uc berkeley haas essays

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Essays help us learn about who you are as a person and how you will fit with our community. We seek candidates from a broad range of industries, backgrounds, and cultures.

We encourage you to reflect on your experiences, values, and passions so that you may craft thoughtful and authentic responses that demonstrate your fit with our program—professionally, academically, and culturally . Our distinctive culture is embodied in our Defining Leadership Principles - Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself.

Below are the required essays, supplemental essays, and optional essays for Fall 2024.

Required Essay #1 - Personal Story

To help admissions get to know you please share something about yourself that may not be evident in other parts of your application. Examples might include information about your family, culture, hobbies, and lived experiences. Please avoid professional topics. 

(300 word limit) 

Required Essay #2 - Professional Statement

Please summarize your primary area of professional expertise or knowledge. What do you do, and what are you known for? 

(150 word limit)

Supplemental Information

• Please briefly list how you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities or plan to strengthen your quantitative abilities.
• If you have ever been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation, suspended, or required to withdraw from any college or university, please explain. An affirmative response to this question does not disqualify you from admission.
• For each of your recommenders, please list their name, company, the dates you worked with the person, and the context of your professional relationship.
• Please provide an account of any gaps in your employment since earning your undergraduate degree. If you are not employed full time, please explain your current employment situation and your career search plans.
• List up to five significant community and professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies.
• If you are applying from outside the Bay Area, please explain your plans to attend classes on campus. Please include your employment plans and whether you intend to relocate or commute .

You are encouraged to use bullet points where appropriate. 

Optional Information

We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

1. 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

2. Are you responsible for providing significant and continuing financial or supervisory support for someone else? Please indicate below:

• Extended family member (grandparent, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, cousin)

You are welcome to use this opportunity to expand on hardships or unusual life circumstances that may help us understand the context of your opportunities, achievements, and impact.

Finally, you will have the opportunity to convey relevant information not addressed elsewhere in your application. This may include an explanation of academic aberrations, supplemental coursework, etc.

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Tuesday Tips: UC Berkeley Haas Application Essays, Tips for 2024-2025

The Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley is a highly selective school with a small class to fill. Therefore, it’s crucial to stand out from the crowd and show how you will benefit the Haas MBA class. These tips for the Berkeley Haas application essays will help you create that positive impression.

According to one of the former Haas admissions officers on the SBC team, “Haas is really focused on its experiential learning and its four Defining Leadership Principles . Candidates need to know the principles (almost with the ability to recite them by heart) and talk about why at least one of the principles resonates with the candidate.”

The new video essay specifically asks about the principles, and you should also consider them as you answer the other essays in this set. Likewise, keep these principles in mind when you interview with Haas and interact with students and faculty.

Curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school? Contact us to talk strategy with a  free 15-minute advising session  with an SBC Principal Consultant. 

The Berkeley Haas Application Essays

Required essay #1: what makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why (300 words maximum).

The Haas MBA admissions team has asked creative, open-ended questions for many years. Essay one exemplifies that style. As a first step, think about activities you find completely fascinating—for example, hobbies, sports, or artistic pursuits. Or, maybe there’s an activity at work that absorbs you. Above all, it should reveal something personal and go deeper than your resume.

After you have identified a meaningful activity, then you need to describe why. The “why” is more important than the “what” because it reveals who you are. For example, maybe you enjoy research projects. You like to solve problems at work and have the freedom to pursue the question wherever it takes you.

In that case, consider whether you enjoy research because it allows you to be creative or solve problems. Delve into your motivations to see what is driving you—being specific about the “why” will help you with all of your essays.

Required Essay #2: What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals? Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations. (300 words maximum)

This is a traditional essay asking about your career goals and how an MBA from Haas will get you from here to there. While this question does not ask specifically “why Haas?” think about the attributes of the program that will enhance your career goals.

According to SBC’s Haas experts, “Haas can get a lot of entrepreneurs, engineers, and people with really untraditional paths because they think Haas is an untraditional program. Folks who want to transition to a start-up or do their own venture really need to have a clear idea why Haas and why now. Their path needs to be very specific and why their career trajectory is either right for a transition or continuing down the same path, but taking a breath for the MBA.”

This advice is great for any candidate. Be specific about your path and very clear about why an MBA is necessary. Some reasons might include the coursework, the network you will build, and the practical experiences you will have.

Make sure you have researched Haas thoroughly and know what is available through the program and how you will take advantage of it. In addition to online resources, you can reach out to your personal and professional network. Talking to current and former students is always useful!

Note that Haas asks for both short-term and long-term career goals, and specifies what is meant by both. When you consider your career trajectory make sure you identify the timing of your career moves.

For example, if your long-term goal is to be a CEO, your short-term goal will be a role in the industry you are targeting that may focus on strategy or operations to prepare you to run a company as a general manager in the long term. Always think about your long-term goal as a combination of past experience, your MBA, and your short-term goals.

Required Essay #3: 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.

Describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace, candidates seeking consideration for  mission-aligned fellowships  may use this space to reflect on their commitment to the mission of those fellowships. (300 words max).

Diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging are important aspects of business culture and MBA admissions. Aside from formal programs that many companies sponsor, being an inclusive leader is crucial for business results.

Whether you are personally experienced in being part of an underrepresented community or not, you can be a champion for belonging. This essay is best answered with a short example or two that you can pull from any aspect of your life. There is a wide scope of experiences you can draw upon for this essay, including personal stories.

Think about when you have participated or led formal efforts to drive diversity or when you have supported justice at school, work, or in your community. For more resources to answer this question, don’t miss this blog post on how to address diversity essays and sample essays.

Check out B-Schooled Podcast #116: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and the MBA

Video Essay: The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles. Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which Defining Leadership Principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life.

Please review the defining leadership principles in advance and take time to prepare your answer before recording. you will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes..

Begin preparation for this video by researching how Haas views leadership by reviewing its set of principles. The fundamental principles are: Question the Status Quo, Confidence without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. For Haas, leadership is both inclusive and bold. Also, Haas prioritizes innovation, community, and collaboration.

Next, think about your personal definition of leadership. If you had to define your leadership principles, what would they look like? For example, perhaps helping is a core part of your identity. And, for you, leadership means driving the development of your team. Therefore, you aspire to be a leader who develops others.

Then, think about an example you can share in this video that illustrates the leadership principle. If you are focused on developing others, think about a story when you managed a team or project. Or even a mentoring experience either at work or through your network.

Once you have figured out what you will say in the video, rehearse a few times before recording. Make sure you are still coming across as conversational and expressing your personality. The reason to use a video instead of a written essay is to understand a bit more about your personality, style, and expression. finally, make sure to show enthusiasm for leadership and your future at Haas.

Did you know SBC offers video essay and video interview prep services? Leverage our video platform for unlimited practice, self-assessment, and a professional review with written feedback. This platform is identical to the one used by several schools for video essays.

Optional Essays

The admissions team takes a holistic approach to application review and seeks to understand all aspects of a candidate’s character, qualifications, and experiences. we will consider achievements in the context of the opportunities available to a candidate. some applicants may have faced hardships or unusual life circumstances, and we will consider the maturity, perseverance, and thoughtfulness with which they have responded to and/or overcome them., optional information #1 we invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements..

Berkeley Haas is committed to understanding applicants completely. Therefore, this question provides a chance to go deeper into your family background and your life circumstances. In addition, the admissions committee can understand your accomplishments in context.

For example, you might have a highly educated family, and your parents are professionals. But, you moved to another country for college or a job. An experience like that is essential to explain how you learned a new culture or language.

Or, maybe your parents are fully employed now. However, a period of unemployment in your family impacted you. Therefore, that information shows how you handle challenges at home.

Finally, think about times you changed course because of your circumstances. And, think about the areas of your life that asked the most of your resilience. As a result, how have you used those experiences to continue to achieve?

Optional Information #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.

Applicants should note there is a specific place to indicate that they won’t have a recommendation from their current supervisor in the supplemental information section. Therefore, you do not need to explain that here in the optional essay.

Haas recommends using this space to address any information you could not adequately cover elsewhere. Specifically, any employment gaps or academic issues.

Otherwise, you can use one or two examples to demonstrate that you have an analytical mind. Use examples to show you take a quantitative approach to problem-solving and evaluating data. Alternatively, explain any supplemental coursework to improve your quantitative profile.

Any unexplained gap of several months between two jobs needs addressing. Therefore, if your resume has significant employment gaps, you should describe what you did between jobs. For instance, you can point to additional education, training, volunteering, or traveling during this gap.

In addition, re-applicants can describe hard improvements to their candidacy. For example, these could be an improved GMAT score, new grades from quantitative classes, or a promotion. Also, other improvements might include refined career goals and additional leadership opportunities.

Stacy Blackman Consulting has successfully coached applicants for the Haas MBA each admissions year. Now that you’ve seen these tips for the Berkeley Haas application essays, please contact us to learn more about how we can help you set a winning application strategy.

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team .

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School Kellogg MBA

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School MBA, the Wharton School

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

Admissions Officer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)

Asst Director MBA Admissions at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Director MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Minority Admissions, the GSB Diversity Programs, the GSB

Associate Director MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute

Director, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Professional Writer

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) NYU Admissions

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) M.S.Ed, Higher Education, U of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS)

Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure.  Ashley  holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years,  Ashley  was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...

Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and  ...

A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally.  Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.  For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...

Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).  In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds.  Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students.  In additio ...

Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years.  Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...

Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.  In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School.  Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...

Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...

Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...

Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications.  She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...

Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford.   Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...

Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year.   Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...

Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...

Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team.  During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students.  She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...

Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS).  During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...

Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...

Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director.  Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants.

Haas at Twilight image by Flickr user Wayne Hsieh (CC BY-NC 2.0)

With deadlines around the corner, you may be interested in the world-famous SBC Flight Test . Once a full set of application materials for your initial school have been drafted, but not finalized, the application will be sent to a former admissions committee member for a one-time review, adcomm style. You’ll have the benefit of a true admissions committee review while still having the ability to tinker and change.  You will receive written feedback within two business days after submitting.

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Berkeley Haas MBA Essays Guide: Overview, Tips & Examples

Looking to ace your Berkeley Haas MBA application essays? Our comprehensive guide provides an overview of the essay prompts, valuable tips, and real examples to help you craft compelling and impactful responses.

Posted March 1, 2024

Featuring Erik R.

Forming an MBA Application Strategy + Ask Me Anything w/ HBS '24 Coach

Starting thursday, june 20.

10:00 PM UTC · 45 minutes

Table of Contents

The UC Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA program is highly regarded for its rigorous curriculum and emphasis on leadership development. As part of the application process, prospective students are required to submit several essays that provide insights into their experiences, goals, and values. In this comprehensive guide, we will take a closer look at the UC Berkeley Haas MBA essays, providing an overview of the application process, offering expert tips for each essay prompt, and providing examples from successful applicants.

UC Berkeley Haas Application and the Role of Essays

Before diving into the essay prompts, it is important to understand the significance of the essays in the UC Berkeley Haas MBA application. While your academic and professional backgrounds are essential components of your application, the essays allow you to showcase your unique personality, aspirations, and fit with the Haas program. The admissions committee wants to gain a deeper understanding of who you are beyond your resume and test scores. Therefore, investing time and effort into crafting compelling essays is crucial to stand out from the competition.

When it comes to the UC Berkeley Haas MBA application, the essays are more than just a requirement. They serve as a platform for you to express your thoughts, ideas, and experiences in a way that cannot be captured by your academic records or work history alone. Through the essays, you have the opportunity to paint a vivid picture of your journey , highlighting the defining moments that have shaped your personal and professional growth.

One of the key aspects that the admissions committee looks for in the essays is authenticity. They want to see the real you, not a polished version that you think they want to see. This means being honest, vulnerable, and genuine in your writing. Don't be afraid to share your failures, setbacks, and challenges, as they can often be the most powerful sources of personal growth and resilience.

Another important element to consider when writing your essays is the alignment between your goals and the Haas program . The admissions committee wants to see that you have done your research and understand how Haas can help you achieve your aspirations. This requires a deep dive into the program's curriculum, faculty, clubs, and resources. By demonstrating a clear connection between your goals and what Haas has to offer, you show the admissions committee that you are not only a good fit for the program but also have a well-thought-out plan for your future.

Furthermore, the essays provide an opportunity for you to showcase your leadership potential and ability to make an impact . Haas values individuals who are not only driven to succeed personally but also have a desire to contribute to the greater good. Whether it's through your professional experiences, community involvement, or extracurricular activities, highlight instances where you have taken initiative, influenced others, and created positive change.

Lastly, don't underestimate the power of storytelling in your essays. Instead of simply listing your achievements or qualifications, use anecdotes and narratives to bring your experiences to life. This will not only make your essays more engaging but also allow the admissions committee to connect with you on a deeper level.

In conclusion, the essays play a crucial role in the UC Berkeley Haas MBA application. They provide an opportunity for you to showcase your unique qualities, demonstrate your fit with the program, and highlight your leadership potential. By investing time and effort into crafting compelling essays that are authentic, goal-aligned, impactful, and well-told, you can increase your chances of standing out from the competition and securing a spot at UC Berkeley Haas.

UC Berkeley Haas Essay Prompts (2023-2024)

• Prompt 1: Tell us a six-word story that reflects a memorable experience in your life-to-date.
• Prompt 2: Share a time when you questioned an established practice or thought within an organization and how your perspective changed as a result.
• Prompt 3: Describe a situation where you had to work with others to achieve a common goal. What did you learn from the experience?
• Prompt 4: Describe a leadership experience and how you created a positive impact.
• Prompt 5: Briefly describe your most significant professional accomplishment. Explain why you view it as such.

Each of these essay prompts presents a unique opportunity for you to demonstrate your abilities, values, and personal growth. It is crucial to approach each prompt thoughtfully and tailor your response to showcase your fit with the Haas MBA program. Let's delve into expert tips for each essay prompt to help you craft compelling essays.

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List of Expert Tips for Each Haas Essay Prompt

Essay prompt 1: tell us a six-word story that reflects a memorable experience in your life-to-date.

1. Be concise and impactful: With only six words, every word counts. Craft a story that leaves a lasting impression and conveys a significant aspect of your life.

2. Reflect on personal growth: Choose a story that showcases personal growth or transformation. Highlight how this experience has shaped your values or perspectives.

3. Show authenticity: Use this opportunity to reveal your authentic self. Be genuine and avoid generic or cliché stories.

Essay Prompt 2: Share a time when you questioned an established practice or thought within an organization and how your perspective changed as a result

1. Choose a relevant example: Select a situation that demonstrates your critical thinking skills and willingness to challenge the status quo.

