If you’re applying to Chicago Booth, you’ll need to tackle the two required essays – one focused on your career goals and one that asks you to reflect on your personal values through a photo-based prompt. These essays are your opportunity to go beyond your resume and test scores to show who you are, what drives you, and how you’ll contribute to Booth’s collaborative and intellectually curious community.

To write standout essays, you’ll need to go deep. Booth wants applicants who demonstrate self-awareness, clarity of purpose, and a genuine fit with their culture. That means being honest about your goals, reflective about your values, and specific about what makes Booth the right place for your growth.

In the sections that follow, we break down each Booth MBA essay prompt with detailed strategies, interpretation of the new photo essay, guidance on recommended length, and tips for the optional essay. Let’s dive in. 

How to Answer Chicago Booth’s Essay on Goals? 

Prompt: How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250-word minimum, no maximum)

This classic “Why an MBA, and why this school?” prompt invites you to connect your career ambitions with what makes Booth distinct. To craft a powerful response, you’ll need to reflect deeply on your career trajectory and articulate how a Booth MBA will serve as a catalyst to reach your goals.

Start With Clear, Authentic Career Goals

Booth is looking for clarity of purpose and maturity of thought. Even if your goals evolve during your MBA journey, you should demonstrate a thoughtful vision of your future. Be specific: What exactly do you want to do immediately post-MBA, and where do you hope that path leads in the long term? More importantly, why are these goals meaningful to you?

Think in terms of impact – on yourself, your organization, and your community. What motivates you? What legacy do you hope to leave? This is your chance to show purpose, not just ambition.

Show Self-Awareness and Progression

Your essay should reflect a deep understanding of where you’ve been and where you’re going. Articulate how your experiences to date – the skills, interests, and values you’ve developed – position you for success. Booth wants to see that you know yourself and are ready for this next step.

Make It Personal to Booth

To stand out, connect your story clearly to Booth’s unique offerings and values. What about Booth resonates with you – the analytical rigor of the Chicago Approach, specific faculty, courses, or student organizations? Don’t just list features; explain why they matter to your growth and how they align with your goals.

Doing your homework is essential. Visit campus if you can, attend online events, read Booth’s program overview and Dean’s letter, and speak to students or alumni. This depth of understanding will show the admissions committee that you’re not just a great candidate – you’re a great fit.

Integrate with the Short-Answer Goals Questions

In addition to this essay, Booth asks two short-answer questions in the application form:

• Immediate post-MBA goal: (250 characters max)
• Long-term post-MBA goal: (250 characters max)

Your essay should expand on these answers – not repeat them. Use this longer format (we recommend 500–650 words) to go beyond the “what” and explore the “why.” Explain how your past has shaped your goals and how Booth is the right partner to help you realize them.

Recommended Length

It’s unusual for an MBA application essay to have a minimum word count but no maximum – but don’t take that as a green light to write pages and pages. It’s actually a test of your judgment. Admissions readers have a lot of material to review and will appreciate it if you can make your points clearly and concisely. As the old Mark Twain quote goes, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one.” So take the time to edit your essay and trim it down to what you really need to say. In most cases, roughly 500 should be more than sufficient. If you’re going significantly over that, it’s almost certainly time for some thoughtful editing.

Key Takeaways

• Be specific and sincere about both your immediate and long-term goals. Show motivation and maturity.
• Explain why Booth – demonstrate deep understanding of the school’s culture, offerings, and teaching approach.
• Reflect on your journey – how your past experiences and strengths have shaped your aspirations.
• Tie everything together – goals, values, past experience, and Booth’s program should all align clearly.
• Be consistent with your short-answer responses, but don’t repeat content – expand thoughtfully instead.

How to Answer Chicago Booth’s Photo Response Essay?

Prompt: Chicago Booth appreciates the individual experiences and perspectives that all of our students bring to our community. This respect for different viewpoints creates an open-minded environment that supports curiosity, inspires us to think more broadly, and take risks. At Booth, community is about collaborative thinking and learning from one another to better ourselves, our ideas, and the world around us.

The photos below represent some of the values described above that we uphold at Chicago Booth. Select one and share how it resonates with one of your own values. (250-word minimum, no maximum)

Understanding What Booth Is Looking For

This new prompt is Booth’s creative way of asking a classic question: What do you value, and how will you contribute to our community? By asking you to choose one image and reflect on how it connects with your personal values, Booth wants to see both self-awareness and school fit.

This essay invites a story – a personal anecdote that shows how your values have played out in real life. You don’t need to explain the image itself. Instead, let the value it represents serve as the bridge to your own experience. And remember: Booth is looking for contributors – people who will add richness to classroom conversations, clubs, group projects, and the broader campus experience. This is your chance to show what makes you you, and why that matters in a Booth context.

How to Choose the Right Photo

Don’t overthink what the “right” choice is. There’s no “better” image – just the one that authentically connects with something important about who you are. Here’s a quick guide to help interpret what each image represents and how you might approach it:

Photo 1: Booth Students Cheering at a Basketball Game

Core values: Community spirit, camaraderie, school pride

This image captures the joy of being part of something bigger than yourself. If you’ve built team culture, rallied others around a shared goal, or been someone who supports and uplifts peers, this may be the right photo for you. Story angles might include:

• Creating belonging or unity in a team or group
• Supporting others during challenging times
• Showing pride in a community you helped shape

Photo 2: Student Raising Hand in Class

Core values: Intellectual curiosity, respectful dialogue, listening and learning from others

Choose this photo if you thrive in conversations where ideas are tested and challenged. Perhaps you’ve grown from an unexpected perspective or helped shift a discussion in a respectful, thought-provoking way. Strong stories might involve:

• Learning through disagreement
• Creating space for others’ voices
• Embracing intellectual risk or vulnerability

Photo 3: Diverse Group of Students at a Party

Core values: Joy, inclusion, cross-cultural connection, strong relationships

This image reflects the human side of business school – fun, friendships, and finding your people. If you’ve helped foster inclusion, built relationships across cultures, or created vibrant, welcoming spaces for others, this photo could inspire a strong essay. Think about stories involving:

• Adapting to a new cultural or social environment
• Creating inclusive community experiences
• Leading or participating in diverse teams
• Building strong relationships

Photo 4: New Venture Challenge Winners Holding Check

Core values: Entrepreneurship, innovation, collaboration, real-world impact

This one is a clear nod to Booth’s entrepreneurial spirit. If you’ve taken initiative to solve a problem, built something from scratch, or driven impact through innovation, this could be your story. Your essay might explore:

• Starting or growing a venture or project
• Tackling a big challenge as part of a collaborative effort
• Turning an idea into measurable outcomes

How Long Should the Photo Response Essay Be? 

As with the previous essay, Booth sets a minimum word count (250 words) but no maximum. This is not an invitation to write endlessly – it’s a test of your good judgment. Most strong responses will likely fall in the range of 300-500 words, which allows enough space to tell a meaningful story without overwhelming the reader. Keep in mind that admissions officers are reviewing hundreds of applications. They’ll appreciate a focused, well-structured essay that gets to the point. If your draft starts creeping much beyond 500 words, it’s worth revisiting with a careful edit. Aim to write something impactful and memorable – and pithy.

Key Takeaways

• Start with your values. Choose the image that connects most naturally to something meaningful about who you are.
• Tell a personal story. Use this as a chance to reveal an aspect of your background or personality not covered elsewhere.
• Demonstrate alignment. Make sure the value you share connects clearly to Booth’s culture of curiosity, collaboration, and community.
• Be authentic. Booth isn’t looking for perfection – they’re looking for real people who will enrich the learning environment.

How to Answer Chicago Booth’s Optional Essay?

Prompt: Is there any unclear information in your application that needs further explanation? (Maximum 300 words)

This optional field is your opportunity to clarify any aspects of your application that might raise questions for the admissions committee. It’s not an extra space to squeeze in another essay – and definitely not a place to repeat content from elsewhere. Use it only if you need to address something genuinely ambiguous or potentially concerning.

When to Use Booth’s Optional Essay?

You should consider using this section if:

• There are unexplained gaps in your employment history 
• You had an academic dip (such as a poor semester or failing grade) that requires context
• You have an unusual recommender choice (eg not using a current supervisor)
• You’ve experienced extenuating personal circumstances that affected your academic or professional trajectory
• You want to clarify something that might appear inconsistent 

How to Approach It?

Keep your tone professional and factual – this is not the place for long-winded justifications or emotional storytelling. Briefly explain the context, take responsibility if appropriate, and then highlight any evidence of growth, resilience, or improved performance. Be concise, honest, and forward-looking.

If you’re unsure whether to include something, ask yourself: Will this answer a question that the reader might have about my candidacy? If the answer is yes, it’s worth including.

Let’s Get You Into Booth

Fortuna Admissions is a dream team of former MBA admissions decision-makers from top schools. We know what it takes to stand out because we’ve made the admit decisions ourselves. Whether you need help refining your story, strengthening your essays, or navigating interviews, we’ve got you covered.

Our free consultations are consistently rated the best in the industry – and they’re a great way to get personalized advice and honest feedback on your profile. Book your free session with us today.

 Want More Advice?

Check out related resources:

• Chicago Booth Video Questions & How to Craft Your Response
• Chicago Booth MBA Interview: What to Expect & How to Prepare
• MBA Admissions Essays Masterclass: Columbia, MIT Sloan, Chicago Booth and Kellogg
• Business School Profile on Chicago Booth