Booth (Chicago): Calling all applicants - Class of 2016

FROM Booth Admissions Blog: Spring Forward to Round 2 Decisions

Each year at the beginning of March, the admissions committee anxiously awaits the promise of longer daylight hours and warmer weather as we work hard to make our final Round 2 decisions!  We know that the time between your interview and a final admissions decision can seem very long, so we thought it would be helpful to understand what we will be doing in the following weeks. As our interview period comes to a close this week, we will move into the final stage of the application evaluation process. The big day is Thursday, March 27th when we will release final admissions decisions. Between now and March 27th, the admissions committee will be busy reading each application again with the new interview summary included, making final recommendations and shaping the class. The Booth review process is iterative so several different people will read your application for a fair and holistic view of your candidacy. This is a lengthy process; but one that ensures we can truly get to know your story and how you will fit in and contribute to the Chicago Booth community. You will receive notification via email at 9am on March 27th that your decision is ready to be viewed via our online application system. In the meantime, however, please comment below if you have any questions. We wish everyone the best of luck and look forward to welcoming the new Class of 2016! Carrie

EMBA vs. Weekend program vs. full time program

Could someone clarify the 'real' scoop for me please? Are they all equally competitive programs? Do they all get the official University of Chicago MBA diploma? All look the same on the resume? Not trying to sound elitist, but just curious how and if the university tries to differentiate the programs to prospective employers. Or are they all equal and no need to differentiate? Thanks!

Same diploma, easier admission, worse recruiting, harder to intern/career switch, worse network (for the most part, FT/PT students are separated from each other). It's good if you plan to stay in your current company, not so good if you plan to make changes. No one will know you got a part-time degree (from a looking at your diploma standpoint), but you'll probably end up with a worse job since you couldn't fully take part in recruiting and do internships in the way the full time students can.

Awesome, thanks mgh. I was more looking at it from the point of view of me being a (future) full time student. It seems to dilute the brand a little bit if employers can't tell the difference and admission standards are lower. I know that comes off as arrogant, but b-school brand is an important aspect of this whole game. Then again, when the new Microsoft CEO was appointed, I wasn't to 'upset' that he wasn't differentiated from the f/t program...

It's definitely a concern a lot of people are having (I personally don't care too much), but not much you can do, pretty much all the Top 15 schools have PT or EMBA's and many are starting online degrees too. Schools are basically businesses at this point, so as long as it doesn't dillute their brand too much, they'll maximize their income. Plus, PT/EMBA helps them increase their scholarships for FT, so it's marginally helpful to us.

Here's some answers based on my observations:

Are they all equally competitive programs?
The acceptance rate for the p/t programs is higher, but average p/t GMAT is still close to 690, which is nothing to sneeze at. P/t students typically enter with a bit more work experience, and keep accumulating it while they're in school. The same professors teach the same classes in both programs during the same quarter. F/t and p/t students are all curved against one another. In other words, all Booth grads have to meet the same standards.

Do they all get the official University of Chicago MBA diploma?
Yes

All look the same on the resume?
The degree looks the same. Employers can usually infer from the dates which program someone was in.

...curious how and if the university tries to differentiate the programs to prospective employers.
As mgh mentioned, p/t student don't have access to recruiting until they are 50% complete with the program. In practice, that means no internship recruiting. Once p/t students have access to on-campus recruiting, it is separate from the f/t process (separate dates, locations, etc).


... worse network (for the most part, FT/PT students are separated from each other).
The vast majority of programming is separate (e.g. p/t and f/t consulting clubs), but there is no official prohibition. It is up to individual clubs whether to open events to students from other programs. It is common for f/t students to take evening or weekend classes. The opposite is possible, but not common because most p/t'ers can't make daytime classes. The big exception is the alumni network, which is unified. For alumni events, people stop distinguishing p/t vs. f/t a few years after graduation. With more experience under their belt, p/t grads are often the ones being hit up about job ops (see Satya Nadella).

...but you'll probably end up with a worse job...
Debatable. Most p/t students continue their career in school and, thus, rack up raises and promotions while the rest of us are on hiatus.

...b-school brand is an important aspect of this whole game.
Absolutely it is. Chicago Booth pioneered the EMBA (1943) and weekend (1986) programs. Almost all of the top b-schools have both. The brands seem to be doing ok.

Finally, a very qualitative note. I have had several classes with p/t students and have always felt like they were strong contributors.

Hope this helps.

Thank you both so much for taking the time to answer my question. Very helpful!

Question about Decision Day: the blog/email update indicated that they'll post decisions on the online portal at 9am CST. Does anyone know if calls have gone out the day before in years/rounds past, or if we have to wait for the day-of and find out from the portal? Thanks!

From R1 posts here, calls were made day before the stated decision date. If you didn't receive a call the day before, it meant the portal would be updated with a ding or WL. Obviously, there could be an outlier where the school couldn't reach the student the day before (phone number incorrect, spotty cell service in foreign country, etc.).

Do they leave voicemails? I'm away from my desk and not available by phone most of the day.

To expand a bit on my previous answer (based only on R1 reports here):

International students started reporting calls around 8am CST
East coast US started reporting calls around 10am CST
Central US started reporting calls 1pm CST
West coast US started reporting calls 2pm CST

Last calls I saw reported occurred around 6:00 pm CST (West Coast and Central US). I didn't see any mention of voicemails, etc. so not sure if I can help you there.

Nope. If you don't answer, they give your spot to someone else.

Seriously though, I know folks who had voicemails ("Please call us back") or who just got re-called later. If you put a landline on your app, find a way to forward it to your cell for the day if it's going to eat at you otherwise.

This is the first time i hear about call before u see it online.

my friend an international applicant got her acceptance online first than later the call so not really sure.

do u mean they call people on 26 march??

Traditionally, yes. They try to call everyone who is accepted the day before (in this case, that would be March 26) official decisions are posted online. That said, I'm sure there's some people who are accepted that the Adcom isn't able to reach (phones not working; called several times with no answers; etc.)

Good to know than i will plan not to travel on the 26 :) Finger crossed

All quiet on the (mid)western front...

Admit calls next wednesday?

Yup!