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U. Chicago Booth MBA News

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Published: March 16, 2020
U.S. News 2021 Business School Rankings Insights: HBS Sinks While Others Float On
The U.S. News & World Report Best Business Schools rankings are out and there are a few surprises, especially within the top 10.  For those of you who have yet to see our announcement of the ranking, the top 25 schools in this year’s edition (with last year’s rankings included for reference) are as follows: School 2021 Rank 2020 Rank Stanford University 1 (tie) 2 University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) 1 (tie) 1 Northwestern University (Kellogg) 3 (tie) 6 University of Chicago (Booth) 3 (tie) 3 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan) 5 3 Read more
Published: March 16, 2020
Stanford & Wharton Share the Throne of Best Business School in U.S. News 2021 Rankings
While Wharton held the #1 spot of the Best Business Schools list from U.S. News & World Report last year, it is now joined by Stanford GSB at the top of the 2021 rankings. Northwestern Kellogg shot up three spaces to join Chicago Booth at #3.  Then, MIT Sloan rounds out the top 5.  Harvard Business School, which usually appears in the top 5 of any b-school ranking, Read more
Published: March 1, 2020
Episode 86: Wire Taps—Will My Work Experience Be Strong Enough?
Another podcast episode of Wire Taps is live, and you should press play to hear the latest advice from Clear Admit’s admissions experts, Graham Richmond and Alex Brown. The duo draws on their years of admissions experience to provide strategic advice on the MBA application process.  This week, they review profiles from three prospective MBA applicants who shared their stories on MBA ApplyWire. One person needs to consider timing in relation to their work experience: Another MBA hopeful is looking to transition to Read more
Published: February 25, 2020
Chicago Booth Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / On-Campus
I scheduled my interview during “Super Saturday,” the one Saturday that admissions offers interviews on the weekend. Because I was able to do so, I came Friday for Booth Live!, the all-day event for interviewees and prospective students including a lunch with students, mock class, Q&A panel with current students, leadership activity, and a happy hour. Highly recommend for anyone visiting campus (I believe they do it twice a year). Booth uses second-year students to complete on-campus interviews, and I learned that it is a highly coveted position that requires application and participation from the beginning of the first year Read more
Published: February 25, 2020
Real Humans of Google: Juan Vasquez, Booth ’19, Android Partner Engineering Strategy and Operations
Most know Google through our computer or phone screens, typing requests next to the magnifying glass or simply saying “Hey Google!” to retrieve instant answers about whatever is on our mind.  But, what is it like to work for the tech giant?  Google employees, affectionately referred to as “Googlers,” collaborate on large, cross- functional and departmental projects. Employees are encouraged to spend time on big ideas and innovate at every level of the company, outside of their day-to-day tasks. Most may also know Chicago Booth as a finance powerhouse, but their post-MBA Read more
Published: February 19, 2020
Chicago Booth Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Off-Campus
Took place in a hotel lobby off-campus. Very pleasant interview – alum graduated from Booth a few years ago and it was very much like a conversation. It was clear that the alum wanted to know me better – I had sent a resume and he’d clearly read through it beforehand and knew about my previous work history. I brought extra copies but he didn’t need a copy, and he jotted down quick notes as I answered questions throughout the interview. Questions he asked included: Why MBA? Why Booth? How will you contribute to Booth’s community? Who’s your personal hero? Read more
Published: February 15, 2020
Chicago Booth MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alum / Off-campus
It was a blind interview with an alumni, who graduated from Booth almost 10 years ago. She was working at a pharmaceutical company, so this helped her resonate with the examples I gave while walking through my resume. The interview was much more detailed that I expected and she probed me to elaborate on my past work experience and extracurriculars with follow up questions. Walk me through your resume. What did you learn from your volunteering experience? (Regarding my internship at Strategic Planning at Coca Cola) What were the insights you gathered through a specific project? How did pursuing a Read more
