Chicago Booth Dean's Student Admissions Committee

Booth Connect!

noreply@blogger.com (Amish) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:10:00 +0000

New for the 2009-2010, the Admissions Office at Chicago Booth has launched Booth Connect, an online portal designed to provide you with a customized look into everything Chicago Booth.

Our aim for the site is to provide you with a deeper, more individualized look into the Chicago Booth experience. By registering for the site and sharing your interests, we'll be able to tailor content toward your MBA aspirations. The sections of "Mind", "Life", "Leadership", and "Impact" reflect some of the core components of the Booth experience, and within those sections you'll be able to experience things like faculty discussions and debate, student profiles, entrepreneurial success stories, alumni profiles and more!

We encourage anyone interested in applying to Chicago Booth to check out Booth Connect! Click here to register your profile now.

As always, should you have any questions (or even suggestions) about Booth Connect, don't hesitate to email us!

DSAC: 2009-2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:21:00 +0000

Hi there!

Welcome to the 2009-2010 version of the Chicago Booth DSAC blog. With the end of Summer approaching, we second years are gearing up for our return to classes, and we’re sure you applicants for the Class of 2011 are gearing up for the application season ahead of you.

For those just coming here for the first time, this blog is for the Dean’s Student Admissions Committee to document some of the aspects of student life here at Booth, and provide some (hopefully helpful) insight into the application process at Booth. We’ll talk about anything from classes to clubs and everything in between. Please let us know if there’s anything you’d like us to address.

For now we’ll open things up with links to some of the most important resources you’ll need as a Booth applicant...

The first, and most obvious, are the main website to Chicago Booth, and more specifically the Full-Time MBA program. Use this to learn more about our program – academics, faculty, students, clubs, career resources...the list goes on.

Second, check out the details of the admissions process. This will provide you with more details about the steps required for applying to the Class of 2011. Take special note of the application deadlines – October 14 (Round 1), January 6 (Round 2), and March 10 (Round 3).

Finally, the link to the application itself. You’ll use this to actually submit your application.

We’re looking forward to being a part of the application process with you, and wish you all the best this year.

- The Chicago Booth Dean’s Student Admissions Committee (2009-2010)

Ciao, Adios, G'bye - from the graduating DSAC co-chairs!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:13:00 +0000

The DSAC passes into new hands and us, old co-chairs with only a few weeks left before we graduate, we’d like to say a few words before we pass on the reins…

JSV | “What can I say?? Two years goes by fast! I’ve recently been asked several times how I feel about graduating and whether I am happy I got my MBA. Graduating is bittersweet. I certainly have no desire to look at yet another HBS case and who really uses the CAPM anyway, but I also don’t want to leave my friends and all the opportunities that are so easy to take advantage of here. B-School also has this sort of safe haven feel that I will miss dearly where I can be on my own schedule, ask any questions, and use “networking” as an excuse for going out any night of the week.

I never thought I would be having a conversation with the CEO of Whirlpool, hearing the Vice President of Colombia speak, or take a class with the author of Freakonomics. But here at Chicago Booth, that all happened in just one week!! The experiences are real and have given me such perspective not only on business but life in general. Of course I am glad I got my MBA! I love being a Boothie and always will.”

NJSS | In an ideal world, the MBA would be a 3 year course without any opportunity costs and at the end of it, a 6 figure job and world-changing opportunities would await us all… But hey, this is 2009, the year of the deficits, crunches and rescinded bonuses… and so, here we are at the end of 21 months with our promised jobs yet intact and our MBA almost over. Personally, I would LOVE a 3 year program – there’s tons of rock-star professors and fantastic courses that I would love to try (not to mention the TNDCs I missed out) and of course, we want it all!

But that’s the way it is… classes apart, I’ll also miss the other stuff that’s kept me on my mental and physical toes. Be it writing for Chibus or managing the DSAC blog, I have enjoyed flexing my limited non-academic muscles at Booth and I wonder how I’m going to fill up the free time until work kicks in. Blogging, sourcing blog content, launching Twitter, manning discussion boards, hosting breakfasts, calling new Admits… me and Jen have been at the centre of a very interesting intersection where the school, students and applicants meet and interact and I am sure we will thoroughly miss all the action.

Working with Rose, Andrea and the rest of the admissions team as a DSAC co-chair has been amazing! We not only got a peek at the other side of the Admissions window but also have started to appreciate how the different aspects like culture, academic performance, background, work experiences come together to shape applicants and the school’s personality. It’s a small consolation that as alumni, we may get to evaluate future Booth MBAs (some DSAC habits die hard!) and I look forward to that… although I doubt if the trauma of not attending another TNDC or Admit Weekend will ever really wear off! ;-)

So here’s to the best B-school in the galaxy – with its brilliant professors, startling theories, weird Noble prize jokes, super-smart students, friendly staff… and it's awesome new DSAC co-chairs - we’ll miss it all!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

No cosignor loan for international students @ Chicago Booth

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Great news for international applicants - Chicago Booth has signed up for a new loan program in coordination with GMAC's ISLP program ; international applicants can apply for a loan without a co-signor for an amount that covers their MBA expenses.

The official press release is available on our website and FT in this article believes that this is a sign of the credit crunch easing at Chicago!

That should ease some of the stress in the admissions process - good luck everyone!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:49:00 +0000

The Prep & The Story (Part 3 of 3) - EARLY ENTRANTS

In the final concluding section of this series, we bring to you two students who were "early-entrants" - students who were way younger than the average B-school student.

Carmen Magar from Germany, worked across the world with SAP while Nidhi Patel worked as a agricultural consultant before school.

