Insider Tips for the Chicago Booth Application

The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business is one of the most prestigious b-schools in the nation. With applications increasing during the 2019 cycle, it’s only getting tougher to gain acceptance into the institution.

With just 1 in 5 applicants ultimately accepted into the program, what exactly does it take to get in?

Business Insider recently spoke to students, grads, and the dean for MBAs at Booth to get an insider look at the admissions process.

UNDERSTAND APPLICATION COMPONENTS

Experts say it’s important for applicants to take the time to fully understand every component of Booth’s application.

Booth, according to admissions, currently categorizes its application into three areas of focus: curriculum, community, and career.

Stacey Kole, Booth’s deputy dean for MBA programs, says these areas are part of the holistic approach the b-school takes into evaluating candidates.

“We don’t pre-assign weights to application components and no single component dominates others,” Kole tells Business Insider. “We seek to see the whole person, instead of just an academic record or resume bullets.”

The approach allows applicants to speak freely about themselves and what makes them unique.

“We consider what you say about yourself and we listen to the insights of those you believe know you well,” Kole tells Business Insider. “It is our assumption that you curated a portfolio of information to capture who you are as a person and, in keeping with that assumption, our admissions team considers everything a candidate submits (inclusive of recommendation letters) to build a full understanding of you as a candidate and assess your potential for impact with a Booth MBA.”

THE ESSAY

Booth’s MBA essay asks applicants two questions: The first asks, “How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals?” The second question follows with this puzzler: “How have your interests, leadership experiences, and other passions influenced the choices in your life?”

Kole says applicants should draw natural connections between their goals and how they plan to engage with the Booth community to achieve those goals.

“The stellar applications reveal an understanding of who the candidate is, what they hope to accomplish with their talent, and why Booth is the place to make that happen,” Kole tells Business Insider.

GET PERSONAL

Those who have gone through the Booth application process say it can help to be transparent about your personal goals and what truly drives you.

Emily Creedon, a first-year MBA at Booth, says she referenced a time in her life where she was stuck at a crossroads.

“I wrote about when I quit a coveted job at Goldman Sachs and how the decision has shaped me and helped me grow into the person and professional I want to become,” she tells Business Insider. “I was deeply honest and didn’t try to sugarcoat the emotions and experience. I think this helped my application stand out.”

Kole further emphasizes that applicants should take the opportunity to discuss what truly drives them.

“We’re curious what motivates a candidate and how that influences their MBA path,” she tells Business Insider. “Our students have the freedom to pursue learning opportunities that will further their unique goals and, at Booth, there are endless ways they can choose to arrive at that end goal. So, it’s important for candidates to help us understand how they plan to maximize their time at Booth.”

Sources: Business Insider, Poets & Quants, Chicago Booth