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May 2008:00 AM PDT
-08:30 AM PDT
What’s in it for you- Live Profile Evaluation Chat Session with Jenifer Turtschanow, CEO, ARINGO. Come with your details prepared and ARINGO will share insights! Pre-MBA Role/Industry, YOE, Exam Score, C/GPA, ECs Post-MBA Role/ Industry & School List.
May 2110:00 AM EDT
-10:30 AM EDT
Most candidates submit a resume built for a recruiter. Admissions committees are reading for something else entirely. This session covers what adcoms actually evaluate, where strong candidates lose ground before a single essay is written, and why...
May 2208:30 AM PDT
-09:00 AM PDT
Get the inside scoop on what makes Emory’s Goizueta Business School great and how you can present a strong MBA application. Explore the difference between our One-Year MBA and Two-Year MBA programs, talk to our admissions team, and meet students.
May 2203:00 PM EDT
-04:00 PM EDT
The old MBA recruiting playbook is dead. Here’s how top admits are getting ahead this summer.
May 2308:00 PM PDT
-09:00 PM PDT
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!
May 2910:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
Download the MBA Launchpad App, for FREE access to the largest MBA database - Data backed read on your profile - Identify gaps before you apply - Build a balanced school list - Track your deadlines - Mock interviews - Extensive content library
Jun 1006:00 AM PDT
-06:15 PM PDT
Register for the GMAT Club Virtual MBA Spotlight Fair – the world’s premier event for serious MBA candidates. This is your chance to hear directly from Admissions Directors at nearly every Top 30 MBA program..
01 Apr 2026, 00:23
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi all,
I was fortunate to be admitted to Columbia Business School and Chicago Booth in R2 (with a sizeable scholarship at Booth), and I’m trying to decide between the two. Would really appreciate any perspective from those who’ve been through this decision or are familiar with both programs.
A bit of background: I graduated from a top undergrad, did a few years in investment banking in NYC, and now work in private equity. Post-MBA, I’m looking to pivot into venture capital, with a longer-term goal of entrepreneurship.
On one hand, I’ve lived in NYC and know I love it. I also have a strong network there already, which makes CBS feel like a very natural fit. It also seems like CBS has a very strong brand presence, especially in NYC and across certain industries.
On the other hand, Booth is incredibly compelling from an academic and career standpoint. The Polsky Center, strength in entrepreneurship/VC, and overall analytical rigor really stand out. Booth has also consistently outranked CBS in recent years, which I’m trying to understand how much to weigh at this level.
A couple of things I’m trying to get clarity on:
I was fortunate to be admitted to Columbia Business School and Chicago Booth in R2 (with a sizeable scholarship at Booth), and I’m trying to decide between the two. Would really appreciate any perspective from those who’ve been through this decision or are familiar with both programs.
A bit of background: I graduated from a top undergrad, did a few years in investment banking in NYC, and now work in private equity. Post-MBA, I’m looking to pivot into venture capital, with a longer-term goal of entrepreneurship.
On one hand, I’ve lived in NYC and know I love it. I also have a strong network there already, which makes CBS feel like a very natural fit. It also seems like CBS has a very strong brand presence, especially in NYC and across certain industries.
On the other hand, Booth is incredibly compelling from an academic and career standpoint. The Polsky Center, strength in entrepreneurship/VC, and overall analytical rigor really stand out. Booth has also consistently outranked CBS in recent years, which I’m trying to understand how much to weigh at this level.
A couple of things I’m trying to get clarity on:
- For VC/entrepreneurship, are there meaningful differences in recruiting or access to opportunities between CBS and Booth?
- How much do rankings actually matter once you’re choosing between programs at this tier?
- Booth is often associated with consulting/analytical rigor. For someone targeting VC and entrepreneurship, does that translate into a more well-rounded experience, or are there tradeoffs vs. a place like CBS?
- How would you compare the culture and community at each school (collaboration, social life, student energy, etc.)?
- More broadly, how should I think about NYC/location advantages vs. Booth’s academic strengths and scholarship?
06 May 2026, 06:59
Kudos
Bookmarks
First, congratulations on the wonderful accomplishment. What a beautiful dilemma to have!
