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

I wish I had time for R1, but I don't want to rush any applications.

Short Answer Essays
Please respond to the following two essay prompts:

a. My favorite part of my work is... (250 words maximum)
b. I started to think differently when... (250 words maximum)

Presentation/Essay
The Chicago experience will take you deeper into issues, force you to challenge assumptions, and broaden your perspective. In a four-slide presentation or an essay of no more than 600 words, broaden our perspective about who you are. Understanding what we currently know about you from the rest of the application, what else would you like us to know?

Presentation/Essay Guidelines
We have set forth the following guidelines:

The content is completely up to you. There is no right, or even preferred, approach to this essay. Feel free to use the software with which you are most comfortable. Acceptable formats for upload in the online application system are PowerPoint, Word, or PDF. However, we suggest converting your file to a PDF to preserve your intended formatting.
There is a strict maximum of four pages (presentation) or 600 words (essay), though you can provide fewer if you choose. All content must fit within four pages (presentation) or 600 words (essay).
The file size is limited to 16 MB.
The document will be viewed electronically, but we cannot support embedded videos, music, hyperlinks, or motion images.
The file will be evaluated on the quality of content and ability to convey your ideas, not on technical expertise.

Reapplicant Question: Upon reflection, how has your perspective regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words maximum)

Round 1 October 3, 2013
Round 2 January 8, 2014
Round 3 April 3, 2014

Thanks Domotron - ask and you shall receive, eh? At least 1 for 3 ain't bad!

As many schools are doing, Booth switched things up this year too - but in a totally different way from the others. Whereas the career goals essay has been a staple for them since, like, forever, they've ditched that question entirely! The EssaySnark team is working on a new application guide for Booth - it requires careful handling.

Thankfully they increased the size of those short-answer questions - they were only 200 words last year - another +50 may not sound like much but it's oodles more, so that will help. People had a tough time last year.

There's a Booth chat next week too so great opportunity to hit the adcom up directly about these changes for anyone who's planning on Round 1!

EssaySnark

What do you guys think the content of the 3rd Essay should be this year in comparison to last years'? Given that we have only 2 essays & 500 words to work with in trying to explain the overarching experiences and content that we think Booth should hear about us. I think traditionally people (including me) used the powerpoint slide question to give a life story/overview.

Good question, randomwalk (great username btw).

Traditionally the Booth PowerPoint has been a great way to present the life story stuff as you've stated, and that's what many have done and seen success. And we don't really see how things need to change this time. Last year there was also just the two short-answer prompts - they were in fact even shorter, at just 200 words each. The main difference of course is there was also a standard career goals question, which is not there this time. We're gonna be talking about that on the blahg tomorrow.

What we invite you to do with this set of Booth prompts is look at the school. They've changed their tactics, but the prompt for the Booth presentation is actually the same as what they had last year. Has the school changed from last year? Or is it the same awesome place with the same great offering - and the same culture, and value prop, and people, and values?

If the answer to that question is no, that the school is indeed the same, and if this open-ended question that they're asking is the same, then we think it's a fine strategy to proceed with what's worked in the past - and a presentation of a life story is one example of that. Certainly not the only way to go, but we can green-light that idea as one that can work.

As always, it all comes down to the execution, and we're talking in hypotheticals and concepts here - not everyone's "life story" (in terms of how they construct it in a PPT) is created equal. YMMV and all that. But conceptually, sure, we don't see no problem with that - as one possible choice among many.

EssaySnark