Brief Profile/ Background
Carmen: I worked at SAP in a rotational general management program, completing my undergrad degree at the same time. I am German, but lived in Saudi-Arabia, UAE, China, and well, here of course. This summer I interned in consulting.
Nidhi: I spent 2 years working in agricultural consulting and education programming before my MBA.

What motivated you to pursue an MBA?
Carmen: In that program at SAP, my favorite department was the internal strategy group. There I got to meet some wonderful people, and what they had in common was an MBA. Plus, I didn't feel like I was done learning yet.
Nidhi: To bring to the public/development sector the know-how of the private sector.

How did you prepare for the admissions process?
Carmen: I was terrible at school research, my interviewer told me about the reputation of the schools. I knew what to classes to take though ;) I put a lot of emphasis on the GMAT in my preparation because I'm calculator addicted,. I really enjoyed the essays and encourage you to be yourself in them. The process of writing them was self-exploratory, so either way its not a waste. If you know what your motivation for going to school is, it's not hard to decide on a school. Being German (and naive, I guess) I didn't know that B-School is a lot about recruiting and networking, not only academics. Hence the one factor for me that helped me decide were the classes/ academic quality - really superior at Booth.
Nidhi: I tried simply to state exactly what it was I wanted to get out of the program. I had to develop and really understand my own reason for applying and once I could get that in story-form, it was just transferring that message to the interviewers and the application. I took the GMAT, no classes, just used the Kaplan book for studying about 2 months prior to the exam. Luckily for me, I was only 2 years out of college and therefore studying was still easy for me. This is an advantage because I know many smart people who felt they needed classes even if to simply structure their studying.

How has your school experience been so far?
Carmen: Having come here expecting "only" a great academic environment, I have been wowed and blown away by 1) my classmates 2) the service orientation of the school 3) the doors that have opened to me.
Nidhi: Coming in with a different career goal than most of my peers, it has been difficult to gain a support system and be able to utilize the career help of the students/faculty. That being said, the classes have significantly shaped the way I approach strategy issues and has increased my financial analysis capabilities. Great academics but can be challenging if you are not going into one of 4 major career buckets.

What has surprised you the most about B-school till now?
Carmen: Same as my previous answer... and how beautiful the winter garden is in reality!
Nidhi: How nurturing the professors are - not all of them of course, but you will find world-renowned professors take the time to answer rudimentary questions and even engage in helping students with their inidivudal career/academic goals. They show a sincere interest in student development if you are willing to take the opportunity to engage with them.

What kind of activities are you involved in outside of classes?
Carmen: Co-Chair of the Leadership and Influence Group, co-directed the cohort movie, organizing the fashion show, just got done with case preparation help for first years numbering 587!
Nidhi: Last year I participated in 3 consulting projects through the student groups - that kept me plenty busy. I also became a LEAD facil - that experience was a great way of connecting with the larger Booth student body.

How was the transition from work back to school?
Carmen: Easy for me because I came straight from undergrad.
Nidhi: Again, I was only out for 2 years and quite frankly, I was very happy to be back in a classroom. The transition seemed almost seamless though it was rather difficult leaving a job I enjoyed having only worked there for a short time.

Any advice that you might have for other early-entry applicants?
Carmen: If you're like me, you really really want to get your MBA, and decided to try despite lower chances as an early applicant, show that passion. You know you're ready, help them understand. Explain how you'll be able to create value for your later entry classmates, what you can contribute to their experience.
Nidhi: Job-wise, you are at a disadvantage with only 2 years of experience behind you. The class generally has around 4-5 which seems to be the average without having looked at the stats. I focused on getting some extra interview prep and help so that I could be a stronger candidate despite not having the same amount of experience as other applicants. You can leverage your limited experience by showing greater motivation to excel and move forward. It depends on the case, but there is always a way to spin a weakness into a strength :)

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

Follies Time @ Chicago Booth!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:15:00 +0000

Its Follies Time @ Chicago Booth and everybody gets into the mood... As you can see below, even Ted pretty much got into the act last year!

PS: Julie (Morton) is the head of Career Services @ the school and Sean Singleton was from the Class of 2008.

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

This is just to say...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:28:00 +0000

This is just to say
That we are now on Twitter.

Follow us from here
To wherever a Chicago MBA
Can take you.

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

Striking the balance - The MBA Spouse

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:18:00 +0000

In this post, Huma talks about life as an MBA spouse. Huma’s husband, Dilshad is a student in the Class of 2010 at Chicago Booth.

Name: Huma Shabbir
Nationality: Pakistani
Country of residence before Chicago: United Kingdom

Life before Chicago Booth | I did my undergrad from the UK, while studying I met my husband, Dilshad and we got married. I was working for SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy) for their Major Businesses Sales & Marketing division as a manager before moving to Chicago in August '08.

Are you considering any career options while at Chicago? | Given my work experience and background, I had expected some promising options here, but but because I am on F1 (dependant of student) visa there is a restriction on obtaining any work unless a company sponsors me for a work permit (H1-B) which is generally difficult, and has proven to be even more so in this economic environment.

How did both of you decide on Booth? | We decided on Booth mainly because it suited my husband's criteria, as he was after a finance driven program and Booth is well known as a top finance school with very strong academic rigor and flexible curriculum and secondly because of it's location, as we are "big city people" and Chicago met our requirements well.

How do you like Chicago? | Chicago was a pleasant surprise. It was our first visit to the US so we were excited and didn't know what to expect. The whole process from the first entry to settling in to our accommodation downtown was very smooth. We felt at home instantly as Chicago gives you the privileges of city living yet it has quieter parts like the lake-side and its beautiful parks. So while my student is away on campus there are plenty of things to keep me busy in the city. I found the public transport to be reasonably convenient too as we don't have a car.

