Aspiring business leaders are no stranger to the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. In 2018, Booth tied with Harvard Business School for the No. 1 ranked full-time MBA program, according to U.S. News and World Report, and also claimed the top spot in The Economist‘s ranking.
Known for its academic rigor, emphasis on analytics, and expertise in finance and economics, Booth consistently attracts the cream of the crop to shape the world of business. The Class of 2020 is no exception, with the 591 matriculating students boasting an average GMAT score at a whopping 731 and an average GPA of 3.6. The new group also averaged five years of work experience and 28 years in age. They came from a total of 52 countries, and 30 percent are international. In the strive for gender parity, Booth has met with relative success—42 percent of the new class are women.
During their undergraduate years, Booth’s Class of 2020 had spread across familiar majors. A quarter had studied economics, while business and engineering tied for close seconds, each claimed by 24 percent of students. Another 15 percent of the class had majored in liberal arts, 7 percent in physical sciences and 1 percent in law.
Following their undergraduate studies, Booth’s Class of 2020 accumulated diverse work experience. Nearly a quarter of the crop of candidates arrived on campus with experience in consulting; financial services followed with 21 percent of the class having entered the field. Eighteen percent had split evenly across technology and non-profit/government. The rest of the class spread out across consumer goods, healthcare, private equity/venture capital and more.
Booth’s trademark quality is its flexible curriculum. With only one required class, LEAD, students are free to shape their education based on their needs and interests. LEAD, which stands for Leadership Effectiveness and Development, serves as a critical base for students on their journey of growth and self-awareness, so that they may reap the most from their tailored education. Indeed, during LEAD, first-year students complete 150 hours of team-building exercises and retreats to cultivate interpersonal skills, self-awareness and all the critical aspects of leadership.
The course serves to support students as they create their individualized career plans at Booth and beyond. Booth students have the choice to design their path of study, selecting from a menu of courses and claiming up to three concentrations. Suffice to say that a Booth degree serves you well in just about any industry.
The slogan at University of Chicago Booth School of Business is: Ideas compete, not people. Today, we take a closer look at some of the people that generate these ideas and see them to fruition. We are excited to showcase select profiles of the MBA Class of 2020 as they reflect on what led them to choose Chicago Booth.
Katherine Nimmo, Chicago Booth MBA Class of 2020
Age: 26
Hometown: Wellesley, MA
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Dartmouth College, English Literature
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Two years in investment banking and two years in growth equity.
Why business school? Why now?
In looking at the scope of my current role at my company and juxtaposing it with what would be required of me at the level above mine, I identified two core differences: managing people and interacting more with portfolio companies in a strategic capacity.
Business school presents the opportunity to hone my leadership skills and also to take classes in functional areas I haven’t been exposed to in my professional career, like marketing and operations, as well as collaborate with peers from those industries in group settings. I saw business school as a way to advance both soft and technical skills that would be required of me in my pursuit of a long-term career in investing.
Why Booth? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I was looking for a rigorous finance curriculum to complement my liberal arts undergrad experience. Booth has always been known as a strong quant school, but I love that it is constantly innovating.
From the offerings of the Polsky Center to the Lab classes, in which students simultaneously take a class and have a part-time internship during the school year, Booth continues to provide new and exciting opportunities for those interested in finance professions.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020?
I’m an English major who has worked in finance for the last four years, so I think I have the ability to both see the big picture and get in the weeds on the analytical side of things.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I keep a journal that I write in almost every day; it helps me reflect and decompress. Of course, sometimes it’s not enough, and that’s when I turn to Grey’s Anatomy and Ben & Jerry’s.
Post-MBA career interests?
I intend to return to early-stage investing. It’s qualitative and quantitative and puts me in front of so many new, intelligent entrepreneurs—it’s got everything!
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Visiting and talking to students is incredibly important. I believe in the inexplicable “gut feeling” about a place, so it was important to me to get on campus and see student life in action. Booth hosts an awesome program called Booth Live, which is a day of programming for prospective students, and I’m glad I got the opportunity to attend.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
I would have gotten more feedback from family members and close friends on my essay topics. Applying to school is a great opportunity to be introspective, but I think it helps to get some outside perspective on how others see you as well, particularly as it pertains to what value you can add to a school.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
The waiting game was tough! It helped to focus on the steps still in my control. After I pressed submit on my application, I stayed sane by attending a few online webinars, talking to additional current students, and practicing interview questions, rather than let myself second-guess essay topics and parts of the application that had already passed.
