UPDATE: This article was originally posted on October 14, 2019. It has been updated with 2024/25 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’ lists of dream schools.
However, as the number of people seeking to break into the technology segment 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 interview to stand out. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips but have also included sample interview questions to ensure you give your Haas application your best shot.
How the Haas interview works
As one of the most elite business schools in the world (and one of the smallest MBA classes), landing an interview with Haas is no easy task.
Thus, if you have passed to the interview phase of the Haas application process, congratulations! This is already an exceptional achievement.
Haas interviews, since they are conducted by alumni, tend to be slightly friendlier than interviews conducted by the admissions committee or in a new, pre-recorded format. Regardless of format, the interview is designed to gauge how solid your motivations for wanting to pursue an MBA are, how interested you seem in the Haas program, and if you fit well with the program’s famous defining principles.
Photo courtesy of the Berkeley Haas website
Our clients who have interviewed live with Haas alumni in the past say that the interviewer was very friendly. For some clients, questions also included their perceptions of the modern business landscape, as well as questions about risk and thinking outside the box. Other clients reported their interview was strictly about their CVs, so make sure you’re ready for anything when you interview with Haas.
Who will interview you?
Haas has a rich tradition of alumni conducting admissions interviews, which has continued this year. If you choose to interview with an alumnus, it might take place online. If you do conduct your interview online, you will not be penalized in any way.
Haas also offers the option for candidates to record their interviews via video. If you wait to sign up until later in the interview period, you may only have the option to interview via video.
Neither option is “better” or “worse” for your application, so make sure to choose the format you feel most comfortable with.
Find more information and sample questions for the pre-recorded interview here.
Will the interviewer have read your application?
No. The Haas interview is blind, meaning the alumni interviewer will only have access to your CV.
How long will the Haas interview last?
About 30 minutes.
Who is Haas looking for?
Source: @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 around 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 5.66 years of work experience and either a median 730 GMAT or median Q162/V161 GRE score. Diversity is also a strong point for Haas, with its Class of 2026 containing 42% women, 19% LGBTQ+, and 38% international students.
In addition, Haas also looks for candidates who possess the following traits:
Images courtesy of the Berkeley Haas website
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 navigating the Berkeley Haas interview.
Trends in recent Haas interviews
Recent feedback from candidates interviewing at Haas highlights several notable trends that you should consider when preparing for your interview:
Career and Future Focus: Interviewers increasingly focus on what excites candidates about their future and how their MBA will drive their long-term impact. Candidates should prepare to articulate clear visions of their future career and discuss trends they find compelling within their industry.
Leadership in Uncertainty: More questions are being asked about leadership in the face of ambiguity or uncertainty. This is likely influenced by the rapidly changing business environment and Haas’ reputation for developing leaders who are adaptable and innovative.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): DEI remains a core theme, with questions evolving to emphasize specific contributions to DEI efforts at Haas. Questions such as “How will you contribute to DEI at Haas?” are not only common but now more personalized, asking for clear examples.
Risk-Taking and Innovation: With Haas’ entrepreneurial focus, candidates are often asked about risk-taking and how they’ve challenged the status quo in their professional lives. This trend reflects Haas’ mission of shaping leaders who can think creatively and drive innovation.
How can you prepare for your Haas interview?
Though no interview is 100% predictable, Haas interviews do tend to center around a fairly standard list of MBA interview questions, as well as questions that focus on your understanding of the Haas culture and entrepreneurial mindset. As such, we have prepared some model questions below that previous candidates have received in their past Haas interviews.
What questions are asked in the Haas interview?
The questions below are drawn from our clients’ interview reports, as well as from sites like clearadmit.com. Though these are not all the potential questions you could possibly receive during your Haas interview, preparing for these (and any follow-up questions you think you might be asked) should give you a very solid foundation for your interview.
STARTING UP QUESTIONS
- Walk me briefly through your resume. (Expect follow-up questions.)
- Tell me something about yourself that is not on your resume
- Make an “elevator pitch” for your candidacy.
- What does success look like for you?/Define “success.”
- What are your short and long-term goals?
- What excites you most about your future career?
- What is your backup plan in case you can’t achieve your goals?