How are facilities at Chicago Booth for partners? | The Harper center is very accessible to partners; you can sit there to do your work and there are plenty of weekly events like the LPF on Fridays (which is an evening gathering that gives you a chance to meet other students and partners over food and drinks). There is also a Partners Club, which I joined as soon as we arrived. They have various events such as parties, dinners, day-outs for kids and their mums etc. They have been fairly active so far and the events give you an opportunity to meet partners in similar situations and make friends!

What other activities are you involved in? | On top of Partners Club activities and LPFs, the main activities you would engage in are the Thursday Night Drinking Club (TNDC) - a fun Thursday evening outing to a bar/pub. There are also other social clubs like the Epicurean club (which organizes dinners, potlucks, farmers markets), Rhythmix (teaching salsa, tango etc and have dancing events) which partners can join in. There are also volunteering opportunities (tutoring, animal shelter etc) in the city as well as the university which you can participate in. I guess in the end it is a personal choice as to how busy and engaged you want to be.

What do you like and dislike about the city/experience? | So far I like the city, the diversity of the student body and campus facilities for us which makes our life very convenient. The only thing I'm not a fan of is the weather! :) No amount of warning prepares you for 0F! However, you'd be surprised at how quickly one learns to acclimatize and carry on with life.

Any advice for partners in choosing a school/ pursuing life with an MBA spouse? | Think about all aspects before you choose a school: location, facilities, social clubs etc, and balance these with your “student's” academic requirements; it’s very important that you both are happy with this crucial change in your lives. I think Chicago Booth was the right choice for us and so far we have enjoyed the experience.

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

More on the elusive "fit" question - Visit,Visit,Visit!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:19:00 +0000

In an earlier post, I had spoken about some ways of finding if you and your dream B-school make for a right "fit". In this recent post from a BW MBA Journal, Erin Rupprecht from Stern talks about how "fit" is not made up and how it links up with your school experience. She also strongly advises domestic applicants (and internationals, if possible,I guess!) to "visit,visit,visit" schools.

In fact, we have two members in the DSAC totally dedicated to organizing visits that include hosted lunches, class sit-in sessions and building tours from September to May. We also host "Chicago Booth Live" - full day events that allow you to spend a day in various activities on campus, culminating in an LPF (Liquidity Preference Function) where you can down a couple of beers as you chat with current students. If you are interested, feel free to sign-up for the program here - we would love to host you and share our MBA experience with you!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

The Military MBA – The Prep & The Story (Part 2 of 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:45:00 +0000

Applicants with a military background bring unique and practical leadership experiences to an MBA program. At Chicago Booth, we have quite a few classmates with extensive military experiences.

Frank Hauben was in the US Army for six years. His specialty was in communications and he spent three years in Germany as a platoon leader and operations officer, a year at Fort Hood, Texas, leading a communications team for an air cavalry squadron, and 15 months in Baghdad as a strategic planner. Jean Park was a U.S. Army officer in the Signal Corps (communications). She worked in various roles throughout her service – Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, Assistant S-3, and a brief stint as a Liaison Officer to the Korean Army in Iraq. In this post, Frank and Jean share their experiences before and after admissions at Chicago Booth.

What motivated you to pursue an MBA?

FRANK: While I had fun during my Army time, I wanted to shift to a career in the private sector. An MBA provides the perfect opportunity to transition to the business world. A large percentage of people who go through business school are career switchers, and the career services office has the whole process down to a T. There are inexhaustible opportunities to learn about new industries, companies, functions, and to prepare students for the application and interview process.

JEAN: I realized that I needed to learn a lot of the business fundamentals that I did not have exposure to. I had a lot of operational experience before business school from my experience in the Army and at GE. However, I wanted to expand my business knowledge foundation and explore more opportunities that could put me on fast-track to senior management.

How did you prepare for the admissions process?

FRANK:

GMAT - I used the Official Guide for GMAT, The Princeton Review, and the Kaplan guide. I found the Princeton Review the most helpful as far as test-taking strategies, and Kaplan had the hardest questions. The Official Guide had actual previous tests, so I found it to be the best assessment tool. I studied an hour every other night after I was finished with work. Since I was deployed to Iraq at the time, I never had a 3 hour block of free time for the practice tests. So I took the practice tests in 30-45 minute blocks and then put it on pause for the next day (which I would not recommend). I took the test during my two week R&R in Europe, which is also something I would not recommend. Luckily I did well, but this strategy leaves no time for a re-test.

ESSAYS - I highly recommend the book How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs. A friend at another top business school recommended it, and it proved invaluable. This book helped me frame my experiences to best answer the essay questions. I also had friends in grad school (both business and law) critique my essays.

SCHOOL RESEARCH - I emailed alums and current students through the Armed Forces Group. I also spent time reading MBA journals on the Business Week website, and looking through student comments on Vault.com.

JEAN:

I had to do a lot of soul-searching to find out the true reasons why I wanted to go to school. This was extremely beneficial in crafting my essay themes and ‘why business school’ questions. I realized how passionate I was to go to a great program and become a part of a solid alumni community.
GMAT - I think the most important thing is to do full-length practice tests. I wish I had done more of these, because it was a little difficult to sit through the entire exam on GMAT day. I wish I had done more full-length practice exams to simulate the actual test taking experience.
ESSAYS - I found it difficult to find examples from applications with similar experiences to mine. This was mainly because I had military experience in addition to business experience. Instead of looking at other example essays, I thought of my strengths and weaknesses and how a business school experience would give me the tools to have a successful career. Veterans have extraordinary leadership experiences that should definitely be highlighted in essays.

What were the top 1 or 2 factors that helped you decide on the choice of school?