What is your initial impression of Booth’s students/culture/community?
I love that Booth encourages you to explore what is exciting to you, specifically. With LEAD as the only required course, there’s definitely some connective tissue among all students, but then you’re free to take classes in what interests you, and in doing whatever that is, you’ll receive tremendous support.
The pay-it-forward mentality really stands out as well, and I’ve already benefited from it countless times. When I first got in, Booth paired me with a current student who had a similar professional background to mine, and she hopped on the phone to answer my questions and share her experiences.
Our Classes of 2019-2020 Slack channel this summer has also been buzzing with advice and support from second-years. As not only a new student, but also as someone new to Chicago, this guidance has been invaluable.
One thing you have learned about Booth that has surprised you?
I’m surrounded by both incredibly talented and incredibly humble individuals. People are quick to volunteer their experience if it can be helpful to you, but no one is a shameless self-promoter.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I’m worried I won’t have time to do everything I want and to take every class I want – in fact, I know I won’t. Ultimately, however, I think that’s a great reflection on Booth.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I’m excited to meet new people and to take classes on totally new subjects. It’s two years to stretch my “normal,” both in terms of people and my knowledge base.
Grant Zeller, Chicago Booth MBA Class of 2020
Age: 28
Hometown: Holland, PA
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Bucknell University, Economics & Philosophy
Pre-MBA Work Experience: A little over five years at Nielsen in market research focusing on consumer goods manufacturers in the New York/New Jersey area, as well as a stint at Sony Music Entertainment in Partner Development Analytics.
Why business school? Why now?
I loved my previous work experiences, but I felt I had “blind spots” in my business knowledge, particularly in areas such as finance that are essential to running any business. Since I didn’t necessarily feel like I wanted to stay in marketing-adjacent fields for my whole career, I came to the conclusion that it would be important to fill in those knowledge gaps. I was fortunate to come to this realization around the time that one normally attends business school.
Why Booth? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I happened to have a few classmates from undergrad who had gone through the MBA admissions process together before me and all wound up at different places, so I sought their diverse perspectives as I decided which schools I wanted to look into. One of them attended Booth and was really enthusiastic about recommending it for a few reasons.
First, he cited the University of Chicago’s extremely rich academic tradition, particularly in economics, and identified this as the foundation for Booth’s program. To be frank, I got the impression from some schools I visited that what happens in the classroom is not very impactful, which seems like a huge waste of time to me.
Second, he found that his classmates were consistently fun, intelligent, and down-to-earth, and genuinely looked out for one another, which definitely lines up with my experiences thus far.
Finally, he loved living in Chicago, and it was somewhat bittersweet for him that the post-MBA role he landed required him to move after graduation. Most Booth students live in “The Loop,” Chicago’s really beautiful and lively downtown area, and it’s been really fun and easy to explore other areas of the city.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020?
In my experience, market research tends to be a less traditional background among MBA students, yet it can be leveraged to inform virtually any decision in marketing strategy. I’m hopeful that this background will enable me to make informed contributions or recall unique anecdotes in my classes or in conversations with my peers.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I can be seen washing my car on Google Maps. See below:
Post-MBA career interests?
When I reflected on what aspects of my career to date I really enjoyed, I think my favorite components were coming together with a team of really smart, driven people to solve tough problems, and finding a way to convey analysis and solutions in a compelling, impactful story. There are many roles that fit this bill, but I am particularly drawn to management consulting, which will likely be my focus during recruiting season.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
If possible, I would recommend finishing decent drafts of the written responses (essays and short answers) as early as possible—like, earlier than what seems necessary. Then take a week or two completely off, and then revisit them. I was surprised by how much I wanted to change and how much value my edits added.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
I think I overextended myself a bit in late summer/fall while I was completing the applications. The combination of applications on top of a full-time job was demanding enough, so to the extent that you can, I would recommend limiting other significant pursuits for a few months so you can devote as much energy as you can to the admissions process. You don’t want to feel like you could have or should have done more.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I was pretty nervous for interviews because of the uncertainty inherent to how they unfold. There are lots of different ways of coping with this uncertainty, but my method was to set a preparation process that I knew was rigorous and stick to it. For example, I created flashcards of typical interview questions and asked a friend to mock interview me, and also recorded myself answering the questions. Whenever anxiety would creep in, I would remind myself to trust the process and have faith that my preparation would be sufficient.
