Chicago posted an update to its admissions committee blog:

“With the Round One mid-decision deadline approaching on November 9, I wanted to provide you with a brief update on where we are in the review process. Last week we began extending interview invitations to our Round One applicants and will continue to do so through the 9th. You will also be notified if you have not been invited to interview at this time.

Our interviews will occur from Saturday, November 12 through Saturday, December 3.You can choose to interview here at the Harper Center or off-campus with one of our alumni. If you come to campus for your interview, the interview will be conducted by either an Admissions Fellow (one of our second-year students) or an alum. Interviewing on campus is also a great opportunity for you to experience life at Booth.You can sit in on a class (Monday-Friday) and meet current students through lunch and a tour of the building.

While we would love for everyone to come to campus for their interview, we understand that it’s not possible for some of you. Please be assured that we don’t place any preference as to where you interview. Interviewing with one of our fantastic alumni is a great way to learn about the impact that Booth has had on their careers.

Whichever option you choose, we’re looking forward to getting to know you better and hope that you will use the interview to learn more about us.”

In addition, Chicago also provided Round 2 applicants with some tips to achieving a good recommendation. Here are a few:

“-Your first letter should be a professional recommendation from a supervisor. However, we understand that it’s sometimes not feasible to ask your current supervisor to formally write a letter on your behalf. If you find yourself in this situation, find a professional contact that can speak to your strengths and your weaknesses, such as a past supervisor or client. There is a section on the application where you can explain why you have chosen your recommenders.

-The second letter is up to you. The purpose of the second letter is to give us a different perspective of your skill sets and provide you with an opportunity to add a new voice to your application. Your second letter can be professional in nature or from an organization, club or volunteer project that you are associated with. There is no preference on who supplies your second recommendation; our only guideline is that it should add new and valuable insights to the application.

-Choose people who know you well. Fancy titles and famous companies are great, but they won’t help if the Admissions Committee senses the recommender doesn’t know you or your work well. Make sure your recommenders are close enough to provide specific and relevant examples.

-Meet with your recommenders beforehand. It’s an opportunity to refresh their memory on your past projects and goals, as well as to tell them about Booth. Recent connections can make for richer and more powerful letters of recommendation, which is important in making a great impression.

-Don’t rush your recommender. Be mindful of a recommender’s time. You want them to feel they have enough time to write a great letter, not just a good one. We suggest a month’s notice at minimum, if possible. Plus, that gives you time to meet with him/her before they write the letter and for a follow up meeting.

-Don’t write your own letter. In today’s busy world where everyone is multi-tasking and overscheduled, it’s not uncommon for a recommender to suggest that you write your own letter. But take our advice – please don’t do it! Since the committee can usually recognize your writing style from other parts of the application, it’s best that the recommender write the letter.

-Send a thank you note. Your recommenders took time to write letters on your behalf so it’s important that you follow up with a thank you note or card. They’ll know that you appreciated their help.”

Put Me in Business (applying in less than a year)
Put Me in Business (applying in more than a year)