Calling Booth Evening/Weekend MBA Aspirants (2016 Intake)Class of 2019

hi all,

I'm applying for the winter admission. I took GMAT already and is currently writing essays.

Chicago resident
WE-38 months
industry - chemical, oil&gas

What is your GMAT score?

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: Students Mix and Mingle with Alumni at Fusion Event

Fusion is everything you want the Booth community to be:  connections are made based on shared experiences, and these events are a great opportunity for several hundred alumni and students to mix and mingle at a new venue over great food and creative cocktails. Booth alumni are extremely gracious and generous with their time so events like this are a great way to engage with them, other students and catch up with classmates you haven't seen all quarter.  And it's always wonderful to see a bunch of Boothies take over one of the newest rooftops in Chicago on a gorgeous summer day! Take a peek at some photos from the recent Fusion event at Loews Hotel Chicago! Nikki Schutz | Current Evening MBA student | Student Advisory Council Co-Chair

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: We’re hitting the road and coming to a city near you

We’re hitting the road in the coming weeks and are excited to talk with you about the Weekend MBA Program at Chicago Booth. We’ll be hosting dinners throughout the country with Booth alumni, current students and Admissions staff who are looking forward to sharing their experiences and insights about commuting, work-life balance, our dynamic community and more. Check below for the cities we’ll be in throughout the Fall: Los Angeles on October 6 San Francisco on October 7 New York on October 12 Boston on October 13 Washington, D.C. on October 14 Minneapolis on October 20 Dallas on October 20 Houston on October 21 Milwaukee on October 27 Detroit on November 3 Cleveland on November 4 Denver on November 11 We look forward to meeting you!

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: Fun Run with associate dean Glenn Sykes

Growing up running has instilled a lot of discipline in my life.  I am one of those people that is up and out of bed at 5:00 in the morning to get my workout in.  Running/working out helps me manage stress and creates a much needed routine while in school.  A morning run is the best way to start my day because it is sometimes the only time I have to myself before getting ready for a really busy day at work, followed by school.  Plus, you can’t beat a sunrise run on Lake Michigan. I’m not the only Booth student that enjoys running.  We have a group that runs together during the week, which is a great way to meet other students, talk about classes, work, what’s next, etc.  The Dean has joined us for a run, as well as professors, which is a great way to engage with faculty outside the classroom and spend time discussing student life with the Dean.  Check out a video from our latest run with associate dean, Glenn Sykes Joanne Meulendyke | Current Evening MBA Student | Running Club Co-President

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: Why an MBA?

Why get an MBA? Perhaps you’re looking at how to effectively advance your career, gain new skillsets, develop leadership skills, or possibly switch careers and jump into an entirely new field. All of these are great reasons to look at MBA's. And while reasons may be varied, current Chicago Booth Evening MBA Program and Weekend MBA Program students share their reasons for why they chose to pursue an MBA. “Part of my career ambition is to move up the ranks through senior management at a big company but that would take me about 15 to 20 years to do. Booth helps me fast track by learning the tips and tricks of management strategy and project management and really learn what it takes to be in that position earlier on in my career. That’s going to let me just fly in a lot sooner.” Somil Shaw | Current Weekend student and Chicago Business Fellow “I decided to get an MBA to one, further my career at my current company, Northern Trust, and also to get back in the classroom. One of the great things about working and going to school at the same time is that what you’re learning in the classroom you can directly apply to work. I really enjoy learning and surrounding myself with other professionals. I came to Chicago Booth because of the community.  It could not be a better group of individuals to be in a classroom with, to socialize with, and to have as your professional network.” Joanne Meulendyke |Current Evening MBA student “I decided to get an MBA because I had started my career as an engineer at a Fortune 50 company and I found myself looking for more intellectual challenges that were just a little bit different.  I started to explore what the opportunities were out there and found a lot of opportunity here at Chicago Booth to broaden my horizons intellectually.” Brad Hurwitz | Current Evening MBA student “As a project manager I have spent most of my life on the engineering side but I was really looking to boost my financial and economic acumen and that is what really drew me to Booth and led me down the road to getting my MBA. I have been promoted twice since starting at Booth.” Aron Branam | Current Weekend MBA student “I really wanted to pursue an MBA this early in my career so that I could look at the decisions my clients are making or the different teams they brought in to help them make decisions. I wanted to be part of the understanding of why decisions are made rather than just carrying out the decisions after they came through.” Jackie DiMonte |Current Weekend MBA student and Chicago Business Fellow

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: Looking to advance your career? Alumnae offer advice.