FRANK: What impressed me most about Chicago was how polished everything was, from the smooth application process and proactive admissions reps, to how welcome everyone made me feel as an admitted student. Chicago Booth students and administration go that extra mile, and were the biggest factors in choosing this school.

JEAN: Career Services was a huge factor for me, because I wanted to have an extremely solid support staff who had built long-lasting relationships with outstanding companies. The alumni community also played a large role because I wanted to be part of a community which had strong ties to the school and was still a part of the overall community once school got officially over.

How has your school experience been so far?

FRANK: The social atmosphere has been great and there is a real sense of community at the school. I love how many students live within a few blocks downtown, so there is always someone to work out with, study with, or go out with for some drinks. School has just been a lot of fun!

JEAN: It’s been amazing to be surrounded by a group of peers that’s so diverse in their experiences, knowledge, and backgrounds. It’s also very humbling to experience my business school career with such a phenomenal group of people. Much like the military, there is a certain sense of camaraderie with your classmates and it’s been an awesome experience to be a part of.

What has surprised you the most about B-school till now?

FRANK: I’m surprised at how much I learn outside of the class, just from talking with other students. I have learned so much about business functions, industries, and companies that I had no idea even existed.

JEAN: The amount of time I actually spend with “school.” Before I came to school, I almost had a sense of relief once I got into school because I thought that it would be less stressful than the work grind. However, I soon realized that times flies and that I had to prioritize my academic, career, and social interests. Business school is all about juggling your priorities and I never thought I would be this busy!

What kind of activities are you involved in outside of classes?

FRANK: I am most actively involved in the Armed Forces Group, which is a networking group that also helps military applicants navigate the admissions process, and Give Something Back where I am a tutor for children at Ray Elementary School at Hyde Park. I am also a member of the MCG, CMSG, and DSAC groups.

JEAN: I am a Class Agent, an elected Alumni Relations representative of my cohort. It’s been a great experience to get involved in alumni events, especially since I have a strong interest in building a strong alumni community. I am also involved with the Armed Forces Group, DSAC, Management Consulting Group, and CWiB.

How was the transition from work back to school?

FRANK: I found the process to be very smooth. Grade non-disclosure certainly helps keep the stress off of things, and if you can apply that military work ethic to academics, you’ll be just fine.

JEAN: I think I’m still transitioning....there’s something new every day! Just be prepared for things to start running at 100 mph once you hit ground at school. The best thing I ever did was to ensure that I was moved in and settled before school and orientation ever began. There is definitely little time to unpack things and explore your neighborhood once school starts!

Any advice that you might have for applicants with a military background?

FRANK:

Contact the Armed Forces Group and talk to other MBA veterans – their experiences and advice are invaluable.
Be aware of positive and negative military stereotypes. Certain stereotypes will work to our favor: leadership, work ethic. Others will not: uptight, not creative, relies too much on rank.
Be aware of these and actively work to combat these with prepared stories about how you needed to come up with a creative solution or how you got a senior officer (someone who you didn’t have any rank authority over) to do what you needed. Finally, even if you’re deployed during the application window, you should still apply.

JEAN:

Each school definitely has its own vibe and feel.
Get a good sense of what this is like and see if you can see yourself as being a part of that community for the rest of your career.
Reach out to current students and alumni...you’d be surprised how open people are to speaking about their experiences and helping out!
As a veteran, use your leadership and team building experiences to your advantage. You’ve been in stressful situations where you’ve had to deliver results with very little resources...be sure to highlight your strengths!

B-school students with a military background are known for their analytical abilities, no-nonsense approach and people management skills - traits that make them prized picks for consulting firms and industry leadership positions. If you are a military applicant and would like to know more about the Chicago Booth MBA, feel free to reach out to the Armed Forces Group or DSAC.

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

Business Week - The 5 year MBA prep plan.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:08:00 +0000

BusinessWeek has a useful article here for undergrads about using the years before business school to position themselves for B-School admission. Given that the average MBA has about 5 years of work-experience before they join school, this article (first of a series) shares a year by year plan for prospective students.

Even for people who plan to do their MBA sooner, this is a great start-point which promises to touch on key prep issues like the GMAT, networking etc. Hope you find it useful!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

The Prep and The Story - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:50:00 +0000

Starting this week, we bring you a series of profiles of 1st year students with an unconventional background who discuss their experiences before and after admission at Chicago Booth...

This week we have an international student - Shriya Lall. Before Chicago, Shriya was an entrepreneur in India, running her own fashion accessories firm and exporting across the world. Besides business interests, she was also instrumental in founding Aastha, an organization that promotes welfare of street children and is also an exponent of an Indian classical dance, Kathak.

What was your background before business school?

Before Booth, I was an exporter of fashion accessories in New Delhi, India. I started my own firm that manufactured bags and belts and exported them to fashion houses in Europe. I started the business right after undergrad and have been running it for the last 5 years.

What motivated you to pursue an MBA?

While my business was challenging and exciting, I felt that my management exposure was getting limited. I’d been working in the same job/ industry for over 5 years and was getting a sense of stagnation. I wanted to explore further opportunities as well as interact with people from diverse backgrounds to find my niche. Being an entrepreneur was great, but the exposure that I’ve received in just my first quarter at Booth has been phenomenal, to say the least.

How did you prepare for the admissions process?

GMAT - I used The Official Guide for GMAT and The Princeton Review. I took a lot of tests, as many as I could find, including the Kaplan tests. I would recommend doing a few tests, finding out weaknesses and specifically focusing on them. I also read the explanations of the test answers to understand my mistakes. I studied for an average of 4 hours a day for 2 months before my exam.

Essays - I took advice from a lot of friends who had already applied. I asked them to review my essays and share their feedback. I also looked at quite a few websites that explained the questions and the logic behind them.