What is your initial impression of Booth’s students/culture/community?
I’m thrilled by how friendly everyone is! My fellow 1Y’s are all so excited to meet each other, and the 2Y’s are eager to meet the first years and help us get acclimated. The unofficial mantra of Booth’s culture is “pay it forward,” and this mentality is clearly evident and creates a strong and welcoming community.
I just returned from my “Random Walk,” Booth’s pre-orientation trip in which roughly a dozen 1Y’s are paired with four 2Y’s and travel to a far-flung locale — in my case, Cyprus. Throughout seven days filled with beach time and activities such as ATV riding along the coast (and, of course, seven late nights out), the whole group really gelled and became a family. It’s really easy to see why so many 2Ys say they met some of their closest friends on their Random Walks.
One thing you have learned about Booth that has surprised you?
It can be helpful to rely a bit on schools’ historical reputations when trying to decide which ones to apply to, but typically they are only part of the picture, and I’ve found that is certainly the case for Booth. Its historical reputation is that it is a finance school, and while that is certainly a huge strength of the program, it would be more precisely described as a quantitative school. Booth aims to produce MBAs that make well-reasoned, data-driven decisions, and given the era we are entering, that toolkit has never been more valuable.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Recruiting seems pretty daunting, and though there are many things to do during the first year of business school, landing an internship appears to be the single most important pursuit for most students. The 2Y’s assure us not to worry about it right now and that there will be plenty of assisted preparation for things like interviews and networking, but it’s hard to not look ahead on the calendar and get a little antsy.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Booth likes to tout its flexible curriculum, which I see as an opportunity to get early exposure to some of the “superstar” professors for which Booth is known. It would be pretty surreal to step into a business school classroom for the first time and learn from a Nobel laureate. Also, I love snow, and something tells me I’ve come to the right place for that.
Justin (Jake) Leahy, Chicago Booth MBA Class of 2020
Age: 28
Hometown: Ashburn, VA
Undergraduate Institution and Major: United States Naval Academy, Economics.
Pre-MBA Work Experience: I served in the U.S. Navy for six years as a nuclear submarine officer.
Why business school? Why now?
After achieving the goals I set when I joined the Navy, I decided to leverage my experience in the military to transition to a career as a business leader. In the Navy I led, learned from, and worked with the most talented group of men and women I have ever met. I chose to attend business school, and Booth in particular, to build upon these experiences and equip me with the tools and network necessary to make the transition to the business world as smooth as possible.
Why Booth? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
My family and I were living in Rio de Janeiro when I received an invitation to interview for a spot at Booth. I immediately reached out to the President of Brazil’s Booth Alumni chapter on LinkedIn, and within five-minutes he put me in contact with a Booth alumnus who is the CFO of a company in Rio de Janeiro.
A week later we met at a coffee shop during his lunch break and had a great conversation about Booth, Chicago, and career/life advice. What really struck me, however, was that he reached out to me after my interview to see how it went and again to congratulate me when I got in.
There are many other great reasons to attend Booth: the flexible curriculum; the world class professors; the variety of learning methods (case-based classes, experiential classes, analytical classes, etc.); the philosophy of analysis, reason, and logic in decision making; opportunities for deep and meaningful exposure to various industries (PE/VC lab, startup-summer, etc.); the reputation with companies around the world—all of these were factors for me—but what really did it for me were the people I met, such as the Booth alumnus in Rio de Janeiro, and the pay-it-forward culture.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020?
As a 27-year-old, I was in charge of a team of over 40 people operating state-of-the-art equipment to submerge a giant steel tube worth $2 billion and carry out missions vital to national security. These types of experiences provided unique leadership challenges that will shape the way I approach problems at Booth and hopefully enrich the learning environment for my classmates.