2. Highlight your adaptability and openness to learning: Describe how your perspective evolved and what you learned from this experience.

3. Connect with Haas values: Emphasize how your new perspective aligns with the innovative and inclusive culture fostered by the Haas MBA program.

Essay Prompt 3: Describe a situation where you had to work with others to achieve a common goal. What did you learn from the experience?

1. Highlight collaboration and teamwork: Narrate a story that showcases your ability to work effectively in a team and achieve shared goals.

2. Show self-awareness: Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses in a teamwork setting and discuss how you have grown as a team player.

3. Discuss your learnings: Clearly articulate the valuable lessons you gained from this experience and how they will contribute to your success in the Haas MBA program.

Essay Prompt 4: Describe a leadership experience and how you created a positive impact

1. Define leadership in your context: Start by defining what leadership means to you and how you have embodied it in a specific situation.

2. Highlight your ability to influence: Describe how you inspired and motivated others to achieve a common goal.

3. Show the positive impact: Quantify and emphasize the positive outcomes of your leadership actions. Discuss how you left a lasting impact on individuals or organizations.

Essay Prompt 5: Briefly describe your most significant professional accomplishment. Explain why you view it as such

1. Choose your most impactful achievement: Select an accomplishment that showcases your skills, resilience, and impact within a professional setting.

2. Provide context: Clearly explain the significance of the accomplishment and the challenges you overcame to achieve it.

3. Reflect on personal growth and skill development: Discuss how this achievement has shaped your professional journey and why it holds great value to you.

UC Berkeley Haas Essay Examples From Success Admits — With Analysis

While understanding the tips and strategies is essential, studying real-life examples of successful Haas MBA essays can provide valuable insights. At Success Admits, we have compiled a collection of UC Berkeley Haas essay examples with detailed analysis. These examples will help you understand how successful applicants approached the essay prompts and how they effectively communicated their stories.

UC Berkeley Haas Essay FAQs

1. How long should each essay be? As per Haas guidelines, each essay should be limited to a maximum of 350 words. It is important to be concise and impactful within this word limit.

2. Should I answer all the essay prompts? While it is not mandatory to answer all the prompts, it is generally recommended to provide responses to as many prompts as possible to give the admissions committee a broader understanding of your experiences and abilities.

3. Can I reuse essays from other MBA applications? While you can draw inspiration from previous essays, it is crucial to tailor your responses specifically for the UC Berkeley Haas MBA application. This ensures that your essays align with Haas's values and mission.

By following these tips, studying successful examples, and devoting sufficient time for reflection and revision, you can craft compelling UC Berkeley Haas MBA essays that enhance your chances of admission. Good luck with your application!

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May 23, 2024

UC Berkeley Haas MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024 – 2025], Class Profile & Podcast Episode 547 with Eric Askins

While the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, has made it very clear that applicants need outstanding academics to get in, the program will not compromise its values to maintain it high stats. Haas’s four Defining Leadership Principles are taken very seriously by the school’s administration and admissions team. You will need to show that you share and live by those principles if you are to receive serious consideration as an candidate. The four principles are as follows:

• Question the Status Quo
• Confidence Without Attitude
• Students Always
• Beyond Yourself

Keep those principles very much at the forefront of your mind as you prepare your Haas application.

Ready to get to work on your Haas application? Read on. 

Haas application essay tips

• Haas application deadlines 

Haas class profile

Don’t miss our admissions straight talk podcast interview with eric askins, executive director of full-time mba admissions at uc berkeley haas. he reveals why prospective applicants are encouraged to focus in their applications on their overall story and narrative, and how they can demonstrate their ability to handle the academic rigor of the program. askins also encourages candidates to engage with students and alumni to learn more about the program and its opportunities. listen via the link below, or click the image to read the full transcript..

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Haas Essay #1

What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum)

This essay question is not just an opportunity for the admissions committee to gain an authentic perspective of an activity that is important to you, it’s a key to unlocking a deeper understanding of your character and values. It’s a chance for you to share what motivates and energizes you and why. Beyond what matters to you, this question seeks an answer to why the activity fills you with a sense of being on top of the world. There are no limitations on the areas of your life you can explore for the answer. However, considering the broader application, there are specific areas that serve to highlight your professional experience and academic achievements. This essay is your chance to showcase a side of yourself that might not be immediately apparent in your application, providing a more comprehensive view of your interests and motivations. 

Paint a picture of a specific experience by describing it in a way that will take the reader into the experience with you and convey why the activity has had an immense impact on you. You might, for example, explain how you feel when you save a life as a volunteer emergency medical technician – from the adrenaline rush of immediately arriving on the scene to the elation and relief you feel when you know your quick thinking and actions have saved a life, your gratitude for the training that had provided you with the necessary tools, and the humility that renews your commitment to making a difference in this way. Alternatively, you could share your experience leading a community effort to save stray dogs from certain death. For a dog lover, this activity is emotionally rich and deeply fulfilling. Driven by empathy, it might be sad, considering the extreme challenges a stray dog faces, but knowing your act of kindness and commitment to help such animals provides you with optimism for the life they have yet ahead. This fulfillment drives the cycle of advocating for stray animals and continued participation in these activities.

Your aim is to reveal important aspects of your character and values and highlight the unique contribution you can make to the Haas community. The reader will understand the difference you will make as a member of the next MBA class, bringing your unique perspective, experiences and skills to enrich the community. 

Haas Essay #2

What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals?

Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations. (300 words max)

In this year’s goals essay, Haas has clarified that applicants should consider their short-term goal one they would achieve three to five years post-MBA. The position you desire immediately after graduation isn’t necessarily at play here. Thinking about the short-term goal differently than your post-MBA goal means that while considering what you want to do immediately after the MBA program, you must focus on the steps you’ll follow toward your long-term goal. Of course, you want to speak about industry and function in your answer and the developmental milestones you have achieved since graduation.

To write this essay well, you must first understand and share Haas’s four Defining Leadership Principles (as presented on the Haas website): 

• Question the Status Quo: We thrive at the epicenter of innovation. We make progress by speaking our minds even when it challenges convention. We lead by championing bold ideas and taking intelligent risks.
• Confidence Without Attitude: We make decisions based on evidence and analysis, giving us the confidence to act with humility. We foster collaboration by building a foundation of empathy, inclusion, and trust.
• Students Always: We are a community designed to support curiosity. We actively seek out diverse perspectives as part of our lifelong pursuit of personal and intellectual growth. There is always more to learn.
• Beyond Yourself: We shape our world by leading ethically and responsibly. As stewards of our enterprises, we take the longer view in our decisions and actions. This often means putting the collective good above our own interests.

I recommend one of two approaches:

1. Start by describing your long-term goal, and then explain how your short-term goal (three to five years post-MBA), combined with a Haas MBA education, will help you achieve it once you gain a few years working toward your goals.

2. Start by describing your short-term goal (three to five years post-MBA) and build toward your long-term goal, explaining how a Haas MBA education would be the catalyst to achieve both goals.

With respect to your short-term goal, you must convey your understanding of a given career path – that is, how the role you take post-MBA will progress within the first few years to prepare you to achieve your short-term goal in three to five years. As for your long-term goal, consider the big problems you want to solve using business tools. 

Regardless of how you start your essay, be sure to address how Haas’s four principles align with your goals. Since the school gives you room for only 300 words and you need to discuss how Haas’s resources will enable you to become a better leader, you can focus on just one or two principles. You will have an opportunity later in Haas’s video essay to elaborate on the principle that “resonates most with you.”

Discuss how Berkeley Haas’s curriculum and resources can help you achieve your goals. For example, you could explain how the program’s strong focus on entrepreneurship could help you launch your own business, or how its commitment to social impact could help your future company solve some of the world’s most challenging problems.

Also, explain how Berkeley Haas’s unique culture could help you develop into a better leader. For example, you might discuss how Haas’s emphasis on collaboration and teamwork could help you build stronger relationships with your colleagues, or how its commitment to diversity and inclusion could help you become a more inclusive leader.

Finally, summarize why Haas excites you most and how you will grow personally and professionally by earning an MBA from its program.

Haas Essay #3

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.

Describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace?

Candidates seeking consideration for mission-aligned fellowships may use this space to reflect on their commitment to the mission of those fellowships. (300 words max)

Berkeley Haas has expanded this essay by providing more context in the initial part of the prompt and adding specific direction for candidates interested in being considered for mission-aligned fellowships at the end of the prompt. The essay’s core remains the same as it was last year, asking the applicant to describe an experience related to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging. To provide the space for a candidate to respond to both the core part of the essay and potentially to the mission-aligned fellowship opportunity, Haas has doubled the word count maximum to 300 words.

To craft your response to this prompt, we suggest beginning by discussing the importance of inclusion. Then, provide evidence to support your claim by using the STAR format (explained in our guidance for Haas’s video [Essay #3]). Regardless of your answer, make sure to explain how inclusion can help create a sense of belonging for everyone and how diversity helps make both teams and organizations stronger. 

Haas Video Essay 

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. 

Please review the Defining Leadership Principles in advance and take time to prepare your answer before recording. You will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. Video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes.

Berkeley Haas has joined other MBA programs in asking applicants to submit a personal video. Executive Director Eric Askins shared the rubric for the video essay on the Admissions Straight Talk podcast, Episode 547. According to Eric, the admissions committee will use your video introduction to assess two specific things: your understanding of Berkley’s Haas culture and your business communication skills.

By using a video, Haas accomplishes several things:

• The admissions committee is able to see and hear the applicant in action. They get to assess how well you know Berkeley Haas through your discussion of one of its leadership principles: the one that is most meaningful to you.
• The committee will analyze your communication skills as you talk about how you have put the leadership principle to use in your personal and professional life. Videos cut down on the resources the school needs to conduct interviews.
• Each member of the admissions committee can review the video, and the team can then discuss it, whereas they must rely on just one person’s opinion and notes with a one-on-one interview. The video makes the process more comprehensive and universal.
• It can make the admissions process more personal for the committee.

As for how you should approach the video, you’ll need to start by identifying which principle you want to address. Review the school’s list, and keep in mind any that you have already discussed in your written essays for the school. 

When the time comes to record your video, briefly introduce yourself to the committee in 30 seconds or less . Remember, you have only two minutes for the entire video! Explain why you are interested in attending Haas. The adcom wants to get to know you, so include a little color in your background, and don’t mention things they can learn from your resume or other parts of your application.

Then, note the leadership principle that resonates most with you, and explain why it is meaningful to you. The entire defining principle segment of your video should take 45-60 seconds.

Next, describe how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. Use the STAR format to do this:

S = Situation (the background)

T = Task (the goal)

A = Action (how you solved the problem or enhanced an issue)

R = Result (what the quantifiable outcome was)

Do not exceed two minutes!

Here are some other tips to keep in mind:

• Be yourself: The admissions committee wants to get to know the real you, so be yourself in your video. Don’t try to present yourself as someone you’re not.
• Be natural: Don’t try to memorize your lines or read from a script. Just act and speak naturally.
• Be positive: The admissions committee wants to see that you’re excited about attending their school. So be upbeat and enthusiastic – and don’t forget to smile!.
• Be concise: Keep your video short and to the point – no more than two minutes.
• Practice, practice, practice: Rehearse over and over again for your video before you record and submit it. Practicing will help you feel more comfortable and confident in front of the camera. Most of my clients do 10-30 takes.
• Invest time: Take the time to make a well-crafted video that showcases your best qualities.
• Use good lighting: Light the room well. Consider using a circle light if you have one. 
• Reduce distractions: Make sure there’s not a lot of outside or background noise.

Haas Optional Essays

The admissions team takes a holistic approach to application review and seeks to understand all aspects of a candidate’s character, qualifications, and experiences. We will consider achievements in the context of the opportunities available to a candidate. Some applicants may have faced hardships or unusual life circumstances, and we will consider the maturity, perseverance, and thoughtfulness with which they have responded to and/or overcome them.

Haas Optional Information #1

We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

Berkeley Haas is committed to diversity and inclusion, fairness and equity, leadership and innovation, and of course, social impact. The adcom wants to understand the challenges you have faced, the obstacles you have overcome, and the injustices you have defeated to get to where you are today. 

For example, were you raised in a single-parent household? If so, how did that influence your decisions later in life? Are you an immigrant or an international student whose parents arranged your marriage when you were just 2 years old? Have you had to work to help your family thrive since you were 10 years old? Are you a first-generation college student, and if so, what does it mean for your family to see you go to graduate school? While these situations might have affected your grades or test scores, the key to this essay is demonstrating that despite your circumstances, you have beat the odds.

If you have not faced obstacles in your life, describe your commitment to working toward a more just and equitable society. How did this kind of thinking develop in you? Did you discuss social issues at the dinner table? Did you march against (or for) Dobbs? Have you composted and recycled your garbage since the age of 7 in hopes of leaving a better climate for your children and your children’s children? Did you foster animals during the pandemic (yes, animals deserve fairness, too)? Do you advocate for legislation that will help the elderly or infirm? Have you started or are you active in an nongovernmental organization that educates children who can’t afford a formal education?

As you answer this essay question, consider the following:

• Your involvement in community organizations that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging
• Your efforts in the workplace to create a more inclusive environment
• Your belief that everyone deserves to feel welcome and respected, regardless of their background or identity

Haas Optional Information #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.

Haas’s optional essay #2 allows you to ensure that the admissions committee does not have to guess the reasons behind any of the following situations (or a similar one):

• You had terrible grades in your first year at university (Perhaps your parent became ill, and you flew back and forth to care for them, or you worked 30 hours a week to make ends meet.)
• You received a subpar GMAT or GRE score (Maybe you are not a great test taker and can prove it with your inadequate ACT or SAT score and your 4.0 GPA. Or perhaps you were initially premed and realized after volunteering at a hospital that medicine is not your thing.)

If you have multiple explanations, take care to not sound whiney, lest they be viewed as excuses. Instead, discuss how you have rebounded from poor grades or can demonstrate how you will perform well in grad school courses, because you have taken additional coursework and received As.

Supplemental Information

The information below details specifics about what applicants are to share as part of this section. When speaking about extracurricular and community involvement, think quality over quantity and provide those activities that you are passionate about and in which you were deeply involved. This information provides insights into how you might be involved when you join the Haas community. The admissions committee will evaluate both the depth and quality of your involvement, and how you fit with the defining principles of the school.