School research - I found alums and 2nd year students to be the best resources. I spent a lot of time researching the websites of the schools to get in-depth information about them. I researched courses, professors as well as student groups and other extracurricular activities offered. Some of the websites that helped me were www.clearadmit.com and www.accepted.com

How has your school experience been so far?

The experience has been awesome – I’ve had the opportunity to meet with people from 6 different continents and over 30 different countries and have attended the lectures of some of the finest professors in the country. I also think that I was fortunate to be here at such a defining time in both American history as well as the school’s history. I feel that I have experienced more in the last 3 months than I had in the last 10 years.

What has surprised you the most about B-school till now?
The pace of life - everything happens super-fast and before you know it, one quarter is over and you are heading into the new year!

What kind of activities are you involved in outside of classes?

I am involved in a number of student groups. I am a member of the South Asia Business Group and organized the entertainment for the annual Diwali party. I am also on the committee for the India Leadership Summit that will be held in May next year. I am involved with the Business Solutions Group and currently working on a customer perception project for a client. This nonprofit consulting experience gives me a chance to experience consulting before deciding about choosing it as a full-time career choice. I am also a part of the DSAC through which I help answer questions that prospective students might have about the application process and the school in general. I even set up my own student group called the Family Business Group for students who come from family businesses. Outside of these, I am also a participatory member in EVP, MCG and the CWIB Groups.

How was the transition from work back to school?

After working for 5 years, it takes some time to get back to studying. I think Chicago Booth makes this transition very easy by providing a lot of support. We have great Academic Services and Career Services teams who are always open to answering your questions and helping you adjust. I think it takes a few months to get used to the transition but sometimes you are just too busy to even think about it!

How was relocating to a new country?

Moving to a new country is always hard. You have to adjust to a number of things as well as get used to living without your family. You had to get used to fending for yourself, find accommodations, open bank accounts and pay bills. You have to make new friends and learn how to balance you school work with your social life. Coming from a relatively protected life, it was a huge adjustment. I think what helped me was the fact that there are so many other Indian students who are going through the same set of issues – that’s a great support system! We all figured out how to do these things together and helped others whenever one had a problem.

What advice would you have for applicants with a similar background?

Try to bring out your unique skills in the application. Research the school well and be ready to answer all school specific questions. If possible, visit the school or speak to students and try to get a feel for the school.

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

School Culture & Fit in the application process

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:51:00 +0000

“Culture isn’t just one aspect of the game - it is the game”

- Lou Gerstner

As a DSAC co-chair and an international student, I get many opportunities to interact with applicants across the world. Some of the most common questions are about the “culture” at Chicago Booth:

· How would you define the culture at the University and the business school?

· How does the AdCom determine fit with the school culture?

· Could you give me some examples or incidents that exemplify the Chicago (Booth) culture?

· And the more blatant “How did you show the AdCom that you were a good fit for the school?”

As a former applicant, I understand where these questions are coming from, but obviously there are no fixed answers – trying to define culture based on my worldview or experience here, is likely to be irrelevant to someone who ‘sees’ through very different eyes. This question is also fascinating because Chicago Booth has its cultural roots in the University (of Chicago) with its own spirit of inquiry and famous intellectual traditions.

Based on my discussions with other students, here are some sources that have helped us understand what the Chicago (Booth) culture is about:

1. Economics as a contact sport: George Papajohn’s famous article from the Chicago Tribune is one of the first prescribed readings for Bob Topel’s Microecon class and what an article it is – it nails down the rush and thrill of the Chicago economics right on – available from The Chicago Tribune archives (Paid link)

2. University of Chicago Record – This is the official record of the speeches that accompany the graduation ceremony at Chicago Booth; as someone who wandered in my 1^st year all over the campus and read about five different University related publications, I found this 2007 issue inspiring for the following reasons:

a. In Page 9, Prof. James Schrager underlines the importance of strategy and Chicago’s perspective on it… Starting with Ed Wrapp’s take on the subject, he goes on to describe how to use all that we learn in a world filled with “mystery and intrigue”!

b. Roger Altman (MBA ’69, Chairman, Evercore Partners) talks about how life’s defeats rather than successes have taught him a lot and therefore mean the most to him. Starting with his first sales experience that literally sank to his being fired by the Clinton administration, Altman makes his point with brevity and wit.

c. And finally in Page 10, Drew Tyler Dir, an undergrad student presents Anne Bogart’s argument that “the act of creation is inherently an act of resistance against our own death. To fight entropy, then, is to have the audacity to introduce something new into a universe that resists our very existence… and the single most important thing we can do as human beings is to confront the great heat death of the universe and to defy it. For four years, you’ve been doing just that - talking, writing, collaborating, creating - fighting entropy ten weeks at a time. Today begins the fight of your lives. Life naturally pulls us down toward death, but today you graduate; and today, entropy meets the University of Chicago. This is your graduation. This is your fight.”

3. The Chicago Approach: There have been quite a few distinguished professors who have laid out the Chicago approach to management education. Allen Wallis and James Lorie developed a 10 year plan called the “Chicago Approach to Business Education”. Later, Harry Davis and Robin Hogarth’s “Rethinking Management Education: A view from Chicago” built on the topic – these papers exemplify the school’s approach and are likely to provide useful insights.

4. Student blogs: Quite a few students and professors write blogs; known student/ alumni blogs are available as links on the DSAC site and can yield detailed information not only about classes and professors but can act as a window into the thoughts of the student body here. Professor’s blogs are usually independent and googling any famous professor will usually yield enough links/ information to form an opinion of his or her research and academic beliefs.