I also plan on contributing by assisting veteran applicants in applying to Booth as a way to pay forward the help I received when I was an applicant. There are great resources for this: if you are a veteran you can reach out to the Armed Forces Group at Booth or Service to School (a non-profit organization that provides college admissions consulting to veterans).
However, the coolest things about me, by far, are my two kids. I plan on being an active member of the Parents of Little Ones club and involving my family in as many Booth events as possible.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I have extraordinarily bad luck with animals. I’ve been bitten by a dog, stung by a jellyfish, stabbed by a stingray, and kicked by a wild horse—luckily, I was unscathed when running with the bulls in Pamplona.
Post-MBA career interests?
I hope to find a role at a company that surrounds me with bright people, offers challenging and interesting work, and continues to build upon the skills I developed in the military and at business school.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Reach out to students and alumni—discuss the school’s strengths and weaknesses in depth with as many people as possible. This will give you a much better understanding of schools than from researching them on the Internet.
It is the best way to ensure the schools you are applying to are schools you would, in fact, be happy attending. It is also a great way to gain meaningful experiences particular to each school that you can include in an application or talk about during an interview.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
Start early! Due to my submarine’s schedule, I started my application to Booth after a stint at sea. When I got back, there were only three weeks until the Round 2 deadline! Without the help of a first-year student who helped me (and a lot of coffee), I would not have passed to the interview stage.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
The worst part of getting a late start on my application was asking recommenders to write thoughtful recommendations with such short notice. Luckily, I had some awesome supervisors who were willing to help me out.
What is your initial impression of Booth’s students/culture/community?
Bright, selfless, outgoing, and welcoming.
One thing you have learned about Booth that has surprised you?
The size of the pre-MBA Startup Summer internship program. This program affords incoming students the opportunity to intern at alumni-founded startups the summer before starting at Booth. I heard of this program before applying, but I had no idea how large it had grown.
When the application for these internships went live I was very surprised to see dozens of start-ups listed all over the world—over 10% of the incoming class participated in Startup Summer this year. I just wrapped up a summer internship at a fintech startup in São Paulo, and I can’t imagine a better way kick off an MBA program!
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Balancing academics, extracurriculars, professional, social, and family responsibilities to maximize my experience as well as that of my family. I’m also worried about my wife’s reaction to Chicago winters (she’s practically lived her entire life in tropical Rio de Janeiro).
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Meeting my incredible classmates and raising my family in such a vibrant community.
Runu Ukwade, Chicago Booth MBA Class of 2020
Age: 30
Hometown: Houston, TX.
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Georgia Institute of Technology, Electrical Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience: After graduating from Georgia Tech, I spent 3 and half years working in finance (investment banking, private equity) and most recently 2 and half years working on an operations team at Facebook.
Why business school? Why now?
My decision came down to three points:
First, as an engineering undergrad major, I want to improve my business knowledge foundation and expand my business problem-solving toolkit.
Second, through Booth, I can interact with students from various sectors/backgrounds and cultures I would not have access to had I stayed in my industry and broaden my professional and personal perspectives.
Third, I want to build on my leadership capabilities in a structured environment outside of a work setting. I’ve reached a point in my career where going to business school makes sense to become a stronger business leader.
Why Chicago Booth? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
My decision to attend Booth was primarily driven by the school’s curriculum and culture. Having worked in multiple industries prior to business school, I want to tailor my education towards my development areas while building on my knowledge gained through work experience.
Through Booth’s flexible curriculum, I can accomplish these goals. In addition, the school’s pay-it-forward culture aligns with my own values. The first- and second-year classes are fairly intertwined at Booth.
As a first-year student, you have the opportunity to take classes with second-year students, which helps facilitate knowledge sharing and deepen relationships across classes.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020?
I will bring a broad professional perspective to the classroom. My pre-MBA experience in finance and operations is unique.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I ran the digital marketing campaign for a Pittsburgh-based Chicken & Waffles food truck. I knew the truck owner when he lived in Houston, and I wanted to use Facebook to help the owner build his business in Pittsburgh.
Post-MBA career interests?
