Peter Pilone

University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

“Relaxed, open-minded, inquisitive; most often found playing a game for “market research.”

Hometown: Valley Cottage, New York

Fun Fact About Yourself: I once won a category at a tournament by being the only valid participant. Still have that plaque.

Undergraduate School and Major: Manhattanville College, Psychology.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Intrepid Studios, Senior Producer

What word best describes the Chicago Booth MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far and why? Empathetic. Every encounter I’ve had has been met with an unbelievable level of openness, understanding and curiosity. There’s a genuineness about the interactions. Meeting alumni has been a prime example of the “pay it forward” culture because they are always open to talking and will help in whatever way possible. This has also been extremely true with 2nd year students. Every 2Y I’ve met has shown genuine excitement to be on campus and to be interacting with 1Ys, especially after last year’s circumstances.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Chicago Booth’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The aspect that appealed to me most was the flexible curriculum. First, being able to own your schedule and path is a very attractive proposition to me since there are so many classes I’m interested in. I want to be able to take what I want at my own pace, including classes at other UChicago institutions such as the Law School. Second, the flexible curriculum helps you find people in your class that share similar academic and professional interests. You can’t always meet everyone in any given club or social event, so knowing that the people in your class bid to take it means they likely also find it interesting. That’s a great way to connect.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Chicago Booth? PE/VC Lab, definitely. It’s a very unique offering. The opportunity to have an in-year internship expedites your growth and gives you hands-on experience right away. I’m excited to apply!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Not sure about the biggest accomplishment, but certainly one of my favorite moments was launching our Kickstarter at Intrepid. We had a TON of meetings figuring out what our game was, the design philosophy, art direction, and more. We put a lot of time into making sure the presentation got our design across. Once we had it set up, we were ready to press the publish button, and the office was this fantastic mix of anxiety, excitement and apprehension. That moment was definitely something I’ll never forget.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general? My parents got COVID early during the pandemic and I think that changed my perspective rather quickly (They’re OK!). Not only did it make me value my time with friends, family and loved ones more, but it also made me think of my career trajectory differently. I didn’t want to stagnate or become complacent; time became an issue at the forefront of my mind. The pandemic offered an opportunity to reflect for many reasons and upon some introspection applying to business school seemed like a perfect fit for what I was looking for.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Wharton, Kellogg, Haas, Fuqua, Yale SOM, Marshall and Anderson.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Chicago Booth’s MBA program? First, I think the hard stats side of admissions is very open, but don’t let it rule you. You can be above the median, or below it, and find varying results. Do the best you can with the hard stats and move on. However, do so being confident that it’s the best you can do. Second, try your best to establish what you value in a learning (or life) experience. Business school is a huge change for many; you’ll want to fit where you go for the next 2+ years. I found information sessions from the school to be helpful in order to establish a baseline for culture/fit, but talking to alumni was the best measure. Whatever it is you value, try to generate some questions that will really tip the scales for your decision-making.  Don’t hesitate to reach out to others that have been through the program, even those who may have had different trajectories than you.

DON’T MISS: MEET CHICAGO BOOTH’S MBA CLASS OF 2023