haas mba essay sample

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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. 

Below are the required essays, supplemental essays, and optional essays for the Fall 2024-2025 application cycle. 

Required Essay #1

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

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 max)

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)

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.

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.

Optional Information #2 

Supplemental Information

• 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.)

Video: Extracurricular Supplement Tips

Senior Associate Director of Full-time Admissions, Cindy Jennings Millette, shares how we look at, and evaluate, extracurricular and community involvement.

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2023-2024 Berkeley Haas MBA Essay Tips and Example Essays

Sep 11, 2023

• 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 less than 300 students to take part in their prestigious MBA program. There is no “standard” student at Haas, yet the average admitted student does tend to have 5.6 years of work experience and either a median 730 GMAT or Q163/V162 GRE score . Diversity is also a strong point for Haas, with its Class of 2024 containing 46% women, 14% LGBTQ+, 16% US minorities, and 41% international students. 

In addition, Haas also looks for candidates who possess the following traits:

Haas’s defining leadership principles are as follows:

In addition, Haas is extremely dedicated to diversity and inclusion and has numerous resources on campus to ensure that diverse students not only find their way at Haas but that they also have all the tools and support they need to reach their personal and professional goals. 

If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Berkeley’s new admissions essay questions.

2. How should I answer Berkeley Haas essay questions

2.1. essay 1 tips.

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

Before starting to write your essays, we suggest you take the time to watch the videos with essay tips prepared by the Haas staff, as the videos give great insight into how to best answer the questions. 

Retained from last year, this question seeks to get to know the person behind the CV. 

First of all, it is important to pay attention to the wording of this essay. Haas asks you what makes you feel alive when you are doing it , which implies that the best answer to this question will be an activity and will be an activity you are currently involved in . Using your Stanford “What Matters Most” here in a copy/paste format will not work, as that essay is much more based on values, and this essay asks for actions. On the other hand, if you do have an activity you’re passionate about, this essay should not be difficult to write! 

When choosing your theme for this essay, we suggest focusing on one “thing” that makes you feel alive, as 300 words is likely not enough room to write meaningfully about multiple examples. Furthermore, since Haas’ second essay asks you for a professional example, we would suggest choosing something from your personal life for this essay in order to show the admissions committee more about what makes you you .

Along these lines, try to think about choosing a theme/activity that provides the admissions committee with valuable insights into your personality and background. 

For example, last year, a client wrote a short essay for Michigan Ross on the topic of “making a difference” that discussed his passion for his volunteer work providing electricity to remote communities in the Brazilian Amazon. 

After speaking about how he got involved and exactly what the project works to accomplish, he discussed how a quote from a member of one of the communities thanked him for giving him the chance to safely make his way home from work at night. 

This quote brought a level of personal engagement with the client’s theme that went far beyond, “I am passionate about volunteering,” and, instead, took his reader right there to the Amazon to feel his passion. 

For this reason, we suggest you focus on strong storytelling here (a condensed version of the STAR methodology will work very well here) and end with the result you obtained or lesson you learned. If you can think of a way to connect this passion to your time at Haas, make sure to add this. 

TOP TIP : Don’t worry if you think your passion isn’t “unique” enough. Showing how this passion developed and why it’s so important in your life is much better than an essay on a very unique but unsubstantiated theme. 

2.2. Essay 2 Tips

Required Essay #2: How will an MBA help you achieve your short-term and long-term career goals? (300 words max)

Berkeley Haas’ second essay changed dramatically this year, from a leadership-driven essay to one that directly asks about goals and how Haas will help you reach them. 

In this essay, you have a big task. In 300 words , you need to discuss:

• Context for your goals
• Your specific-post MBA goals
• Why you believe an MBA is necessary to reach these goals
• How a Haas MBA will help you reach these goals

Each of these elements must be included and must build off of each other. 

First of all, many candidates think they do not need to specifically state their goals, or that it’s better to leave “their options open.” If you are applying to elite business schools, however, you must have and present absolutely clarity about your goals. 

TOP TIP : If you’re having trouble figuring out what your post-MBA goals are, we’ve prepared this post to help you decipher this essential part of the application process! 

However, goals without context can be a little confusing to decipher or understand (or they can just seem a bit lackluster). For this reason, we suggest starting your essay with context. 

For example, a client last year initially started his essay by saying: 

“I want to become a Business Development Director at a Brazilian company.”

While interesting, it’s better to give a little bit of context to help these goals come to life. Check out the final version of the same essay’s introduction:

“In the 1970s, the phrase “think global, act local” came into use, suggesting that to have global impact, one must be active locally. With this mindset, I focused my career on Brazilian multinational companies to start creating global change at home. While at Company 1, I led a diverse global team, which showed me that clear communication is essential. I later accepted a finance position at a real estate company where I learned how new technologies can impact traditional local industries and that leaders must adapt to these trends to maintain competitiveness. Most recently, I joined Company 2 to participate in its daring globalization plan. At Company 2, I have learned how challenging it is to formulate effective global strategies to thrive in diverse markets. I have also developed management skills since becoming Financial Coordinator, learning how important establishing a culture of collaboration is to providing stability for organizations.

I now seek to take the next step to becoming a “global” leader by becoming Business Development Director at a Brazilian company pursuing globalization, giving me the experience to assume my long-term goal of CEO of one such company.”

Second, you should clearly demonstrate why you need an MBA. 

An MBA is not a catch-all degree that serves a purpose for all career paths. As such, you need to demonstrate that the goals you have set for yourself require the additional training an MBA can provide. 

Be thoughtful about this particular section. If you don’t need to improve in any meaningful way, you might be presenting the argument the admissions committee needs for why you can’t actually benefit from an MBA. 

Furthermore, if you show fluffy or unsupported reasons you need to hone your skills, you’ll also likely see your application tossed aside in favor of an applicant who was able to clearly demonstrate how they plan to leverage their time at business school. 

Third, add how Haas can specifically help you grow in the areas you’ve identified. Mentioning that you want to go to Haas because of its ranking or location in California will not cut it here. 

Instead, show that you have done significant, thoughtful research into Haas’ curriculum and into how opportunities outside of the classroom can help you grow. If you have space, it’s also highly recommended that you mention how you can contribute to the community. 

End with a winning conclusion statement that reinforces your personal brand and ties the whole essay together. 

Need more guidance?

Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of Berkeley Haas essays that worked to get our clients admitted to help you plan out a winning Berkeley Haas essay. Our center also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join ! 

2.3. Essay 3 Tips

Required Essay #3: (Video) The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles . Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. (Not to exceed 2 minutes.)

Joining the ranks of numerous other schools, Haas has introduced a video essay question for the first time this year. 

Considering the short amount of time you have to make an impression on Haas, your goal with this essay is to introduce yourself to your classmates, and the best introductions usually contain a killer story. 

To start brainstorming which topics you might want to include.

Since you’ll have Essay 1 to share a unique side of your life (personal or professional) and will have Essay 2 to talk about your career, anything is fair game here. As such, consider what else you are telling the admissions committee throughout your application and what else you could share that would add value to their picture of who you are and what you bring to the class . 

So think about what makes you YOU beyond what the school has already learned about you in your CV, letters of recommendation, and other essays. 

However, given the prompt and the short time limit, we suggest that you choose one story for your video. 

Once you’ve settled on the perfect example, figure out how to connect it with one of Haas’ four principles. Though your story might connect to numerous of the values, choose one . 

In the essay itself, you want to make this connection clear. As such, if you choose “Beyond Yourself,” make sure your story directly relates to an experience where you, “take the longer view in our decisions and actions. This often means putting the collective good above [your] own interests. ”

When it comes to structuring the video, I would suggest that you start out stating which of the 4 principles you most identify with, then launch into the exemplifying STAR story . At the end of the video, if you have space, I would suggest dedicating a few words to how you will continue to embody this value at Haas in some manner (perhaps contributing to a club or within the larger community). 

TOP TIP : Write out your script before recording. This allows you to make sure that your ideas flow well and that your example is being told effectively. 

No matter where you record, check your sound quality and lighting to make sure you will be easy to see and hear. 

Finally, we suggest you write a script and practice recording yourself several times to get just the right take. Usually, clients are able to comfortably fit about 320 words of content into 2 minutes. After recording yourself a few times, you may want to send a few options to friends, family, or trusted advisors to get their take on which clip to send. The most important thing is to show Haas your winning personality and why you fit in with their school’s culture! 

Make sure your video submission does not exceed the 2:00 limit.

2.4. Diversity Short Answer Tips

One of our goals at Berkeley Haas is to develop leaders who value diversity and to create an inclusive environment in which people from different ethnicities, genders, lived experiences, and national origins feel welcomed and supported. 

Can you please describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion, whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace? (300 words max)

At Haas, diversity is a core value . This means that at Berkeley Haas, you’ll constantly interact with people who think and act differently than you do. 

Succeeding in such an environment requires a great deal of adaptability and flexibility, as well as a willingness to learn from those who are different. This type of environment, however, is not for everyone, which is why Haas seeks to gauge how you respond to diversity in this essay.

We suggest you start by considering the brand you are presenting to Haas and examine which examples about diversity you can share that will add value to the stories you told in the rest of your application. Then, make sure you narrow this list down to your single best story. In a 150-word essay , you won’t have time to fully explore multiple examples, so limit yourself to one killer story. 