• If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain. If not applicable, enter N/A.
• Name of organization or activity
• Nature of organization or activity
• Size of organization
• Dates of involvement
• Offices held
• Average number of hours spent per week
• List full-time and part-time jobs held during undergraduate or graduate studies indicating the employer, job title, employment dates, location, and the number of hours worked per week for each position held prior to the completion of your degree.
• If you have ever been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation, suspended, or required to withdraw from any college or university, please explain. If not, please enter N/A. (An affirmative response to this question does not automatically disqualify you from admission.)

For expert guidance with your Berkeley Haas MBA application, schedule a free consultation with an Accepted expert!. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to Berkeley Haas’s MBA program and look forward to helping you, too!

Haas application deadlines

Source: Berkeley Haas’s online MBA application .

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Berkeley Haas directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Here is a look at the UC Berkeley Haas MBA Class of 2025 (data taken from the Haas website ).

Class size: 244

U.S. minority: 47%

Underrepresented minority: 13%

Female: 41%

LGBTQ+: 14%

Veterans: 7%

Average years of work experience: 5.8

Middle 80% range of years of work experience: 3.4-9

International: 47%

Countries represented: 39

Average undergrad GPA: 3.64

Middle 80% range undergrad GPA: 3.3-3.91

Undergraduate majors:

• Engineering: 23%
• Economics: 18%
• Business/Commerce: 13%
• Social Sciences: 11%
• Finance: 8%
• Arts/Humanities: 4%
• Math/Physical Sciences: 3%
• Natural Sciences: 3%
• Computer Science 2%

Average GMAT score: 733

Median GMAT score: 740

Middle 80% range GMAT score: 680-770

Average GRE Verbal score: 161

Median GRE Verbal score: 162

Middle 80% range GRE Verbal score: 155-167

Average GRE Quant score: 163

Median GRE Quant score: 165

Middle 80% range GRE Quant score: 157-170

Pre-MBA industries:

• Consulting: 24%
• High Technology/Electronics: 20%
• Financial Services: 16%
• Consumer Products/Retail: 6%
• Health/Pharma/Biotech: 5%
• Military: 5%
• Not-for-Profit: 5%
• Government 4%
• Entertainment 2%

As the former executive director of admissions at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School and assistant dean of admissions at Georgetown’s McDonough School and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School, Kelly Wilson has 23 years’ experience overseeing admissions committees and has reviewed more than 38,000 applications for the MBA and master’s programs in management of information systems, computational finance, business analytics, and product management. Want Kelly to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources

• Leadership in Admissions , a free guide
• Four Tips for Displaying Teamwork in Your Application Essay s
• Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for MBA Applicants

How to Get Accepted to UC Berkeley Haas Full-time MBA Program [Episode 547]

UC Berkeley is number four on Accepted’s MBA Selectivity Index . It’s matriculating students post a stellar GMAT and GPA. They enjoy proximity to San Francisco and Silicon Valley, not to mention the California weather. It sounds like a dream, but how do you get in? Well, let’s ask Berkeley Haas’ Executive Director of Full-time MBA Admissions.

Welcome to the 547th episode of Admissions Straight Talk , Accepted’s podcast. Before we join our wonderful guest, I have to mention something. You’ve seen the stats that most people have a great return on their MBA investment, but what about you? Are you going to see that return? We’ve created a free tool that will help you assess where the MBA is likely to be a good investment for you individually. You’ll not only get an assessment, but the opportunity to calculate different scenarios. Again, it’s all free. 

It gives me great pleasure to have back on Admissions Straight Talk Eric Askins, executive director of full-time MBA admissions at UC Berkeley Haas. Eric has a lot of experience in higher ed and admissions. He became the senior associate director of admissions at Haas in 2018 and assumed the role of executive director in 2020. Prior to coming to the left coast, he served in admissions at Fordham’s law and business schools and at The New School.

Eric, welcome back to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:06]

Linda, thanks so much for having me back. Great to be here.

My pleasure, and great to have you. Now, I’d like to start with some general questions about the Haas program and then move into more admissions-related questions. To start, can you give an overview of the Haas full-time MBA program, focusing on the more distinctive elements for those listeners who are probably not that familiar with it? [2:12]

Sure. I’d be happy to. Here at the Haas School of Business, let’s start at the very top, we’re located in beautiful Berkeley, California, just across the bay from San Francisco, a couple short minutes away from Silicon Valley, and really what we often say is that we’re at the heart of what’s next, and what that means is that we’re at the heart of innovation culture. If you were to take the region that we’re located in and put it in the context of global economies, we are in the fifth largest economy in the world. Hopefully, I don’t offend any of you German listeners, but we are on track to overtake Germany to be the fourth largest economy in the world just in terms of all the activity that’s happening.

That’s one of the things that makes Haas unique. Oftentimes, we’re seen from the lens of this is a school nestled in Berkeley, which is this amazing campus. There’s a community of Nobel Prize winners here, the inventions that come from here, but more than that, the focus is on how do people achieve their success while also making an impact on the world? I think one of those things that we captured, this would be the identity of the schools, it’s a little bit of what you asked, was our defining leadership principles. I mean, this has been the core of how we talk about the school over the last, I think it was codified maybe 11, 12 years ago now.

I was just thinking that. [3:44]

Yeah. Yeah, so over a decade, we’ve been talking about the school from the framework of these defining leadership principles, so what are they? They’re a core philosophy that we have about what makes great leaders great leaders. One of the things that makes you a Berkeley leader, one of these great leaders, is that you are pushing boundaries. You’re questioning the status quo. You are developing a sense of confidence, but you’re doing so without pushing others to the side. You’re focused on always learning, always being a student and, beyond all things, you’re thinking beyond just yourself, and that’s really captured in the community here.

I remember talking to your predecessor when those principals were codified, and I was amazed at how well they really captured the ethos of UC Berkeley Haas. They were so succinct and meaningful. I mean, over the years, I’ve seen various branding changes at different schools, and sometimes I think they’re very meaningful and sometimes I think they’re window dressing. I was very impressed, and I have continued to be impressed with the four defining principles at Haas. [4:20]

Linda, one of the things that’s really spoken to us, that it isn’t simply a marketing window dressing or anything along those lines, so when we made a big announcement about them and then, at the 10-year mark where I was already here, we made a sort of a, “It’s been a decade since we’ve launched these.” We had some wonderful feedback, including from a Haas alum, I want to say a 1960s Haas alum, who said, “These aren’t new. We’ve been talking about these in some sense or another since way back when I was at the school.” We’ve got a lot of feedback from our alumni. I think we spoke maybe more succinctly, but the concepts were always here. It’s one of the reasons that the school has lasted. I don’t know if you know this, we’re in our 125th year-

No, I didn’t know that. That’s really impressive. [5:41]

Yeah. We celebrated our anniversary on September 13th. This is a school founded by Cora Jane Flood, one of the only business schools founded by a woman, especially 125 years ago. We’ve just been very proud of all that we’ve accomplished in those last little bit, and we’re looking towards the next 125.

Well, congratulations. Happy birthday. We’ve talked about Berkeley’s past. What’s new? [6:03]

Oh, well, that’s always a great question to answer. What’s new? Now, if we were talking about what’s new in the world today, I think you’re going to find there’s a connection to what’s new at Berkeley Haas. What’s new in the world today? What’s new in the world today? Generative AI. They’re probably the number one topic here especially when we talk about schools that have a touch to the technology sector. Anybody who’s been doing this long enough understands the technology sector has ebbs and flows. It peaks in one, it valleys in another period of time, but the next growth peak appears to be around Generative AI. It’s one of the things that we’ve been working on for years.

Actually, October 8th, I believe, just coming up, we have an AI summit. It’s not our first AI summit. We’ve been doing this for a good long time, but what I love is that we are so connected that we’ve got the folks from IBM Watson, we’ve got the folks from Google, we’ve got the folks who are coming through to talk about what is happening in the world of AI today. The coursework has been there. The coursework will continue to be there, but that coursework has a Berkeley flavor, ethics and AI. It’s one of the biggest courses that we have in this space right now. We need to be talking about that, and we have been. In fact, I won’t plug too many things here because I don’t want people googling and all that stuff, but if you get a chance, our Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership built a playbook maybe 2019, 2020 around ethics and AI. Right now, it’s one of the most downloaded things on our website.

One of the things about being on the cutting edge is sometimes you’re talking about something before people are ready to hear it. That’s AI, but what else are we talking about? We’re also talking about sustainability in business. Now, we have been, again, for several years. Dean Anna Harrison joined us in 2018. She came with three key initiatives. It was innovation, it was inclusion, and it was sustainability. I think that we’ve continued to hit on all those three topics along with all the other things that we do, but within the sustainability, I don’t think there’s another business school that’s doing five topic areas within sustainability, including energy, including agriculture, including corporate accountability, real estate and finance. Oftentimes, when people think about sustainability, it’s hard for them to “What box do I put this?”

What does finance have to do with it? [8:22]

Sustainability and impact finance is one of the courses that people are most interested within the sustainability sector here at Haas, exploring exactly what it means to invest in sustainable business and how to see that grow. At the end of the day, the most powerful sustainability person in any organization are their leaders. It’s the CEO. It’s the CFO. We want to make sure that anybody who comes through our program is getting that level of exposure so that they can be tackling what is probably one of the greatest challenges in the world in front of us, which is climate change, which is how do we grow and continue to thrive without harming the environment around us and actually to go back and maybe fix some of the damage that we’ve already done.

One of the things I noticed in preparing for our call today was something called the Applied Innovation course requirement at Haas. I don’t remember that from the last time we spoke. Can you touch on that a little bit and tell us what it is? [9:06]

Sure. Absolutely. Applied Innovation is the language that we use to describe experiential learning. We launched Applied Innovation coursework. It might be two decades old now. We weren’t one of the first.

Experiential learning I know it’s been there for a long time. You just changed the name. [9:34]

Well, what we did is we focused a little bit on what it is that we actually want to come away with, right? You want to apply what you’re learning, and you want to apply it towards growth and change. Within Applied Innovation, that’s over 20 courses within that subset. You’re required to take at least one, but I know students who’ve taken more than one, have taken two, some have taken three. This is a great place for you to test the hypothesis.

A lot of the learning happens in the ivory tower separated from business, and that’s not what we’re looking for here. We want to make sure that our students have the opportunity to go in market and test these ideas, and so you’ll see that there’s a variety of different courses within Applied Innovation. They include courses like international business development where you have an opportunity to take a consulting project at a global scale, and that includes going in-country to deliver your results. Whether that means implementation, whether that means presentations to leadership, that’s part of that course. It’s probably one of the most popular of our Applied Innovation courses, but then, depending on where you’re looking for, if you’re in a niche market, you may find an Applied Innovation opportunity exists there for you as well.

We’ve got clean tech to market that’s focused on bringing sustainable ideas into the marketplace with a technology focus, social sector solutions, strategic and sustainable business solutions. You’ll find a number of these across the gamut, and what they are is your opportunity to go do work within the context of the actual business space with the guidance of faculty and your group projects and your group work.

What don’t people know about Berkeley Haas that you would like them to know, perhaps a common misconception that you’d like to dispel? [11:09]

Sure. I know that many people find the school’s using a ranking index, something along those lines, and in the rankings, one of the things that actually makes us stand out as unique is that we’re among the smallest business programs in our tier. Top 10, top 20 schools, I think we might actually be the smallest, and sometimes there’s a little ebb and flow with some of the other schools. I don’t always know, and that’s on purpose because we want to build a really strong community with individuals who are connecting with one another. If all you know about us is this, you think, “Well, this is a small bespoke program,” and ultimately, if you dig up just that one surface level deeper, we are located in the heart of one of the major research institutions in the globe.

Our students have the opportunity to take advantage of that, including courses outside of the business school at the School of Public Health even if you’re not doing a joint degree, at the engineering school, arguably the top engineering school in the world, at the high school, at the law school, at the School of Public Policy. If you want to take courses with Robert Reich, you can do so. This is all in the field of opportunity for our students, and that I think is this incredible information exchange. It’s also incredible that you’re connecting into that network.

The joke here is once you’re Berkeley, you’re Berkeley for life, right? Like the Mafia, you can’t get out. This is part of your history forever, but it isn’t just Berkeley Haas and the 50,000 alumni that are connected in that community. It’s Berkeley writ large and the half a million alum in that community. That’s your network, and that oftentimes gets lost because we talk about our corner of campus, but it’s the whole campus that our students have access to.

You have the intimacy of the small business school, but backed by this major research. It is the largest UC campus, I believe, isn’t it? [12:57]

It is the largest UC campus. It is oftentimes-

It’s 30,000 total. [13:09]

Yeah, and it’s oftentimes ranked the number one public institution in the globe.

In preparing for the call, I was reviewing the required core curriculum at Berkeley Haas, and I was struck by the number of classes devoted to both analytics, quantitative side and communications so you’re developing and working and exercising both sides of the brain, I guess. Indeed, business requires quant jocks and leadership, which involves communication, listening, teamwork skills, all that. Is that intentional? Can you elaborate on that a little bit? [13:14]

Absolutely. One of the things that I think we pride ourselves on is that we are educating for the pace of change. The job that you came in to potentially pursue two years ago may not even be here two years from now. That’s the pace at which the world is changing. What’s important for us is to make sure that every student coming through our program has the core and foundational skills to be a leader and to be a successful leader in any industry vertical, in any job function. For that to happen, we need to make sure that that core foundation exists.

I know that there are other schools who choose different models. Some have a more of a choose-your-own-adventure model where you can really narrow in into one specific area. We do give you that opportunity to take advantage of the elective coursework here, but not before we establish a strong foundation which I think puts our students in the exact best position to be able to pivot and adjust to a world that is constantly changing.

Speaking of constant change, one of the things that is changing dramatically is testing admissions. You have the GMAT, the GMAT Focus, the GRE, which now has a shorter GRE. They’re required at this time by Haas. Is there any thought to expand the number of tests that you’ll accept, allow for test waivers, or go test optional? There is a comment -the writing sample component is required, but the GMAT Focus doesn’t have a writing requirement. How are you dealing with all this change, this kind of change that’s right in your basket? [14:43]

Yeah. It’s a great question to ask. Now, I’ll start, Linda, by saying I actually am in support of the changes to the GMAT, the GMAT focus and the changes to the GRE. I think the testing agencies have heard that they need to be more applicant focused. They need to be leaning into what the applicants need in order to succeed. We don’t want the testing agencies to become gatekeepers of great talent that doesn’t reach us in the business school universe.

