Chicago Booth MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines

Chicago Booth has always prided itself on admitting students who can handle ambiguity and lack of structure. And its application reflects that principle. In spades. This year’s Booth application, like last year’s, also mirrors Chicago’s pride in its distinctive culture. This essay/presentation question, a modified version of last year’s prompt, is about as open-ended and original as it gets.

The prompt wording has changed and become more succinct, but the intent is the same: To get to know you and see how you think. And to see how you will fit into Booth’s community. Booth shares more thoughts and advice on its blog.

My tips are in blue below.

Essay:

View this collection of shared Booth moments. Choose the moment that best resonates with you and tell us why.

Presentation/Essay Guidelines

• Want to illustrate your response visually? Submit a slide presentation. Like to express yourself with words? Write a traditional essay. Use the format that you feel best captures your response, the Admissions Committee has no preference.

• Determine your own length. There is no prescribed minimum or maximum length. We trust that you will use your best judgment in determining how long your submission should be, but we recommend that you think strategically about how to best allocate the space.

Technical Guidelines

• File Size: Maximum file size is 16 MB.

• Accepted Upload Formats: Acceptable formats are PDF, Word, and PowerPoint. We strongly recommend converting your piece to a PDF file prior to submitting.

• Multimedia Restrictions: We will be viewing your submission electronically and in full color, but all submissions will be converted to PDF files, so animation, video, music, etc. will not translate over.

A few thoughts:

Should you write an essay or use a visual presentation? That depends on you. If you are talented visually and love graphics and powerpoint, use a visual medium as long as it will translate to PDF. If you are a “words person” who prefers expressing your thoughts in writing, write the response. Do what will make it easiest for you to express your essence.

Don’t take the lack of a word limit as a license to write the great American novel or your culture’s equivalent of War and Peace. Don’t use more words or take more of their time than necessary. Don’t mistake quantity for quality. This is a great place for you to show judgment – preferably good judgment.

Optional Essay:

Is there any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? If so, please address in an optional essay. (300 words maximum)

This is an open-ended optional question. You can use it to provide context for a weakness or blemish in your record. Or, you can use it to highlight an experience or aspect of your background that you didn’t have room for elsewhere and that you would like the Booth adcom to know about as they consider your application.

This question, unlike the required question, does have a word limit. Respect it.

Also keep in mind that the optional is not for repeating what’s found elsewhere. It’s for “additional information.” Don’t waste your reader’s time with repetition or the misplaced grand finale.

Reapplicant Essay:

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)

The answer to this question is critical for MBA reapplicants, and it’s different from most reapplication essays in that it’s more about your perspective than what you’ve done. Chicago wants to see growth and development. Same ol’, same ‘ol got you a ding last time and probably will again this time.

Let this brief essay show a maturation and evolution of your goals and reasons for wanting to attend Chicago Booth. Let it also reveal that you meet Chicago’s criteria better this year than last.

If you would like professional guidance with your Chicago Booth MBA application, please consider Accepted’s MBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our MBA Application Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the Booth application.

Chicago Booth 2017-18 MBA Application Deadlines:

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted and co-author of the definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.

Related Resources:

• With the “Chicago Approach,” Who Gets into Booth?
• The MBA Career Search and Life as a Chicago Booth MBA, podcast episode
• From Example to Exemplary, your guide to writing outstanding application essays

jo

Glad, if you could assess my profile for Booth and Kellogg.

1)I have worked for 3 years(2013-2016) as Software Engineer in one of the IT Company for the client Deutsche bank(Investment Banking Industry) in INDIA.Worked as back office, part of Data analytics handling the Banking applications involving the shares,trade markets.Interacted with the client service managers on weekly basis.In a short 6 months span, received the Innovation award for the great work. Promoted to lead a team of 6 resources and given the authority to take up the critical decisions when there are any application outages.
2) GRE-304, VERBAL- 142, QUANT-162, AWA-2.5
3) College info:
Bachelors of Electronics and Instrumentation(2008-2012)
Vellore University of Technology(INDIA)
GPA-8.9/10
4)Part of GreenPeaceTeam, Bangalore-India contributed to the welfare of the society for 3 1/2 years.
Innovation award from client for 3 months work handling the critical applications which were under business loss.
5)No specific certifications.
6) Data Analytics & Management-my goal is to be able to work in the same banking industry along with the Management aspects such as leading the organization and decision making.Very much interested in data analytics which involves with analyzing data of everyday trade markets and shares.
Thanks,
Jo
- Linda Abraham
  
  Jo,
  
  I think your verbal score is going to be a red flag and cause of concern at both Kellogg and Booth. I’m sorry, but I think it could keep you out. Have you considered a retake?
  - Jo
    
    Hi Linda,
    
    Thanks for your response. I have given this GRE test 3 years back. Have not taken the retake yet. Have given the Toefl recently few days back and waiting for the scores. Thought could take up your advice upon my GRE score and then decide to take up the GMAT or retake the GRE.
    
    Thanks!
    Jo
    - Linda Abraham
      
      Take whichever test you think you can do better at, but that verbal has to go up for you to be competitive.
BostonApplicant

Hi Linda,

I really appreciate your blog! Great information. If you have a chance, I would appreciate hearing your opinion on my profile. I am planning to apply to Booth, Ross, Darden and Tuck.

