, utilizing my skills in finance in a new capacity.

Where do you see yourself in five years?  Five years from now, I hope to be working in PE or VC, moving into a leadership role wherever I am working.