Frequently Asked Questions

About Random Walks 2024:

1. What are Random Walks?
2. When are the trip dates?
3. Who can participate in Random Walks?
4. Can Random Walks accommodate specific assessitibliy needs? Which trips best suit my needs?
5. How flexible is a trip’s itinerary?
6. I have a "can't miss" wedding on the departure or return weekend. Can I join the group late or leave early?
7. Can I stay longer in my trip destination?
8. Do I have to fly out with the group from Chicago or can I meet up at the trip destination?
9. Will I miss any Chicago Booth activities if I go on a Random Walk?
10. I can’t make these trip dates work. Do I have any other options?
11. Will I have a roommate during Random Walk?

Registration:

11. How does the trip registration process work?
12. What does it mean to be put on the waitlist?
13. I am only interested in going on a specific trip - can I sign up and be guaranteed of getting that one?
14. Can I be on the same Random Walk as another incoming student?
15. Can my significant other register for a Random Walk?

Financials:

16. How much do trips cost?
17. What is typically included in the price of an international trip?
18. What is typically included in the price of a domestic trip?
19. How much should I expect to spend out of pocket during the trip?  
20. Can I use frequent flyer miles to purchase my flight?
21. How can I make payment?
22. When is final payment for my Random Walk trip due?
23. I bet I could arrange this trip for less money. How are the trip costs determined?

Passports and Visas:

24. Are passports required for travel to non-U.S. destinations?
25. Are visas required for travel to non-U.S. destinations?

Trip Notifications and Timings:

26. When will I find out which trip I will be going on?
27. If I am going on a Random Walk when should I plan on moving into my apartment?

Preparing for Travel:

28. What do I need to bring on the trip?
29. Do I need any vaccinations for my trip?

Cancellations and Insurance:

30. I'm no longer able to go on a Random Walk – is the deposit refundable?
31. Can I purchase trip cancellation insurance?
32. Is medical insurance provided in case I get sick or injured during the trip?
33. Is it possible that any of the Random Walk trips will be cancelled?

Additional Information:

34. Are there special considerations for travelers who are pregnant or may be pregnant?

 

About Random Walks 2024:

Q1: What are Random Walks?
A: Started in 2001, the goal of Random Walk is to create long-lasting relationships between incoming Booth students through domestic and international trips before the rigors of the MBA program begin. Through collaborative efforts of student leaders, administration, and our travel partners, Random Walk has become an integral part of the Booth experience and has grown into the most successful pre-MBA travel program in the United States.

Q2: When are the trip dates?
A: For Summer 2024, Trips will depart no earlier than Thursday, August 29th and return no later than Sunday, September 8th. Check the Trips and Pricing section to see each trip’s specific departure and return date. Domestic Random Walk trips are intentionally shorter in nature to allow students with conflicts to attend. Those with conflicts during the trip timeframe should consider one of the domestic locations.

Q3: Who can participate in Random Walks?
A: The program has been designed exclusively for incoming Booth students enrolled in the Full Time MBA program on the Hyde Park campus. There are four trips available to students who wish to bring their partners and one trip for families with children. Most trips will have 12 or 16 first years and 4 second year trip leaders. Students enrolled in other Booth programs including but not limited to Evening MBA, Weekend MBA, and Executive MBA are not permitted to participate in Random Walk – even in cases where they may be enrolled in classes offered through the Full-Time Time MBA program. Students who enroll in the Full-Time MBA program but then cancel or defer their matriculation are also ineligible to participate. Financial penalties for cancellation from Random Walk will be imposed in accordance with terms in effect at the time of cancellation.

Students cannot bring children of any age on Random Walk.

Q4: Can Random Walks accommodate specific assessitibliy needs? Which trips best suit my needs?
A: Random Walks aim to be inclusive of all in our community, so we will partner with you, our vendors, and student life to do all possible to make Random Walks accessible. Please reach out to us directly (randomwalks@lists.chicagobooth.edu) for any concerns related to accessibility.

Q5: How flexible is a trip’s itinerary?
A: The itineraries are set and established by the Random Walks Committee, WorldStrides, and TourHero, with input from the trip leaders. While there is no flexibility on night-by-night accommodation, most trips do include some free time for exploration. How to spend that free time is a discussion you can have with your trip leaders. Recognize that the goal of Random Walks is for you to get to know your classmates. To that end, we don’t encourage individuals or groups of 2 or 3 from splitting off and doing things separately from the rest of the group.

