Admissions Q&A with The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

In the first of a series of interviews with top business school admissions representatives, we speak with Rachel Waites, University of Chicago Booth School of Business’ director of recruitment and admissions for the Executive MBA program.

The Chicago Booth program consistently places at the top of Executive MBA program rankings and consequently gets its fair share of motivated applicants. So, how can you stand out in the Executive MBA admissions process? Ms. Waites tells you how with her insider tips for building a winning application for a top business school. 

Understanding that the University of Chicago Booth School of Business’ Executive MBA is a highly sought after program, can you first give us a ratio of the number of people who apply as to how many are accepted?

We tend not to share application statistics as they can be misleading. We do a lot of pre-application counselling with our Executive MBA candidates – every candidate has at least one telephone call or meeting with our admissions team before submitting an application. It’s a good way to make sure that the candidates are the right fit for us and the program is the right fit for them. It also helps us ensure that people who reach the application stage have already been somewhat preselected.

Apart from GMAT scores, past grade point average and current job position what are the most important aspects of the Executive MBA admissions process during a candidate’s application to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business?

I think motivation is very important – we want to understand why someone has chosen Chicago Booth, how they plan to fit the program around their work and family life and how the Executive MBA can help them meet their mid and long-term goals. We want to ensure that candidates understand the return on investment of a program like this. Also, we’re looking for great future alumni. Leadership experience, career progression and fantastic recommendation letters are usually a good indicator of future success.

What is the one mistake you often see candidates making during the Executive MBA admissions process on a business school application?

It’s an obvious one but if you’re applying to several business schools, make sure you do your ‘due diligence’ on the different schools and their programs. Don’t cut and paste your application essays. An Executive MBA represents a significant investment of your time and money so we want to see that you’ve done your homework. Your application essays should demonstrate an understanding of the Chicago Booth approach, ethos and teaching style. We encourage applicants to sit in on a class, meet students and alumni and attend events to get a better sense of the program and school. At the very least, please thoroughly read our website!

Is there one thing you would like to see candidates do more often when applying to Chicago Booth?

Our Executive MBA class is very diverse, comprising students from an enormous range of nationalities, industries and backgrounds. It’s great when candidates put themselves in our shoes and explain how they can contribute to this diversity – either diversity of background or diversity of opinion. We have an optional third essay which is basically ‘what else you can tell us about yourself’. Not many candidates use this essay, but it’s actually a great place to tell us something different and interesting.

What does your Executive MBA admissions application process look like (in other words what are the steps an applicant will go through)?

As a first step, we encourage prospective candidates to get in touch to set up a telephone call or meeting with one of our [Executive MBA] admissions team. We’ll review your CV and discuss your suitability for the program, plus your eligibility for a GMAT waiver (if required). The Chicago Booth application process is quite straightforward – just register online and complete the application form. We’ll also need you to upload your CV, transcripts, GMAT score, essays and contact details of three people who can provide a recommendation for you. Once the application has been submitted we’ll contact you to arrange an interview. Once the interview is done and your file is complete, we’ll make a decision on your application. We operate a ‘rolling admissions’ scheme so we’re already accepting applications and making offers for our next start date – June 2015. It therefore makes sense to apply as early as possible

If a candidate does not have a strong application in terms of grades or GMAT can you offer a few tips on how they could make their candidature more attractive for your program?

This is something we could certainly do during an initial telephone call or meeting. All applications are treated individually and we’re happy to offer personalized advice. It’s difficult to offer tips and advice that are applicable to everyone.

In terms of applying to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, can you give one tip, don’t do, or suggestion regarding each of the following?

Essay(s)

Do tailor your essays to our school and program. Don’t cut and paste!

Interview

Do use the interview as an opportunity to explain motivations for applying to Chicago Booth – the interview is where we assess ‘fit’ and we want to know why this is the right program for you.

Letter of Recommendation

Do make sure that all three recommenders are able to comment on your leadership ability. They don’t all have to be professional recommendations (one could be from an academic or social source), but they do all need to be able to provide input into your management and leadership potential.

CV

Do make sure that your CV is maximum two pages in length. We have a template CV on our application site if you need some guidance on layout and content.

School Visit

Do visit the Chicago Booth campus if you are able to. We offer regular information sessions and opportunities to sit in on a class. All the information is on our website.