At the same time, we have to understand that there’s a significant amount of academic rigor in our core coursework, and we need to make sure that the students who come through are going to be successful, so we do need measuring sticks. We do need benchmarks, so where do we land with this world of ever-changing testing landscape and the need for a level of consistency? The way our team operates is we don’t actually evaluate individual application components and then weight them because how do you weight the GMAT versus the GMAT focus versus the new GRE versus the old GRE? Certain schools are taking the EA or any number of other testing-

GMAT, DAT, LSAT. It’s a whole alphabet soup of possibilities. [16:25]

At some point, you have to ask yourselves if you are taking a test that doesn’t cover the material, what is the value to the school? I don’t want to go too deep into that section. What instead I will talk about is what we’re doing. What we are doing is we have a set of competencies that we’re looking for within our evaluative process. One of those competencies includes demonstrated ability to handle the academic rigor of our core. That demonstrated ability, that can show up in your testing, but it can also show up in your undergraduate performance. It could also show up in your professional journey. Because we’re taking that lens, it allows us to then think about these pieces from their actual value components.

I’m not interested in the fact that a GMAT score on the old GMAT is 720 and the concordance tables tell you that in the GMAT focus it’s a 655, and what does a 655 mean versus a 720? It is meaningless. These numbers are in the air. What I am interested in is what is your percentile score on the specific quantitative piece of that? Does that suggest that you will be able to handle the rigor of our core? If that’s not on the GMAT, I’m also going to look at the GRE. Maybe it exists there. If it doesn’t exist there, maybe it exists within your undergraduate performance, maybe the last three years you’ve been working as a data analyst, and that’s where I’m going to see the strength of your skill and ability is. I’m not going to say that one carries more weight than the other. I’m looking for evidence.

This is the dad joke, corny bit of my story. We’re the admissions office. The goal is to admit. We’re not the deny office. We say that’s the financial aid office. That’s the joke. Our focus is on finding evidence in your application that allows us to admit you, and it can exist in a lot of different places. To summarize, I’m in support of any testing agency that’s going to be applicant focused, that’s going to be delivering content that’s useful to the applicants in order for them to succeed, shorter tests. It sounds like a great way to stop them from being the gatekeepers that potentially they have been in the past. For us to receive the most number of qualified applicants or interested applicants that allow us to engage with them meaningfully in all the aspects of their application, any obstacles we can reduce I’m in favor of, but I do think that we still need points of evidence to understand the student’s journey.

Now, going back to one question I had in the last question, there is a comment in that the writing sample component is required, but the GMAT Focus doesn’t have a writing requirement. Will applicants be asked to provide some other writing sample or is it just going to be their essays? How is that? Are you going to remove that comment from the site? I mean, what’s going to happen with that? [18:47]

Sure. We’ve explored that a little bit. The writing section, the AWA section of the GMAT I believe is provided in sort of a raw score format for us as well as an opportunity for us to understand a little bit more about their background. We have writing components within our application. We have the ability to look for those strength areas. That piece of the puzzle, once that disappears from the overall submission, we will backfill because, again, it’s not based on application elements, it’s based on competencies. Within those competency structures, we’re going to look for the pieces that we do have.

Makes sense. [19:48]

One thing I’m actually really excited for, Linda, hopefully I’m not preempting your question, is some of the new things that we’ve brought into this ecosystem, including our video essay. Is that okay for me to talk a little bit about that?

Please go ahead. [19:57]

One of the things that we looked at was what are the challenges to people submitting an application? What are we learning from these pieces of the application, and what could we shift and move around? One of the things is, and I think a lot of schools have this, they have two or three bespoke essays. It’s unique enough and clever enough that you can’t cut and paste the other school’s essay into our essay. We really want you to think about us, and is that a benefit to the evaluative process or is that simply another hurdle or obstacle to the applicant?

We took a close look at what we were doing, but we turned one of our essays into a career goal statement. The career goal statement is it does not need to be unique to Berkeley. It can be. It does not need to be. Theoretically, what you’re looking to do isn’t going to change dramatically by the schools, that you’re going to fit the schools to your journey, not the other way around. That’s probably a best fit for candidates, to fit the schools to their journey and not the other way around. That piece will stay static. We have our “alive” essay. We love our “alive” essay. This is an essay that gives us an understanding of who the student is.

That is custom to Haas. [20:56]

That’s our personal statement. That’s our way to get to know who are you as an applicant. We want to know you. We want to understand how you’re going to show up as a student. We’re going to imagine you in our ecosystem. We love that piece of the puzzle, and then we understood that there was this question that we often got asked. Where do I tell you about Berkeley? Where do I tell you that I love Berkeley? What we didn’t want to see was shoehorning in of a list of courses. Somewhere in the application, I’m going to put a list of courses to show you that I read your website, so we thought what was valuable to us? Linda, you brought it up at the start of this podcast. What was valuable to us is our defining leadership principles? What does it mean to be a leader? How do you think about leadership? How do you engage with these principles?

We thought we’d give a place for students to do that, prospective students to do that, but a place where they didn’t have to sit down and write a whole long thing and try and cut and paste the mission statement from our website and adjust it, ChatGPT it and all the rest of the things that people could do. We wanted an honest engagement with the topic. What we did is we stood up a video. We’re calling it a video introduction. It’s 90 seconds to two minutes. We’re not asking for a prepared speech. Tell us in a sentence about you and then pick a defining leadership principle that’s meaningful to you and engage with it a little bit.

Now, I don’t want to have people be nervous about this, so I’ll be very honest, with the rubric on the other end is we’re judging your understanding of our culture, one of our culture forward pieces, our defining leadership principle. We’re also paying attention to your business communications skills. That’s it. That is the one, two-piece of that whole puzzle. It doesn’t matter. We’re not interested in language skills in this regard. We’re not interested in how you present. You don’t need to be in a suit and tie for this. This is simply an understanding of who you are as an individual, one to two sentences. Here’s this thing about us. We want to know that you know who we are as an institution. Tell us in a sentence or two about it.

I know a lot of the video essays, I’m talking about other schools now, they are assessing the applicant’s presence and poise, but you just said that’s not what this is about. [22:58]

One of the things that’s really important to us is that we don’t use simple disqualifiers, but a simple disqualifier would be, “Oh, well that room is messy,” or, “Well, they didn’t think to put on a tie,” or, “We’ve got normative understandings of what presentation should be.” Those are disqualifiers that are not based in your ability to succeed in the program.

They can also be taught. [23:37]

Now, the student’s communication skills are. Can you articulate a point clearly? That will matter to us. I think, presence, it’s a bit of a gray area, and we don’t ever want to be in the disqualifying business.

Again, it’s an admissions office, not a declining office. Right? [23:52]

Yeah. Exactly. It’s corny, but it’s true.

I think it’s a perspective. On some level, you say you don’t want the test to be gatekeepers, on some level you are a gatekeeper. While I know you want to be in the admissions business, in the end, you have many more applicants than you can admit. [23:59]

Which is true.

I get the focus. I understand what you’re saying, but there is a numerical component to this. [24:18]

I can see the point. It’s true.

Now, you’ve talked and emphasized and we’ve discussed Haas’ four principles as exemplifying, epitomizing the culture and values of Berkeley Haas. Obviously, the video essay asks people to discuss one of those principles that really resonates with them. Do you want to see evidence of all four values in the application or are you willing to admit people who are open to perhaps considering the values and having them inculcated? I’m sure you want some identification, but is it important that all four be present? [24:27]

I don’t see the four as truly being independent ideas ultimately. Questioning the status quo is about a mindset of curiosity. Confidence with that attitude has a lot to do with curiosity of others, wanting to hear what they have to say and making space for them. It’s also a curiosity frame and, going beyond yourself, there’s a curiosity of what matters to others. There’s lots of different through lines and themes within these. These are not four independent ideas.

Humility? [25:39]

Humility is very much a part of all of those pieces as well, right?

Yes. [25:44]

The ability to understand that maybe somebody else has something else to bring, the fact that you recognize that you have more to learn, all of these, they’re ultimately through lines that give us an understanding of the core characteristics of the student. I don’t need you to itemize. Don’t give me a list of the seven ways in which you X in which you are different or beyond.

Show X, right? Show principle one. Show principle two. Right. Don’t do that. Don’t do that. No. That’ll come out a little forced anyways. 

What’s the most common mistake you see applicants making in their applications [26:07].

Generally speaking, and this is going to be one of those answers that I don’t think is satisfying to a lot of folks, I think there’s a moment in time when students decide that they want to pursue business education at this level when they have an idea in their head, and that idea tends to be their most authentic version of what they want to explore. Then they go ahead and they attend an information session and they get a piece of advice, and then they talk to somebody else and they get a piece of additional advice, and then someone says use this format or use this structure or use these other pieces, and the finished product, if it looks markedly different from the initial idea, I think there’s a loss there.

How do you solve for that, because you do have to refine your work and you do have to bring your best work forward? This is the one that’s always difficult because all of us admissions folks say, “They should be authentic.” Be authentic to that moment. How can you be authentic while also being polished, while also being these things? I think really the piece of advice I would give is to be mindful of that. It’s to be mindful of that original idea because that’s the reason to reinvest in yourself, to take two years out of the workforce if you’re pursuing a full-time program to not only not earn money for two years, but also spend money during those two years because it puts your finances in a deficit in most cases, potentially taking on loans. It’s a risk, and you chose to pursue this journey because something, some moment, whether it can be pointed to as a pivotal inflection point in life or whether it was a slow accumulation of ideas, there’s came a point in time where it tilted and you said, “Yes, I’m going to pursue this.”

That there, that’s to me the most powerful thing that you can deliver to an admissions office. Those get massaged and they get formatted and they get layered, and someone says, “Well, I know that you want to change the world, but if you just wrote that you wanted to be a consultant, you’ll get in.” They get modified away. For those people who hold onto that little nugget, that’s gold in an admissions office because we can see it. It resonates because then it carries through. There’s echoes throughout the application in the journey if it has a meaning.

Also in the interview. [28:34]

I know I’m up here in the little woo woo space, but it’s-

No. It’s much easier to be enthusiastic about something you genuinely believe in, and that comes through in your writing. It comes through in your interview to be sure. It might come through probably in the video if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about something as opposed to just making something up. It can’t be faked. [28:38]

Totally agree, and I will tell you, Linda, that this is not advice that ends at the application stage.

Of course. [29:01]

This becomes the story of how you network with the students that you share the space with. This becomes the story that when you attend a speaker series and you wait afterwards to chat up the speaker that, if you’ve got something powerful and exciting to talk about, they’re going to remember you. If you’re into the workforce and you’re starting, you’re trying to secure that summer internship, it’s going to be the thing that’s passionate and exciting when you’re at the other end and you’re looking to settle in that first job and when you realize that that first job isn’t going to get you where you want to go because the real value of the MBA is lifetime, right? It really doesn’t show up till four or five years when you end up in the C-suite. This kernel is going to carry you through the whole way or the enthusiasm behind it.

Now, you started out, you didn’t start out, but you certainly mentioned very early on in the interview artificial intelligence and ChatGPT and, obviously, Berkeley is a leader in that. What about applicants using it? [29:46]

Good question. I think I’ve gone on the journey that a lot of my peers have gone on. The first piece of this journey was, well, I hope our fraud software can catch it. I think a lot of the world has gone on this journey with us where you stop and then you say, “Well, this is a tool. This is a tool like the calculator is a tool.” I think that’s probably the common thread I’ve heard. I’ve already had typing in an email and I’m getting suggested next three sentences. This is where we are. The tool exists.

I am still going to suggest that there’s no tool that’s going to tell me your career goals. Now, that tool might help you articulate those career goals a little bit better, but those goals will have to be yours. There’s no tool that’s going to tell me the moment that made you feel alive or why it gave meaning to you. It may be that that tool helps you frame your thoughts, put those pieces together in a way that’s cohesive. If English is not your first language and you’re trying to organize your thoughts in a way that would give you the tools to succeed, it could very well be that this is a really useful tool to organize, but those core thoughts have to be yours.

I think that’s key here, and I don’t think that we’re going to move on that concept, but those core thoughts and ideas have to be yours, and then if you’re going to use the tool, I hope that you use it well. Maybe the thing you’re demonstrating to me is your expertise in the use of the tool because I will, and we have seen already, poorly framed and poorly worded things that don’t really seem to capture the individual. This is probably the first year that we’re starting to see that.

That makes sense that this is the first year you’re seeing it. I’ve played with it a little bit. I’ve said this before on the podcast. If you use it blindly, you’re going to produce drivel, very generic and not very meaningful. If you use it either to edit your work, perhaps to generate some ideas or to help you structure an essay, but the ideas are your own, perhaps it has value, but you’re still going to spend a significant amount of time on it. [31:39]

Well, you should. Yeah.

Yeah, or you say, “I might as well just write the thing.” [32:09]

I’m one of those folks that believes the magic happens in the editing. I know other people think it happens in the writing, so the idea generation. I think it’s the moment where you come back and say, “Oh, well, now I see how those pieces should fit together.” With that in mind, I understand that the tool may be used.

We have a statement at the bottom of our application. We haven’t changed it. We’ve had it for a while. It says, “The work product seen here is mine and mine alone.” I think folks should be able to answer that honestly. The work product here is mine and mine alone. Now, if that means that they used the tool to take their ideas and put it on paper and then they reorganized it to reflect the story that they wanted to tell and they feel that that is theirs, they were the producer of the ideas, they were the producer of the finished product, they use an intermediary tool the same way you might use a spellchecker or a grammar checker, I’m going to have to just accept that that’s the world that we’re in today. I don’t think there’s any magical tool that solves that one yet. Generative AI is probably the best tool to catch generative AI, but I’m going to focus on the content. As long as the content is strong, I think that that’s going to be in the candidate’s best interest.

Switching gears again, can you touch for a minute on the Accelerated Access admissions program at Berkeley Haas? Who is it for? How can one get in? It was brand new when we last spoke. Have has any of the earlier deferred admits matriculated yet at Berkeley Haas? [33:20]

Yes, they have. Okay, so let’s go-

A lot of questions, I know. [33:39]

… through all those pieces. What is the Accelerated Access program? The Accelerated Access program is a deferred enrollment program here at Berkeley Haas. It is geared for people in their graduating year of undergraduate or graduate school if they did not have more than one full year of work experience in between. This is a pre-experience application focused on folks who are completing their academic journeys and who are committed to going to professional life for two to five years– that’s typically the window of time – for them to gain experience in the world, but to want to get that application admission early, right? This is the time when they’re the best test takers usually because they’re still in their academic space. Oftentimes, this is where they can lock in a future opportunity. Maybe that safety net allows them to take the other job.

I was going to take the two-year consulting stint, but I’ve locked in an admission to a top business school. I’m going to join the robotics startup. That’s not a random example. That’s an example of somebody who did in fact do that. That’s who this is for. It’s for somebody who is certain that business school is in their future, who is going to be strong academically.

I’ll put that out there in front. We have fewer application components, so we’re going to have to look for our competencies across the limited amount of things that you have to offer, so probably a heavier weight on undergraduate performance, standardized testing, internships, extracurricular activity within your experiences there. Those are going to be the pieces of the puzzle that are useful for us.

We are traveling the globe with a member of my team, Verse Gabrielle, who’s out there talking about accelerated access. We’ve gotten into a little consortium with a couple of other business schools so that we can make the most value in the delivery of this content so that we are in front of folks with a sampling, and they can pick which schools.

Of all the deferred programs? [35:35]

Yeah. It just started this year. I’m really excited to actually see what campus recruitment looks like for the MBA in this context. In terms of the other part of your question, what does it look like for those students who matriculated? We matriculated seven in this incoming class.

So that’s the first one. [35:52]

The first set coming through.

That makes sense just judging by, again, time that’s elapsed. [35:56]

Yeah. Two of them ended up in some profiles that we put out into the world so you can actually see some of the journeys for these students. We thought it would be really valuable, as we shared profiles with other media outlets, that we included people who had this type of journey, to see how it looked a little bit different and how they navigated the experience. I think that they complete and total fit with the program. They’re not outliers. They don’t sit outside the experience. In some cases, because they’ve been engaged with the admissions office and the school for three-plus years before they got to campus, they were fully onboarded by the time they got here. They were the best student ambassadors on day one.

It’s been a wonderful experience to be able to actually reach people at this different point in time in their lives. To be fair to those people who’ve been in the professional life, you’ve had a chance to test a couple of hypotheses, figure out what works, what doesn’t. These students, they kind of read as all potential. They blue sky a lot. I can do anything. I can do all these things. We watched them crystallize the idea over the two, three-year time before they get to campus. What a great journey for us in the admissions office to be able to watch them grow into the MBA candidate and then go from there.

How many students are you admitting every year through the accelerated MBA program? [37:14]

It’s going to vary based on application volume. Primarily, we want to be sure that we are giving an equal probability each year to candidates who apply and also being mindful of how we want to balance the class coming on the other end. It’s been somewhere around 20 in that window of space. Again, we’re a small program and we don’t want to overwhelm when students come through. They have different entry points.

You don’t really know what year they’re going to enter. [37:47]

Yeah, between two and five years, so there’s different entry points for those students depending on when they’re ready. We have a student who’s most certainly going to go to full five because they’re in the midst of building something really unique and then they’ll come join us. We get somebody who was ready after two and they really were ready after two. They had done what they needed to do to put themselves in the best position to succeed. In this particular case, it was in the food and agriculture sustainability side. It’s going to be unique to the individual.

Now, you’ve given tons of advice in the course of this interview, but what advice would you give to someone thinking about applying now? They want to matriculate in 2024. They’re probably in the middle of the process. They probably didn’t submit round one. They’re aiming for round two. What should they be doing? What should they be thinking about now as they listen to this podcast? [38:16]

Sure. I’ll put two things out there. The first is that they don’t over-invest in application elements and they focus on the whole story. This has been my message to the whole podcast, but I really do believe that if you hyper-focus on the tests or you hyper-focus on some other aspect of the application, you miss the opportunity to share a bit more about your whole journey. What’s the narrative? What are you hoping to accomplish? What community do you want to serve? What problem do you want to solve? These are the bigger questions that I really want to understand about the candidate.

The other thing is there’s members, myself, my admissions team, we’re all here to answer these questions. We’re here to support people in this journey, and we have a really robust community of student support, so not just for our program, but for any program. Reach out and see if you can connect with the students. I think that’s one of the most valuable things. It has two pieces. The first is they successfully navigated our application process, so they may have interesting things to say about what should be in a strong application.

The second is they’re actually experiencing the experience that you’re looking for. What does the student experience look like? What does on-campus life look like? Are faculty approachable? Are the things that you’re learning valuable for you? What type of speakers come to campus? How often are you getting to connect with industry outside of your campus community? All of those questions are questions that could be answered and, in particular, are set up with our student ambassadors is that they are the go-betweens. They are available if you want to ask them a question. If you want to ask something very specific like, “I’m really interested in understanding about how climate and finance interact, and I’m looking to talk to somebody specifically who understands that context in a certain part of the world,” we may have that pathway for you.

You can speak to somebody like Arno, one of our second year students who actually just spoke to a Belgian newspaper about his climate finance journey. These really unique pieces, they seem niche, but there may actually be somebody doing that, and so ask it. We may be able to put you in touch with exactly that right person.

Now let’s look a little bit further ahead. What advice would you give someone thinking ahead to a fall 2024 or fall 2025 application? They’re not part of the accelerated access program, but they do know that they want to go for an MBA and they’re thinking seriously about pursuing that MBA at Berkeley Haas. [40:47]

I think the first thing to do is to really crystallize why you want an MBA. Before you’re thinking about, “What do I need to do to get into an MBA program,” you’re going to want to have a really strong narrative for, “What I want to do when I come out of an MBA program.” What do I want to accomplish?

I know I’m repeating myself, but what do you want to see beyond that? It’s not just at grad, right? I will tell you that every stinking ranking and survey out there is going to focus on what does it look like at grad or three months past graduation. That’s not where the value of an MBA kicks in, right? I’m not going to throw rankings out there because I’ve been digging on them all day, but if you think about what are the frameworks for some of the strongest rankings, they’re around what does it look like four or five years out, not just compensation.

What is your position within the organization? What are you able to actually change about the world based on your level? That happens four or five years out. That’s the part of the story that we want to work back from, and then understand, okay, now I know what I want to achieve or I know what I want to engage with. I think I have a sense of what that journey’s going to look like post MBA. What do I need during the MBA to get there and then what do I need to get into an MBA program? What are the pieces there? If that’s a clear narrative all the way through, it just carries so much more weight. It has a lot more value. It has the value of being true and authentic to what the student wants to accomplish. Yes, there’s going to be a lot of work in putting together an application, but if you know your story, then it’s just about putting the pieces together.

Two comments, I frequently advise applicants that that post-MBA goal, and I’m usually talking about the immediate post-MBA goal, but I do agree completely that there should be a longer vision because the cost is high and the payoff has to justify it. I refer to that as the North Star. It should just guide you. It should guide you in the school you choose, the program you choose. Maybe it’s not an MBA. Maybe it’s a different program. The schools you choose to apply to, the schools you ultimately choose to attend, the courses you take, the things you get involved in.  Yes, it can evolve. Of course, it can evolve. My goodness, at 25, you don’t have to feel locked into a profession. That’d be true at  28, whatever, 30 even. You don’t have to be locked in.

That’s one point just in support of yours. the other point is i got my mba and, for a variety of reasons, i don’t really think i started using it and really getting value out of it until 14, 15 years later. it’s just how my life worked. now, i did not pursue the typical, the traditional mba path, well, certainly not at that time, but i’m glad i got it. it just took a while for it to pay off for me. anyway, just a couple of points there. , what about reapplicants do you have any pearls of wisdom for reapplicants [45:52].

Well, I’ll start with the fact that the data that we have suggests that reapplicants have a higher rate of admission than candidates who are applying in the first round out. Why is that? I think part of the reason is you’ve had a chance to really think about what are the strengths and where are my areas of growth and how I might focus on my areas of growth.

Now, because of the volume of applications we receive, we’re not able to give direct feedback to candidates who don’t get in in the first pass. What we are always able to do is engage with people who are applying this year, whether they can sign up to Q&A session. Most of this is available both in-person and virtually so that there’s an opportunity to connect with us no matter where you are within the globe. You can ask questions about the forward piece. You have the benefit of actually having a foundation that you can build on. Right?

Again, back to the idea that the magic happens in the editing. Like, okay, I’ve done it once. I know where I can tweak, where I can adjust, where I can change. The biggest miss is when reapplicants don’t tell us what they’ve been doing since the last application. You’ve got another year around the sun. What have you accomplished? Have you leveled up within your professional journey? I mean, sometimes the updated resume will tell us a little bit about that. Have you refined your goals? Have you explored more and different opportunities to test some hypotheses and rethink some of your journey?

These are all really valuable to us, and then of course, we should speak plainly. We’re also looking for evidence of your ability to do well in the program. If you think that that was the area of growth, the first submission, then other evidence. Now, you can’t go and change an undergraduate journey that’s typically fully baked by the time you apply, but you can take graded short courses. You can demonstrate other places where you’ve shown that you can succeed when it comes to the academic component of the application process.

Great advice. I think the saddest thing is when the reapplicant comes to me and says, “I know it was my GMAT score, so I retook the GMAT. I got a much higher score. My essays were great. I’m not going to change them at all.” That makes me sad. [46:13]

Yeah. There’s so much opportunity there.

Exactly, and like you said, I’m not joking, that does happen. I’m sure you sometimes see those applications. You’re showing little initiative. Yes, you studied before and you got your higher GMAT. Okay. Great. You’re not showing what you did in the past year. You’re not showing any growth whatsoever, and you are demonstrating a certain laziness and lack of commitment to the process, so don’t do it is the bottom line. [46:31]

I’m going to both agree with you and slightly disagree, Linda.

Okay. Go ahead. [47:01]

I will agree with you. I would love to see folks who are making those levels of commitment. I don’t always call it laziness. I think sometimes folks don’t have a full understanding of the process. I think folks who engage with you, they’re getting the benefit of their knowledge. Those who engage with us get the benefit of ours. Those who are operating out there independently, they may not know that they’re missing a great opportunity. Hopefully, those listening on this line, if you know somebody else who’s applying and doesn’t know this, share this message along.

Sounds good. I’ll be kinder next time. 

Okay. what would you have liked me to ask you [47:30].

Sure. I think one of the challenges that we face here at Berkeley is that we’ve done really well in some spaces and, in some corners of the market we’re known for these one or two things. “Well, Berkeley is really great in the tech sector because, look at their access, a third of their students go into tech,” or, “Berkeley is really great in the entrepreneurial sector. According to PitchBook, there’s only three programs at the top, and it’s Stanford, Harvard and Berkeley,” or, “Berkeley’s really great in the sustainability space. No other school is doing five different sustainability topics,” but we’re also the second most placed students into consulting, the third most place students into finance. When it comes to our finance students, the number of students who end up in internships on the West Coast, we top all other schools in that space. We are a great school for a lot of different things.

When I was looking back and thinking about what are we going to talk about with 125 years worth of history here, the technology sector doesn’t go back 125 years. What’s been sustaining the school this entire time, what’s the common thread really is that we’ve been educating for the pace of change. The world keeps changing, and we want to make sure that people are prepared for that. That hits in all sectors, and so we would love for people to know that about the program, not to put us in a little corner, but if you’re interested in a topic and you didn’t think Berkeley was that, come find out. Maybe it is.

Eric, I want to thank you so much for joining me today. This has been delightful and highly informative. Where can listeners and potential applicants learn more about Haas’ full-time MBA program? [48:59]

Absolutely. The easiest thing to do is visit the Haas MBA website .. Come check us out. Once you land on that page, there’s a lot of resources that’ll put you in a lot of different places. I would encourage you to go to the events section because you’ll get an opportunity to see all the different places that we are in the globe as well as all the different things that we do virtually. No matter where you are in the world, you can get a connection to our community.

More great advice. Thank you. [49:37]

Relevant Links:

• UC Berkeley Haas MBA
• Accepted’s MBA ROI Calculator
• UC Berkeley Haas Expands Deferred MBA Program
• When Should I Plan to Apply to Grad School? NOW!!!

Relevant shows:

• From the Military to Haas MBA – podcast Episode 223
• University of Michigan’s Ross MBA Program: Everything You Need to Know – podcast Episode 479
• UCLA Anderson MBA Admissions According to Dean Alex Lawrence – podcast Episode 215

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Supplemental Essay Prompts

Freshman admissions.

The Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology (M.E.T.) program seeks inquisitive, self-motivated students with a passion for finding and solving big problems.

The following essay question is designed to provoke honest, thoughtful responses to help us get to know you. It gives you the opportunity to provide unique information about yourself, your interests, and your reasons for applying to the program. In addition to content, essays are evaluated for writing and critical thinking ability, skill in organizing and presenting thoughts, and the relevance of your answer to the question posed. Your response is limited to 350 words.

Required Essay: (350 words maximum)

Your supplemental essays must be submitted by 11:59 pm PST on December 15, 2023 .

Describe how the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology Program in Engineering and Business at UC Berkeley will help you to achieve your goals. Share with us the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). What unique experiences from your world motivated you to apply to our program?

Video Essay Invitation

Some applicants may receive a request to record a video essay. Video essay requests are by invitation only and will be requested starting in November. Videos must be submitted by 11:59 pm PST on January 12, 2024 . Check your email for an invitation and if requested, be sure to submit your video essay by the deadline.

The questions are:

• How have you contributed to and bolstered the communities you are a part of? (Communities can = school, extracurriculars, family, etc.)
• How will your admittance into the program catapult your educational journey or complement your career plans?
• What has been your biggest failure and how did you respond?

Continuing Student Admissions

The following essay questions were created to provoke honest, thoughtful responses to help us get to know you. They’re framed within the context of The Haas School of Business’s four Defining Leadership Principles and the College of Engineering’s mission and vision, and give you the opportunity to provide unique information about yourself and your interests. These essays are the principal means we have of gaining insight about you and your reasons for applying to the Berkeley M.E.T. Program. In addition to content, essays are evaluated for critical thinking and writing ability, skill in organizing and presenting thoughts, and the relevance of your answers to the questions posed.

All applicants are required to answer question A and to choose either topic B or C. The Admission Committee does not have a preference for either question B or C. They’re given equal weight in the review process. Essay D is optional.

Required Essay A: (500 words maximum) Describe your post-undergraduate goals. Why is the Berkeley M.E.T. Program essential in helping you achieve these goals?

Tip: We understand that both Haas and the College of Engineering (COE) have world-renowned reputations and faculty, strong alumni networks, and that majors have priority access to business and COE courses. Aside from these factors, why do you feel that studying both COE and Business is a necessary step in pursuit of your immediate post-undergraduate goals? You’re not required to include a detailed post-undergraduate plan, but you should address how the program will help you achieve your goals broadly.

Choose either Essay B or C: (500 words maximum)

Essay B: Describe a time when something important to you did not work out as planned. How did you respond, and what did you learn from the situation?

Tip : If you applied to M.E.T. as a freshman, this is an opportunity for you to share with us what has been enhanced since then.

Essay C: If admitted to Berkeley M.E.T., how would you help develop a sense of belonging for classmates from diverse communities? What challenges do you anticipate, and how will you respond to them?

Optional Essay D: (250 words maximum) Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application?

Tip: Use this essay to explain academic issues, grade disputes or personal/family/medical circumstances you want the admission committee to be aware of. Currently, there are unique circumstances impacting applicants to Berkeley M.E.T. You may also use this essay to discuss how you’ve been impacted by matters such as the pandemic, social unrest, and/or natural disasters.

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It is important that we are able to hear and see you. Before you start recording, make sure you are in a quiet space with good lighting. In orde r to minimize distractions, please have a neutral background that isn’t busy with objects or bright colors.

You want to make sure you are in a well lit room. If possible, we recommend recording during the day with natural light. If your space has a window directly behind you, ensure that the shades or curtains are closed.

Check the quality of the device you are recording on. Make sure that your face is fully in frame and visible, and that your audio is clear. You will have an opportunity to do a test before you begin the recording, be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. 

You have two attempts to record your video, so make sure beforehand that you are in an area with stable Internet connection. Since you will record the video essay directly in the application portal. We encourage you to check your internet speed and that your video will upload properly at the end of your recording. You can use an online speed test to check your speed.

We all know that the first impression is usually the most important. The video essay may be the only time the admissions committee will see and hear you, so take the time to ensure you are well dressed and groomed.

The essay question(s) will not be available beforehand. While you will not be able to prepare in advance, we recommend preparing yourself mentally: take deep breaths, go out for a walk, hydrate, etc. Do what you need to get in the right mind set. When you are ready and completed the video and audio check, the question(s) will appear on screen when you hit “Ready.” We have designed the question(s) to be answered it on the spot and you will have a few seconds to read the prompt before the recording begins. 

You only have two minutes to answer the prompt. Make sure to pay attention to the time and start wrapping up before time runs out. Once you completed the recording, take a few minutes to review your response. Utilize the second attempt if needed. If you decide to record your response using the second att empt, we strongly advise that you do not read your answer or look it up on the internet. Use your own words, be yourself and talk to us as if you were sitting across from us during an interview.  This is not a pass or fail exercise. We want to hear from you, your opinion, and what you have to say on this subject.   

We hope these tips will help you feel more confident and ready for the video portion. If you have not already done so, we encourage you review the application tips . If you still have questions or need additional guidance, here are ways to connect or learn more: sign-up for an information session or join the weekly Q&A session via zoom on Tuesdays from 3-4 PM PT/Wednesday from 9-10 AM PT.

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The Berkeley Master of Financial Engineering Program, a STEM designated degree, provides you with the knowledge and skills to prepare you for a career in the finance/fintech industry.

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2024-2025 Berkeley Haas MBA Essay Tips and Example Essays

Jun 7, 2024

• Who is Berkeley Haas looking for?
• How should I answer Berkeley Haas essay questions?
• Get into the Berkeley Haas MBA
• Haas Application Deadlines

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 244 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 Q165/V162 GRE score . Diversity is also a strong point for Haas, with its Class of 2025 containing 41% women, 14% LGBTQ+, 16% US minorities, 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. 

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. how should i answer the essay questions, 2.1. essay 1 tips.

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

What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals?

Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations. (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 MBA essays that worked to get our clients admitted to help you plan out a winning Berkeley Haas essay. Our library 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

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.

Describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace?

Candidates seeking consideration for mission-aligned fellowships may use this space to reflect on their commitment to the mission of those fellowships. (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. 

The wording of the question makes it clear to me that this is not the place to write an essay that gives a superficial nod to diversity. For example, perhaps you held a 1-hour training session for the only woman on your team. Though this technically does fall under the category of promoting diversity, it just doesn’t convey the image that DEI is a topic that you resonate with and have actively promoted.

Then, make sure you narrow this list down to your single best story . In a 300-word essay, you won’t have time to fully explore multiple examples, so limit yourself to one excellent story. 

Finally, write from the heart. Share the context, show why you took action, and tell us both the outcome of the story and how it changed you. Equally as important, avoid shaming or blaming others involved in the situation. If you have an example that fits this question, you’re well on your way to a “small but mighty” admissions essay. 

TOP TIP: For short essays especially, using a tight STAR-format example is key! 

2.4. Essay 4 (Video) Tips 

The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles . Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which Defining Leadership Principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. 

Please review the Defining Leadership Principles in advance and take time to prepare your answer before recording. You will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. Video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes.

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. 

2.5. 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 (The official application is not open as of June 6, 2024. This was the question used in previous years and should give you a solid idea of what to prepare).

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)?

• 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.

• Extended family member (grandparent, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, cousin)

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.

(300 words maximum)

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 . 

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. Deadlines

Here are the deadlines for the 2024-2025 season. You can access the Berkeley Haas application here . 

Berkeley Haas Round 1 Deadlines

Application Deadline : September 12, 2024

Interview Notification : Ongoing

Decisions Released : December 12, 2024

Berkeley Haas Round 2 Deadlines

Application Deadline : January 9, 2025

Decisions Released : March 27, 2025

Berkeley Haas Round 3 Deadlines

Application Deadline : April 3, 2025

Decisions Released : May 8, 2025

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Berkeley MBA Essays & Analysis 2024-2025

The following essay topic analysis examines the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business MBA admissions essays. The Berkeley MBA essays are for the 2024-2025 admissions season . You can also review essay topic analyses for other leading MBA programs as well as general Essay Tips  to further aid you in developing your admissions essays.

Berkeley MBA Essays & Analysis 2024-2025

Essays help us learn about who you are as a person and how you will add to our community. We seek candidates from a broad range of industries, backgrounds, cultures, and lived experiences.

Our distinctive culture is defined by four key principles – Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. We encourage you to reflect on your experiences, values, and passions so that you may craft thoughtful and authentic responses that demonstrate your alignment with our principles.

Berkeley MBA Essay 1

What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum) While an adrenaline-fueled answer like skydiving or race car driving may come to mind first, the response to this Berkeley MBA essay should be kept in the context of business school admissions.  Essentially, the Haas adcom is asking what you are most passionate about and, ideally, you would ultimately connect to one of their defining principles.  Though there are myriad potential topics to discuss here, applicants should consider the balance of subjects they cover across their essays and choose a topic that provides new insight into their overall candidacy. For example, if the majority of content in the next essay is focused on your professional life and accomplishments, this would be an opportunity to showcase and highlight your extracurricular passions or interests.

As you approach this Berkeley MBA essay, be sure to think broadly about themes in your background and the forces behind your decisions and involvements.  This should allow you to arrive at a topic that is true to your passions and enables you to show the reader a side of yourself not covered in your other essays while tying your goals and/or previous experiences together to some extent.

Berkeley MBA Essay 2

What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals?

Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations. This Haas MBA essay question is a straightforward  career goals essay , asking applicants to explain their professional goals and why they’re interested in pursuing an MBA at Berkeley Haas.

Along with describing their immediate post-MBA career goals, applicants should explain their long-term career goals and the broad impact they hope to have on their industry, community, country or region. For your short-term career goals, be as grounded and direct as possible—identify a position and target industry, and explain what draws you to this role and how it connects with your previous experience and long-term plans.

Then, consider first what skills you need from an MBA; this can inform what you need from Haas and how this program will help you accomplish the growth you’re seeking. With respect to how the Haas MBA would help you achieve your goals, it would make sense to briefly comment on your work experience to date in order to establish the skills you already possess; this helps to establish the gap in your skill set that a Haas MBA would fill.  This phase of your discussion should establish the skills and knowledge you hope to gain from a Haas MBA while integrating details about the program. Forging specific connections between the skills you hope to gain (whether in the classroom or through involvement in student clubs or other outlets) and your future plans will show the adcom that you’ve researched the program and have a sound understanding of how a Haas MBA will prepare you for success.  

Berkeley MBA Essay 3

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.

Describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace? Candidates seeking consideration for mission-aligned fellowships may use this space to reflect on their commitment to the mission of those fellowships.(300 words max) No matter the aspect of DEI, justice or inclusion selected, applicants should ensure they were active participants in achieving a positive outcome. Anecdotal evidence will leave a greater impression on the reader; so instead of listing everything you have done in relation to DEI, tell a story here.

When approaching how to share an example, we can once again turn to the following structure:

• Situation – Set the stage or identify the situation and related challenge.
• Action – Describe the actions you took related to DEI, justice or inclusion.
• Outcome – Summarize the (positive) result.

The door is wide open for examples, but action is important here—think beyond comments or campaigns shared on Facebook, and reflect on advocating actively.

Berkeley MBA Essay 4  – Video

The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four  Defining Leadership Principles . Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which Defining Leadership Principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life.

Please review the  Defining Leadership Principles  in advance and take time to prepare your answer before recording. You will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. Video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes. Before pressing the “record” button, it would be worth reviewing our  advice on video essays  to understand the broader goals of a video prompt. Getting to the specifics of Haas’s video essay, we encourage applicants to use this opportunity to showcase elements of their personalities and candidacies that emphasize their connection to a given leadership principle. Reviewing the principles , speaking with students and alumni, or attending information sessions will prove helpful on this front.

The brief introduction should be just that—brief. At minimum, you’ll want to greet the adcom and share your name; you may also state where you’re from, where you work/your industry and another detail you tend to share whenever you meet someone new in a professional setting. Then, you’ll need to connect to the leadership principle. Once you settle on the related example, consider the following structure in telling your story:

• Situation – Set the stage or identify the personal/professional situation and related challenge.
• Action – Describe the actions you took related to the leadership principle.

It would be nice to sign off by thanking the adcom for their time—if you have time!

As this is a visual presentation, ensure you are dressed in appropriate professional attire and that the scene is well lit and you can be heard clearly. In terms of a background, clean and steady may work best—you do not want to make the adcom dizzy by taking them on an unsteady walking tour with your laptop or phone. While many applicants will be tempted to introduce props into their video, such as signs, souvenirs, or any prized possessions that might quickly convey who you are, we would like to urge some degree of caution in this domain.  A focused, two-minute, heartfelt introduction (while looking your audience in the eye) may be far more effective than a distracting string of props, signs, charts—each requiring valuable time to make transitions—not to mention careful attention to readability/visibility on screen.

Finally, do not hesitate to practice your response to ensure that it will be within the time limit. You should also record your response on your own and watch it so you can improve before the final recording. The key caveat here is to not allow the practicing to lead to a robotic/overly rehearsed final video.

Berkeley MBA Optional Essay 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)?
• 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 you ever been responsible for providing significant and continuing financial or supervisory support for someone else, please indicate.
• Extended family member (grandparent, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, cousin)
• 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. (300 words maximum)

Overall, Haas is trying to get a better understanding of the context from which a candidate has evolved, both professionally, and personally.  Moreover, these questions invite a sense of your attitude and resilience through adversity.  While the opening five questions establish potential jumping off points, you are free to delve into another personal experience that defines you. The key to this essay is to quickly establish context and then elaborate on how you handled the situation and grew because of it.  An important thing to keep in mind is to avoid a “blame game” and simply establish the circumstances that influenced you. Most importantly, you’ll want to account for your actions (to show) and briefly comment on  why  the situation was difficult for you. After all, resilience entails a struggle with an outcome of success.

Given the highly personal nature of the opening five questions, candidates should reflect more on circumstances that have informed their character, as opposed to digging into a setback at work in this Berkeley MBA essay.  You may be able to incorporate how the lessons you learned from hardships and unusual circumstances have informed your approach to your career, but professional setbacks should not be the main focus of this essay.  Also keep in mind that this Berkeley MBA essay is  optional —do not feel pressure to make a mountain out of a molehill to deliver more content in your application.  Take some time to reflect and tell the adcom how the circumstances from their queries or other situations influenced you.

Berkeley MBA 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. Applicants should exercise discretion when responding to this prompt, as providing an optional essay creates extra work for the admissions reader. This will be a good place to address extenuating circumstances that have influenced one’s academic or professional history, to address weaknesses in one’s application, or to explain an unusual choice of recommender. The wording of this question is open enough that applicants may also choose to discuss an element of their background that is not reflected in their other materials (including data forms and résumé), though they will need to demonstrate sound judgment in doing so – i.e. the nature of the content should be such that it makes a material difference to one’s application – and should summarize the information as concisely as possible.

Clear Admit Resources

Thanks for reading our analysis of this year’s Berkeley MBA essays. As you work on your Berkeley MBA essays and application, we encourage you to consider all of Clear Admit’s Haas School of Business offerings:

• Berkeley Haas School of Business Profile on the Clear Admit website: up-to-date advice and admissions information
• Clear Admit LiveWire : admissions updates submitted in real time by applicants to Haas
• Clear Admit DecisionWire : school selections in real-time by admits to Haas

MBA Applywire

So I am working as a medical assistant. The issue is that I don't come from a business background. I've worked at 6 jobs over the last 8 years and the only way I can get promoted is by getting further educational. My long term goal is to open up my health clinic franchise. Chicago Booth is my top choice school. What do you think my chances are?

White male consultant, 331 GRE (169Q/162V). Graduated with a 4.0 and named the valediction of a liberal arts college. Work in management consulting and hoping to pivot to tech product management then ultimately to a startup.

Worried about not getting promoted in the cy. So deciding if I should wait one more year.

I have some employment gaps due to chronic illness. My last WE has been a software engineer for 4 years at a Fortune 500 company with a promotion. I was laid off in March 2024.

My EC involves being on a Junior Board of a nonprofit involving therapy for kids and volunteering as a basketball and soccer coach for kids.

I graduated with a degree in chemistry.

I'm a 34 yo Vietnamese American male. I'm a first-generation college student.

My short-term goals are to pivot into consulting and then exit into product management after a few years. In the long-term, I would like to become an entrepreneur.

Hey Alex and Graham! Excited to finally be posting here. Been an avid listener of wire taps for 4 months now and thought Alex's comment about marathons in last week's episode was so funny. Hopefully I can get featured as well!

Bio: Born in Korea, moved to the US when I was young and now have US citizenship

College: Transferred after freshman year and graduated from a top 10 undergrad B School. I know GPA doesn't look horrible but a couple C's and even a D is some of my business courses like accounting/finance cause I didn't think those courses would matter for my career and didn't try though overall a positive trend in GPA and dean's list last 2 years all while doing in semester internships, a part time job as a lifeguard, and leadership roles in student gov

GMAT: Def will retake absolutely mediocre attempt (50 percentile quant and 99th DI lol)

Work: 8 month gap after grad because of covid and started at a smaller ad tech company where I was promoted after 5 months and worked on client media strategy Left after a year and a half total to join a huge advertising agency to learn more about industry and gain hard skills Hated culture, work, team and left after only about 9 months Joined Fortune 10 company (not FAANG) in their high growth newly formed advertising/media tech company (~3.5 years old) working on client strategy and not a promotion but had a reorg that changed my title from specialist to manager after 7 months. Been here about 1.25 years at this point and will be staying until MBA

Extracurricular: co Founded asian employee group at 1st company, was selected to join leadership academy for asian employees at 2nd company, co lead of APAN erg at current company as well and board member of young alumni council for undergad Was nominated for employee award in 1st company and won employee award for outstanding work at current company DJ on weekends Extensive travel 1st 2 jobs were completely remote so spent a lot of time traveling and working abroad currently at 60+ countries I think?. Recently started a travel blog/socials that I'm hoping to grow and monetize

Post MBA goal: work in a growth marketing role at a b2b saas company, hopefully in ad tech industry. Want to join early-late stage startup (series C ish). Long term goal: work more globally in late stage US startups looking to expand into new markets/countries (exec level growth/partnerships/go to market strategy)

R1 Strategy: Wharton/Lauder (still looking more into whether I'd be able to pass the language exam for Lauder), GSB, Sloan, Haas, CBS R2: NYU, Duke, maybe Northwestern?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

MBA LiveWire

R2 WL, Accepted to Booth and Columbia as well

Bummed but happy to no longer be waiting

Applied to J-Term on 6/18. Fall 24' Round 2 waitlisted candidate who was rejected on 5/31 with J-term suggested by admissions

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Our students demonstrate professional achievement, academic aptitude, and leadership potential and come from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds.

The Berkeley Haas MBA for Executives admissions team takes a holistic approach to reviewing applications, seeking to understand all aspects of a candidate’s character, qualifications, and experiences.

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply .

Berkeley MBA for Executives Application

• You will complete the application, upload all required documents, monitor the status of your application, and receive your application decision through your Portal.
• You may enter, update, and save information in your application any time until you’ve submitted your application.
• Your application must be submitted by 11:59 PM Pacific Time on the date of the application deadline.
• Once you submit your application, you will not be able to make changes to your application, but be sure to monitor your Portal for updates on your application status.
• We will send you a confirmation email upon receipt of your application and supplemental materials.
• Be sure to remember the email address you use to create your account. All communications regarding your application will go to this email address.

Reapplying to the Berkeley MBA Program

If you've previously applied to any Berkeley MBA program, including the MBA for Executives Program, you still need to create a new application. See our information for Reapplicants .

International Applicants

If you received your undergraduate degree outside of the United States and/or are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, see our information for International Applicants .

University Transcripts

• We require copies from all institutions you have attended or are currently attending. However, we only require official or original transcripts from the institution where you were awarded your bachelor's degree.
• Must arrive in a sealed envelope as issued by the school
• If the institution provides official electronic transcripts, they can be emailed directly from the institution to: [email protected]

 You must upload to your application copies of transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate programs you have attended or are currently attending since graduating high school/secondary school.  You must also list each of these schools in the Academic History section of the application.

Do not send transcripts for seminars, ESL classes, professional development courses, computer certifications, etc.

U.S. Transcript Submission

Transcripts must arrive in a sealed envelope as issued by the school. Transcripts may be sent directly by the issuing institution or by the applicant (still sealed), together with other supplemental materials to the following address:

Berkeley MBA for Executives Program Admissions Haas School of Business 430 Student Services Bldg. #1910 Berkeley, CA 94720-1910

Non-U.S. Transcript Submission

Please see our information for international applicants .

Employment & Resume

To review the progression and milestones of your career, we ask that you provide us details of each of your professional roles since you have finished your undergraduate studies. Please break out each of your positions separately and provide dates and details for each position. We also ask that you upload a current resume through the online application. We prefer chronological resumes no longer than 2 pages, in PDF format. Learn more about how we review your professional experience. 

Standardized Tests & Quantitative Readiness

As one way to evaluate potential success in the program, we require all applicants to submit official results from one of the following standardized tests:

• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Executive Assessment (EA)

We view all three tests equally and there are no minimum scores to apply to the program. For those not familiar with the Executive Assessment, the EA is specifically designed to evaluate the business school readiness of seasoned professionals. The assessment focuses on skills that are critical both at work and in an MBA for Executives program: higher order reasoning, critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving. The test is administered by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC).

We will accept official scores for GMAT, EA, or GRE exams taken October 2018 or later for 2023-2024 applicants. These scores must also be verifiable with the testing agency. The testing agencies keep the scores for five years from the date the test was taken so you must submit your official scores to us directly from the testing agency prior to them expiring. We will keep your test score reports on file for two years.

All applicants must provide self-reported scores as part of the application, in addition to ordering your official score report with our institution codes. When requesting your official results, please use the following institution codes:

• EA institution code: N2V-PT-85
• GMAT Institution Code: N2V-PT-85
• GRE Institution Code: 0667

Applicants with a PhD with evidence of strong quantitative skills or an advanced medical degree, as listed below, may request an exemption from submitting standardized test scores:  

• Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine

To request a waiver, applicants must start an application, upload all academic transcripts, and send an email request to [email protected] . We will review your request and the admissions committee will notify you within 5-7 days.

If you require more time to take an exam, please contact the admissions office to discuss your situation.

The Haas Quantitative Readiness Course  

Bolster your application and prepare for mba coursework.

The optional QRC provides a no-cost option for demonstrating academic readiness and prepares you for the rigors of MBA coursework. The virtual course is self-paced and includes online support from an instructor.

Who should take the course?

The QRC is for MBA applicants who have limited experience using quantitative skills in their academic or professional background and would like to provide more evidence of academic readiness to support their MBA candidacy. It also benefits incoming students who would like to brush up on and/or enhance their quantitative skills in preparation for their MBA.

Note: If you are taking UCB Extension Math for Management, you do not need to take this course.

QRC Course Format and Cost

• The course videos and instructor access are offered free of charge. You may complete the course or portions of the course by watching the videos at your own pace with online support from the professor.
• The course is divided into 7 modules: 
• Math Fundamentals for Business Part I
• Math Fundamentals For Business Part II
• Statistics Part I
• Statistics Part II
• Finance Part I
• Finance Part II
• Microeconomics
• Each module is intended to take about one week to complete; however, it is possible to go slower or more quickly depending on your experience with the topics and how much time you invest each week. You may also accelerate through the first two modules by testing out of them.

To Enroll in the Course 

• Applicants must start an application  
• Select the ‘Essay’ tab where you can indicate you are interested in the QRC course and complete the request to enroll. 
• If you have already submitted your application, you may use this link to log into your portal and complete the request to enroll.

Preparing for the Executive Assessment

Join the Haas MBA for Executives admissions team and guest, Eric Chambers of GMAC, makers of the GMAT and the Executive Assessment (EA), to learn how to prepare to take the Executive Assessment . During this discussion, you will learn about the test content, structure, and resources to help you prepare in under four weeks. He’ll also walk through practice problems from each section. You’ll leave ready to conquer the test.

English Language Proficiency Exams: TOEFL/IELTS

Applicants who received their degrees in countries other than the U.S., UK, Australia, English-speaking Canada, or Singapore are required to take the TOEFL exam or the IELTS exam.

• Tests taken before June 2022 will not be accepted.

Review our International Applicants website for information on ordering these scores

If you have completed at least one year of full-time academic coursework with grades of “B” or better in residence at a recognized US institution at your time of application. You must submit an official transcript from the US institution. The following courses will not fulfill this requirement:

• Courses in English as a Second Language
• Courses conducted in a language other than English
• Courses that will be completed after you apply
• Courses of a non-degree or non-academic nature

We’re looking for honest, thoughtful responses that help us get to know you; there truly is no one “right” answer to our essay questions. While you should answer each question thoroughly, you should not exceed the specified lengths.

Essay 1 - Personal Story

To help admissions get to know you please share something about yourself that may not be evident in other parts of your application. Examples might include information about your family, culture, hobbies, and lived experiences. Please avoid professional topics. (300 word limit)

Essay 2 - Professional Statement

Please summarize your primary area of professional expertise or knowledge. What do you do, and what are you known for? (150 words)

Letters of Recommendation

• It is recommended, but not required, that one letter be from your current direct supervisor.
• The letters will be submitted through our online system.

Learn more about what we look for in your letters of recommendation.

An interview with the Admissions Committee is required for applicants before admission to the program can be offered.

• The interview is approximately 30 minutes long and will be with a member of the Admissions Committee.
• During the interview you will have the opportunity to ask specific questions as well as help us better understand your career, background, and interests. 
• For greater accessibility, you will have the opportunity to interview virtually or in person.
• The mode of your interview will have no impact on your admissions decision.

Scheduling your Interview

For your convenience, you can choose to schedule your interview before or after you submit your application. 

You can find information about scheduling your interview in the Interview section of the application . You will need to have completed the "Personal Data" section of your application and have your current resume uploaded before you interview. After that, you may schedule your interview by clicking the button in the Interview section. 

Non-refundable Application Fee

A $200 non-refundable application fee is required and payable by credit card within the online application.

Fee waivers are available for:

• Nonprofit / Public Service Employees. Employees of nonprofit and public service are eligible for a fee waiver.
• U.S. military service members.   U.S military service members (active, veteran, or honorably discharged). Please include documentation of service or certificate of eligibility. (Do not submit a copy of your military ID.)
• Participants in the   Summer Institute for Emerging Managers & Leaders (SIEML) program.
• Citizenship in a country on the African Continent .
• Currently unemployed  due to a lay off which occurred after June 1, 2023.

You will apply for a fee waiver within the application. Requests for a fee waiver must be received at least three (3) business days prior to the application deadline for which you are applying.

Application Tips

Application.

Make it manageable. In just five minutes, you can   create your login , input your basic information, upload your resume, or jot down some essay ideas.

There truly is no one "right" answer. We just want to get to know you better. 

Transcripts

Ask ahead. It can take schools two to three weeks to mail a transcript.

Entrance Exams

Prepare well for the GMAT, GRE, or EA. Berkeley EMBA student Manoj Thomas discusses his test prep experience in this podcast .

Give your recommenders enough time. As a professional courtesy, you should aim to request your letters 3-6 weeks ahead of the application deadline.

Next: Executive MBA Class Profile →

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• Current Students

The legacy of eugenics

Professor Osagie K. Obasogie launches landmark series with L.A. Review of Books

• By Sheila Kaplan
• 11 min. read ▪ Published June 20
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These days, it’s a rare scientist who would admit to working in eugenics.

The word conjures historical horrors: mass sterilization of people judged unfit to reproduce, state anti-miscegenation laws, and Germany’s justification for the Holocaust.

Osagie Obasogie, Professor of Law and Professor of Bioethics at UC Berkeley

But to Osagie K. Obasogie , a professor of law and bioethics at UC Berkeley, the discredited theory that selective breeding can—and should—be used to improve the human race lives on in hidden but insidious ways. And he wants to bring those ideas in science and medicine out of hiding, in a national conversation that will prevent the repetition of the past.

“Few people today will call themselves eugenicists,” said Obasogie, Haas Distinguished Chair and professor of law; who also holds a joint appointment at the School of Public Health and the UC Berkeley/UCSF Joint Medical Program . “However, it’s not uncommon for mainstream scientists to embrace some of the ideas, ideologies and practices that would be imminently familiar to a eugenicist of the past.”

Reproductive technologies that purport to help parents select embryos with particular traits concerning, for example, hair or eye color, or create children who might excel at music or sports, might align with eugenic thinking in ways that people might not immediately realize, Obasogie says. He believes that such technology must be scrutinized from both a scientific and ethical perspective to avoid the terrible racism and classism that defined eugenics from its founding.

“This idea has been around for a very long time,” he said. “It’s been incredibly harmful and we have to maintain our historical commitment to resisting this way of thinking.”

Toward that end, Obasogie has teamed up with the Los Angeles Review of Books (LARB) to launch a two-year project called Legacies of Eugenics . It’s a national conversation on the history of eugenics and the ways it still shapes various aspects of science, medicine, and technology.

Experts from fields across the humanities, medicine, health and social sciences, and other disciplines will contribute a variety of eugenics-related essays to the series, which is supported by the Center for Genetics and Society , the Othering & Belonging Institute , and Nova Institute for Health , along with UC Berkeley School of Public Health . Articles in discussion will explore the entanglement of eugenics in statistics; the role of eugenics in the founding of Stanford University; and researchers’ quest for genes that are associated with high intelligence, among other topics.

Eugenics in California

In Obasogie’s introductory essay , published in April, he makes the case that eugenics thinking did not end in the last century, as many people believe.

“Eugenics stood for the idea that a person’s abilities and social position were innate traits determined by their biological and genetic makeup, and the same traits would be passed on to their children,” he wrote. “Everything from intelligence to poverty to criminality to general morality was thought to be inherited.

“In the late 19th century, when race science was all the rage, eugenics extended the conversation on scientific racism by providing not only a seemingly objective way to understand the achievements of wealthy whites across generations but also an explanation for why poor or disabled people and racial minorities seemed stuck, unable to break what appeared to be inescapable cycles of destitution. In short, biology was thought to be destiny.”

Social determinants like racism, classism, and environmental influences were not in the picture.

“State and institutional commitments to eugenics extended far beyond the end of World War II,” Obasogie wrote. “For example, California continued to sterilize some disabled and institutionalized people until 1979. And as recently as 2013, incarcerated women were routinely sterilized in California state prisons. Latin American women who gave birth at the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center in the 1970s were coerced into sterilization , where victims recalled being ‘bullied by doctors and nurses who declared their children burdens on California taxpayers’

“There was even a so-called Nobel Prize sperm bank in Escondido, created by millionaire Robert Klark Graham in 1979. He hoped to create scores of purported superbabies. Graham convinced four Nobel laureates to contribute their sperm, including Stanford University professor William Shockley—inventor of the transistor—who was also an open racist and eugenicist in his own right. Shockley once said during a televised debate that his ‘research leads [him] inescapably to the opinion that the major cause of the American Negro’s intellectual and social deficits is hereditary and racially genetic in origin and thus not remediable to a major degree by practical improvements in the environment.’”

“From this vantage point,” Obasogie concluded, “eugenics is as Californian as palm trees, Hollywood, $2 million teardown houses , and $22 burritos .”

