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Chicago - Briefing of Top Business Schools - 14

[日期:2005-10-19] 来源:ChaseDream论坛 作者:eeyupyup [字体: ]

Chicago

The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business (GSB) has long had a reputation as a great business school, and it has only grown in stature since Edward Snyder moved into the Dean's office in 2001.

Snyder and his administration have worked hard to promote the GSB’s strengths while addressing its perceived weaknesses. Its strengths are impressive, including the school’s notable roster of Nobel laureate faculty members – six as of last count, more than any other school – its high number of well-placed alumni, its strong international brand name, and its top-flight reputation with recruiters. As for weaknesses, in addition to its reputation for appealing mainly to quantitative jocks, the school has also faced a perception that GSB students are somewhat involved in the school than those at other top programs, partly a result of the school having to compete with all that Chicago has to offer.

The school has improved its reputation through a variety of programs. A grade-nondisclosure policy, put in place in 2000, has taken the edge off of grade competition. Leadership Effectiveness and Development (LEAD), a mandatory course for first-year students, helps students develop their leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. The school has also branched out beyond finance, emphasizing the strength of its marketing and general management programs, among others. Additionally, Snyder has made a strong push to augment the Chicago GSB community on campus, which remains an ongoing campaign for the school. Given that, the school will continue to look for applicants who demonstrate a willingness to get involved with meaningful extracurricular activities, maybe even more so than other top business schools. Therefore, be sure that your Chicago GSB application emphasizes your leadership and involvement in past endeavors.

One part of the school's reputation that is unlikely to change is its rigorous academic program. No matter what attributes the school tries to instill in its graduates, it is unlikely that it will lessen its emphases on hard finance and quantitative skills. Finance is still the most popular major, followed by Strategy, Accounting, and Marketing (13 majors are offered). One aspect of the curriculum that students love is its flexibility. LEAD is the only required course in the entire program, with students choosing from a menu of courses to satisfy their core curriculum needs. This level of flexibility truly sets Chicago apart from other business school learning models. Electives include "lab" classes, such as the school's New Product and Strategy Development lab, which gives students an opportunity to take on consulting projects for real companies. Keep this flexibility in mind as you think about how you might fit with the Chicago GSB program. This type of environment suits someone with a strong career focus better than it does a student who is still trying to figure out what he wants to do after business school.

The bottom line is that the school will always take its academics very seriously, and you'll need to communicate that you have the brainpower to keep up, regardless of your academic or professional background. Doing well on the quantitative section of the GMAT will help you a lot here. However, the school is very serious about turning out well-rounded leaders, and this starts by admitting well-rounded applicants who will get involved. If you believe that you can handle the rigorous curriculum, demonstrating that you have polish as well as brains will go a long way toward getting you into Chicago GSB.

Chicago GSB's quantitative-heavy reputation has traditionally meant that it attracted a high proportion of people who fit well with the school's learning model. On one hand, the school attracted a less diverse applicant pool than other top schools, but on the other, it knew that a majority of applicant s would be a good fit. Now, the school’s resurgence in the national rankings means that it may start to attract a broader applicant pool, some of whom may not really be a great fit with the school, or may not even know why they want to attend Chicago GSB other than because it’s ranked higher than most other programs.  The school’s challenge will be to figure out who really belongs at the school. Concentrate on standing out from the pack by emphasizing your fit with the program, ideally by demonstrating some intellectual horsepower as well as the traits of the well-rounded applicant whom the school is looking for.

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原文引自:
https://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=126615

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