Published: February 10, 2020
Chicago Booth MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Off Campus Hub
The interview was very conversational. I really felt like the interviewer was genuinely interested in learning about my experience and asked many clarifying questions. The questions below are just what I could remember: He spent a few moments introducing his career and experience at Booth. Questions: How did you get to where you are today? What are your three strengths and three areas of improvement? Detailed / specifics about my resume (team management & collaboration/diversity) What is your 5-yr 10-yr plan and how does Booth fit into that? Asked more details about my desired academic path at Booth Why an Read more
Published: February 5, 2020
Real Humans of Amazon: Michael Larrenaga, Booth ’15, Manager of Vendor Management
What is the path from A to Z?  How do you leave one industry for another?  Anything you need along the way can certainly be delivered by Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer.  And leading MBA programs, like University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, can ensure you are equipped with the leadership, analytical skills and global perspective to thrive. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, we hear from Michael Larrenaga, who decided to leave the finance industry for marketing and brand management.  (The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, had also Read more
Published: January 28, 2020
MBA News You Need: Chicago Booth’s Deferred MBA, Berkeley Haas Application Advice and More from Dartmouth, Georgetown & Michigan
Each week we collect MBA news from leading business schools to give you a quick overview of the latest trending topics. In this week’s MBA News You Need digest: Chicago Booth offers five reasons to choose their Deferred MBA program; Berkeley Haas outlines MBA application advice for explaining your career goals; Dartmouth Tuck re-launches its alumni Lifelong Learning program; Georgetown McDonough announces its first MBA Entrepreneurship Fellows; and Michigan Ross recaps its Winter Wellness Week. Read more
Published: January 26, 2020
Harvard Reclaims Top Spot in Financial Times 2020 Global MBA Rankings
The Financial Times released their 2020 Global MBA rankings this week. Harvard Business School reclaimed the #1 position—after a four-year absence from the top spot. Wharton also surpassed last year’s top seed (Stanford GSB) to land in second place. Stanford GSB, which has held the top position for several years, fell to third in the Global MBA rankings. INSEAD maintained its position as the leading international school, landing fourth overall, while CEIBS rounds out the top five. Here are the Top 10 of the Financial Times 2020 Global MBA Read more
Published: January 16, 2020
Fridays from the Frontline: Sell Day – Chicago Booth Talks What Happens After the Offer
At some point, all of those sleepless nights agonizing over GMAT/GRE prep, admissions essays, and campus visits eventually yield the moment a company extends an offer to recruit you. This part of the MBA process is arguably one of the reasons you may have entertained the idea of applying to business school in the first place. When the time comes, companies often employ a variety of tactics to entice MBA students from elite schools like Booth Chicago to come work for them. Current Booth second-year student Nicole Newman ’20 took to the Read more
Published: January 14, 2020
MBA News You Need: HBS Professor Examines Availability of H-1B Visas, Yale SOM Hosts Affinity Week, and More from Columbia Business School, Chicago Booth, and Georgetown McDonough
Each week we collect MBA news from leading business schools to give you a quick overview of the latest trending topics. In this week’s MBA News You Need digest, an HBS professor examines the availability of the H-1B visa, Yale SOM discusses its Affinity Week events, CBS announces new home for its Leadership Essentials program, Chicago Booth highlights its Civic Scholars program, and Georgetown McDonough names its 2019-2020 Poland Real Estate Fellows. Read more
Published: January 13, 2020
LiveWire Insights: Round 2 at the M7 MBA Programs
