UPDATE: This article was originally posted on September 6, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below.
With its location in the heart of Silicon Valley and relentless focus on challenging the status quo, Berkeley Haas is at the top of many innovators’ list of dream schools.
However, as the number of people seeking to break into tech – and the attraction of attending an MBA in the heart of Silicon Valley – grows every year, getting admitted to Haas’ small MBA class is harder than ever.
That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Berkeley Haas admissions essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up our best tips and links to Berkeley Haas MBA sample essays to ensure you give your Haas application your best shot.
1. Who is Berkeley Haas looking for?
(Photo courtesy of @berkeleyhaas on Instagram)
“The Berkeley MBA Program develops innovative leaders who know how to put new ideas to work, and to do so responsibly. By leveraging the innovative energy that’s ever-present in Berkeley Haas culture and in the business ecosystem of the San Francisco Bay Area, the program teaches you how to seize opportunities, challenge conventional wisdom, and act creatively.” Berkeley Haas Admissions
Every year, Haas pores over thousands of applications to hand pick less than 300 students to take part in their prestigious MBA program. There is no “standard” student at Haas, yet the average admitted student does tend to have 5.6 years of work experience and either a median 730 GMAT or Q163/V162 GRE score. Diversity is also a strong point for Haas, with its Class of 2024 containing 46% women, 14% LGBTQ+, 16% US minorities, and 41% international students.
In addition, Haas also looks for candidates who possess the following traits:
Haas’s defining leadership principles are as follows:
In addition, Haas is extremely dedicated to diversity and inclusion and has numerous resources on campus to ensure that diverse students not only find their way at Haas but that they also have all the tools and support they need to reach their personal and professional goals.
If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Berkeley’s new admissions essay questions.
2. How should I answer Berkeley Haas essay questions
2.1. Essay 1 Tips
Required Essay #1: What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum)
Before starting to write your essays, we suggest you take the time to watch the videos with essay tips prepared by the Haas staff, as the videos give great insight into how to best answer the questions.
Retained from last year, this question seeks to get to know the person behind the CV.
First of all, it is important to pay attention to the wording of this essay. Haas asks you what makes you feel alive when you are doing it, which implies that the best answer to this question will be an activity and will be an activity you are currently involved in. Using your Stanford “What Matters Most” here in a copy/paste format will not work, as that essay is much more based on values, and this essay asks for actions. On the other hand, if you do have an activity you’re passionate about, this essay should not be difficult to write!
When choosing your theme for this essay, we suggest focusing on one “thing” that makes you feel alive, as 300 words is likely not enough room to write meaningfully about multiple examples. Furthermore, since Haas’ second essay asks you for a professional example, we would suggest choosing something from your personal life for this essay in order to show the admissions committee more about what makes you you.
Along these lines, try to think about choosing a theme/activity that provides the admissions committee with valuable insights into your personality and background.
For example, last year, a client wrote a short essay for Michigan Ross on the topic of “making a difference” that discussed his passion for his volunteer work providing electricity to remote communities in the Brazilian Amazon.
After speaking about how he got involved and exactly what the project works to accomplish, he discussed how a quote from a member of one of the communities thanked him for giving him the chance to safely make his way home from work at night.
This quote brought a level of personal engagement with the client’s theme that went far beyond, “I am passionate about volunteering,” and, instead, took his reader right there to the Amazon to feel his passion.
For this reason, we suggest you focus on strong storytelling here (a condensed version of the STAR methodology will work very well here) and end with the result you obtained or lesson you learned. If you can think of a way to connect this passion to your time at Haas, make sure to add this.
TOP TIP: Don’t worry if you think your passion isn’t “unique” enough. Showing how this passion developed and why it’s so important in your life is much better than an essay on a very unique but unsubstantiated theme.
2.2. Essay 2 Tips
Required Essay #2: How will an MBA help you achieve your short-term and long-term career goals? (300 words max)
Berkeley Haas’ second essay changed dramatically this year, from a leadership-driven essay to one that directly asks about goals and how Haas will help you reach them.
In this essay, you have a big task. In 300 words, you need to discuss:
- Context for your goals
- Your specific-post MBA goals
- Why you believe an MBA is necessary to reach these goals
- How a Haas MBA will help you reach these goals
Each of these elements must be included and must build off of each other.
First of all, many candidates think they do not need to specifically state their goals, or that it’s better to leave “their options open.” If you are applying to elite business schools, however, you must have and present absolutely clarity about your goals.
TOP TIP: If you’re having trouble figuring out what your post-MBA goals are, we’ve prepared this post to help you decipher this essential part of the application process!
However, goals without context can be a little confusing to decipher or understand (or they can just seem a bit lackluster). For this reason, we suggest starting your essay with context.
For example, a client last year initially started his essay by saying:
“I want to become a Business Development Director at a Brazilian company.”
While interesting, it’s better to give a little bit of context to help these goals come to life. Check out the final version of the same essay’s introduction:
“In the 1970s, the phrase “think global, act local” came into use, suggesting that to have global impact, one must be active locally. With this mindset, I focused my career on Brazilian multinational companies to start creating global change at home. While at Company 1, I led a diverse global team, which showed me that clear communication is essential. I later accepted a finance position at a real estate company where I learned how new technologies can impact traditional local industries and that leaders must adapt to these trends to maintain competitiveness. Most recently, I joined Company 2 to participate in its daring globalization plan. At Company 2, I have learned how challenging it is to formulate effective global strategies to thrive in diverse markets. I have also developed management skills since becoming Financial Coordinator, learning how important establishing a culture of collaboration is to providing stability for organizations.
I now seek to take the next step to becoming a “global” leader by becoming Business Development Director at a Brazilian company pursuing globalization, giving me the experience to assume my long-term goal of CEO of one such company.”
Second, you should clearly demonstrate why you need an MBA.
An MBA is not a catch-all degree that serves a purpose for all career paths. As such, you need to demonstrate that the goals you have set for yourself require the additional training an MBA can provide.
Be thoughtful about this particular section. If you don’t need to improve in any meaningful way, you might be presenting the argument the admissions committee needs for why you can’t actually benefit from an MBA.
Furthermore, if you show fluffy or unsupported reasons you need to hone your skills, you’ll also likely see your application tossed aside in favor of an applicant who was able to clearly demonstrate how they plan to leverage their time at business school.
Third, add how Haas can specifically help you grow in the areas you’ve identified. Mentioning that you want to go to Haas because of its ranking or location in California will not cut it here.
Instead, show that you have done significant, thoughtful research into Haas’ curriculum and into how opportunities outside of the classroom can help you grow. If you have space, it’s also highly recommended that you mention how you can contribute to the community.
End with a winning conclusion statement that reinforces your personal brand and ties the whole essay together.
Need more guidance?
Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of Berkeley Haas essays that worked to get our clients admitted to help you plan out a winning Berkeley Haas essay. Our center also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join!
2.3. Essay 3 Tips
Required Essay #3: (Video) The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles. Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. (Not to exceed 2 minutes.)
Joining the ranks of numerous other schools, Haas has introduced a video essay question for the first time this year.
Considering the short amount of time you have to make an impression on Haas, your goal with this essay is to introduce yourself to your classmates, and the best introductions usually contain a killer story.
To start brainstorming which topics you might want to include.
Since you’ll have Essay 1 to share a unique side of your life (personal or professional) and will have Essay 2 to talk about your career, anything is fair game here. As such, consider what else you are telling the admissions committee throughout your application and what else you could share that would add value to their picture of who you are and what you bring to the class.
So think about what makes you YOU beyond what the school has already learned about you in your CV, letters of recommendation, and other essays.
However, given the prompt and the short time limit, we suggest that you choose one story for your video.
Once you’ve settled on the perfect example, figure out how to connect it with one of Haas’ four principles. Though your story might connect to numerous of the values, choose one.
In the essay itself, you want to make this connection clear. As such, if you choose “Beyond Yourself,” make sure your story directly relates to an experience where you, “take the longer view in our decisions and actions. This often means putting the collective good above [your] own interests.”
When it comes to structuring the video, I would suggest that you start out stating which of the 4 principles you most identify with, then launch into the exemplifying STAR story. At the end of the video, if you have space, I would suggest dedicating a few words to how you will continue to embody this value at Haas in some manner (perhaps contributing to a club or within the larger community).
TOP TIP: Write out your script before recording. This allows you to make sure that your ideas flow well and that your example is being told effectively.
No matter where you record, check your sound quality and lighting to make sure you will be easy to see and hear.
Finally, we suggest you write a script and practice recording yourself several times to get just the right take. Usually, clients are able to comfortably fit about 320 words of content into 2 minutes. After recording yourself a few times, you may want to send a few options to friends, family, or trusted advisors to get their take on which clip to send. The most important thing is to show Haas your winning personality and why you fit in with their school’s culture!
Make sure your video submission does not exceed the 2:00 limit.
2.4. Diversity Short Answer Tips
One of our goals at Berkeley Haas is to develop leaders who value diversity and to create an inclusive environment in which people from different ethnicities, genders, lived experiences, and national origins feel welcomed and supported.
Can you please describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion, whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace? (300 words max)
At Haas, diversity is a core value. This means that at Berkeley Haas, you’ll constantly interact with people who think and act differently than you do.
Succeeding in such an environment requires a great deal of adaptability and flexibility, as well as a willingness to learn from those who are different. This type of environment, however, is not for everyone, which is why Haas seeks to gauge how you respond to diversity in this essay.
We suggest you start by considering the brand you are presenting to Haas and examine which examples about diversity you can share that will add value to the stories you told in the rest of your application. Then, make sure you narrow this list down to your single best story. In a 150-word essay, you won’t have time to fully explore multiple examples, so limit yourself to one killer story.