- Why do you want to go to business school?
- Why Haas?
- Where else did you apply? If you get into all of these schools, how will you decide where to go?
- If you were admitted, what’s unique about you that you could contribute to Haas? What about outside the classroom?
- How will you contribute to DEI at Haas?
- How do you embody Haas’ 4 pillars? Can you give me an example of how you embody each of our 4 pillars?
- Which of Haas’ 4 pillars do you most identify with?
MISCELLANEOUS BEHAVIORAL
- Tell me about a challenge you faced at work. What about an interpersonal challenge?
- What would your current supervisor say is your greatest strength, and what would they say you need to improve?
- What qualities make you unique?
- What is the importance of diversity in the workplace?
- When have you seen confidence without attitude in your work?
- Tell me about a time you challenged the status quo.
- Tell me about a decision you made without having all the necessary information. How did you approach this situation?
LEADERSHIP & TEAMWORK
- Tell me about a difficult leadership decision you made and how you handled it.
- If you were on a project team and had to be a follower, not a leader, how would you react to that?
- Tell me about a time you were able to do something in a creative manner.
- What kind of leader do you aspire to be? Can you give me an example of your leadership style?
- Tell me about a time when you wanted to go in a different direction than your supervisor.
- If you were working on a group project, how would your team describe you?
- Tell me about a time you experienced conflict on a team. What did you do about it?
- Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership in an ambiguous situation.
CLOSING
- Is there anything you wanted to discuss that we didn’t get to? / Are there any questions you thought I would ask but didn’t?
- Do you have any questions for me?
Find more information and sample questions for the pre-recorded interview here.
We have found that, for most candidates, answering real interview questions on the spot is a much better means of preparation than reading a list of potential interview questions. As such, we highly suggest you take a look at mock interview questions and sample interview responses before your interview.
Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of real interview mocks from Haas, as well as detailed guides to help you prepare for questions ranging from “Why our MBA program?” to “Tell us about a time you failed.”
The Ellin Lolis Consulting MBA Resource Center is your one-stop shop to interview success. Click to join!
If you’re still not quite confident with your interview skills, our interview experts can help you craft your answers or prepare you for the Haas interview through mock interviews tailored to your profile.
What to do if you get a question you weren’t prepared for
Despite your most diligent preparation, you will almost always receive a question you had not prepared.
First, stay calm and take a deep breath. You have already made it this far in the process, and one question will not trip you up!
Second, make sure you directly answer the question the interviewer asked you. For example, if the interviewer asks you about a time you had to deal with a difficult manager, make sure to tell a story about a difficult manager and how you handled the situation.
If you’re having trouble thinking of an answer or an example to support your answer, however, take a drink of water to give yourself a few more minutes to think. If you really can’t think of an example from your personal or professional experience, you can use a hypothetical answer about how you would act in a certain situation.
Finally, assume that the interviewer is testing how you think on your feet and respond to questions you didn’t prepare in advance. Though your answer might not be as polished as if you’d had weeks to rehearse it, smile and confidently give your answer to show you can respond to any question they throw at you.
Effectively Tell your Story During your Haas Interview
One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA interviews is that candidates fail to tell compelling, well-constructed stories about their profiles while also nailing the basics.
Striking this balance between sharing STAR-format examples that show off your background while also presenting strong answers to questions like “Why do you want an MBA?” is a challenging task that requires significant thought and preparation.
Because of this, it’s no surprise that, on average, 50% of interviewed applicants walk away without an offer.
This is why our interview preparation process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting is known as the best in the industry. We offer customized 1:1 support that ensures you’re able to turn your application’s strengths into compelling answers that show fit and sell your profile in any type of interview.
Not only can you take advantage of our development process through multiple sessions – you can also benefit from a single session! If your budget is tight, our interview experts can focus your session on a single aspect of the preparation process, from workshopping your answers to providing mock interviews.
Forget simulation platforms or long lists of tips – our 1:1 preparation focuses on playing to your strengths and overcoming your weaknesses to turn you into an interview expert. Our interview packages sell out quickly, so make sure you sign up today!
Real MBA Essays That Got People In
School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted
