We are back in the Windy City in this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A to chat with Donna Swinford, Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions for MBA Programs at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Donna is a longtime Chicago resident and has been at Booth since 1997. She joined the Office of Admissions in 2005 and has seen the admissions process at Booth from practically every angle over the course of her tenure, serving in several roles including head of Operations and Evaluation before transitioning to her current position as Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions. Donna oversees admissions for the Full-Time MBA, Evening MBA, Weekend MBA, Executive MBA North America, the Chicago Booth Scholars deferred MBA, and the Specialized Masters Programs at Chicago Booth.
Read on to get Donna’s take on how applications are changing to reflect the most relevant skills organizations are looking for in MBAs, how to prepare for your interviews, and her standout aspects of the Booth MBA.
Clear Admit: What is one aspect of your MBA program that you wish applicants knew more about?
Donna Swinford: One aspect of Booth’s thriving community is our unique cohort structure. Yes, we have cohorts (they’re just not academic).
Incoming students are placed in cohorts of ~60 people for our LEAD course, which happens during Orientation. Students get to know each other as they work through modules together and build a foundation for their two-year program. Once LEAD is completed, the cohorts become organized social groups versus traditional curricular tracks.
This is actually a big benefit because you gain the same sense of community without being locked into a fixed course path. Students appreciate the ability to expand their networks quicker while continuing to connect with their friends from their cohorts and choosing the classes they want to take every quarter.
Additionally, I think people don’t really realize the extent to which Booth provides a closeknit, collegiate lifestyle. Something like 70% of students live within a few blocks of each other in downtown Chicago. There’s a cluster of apartment buildings known as the “Booth Dorms” that house the majority of our Full-Time students. These high-rises are located right in the Loop near nightlife, dining, retail, transportation, entertainment, the Riverwalk, and the lakefront, as well as the business district and Chicago’s corporate center.
The comfort of having so many fellow classmates as neighbors creates a fun atmosphere within the backdrop of a big city.
CA: Walk us through the life of an application in your office from an operational standpoint. What happens between the time an applicant clicks “submit” and the time the committee offers a final decision?
DS: Booth approaches evaluations holistically, with each section viewed as an essential part of the assessment. We do not weigh application components and no section is more important than another (i.e., your test scores do not have more value than your letter of recommendation or transcripts or any other piece!). Our evaluation team reviews your submission in its entirety… background information, academics, test scores, recommendation, resume, career goals, short answer responses, etc.
If you follow a submitted application through our full process, it will first enter a preliminary review that begins after the round deadline (no apps are reviewed prior to the deadline). There’s an initial check of every submission to ensure it is complete and nothing is missing. If there are any outstanding materials, we’ll reach out directly to request the missing piece(s) and allow a grace period for you to submit them.
Complete application submissions receive multiple read-throughs by our Admissions staff. Our initial review focuses on the overall quality and strength of the applicant, such as their ability to succeed academically, career progression, collaboration, focus, and overarching potential. Candidates who meet this threshold are invited to interview with a member of the Booth community in a virtual interview. We also have a brief interactive virtual component designed to complement the interview and provide another perspective on your candidacy.
Next, our team once again reviews the application in its entirety and a recommendation is made for admit, waitlist, or deny. The application then goes through one last review by the Admissions Committee before a final decision is determined. On the day of decision release, applicants will receive an email notification to log into their status portal for their decision letter.
CA: How does your team approach the essay portion of the application specifically? What are you looking for as you read an essay? Are there common mistakes applicants should try to avoid? What is one key thing candidates should keep in mind as they sit down to write?
DS: This may be a shift applicants are also seeing in other programs, as admissions processes continue to evolve alongside the rise of AI and better reflect the skills expected after business school. Rather than relying on a traditional admissions essay, we’ve expanded our short-answer prompts to help us understand both the professional and personal sides of each applicant. We want to learn about their career aspirations, but also what matters to them, how they think, and the unique character they’ll bring to the Booth community.
One of the new prompts asks applicants to upload a meaningful image and briefly explain its significance. It’s a natural evolution from this past year’s essay where applicants selected one of four provided photos and explained how it resonated with them. Now, they can upload their own image to share a glimpse with the admissions team of their personality and who they are.
At a high level throughout the entire application process, we’re looking to learn more about candidates’ reasons for pursuing the MBA experience, get a window into what distinguishes them as an individual, and what they hope to achieve with a Booth degree.
The best advice is simply to be yourself. My other little bit of guidance is to make sure your response is directly aligned with the prompt and are your own words. Above all else, your response should be an authentic reflection of your individual viewpoint and hopefully it provides a peek into who you are as a person, both professionally and personally.
CA: Could you tell us about your interview process? Approximately what percentage of applicants are invited to interview, who typically conducts interviews, and what should candidates expect in terms of interview style and format?
DS: We’ve always considered our interviews to be a conversation. It’s an opportunity to discuss your professional goals, why you’re seeking an MBA, and what in particular draws you to Booth. The number of applicants invited to interview varies from year to year.
No matter the amount, all interviews are conducted by current students and other members of the Booth community. The interviewer receives the applicant’s resume beforehand, no other elements of the application are shared with the interviewer.
All interviews are held virtually to provide a more equitable and consistent experience for every applicant, regardless of location. The intention of the interview is to connect you with a member of our community to not only learn more about you, but give you a chance to learn more about Booth and what our MBA program has to offer.