I’m an MBA candidate at Booth and a bit biased.
Booth has a strong start up accelerator - Polsky Center. Simple Mills, Grubhub, Venmo (indirectly) are some of Booth start ups. In my 1.5 year, I have noticed strong networking opportunities across UChicago, not only Booth (Collaboratorium etc.) to recruit co-founders for your startup.
About VC - We have excellent faculty and rigorous coursework and of course, student groups dedicated for those wanting to pursue PE/VC track.
Booth has dedicated concentration on Entrepreneurship. For instance - There is at least one course that I have taken that gives you all resources to compete in a New Venture challenge (NVC). The course is usually taught by founders and the Director of Polsk Center (sometimes faculty varies but a founder is definitely there as one of the teachers). Regarding VC, again there are strong courses taught by top faculty.
I would recommend you to connect with your admissions contact that you’ve been working with to connect you to Boothies pursuing VC/ Entrepreneurship track. I think you can also directly connect with Polsky Center as an admitted student. There’s an excellent culture to pay it forward at Booth. So, I’m sure you’ll get connected to some Boothies to discuss 1-1. There’s also something called “Ask a Boothie” on their website to connect directly with Boothies.
Overall culture - You will be connected to all Boothies on Slack that is fully governed by Student bodies. There are multiple opportunities to get involved in student led groups as members and co-chairs. I can’t speak enough about the umpteen networking opportunities here. Almost every day of the week has something planned, be it career focused event such as - speaker series, public speaking training, or fun events - dinner, lunch, Movie night, game night, Booth/Kellogg mixer, international treks and the list goes on. One thing to consider is that Booth is known for its academic rigour meaning expect to be overwhelmed with assignments, mid term, and finals almost all the time!
Location - Chicago any day over NYC! Midwest hospitality and warmth aren’t found anywhere else. The food scene is terrific in Chicago (and so is in NYC). You can take classes at the Gleacher Center by the Chicago River. 😊 I can’t say enough good things about Chicago. It’s also technically more affordable (over 40% more affordable than NYC) to balance with your MBA expenses.
I’m an MBA candidate at Booth and a bit biased.
Booth has a strong start up accelerator - Polsky Center. Simple Mills, Grubhub, Venmo (indirectly) are some of Booth start ups. In my 1.5 year, I have noticed strong networking opportunities across UChicago, not only Booth (Collaboratorium etc.) to recruit co-founders for your startup.
About VC - We have excellent faculty and rigorous coursework and of course, student groups dedicated for those wanting to pursue PE/VC track.
Booth has dedicated concentration on Entrepreneurship. For instance - There is at least one course that I have taken that gives you all resources to compete in a New Venture challenge (NVC). The course is usually taught by founders and the Director of Polsk Center (sometimes faculty varies but a founder is definitely there as one of the teachers). Regarding VC, again there are strong courses taught by top faculty.
I would recommend you to connect with your admissions contact that you’ve been working with to connect you to Boothies pursuing VC/ Entrepreneurship track. I think you can also directly connect with Polsky Center as an admitted student. There’s an excellent culture to pay it forward at Booth. So, I’m sure you’ll get connected to some Boothies to discuss 1-1. There’s also something called “Ask a Boothie” on their website to connect directly with Boothies.
Overall culture - You will be connected to all Boothies on Slack that is fully governed by Student bodies. There are multiple opportunities to get involved in student led groups as members and co-chairs. I can’t speak enough about the umpteen networking opportunities here. Almost every day of the week has something planned, be it career focused event such as - speaker series, public speaking training, or fun events - dinner, lunch, Movie night, game night, Booth/Kellogg mixer, international treks and the list goes on. One thing to consider is that Booth is known for its academic rigour meaning expect to be overwhelmed with assignments, mid term, and finals almost all the time!
Location - Chicago any day over NYC! Midwest hospitality and warmth aren’t found anywhere else. The food scene is terrific in Chicago (and so is in NYC). You can take classes at the Gleacher Center by the Chicago River. 😊 I can’t say enough good things about Chicago. It’s also technically more affordable (over 40% more affordable than NYC) to balance with your MBA expenses.