Q6: I have a "can't miss" wedding on the departure or return weekend. Can I join the group late or leave early?
A: Shortening your trip by arriving late or departing early likely won't reduce your cost, as you will still need to pay for your half of a room, and special transportation arrangements to or from the airport. In some cases, your costs could actually be slightly higher than the core package price. With a range of dates for the trips, you are encouraged to select trips, particularly our shorter domestic options, whose dates are compatible with your scheduled event. Please email RandomWalks@lists.ChicagoBooth.edu with any questions related to date conflicts.

Q7: Can I stay longer in my trip destination?
A: All international Random Walks will have flights booked by WorldStrides or TourHero and admits are unable to extend their travel. Booth requires all incoming students on international trips to return to Chicago on the group’s scheduled return date . For domestic Random Walks, incoming students will book their own flights and are able to extend their travels.

Q8: Do I have to fly out with the group from Chicago or can I meet up at the trip destination?
A: For international trips, all incoming students on Random Walks must depart with the group from Chicago. For domestic trips, you are responsible for booking your own flights and are encouraged to coordinate with your group. Please email RandomWalks@lists.ChicagoBooth.edu with any questions.

Q9: Will I miss any Chicago Booth activities if I go on a Random Walk?
A: As set forth by the University, all trips will return before the start of Orientation. Please note, all trips return by September 8th.

Q10: I can't make these trip dates work. Do I have any other options?
A: Unfortunately, due to internship schedules of second year students on the front end and orientation on the back end, there are no other date options for Random Walk-style trips. If you cannot make these dates, you will certainly have many opportunities to interact with your new classmates during orientation.

Q11: Will I have a roommate during Random Walk?
A: All travelers will be assigned a roommate for the duration of their Random Walk. Trip Leaders will be paired with other trip leaders, and incoming students will be randomly assigned to room with another incoming student of the same gender. To maximize the amount of bonding and interaction, your roommate will change whenever you change hotels. Booth Couples are the exception as they will be able to room with their partner.

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Registration:

Q12: How does the trip registration process work?
A: See Key Dates for the registration window after First Day Round 1, First Day Round 2, and Waitlist. During these times, a link will be activated on the Random Walk website which will allow you to register and list your top five trip preferences. There is no need to rush your submission as registrations in this timeframe are not first come, first served. All registrations received during this period will be randomized before trip assignments are made.

While we can’t guarantee that you will be assigned to your top choice, we do our best to assign you to one of your top three destinations.

When you register, a nonrefundable deposit of $300 will be required. This deposit must be made by debit or credit card. Credit card payments carry an additional $3 transaction fee per traveler. All registrations must be made via the website.

Q13: What does it mean to be put on the waitlist?
A: Once registration closes, the Random Walks website will be updated to include instructions on being added to the waitlist. To ask questions about the process, students can email the Random Walks Team at RandomWalks@lists.ChicagoBooth.edu. Once the waitlist is open, students will be able to register and will be asked to pay a deposit. If you are not placed on a Random Walk trip from the waitlist, then the deposit will be refunded to you by the first week of July. During registration, students will still list their top 5 choices. When waitlist assignments begin, we will email groups of 5-10 students based on the order in which they were added. We will include all trips that are available at that time, and students will rank their choices based on their priority order. Example: student #4 will list their top 4 choices from the available trips.

The waitlist is managed by Chicago Booth, WorldStrides, and TourHero travel during the summer and students on the waitlist are periodically notified of status. Please note in recent years, all individuals on the waitlist have been offered a chance to participate in Random Walks. While we cannot always guarantee this will be the case, we encourage those interested to add to the waitlist.

Q14: I am only interested in going on a specific trip – can I sign up and be guaranteed of getting that one?
A: No, your spot will not be guaranteed. The registration system will require you to choose five distinct destinations-- they are all great! That said, it is likely that most people will be placed on one of their top three choices.

Q15: Can I be on the same Random Walk as another incoming student?
A: Friendship pairings can't be guaranteed. To maximize your chances of this, we would ask that both friends register online simultaneously, listing choices in the exact same order.

Q16: Can my significant other register for a Random Walk?
A: Please refer to the partners tab on the Random Walk website to see which trips are available for partner participation.