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

2.5. Optional Essay Tips

Supplemental Information about Recommender Choice

If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain. If not applicable, enter N/A.

In some cases, it’s not always possible to ask your current supervisor for a letter of recommendation, and that’s just fine! 

For example, many of our clients who work in investment banking fear they may receive a low bonus or even lose their jobs if they share their MBA plans with their current employer. 

Or perhaps you’ve recently started a new job and haven’t had the chance to build rapport or a strong list of achievements with your new supervisor. 

These are all valid reasons for choosing alternative references. If you do find yourself in one of these situations, make sure you write this essay and that you keep it short and sweet. 

I recommend starting out with sharing the reason why you aren’t able to ask your supervisor for a recommendation. This doesn’t need to be a STAR-format story or a long, complex discussion of your relationship. A sentence or two should do here. 

Then, I suggest you decide a bit of space to discussing why you chose the recommenders you did and what they bring to the table. For example, “I chose Carolyn Hobbs for my recommendation, as she managed me for 3 years until my promotion this May. I feel she can provide a complete picture of my strengths, weaknesses, and development as a professional.”

With both aspects included, the essay is ready.

TOP TIP : Keep the essay to under 100 words if you can. If you need more space to explain, consider if the information you’re adding is strictly relevant. 

Optional Information #1

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

What is the highest level of education completed by your parent(s) or guardian(s)? 

• Did not complete high school
• High school diploma or equivalency (GED)
• Associate’s degree (junior college) or vocational degree/license
• Bachelor’s degree (BA, BS)
• Master’s degree (MA, MS)
• Doctorate or professional degree (MD, JD, DDS)

What is the most recent occupation of your parent(s) or guardian(s)?

• 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 . 

Looking for Berkeley Haas essay examples? Check out our real sample essays that got our clients admitted here .

3. Get into the Berkeley Haas MBA program

Are you almost finished with your application but are still worried your essay is not quite perfect enough to send? 

At Ellin Lolis Consulting, our goal is to add more value to your application than you ever thought possible by giving you the tools and positioning you need to write outstanding essays that help you gain admission to a top MBA program. 

In the words of our client Kelsey, who was admitted to Berkeley Haas:

“There comes a point in the application process when the feedback that peers and mentors have given just isn’t enough to ensure that the essays are perfect and polished. It was at that point in my process that I contacted Ellin for her editing services. 

I was so impressed with Ellin’s eye for detail and her ability to help me refine my points without losing my voice in the essays. Elle understands the specific characteristics that each top MBA program is looking for. As a result, her feedback was excellent and gave me the confidence I needed to finalize and submit my applications the next day. 

I would recommend Ellin’s service to anyone applying to competitive MBA programs. She provides individualized attention and an understanding of the process that is unparalleled in the market.”

If you’re struggling to put your core values into words, or aren’t sure you’ve really nailed the brief for Berkeley Haas, let our award-winning editors use their expert storytelling abilities to help you transform your essay from average to attention-grabbing and land a Haas interview. 

After all, you don’t get into a prestigious business school without standing out!

4. Haas Deadlines

Here are the deadlines for the 2023-2024 season. You can access the Berkeley Haas application here .

Real MBA Essays That Got People In

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Haas MBA Essay Examples

Haas essay examples can be a great starting point to find inspiration in writing your own MBA admissions essays for Berkeley Haas. The Haas School of Business at the University of Berkeley is one of the best MBA programs in the world and home to one of the best part-time MBA programs . Competition is fierce, so every part of your application needs to be stellar, including your Haas essays. In this blog, we’ll look at the Haas business school essay requirements, how to write a great Haas MBA essay and some Haas essay examples.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

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Article Contents 7 min read

How to write an mba personal statement for haas school of business.

Haas uses your MBA admission essays to learn more about your candidacy and see how well you fit with the Haas School of Business Culture. Haas takes a holistic review of your application, so the admissions committee considers all the personal and professional experiences, achievements and opportunities you share in your application when deciding on admissions decisions. Haas also examines how you fit with the school’s core values, which are:

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

Berkeley Haas is at the top of MBA rankings , and the requirements for the Haas essays are specific. Your MBA personal statement is an opportunity to strengthen your application by standing out and diversifying yourself in a pool of competitive applicants, so acing the Haas essays is important. You should not be restating accomplishments from your MBA resume or relisting your best MBA extracurriculars for these essays. It’s important to dig deep, address the prompts head-on, and demonstrate maturity, personal growth and passion for your industry and career.

Wherever possible, demonstrate how you align with Haas’s 4 core values and how you will contribute as a student of the program. If you have unique career goals that will disrupt the status quo of your industry, talk about it in your essay. If you are eager to advance yourself in your chosen career field by studying the latest innovations in business, make this a focus in your essay.

The Haas admissions essays also have a very short word count limit, so every word counts!

If you’re not sure where to start with drafting your essay for Haas, you can look into an MBA essay writing service for feedback on your writing, or have an MBA admission consulting service review your application with you.

MBA requirements often include admissions essays or an MBA personal statement. There are 2 required admissions essays for the Haas MBA program and 2 optional “essays” or supplemental information.

The required MBA essay topics center on Haas’s core values, and are deeply personal, self-reflective questions. The MBA essay questions for Haas are:

• What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum)
• What kind of leader do you aspire to be, and why? (300 words max)

The format for these required essays is short essay, with an introduction, body paragraph and conclusion. They should be double-spaced and no longer than 300 words. The word limit is a bit more restrictive than most MBA programs, so it is absolutely crucial to revise your essay for maximum impact. You need to get straight to the point, address the prompt and cut out any unnecessary details. Writing an essay in under 300 words is tricky, but it can create an opportunity to stand out.

For the Haas MBA essays, your answer can be more personal, focus more on your professional accomplishments, or both. There is no guidance on the content of your essay, so it will be up to you to decide what experiences and accomplishments best answer the essay prompts. Take the time to reflect on the essay questions and take notes on which life experiences you have answer them best.

Check Out Our Podcast for More Free & Useful Content ","buttonText":"go to podcast","buttonColor":"#ff6600","bannerUnderText":null,"belowButtonText1":null,"belowButtonText2":null,"trustpilot":false}" :url=""https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/ca\/podcast\/bemo-admissions-experts-podcast\/id1642349082"" code="bannerpodcast" background-color="#000000" button-color="#ff6600" banner-image> Here are some brainstorming questions you can ask yourself to get started for Haas essay #1:

Here are some brainstorming questions you can ask yourself to get started for haas essay #2:.

Once you’ve written down some answers to these questions in bullet or point form, try condensing your answer down into a single point or main idea. You won’t have a lot of room for details, so try to pick one answer for each essay. Once you have the central idea of your essay, draft an outline with an introduction paragraph, a body paragraph and a conclusion. Once you’ve written a draft, work on cutting it down to fit within the word count by eliminating unnecessary details or words. Aim for no more than 500 words in your first draft, so it is easier to cut down to a lean 300 words or less.

Want some tips for writing an MBA personal statement?

Haas Optional Essays

The Haas optional essays or supplemental essays are a little more vague, and do not have a strict word count limit or formatting requirements. You can certainly write a short essay, but you can also use bullet points to provide additional information in this section. The “optional essay” prompts for Haas are:

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

Use this section as an opportunity to add something to your application to help distinguish you from other applicants. For instance, in response to the first prompt you might submit an MBA diversity essay . The second prompt gives you an opening to explain gaps in your MBA resume or explain a low GPA in your MBA application. If you want to know how to apply to an MBA while unemployed , you can use this section to provide context around your unemployed status and how earning a Haas MBA will help your career.

While the optional essays can be an aid to your application in specific circumstances, they are not required to be filled out. Use this section strategically and focus on acing the required Haas essays first.

Below are some MBA personal statement examples for Haas School of Business. These are written in response to the Haas MBA required essay prompts:

Haas Essay Example #1

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

Rock climbing has been my hobby for over a decade, and it is one of the things that has challenged me, fueled me and changed my perspective the most. Rock climbing requires focus, commitment, problem-solving and adaptability. It demands a great deal of physical strength, flexibility and endurance, as well as mental toughness and focus. To make an ascent, you need to be fully present in your body and mind, and 100% dialed into what you are doing every step of the climb.

Rock climbing is something that has made me hyper-aware of my own mental and physical state and the challenges I face on the wall, but it’s also something that has given me unparalleled rewards. Climbing gives you a sense of peace that is meditative. Your world shrinks to you and the rock wall in front of you. Every breath, every heartbeat and bit of effort counts towards your goal. When you reach the peak, there’s something fulfilling about standing up, exhaling and taking in the view at the top. Compared to the climb, which can take hours, not to mention the weeks or even months of preparation, the reward is a few minutes of drinking in the sights. But the reward of that view is worth it every single time.

That moment at the peak is something you would never be able to take in with your own eyes if you hadn’t put in the work and completed the climb. Even if you have to abandon your climb and try again, or find a new way up the wall, you can always come back and face the challenge. And I’ve found there’s nothing quite like knowing you finished something extraordinary and realized the reward at the end was actually small compared to the reward of the journey. (300 words).

