Chicago Booth
What they weigh
- Intellectual precision — Booth is the most analytically rigorous M7
- Clear, specific career goals with a concrete arc: pre-MBA → deferral → post-MBA
- Demonstrated collaborative thinking, not just individual achievement
- GPA and test scores matter more here than at most M7 programs
Essay prompts
“How will the Chicago Booth Scholars Program contribute to your short-term goals during your deferment period? How will the Booth MBA then help you achieve your long-term post-MBA career goals?”
“Chicago Booth appreciates the individual experiences and perspectives that all of our students bring to our community. This respect for different viewpoints creates an open-minded environment that supports curiosity, inspires us to think more broadly, and take risks. At Booth, community is about collaborative thinking and learning from one another to better ourselves, our ideas, and the world around us.”
Oba’s take
Booth has the earliest M7 deadline — April 2 — so if you're doing a full school list, start here. The goals essay is the most formulaic of the M7 essays, but that's actually an advantage: answer it cleanly, specifically, and in order. Short-term in the deferral window → long-term post-MBA. Don't be vague. Booth committees read hundreds of essays that say "develop leadership skills and build a network" — that's not a plan, that's a wish. The values essay looks open-ended but the theme is clear: how do different perspectives and collaborative thinking make you better? Bring a specific intellectual moment or belief. Booth rewards people who actually think rigorously, not just people who claim to.
11 modules covering narrative, essays, recommenders, school research, and the interview. Built specifically for deferred applicants.
Read the Playbook →One-on-one coaching on your essays and narrative. Small number of students per cycle. Junior program: $3,500/yr or $400/mo.
Apply for Coaching →