5. Chicago Booth Magazine and journals: Researching Chicago Booth journals, magazines and alumni award winners can be particularly helpful - what does the research say: Does it validate current beliefs? Challenge? Confront? Which parts of their Chicago experience do alumni enjoy the most? And what do they say about these experiences?

6. Chicago Alumni And Students: Nothing ever compares to hearing it from the Maroons' mouth... both alumni and students who have been through the Chicago Booth experience could be the best possible sources of finding out about the school and its culture. Many students, self included, were convinced about their choice of school after hearing either alumni or current year students hold forth about their experiences. We would strongly encourage you to reach out to alumni or students through the many available forums - the Admissions staff, the discussion boards, interviewers etc.

So with all this research done, what do you think we are like? Intense? Intellectual? Interesting? Whatever you decide, you may find it useful to form a clear idea of what a school stands for – not only will this bolster your application and your interview interaction, but will also help you decide on the critical “fit” between you and the schools you apply to.

We hope you found this post useful – in case you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to us at dsac.chicagogsb@gmail.com

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

Golden Gargoyles - The Chicago Booth Filmfest!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:35:00 +0000

Golden Gargoyles is the student film fest at Chicago Booth which also marks the culmination and celebratory end of the LEAD module. As part of LEAD, the 1st year class is split up into 10 cohorts - over the course of the quarter, each cohort makes a short film about life at Chicago Booth with the help of fellow students, faculty... and even Dean Snyder!

These films are then evaluated by 2nd year LEAD facilitators and in a ceremony grander than the Oscars, the Golden Gargoyle awards for different categories are presented to winning cohorts. My favorite film is the one below - to catch the best scenes, fast forward to 2:16 in the video:

When the markets are down, well... humor helps! To check out other Golden Gargoyle videos, just search "Golden Gargoyles" on YouTube!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

An exciting rerun - BW 2008 MBA rankings!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:57:00 +0000

Last week, the excitement about the BusinessWeek rankings peaked as we watched the live release of the results in the student lounge at the Harper Center – of course, the room erupted in cheers when the verdict was out! After the David Booth gift, it was a nice "one-two" end to our week.

Dean Snyder in his classic understated style sent out this email to the student body:

Chicago Booth has been ranked as No.1 in Businessweek’s biennial ranking of full-time MBA programs. In the previous BusinessWeek ranking also, Chicago Booth ranked first.
Since 2001 our policy has been to report MBA rankings from six media: BusinessWeek, the Financial Times, U.S. News & World Report, the Economist, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. Of the 69 rankings reported since then, 67 are in the top 10.

He also mentioned in this Chicago Maroon article about how its business as usual after the rankings: “Having noted these positives, we strenuously avoid confusing our identity with rankings. So, it’s back to work.”

Although quite a few of us follow the rankings closely, it’s great to see the pragmatic tone that the Chicago Booth management assumes, which keeps us grounded and focuses on what needs to be done. I personally remain convinced that the student and applicant community ultimately benefits from the B-School rankings by different publications, despite the various biases and controversies that plague each release of ranks and I suspect you would agree with me. There is an interesting take on this subject by Business Today (Student Magazine published out of Princeton) in their latest issue.

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

Going global over the winter!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:29:00 +0000

Over winter, different teams of Chicago GSB students head out to various destinations across the world to explore career opportunities, establish contact and sometimes, for more worldly reasons (like the powdery snow at Whistler!).

Dubai, LA, Whistler, Hong Kong, London, NYC are just some of the places that we will be heading out over the next 2 months – for more details, you could check out the attached handout (picture files).

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

Chicago GSB is now Chicago Booth!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:22:00 +0000

On Nov 6th, all members of the GSB community were invited to the Winter Garden for a historic announcement – we’d become Chicago Booth! In honor of the largest gift to any business school, Chicago GSB has been renamed after a business leader who (literally!) used his Chicago experience and connections to build and grow his firm. According to Dean Snyder’s e-mail to students, this gift is “unconditional” – it allows itself to be deployed in whatever way that the school might deem proper to aggressively move forward and capitalize on our current momentum.

There are obvious gains because of this change for us:
1. Higher endowment and financial resources for deployment that will allow us to focus on:

- Building on our strengths of world class faculty

- Additional resources available to build a diverse and accomplished student body

- And anything else to keep the Chicago Booth flag flying high (this is where the “unconditional” clause kicks in!)

2. Stronger brand identity

- From a generic “Graduate School of Business” to “Chicago Booth”

- To make a stronger impact as we kick off our global marketing campaign

All jazz apart, from a personal perspective, it’s an exciting change for all of us studying here – after the event, a small group of us were discussing that this couldn’t have come from a better alumnus: David Booth leveraged Fama’s “Efficient Market Hypotheses” to build his firm, Dimensional Fund Advisors. Over the last 27 years, he has built his firm with the guidance and ideas of various Chicago professors like Merton Miller, Myron Scholes, Abbie Smith, George Constantinides, Jack Gould, Jim Lorie and Marvin Zonis. And of course the fact that his gift comes at a time when the financial markets are at all-time lows, makes it even better.... some of us will miss the good old “GSB” label, but with the school and alumni extending their reach across the world, Chicago Booth looks like a strong and enduring identity that we can build upon.
Needless to say, we are also excited about the new T-shirts going around, new jokes popping up, and of course, new ideas about what this change holds for our future. If you have any questions about this change, please feel free to reach out to us.

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago Booth Discussion Forums

Rosespeak: Chicago GSB committed to financial aid

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:21:00 +0000

Rose(maria Martinelli, Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions at Chicago GSB)has been globetrotting quite a bit and actually has found the time to blog too - in her latest post here, she talks about the impact of the credit-crunch on the loan programs of top schools and the commitment/effort from the schools' side to address this issue.

As a current year student, I had a few anxious moments during summer when the IDAPP loan program was closed by the lender because of the credit crisis; but Priscilla Parker and her team at the Financial Aid office managed to arrange an alternative financing option and rolled it out even before we got back to school - so both the 1st year class and continuing students in the second year have been covered fully for the year to come.

Some recent posts in other blogs/ websites talk about the same issue:

The Clearadmit blog quotes the same post by Rose with comments from other top schools also and speaks about how different schools are working out ways to arrange aid for students.
This post by an current applicant refers to a recent CNN article and talks about the options available for US residents and the dependency of international students on school-endorsed programs.

I personally remain confident that if anyone can sort this issue out, it would be the best B-schools in the world - once the new loan program falls in place, current applicants (domestic and international) would not only avail of low interest rates but also ride what will hopefully be a resurgent economy, when they graduate 2 year from now!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago GSB Discussion Forums

New courses for a new era!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:43:00 +0000

Soaking the sun, riding the wind

With gas prices around the $100 mark and both Presidential candidates talking about the urgent need to reduce oil imports, the renewable energy industry has attracted inordinate attention of late. At Chicago GSB, we have introduced a new course “Innovation in Energy Markets and Opportunities in Renewable Energy”. Taught by Travis Bradford this quarter, the course will orient students to the dynamic opportunities that exist in the ongoing transformation of the global energy industry. As the course description says, “existing energy sources and the infrastructures that deliver them to users around the world are undergoing a period of rapid change. Limits to growth, rapidly fluctuating raw material prices, and the emergence of new technology options all contribute to heightened risk and opportunity in the energy sector. Using both theoretical and practical insights about the process by which energy technologies are developed, financed, and deployed, this course seeks to highlight the root drivers for change in the energy industry, the technologies that are emerging, and the factors that will determine success in their commercialization”.

The Art & Science of Innovation
With many a product category becoming commoditized, academics and executives both agree on the imperative for companies to innovate and differentiate themselves in a cluttered world. Building on her experience at Whirlpool, Nancy Tennant teaches “Building Innovation Strategy and Capability” at the GSB in Spring/ Winter 2009. Having visited the Whirlpool world HQ in Michigan, I can personally attest to the amazing culture of innovation that permeates the company; over the years, the company has consciously built processes, structures and delivery mechanisms with the objective of fostering innovation – a smart strategy that’s helped them build a ‘innovation pipeline’ of over $3 billion!

It's great to see how fast the GSB responds with changes in the curriculum design to align course inputs with market requirements - my favorite story is about how the "Real Estate" students group built up momentum and consensus that resulted in the introduction of a "Real Estate Markets" specialization sometime back. Vita Excolatur, indeed!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago GSB Discussion Forums

The View from Chicago GSB- At BusinessWeek

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:01:00 +0000

Dean Snyder talks to BusinessWeek about the markets, the recruiting outlook and the start of yet another academic season at the GSB. Check out the vid below:

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago GSB Discussion Forums

From Olympic sponsorships to Obamanomics...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:43:00 +0000

Chicago GSB was in the news last week for some very interesting reasons:

Obamanomics: CBS carried news about Prof. Goolsbee’s work with the Obama team to formulate much needed economic prescriptions for the American economy. It talks about Goolsbee standing out from the ‘Chicago’ school of thought, which in my opinion, is an integral part of the ‘Chicago’ school of thought (questioning everything). Some of us who had chosen Goolsbee’s course “Economics and Policy in Media, Technology and Telecom” had the highest expectations from this course and most of them were fulfilled. Not only did the class help us understand why the telecom industry is shaped the way it is, but also made a strong case for the role of government policy in shaping the structure of an industry – quite fascinating and incredibly insightful. The prof’s dedication to teaching is legendary; his web-page has a photo of him in his wedding tux, in the classroom… as is obvious, he has an amazing sense of humor and this takes the edge off the heated debates that usually happen in class. Check out his obit for Milton Friedman in the NY times – very much Chicago, of course.
PS: The best part about this class is that Goolsbee allows auditors – so if you’re interested in his class and can make a meaningful contribution, you are allowed to get his permission and sit in class – without enrolling for the course! Some professors allow this if they see evidence that you can contribute (prior industry experience, future career interest etc) whereas others just allow you to join in the fun…isn’t that awesome?

WINning at the Olympics: Mark Konjevod, a GSB alum, never could get the odor out of his shirts after his marathon training runs. Instead of changing his detergent time and again, he set out to create a new product and ultimately ended up as the official detergent for the US Olympic team! You can check out his fascinating story at this WSJ link. This quarter, I have a course “Building the New Venture” by Waverly Deutsch – an amazing professor who teaches the everyday dynamics of entrepreneurship. Chicago GSB’s entrepreneurship faculty lineup is full of rock stars:
• Steve Kaplan who focuses on private equity and entrepreneurial finance.
• Scott Meadow who teaches “Commercializing Innovation”
• James Schrager and Susan Hapak who teach “New Venture Strategy”

Along with Waverly Deutsch and the Polsky Centre, these professors offer a great start to would-be entrepreneurs, covering the entire spectrum of conceptual and operation skills required to kickstart a new venture… no surprises when they go for the highest points in the course bidding process!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago GSB Discussion Forums

Do you know what we did last summer?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:43:00 +0000

Summer is an incredible time for most MBA students – at the GSB, full time MBA students use the summer to get hands-on work experience through internships at reputed companies, start-ups and non-profit organizations. Starting from mid-June to August, GSB grads stream out into the gritty, real world and attempt to apply what they have learnt in classrooms to real-time work environments.