Preparing for an interview at Haas School of Business? Here are the MBA interview question types you need to know

Haas Essay Example #2

Prompt: What kind of leader do you aspire to be, and why? (300 words max)

I aspire to be the kind of leader who doesn’t leave their team behind, who takes responsibility and leads by example. I believe this is the kind of leadership that is most effective and inspirational, and I am fortunate to know someone who embodies this kind of leadership to inspire me.

My friend, Tom Watson, owns his own business. He began as a startup founder, and over the years has grown his team from one to over 150 employees. Tom believes every victory the company has seen is a shared victory for the team. He makes it a point to regularly ask for input from his team members and listen to their points of view. He knows every birthday, the names of every employee’s kids, and he doesn’t miss an opportunity to offer constructive criticism or praise when needed. As a result, Tom’s team not only enjoys high morale, but a happier and more positive workplace. Whenever I visit Tom’s offices, I am blown away by the collaborative spirit at work. Despite some setbacks in Tom’s business, he and his team have managed to come through each one stronger than before.

I have often asked Tom for advice, and by far his favorite piece of advice on leadership is to care. He cares about his business, he cares about his team which makes the business possible. As someone who has worked on many different teams with leaders of different management styles, I can see that Tom’s leadership style does make a difference, both in the business, for the employees and for Tom himself. If my goal is to be the best leader I can be, I know it must start with being the kind of leader I’d want to follow. (290 words).

Your Haas MBA essay is written in short-essay format, in response to 2 prompts. The Haas essays should provide the admissions committee with some insight into who you are and what drives you in a personal and professional sense.

The word count limit for Haas MBA is 300 words.

The four core values of Haas School of Business are: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always and Beyond Yourself.

The MBA program at Berkeley Haas is one of the top MBA programs in the US and the world. It ranks in the top 10 worldwide and the top 5 in the US among business schools.

Getting your MBA at Haas is definitely worth it. It is considered one of the best business schools in the world and is known for its quality education in business. 

MBA acceptance rates in the US are competitive, and the Haas School of Business has one of the most competitive acceptance rates in the country. The school is considered very selective among business schools. 

The MBA essay questions for Haas School of Business are similar to MBA interview questions in that they are quite personal and require some serious thought and reflection. The first essay question asks what makes you feel most alive and why, and the second essay question asks what kind of leader you want to be. These can be examined from a personal point of view or a professional point of view. 

Haas Business School uses a holistic review of all its applicants. The admissions committee wants to see that you are a good fit for Haas and that the program can give you something no other program can. The admissions committee also wants to see that you demonstrate the school’s core values in your personal and professional life. If you’re not sure how to choose the right MBA program for you, research the school thoroughly first to see what opportunities it can provide you.

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Homepage > MBA Admissions > UC Berkeley Haas MBA essays 2022-2023 – Examples, Analysis and tips

UC Berkeley Haas MBA essays 2022-2023 – Examples, Analysis and tips

Posted by Atul Sharma | Jan 25, 2023 | Business Schools , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

UC Berkeley Haas School of  Business  has retained the essay format from the last cycle for the 2022-2023 application season. Instead of the four essay questions in earlier cycles (3 required and 1 optional), the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business application now consists of 2 required essays and a series of optional short answer questions.   You are going to find the following types of essays in your UC Berkeley Haas MBA application:

• Two required essays focused on your passion and leadership skills
• A series of supplemental questions (optional) that are targeted toward your background, life circumstances, jobs, and academics
• And one optional essay toward the end to help you convey additional information

In this article, we are going to analyze the UC Berkeley HAAS MBA essays, and provide you helpful tips on how to create an effective MBA application

Here is an outline of this article:

e-GMAT tips for UC Berkeley Haas MBA essay #1

Sample uc berkeley haas mba essay #1, e-gmat tips for uc berkeley haas mba essay #2, sample uc berkeley haas mba essay #2, common mistakes to avoid in your uc berkeley haas mba optional essays, mba application deadlines uc berkeley haas, uc berkeley haas mba essay #1.

“What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why?” (Word limit: 300)

Through this essay, the admission committee is looking to understand the influences that have shaped your decisions, and what motivates you. The admission committee goes through over 2000 applications every year, and the essays help them in selecting candidates who will add value to the MBA classroom as well as be successful in their post-MBA career goals. 

Here are some tips for you on how to answer this UC Berkeley Haas MBA essay question:

Think beyond academics

The main motive behind this essay question is to convey what you are passionate about. The admission committee at UC Berkeley wants to make sure that besides having excellent academics and a professional career, you can also be a valuable addition to their community.

You can talk about the community work that you have been extensively involved in, or, you can write about a sport that has always been a significant part of your life. There are no right or wrong responses to this essay question. But it shouldn’t look like you have written about something just for the sake of the essay. Demonstrate your enthusiasm and how it makes you feel while you are involved in it.

Support your response with examples/anecdotes

The UC Berkeley Haas admission committee has to go through a large number of applications to fill their relatively small MBA class. Your answers to the UC Berkeley Haas MBA essays have a sleek chance of being unique. A lot of applicants may come up with essay responses similar to you, may it be some kind of community work, sports, arts, etc. To make a strong point for yourself, you need to support your response with an anecdote that demonstrates your involvement in whatever it is you are writing about.

Examples from your life can help you connect with your reader. The examples will help the admission committee imagine the kind of contribution they can expect from you at the UC Berkeley Haas community.

‘Why’ is as important as ‘What’

It’s great that you could think of something that ignites passion in you when you are doing it, and you could also demonstrate examples from your life about them. But your response won’t have the expected influence on your reader unless you can justify why you feel the fire while doing whatever it is.

The ‘why’ part of this MBA essay can help you reveal your inborn talents and skills. Does the community work you do make you feel more at peace? Do you play the sport because you feel the immense adrenaline rush while playing it? Are you good at managing teams to accomplish complex tasks for the community work? There has to be something that drives you to be so passionate about it. You need to figure out what motivates you and the driving force behind your actions.

Here is an example of essay #1 from the UC Berkeley Haas MBA application.

Note : This sample is brief in nature and is just meant to give you an idea of how to develop an essay for your own application.

“I believe traveling is something that makes me feel the most alive. I have traveled to four Asian countries in the last four years. My first stint with traveling started when I was eighteen. Even when I lived in a small town in the suburbs of Odisha, India, I believed the world has far more to offer to me than I can imagine. I would spend my leisure hours reading books written by solo travelers and watching travel video blogs.

During my under-graduation, I started taking up freelance writing jobs. Also, I worked part-time at Subway to gather some funds for my travel. I did not want to burden my parents with my passion and took the matter in my own hands. With the little money I could save, I would travel to the nearby states in India. I have been to 18 Indian States. I would use my skills in written English to take up volunteer work to reduce my expenses.

In 2014, when I was in a distant village in Himachal Pradesh called Mana, I was helping an NGO called Save the Children. The NGO helps spread awareness on how one can have a better future through education. I taught primary level English language to the village kids. Since it was new for them, they would quickly get bored. I came up with an idea to reward them with a game of frisbee if they could stick with me through the lesson. It worked, and the kids loved the game. From the next day onwards, the kids came for the lessons in full attendance. I was there for 12 days, and I believe those were some of the best days of my life.

Just recently, I was going through Save the Children’s Facebook page, and I found out that the game of frisbee has become a routine for the kids in the village. I am glad I could make a little difference in the world. Right now, I have goose-bumps while I write this essay.”

UC Berkeley Haas MBA essay #2

“ At Berkeley Haas, we are redefining leadership. We value different opinions and perspectives, recognizing that we always have more to learn about others’ lived experiences and histories. We encourage speaking up and listening, and courageously use our power to address barriers and drive change for positive impact.

Tell us how a Berkeley Haas MBA would enhance your leadership profile, incorporating specific examples.” (Word limit – 300)

The first UC Berkeley Haas MBA essay was directed towards one aspect of your character, passion. The second required UC Berkeley Haas MBA essay shifts the focus towards another important aspect of your personality and leadership skills. This essay gives you a chance to highlight how have you used the leadership quality in you to make an impact in any situation. If you analyze the second part of the essay prompt carefully, you will notice that UC Berkeley Haas is on a lookout for students who are aware of the social issues. If you have ever actively worked towards breaking barriers in the society or have been vocal about prevalent social issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, conservation of natural resources, equal rights for all races, etc., your application is in for a brownie point.

Let’s further analyze this essay topic along with some tips from e-GMAT on how to impress the admission committee through this essay:

Let your leadership skills take the front row seat

‘ power to address barriers and drive change for positive impact .’ This line of the essay prompt speaks volumes about what the admission committee is trying to seek from your response. You may have used your leadership skills to lead your team through complex situations at your job, or you may have been the voice of the less-confident ones outside work. Think of the times when your leadership characteristics were at the display, and how you would want to take them further with the help of the opportunities UC Berkeley Haas MBA has to offer. Reflect on your abilities and strength and highlight how you are going to use the resources during your MBA at Berkeley Haas to hone them further.

Highlight your career-goals

This essay question is closely related to your short-term and long-term career goals. Think about how you want your shape up your career, and how are you going to use your leadership virtue to get there. Berkeley has a lot of resources to offer to you to hone your leadership skills. Research on the clubs, alumni groups, and networks that can be of great use to you to improve your abilities. You can sight examples and highlight the leadership roles within the clubs or groups that you are excited about.