1) I have worked for 4 years (at matriculation) for a large investment management firm in Boston. I spent my first 15 months in a leadership rotational program. I was selected from that program to help build out a new initiative at the firm providing capital markets strategy advice to financial advisors and institutional investors. It has been a success and I currently function as a capital markets researcher, white paper writer and project manager within that group. I supervise one analyst who does research for us and mentor a few associates currently in my former rotational program.

2) 750 GMAT (48/45)

3) University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Arts degree (Business minor), 3.25 GPA

4) I co-founded a “social impact” company my sophomore year with two other students. It is still in existence, but I am no longer in an operational role. We received multiple Entrepreneurship grants from the university and were featured at an impact investing conference. I spent more time working on it than on my school work my junior and senior years. The company was initially a “for profit social venture” but now functions as a non-profit and is based in Central America.

5) Series 7, Series 66 securities licenses

6) I would like to transition into a strategy consulting role at a top firm immediately following graduation. Long-term, I would like to continue in consulting or transition into a leadership role at a larger company – either way I would like to work in a function that promotes economic development in the Rust Belt region.
- Linda Abraham
  
  Hi Linda,
  
  I really appreciate your blog! Great information. If you have a chance, I would appreciate hearing your opinion on my profile. I am planning to apply to Booth, Ross, Darden and Tuck.
  
  1) I have worked for 4 years (at matriculation) for a large investment management firm in Boston. I spent my first 15 months in a leadership rotational program. I was selected from that program to help build out a new initiative at the firm providing capital markets strategy advice to financial advisors and institutional investors. It has been a success and I currently function as a capital markets researcher, white paper writer and project manager within that group. I supervise one analyst who does research for us and mentor a few associates currently in my former rotational program.
  
  2) 750 GMAT (48/45)
  
  3) University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Arts degree (Business minor), 3.25 GPA
  
  4) I co-founded a “social impact” company my sophomore year with two other students. It is still in existence, but I am no longer in an operational role. We received multiple Entrepreneurship grants from the university and were featured at an impact investing conference. I spent more time working on it than on my school work my junior and senior years. The company was initially a “for profit social venture” but now functions as a non-profit and is based in Central America.
  
  5) Series 7, Series 66 securities licenses
  
  6) I would like to transition into a strategy consulting role at a top firm immediately following graduation. Long-term, I would like to continue in consulting or transition into a leadership role at a larger company – either way I would like to work in a function that promotes economic development in the Rust Belt region.
  - Linda Abraham
    
    Hi Linda,
    
    I really appreciate your blog! Great information. If you have a chance, I would appreciate hearing your opinion on my profile. I am planning to apply to Booth, Ross, Darden and Tuck.
    
    1) I have worked for 4 years (at matriculation) for a large investment management firm in Boston. I spent my first 15 months in a leadership rotational program. I was selected from that program to help build out a new initiative at the firm providing capital markets strategy advice to financial advisors and institutional investors. It has been a success and I currently function as a capital markets researcher, white paper writer and project manager within that group. I supervise one analyst who does research for us and mentor a few associates currently in my former rotational program.
    
    2) 750 GMAT (48/45)
    
    3) University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Arts degree (Business minor), 3.25 GPA
    
    4) I co-founded a “social impact” company my sophomore year with two other students. It is still in existence, but I am no longer in an operational role. We received multiple Entrepreneurship grants from the university and were featured at an impact investing conference. I spent more time working on it than on my school work my junior and senior years. The company was initially a “for profit social venture” but now functions as a non-profit and is based in Central America.
    
    5) Series 7, Series 66 securities licenses
    
    6) I would like to transition into a strategy consulting role at a top firm immediately following graduation. Long-term, I would like to continue in consulting or transition into a leadership role at a larger company – either way I would like to work in a function that promotes economic development in the Rust Belt region.
    
    HI Boston Applicant,
    
    Can you provide some context for your GPA? Everything else is very impressive except your GPA. Trend? Extenuating circumstances? More interested in your social impact company than the impact on your GPA?
    
    Linda
    - BostonApplicant
      
      Linda – Thank you for your response. I have been wondering whether I should write optional essays in order to cover the subject. Freshman year was my lowest year (freshman year, first semester was my worst semester). Junior and senior year I was more focused on the company than on school, I had been “bitten” by the entrepreneurship bug and put a lot of my time into it.
      - Linda Abraham
        
        You do need to address possible concerns about your academic commitment. Schools can easily forgive a bad freshman year. They are common. However it’s difficult to say freshman year was just because of immaturity and a difficult adjustment and junior and senior year were just because of the business. You will need to make those points. In addition and especially relating to your junior and senior year,go beyond context to make a case that given your (what you now realize were misplaced) priorities , even that GPA along with your GMAT show that you are capable of much more. With your current commitment to obtaining a top business education and the enhanced time management that four years of increasing responsibility on the job have created, you are much more capable than your GPA indicates.
        
        For more suggestions on dealing with a low GPA, please see https://blog.accepted.com/what-to-do-about-a-low-gpa/ .
        
        With that being said, your 750, experience, and professional progression are going to garner you consideration. I’d also suggest that you consider Duke Fuqua and Vanderbilt.