When you select an MBA program, you are not just choosing your learning environment, but are also committing to becoming part of a community. Each Thursday, we offer a window into life “beyond the MBA classroom” at a top business school.
Each year, Chicago Booth students can choose to take part in one of 26 trips abroad (and one domestic trip to Alaska), called “random walks,” as an orientation to the school and a way to kick-start their MBA social lives. Three to four second-year students organize these weeklong excursions, which take place toward the end of August each year. Because students organize these trips, they can become quite specialized—two trips are offered to Belize, for example, one for singles and one for couples. In 2009, registration for these trips closed almost two weeks early because of overwhelming demand. Students who have their hearts set on a particular destination would be wise to sign up as early as possible. And students who have not set their sights on any particular destination can elect to join the “mystery trip,” for which students do not find out where they are going until they get to the airport.
For in-depth descriptions of social and community activities at Chicago Booth and 13 other top MBA programs, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides.