If you’re looking to advance your career, a part-time MBA is a way to keep your career on track while learning new frameworks and tools. But, did you know there are other things you can do to compliment your MBA that will help you evolve your leadership and management skills? Maybe you’re wondering how to go about asking someone you respect to be your mentor? Or perhaps you want to become better at adapting to adversity. If you’re wondering what next steps to take, Chicago Booth alumnae offer 5 ways you can advance your career: CREATE YOUR FUTURE When opportunity knocks, answer the door. Say ‘yes’ and step up to the challenge. Evolve your plan as you go along. — Deanie Elsner, ’92, president, Snacks Business Unit, Kellogg Company FIND YOUR PASSION Every time I tried something, like a new project, I would think, 'What do I like about this? What do I hate?' Think about the process, the team, or the industry. Think about the things you really enjoy, and after a while, you'll see a trend. — Martina V. Dimova-Martinez, '08, Category Manager, Publisher Relations, Follett Higher Education Group FIND A MENTOR (IT’S NOT EASY) Mentors can help you along the way, but they don’t drop out of the sky. Young people think someone is supposed to come up and say, 'I'm going to be your mentor.' It doesn't happen that way. Instead, look for subtle cues from an experienced colleague who expresses interest in your work. It's up to you to realize they're inviting you into their circle. — Valerie Van Meter, '04, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer; Central Bank Services and System Leadership Initiative, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago BUILD SUPPORTIVE TEAM Build an 'A' Team by assembling the best team possible. Create constructive tension. Motivate through belief and trust, empower your staff and help people succeed. Understand your competition. Determine your destination and frame your path to accomplish it. — Deanie Elsner, ’92, President, Snacks Business Unit, Kellogg Company

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: Pizza Bytes: CEO shares how data-driven marketing revitalized Domino’s

Over coffee on a Tuesday morning in October, I sat down with a dozen other Booth students and alumni to hear Chicago Business Fellows, Booth applicants with less than three years of work experience are considered. The program provides skills and support via a weekly seminar during first quarter. Speaking from experience, the connections form quickly between program members and provide a fantastic network from the very beginning of their Booth education. During the seminars, topics such as leadership, team dynamics, business etiquette, and other foundational professional skills are covered to jump-start professional development and provide momentum for Fellows to carry with them through their degree and beyond. Booth students, faculty, and alumni alike share this motivation for ongoing inquiry. The school’s full calendar of events, including this breakfast with Doyle, provides the unprecedented opportunity to learn from leaders across industries and gain insights into their foundational philosophies. Doyle, for one, is driven by a desire for constant progress. “Today, I worry about whether we are too relaxed,” he says. “My job is to tell people that it won’t continue like this. You have to drive change, we can’t be happy where we are.” Shelly Porter | Current Evening MBA student | Chicago Business Fellow

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: How Booth's Weekend MBA Program Helped Me Evolve My Career

Whether every week you fly in from California, Houston, or NYC, drive in from Cincinnati, or take the train in from St. Louis to attend the Weekend MBA Program, at Chicago Booth you become part of a culture where intellectual curiosity is a common characteristic that leads to a shared passion for exploration and collaboration. You will be immersed in a community of Weekend students from all over the US- where 80% commute in from outside of Chicago each week looking to broaden their perspective and have enriching experiences. Current student, and Student Advisory Council Co-President, Aron Branam recently shared his insights into the Booth experiences

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: Competition for a Cause

Each year Chicago Booth Evening and Weekend MBA students unite with their classmates and demonstrate school spirit at a physical and philanthropic competition with teams from Kellogg, Kellstadt, and Quinlan, called MBA Cup. Schools compete in various sports activities like volleyball, softball, tug-of-war, and kickball, to raise money for a charitable cause. MBA Cup evolved from a Booth vs Kellogg softball game and has been in its current form since 2007. Chicago Booth has been the reigning champions since 2010. -->--> "Events like the MBA Cup foster connections that extend well beyond the classroom. The good-natured competition specific to the MBA Cup enhances the sense of pride and camaraderie within the Booth community. As one of the organizers this year, the level of engagement I saw from both students and alumni was a testament to the strength of that community," Ryan Bormet, current student and event co-chair. This year’s event is in support of the Big Shoulders Fund. The Big Shoulders Fund supports Catholic schools in the neediest areas of inner-city Chicago.  Big Shoulders Fund is unique in that administrative expenses are supported by an endowment and other income which ensures all funds currently raised go toward programs that benefit the schools.  Some of the programs benefiting schools and students include scholarships, special education programs, instructional equipment, much-needed school facility improvements, faculty support, and operating grants. “The impact of MBA Cup reverberates far beyond the playing field. In total, the four scholastic competitors raised over $10,000 to benefit the Big Shoulders Fund, a truly worthy endeavor. All should be commended, as Booth once again led such fundraising efforts and captured victory in this component of the competition,” Bormet. Check out some photos from the event:   -->-->

Retaking the GMAT later this week on 12/12. Apply for Fall 2016 intake for the Weekend Chicago Business Fellows cohort.