Here is an example of essay #2 from the Berkeley Haas MBA application.

After working for 5 years in an MNC as a Supply manager, I decided to quit and pursue a start-up to improve the efficiency in the transportation management section of the Supply chain industry. I started with a small team of five to develop an integrated software that could make the complete transportation and warehouse management system more automated than current systems. After a couple of months, one of my colleagues from my previous job, Samuel, decided to join me in my quest. I could not pay him the salary he received from our former employer, but he assured me that he is joining because he believed in my idea.

A couple of months into the job, I found out that Samuel was not as motivated towards our goal as everyone else in the team. He was a little too laid back and had to be constantly pushed to complete projects in time. He would do the minimum necessary and was not willing to put in any extra effort.

I had a tough decision at hand to either fire him and lose a talented and experienced employee, who could be a great resource for our company, or try to push and bring out the best in him. I went with the latter option. To encourage him to work mutually towards our goal, I enhanced our company’s bonus program. I made it a point in front of the whole team that as soon as the company started making some revenue, they would be the first ones to benefit from it.

The strategy worked. Not only did Samuel start to put in the extra effort, but the other employees also upped their game too. The product was ready in the next six months, and it was through Samuel’s network that we got a chance to showcase our product in front of a crowd of SCM experts in a supply chain conference held at New Delhi, India.

I believe, with the opportunities at UC Berkeley Haas, I would be able to hone my leadership skills further to be able to manage larger teams. I have a dream that my idea for the automated transportation management system reaches a larger supply chain network. And, with international exposure through the UC Berkeley Haas network combined with my polished leadership skills through its MBA program, I can work towards achieving this dream more efficiently.”

UC Berkeley Haas MBA optional essays

Besides the two required essays, the UC Berkeley Haas MBA essay section has a series of optional essay-type questions that you may choose to answer. The optional essays can help you convey a broader picture of your character, experiences, opportunity, and background. Have a look at the optional essays asked in the UC Berkeley Haas MBA application:

• 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
• The average number of hours spent per month

If not applicable, enter N/A.

• 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 not applicable, enter N/A.
• 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 applicable, enter N/A. (An affirmative response to this question does not automatically disqualify you from admission).
• This section should only be used to convey relevant information not addressed elsewhere in your application. This may include an explanation of employment gaps, academic aberrations, supplemental coursework, etc. You are encouraged to use bullet points where appropriate.

You can look at these essay questions from two perspectives. First, you can either answer only those questions that suit your circumstances, such as if you have not provided a letter of recommendation with your UC Berkeley Haas MBA application, or you were ever placed on probation or were suspended due to disciplinary reasons. Or, you can choose to answer the questions to give the admission committee a better understanding of your backgrounds, such as an achievement that you could not convey through any other part of your application or details about the part-time jobs you have held during your school or college years.

Answering optional questions irrelevant to your situation

While you may want to give deeper insights about your background to the admission committee through your optional essays, you must avoid attempting the optional essay questions that are irrelevant to your situation. For example, if you were not extensively involved in any part-time job or were involved in one for a very short period, you should refrain from attempting the optional essay question related to a part-time job. Because it is anyway not going to add any value to your application.

Repeating your accomplishments

The optional essay question towards the end of the UC Berkeley Haas MBA essay section is an opportunity for you to convey something qualitative about you that could not be done through other parts of your application. However, if you repeat any experience or achievements that have already been highlighted through your letter of recommendation, or any other essay, it may backfire on your part. The admission committee has to go through more than 2000 applications in a single phase. It may ridicule them go through the same content over again.

That was all about different types of UC Berkeley Haas MBA essays.

Here are a bunch of other articles related to UC Berkeley Haas MBA that can be helpful to you:

• What is a good GMAT score for UC Berkeley Haas School of Business?
• UC Berkeley Haas MBA Class Profile, employment report, and notable alumni

You can also take help from the following article for your UC Berkeley Haas MBA essays:

• Five types of MBA essays
• Overcoming low GMAT score through essays
• Importance of MBA Essays in Business School applications

Do you aspire to get into the UC Berkeley Haas MBA Program? A 740+ GMAT score can significantly improve your chances of admission. Kickstart your GMAT preparation by  Signing up for our Free Trial ! For any queries, write to us at  [email protected] . We are the  most reviewed GMAT prep company on gmatclub  with more than 2100 reviews.

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Berkeley Haas MBA Admissions Details & Essay Prompts: 2024-2025

Berkeley Haas has officially kicked off the 2024-2025 MBA application season by announcing its essay questions for the 2024-2025 application cycle. If you are looking for an MBA program with a small class size and close-knit community,  Berkeley Haas  may be a great choice for you.

With around 300 students enrolled in each entering class, Berkeley Haas is one of the smallest top full-time MBA programs.

Berkeley Haas Admissions Details from Past Application Cycle

This past application cycle, Berkeley Haas admitted applicants with an average GMAT score of 733 and an average undergrad GPA of 3.64. They have an average of 5.8 years of pre-MBA work experience. Records also note that 41% of students identify as female and 47% of students have international citizenship.

In a statement introducing the 2024-2025 Berkeley Haas Application, Berkeley Haas shared the following:

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.

Below, you will find Personal MBA Coach’s advice on tackling the Haas MBA essay prompts.

Tips to Master Berkeley Haas 2024-2025 MBA Essays, Video Essay, and Application

Berkeley haas mba essay prompts, berkeley haas mba essay 1:  what makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why (300 words maximum).

Berkeley Haas has left its first essay question unchanged. This is a great essay to tell the admissions committee a bit more about your story . With this short essay, get right to the point. Make the most of this opportunity to talk about your true passions and what really drives you.

For some applicants, this may be their job (but tread cautiously here). If your job is what truly drives you, be sure that you have a strong reason and can illustrate passion as you write. Extracurricular work also could fit well but be sure it is an area where you have emerged as a leader and/or have added substantial value. Be succinct and speak from the heart.

A strong essay will include a balance of “what” and “why.” While this is not the time to brag about accomplishments, an ideal answer will show something you have done to set yourself apart.

Berkeley Haas 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. (300 words max).

Despite changing the wording of the second essay slightly, Berkeley Haas has retained the classic “goals” essay it added last year. (Find out more about the most common MBA essay types and how to address them  here .)

With only 300 words and directions to include both short-term and long-term goals along with how a Haas MBA will help, there is a lot to cover with limited space! Many schools allocate 400 or 500 words to their “goals” essays. This means you have to make every word count!

Often with a goals essay, we recommend that applicants cover their past successes before sharing their goals. However, with such a short essay, there is very little space, so you will need to set the context for your goals succinctly.

Next, you should share both your short-term and long-term goals. While this new wording invites candidates to think about their long-term goals a bit more broadly, Personal MBA Coach recommends that these goals should be ambitious yet achievable! For more on how to develop compelling goals, check out this  blog  and video.

Finally, let the Haas admissions committee know why you need an MBA (and specifically a Haas MBA) to achieve these goals. To answer this question, think about your skills gaps—both technical and leadership—and what offerings at Haas will help you to address these gaps. Take the time to research Berkeley Haas’s offerings. Personal MBA Coach suggests being specific in detailing the opportunities you plan to take advantage of on campus and carefully articulate how each will position you to achieve your career aspirations.

Berkeley Haas 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).

With this short essay, Berkeley Haas continues the trend among business schools to require a DEI essay in its MBA application. For some applicants, this will be easy to answer. However, if an example does not come to mind easily here, remember that it is ok to think of diversity broadly.

As you approach this essay, we recommend focusing on a few examples and using them to show the reader the type of classmate you will be!

Berkeley Haas MBA Video Essay Prompt

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..

This year, Berkeley Haas retained a video component in its MBA application. For many years, Berkeley Haas has pressed candidates to define successful leadership. Instead of asking about leadership in an essay, Berkeley Haas has incorporated this leadership prompt into its video.

At 2 minutes, this video is longer than many other MBA videos. However, candidates have a lot to cover. In addition to introducing themselves, candidates should reflect on Haas’s four leadership principles and pick just one.

These four principles are:

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

Personal MBA Coach recommends that candidates consider the qualities they believe that successful leaders embody and why they believe these traits are important as they select a principle from this list.

Next, think about how you personally have begun to demonstrate this principle, including a few short examples.

As Personal MBA Coach generally advises, you should not include a laundry list. Instead pick a limited number of stories that you can easily explain from your personal and professional life.

As with all videos , we recommend that you write out bullets and not a full script so that your style appears more natural. Keep in mind that one of the key objectives of a video essay is to evaluate how you will contribute in class and how you will perform in a job interview.

Optional Berkeley Haas Essay Prompts

Berkeley Haas also has two optional essays.

Optional Essay 1: We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

Many applicants will not answer this question. Personal MBA Coach recommends that applicants use optional essays sparingly. If your answers to these questions are not unique, there is a good chance you should skip this essay.

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.

For this second Haas optional essay, answer only if you have specific or extenuating circumstances to explain. Read more on our approach to optional essays here .

Contact Us for Custom Support to Develop Your Berkeley Haas Application

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Berkeley Haas MBA Essays: 2023-2024

Berkeley Haas has officially announced its essay questions for the 2023-2024 application cycle. If you are looking for an MBA program with a small class size and close-knit community, Berkeley Haas may be a great choice for you.