TOP TIP: For short essays especially, using a tight STAR-format example is key!
2.5. Optional Essay Tips
Supplemental Information about Recommender Choice
If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain. If not applicable, enter N/A.
In some cases, it’s not always possible to ask your current supervisor for a letter of recommendation, and that’s just fine!
For example, many of our clients who work in investment banking fear they may receive a low bonus or even lose their jobs if they share their MBA plans with their current employer.
Or perhaps you’ve recently started a new job and haven’t had the chance to build rapport or a strong list of achievements with your new supervisor.
These are all valid reasons for choosing alternative references. If you do find yourself in one of these situations, make sure you write this essay and that you keep it short and sweet.
I recommend starting out with sharing the reason why you aren’t able to ask your supervisor for a recommendation. This doesn’t need to be a STAR-format story or a long, complex discussion of your relationship. A sentence or two should do here.
Then, I suggest you decide a bit of space to discussing why you chose the recommenders you did and what they bring to the table. For example, “I chose Carolyn Hobbs for my recommendation, as she managed me for 3 years until my promotion this May. I feel she can provide a complete picture of my strengths, weaknesses, and development as a professional.”
With both aspects included, the essay is ready.
TOP TIP: Keep the essay to under 100 words if you can. If you need more space to explain, consider if the information you’re adding is strictly relevant.
Optional Information #1
We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.
What is the highest level of education completed by your parent(s) or guardian(s)?
- Did not complete high school
- High school diploma or equivalency (GED)
- Associate’s degree (junior college) or vocational degree/license
- Bachelor’s degree (BA, BS)
- Master’s degree (MA, MS)
- Doctorate or professional degree (MD, JD, DDS)
What is the most recent occupation of your parent(s) or guardian(s)?
- Unemployed
- Homemaker
- Laborer
- Skilled worker
- Professional
If you were raised in one of the following household types, please indicate.
- Raised by a single parent
- Raised by an extended family member (grandparent, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, cousin)
- Raised in a multi-generational home
- Raised in foster care
- What was the primary language spoken in your childhood home?
If you have ever been responsible for providing significant and continuing financial or supervisory support for someone else, please indicate.
- Child
- Spouse
- Sibling
- Parent
- Extended family member (grandparent, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, cousin)
- Other
Please elaborate on any of your above responses. Alternatively, you may use this opportunity to expand on other hardships or unusual life circumstances that may help us understand the context of your opportunities, achievements, and impact.
Optional Essay #2
This section should only be used to convey relevant information not addressed elsewhere in your application. This may include explanation of employment gaps, academic aberrations, supplemental coursework, etc. You are encouraged to use bullet points where appropriate.
Although the first optional essay seems quite extensive, the bullet format actually makes it quite straightforward for you to highlight important personal factors that have influenced your personal and professional journey.
Haas makes it clear that they want clear, direct information, so make sure you simply answer the questions and provide any additional clarifying information in the first 300-word section. If you don’t have any extenuating circumstances of note, feel free to leave the essay blank.
In the second optional essay, you’re not given a word count, but the focus of the question is clear: explain any relevant circumstances you feel the admissions committee must know to fairly evaluate your profile.
Do not include another essay you wrote for another school and truly consider if you need to submit this essay at all, as it will not apply to all applicants. If you do choose to write it, make sure you focus only on weak spots and also discuss what steps you have taken or took to rectify the weaknesses.
We have written extensively on the topic of optional essays here.
Looking for Berkeley Haas essay examples? Check out our real sample essays that got our clients admitted here.
3. Get into the Berkeley Haas MBA program
Are you almost finished with your application but are still worried your essay is not quite perfect enough to send?
At Ellin Lolis Consulting, our goal is to add more value to your application than you ever thought possible by giving you the tools and positioning you need to write outstanding essays that help you gain admission to a top MBA program.
In the words of our client Kelsey, who was admitted to Berkeley Haas:
“There comes a point in the application process when the feedback that peers and mentors have given just isn’t enough to ensure that the essays are perfect and polished. It was at that point in my process that I contacted Ellin for her editing services.
I was so impressed with Ellin’s eye for detail and her ability to help me refine my points without losing my voice in the essays. Elle understands the specific characteristics that each top MBA program is looking for. As a result, her feedback was excellent and gave me the confidence I needed to finalize and submit my applications the next day.
I would recommend Ellin’s service to anyone applying to competitive MBA programs. She provides individualized attention and an understanding of the process that is unparalleled in the market.”
If you’re struggling to put your core values into words, or aren’t sure you’ve really nailed the brief for Berkeley Haas, let our award-winning editors use their expert storytelling abilities to help you transform your essay from average to attention-grabbing and land a Haas interview.
After all, you don’t get into a prestigious business school without standing out!
4. Haas Deadlines
Here are the deadlines for the 2023-2024 season. You can access the Berkeley Haas application here.
Real MBA Essays That Got People In
School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted
