Start Your Path to an MBA Immediately After Graduation!
The Maroon MBA Scholars Program provides a direct path to a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree after you graduate from the College. The program prepares you for success with coursework at the world-class Chicago Booth School of Business, specialized career support, and substantive work experience.
A New Innovtion with an Historic Legacy
The Maroon MBA Scholars is only the latest example of how Chicago Booth and the College are collaborating to support students’ success. The program builds on a long and historic partnership to provide top-tier academic and career education for UChicago students:
- 1898: The University establishes the College of Commerce and Politics, Chicago Booth’s earliest predecessor division that initially served undergraduates exclusively.
- 1935: The division – now known as the School of Business – begins offering a Master of Business Administration degree.
- 1950: The School of Business pivots to serving graduate students and rebrands as the Graduate School of Business (GSB) in 1959.
- 1960s: The College and the GSB roll out a new “Professional Option in Business” joint degree program, which allowed College students to receive both a BA and MBA degree in five years of study. The program ran through the early 1990s, and its graduates included distinguished business leaders such as Byron Trott (AB’81, MBA’82, University Trustee), Brady Dougan (AB’81, MBA’82, University Trustee), and Joseph Mansueto (AB’78, MBA’80).
- 1989: The GSB pilots the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) seminar, which the faculty makes a permanent part of the curriculum in 1991.
- 2002: The University launches the GSB Scholars Program (now known as the Booth Scholars Program), which gives students the opportunity to apply for UChicago’s full-time MBA program during their final year of college, secure their spot in the program, and then defer enrollment for several years while they seek work experience.
- 2006: Byron Trott conceptualizes and makes a gift to create “Chicago Careers in Business,” a pre-professional program that prepares College students for career success with a three-year curriculum that includes expert career advising, a customized version of the LEAD seminar, and MBA-level coursework. The program was renamed the “Trott Business Program” in 2016 in recognition of a $10 million gift from Byron and Tina Trott.
- 2008: David G. Booth (MBA’71 and University Trustee), co-founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors, makes a $300 million gift to the GSB, which is renamed the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
- 2020: Chicago Booth develops the Maroon MBA Scholars Program and the Accelerated Booth Scholars Program to help College students put their career on the fast track.
Comprehensive Preparation for 21st Century Business Leaders
The Maroon MBA Scholars Program welcomes students of all experience levels – whether you’re brand new to the world of business or an experienced veteran, the program can help you reach your goals! Students apply during their final year in the College and start their MBA coursework at Chicago Booth in the year after they graduate.
Before classes begin in Autumn Quarter, students will complete a program orientation where they can meet their new classmates and learn about the resources and opportunities available to them as Maroon Scholars.
During this first year of the program, students take MBA courses at Chicago Booth full-time and work closely with Career Advancement advisers to secure full-time roles. Following the first year, students enter the workforce full-time for two to three years so they can focus on building professional experience. Students then return to Chicago Booth to complete their final year of MBA classes. The total time to degree for Maroon Scholars is approximately four to five years.
Class of 2021 Application and Information Sessions
All Class of 2021 students are eligible to apply for the Maroon MBA Scholars Program. To learn more about the program and application process, join us at our upcoming virtual information sessions to hear from current Maroon Scholars, admissions officers, and career advisers.
- February 25, 2021 | 5:00pm-6:00pm CST [Registration Link]
- March 4, 2021 | 11:30am -12:30pm CST [Registration Link]
Scholarship Support
All students who apply to the Maroon MBA Scholars Program will automatically be considered for the Susanne H. Rudolph Scholarship, which provides one-year, partial-tuition scholarship for College alumni who enroll in select UChicago Master’s programs. Class of 2021 students who are admitted to the Maroon MBA Scholars Program will receive a $15,000 scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year. Visit the Rudolph Scholarship website for more information on the scholarship terms and conditions.
Meet the Adviser
Scott Metcalf, MBA’94, oversees the Maroon MBA Scholars Program and serves as the lead adviser for students in the program. Scott joined the University of Chicago in 2016 following a career of nearly 20 years in business. Scott has previously worked in product development, marketing, and strategy roles with several major corporations, including Grainger, IRI, and Sears. In addition to his work with the Maroon Scholars, Scott is the director of Career Advancement’s Careers in Entrepreneurship program and the Financial Markets Program. Scott holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Student Testimonials
“The Maroon Scholars Program has given me the opportunity to get started on my MBA while I explore potential career paths. I have enjoyed forming relationships with Booth students, and I look forward to building more relationships in the years to come!”
Miranda Burt, AB'20
"The Maroon Scholars program helped advance my professional goals through exposure to new career opportunities. The program's flexibility allowed me to pursue an opportunity that would not have been possible had I followed a more traditional path."
Arno Curtis, AB'20
"The Maroon Scholars program forced me to step outside of my comfort zone. It provided me an opportunity to surround myself with students further along in their professional journey, shaping my view on what it takes to build a successful career."
Payton Jancsy, AB'20
Employer Testimonial
“GEP’s recruitment through the Maroon Scholars program was highly successful this past fall, providing very strong candidates and one new hire who will be joining us this August. We look forward to having her onboard and meeting additional Maroon Scholars moving forward.”
Questions?
For more information about the Maroon MBA Scholars Program, please contact Scott Metcalf at smetcalf@uchicago.edu.