Startups and eugenics

Michele Pridmore-Brown, LARB’s science and technology editor, and a research scholar with UC Berkeley’s Center for Science, Technology, Medicine and Society , said she was immediately interested when Obasogie suggested they collaborate on the project.

“We hadn’t done this sort of thing before; it was totally new,” she said. “I had to do some convincing, but everybody was intrigued by the idea, especially since eugenics is still so relevant.”

Pridmore-Brown, who has herself written on eugenics, said she is wary of researchers seeking genes associated with high IQ, with an eye toward helping parents create smart babies.

“Startups are doing that sort of thing and it’s very dangerous,” she said. “It’s so short-sighted and blind. You might find particular genes associated with high IQ, and those same genes might also be associated with other traits— like, say, anxiety, allergies, and even lack of empathy—that may not be so good. Unfortunately the people in the business of doing this want to replicate themselves and their type of intelligence. It’s problematic.”

A eugenics fund at UC Berkeley

Obasogie’s focus on eugenics began in November, 2018, when an email that listed funding opportunities available at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health landed in his inbox. Among them was something Obasogie had never seen before: a call for research to be funded by the Genealogical Eugenics Institute Fund.

“I was stunned,” he recalled. “At first, this seemed like another benign funding email and then I read it and thought, ‘Wait a minute. Where did this fund come from? What is it?’ And no one really knew.”

Obasogie and other concerned faculty met with school administrators, who quickly suspended the fund. He learned that it came from a private trust which was developed “for the primary purpose of improvement of the human race through research and education in the field of eugenics.”

The fund had a circuitous path to the school. Established in 1960 as a private trust, it was later transferred to the UC Regents, then moved to UC Berkeley, where it ended up at the School of Public Health. The annual $70,000 payout had been used to fund student and faculty research unrelated to eugenics.

After a public apology , the school renamed the fund, and started using the money for projects to raise awareness about racism, disability discrimination and other forms of social bias in science and beyond—including Legacies of Eugenics .

Alexandra Minna Stern, UCLA’s dean of humanities, and a previous collaborator with Obasogie, has long studied sterilization and social justice. Stern, a professor with an appointment at UCLA’s Institute for Society and Genetics, also studies ecofascism: the distorted idea that environmental concerns such as climate change are caused by overpopulation, which far right advocates want to remedy by restricting immigration and limiting reproduction among minority groups.

The far right, she said, “is worried about the demographic composition of the country,” Stern said. “Who should have babies, and be let into the country with immigration policies.

“Ecofascism equates whiteness with purity and strength. I am working on an essay that addresses the new packaging of ecofascism in context of the emergency of the rise of the far right and how it perpetuates eugenic ideas.”

Another contributor, Jessica Riskin, the Frances and Charles Field Professor of History at Stanford, who studies evolutionary biology, is planning to write about the way in which eugenics is entwined in modern interpretation of Darwinism.

“Science is an element of culture, just like every other human endeavor,” Riskin said. “I think people think of it as if there is bad, corrupt, racist science and then there’s pure science. It just doesn’t work like that. You can’t separate science from culture; racism is built into the deep structure of biology.”

“The job of the series is to excavate the racism in the structure of science and reveal it, to think about it out in the open.”

Obasogie hopes this public conversation will spur more critical thinking about the increasingly popular mindset about engineering perfect babies.

“The idea that the traits society values or abhors are somehow all encoded at a genetic level that determines people’s behaviors and abilities is a bit of a stretch,” he said. “I think we need a deeper appreciation of the role that socialization and social groups play in helping people become the individuals that they are, and not necessarily reduce the attributes, good or bad, to some type of inherent genetic predisposition.”

“Eugenics transcends traditional left/right political divides. For example, just as some people on the far right embrace eugenics as a way to restrict immigration and reproduction among racial minorities, some on the progressive left find engineering perfect babies enticing. Others even go further in thinking that they—the smart and beautiful members of the elite—have a responsibility to have as many children as possible to repopulate the earth with their genes, or at least to not let those who are perceived as less capable out-reproduce those who are thought to be more talented. It’s a troubling mindset, and one that is not novel. We’ve seen this before, and this project is about making connections between certain ways of eugenic thinking when it’s largely believed that eugenics is a thing of the past.”

People of BPH found in this article include:

• Osagie Obasogie Professor of Law and Professor of Bioethics, UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program, Community Health Sciences

More in category “Research Highlights”:

Study: sodium intake associated with severe eczema, study shows pfas threat to drinking water in rural, predominantly latinx communities, lisa barcellos works to uncover biological effects of exposure to wildfire smoke, new lancet series: 750,000 deaths linked to antimicrobial resistance could be prevented every year.

First-Gen, LGBTQ, Military: Key MBA Class Profile Data At The Top U.S. B-Schools

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MBA class profiles have always evolved. In the United States in recent years, amid a concerted attack on diversity efforts in higher education, they have evolved much more rapidly .

This is particularly true in the last year, as U.S. universities and business schools seek to signal their continued embrace of diversity following last year’s demolishment of affirmative action by a conservative Supreme Court .

Most class profiles at the top U.S. B-schools now include ethnicity information that conforms to both federal guidelines and multi-identity reporting standards. This is in contrast to their counterparts in Europe and Asia, which in many cases are legally constrained from reporting racial identifiers. With few exceptions, the top European and Asian schools confine their class descriptions to work backgrounds, nationality, gender, number of students, and similar metrics.

TOP U.S. MBA PROGRAMS WITH THE MOST LGBTQ+ 

WHAT YOU’LL INCREASINGLY FIND IN MBA CLASS PROFILES

The differences between U.S. and global B-schools’ MBA class profiles extend beyond race to include other measurements of the diversity and experience of each particular group of strangers thrown together to learn advanced management principles. Increasingly in recent years, though still not universally, these include the percentage of first-generation college students in the class, the proportion who already have advanced degrees, the percentage with military backgrounds (active or veteran) , and the percentage who identify as LGBTQ+.

Some schools also now include marriage status, or the percentage of students arriving with partners . Many, but not all, offer the average age of their incoming classes.

After test scores — Graduate Management Admission Test and Graduate Record Exam most often, though not always the latter — and undergraduate GPA , only one other metric is ubiquitous in MBA class profiles: work experience. No school omits the average, in years or months, of work completed by a class before joining its hallowed halls.

See the next page for what is and isn’t available from the top 25+ U.S. B-schools as ranked by Poets&Quants . And see P&Q’s reporting on women at the top U.S. and global B-schools and minorities at the top U.S. B-schools.

TOP U.S. MBA PROGRAMS WITH THE MOST STUDENTS WITH ADVANCED DEGREES 

CHANGES IN CLASS PROFILES AT THE TOP SCHOOLS

No top B-school in 2023 overhauled its MBA class profile to a greater extent than Washington Foster School of Business . Foster added three new metrics to its profile: first-generation students, LGBTQ+ students, and students holding advanced degrees before starting the program — and even led all top-25 B-schools (along with Duke Fuqua School of Business ) in the latter category with 21%. Other B-schools that didn’t report one metric or another that began to do so last fall were Virginia Darden School of Business (LGBTQ+), Duke Fuqua (first-gen), UCLA Anderson School of Management (LGBTQ+ and military), Northwestern Kellogg School of Management (first-gen), USC Marshall School of Business (LGBTQ+), Emory Goizueta Business School (LGBTQ+), and Washington Olin Business School (military).

Schools with the most in each category:

• First-gen: Rice Jones Graduate School of Business (26% — 3-year average); Virginia Darden 21%; UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business and Texas McCombs School of Business (20% each)
• Military: Duke Fuqua (19%); Washington Foster (18%)
• Years work: Indiana Kelley School of Business (6.4); Duke Fuqua (6.1). Lowest years work: Florida Warrington College of Business (4.0); 4 other schools below 5 years including Harvard Business School
• Advanced degrees: Duke Fuqua and Washington Foster (21% each)
• LGBTQ+: Berkeley Haas (14%); Yale School of Management and NYU Stern School of Business (13% each)
• Highest age: Indiana Kelley (30)
• Lowest age: Georgia Terry College of Business (25)

TOP U.S. MBA PROGRAMS WITH THE MOST MILITARY/VETERANS 

NOTABLE INCREASES IN KEY METRICS

There were some noteworthy jumps in some of these profile metrics between the fall 2022 and fall 2023 intakes, in particular for first-generation students. Texas McCombs grew this population significantly, to 20% from 11%; as did Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business , to 19% from 11%. Berkeley Haas’ first-gens grew to 20% from 13%, and Virginia Darden’s to 21% from 16%. Northwestern Kellogg, reporting first-generation students for the first time, reported 13% of its incoming class as members of this group.

Military also saw significant growth in representation at a handful of schools: At Duke Fuqua, a big leap to 19% from 9%; at Washington Foster, doubled to 18% from 9%; at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School , to 20% from 11%; and at Darden, to 14% from 8%.

Also notable: Stanford Graduate School of Business saw its students with advanced degrees grow to 17% of the class in 2023 from 13% in 2022.

TOP U.S. MBA PROGRAMS WITH THE MOST FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS

*Rice Jones publishes a 3-year average for all data in its MBA class profile

Next page: First-generation students, LGBTQ+, military, average age and more at 29 of the leading U.S. MBA programs.

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CMR INSIGHTS

Unraveling open source ai.

by Melodena Stephens, Mark Esposito, Raed Awamleh, Terence Tse, and Danny Goh

Image Credit | Shahadat Rahman

“Open source” has been a buzzword in the tech community for decades. The term first became popular with software in the 1970s, when operating systems were incompatible and early programming suffered when older systems were replaced (see Richard M. Stallman’s (2002) work on free software). However, there has always been ambiguity and speculation about what exactly “open source” means, a debate that recently reopened when Elon Musk sued Open AI in March for reneging on its mission to be open source (Gent, 2024). In this article, we offer a definition of open source AI and a framework for understanding the ambiguities of the term and offer recommendations for the safe and efficient use of open source AI. 

Understanding open source AI

Open source AI refers to a combination of what is free in terms of resources of the AI model (API, code, data, hardware, IP), processes (development, testing, feedback, patching), or effects (knowledge, education, products). In general, open-source AI involves the algorithms, code, and data used for training an AI model being made publicly available. The goal in doing so is often to foster collaboration and allow for users, developers, and researchers to build upon and improve the AI model in question (Shrestha et al., 2023). Open source AI is thus a deliberate strategy regarding the access and usage terms of the AI at hand (Fukawa et al., 2021).

Our framework posits that open source AI is not limited to software but can include combinations of software, hardware, data, or knowledge (see Figure 1). It is crucial to note that some projects claim to be “open source” when they only release the neural network model’s weights (its pre-trained parameters) while not providing other elements, such as the original dataset or training code (Ramlochan, 2023). Non-profits have worked on developing projects that fully open up the AI model training process, such as the Allen Institute for AI’s (2024) Open Language Model OLMo . 

Even with truly open source software, misconceptions arise. The term does not mean the software is freely available, i.e., the source code (the parts of software copied on computer/device), the code behind this, or the kernel (the part of the software that ties the entire system together) may not be free. In many cases, this misunderstanding is creating confusion about the actual transparency of AI companies and their altruism (Liesenfeld & Dingemanse, 2024). For example, software that is not free in terms of money but free in terms of usage could be considered open source. For example, Red Hat Software Inc., a publicly traded company, sells subscriptions for Linux-based products, considering that Linux is an open source free software. 

Figure 1 : Open source AI in terms of hardware, software, data, and knowledge

Open source AI can allow you to study, use, access, copy/make, modify, distribute, and collaborate, sometimes with strings attached – like a licensing fee, copyright distribution terms, fees for tech support, or other hidden fees (like data storage and access fees once you move to larger data volumes). 

Figure 2 : The Open Source Spectrum

Using open source AI safely and efficiently

When you choose open source AI projects—for transparency, research collaboration or commercialization—read the fine print. Firstly, investigate who the owner of the project is. The owners of many open source AI projects have a poor track record of keeping promises. When the upkeep of the project becomes expensive, many owners also restrict new model upgrades using a fee structure. It is also crucial to look at how active the community is around the open source project. Are they a dying breed, or are they growing and keeping an eye on each other? 

For safety reasons, parts of open source AI code are proprietary. You need to understand the implications of this, especially if you are going to use open source AI as part of a professional or business venture. Software support will also be needed down the line for functioning and cybersecurity. Open source AI can, for example, be embedded with malicious code (see Harush, 2023) . If you do not have the necessary cybersecurity expertise yourself, be sure you know how to get it and if you will have to pay for it. If you are building on top of an open source project and planning to commercialize, consider the risks if the project gets corrupted or shifts – how will it impact the functioning of your business? Often, open source means you should also open source derivatives of the project unless you state it specifically, so always read the open source license terms.

Open source AI is often presented as a way to democratize AI development and training. However, open source AI has the same ambiguities and poses the same risks as any other tech trend. Taking the time to understand the variety of open source AI projects out there, how they approach the concept of open source in terms of hardware, software, data, and knowledge, and how to use them safely and efficiently is crucial in order to reap the benefits of this tech while effectively mitigating its risks. 

Allen Institute for AI. (2024). Open Language Model: OLMo. Retrieved May 13, 2024, from https://allenai.org/olmo

Fukawa, N., Zhang, Y., & Erevelles, S. (2021). Dynamic capability and open-source strategy in the age of digital transformation.  Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity ,  7 (3), Article 175. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7030175  

Gent, E. (2024, March 25). The tech industry can’t agree on what open-source AI means. That’s a problem. MIT Technology Review . https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/03/25/1090111/tech-industry-open-source-ai-definition-problem/  

Harush, J. (2023, November 27). The hidden supply chain risks in open-source AI models. Checkmarx. https://checkmarx.com/blog/the-hidden-supply-chain-risks-in-open-source-ai-models/  

Liesenfeld, A., & Dingemanse, M. (2024). Rethinking open source generative AI: Open-washing and the EU AI Act. In  Seventh annual ACM conference on fairness, accountability, and transparency (ACM FAccT 2024) (pp. 1-14). Association for Computing Machinery. https://pure.mpg.de/rest/items/item_3588217_2/component/file_3588218/content  

Ramlochan, S. (2023, December 12). Openness in language models: Open source vs open weights vs restricted weights . Prompt Engineering & AI Institute. https://promptengineering.org/llm-open-source-vs-open-weights-vs-restricted-weights/  

Shrestha, Y. R., von Krogh, G., & Feuerriegel, S. (2023). Building open-source AI.  Nature Computational Science ,  3 (11), 908-911. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43588-023-00540-0  

Stallman, R. M. (2002).  Free software, free society: Selected essays of Richard M. Stallman . GNU Press.

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