MBA applicants who are eagerly awaiting news on interview invitations and admissions decisions – and the exact timing of such things – you’re going to want to keep reading.  Clear Admit is excited to release a second edition of M7 LiveWire Insights.  While the first edition delivers information about Round 1 and Early Decisions, the latest version delves into Round 2 and Rolling Admissions. This report includes proprietary data from our archive of thousands of LiveWire admissions updates. Remember, the M7 MBA programs include: Chicago Booth School of Business, Columbia Read more
Published: December 25, 2019
Chicago Booth Addresses How to Finance Your Booth MBA
The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business recently offered prospective MBA students advice on planning for tuition and other anticipated expenses while they pursue an MBA. The Value of the Booth MBA Within the first three months, 96 percent of the Class of 2018 received job offers. This year, Forbes ranked Booth America’s Top Business School.  While Booth alumni also consistently assert that the Booth MBA pays dividends continuously after graduation, the schools understands opportunities associated with the Booth brand offset tuition costs. Expected Expenses & Beyond In addition to tuition, Read more
Published: December 19, 2019
Fridays from the Frontline: What STEM Certification Says About Booth And What It Means For International Students
Whether or not an MBA program is STEM designated can make or break an international student’s Stateside career. International students who pursue STEM designated programs receive an additional 2 years of optional practical training (OPT) once they graduate, which is a critical period that helps international students transition from student to proper work visas. Chicago Booth recently announced that its Business Analytics and Analytic Finance concentrations are now STEM-certified. Richa Goya, MBA ’20, President of the Rockefeller Cohort and an officer in the Graduate Business Council, took to the Booth Experience blog Read more
Published: December 11, 2019
Chicago Booth MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Off-Campus
It took place in a neighboring country as there wasn’t any interviewer in my city. I got to the cafe we agreed to meet 15 minutes before and picked the table I wanted. He brought a blank piece of paper on which he took actually quite detailed notes throughout the interview. A short chat about my travel was followed by the following questions. It lasted for about 45 minutes. 1. Could you introduce yourself? 2. Tell me about your work experience (here I handed him my resume and briefly walked him through) 3. You are successful Read more
Published: December 4, 2019
Chicago Booth MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alum / Off-Campus
My interview was with a very senior alumnus in India. It was a blind interview and he had no access to my application. However, we spoke at length about my future goals. Questions were largely behavioural in nature – 1. What are your biggest professional achievements and failures? 2. Tell me about a time you worked on a team 3. How did you cope with negative feedback 4. Short and long term goals 5. Why Booth 6. Why MBA? Why not just startup right now? 7. What are your expectations from Booth Read more
Published: November 26, 2019
Chicago Booth Offers 5 Tips on the MBA Admissions Interview
MBA interview season is in full swing at Chicago Booth.  Even if you’ve attended your fair share of information sessions, you might still have questions about the interview process. To help you understand what’s expected during the interview and what can you do to ensure it goes off without a hitch, a current Chicago Booth MBA student, Kate Nimmo, shared a five-point list to help you put your best foot forward.  Read on for a wrap up of her key Chicago Booth MBA interview tips. Read more
Published: November 19, 2019
MBA News You Need: Georgetown McDonough Releases Glowing Employment Report, Berkeley Haas Seals STEM Approval for MBA Programs, Chicago Booth Shares Resources for Veterans, and More from Dartmouth Tuck and Michigan Ross
Each week we collect MBA news from around the world to give you a quick overview of the latest trending topics from leading business schools. In your MBA News You Need digest for the week of November 18th, we highlight the continued success of the Georgetown McDonough Class of 2019, the news that all three Berkeley Haas MBA programs received STEM designation, veterans' resources at Chicago Booth, a new search fund speaker series at Dartmouth Tuck, and when to visit the Michigan Ross campus. Read more
