Chicago Booth School of Business

Program Overview

Chicago Booth isn’t just about learning business. It’s about questioning it. The school attracts intellectually curious, fiercely independent students who want more than a standard curriculum. They’re eager to challenge assumptions, debate ideas, and push boundaries.

Booth’s famously flexible curriculum allows students to chart their own academic path. There’s no traditional core; instead, students choose from a wide range of disciplines and work closely with academic advisors and career coaches to tailor a plan that fits their goals. This approach is ideal for self-directed learners who crave autonomy, but may be less appealing to those who prefer highly structured, team-driven environments.

With its emphasis on rigorous, conceptual thinking, Booth prepares graduates to tackle unpredictable problems and shift confidently across industries. One alum—a former pharmaceutical scientist—summed it up nicely: “If I can come in as a scientist and leave working in finance for a tech company, that’s a statement in itself.”

Booth pushes the boundaries of what a business education can be. Its multidisciplinary training combines economics, psychology, data science, and more, empowering students to approach business challenges from every angle.

The Booth community is both intellectually driven and globally minded. Diversity—in background, experience, and perspective—is a cornerstone of the Booth experience. With more than 40,000 alumni in over 90 countries, students graduate with access to a truly international network of bold, thoughtful leaders.

Chicago’s Booth School of Business was ranked #4 in US News & World Report’s Best Business Schools 2025-2026.  The acceptance rate for the MBA Class of 2026 was 28.7%.

We asked the former Booth admissions officers on the Stacy Blackman Consulting team to profile what Booth seeks. Their consensus is:

Booth looks for applicants who demonstrate alignment with their discipline-based approach and ‘pay-it-forward’ mentality. They seek students who will be involved in the growth of the institution and value a wide array of viewpoints. Booth loves diversity of thought. Booth students embrace the opportunity to learn and grow from each other’s unique perspectives. 

Contact us for an assessment of your Booth MBA candidacy today. Here’s a snapshot of our Booth expertise on the SBC admissions consulting team:

Admissions Stats

Here is a snapshot of how Booth differs from Kellogg.

*Estimated

Booth and Kellogg admit a high percentage of students who majored in either business or economics during their undergraduate studies. Kellogg has retained more poets than Booth, with students who completed their undergraduate work in liberal arts or humanities representing 24% versus 13% at Booth. It’s surprising that Kellogg brings in as many students with STEM backgrounds, given Chicago’s quantitative reputation.

*Estimated and doesn’t account for overlap

*Estimated

Get Insider Tips from SBC Consultants Kim and Meg, Former Associate Directors of Admission at Chicago Booth

They’ll spill intel on:

• Unique elements of Chicago Booth
• Common misperceptions about the school
• Insights into the MBA admissions process
• Essay and interview advice for future applicants

Application Essays, Tips & Candidate Evaluation 

The Kellogg and Booth essay prompts vary, with Kellogg’s prompts embodying intrinsic, holistic and/or value-based attributes. While they may change each year, Booth’s essays are seemingly more straightforward overall, with its first prompt a career goal question. SBC’s essay tips can be found here.

Sample Booth Essays

Winning essays from our successful admits are new on the SBC site and can be found here:

Sample Booth essays

More Booth Application Tips

View our extensive overview of how the application for Booth varies from that of Kellogg here.