Couples where both partners are matriculating at Booth have the option of choosing a Couples trip, but also can choose any other of the Random Walk destinations if they prefer. In this case, if both partners want to attend the same singles trip together, they should email RandomWalk@lists.ChicagoBooth.edu to notify us of their preference to travel together or separately.

If you would like to attend a Couples trip, you must register both yourself and your significant other at the same time you submit your trip preferences. Please note that a $300 per person non-refundable deposit will be required at this time for both the student and the partner, and that you will be unable to register your significant other at a later date.

We cannot guarantee placement on one specific partners’ trip. There are 4 exclusive partners’ trip options. If you only want to travel with your partner, you may select “Will Only Travel with Partner” to complete your five trip preferences. If we cannot find space for you on one of the Couples trips, we will refund your significant other’s deposit and contact you regarding your interest in a non-couples trip. If you choose not to attend a non-couples trip, your $300 deposit will also be refunded.

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Financials:

Q17: How much do trips cost?
A: See list of destinations for each price estimate. Prices are preliminary and subject to change.

Q18: What is typically included in the price of an international trip?
A: The program price includes airfare, internal transportation within the country, lodging, breakfast daily, and selected activities/cultural events. On a typical trip, most lunches and dinners are not included. Some activities in-country might be optional and subject to additional cost, but we try to include some activities in all of the trips. Visas, where required, are not included in the program price

Q19: What is typically included in the price of a domestic trip?
A: The program price includes internal transportation, lodging, breakfast daily, and selected activities/cultural events. On a typical trip, most lunches and dinners are not included. Students will be responsible for paying for their roundtrip airfare to the destination.

Q20: How much should I expect to spend out of pocket during the trip?
A: This will depend on the additional activities you choose to participate in, the amount of shopping you do, and what you decide to spend on food and beverages. We find that generally people spend around US$500 during their trip, but it really varies by individual and by the cost of the travel destination. Some will spend more than that, some less.

Q21: Can I use frequent flyer miles to purchase my flight?
A: For international trips, the flights are booked in advance at group rates; therefore, frequent flyer miles can't be used as a method of payment. However, you may be eligible to earn frequent flier miles for many of the Random Walk flights. Note that some airline group contracts do not allow frequent flier mileage accumulation or allow a partial accumulation. For domestic trips, students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare and can use frequent flyer miles as a form of payment.

Q22: How can I make payment?
A: Upon initial registration, you will be required to make a deposit payment through Booth Groups.Once you have been assigned to your Random Walk, you will need to make payment directly to the appropriate travel provider.

If you have extenuating circumstances and cannot pay by these methods, please contact the Random Walks Team at RandomWalks@lists.ChicagoBooth.edu.

Q23: When is final payment for my Random Walk trip due?
A: A non-refundable $300 deposit is payable at registration and will be applied to your final payment. Final payments for all Random Walk Trips are due in early June 2024. Failure to make payment in full by this date will result in cancellation of your registration.

Q24: I bet I could arrange this trip for less money. How are the trip costs determined?
A: Booth has engaged professional travel planners – WorldStrides and TourHero – to coordinate the registration process and all logistical arrangements. WorldStrides and TourHero in turn work with professional ground teams in each country to manage and implement your Random Walk. In addition, sometimes securing group seats and group hotel blocks and locking in prices 8 months in advance ends up costing more than internet specials that you may find. The dynamics of planning and transporting and accommodating 16+ people is very different than a personal vacation for 2 or 3 friends.

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Passports and Visas:

Q25: Are passports required for travel to non-U.S. destinations?
A: Passports are required for all international trips. Students should make sure their passports are current and will not expire until March 5, 2024 since a 6-month validity is now required by most countries.

Q26: Are visas required for travel to non-U.S. destinations?
It is the responsibility of the traveler to obtain any needed visas for their Random Walk destination and/or for entry into the US. Be aware of difficulties obtaining visas in a timely manner as processing can be significantly slow. If an admit is unable to obtain a visa in time for your trip, they will not be reimbursed deposits or trip payments. All travelers will be provided with supporting documents for visa processing after trip assignments. **Visa fees are not included in the trip price.

International students may have visa requirements for travel to some non-U.S. destinations. More detailed guidelines for visas for international students will be provided once trip assignments are made. There are some destinations where it may be difficult for some international students to secure visas.

In addition to visas for travel to a Random Walk country, it is the responsibility of all international students to make sure they have the appropriate documentation to re-enter the United States after travel is complete. Please contact the Random Walks Team at RandomWalks@lists.ChicagoBooth.edu should you have any questions or concerns.