Published: November 18, 2019
Real Humans of Chicago Booth’s MBA Class of 2021
In this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students, we head to the “Windy City” in the midwestern U.S.  The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business full-time MBA program is located on the University of Chicago’s main campus in the Hyde Park neighborhood, just seven miles south of Chicago’s downtown center, the Loop. It is home to some of the world’s most distinguished faculty—nine have won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences since the award was established in 1968 (most recently Richard H. Thaler in 2017).  Chicago Booth seeks to emulate this Read more
Published: November 6, 2019
Top Chicago Booth MBA Interview Tips from Actual Interviewees
As MBA candidates for University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business prepare for their interviews, we’re taking the opportunity to round up useful advice from the Clear Admit Interview Archive, as passed on by interviewed candidates themselves. Before we dig into the key takeaways from prior lucky invitees, here are a few basics about the structure of the interviews at Booth. MBA candidates who interview with Booth may interview on-campus with a second-year student, or off-campus with an admissions officer or alum. On-campus interviews generally run from 30 to 45 minutes with time at the end of the interview for questions. Alumni interviews can be more varied, in terms of time. Either way, it’s important to prepare thoughtful questions for your interviewer. All interviews are blind, meaning that your interviewer may have access to your resume, but you should still make sure you bring copies to your interview. Booth interviews are generally considered to be very straightforward, in a reasonably relaxing atmosphere, as the following excerpts from interview reports attest. Interview Logistics This candidate thinks there might be an advantage to schedule your interview early in the day, if you are interviewing on-campus: “The organization of the interviews was excellent. I would recommend to schedule your interviews for an earlier spot — my interviewer, while attentive, was already a little worn off.” This candidate noted the advantage of doing the campus visit, before the interview: Read more
Published: October 29, 2019
MBA News You Need: Visiting Chicago Booth, MBA Employment Reports from Vanderbilt Owen and Rochester Simon, and More from Rice Jones and UMD Smith
Each week we collect MBA news from around the world to give you a quick overview of the latest trending topics from leading business schools. In your MBA News You Need digest for the week of October 28th, we give three reasons for visiting Chicago Booth, unpack the Class of 2019 MBA employment reports from Vanderbilt Owen and Rochester Simon, introduce six outstanding MBA alumni from Rice Jones, and delve into the MicroMasters MBA Core Curriculum at UMD Smith. Read more
Published: October 27, 2019
Waiting on an MBA Interview Invitation? Tune into Clear Admit’s LiveWire and MBA Chats
Since we know some of you may be waiting anxiously in the next few weeks for MBA interview invitations, we wanted to remind you about two key resources that can help you through this busy—and often stressful—time: MBA LiveWire: Live reports from real candidates throughout the admissions process. Find the profiles of other applicants who applied to your target schools. Get live updates of those who have received an interview invitation or an admissions decision. Sort by school, admissions round, and the status of each entry to find the information you’re looking for. MBA Chats: Chat Read more
Published: October 22, 2019
Coming Soon: The Economist 2019 Best MBA Ranking
*Update 10/31/19: The 2019 Economist best MBA rankings are out! See the latest rankings here.* The Economist should be releasing their 2019 ranking of the best MBA programs any day now.  In light of that, we’re taking a look back at last year’s ranking, and considering what we may see this year. Chicago Booth Reigned Supreme in 2018 In the past seven rankings, Chicago Booth has topped The Economist’s list of best MBA programs six times.  The lone break from the leading position took place in 2017, when Read more
U. Chicago Booth
Image of U. Chicago Booth
Class Size: 632
Women: 42%
Mean GMAT: 729
Mean GPA: 3.6
International: 35%
Livewire Decisionwire Interview Reports Essay Topic Analysis MBA Admissions Deadlines View Full Profile

