How To Get Into Berkeley Haas

Update: This article was originally posted on August 3, 2022. It has been updated with new information and tips below. 

With a focus on innovation and collaboration, Haas is one of the best places to prepare for a career focused on disruption and changemaking solutions. Considering that Haas offers one of the best-ranked MBAs out there, earning a spot at this school requires you to really stand out among the competition. 

In this guide, we will go through how to get into Haas. While many applicants think that simply marketing themselves well is enough to gain admission, successful applicants are the ones who understand a) who Haas is looking for, b) how Haas’s MBA program, community, and opportunities fit their profile and goals, and c) how to prepare a Haas-specific essay and interview. Read on for our expert advice on how to master these three things.

 

1. Understand who Haas is 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 250 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 5.8 years of work experience and either a median 740 GMAT or median Q165/V162 GRE score. Diversity is also a strong point for Haas, with its Class of 2025 containing 41% women, 14% LGBTQ+, and 47% 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. 

So, if this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll have to think of the ways in which you align with the main characteristics of Haas’s students. This means forming your business school brand and then focusing on the aspects of that brand that align with questioning the status quo, humble leadership, curiosity, and service to others. 

 

2. Know Haas’s program and how you can use it

The second thing you must do to get into Haas is to know the MBA program and how it applies to your career goals. If you want to get into Haas, you really need to show the admissions committee why it’s a good fit for you (and why you’re a good fit for the community too)!

While you will have to do your own research to find the specifics of what aligns specifically with your goals and profile, below we are highlighting some of the main aspects of Haas’s MBA program so you can be informed about what makes it unique in comparison to other business schools.

 

Haas’s focus on innovation and change 

Haas puts an emphasis on its value for changing the status quo, and this is present throughout the school’s academics and campus life. From the cutting-edge ideas that are taught in the classroom to the wide range of experiential opportunities available, Haas students learn to create and practice disruption in order to make business and society better.

Haas’s interdisciplinary MBA curriculum is focused on preparing students for both innovation and impact. It includes core courses that enhance leadership and analytical skills and the Applied Innovation Elective, which is an experiential learning opportunity and includes courses such as the Design Sprint for Corporate Innovation and the Sustainable Investment Fund. Additionally, students can specialize in one of 13 areas of emphasis, many of which are focused on innovative topics like corporate and social responsibility, energy and clean technology, and entrepreneurship.

 

Access to tech opportunities

Haas is well-placed within Silicon Valley, giving students unique access to the most innovative companies and startups in the world. For example, the Applied Innovation requirement involves students in the hands-on application of innovative ideas to businesses and organizations in the Bay Area. Not surprisingly, unlike most other business schools, most graduates end up working in tech, especially in firms located in Silicon Valley. 

 

Global perspectives

Haas provides a variety of opportunities for students to get involved in international perspective-building in a way that fits their academic interests and schedules. From one-off courses that touch on global topics to full-on travel, students can explore business and innovation in many pockets throughout the world.

Within the classroom, there is the International Business Development course, which allows students to engage in consulting projects with for-profit and nonprofit organizations worldwide. And for those who want to deepen the global nature of their degree, they can consider the joint MA/MBA in global studies.  

There are also a number of extracurricular opportunities for global learning. The Global Network for Advanced Management is a network of top business schools across five continents that offers opportunities to explore business in fast-growing emerging nations and developed countries. There are also multiple clubs, such as the Global Social Venture Competition and the Africa Business Forum, that allow students to build their global networks and knowledge. 

Lastly, students can take part in an exchange program with one of Haas’s partner schools in Europe, Asia, or elsewhere in the US.

Looking for more than just a summary of the Berkeley Haas MBA? Luckily, we’ve created a complete guide on Haas, including program specifics, MBA class profile, and Berkeley Haas post-MBA salary and employment information. Additionally, we have dozens of sample Berkeley Haas MBA essays (including the diversity and optional essays!) that got our past clients into Haas, plus essays for numerous other top schools, all in one place. Click to join!

 

 

3. Prepare a winning application

Last but certainly not least is knowing how to write an outstanding essay and prepare for a successful interview. Below are our top tips on succeeding at both of these key aspects of your Haas application!