Deadline - May 13, 2016
CBF Interview Day - Debating between Jan 9 or Apr 30, 2016
Launch - Aug 26-28, 2016
Classes Start - Sep 22, 2016

Profile:
Chicago resident
WE - just over 3 years come matriculation
Industry - Digital marketing analytics

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40 honors members of the Booth community

Each year Crain’s Chicago Business releases their list of 40 Under 40. A list of executives, lawyers, philanthropists, officials, creatives, scientists and researchers who challenge the status quo to drive change within their respected fields. Several members of the Chicago Booth community were honored this year, including Professor Jeff Nelson and Rahier Rahman. Learn more about professor Sufi, Jeff, and Rahier as well as other leaders in Chicago. -->-->

EVENING MBA- 2.5 TO 3 YEARS

Chicago Booth Evening MBA Program admits new students four times per year, for the Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer quarters.

Application Deadlines:

Quarter Application Due LAUNCH * Classes Start

Winter 2016 Friday, October 9, 2015 December 10, 11, and 12 January 4
Spring 2016 Friday, January 8, 2016 March 17, 18, and 19 March 28
Summer 2016 Friday, April 8, 2016 June 9, 10, and 11 June 20
Autumn 2016 Friday, July 1, 2016 September 8, 9, and 10 September 22

For more information on the application process , click here: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/ev ... ions/apply

Evaluation Criteria:The Admissions Committee considers a candidate’s potential for success both while in school and beyond. Three broad themes are used to evaluate an applicant:

Curriculum (Academic preparedness, Intellectual curiosity, Communication skills)

Community (Leadership, Team-building skills, Respect for others , Philanthropic tendencies, Fit with Chicago Booth, A unique perspective)

Career (A track record of success, Resourcefulness , A sense of personal direction ,Time-management skills ,Realistic expectations for the MBA)

Essay Questions for Winter 2016, Spring 2016, and Autumn 2016:

Essay One (250 words): We often have a short window of time to make an impression. Introduce yourself to your classmates. (250 words maximum) 2015-16

For this essay, you will need to focus on the qualities/interests/ experiences you want your class mates to know about you. I would suggest that you achieve a balance between details of your professional and personal life in this essay. You only have 250 words to paint your personality to your class mates. You may approximately use 125 words to focus on your professional self (academic, career history, goals etc.) and 125 words to discuss your personality (i.e. your interests, background, and perspective of life). It is a test of your thinking and writing skills, a test of how concisely you can describe yourself. When discussing your personal interests, you may try to make your introduction interesting with anecdotes. The key to a rewarding introduction is to be yourself . In the end, don’t forget to demonstrate your excitement of working with your class mates at Booth.

Essay Two (500 words): Chicago Booth offers four ways to earn an MBA. Why is the Evening MBA the best fit for your short- and long-term career goals? Why are you the best fit for the program? (500 words maximum) 2015-16

This is a straightforward Goals Essay ,‘why MBA’ and ‘why Booth’ question. You may begin your essay with a story/ event/ life experience that reflects passion for your chosen field (marketing, finance etc.) leading to your academic career. You may also directly start with an account of your academic history (Bachelors and Master’s degree) leading to your career history, explaining how you acquired new skills and progressed along your career path all these years. Specify skills gained at each job position and your rationale behind each career move, your greatest professional hits/accomplishments that earned you promotion ahead of your peers.

Then explain where you stand now, the skills that you still lack and hope to acquire by an MBA? How an MBA will fill the gaps in your career and bring you closer to the fulfillment of your goals? Explain why you believe that an MBA is the next logical step in your career path NOW?

Then discuss your short term and long term goals. Be clear and quite decisive for short term goals (even if you are not 100% sure.) Show that you have put some thought into it. For long term goals, it’s ok to be more broad and idealistic. However, you need to make sure there is a logical connection between short term and long term goals. Explain how you foresee yourself progressing from short term to long term goals (A to B to C). Show sincerity and passion in talking about your dreams.

Once you have explained your career aspirations and your need for an MBA, explain how an evening MBA from Booth is your best bet at this time and how it will help you achieve your goals. All schools expect you to not only have a clear sense of your goals but also of their connection to their offerings. A thorough knowledge of the school’s curriculum, faculty, and special programs will enable you to explain how they are aligned to your goals. Again, do not forget to answer why you are interested in the evening program instead of full time program. The school wants to know the reason why you want to pursue higher education while continuing with your employment.

In the end, discuss what value you will bring to their program? In order to demonstrate your ‘fit’ with the program, you also need to explain in what ways you will contribute to the program

Example:

“ After attending the information sessions, meeting with students and alumni, and going for the class-visits at Booth, I am convinced that the evening MBA program at Booth will be a great fit for me.The rigor and discipline designed in the Booth MBA program resonates well with my learning style, and the option to take additional courses after completing the program fits my vision of establishing a long term relationship with the school . I am convinced that Booth will be a perfect enabler to my transformation into a leader.”

A Goals Essay connects past, present and future i.e. your past work- experience (past), your goals,(future), and the need of an MBA from a particular school to achieve your goals (present). The Schools want to see that you have a clear plan/ vision for future and you have the ability to convince them of the same by telling your story in an engaging manner.

Essay Three (500 words): Developing leadership skills is an important component of an MBA program. What qualities do you value in a leader? How will an MBA from Booth help develop your leadership skills? (500 words maximum)

From Booth website : “A significant part of the Booth experience is helping each student define and strengthen their personal leadership style.” That is why they require applicants to answer leadership question by slightly tweaking it every year. The goal of this essay is to better understand your perspective about leadership and how you will leverage your leadership skills through Booth MBA program.

How to organize your essay Think about traits that, in your opinion, make good leaders, explain how you plan to achieve them, what leadership skills you already possess. Please illustrate your observations/ viewpoints with examples. Please note that blanket statements without examples will not help the Ad Com understand your views on leadership.( Approximately 250 words.

In the second part of the essay, discuss in what ways a Booth MBA can help you develop your leadership skills. You should have a thorough knowledge of Booth resources to be able to explain which particular resources/ offerings at Chicago Booth you plan to take advantage of to hone your leadership qualities. .( Approximately 250 words)

Example:

“Thus, I strongly believe that having leadership in thought and vision is not enough to make one a leader. The small personal gestures enhance the perception of a true leader who can motivate others to work towards the ultimate goal. I am excited to further enhance my leadership qualities through the courses and workshops offered through the Lead Exploration and Development program offered by Booth.”

Re-applicant Essay:(500 words) Upon reflection, how has your thinking regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or obtaining your MBA changed since the time of your last application and what steps have you taken to strengthen your application since the last time you applied?

Through this question, Booth wants its re-applicants to enlighten them on three areas: their future, Chicago Booth and earning their MBA. Let’s take them one by one. Your future is your goals, so in this one year you may likely have realized that your previous goal was not realistic, so you might have changed your short- and/or long-term goals from last year. Don’t worry about that, just be sure to show that your new goals are realistic, doable and match your skills. Next, you should explain how and what you have learned about Chicago Booth since your previous application. The school only wants to know that your need of Booth is as strong as it was last time, so you should demonstrate your continued interest in Booth by mentioning any meetings you have had with alumni or professors, any campus visits you made, any classes you attended, or any information session you have attended.Booth wants its applicants to tell them if their thinking about MBA has changed since their last application. You may answer this by focusing on the areas you have improved upon since you applied last. Whether you have taken extra classes, received a promotion, led a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on a personal challenge, the key here is to demonstrate that you are now a better and stronger candidate. Your conscious efforts to strengthen your profile and to work on your weak areas will prove how determined you are about your MBA.

Lastly, and most importantly, you should use the feedback you received from the school on your previous application and focus specifically on those areas e.g. clarity of goals, extra courses taken to make up for your low GMAT, improved essays with clarity of message.

Example:

“My application for Booth evening MBA program was rejected last winter. According to the feedback I received, I needed to either retake the GMAT or take a course. Also, I was advised to improve my essays for clarity of message. .Based on the feedback, I have made conscious efforts to improve my application in the above mentioned areas…..………”

Optional Essay (500 words ) If there is any important information relevant to your candidacy you were unable to address elsewhere in the application, please share that information here.

An optional essay provides you with an excellent opportunity to tell the Ad Com what you could not tell because you were bound by the specifications of the essay questions. This question is also meant to shine a spotlight on an experience or side of your personality that has not been revealed in the other parts of your application: essays, recommendation letters and resume. This is an opportunity Ad Com is offering you to cite another reason to admit you. While someone might want to talk about his/her experiences in community service, someone else might want to share something about his/her accomplishments in extracurricular activities e.g. sports, music, or painting etc. You can also choose examples from your work (if you have an outstanding professional accomplishment that you could not share in essays), community service, education, travels, or any other hobby/interest. You may also share a life -experience that has greatly influenced your personality and life. The idea is to bring to light that aspect of your personality that truly makes you unique. Then you should try to demonstrate how you can leverage this skill or quality to enhance your MBA experience or your future career.

You may also use this essay question to address a weakness in your profile, such as employment gap or low GPA or low GMAT. Your weakness may bring out a positive aspect of your personality.Please refer to the following example of a candidate whose grades dropped because of his military service.

Example:

“Although my leadership experiences in the military taught me many valuable lessons in teamwork, perseverance, and management, through all my responsibilities, it impacted my grades. Thus, I do not view my undergraduate performance as an accurate representation of my academic abilities. However, I hope the above reasons will assist you in understanding my particular situation. I grew from this experience and took a dedicated approach to professional education. I would respectfully ask the admission committee to consider this when reviewing my application.”


For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com

FROM Booth Evening and Weekend MBA Admissions Blog: Making the Most of the New Year: Insights from students

It’s a New Year. And with that comes a fresh start to setting goals and figuring out how to maximize the next 365 days. One of your goals may be to learn a new leadership skill, better manage your time, or perhaps pursue your MBA. While adding MBA coursework into an already busy life schedule may seem difficult, at Chicago Booth’s Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs we have over 1400 students who have found ways to make it work. From finding work/life balance, to investing in their health and making time to socialize, let Booth students inspire you to make positive changes in your life. 1. Work/Life Balance. “One key is to prioritize—I have become much better at prioritizing my time as a part-time student. And that doesn't mean not having any leisure time—I’m very busy, but I still spend plenty of time relaxing, hanging out with friends, and enjoying life. By prioritizing the things you want to do and then planning ahead, you can make sure you get to the things you care about.” Ian Adams | Evening MBA student 2. Invest in Your Health. One of the important things that you need when getting an MBA and continuing to work concurrently is that you need an outlet for the balance in your life, so for me that has primarily been training for and competing in triathlon’s. it is such a great opportunity here in Chicago that I can get up and I can train right there along the lake whether I am running or swimming, or cycling and it is such a great start to my day.” – Brad Hurwitz | Evening MBA 3. Make Time to Socialize. Make sure you make time for fun. Booth is a lot of fun. It may sound crazy, but after you sit in class from 6 to 9pm with a group of people you go upstairs in the Midway Club and grab a drink. Booth is a very social place- something I wasn’t fully expecting when I came, but it was a pleasant surprise. We’ll grab dinners together at cultural restaurants, well go out to summer festivals, or we’ll just celebrate someone who had a child recently. It’s a great place to meet people and have fun, too.” – Liz Tillati | Weekend MBA 4. Invest in Yourself. “My decision to get an MBA had to do with really thinking about the future. I always try to think one, two, three years ahead. I think long term and getting an MBA made sense for what I want to do. Where I work now and where I see myself in the future is related to finance banking, but also management. I want to lead people and when I thought about my future and what I needed to do to get to the next step an MBA made sense.” – Jon Park | Weekend MBA 5. Set Goals While the New Year is Fresh. Did you know on average the length of time when someone first begins to consider an MBA to the time they apply is about 2 years? The typical Booth Evening or Weekend student completes their MBA in 2-2.5 years. By the time you decide to pursue an MBA you could actually be finished. So what are the steps? First we’d encourage you to attend an information session in Chicago, or if you live outside of Chicago, we encourage you to attend one of our many dinners in a city near you. Second, visit a class and see Booth firsthand. Third, study for and take the GMAT. Step four, start your application for the Evening MBA or Weekend MBA Programs. We look forward to getting to know you in the New Year!

Got in for Spring 2016....See you all at LAUNCH in March!!!

Congrats Hercule! Did you happen to apply for R1 or R2 / weekend or evening???

I think it is semi-rolling so hopefully will be hearing soon as well!

Hi PizzaHut,

I actually applied for Jan 8 deadline for spring 2016 Weekend program. I would like to add that i submitted my app on 8 Jan morning. Since , i had already started working on my app pretty early (around oct 2015), i did get a mail in mid Dec from Booth Adcom to schedule my interview early on. So, i ended up submitting my app as well as getting interviewed the same day Jan 8th @ Gleacher center. Got the result on 16th Jan