MBA Applywire

9
November 20, 2024 9:42pm ET
Applying: Babson / Olin, , Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Emory / Goizueta, Rice / Jones, Rochester / Simon, SMU Cox, UCI Merage, Washington U. / Olin
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Technology - Entrepreneurship
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology, Entrepreneurship
GRE: 333
GPA: 2.56
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: Lagos
Notes:

I just got rejected for WashU Olin and I have an interview invitation with Questrom. GPA continues to bother me but I addressed it in my supporting essays.
11
November 19, 2024 12:51pm ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, INSEAD, Michigan / Ross, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Tech in government
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Entrepreneurship Companies: Bain , McKinsey
GRE: 319
GPA: 2.9
Years of Work Experience: 7
Notes:

I got cancer when I was undergrad that's why my undergrad GPA is low. After MBA I want to work in consulting then make a social impact in Africa through entrepreneurship
10
November 19, 2024 12:06pm ET
Applying: Duke / Fuqua, Harvard Business School, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, Stanford GSB, U. Chicago Booth, U. Washington / Foster, UNC Kenan-Flagler, UT Austin / McCombs, UVA / Darden
Pre-MBA Career: Wealth Management and Military
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Asset Management, inc. HF, Other Companies: Bain , BCG , Deloitte , McKinsey , Goldman Sachs , JP Morgan Asset Management , State Street , Vanguard
GPA: 3.80
Years of Work Experience: 7
Location: San Diego
Post MBA Location: Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis, Charlotte
Notes:

UG Degree: BBA Financial Markets at an Accredited Institution.

Civilian Work History: 3 years as Wealth Advisor under an RIA in Minneapolis and Denver. Total AUM of ~$350-400M, served as a salaried advisor in a primary and secondary capacity. Holistic services to include investment management, estate planning, retirement planning, insurance planning, tax planning, etc.

Military History: 4 years as a supply/logistics officer heading efforts for air/ground mobility, defense contracting, supply and procurement, and fiscal budget management while located at various bases within CONUS and multiple forward deployed locations.

Professional Certifications: Obtained Certified Financial Planner designation (2022) and Series 65 (2019).
7
November 18, 2024 12:50am ET
Applying: Columbia, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, NYU Stern, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Consulting
Post-MBA Target Industry: Investment Banking Companies: Bank of America , Barclays , Citibank , Credit Suisse , Goldman Sachs , JP Morgan Chase
GRE: 323
GPA: 3.32
Years of Work Experience: 7
Notes:

Education:
- Combined Major in Economics and Statistics
- CFA Charterholder (passed all three levels on the first attempt)

Professional Experience:
- Manager at a Big 4 firm Specializing in capital projects and infrastructure, with a role similar to investment banking
- Seven years of experience, mainly in financial services in Ghana

Extracurricular Activities:
- Pro bono capital-raising services for SMEs
- Aspiring to run a full advisory firm for SMEs in the future
- CFA exam coaching and tutorial classes for candidates
- Founder of a travel and tour club offering affordable trips to explore beautiful and historic scenes in Ghana

Will being 32 years old affect the attractiveness of my candidacy?
10
November 17, 2024 9:24am ET
Applying: Columbia, , Georgetown / McDonough, Harvard Business School, INSEAD, NYU Stern, Oxford / Saïd, Stanford GSB, UCLA Anderson, Yale SOM
Pre-MBA Career: Higher Education
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology, Investment Banking, Venture Capital, Private Equity, Media, Undecided Companies: Bain , BCG , McKinsey , JP Morgan , Morgan Stanley , JP Morgan Chase , Apple , Google , Microsoft , Andressen Horowitz , Charles River , Sequoia Capital , Blackstone , KKR , 21st Century Fox , Comcast , Walt Disney
GPA: 3.97
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: Denver, Colorado
Post MBA Location: New York City
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MBA LiveWire

November 21, 2024 4:51am ET
Waitlisted at NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal on November 19, 2024
GPA: 3.54
GRE: 331
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Nicaragua
Note:

Waitlisted without interview. How can I flip this in my favour?
November 21, 2024 3:13am ET
Accepted to Washington U. / Olin
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 20, 2024
GPA: 3.81
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: Los Angeles
Note:

100K scholarship!
November 20, 2024 11:49pm ET
Interview Invite to Berkeley / Haas
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 20, 2024
GMAT: 645
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Note:

Consortium
November 20, 2024 9:20pm ET
Interview Invite to Dartmouth / Tuck
Round: Round 1
Received via portal on September 04, 2024
GPA: 3.74
GRE: 311
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Tampa, FL
Note:

Applied early enough to guarantee interview.
November 20, 2024 9:19pm ET
Interview Invite to U. Washington / Foster
Round: Round 1
Received via email on October 31, 2024
GPA: 3.74
GRE: 313
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: Tampa, FL
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