The internships also help students experiment with new career options and try their hand at new functional areas and/ or new industries. This way, by end of summer, one forms a far clearer idea of what the industry/function to recruit for post-GSB. Quite a few firms also end up extending offers to their interns to come back and work full-time in their organizations.

Some examples of summer internships…

I did my summer internship in Europe at a large telecommunications firm on a segmentation strategy for their online business networking portal. It was incredible fun! The team was almost like a start-up… which of course meant that they needed everything yesterday! In the end, although it wasn’t exactly the “strategic planning” work that I originally wanted to do, many of my recommendations were implemented immediately and it was amazing to make an impact in just 2 months. More importantly, it was also an experience that gave me a great perspective of the organizational culture and the people at the company.

A friend of mine worked in London for a non-profit initiative that analyzed the causes of knife crime among juveniles in London, attempted to pin down causes and proposed solutions to the issue. This was, to say the least, thrilling and sometimes dangerous work – she had to travel to some not-so-safe neighborhoods and sometimes, meet with criminals… but she also adds that it was very fulfilling and the impact of such a project could actually mean more lives saved on the streets. What better application, I thought, of management skills could one imagine!

Another classmate landed an internship in Chile through the Polsky Centre. He helped an entre preneur decipher the legal environment in Chile and it's impact on the growth of the business. Not only was it an out-of-the world experience, but also a window into a different country, culture and language – this proud GSBer now knows a smattering of Spanish, can ‘almost’ change a flat tire even if stuck on the Andes, has frequented the best pubs and restaurants in Chile and most importantly, carries into his future a set of personal and business relationships forged over the last 2 months.

I hope this gives prospective students an idea of the work we do over the summer and the impact it has on the organization and on our career plans. With school starting off, we are all set to share our war stories with one another – if you’re at GSB Live, maybe you’ll hear a couple of them too!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago GSB Discussion Forums

A New Year at Chicago GSB

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:13:00 +0000

With Fall quarter starting off, The Winter Garden has its familiar buzz of activity again! Most second year students strolled back into campus just a few days before classes kicked off; these veterans came back with many war-stories from summer internships, travels abroad and even weddings and new babies! Full-time recruiting is on and you can figure out the different ways in which different students handle it:Those with signed-off offers are chilling out and taking intense courses with ‘rock-star’ professors like Steve Kaplan and Scott Meadow; others have deep-dived into the recruiting pool, charging themselves up for networking and interviews… and then there are others with an offer from their internship trying hard to decide on whether to sign it off or not. But no matter what, the general feeling among second years is that it’s nice to be back!

GSB also welcomed the Class of 2010 to campus a few weeks ago. First year students come to campus about two weeks prior to the start of class for C.O.R.E. – a preparatory module that includes orientation and part of L.E.A.D. It’s always fun to see a group of energetic new faces meeting each other, starting classes, seeking career advice and in general, go through the GSB experience. They are getting used to both the intensity and fun of b-school and if you were to ask them how they felt, the answer would probably be "Great, but busy!" Amidst all this, we also have student groups trying to recruit new members for club activities, career services hosting career panels where second year students and alumni share their perspective on potential career paths and of course the omnipresent homework/ groupwork and class assignments. In Fall, there never is really a dull moment at the GSB!

There’s also the buzz throughout campus about the recent events on Wall Street. These are interesting times in finance and economics, both strongholds areas of Chicago GSB and it is not uncommon to find quite a few articles by our professors in major publications like the WSJ and NY Times. Prof. Goolsbee’s position as Obama’s economic advisor also adds an element of drama to those following the election trail at GSB. This is also the time of the year when the famous economic truth: TANFL(There Ain’t No Free Lunch) is regularly proven wrong – there are tons of events like LnLs(Lunch N Learns), Brown Bag lunches, the Distinguished Speaker Series where business and though leaders present their perspective eon diverse issues ranging from health policy to politics to emerging markets… food for thought, literally!

An interesting start to what promises to be an interesting year… watch this space – there’s lots more to come!

Want to discuss this topic some more? Head on over to the Chicago GSB Discussion Forums

International students, keep walking!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:34:00 +0000

One of the toughest challenges that many international MBA applicants face is arranging financial aid for their education and living expenses. And this is where the top schools prove their worth, extending exceptional support to admitted students by offering scholarships and loans with trusted vendors. Chicago GSB was no exception; through an arrangement with IDAPP (Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program), all GSB students could avail of different loans, with or without co-signors...till now. With the credit crunch taking its toll, IDAPP will no longer be able to continue this arrangement into the future.

But hey, thanks to some fast and intrepid work by Priscilla Parker and team at the Financial Aid Office, we have a new lender on board with a faster online application process, to boot. Check out a recent ClearAdmit post that details the issue.

So if you are an international student and had concerns about the student loan program at GSB, no worries… its business as usual! With that off your mind, we hope that you can fully focus on the application process, especially with R1 deadlines around the corner – keep walking and good luck!

Making the most of a global summer!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:58:00 +0000

Summer is a busy time for everyone at the GSB - the admissions team is busy planning for next year's process, the academic services team is planning course schedules and 1st year students disperse across the world to intern with different companies, applying a year's worth of management theories and models to the real world.

To make sure prospective applicants do not miss out on the fun, we have tons of admissions events over the summer. Ranging from education fairs to school-sponsored events to informal student receptions, the events bring GSB admissions staff and students to a city near you and help applicants get a personal perspective on the GSB experience. The details of the events and links for signup are at:

http://www.chicagogsb.edu/fulltime/admissions/events.

We hope these events will help you prepare for the application season and get you set for the exciting journey ahead! We look forward to meeting you at an event and will be excited to share our perspective on the b-school experience and everything else…under the summer sun!