With around 300 students enrolled in each entering class, Berkeley Haas is one of the smallest top full-time MBA programs.

This past application cycle, Berkeley Haas admitted applicants with an average GMAT score of 729 and an average undergrad GPA of 3.64. The class of 2024 has an average of 5.6 years of pre-MBA work experience. Records also note that 46% of students identify as female and 41% of students have international citizenship.

In a statement introducing the 2023-2024 Berkeley Haas Application, Berkeley Haas shared the following:

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.

Below, please find Personal MBA Coach’s advice on how to tackle the Haas MBA essays.

Personal MBA Coach’s Tips on Mastering the Berkeley Haas 2023-2024 MBA Essays and Application:

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

With this short essay, get right to the point. This is a chance to talk about your true passions and what really drives you. For some applicants, this may be their job (but tread cautiously here). If your job is what truly drives you, be sure that you have a strong reason and can illustrate passion as you write. Extracurricular work also could fit well but be sure it is an area where you have emerged as a leader and/or have added substantial value. Be succinct and speak from the heart.

Be sure to include both the “what” and the “why.” While this is not the time to brag about accomplishments, an ideal answer will show something you have done to set yourself apart.

Berkeley MBA Essay 2: How will an MBA help you achieve your short-term and long-term career goals? (300 words max)

Berkeley Haas has changed its second essay this year, adding a classic “goals” essays. (Find out more about the most common MBA essay types and how to address them here .)

With only 300 words and directions to include both short-term and long-term goals along with how a Haas MBA will help, there is a lot to cover with limited space!

Often with a goals essay, we recommend that applicants cover their past successes before sharing their goals. However, with such a short essay, there is very little space to do so here! This means you need to set the context for your goals succinctly.

Next, you should share both your short-term and long-term goals, specifically. For more on how to develop compelling goals, check out this blog and video.

Finally, let the Haas admissions committee know why you need an MBA (and specifically a Haas MBA) to achieve these goals. To answer this question, think about your skills gaps — both technical and leadership — and what offerings at Haas will help you to address these gaps. Take the time to research Berkeley Haas’s offerings. Personal MBA Coach suggests being specific in detailing the opportunities you plan to take advantage of on campus and carefully articulate how each will position you to achieve your career aspirations.

Berkeley 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 leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. (Not to exceed 2 minutes.)

As is increasingly common, this year Berkeley Haas added a video component to its MBA application. For many years, Berkeley Haas has pressed candidates to define successful leadership. Instead of asking about leadership in an essay, Berkeley Haas has incorporated this leadership prompt into its video.

At 2 minutes, this video is longer than many other MBA videos. However, candidates have a lot to cover. In addition to introducing themselves, candidates should reflect on Haas’s four leadership principles and pick just one.

These four principles are:

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

Personal MBA Coach recommends that candidates consider the qualities they believe that successful leaders embody and why they believe these traits are important as they select a principle from this list.

Next, think about how you personally have begun to demonstrate this principle, including a few short examples.

As Personal MBA Coach generally advises, you should not include a laundry list. Instead pick a limited number of stories that you can easily explain from your personal and professional life.

As with all videos , we recommend that you write out bullets and not a full script so that your style appears more natural. Keep in mind that one of the key objectives of a video essay is to evaluate how you will contribute in class and how you will perform in a job interview.

Finally, the Berkeley Haas application includes one required short essay:

Can you please 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? (150 words max)

With this short essay, Berkeley Haas becomes the second top MBA program to include a required DEI essay in its 2023-2024 MBA application. For some applicants, this will be easy to answer. However, if an example does not come to mind easily here, remember that it is ok to think of diversity broadly.

Berkeley Haas also has two optional essays, the first following a series of  questions .

Optional Essay 1: We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

Many applicants will not answer this question. Personal MBA Coach recommends that applicants use optional essays sparingly. If your answers to these questions are not unique, there is a good chance you should skip this essay.

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.

For this second Haas optional essay, answer only if you have specific or extenuating circumstances to explain. Read more on our approach to optional essays here .

Looking for help developing a compelling Berkeley Haas MBA application? Schedule a consultation today to find out how Personal MBA Coach can help and learn why we are the home of the most positively reviewed MBA Admissions Consultant.

About Personal MBA Coach

The post Berkeley Haas MBA Essays: 2023-2024 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach .

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Berkeley Haas MBA Essay Examples

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Oxford Said MBA Essay Samples

We asked the former Berkeley Haas MBA Admissions Officer on our Stacy Blackman Consulting team, “What does Haas Admissions look for?” They advised, “Haas tends to get annoyed with that applicant who knows nothing about Haas or why they are applying there. Applicants need an authentic application approach and speak for themselves and not be robotic or formulaic.”

SBC has several former Berkeley Haas MBA Admissions Officer on our team. We know the nuances of applying to Berkeley Haas successfully. If you’d like to speak with one of our Principals about your candidacy, please request a free analysis here.

In the meantime, please see sample Berkeley Haas application essays here from past successful Haas admits.

“America is living in spin.” After watching the movie “Thank You for Smoking,” I knew what I wanted to do with my life: not become a lobbyist, but be the brains behind influencing consumers. Following graduation I joined Prophet to gain first-hand experience in understanding consumers.

At Prophet I’ve held four positions and worked with the world’s biggest CPG firms. I’ve learned about the research that develops marketing strategies, the need for dynamic approaches to compete in ever-shifting landscapes, and the importance of relationships in forwarding initiatives. In my current role I’ve built out a new Prophet practice in new-product-launch performance, managed the production team and developed a go-to-market strategy. Through these experiences, I uniquely understand the importance of innovation; I know what trends are occurring globally and have identified best practices. While I’ve learned so much, I desire to be closer to the products. I want to expand beyond analysis and strategy recommendations and apply my knowledge as part of a team that dreams up the next new product to fulfill a consumer need.

Ultimately I want to be the CMO of a B2C company; to achieve my goal I initially want to work in brand management at an innovative company like Cliff Bar or Uber and grow with the company to achieve this leadership position. I believe an MBA would prepare me to make this transition and that Haas is the best program for me as it is uniquely positioned to provide a rigorous general management curriculum while being at the center of business innovation.

What’s most distinctive about the Haas academic experience is the opportunity to participate in Applied Innovation courses, honing leadership skills in real-life business settings. Two in particular, Influencing Consumers and Managing the New Product Development Process, will help develop my brand management abilities and better my understanding of solving for consumer needs and positioning products. Haas’ global focus is also something I value. My role leading Pepsico’s Global Beverage account has instilled the importance of a global perspective to grow a business. Courses such as International Marketing and opportunities like Winter Treks will enable me to compete in the ever-globalizing business environment. Beyond this, Haas will allow me to develop the skills necessary to transition into brand management – from managing a P&L through financial accounting classes to managing a team through courses such as Leading People.

Beyond academics, Haas has an appealing list of “extras.” Foremost is its highly personalized Career Management Group, where tools such as Virtual Interview Coaching or Job Search Teams will help me find the best company to launch my career. Additionally, I would like to take a lead role in Haas’ extra-curricular opportunities such as the Marketing Club and Women in Leadership forum, to explore both personal and professional interests in an encouraging learning environment that values both confidence and humility.

Haas has exactly what I need to reach my goals and is beyond a doubt the best MBA program for me.

As a freshman I thought my life looked like everyone else’s – parties Thursday through Saturday (maybe the occasional Monday), skipping classes held at giant lecture halls, spending Sundays in bed until a slight sense of responsibility crept in and I’d begin to cram homework. When my mother arrived unannounced at my apartment in Spain during my summer abroad a new reality hit fast: my behavior was not normal, not healthy, and not going to continue any longer. I was immediately pulled from school and sent to rehab for alcoholism.

Rehab changes your perspective. Never did I expect to live with women coming off of hard drugs, but through this I learned empathy. Never did I expect to have my freedom limited – not allowed to leave the premises – but through this I learned patience and persistence. Never did I expect to spend four months disconnected from technology and my everyday life, but through this I learned the value of being introspective. These four months changed me forever, and I’m so thankful they did, as I am now four years sober and a better person for it. This time forced me to reprioritize and realize what I want in life. It enabled me to move forward more thoughtful, more grateful, and more determined. Without each lesson I would not have become the person I am today: driven to succeed in all my endeavors, and inspired to take part in my community and be present to support my family and friends.

At first glance you might pin me as someone easily summarized by a top-40 Britney or Beyoncé song, and I won’t deny that the female-empowerment side of me revels in the comparison. However, those that truly know me would pick another piece: Sonata in E Major Op.14 by Beethoven.

Growing up training as a concert pianist, I climbed my way to the final level at Belgium’s Royal Conservatory of Music, and Sonata in E Major Op.14 was key to passing. For months I practiced incessantly, drilling each note into muscle memory. Fortunately, my efforts paid off and the song serves as a reminder of my hard work.

Sonata in E Major Op.14 expresses many characteristics that I value and emulate. Written 200 years ago and performed worldwide, it encapsulates the concept of “boundaryless.” Similarly, raised in Belgium and having studied in the US, Spain, Mexico, and India, I deeply value diversity. This past year I have spent my spare time consulting to E.P. Clarke (low-income school) on how to increase diversity in its classrooms, an effort that will forever enrich student lives. Another reflective characteristic is Beethoven’s ability to riff while confined to the rules of classical music. I too add a creative spin to my work, once even using client products as prizes to engage an audience who later laughed realizing the prizes included mayonnaise!

While Beethoven’s Sonata may not be an obvious choice, its sense of imagination and limitlessness make it the song that best expresses who I am.

My earliest memories are punctuated with aromas of my Mexican mother cooking tamales, while my Iranian father taught us about Navroz – the Persian New Year – where life begins anew, and dreams are revitalized. This idealism excited me, and watching my parents struggle to provide for my sister and myself, I wanted to help them create a fresh start. I channeled this motivation into opportunities where I could deliver positive change. My career vision, to lead a Latin America-centric microfinance organization such as Accion, capitalizes on these experiences. In the interim, I will prepare myself by attaining an MBA, and joining the International Finance Corporation’s Global Transaction Team as an Investment Officer.

After graduating from UCSB, I wanted to maximize my contributions and exposure and found this opportunity at [XYZ Sports], a small, established apparel manufacturer. While my primary responsibilities were in finance, I made time to work with marketing, sales, and operations teams, understanding their challenges, and helping implement proposed solutions. I wanted to apply this newly acquired knowledge at a startup, passionate about influencing a fledgling entity. At [Memorabilia Retailer], my goal was to implement financial and accounting processes forming the company’s backbone. Working in an ambiguous, often chaotic startup environment, I holistically analyzed each issue and its ramifications. I also built relationships with functional experts, incorporating valuable insights from them. I confidently presented a tough but necessary set of strategic recommendations around financial operations reengineering to management, and won their approval. As an Investment Officer at IFC, and later, a leader in microfinance, I will leverage the poise I developed during these early-career experiences.

Next, I accepted a job at [ABC Healthcare], coming in to an under-resourced finance department. I suggested augmenting our human-capital base in Costa Rica, expanding our limited presence there, and lowering costs. Although this went far beyond my official job description, I spearheaded this project. Spending significant time in Costa Rica, I understood the work environment, hired resources, and trained them on our business processes. Under my direction our Costa Rican office now efficiently handles all our accounting processes, and has grown from a staff of two women, to 20. This success hinged on my ability to safeguard against the risks of developing an international location, a practice that is imperative to the sustainability of a microfinance organization. Further, witnessing the impact meaningful employment can have on families and communities paved the way for my professional ambitions.

Inspired by the transformation I saw in Costa Rica, I began actively volunteering at a local non-profit microfinance organization, Foundation for Women (FFW). As a Senior Advisor, I partner with low-income entrepreneurs to develop their businesses. Through this first-hand microfinance experience, I have reaffirmed that it is an area of business in which I thrive personally and professionally. I have also recognized the skills I need in order to attain my goals.

An MBA’s academic rigor will form the theoretical foundation on which I will build my future career. Courses such as Business Strategies for Emerging Markets, and Corporate Finance may sound similar to what other business schools offer, but Haas’s approach to the MBA via the BILD curriculum is distinctive, and especially appealing to me as its focus on forging change fits well with my personal leadership style. Through its emphasis on innovative leadership I will prepare myself for the volatility often inherent in international microfinance. I am looking forward to embracing knowledge outside the classroom as well. Applying academic theories to real world issues through Haas’s International Business Development Program will be a unique opportunity to learn from diverse teammates, professors, and clients, while gaining exposure to different geographies and their intricacies. I would also love to add an element of microfinance at the 2013 Latin American Business Conference, perhaps by inviting my contacts from FFW to attend or speak.

The Haas MBA will prepare me for a summer internship in banking and a full-time job at the IFC’s Global Transaction Team, where I will strengthen my understanding of the investor’s role in microfinance and build a toolkit for analyzing businesses with a discerning eye. Focusing on Latin America at the IFC and studying the design and productivity of the region’s microenterprise operations, I will become well versed in its cultural and socioeconomic challenges. Armed with this analytical acumen and regional perspective, I will be ideally positioned for a career at Accion, ultimately building on my experiences and network to establish a robust microfinance infrastructure in a country like Costa Rica and eventually across Latin America.

Following the establishment of four of my U.S. based company’s departments in Costa Rica, my next challenge was to promote seamless direct communication between the teams as I stepped back. Of mixed ethnicity myself, I easily transitioned between the American “to-the-point” business culture, and the gentler Costa Rican environment. I took for granted that my team would too. In this assumption lay the root of my failure, and as I disengaged, things began to go awry. The Costa Ricans felt discouraged by remarks from their U.S. coworkers, and the Americans were frustrated by perceived Costa Rican inefficiencies.

Stepping back gave me the perspective I needed. Because of my heritage and passion for empowering women, I had become emotionally vested in this all-female Costa Rican team, often shielding them from the impacts of their errors. Secondly, I recognized that critical to organizational change was Change Management. Building cultural awareness, and aligning expectations were success factors I had overlooked in my zeal to accomplish the transition.

I held communication workshops with my U.S. teammates, helping them develop actionable, yet respectful feedback. Concurrently, I guided the Costa Rican ladies that criticism should be perceived as growth mechanisms, and challenged them to reduce their error-rates. Applying this lesson as a microfinance volunteer at Foundation for Women, I remember to analyze my clients’ business plans objectively, and present constructive feedback with sensitivity. I also make an effort to understand their backgrounds, as this impacts our working relationship and how I position them to potential investors.

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from Wharton, Booth and every elite business program in the US and Europe.  These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Just two of the many superstars on the SBC team: Meet Anthony , who 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.

Meet Kim , who was an Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Chicago Booth.

Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation .

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Haas MBA Essays: Tips for 2023-2024

At Menlo Coaching, we noticed that most MBA essays will fall into one of a number of categories: personal essays, career goals essays, behavioral essays, etc. Read ahead for our expert guide on approaching these essays for Haas School of Business. 

The Personal Statement Essay

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

The Career Goals Essay

• How will an MBA help you achieve your short-term and long-term career goals? (300 words max)

The 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. (Not to exceed 2 minutes.)

The Diversity Essay

• Can you please 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? (300 words max)

Optional Essays

• Optional Information #1: We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.
• 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.

Finally, Berkeley Haas also asks applicants for supplemental information , which include some additional prompts .

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Applying to UC Berkeley Haas

In this program, students are encouraged “to take risks and make mistakes.” They are looking for students who are moved to create. Through the story you relate in your essay, the admissions council is looking to see if you reflect the same values that the school does. Berkeley Haas is looking for students who are looking to develop their emotional intelligence and eager to use rigorous analysis. The best way to represent that you possess those qualities is through the type of essay you choose to write. 

Like we touched on earlier, schools are looking for the right fit for their campus community, just as you are searching for the school that aligns best with your goals. In the personal essay, this is your chance to show Berkeley Haas the values that drive you both as a person and as a student. These values tell the admissions council what you prioritize, the moral code you live by, and, most importantly, who you are as a person.

Berkeley Haas is looking for applicants who want to contribute to a larger purpose. The program is dedicated to students completing their own research and analysis in order to make decisions. They encourage intelligent risks. 

In these essays, you can talk about almost anything; typically, applicants will write about relationships in their lives, or times when there was a hardship they had to overcome. Be warned, though: there are some topics to avoid, and we have outlined a few things to watch out for in this article . 

You’re not the only one hoping you’ll have a job after you’ve graduated with your MBA. Admissions committees are looking for students who are motivated and clear in their intentions so that when they get a job post-grad, they’ll be more willing to speak positively of their experience in the program. And, of course, in the hopes that their alumni will earn enough money to become a donor to the school one day.  

There are three aspects to the career goals essay: 

• What you want your future profession to look like.
• Why an MBA is necessary to advance your career.
• Particularly, why a degree from Berkeley Haas will be most beneficial to you and your job plan. 

Your aspirations need to be convincing, ambitious, and realistic. Berkeley Haas is looking for applicants who have meaningful goals grounded in their past experiences, and it’s important that you relate that notion in your essay, however it applies to your experience in life. 

Berkeley’s MBA video essay specifically pertains to their defining leadership principles, meaning that you will need to consider how your strengths as a leader reflect the values sought after by Haas.

But in terms of practical steps to take when recording, here is our advice:

• Practice—but don’t memorize:  it’s always clear if someone has memorized what they intend to say in a video essay verbatim, and this can make your content seem staged and inauthentic. If you find that you’re repeating the same speech over and over again, change the first sentence. You’ll be surprised at how this will throw you off!
• Make sure that your setting is appropriate:  you want to make sure that your lighting is good and that there are no empty tequila bottles in the background.
• Speak slowly and clearly:  clear diction can make a big difference when it comes to reviewing your video essay.

If you are interested to know more about what Haas looks for in its students and, indeed, their video essays, you can head to our page on  Berkeley Haas admissions basics .

The Behavioral Essay (Diversity)

To make it simple: the behavioral essay is meant to show the team at Berkeley Haas that you have developed some sort of leadership skills, what your values are as a leader, and how you are going to most benefit from their development programs in terms of your experience with and exposure to DEI, justice, and belonging.

The admissions committee is looking for applicants that are self-reflective. Whether it’s through a setback you’ve experienced, or how you dealt with situations that have gone awry, the school is looking for students who are resilient and able to learn from their mistakes.

Do not overexaggerate (or underexaggerate!) the situations you decide to write about. Be honest about what happened; the Haas School of Business is looking for genuine people to join their campus community, and they are less likely to admit an applicant who has overinflated their prior experiences. 

Last but not least, make sure to describe what you learned and how you implemented this in a subsequent situation. This is an expected element of the behavioral essay, even if it’s not directly written in the prompt. The school is looking for applicants who will act with humility, and have confidence without attitude. Prompts that deal with these topics can be daunting, especially when they require you to write about a weakness you have or a failure you’ve experienced. 

Optional Essay

An unusual aspect of the Haas application is that they have two optional essays: one traditional optional essay, in which you can elaborate on or clarify any element of your application you feel requires further consideration, and an additional family information essay, in which you can expand on your family background and any unusual life circumstances that could fortify your overall application.

One trap that MBA applicants fall into is using the additional space provided by the optional essay to write on a whole new topic. However, this is not always the best idea.

You should only make use of this essay if you what you write will provide context to an element of your application to improve your candidacy—you don’t want to jeopardize your chances by adding unnecessary noise to your application.

Supplemental Information

Finally, UC Berkeley’s Haas MBA program has some additional prompts pertaining to your application. Here you will have the opportunity to detail activities that enhance your MBA profile as well as explain any peculiarities in your application.

Supplemental Information Prompts 2023-2024

1. If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain. If not applicable, enter N/A. (text box, no word limit)

2. List, in order of importance, up to five significant community and professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Include the following information for each using the format below:

• Name of organization or activity
• Nature of organization or activity
• Size of organization
• Dates of involvement
• Offices held
• Average number of hours spent per month

If not applicable, enter N/A. (text box, no word limit)

3. 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 not applicable, enter N/A. (text box, no word limit)

4. 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.) (text box, no word limit)

Writing strong, coherent, genuine stories is an essential part of your MBA application. These essays are meant to help you stand out among many other applicants, so it is worth your time to do the work and write about situations unique to your life and that you truly learned from.

Wrestling with Haas’ MBA admissions essays? Let our seasoned consultants alleviate the stress by providing expert guidance on essay crafting. Explore our MBA consultants and take your application to the next level.

Related Articles

• UC Berkeley Haas MBA Program Overview
• MBA Essay Tips From 3 Top Admissions Consultants
• How to Get Into MBA Programs at Top Business Schools

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Advice, tips and insights from the admissions dream team., table of contents, berkeley haas essays: strategy & tips.

• By Sharon Joyce

Berkeley Haas added a new video essay to two required essays.

Berkeley Haas has been at the forefront of addressing inclusivity in business school and beyond, seeking to create and cultivate a community that reflects genuine diversity in every sense of the word. As such, Haas is looking for candidates who demonstrate self- and situational awareness, which is an invitation to be both introspective and authentic across your essays – and certainty to do your research beyond a cursory website review.  

As former Associate Director of Admissions at Berkeley Haas, I think this suite of Berkeley Haas essay questions is excellent. Let’s talk strategy — what Haas is looking for in each of its new questions and how best to tackle them.

Context matters: Decoding the Berkeley Haas Essay Questions

First, don’t overlook the valuable context that Haas offers up in the brief intro to its essay questions, which conveys the school’s defining leadership principles and interest in fit (mentioned twice). The school has long put a premium on challenging the status quo (first of the four principles) – and is signaling core elements that Haas students and alumni embody. You’ll do well to keep these in mind in your storytelling.

Essay #1:  

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

I love the wording of this question – any opportunity to learn about what ignites the spark in a candidate is really exciting to read. (Remember that most Haas admissions readers will be plowing through some 2,000 application essays in a single cycle.) It’s also evocative of the iconic Stanford GSB essay , ‘what matters most to you, and why?’ – which similarly gets personal and requires a profound level of self-reflection and sincerity. This question also underscores that Haas is looking for people who will actively contribute to the community and beyond, not just in the classroom. Your intellectual acumen and accomplishments being a given, what are you passionate about and why does it ignite that aliveness in you? This essay prompt allows the admissions team to understand ‘what makes you tick’ up and beyond what they’ll glean from your academic record and work history.   

A successful essay will share a specific and personal experience that helps the reader get to know you better, giving insight into your character, values, or how you would uniquely contribute to the Berkeley-Haas community. Given that you only have 300 words, the maxim to ‘show not tell’ is critical here. You want to bring the reader on the experience with you so they can smell, taste, feel and connect to whatever it is you’re describing – what it felt like to summit that mountaintop and peer into the volcano’s smoky belly, or the felt experience in a devotional act of creation that erased any sense of time. And unless it’s deeply sincere and will ring true, a community service moment or tutoring exchange isn’t necessarily the place to shine the spotlight. Dig deep and dare to have a little fun here; your voice can convey your personality.

How will an MBA help you achieve your short-term and long-term career goals?  (hard cutoff at 300 words )

Leadership was the topic of Berkeley’s second essay last year. Now that the video is covering that theme, the new Essay #2 asks, “How will an MBA help you achieve your short-term and long-term career goals? 

Last year, this was a question embedded within the application and was 150 words on immediate short-term goals. With the word count expanded to 300, this question is likely probing more deeply to see if applicants have realistic goals that can be met through the program at Haas.

Although the prompt asks, “How will an MBA help…,” this essay is really looking beyond the credential of the recognized degree. Berkeley wants to know what skills you will build or enhance and what experiences you will leverage in pursuit of career goals. It’s important to be specific. Make sure you call out what specific aspects of Berkeley ’s MBA program will bolster your success after graduation.

We sometimes suggest citing companies that heavily recruit at Haas when applicable as a way of showing your awareness of the school and the link between your goals and what is achievable. For the budding entrepreneurs, perhaps mention Haas alumni entrepreneurs who are working in a similar space.

Our take on the rationale behind this question is this:  The committee wants to know if your personal and professional goals are aligned with the program at Haas and how you will leverage the Berkeley MBA experience to achieve them.

Essay 3: VIDEO (new in 2023)

The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles . Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. (Not to exceed 2 minutes.)

Haas has joined the growing ranks of B-schools offering or requiring videos. This is s a useful way to assess poise, presence, and judgment as well as  the thoughts and information you share. It’s also a way to enhance authenticity. While essays can now easily be cranked out with ChatGPT (although we definitely don’t recommend it ), an effective and personal video is harder to automate.

The video can also be a fun and fresh way to express your excitement about Haas. The Defining Leadership Principles are a distinctive draw that attracts students to Berkeley, and these provide a framing device for creative ways to share your enthusiasm.

Be succinct. Two minutes may seem like a lot when you’re staring into the eye of the camera with admissions on the line — but it’s really not. With only that short window to work with, don’t try to address all four of the principles. Instead, focus on one of the principles and demonstrate how you reflect it with clear and cogent examples. 

Once you’ve sketched out your thoughts and know what you want to say, practice!  As noted the evaluation of these responses are likely to be graded on communication skills and poise as much as on content. And if you’re a bit intimidated about talking on camera or mastering the technology, Fortuna has you covered. Our fellow coach Cassandra Pittman explains how to ace your video here , and Karen Hamou offers advice on what to wear .

Additional Essay #4:

Can you please 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? (300 words max)

One of the goals at Berkeley Haas is to develop leaders who value diversity and aspire to create an inclusive environment in which people from different backgrounds feel welcomed and supported.

Some or many applicants will not have direct experience in supporting DEI, especially international candidates for whom the concept may be new.  Even so, it’s important to demonstrate awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion and to share one’s own exposure to the concepts and perhaps how they hope their time at Haas will add to their ability to be inclusive leaders. 

Remember that diversity can be much broader than race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Feel free to explore differences in national origin, class or lived experiences and the lessons you learned from these experiences.

Optional Essays:

Optional information #1:  .

Has invites candidates to provide additional information to to help them nderstand the context of their  opportunities and achievements by answering six short multiple choice questions. These ask about:

1. The highest level of education completed by your parent(s) or guardian(s).

2. The most recent occupation of your parent(s) or guardian(s).

3. The type of household you were raised in.

4. The primary language spoken in your childhood home.

5. If you have you ever been responsible for providing significant and continuing financial or supervisory support for someone else.

6. Additional detail on the circumstances above, or any other hardships or unusual life circumstances that may help us understand the context of your opportunities, achievements, and impact. (hard cut-off at 300 words)

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. (no word count)

The spirit behind the asking both of these optional essays is the same: to better understand the applicant by homing in on the path that they have walked through life.  This includes the challenges certain applicants face to get to where they are – even when students themselves don’t see them as distinctive or noteworthy. It’s a recognition from Haas of the huge range of students applying to business school, and a desire to support the admissions committee’s decision-making by supplying a full and rich understanding of who each applicant truly is and the circumstances that shaped their lives. You’ll do well to respond to the first question,  while avoiding the second unless you have something truly relevant to add that isn’t elsewhere addressed.

If you’re feeling equal parts inspired and intimidated by all of these essays, , take to heart these unscripted remarks from Berkeley Haas’s Pete Johnson, Assistant Dean for the Full-time MBA Program and Admissions. Speaking to Fortuna’s Matt Symonds at the CentreCourt MBA Festival in New York, Johnson offered the following advice:  

“Be courageous. I think a lot of applicants say ‘well, you know, I’m an engineer but what I really want to do is work in digital music,’ and they write it out and they show it to their partner or whoever who says, ‘no don’t write that, they’ll think you’re crazy!’” says Johnson. “When somebody really tells us what they’re enthusiastic about it literally leaps off the screen when we read those things.”