Immediately after business school, I want to pursue a career in management consulting. Through management consulting, I’ll have the opportunity to build on the knowledge acquired at Booth and work with several clients across multiple industries.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I was a member of Management Leadership for Tomorrow’s (MLT) MBA prep program. My MLT Coach and MBA prep peers really helped me stay focused throughout the process and reduce application anxiety. I encourage applicants to work with an MBA prep program or consulting service, especially if you are coming from a non-traditional background.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
I would have locked down my GMAT score sooner. Writing essays and the applications would have been easier If I did not have to divide my horsepower across multiple fronts.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I don’t think I would have skipped any part of the application process. However, I would say that writing essays was the most challenging part. I really had to dig deep and figure out what I wanted my professional and personal legacy to be. My friends, families, and peers really helped ensure that I remained true to my authentic self throughout the writing process.
What is your initial impression of Booth’s students/culture/community?
The Booth community is very smart, inclusive, and humble. Alums and current students are eager to help in any facet of my experience from choosing classes to navigating Chicago. I had numerous conversations with alums once I was accepted into Booth and realized that this empathetic network would be present for the rest of my life
One thing you have learned about Booth that has surprised you?
Booth is known for its analytical rigor, however an additional focus on soft skills and leadership development has most surprised me.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I’ve been out of a school setting for a while so getting used taking classes and studying again will be interesting.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I’m looking forward to meeting as many of my classmates as possible. My class is comprised of students from many countries and professional backgrounds and I view my two years in business school as a great opportunity to meet a lot of different people.
Satoko Watanabe, Chicago Booth MBA Class of 2020
Age: 31
Hometown: Saitama, Japan
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Tokyo, law
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Bank of Japan, the central bank of japan, for five and a half years. I worked on on-site examination, researching legal issues related to electronic fund transfer and supporting development of financial market infrastructure.
Why business school? Why now?
I felt that my current intellectual abilities and way of thinking based on the public sector and legal expertise were insufficient, so I decided to apply to business school to absorb perspectives of private sector leaders, gain a strong foundation in finance and economics and further develop my interpersonal skills.
After five and a half years of work experience, this is the right moment for me to keep distance from a familiar place and broaden my horizons professionally and academically by diving into diverse culture.
Why Booth? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I was drawn to Booth’s distinctive intellectual approach, the emphasis on the connection between academic theory and practical insights, and experiential learning environment with basis of fundamentals.
Also, Booth’s flexible curriculum and collaborative global community were attractive to me.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020?
Having worked as a central banker, I hope I will be able to share my knowledge and experience from the public sector.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
Love traveling and watching sports, especially baseball. Looking forward to going to watch major league baseball.
Post-MBA career interests?
I will return to the Bank of Japan after earning my MBA.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Talking to alumni and current students is the best way to get a deep understanding of each school’s culture. They would be happy to share their experience and give you useful advice. As I was out of the United States, I didn’t have the opportunity to visit the schools I was applying to. To learn more about the learning environment, I had to rely on reaching out to students and I really appreciated their great support.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
If possible, apply during the first round. This would give you plenty of time to find funding options, plan for relocation, apply for your visa and interact with alumni and current students, especially if you are an international student.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Every part of the application process was challenging and necessary for me. Among them, writing essay is a valuable chance to reflect on where you are at in your career and share your passions with others. I got through them thanks to my family, friends and colleagues.
What is your initial impression of Booth’s students/culture/community?
They have a strong desire for self-improvement. They are always energetic and passionate.
One thing you have learned about Booth that has surprised you?
The people are so willing to help each other. I am really impressed by how generous the second-year students and the faculty are with their support.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Time and energy management. As two years will not be enough to take advantage of all the learning and networking opportunities, you have to prioritize and focus on what you really want to accomplish.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Countless opportunities of building strong relationships with fascinating people from diverse backgrounds.
Clear Admit Resources
Want to learn more about Chicago Booth? We encourage you to consider all of Clear Admit’s offerings:
- Chicago / Booth School of Business Profile on the Clear Admit website: up-to-date advice and admissions information
- Clear Admit Chicago Booth School Snapshot: overview of key curricular details and application information
- Clear Admit Chicago Booth School Guide: in-depth program and campus information and side-by-side school comparisons; everything you need to know for a successful application!
- Essay Topic Analysis: Clear Admit’s expert advice on how to tackle Chicago Booth’s application
- Clear Admit LiveWire: admissions updates submitted in real time by applicants to Booth
- Clear Admit DecisionWire: school selections in real-time by admits to Booth
