In this edition of our Real Humans: MBA Students series, we go beyond the class profile to get an inside look at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with the new MBA Class of 2026.
Out of 5,182 applicants, 652 new students matriculated at Chicago Booth in 2024. Forty-two percent are women and 35 percent are international, representing 66 different countries. Based on Federal reporting guidelines, 30 percent of U.S. students identify as Asian American, eight percent as Black/African America, 10 percent as Hispanic/Latinx, and four percent as multi-race. Ten percent have a record of military service and nine percent are members of the LGBTQ+ community.
During their undergraduate years, the Chicago Booth MBA class profile reveals that students earned an average 3.6 GPA. Twenty-seven percent had majored in business and 23 percent in engineering. Economics majors followed closely at 22 percent. Thirteen percent earned degrees in liberal arts and seven percent in physical sciences. Fifteen percent of the new class hold graduate degrees.
The new Chicago Booth cohort arrived on campus with an average of five years of work experience. Twenty-seven percent hailed from consulting and 18 percent from financial services. Another 13 percent brought tech industry experience with them. Eleven percent had worked in the government/non-profit spaces while eight percent came from PE/VC. When it came time to take the GMAT, 56 percent chose to take this test. They landed an average score of 729 and a median score of 730. For the 38 percent who submitted GRE scores, they averaged 163 in the Quant section and 161 in the Verbal section.
The Chicago Booth MBA Class of 2026 showcases a dynamic group of students, each bringing a unique background and perspective to the Booth community. Alec S. Deneken, with a background in aerospace engineering and consulting, is passionate about finance and drawn to Booth’s quant-focused academics and the vibrant city of Chicago. Ching-Tse “C.J.” Tsai, hailing from Taiwan, is an expert in the APAC electric vehicle market, eager to expand his impact globally while contributing to Booth’s sustainable energy initiatives. Hira Qureshi, a public servant with extensive experience in government and politics, is focused on integrating private and public sectors, attracted to Booth’s strengths in analytics and finance. Jolene Bernagene, an entrepreneur and former Microsoft product manager, chose Booth to scale her startup while benefiting from the Polsky Center’s entrepreneurial resources. Lastly, Kara Thompson, pursuing a JD/MBA, combines her interests in law and economics to explore crypto regulatory law and entertainment strategy.
This diverse group embodies the intellectual rigor, entrepreneurial spirit, and collaborative culture that Booth is known for. From consulting and politics to tech and law, these students are excited to learn from one another and make a lasting impact on their industries. Read on for their stories.