 

Write an outstanding essay

Writing any admissions essay is a tough task, however, impressing Haas’s highly selective adcom is especially challenging. Below, we discuss how to successfully respond to Haas’s main essay questions.*

*Though these questions are accurate at the time of publication, check out our Haas Essay Analysis post for the most up-to-date questions and analysis. 

 

Essay 1 tips

Required Essay #1: What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum) 

For this question, 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. 

When choosing your theme for this essay, we suggest focusing on one “thing” that makes you feel alive, as 300 words are likely not enough room to write meaningfully about multiple examples. Furthermore, since Haas’s 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.  

 

Essay 2 tips

Required Essay #2: The definition of successful leadership has evolved over the last decade and will continue to change. What do you need to develop to become a successful leader?  (300 words max)

To start off the essay, we suggest you present your answer clearly and explicitly, telling the school what you believe defines successful leadership. Though you can focus on one or two characteristics (i.e. democratic, someone who coaches teammates, etc.), make sure your definition is not too overly broad or complex. After telling us what successful leadership looks like to you, we suggest you also devote a few words to demonstrating why you believe this to be true. 

After answering this part of the question, it’s time to tackle the “What do you need to develop into a successful leader?” portion of the question. Though not explicitly stated, the answer to this question directly relates to your career goals. As such, we suggest that you include a goals statement that highlights (in a concise, direct manner) what your short-term and long-term career goals are. 

This then sets you up perfectly to discuss how you still need to develop as a leader in order to reach these goals. Rather than using broad statements like “I need to learn how to inspire people,” we suggest that you identify 2-3 areas you need to improve on in order to successfully attain your career objectives. 

Finally, you want to make sure to show how the Berkeley Haas MBA can help you fill each of the gaps you identify in your essay. You may want to mention specific classes and clubs that will contribute to your leadership development at Haas, but more abstract elements (like the school’s four leadership principles, for instance) are also fair game. Whatever you choose, make sure you meaningfully connect it to how you will grow as a leader.

To learn more about Haas’s essays (including how to complete its short answer and optional essays) and check out sample essays that got our clients in, click here!

*Note: these are the latest essay questions as of the date this guide was published, but we suggest that you check for recent changes, as schools often update their essay questions closer to the round 1 deadline. You can access Haas’s essay questions and more application info here. 

 

Prepare a winning interview

Once you’ve submitted your application, you will wait for your invitation to interview. Once you receive this, congratulations! Landing an interview with Haas is an exceptional achievement. 

Haas interviews are conducted by alumni and last around 30 minutes. 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. The Haas interview is blind, meaning the alumni interviewer will only have access to your CV.

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. 

If you are not interested in the traditional interview format, Haas has also piloted a brand new option for candidates to record their interviews via video. 

If you choose to complete the video option, here’s what you can expect:

• You will have to answer 5 questions in total
• For each question, you have 45 seconds to think and 3 minutes to answer. 
• You don’t have to speak for the full 3 minutes. You can end your answer early if needed. 
• Questions 1, 2 and 5 (please see below) are fixed. Questions 3 and 4 are somewhat random but center around teamwork, humility, and taking risks. In recent months, however, most candidates are getting very similar questions for 3 and 4.

We also suggest you check out this post, in which Haas provides more information on this new interview format. 

 

Make sure you prepare a successful Haas application

Getting into the Haas MBA is no easy feat. 

With multiple essays, numerous letters of recommendation, and admissions interviews, a successful application to Haas requires that you carefully think about all aspects of your profile and craft the most cohesive, compelling narrative possible. 

Starting from scratch, though, can leave many applicants like you feeling confused and uncertain they are developing an application that will impress the Haas admissions committee. 

That’s why we created our MBA Resource Center, which includes everything you need to get into the Haas MBA, all in one place. This includes dozens of sample essays, recommendation letter questions and guides, sample letters of recommendation, MBA CV templates, interview mock sequences, and even sample answers to the most common interview questions. 

In short, our Resource Center puts the Ellin Lolis Advantage into your hands, giving you exclusive access to the materials we used to help maintain our 98.9% success rate.

The Ellin Lolis MBA Resource Center has helped countless applicants around the world get into Haas. Sign up today to put this competitive advantage to work for you.