To mitigate the risk of missing out on Random Walk, we encourage you to review entry requirements based on your nationality as well as processing times or appointment requirements when a visa is needed. We would encourage prioritizing destinations with entry requirements that would fit your specific needs and schedule.

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Trip Notifications and Timings:

Q27: When will I find out which trip I will be going on?
A: You will be notified of your final trip assignment in the final week of May..

Q28: If I am going on a Random Walk when should I plan on moving into my apartment?
A: We would recommend that you come to Chicago a few days before the Random Walk trips depart. This will give you time to get acclimated to your new surroundings, unpack and get settled before leaving. International students cannot enter the US more than 30 days before the start of Orientation.

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Preparing for Travel:

Q29: What do I need to bring on the trip?
A: Packing lists will be shared at least two weeks before travel. Once you are assigned to your trip, you can reach out to your trip leaders for more specific details if needed.

Q30: Do I need any vaccinations for my trip?
A: Please note that it is the participant’s responsibility to ensure that they have all necessary travel documents, such as medical certifications, entry visa(s), transit visa(s), and a valid passport. Vaccination requirements are dependent on government requirements and where you have recently traveled, including transit countries. If traveling internationally, WorldStrides or TourHero will notify incoming students of any required vaccinations based on departure from the U.S. directly to your Random Walk’s destination. We advise all travelers to determine if other vaccination requirements may apply.

In order to travel on a Random Walk trip, travelers are required to be up to date on vaccination against COVID with a CDC approved COVID vaccine (including booster) prior to travel. Countries may have more specific vaccine and booster requirements for entry.

You may refer to the State Department site to determine if you need additional vaccines for your trip. You can also visit the Center for Disease Control’s website to see if there are specific vaccines they recommend before traveling. Please note that it is always best to speak with your doctor regarding medical conditions prior to travel. Many Random Walk destinations will have CDC recommended vaccines. WorldStrides and TourHero will not notify travelers of recommended vaccines.

Below is the link to the State Department site.
http://www.travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country.html

Below is the link to the Centers for Disease Control site.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list/

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Cancellations and Insurance:

Q31: I'm no longer able to go on a Random Walk – is the deposit refundable?
A: No. The deposit is non-refundable immediately upon registration. If you need to cancel, please e-mail RandomWalks@lists.ChicagoBooth.edu as a courtesy toward other students. If you registered for the Random Walk waitlist, please refer to Q12 for more information on that separate process and deposit payment.

Q32: Can I purchase trip cancellation insurance?
A: WorldStrides and TourHero offer a travel protection plan that includes a ‘Cancel for Any Reason’ benefit. The university requires all Random Walk travelers to purchase the cancellation insurance. The plans offer trip interruption protection, trip delay protection, additional medical coverage, and many other benefits in addition to the ‘Cancel For Any Reason’ benefit. For specific details, the Trip Protection Plan information will be provided on the registration sites. This registration site and option will become available to you when you are assigned a trip in May. You must select and pay for the insurance before or at the time of full payment. If you are assigned a Random Walk from the waitlist, you will need to select and pay for the protection plan within 24 hours of assignment.

Q33: Is medical insurance provided in case I get sick or injured during the trip?
A: Random Walk trips include primary medical insurance, which can be used regardless of whether or not you have other insurance. Additional information to be provided by WorldStrides and TourHero upon registration. Should a medical emergency arise, you are typically required to pay for the medical services in advance, and then file a claim with receipts upon your return to Chicago.

Q34: Is it possible that any of the Random Walks trips will be cancelled?
A: While unlikely, there are two primary situations where a trip might be canceled. The first situation would be if there wasn’t sufficient student demand for a destination. Fortunately, demand for Random Walks has been so strong that it has been many years since any trips were canceled due to under-enrollment.

The second situation would be if Booth and/or WorldStrides and/or TourHero feel that travel to a destination is no longer safe. In those cases, if time allows, we will work to reroute the group to ensure all travelers have a travel opportunity.  If travelers decide to cancel, they are not guaranteed their trip fees will be reimbursed.

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Additional information:

Q35: Are there special considerations for travelers who are pregnant or may be pregnant?
A: There are inherent risks in traveling while pregnant. All pregnant travelers, or those who may be pregnant, should consult their medical provider before traveling. Together, you can make a plan to help minimize risk.