Keep in mind we see the interview as a two-way exchange, so come prepared to ask some questions of your own.
CA: If your admissions process includes any video-based components, such as video essays or recorded interview responses, what advice would you offer applicants preparing for this part of the process?
DS: This year we moved from pre-recorded video responses to a more interactive virtual exercise. When candidates are invited to interview with us, they will also receive instructions on how to complete a separate virtual simulation that is not a part of the interview but is meant to complement it. Only those who make it to the interview stage will be asked to participate. During the interactive component, candidates will be presented with question prompts and asked to provide responses in real time within a set time limit.
As with every part of the application, my advice is to be yourself and answer authentically. The preparation for something like this is to approach it as a chance to share more about yourself, how you think and communicate.
Anchoring on your true motivations, unique perspective, and knowledge of what Booth has to offer will ensure you not only show us more of who you are but also how Booth can help you achieve your goals.
Beforehand, think about how you engage in the world and how you hope to engage in our community. Leverage your lived experience, background, viewpoint, communication style, critical thinking skills, all the aspects you bring to the table everyday and inform how you show up no matter what the circumstances. Allow your personality to guide your delivery and trust in yourself. Most of all, relax as much as you can – we’re excited to get to know you better!
CA: Is there anything in particular international students should keep in mind during the admissions process?
DS: International candidates follow the same application process as US-based candidates and all MBA applicants are evaluated in the same way. For international prospective students, there are a few additional things to note about requirements.
Candidates may be required to submit proof of English proficiency by taking and submitting results from one of the following exams: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Test of English (PTE), or Duolingo English Test. Review our FAQ for information on exemptions.
International applicants must have a college or university degree equivalent to a four-year American baccalaureate degree. In light of the Bologna Accord, Chicago Booth also accepts candidates with three-year international degrees.
International students who have accepted an offer of admission are eligible to apply for an F-1 or J-1 visa. Detailed information regarding the requirements and application process to obtain a student visa is sent to admitted students in the spring.
We oftentimes recommend international prospects apply in earlier rounds to allow ample time for getting a visa, however, there is typically sufficient time to apply for and secure a visa in all rounds.
The University of Chicago’s Office of International Affairs provides updates and guidance to incoming international students, along with virtual sessions for students to ask questions in real-time. They also put out email communications for F-1 and J-1 students to stay informed with the latest news, policy changes, and resources available.
CA: Conversations about MBA value often center on jobs, salaries, and ROI. What are some of the other ways students benefit from the MBA experience that may be harder to quantify upfront?
DS: It’s easy to focus on salary and ROI because they’re tangible. But when we talk to alumni five or ten years after graduation, those are rarely the first things they mention.
At Booth, we frequently hear our alumni describe the MBA as a catalyst for expanding how they think, not just what they do. They develop greater confidence in navigating ambiguity, making decisions under uncertainty, and approaching complex challenges from multiple perspectives.
Many students arrive at Booth having built successful careers through their own expertise. As they grow, they learn to lead through others, influence without authority, bring together diverse viewpoints, and harness the collective potential of the teams around them. As careers progress, success becomes less about what you accomplish individually and more about the impact you enable across an organization.
The relationships formed during the MBA are another benefit that compounds over time. Students become part of a community of classmates with remarkably diverse backgrounds, industries, and perspectives, while also building lasting relationships with faculty whose research and insights continue to shape how they think long after graduation. Those connections often become trusted sources of advice, collaboration, and opportunity throughout their careers.
The expansive reach of Booth’s network is much broader than only those you meet during your program. Our global alumni community spans 120 countries with representation in industries across the board, meaning you have direct access to professionals, companies, regions, and oftentimes C suites in a diverse cross-section of the business world. Makes for a very robust set of contacts and a powerful outcome from your two-year investment.
Ultimately, the value of an MBA isn’t measured only by your first job or salary after graduation. It’s reflected in how your perspective evolves, the relationships you build, and your ability to create meaningful impact throughout your career.
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to highlight about your MBA program or admissions process?
DS: We’re obviously getting the question a lot about how Booth incorporates AI into our curriculum. Chicago Booth is investing significantly in the AI space, both in research and in education and practical application. It’s not only important to teach our students AI technology and tools, but also to explore the ethics, benefits, and challenges of AI and its applications in the real world.
The faculty at our Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence are immersed in the day-to-day of how AI is transforming life and business in every industry worldwide. In our curriculum we focus on the mechanics of how AI works and what it enables, as well as the mindset around AI, taking a step back to ask the hard questions about impact, fairness, and responsibility.
While we have a dedicated concentration in Applied AI, our students encounter its implications across all disciplines and industries, from marketing strategy and social impact to asset management and entrepreneurial ventures.
Booth’s approach emphasizes critical thinking and intellectual independence, which challenges students to question conventional system designs and develop their own informed perspectives on AI’s implications for firms, markets, and society.
During the 2025/26 academic year, students had course offerings that explored the impact of generative thinking and machine learning in finance, ethics, decision-making, managing the workforce, etc. This year, the curriculum will include classes such as AI for Good, Building an AI Company, and Data Intelligence. We’re helping students build the judgment and interrogative skills to use AI wisely and effectively.
Our Center for Applied AI has prominently expanded programming over the past year, launching a fellowship, workshops, conferences, and events, as well as research and data partnerships with academic organizations and individuals. I recommend checking out their blog to read more about how Booth is integrated with the fast-evolving technologies affecting today’s business practices, marketplace, and societal pressures.