Want more free advice?

View our MBA Admissions Essay Masterclass on Berkeley Haas, Duke Fuqua, Yale SOM & UCLA Anderson.

All sessions from our MBA Admissions Essay Masterclass series are available on Fortuna’s YouTube channel .  

For more tips and prompts for getting started, check out our two-part series on MBA essay writing:    Writing a Powerful MBA Essay: Part 1 – The Essentials   and   Writing Powerful Essays – Part 2: The ‘Introduce Yourself’ Question .

Updated October 2023

Fortuna Admissions expert coach Sharon Joyce is former Berkeley Haas Associate Director of Admissions. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a  free consultation .

• Posted on October 3, 2023

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So, in the ApplicantLab interactive admissions consulting platform, for EVERY major question for EVERY major school, I provide detailed analyses and also step-by-step guidance on how to build your strongest essay possible. Instead of charging you a whopping $5,000 for this advice though, I offer it through the Lab platform, thus fulfilling my mission of leveling the playing field for access to great MBA admissions advice!

In order to test out my own advice, when I encounter a totally new or  different question (like the Berkeley Haas MBA admissions essay question: “What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why?”, which has been introduced for the 2019-2020 admissions season for the class of 2022), I put myself in your shoes, follow my own guidance, and see if I like the result.

Below is a sample essay that I wrote  as if I were applying , following the guidance I give in ApplicantLab.

While the below is just a first draft, I believe that it hits the right directional notes (and avoids the mistakes I think a TON of other applicants are going to make on this essay!).  If you’re curious as to the choices I made (both in terms of what to include and what to leave out), as well as the ONE part of this sample that I’m torn on,  you can sign up for ApplicantLab now (at $349, it costs less than an hour of a traditional admissions consultant’s time!) and watch my videos / read my advice on how to tackle this tricky essay:

There is a moment when a roller coaster has finally clanked its way to the top of the hill and is about to be dropped (but hasn’t yet). It’s the moment of in-betweens. You’re in-between stillness and motion. In-between terror and joy. It’s the moment you most dread and yet it’s also the moment you stood in line two hours for. It’s the moment in which I feel most alive.

It all started in high school when my best friend at the time – the friend who entered my life when I was in “maximum insecurity mode” and whose boisterous support taught me confidence in myself – dragged me on to a coaster. At first, I was terrified and refused to go – I was too scared of the drops, the uncertainty.  She described what she loved about it – that it’s scary if you think of it as “falling”, but it’s exhilarating if you think of it as “flying”. I vowed to be brave, felt the safety harness lower, and tried to see the ride from her perspective: “ This is flying. This is flying…OH MY GOSH, THIS REALLY IS FLYING!!!”

Since then, any coaster I’ve encountered has been ridden (usually multiple times), and I’ve found myself  facing more “drops and uncertainty” in life than I ever expected:  overcoming challenges helping build an orphanage in Ecuador, adapting to a new life in Hong Kong, and gripping white-knuckled through the biggest roller-coaster of all: entrepreneurship.

I also now find myself married to a wonderful but easily-nauseated man who, unfortunately, throws up on coasters.

Even the baby ones.

Fortunately, my young son shares my enthusiasm, and today, amusement parks provide special “mother-son” time, when we leave Daddy at home and spend the whole day together, laughing, screaming, and making memories I’ll cherish forever.

(297 words)

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October 31, 2023

UC Berkeley Haas MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023 – 2024], 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 in their applications are encouraged to focus on their overall story and narrative, and how they can demonstrate their ability to handle the academic rigor of the program. eric askins also encourages applicants to engage with current students and alumni to learn more about the program and its opportunities. listen 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)

Just reading this question excites me because it conjures up memories of my first SCUBA dive, playing tag with my stepsons when they were children, singing songs with my dad when he was ill, laughing until I cried at my husband’s jokes, and getting legislation passed that helps cancer patients live better lives. These are just some of the things that give my life meaning and purpose. 

So sit back and relax before you start writing this essay. Take some time to really consider the things that put a smile on your face. Is it spending time in nature? Being in nature helps us not only de-stress but also appreciate the beauty of the world around us. Is creating something new what makes you feel alive? Writing a poem, playing the guitar, painting a picture (or a house), building furniture, gardening – these can all be enriching experiences. Creating something from nothing allows us to express ourselves and share our talents. Does helping others make you happy? Making a difference helps us feel good about ourselves, enables us to connect, and builds strong relationships. 

Whatever your “it” is, it can be as common as a morning run or as unique as walking a tightrope – or as tasty as making barbeque sauce (for Ted Lasso fans). Regardless, it’s an activity you repeat because you just can get enough of it. It fills you with energy, love, and a need for “it” in your life. So, don’t try to guess what you THINK the adcom wants to read and write about that. The truth is that they want to read about your authentic self. Be descriptive so they can be in the moment or activity with you. And remember to write about why your “it” makes you feel alive, because the “why” is more important than the “it.” 

Haas Essay #2

How will an MBA help you achieve your short-term and long-term career goals? (300 words max)

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, combined with a Berkeley MBA education, with help you achieve it.

2.     Start by describing your short-term goal and build toward your long-term goal, explaining how a Berkeley education would be the catalyst to achieve both goals.

With respect to your short-term goal, be realistic. 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 they only give you room for 300 words and you need to discuss how Haas’s resources will enable you to become a better leader, you can focus on one or two principles on which to elaborate. You will have an opportunity later in Haas’s video essay to elaborate on another principle.

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

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

Finally, summarize why Haas excites you most and how you will grow personally and professionally by earning a Berkeley MBA.

Haas Essay #3 (Video)

The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles . Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. (Not to exceed 2 minutes.)

Berkeley Haas has joined other MBA programs in asking applicants to submit a personal video. With a video, Haas accomplishes several things:

• The admissions committee is able to see and hear the applicant in action. They get to assess the individual’s communications skills, personality, energy, and overall fit before they request an interview. 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 an interview. The video makes the process more comprehensive and universal.
• The committee can evaluate the applicant’s creativity and originality.
• It can make the process more personal for the committee.
• The committee can analyze how the applicant shares their chosen defining leadership principle.

As for how to 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 section 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 enhance 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.
• 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 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 Essay #4 (Short Answer)

Can you please 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? (150 words max)

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 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 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 impact 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 future 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 active in an NGO that educates children who can’t afford a proper 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

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/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 4.0 GPA. Or perhaps you were initially premed and realized after volunteering at a hospital that medicine is not your thing.)
• You did not ask an immediate supervisor to recommend you (Maybe you have been with the company for only a short time, and they do not know you well. Or perhaps doing so could lead to you losing your job.)

If you have multiple excuses, take care to not sound whiney. 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.

For expert guidance with your Berkeley Haas MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages , which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. 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: The deadline chart can be viewed inside Berkeley Haas’ online MBA application .

Here is a look at the UC Berkeley Haas MBA Class of 2024 (data taken from the Haas website ).

Class size: 247

U.S. minority: 45%

Underrepresented minority: 17%

Female: 46%

LGBTQ+: 16%

Veterans: 4%

Average years of work experience: 5.6

Middle 80% range of years of work experience: 3.2-8.2

International: 41%

Countries represented: 45

Average undergrad GPA: 3.64

Middle 80% range undergrad GPA: 3.4-3.92 

Undergraduate majors:

• Engineering: 23%
• Economics: 15%
• Social Sciences: 15%
• Business/Commerce: 13%
• Finance: 6%
• Natural Sciences: 5%
• Arts/Humanities: 4%
• Math/Physical Sciences: 4%
• Computer Science 3%

Average GMAT score: 729

Median GMAT score: 730

Middle 80% range GMAT score: 700-760

Average GRE Verbal score: 161

Median GRE Verbal score: 162

Middle 80% range GRE Verbal score: 153-167

Average GRE Quant score: 163

Median GRE Quant score: 163

Middle 80% range GRE Quant score: 155-169

Pre-MBA industries:

• Consulting: 23%
• Financial Services: 18%
• High Technology/Electronics: 13%
• Health/Pharma/Biotech: 9%
• Not-for-Profit: 6%
• Consumer Products/Retail: 4%
• Real Estate: 4%
• Military: 3%

Which MBA program is right for you? Want to know which schools to target for your best chance of admission? Check out these resources to help you make your decision:

• Top STEM MBA Programs: A Comprehensive List and Overview of STEM-OPT Eligible B-Schools
• Which MBA Program Is Right for Me? The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an MBA Program

Getting into Haas, or any other top-tier MBA program, is a very competitive process. Our MBA Application Packages include all the resources and support you need to get you there. We’ll match you with an experienced admissions consultant who will work with you one-on-one to create an outstanding application and prepare you to ace your interview. So give yourself an edge, and get ACCEPTED!

By Natalie Grinblatt, a former admissions dean/director at three top business schools. Natalie has reviewed more than 70,000 applications, interviewed more than 2,500 candidates, and trained nearly 700 admissions directors and alumni volunteers to select outstanding candidates for admission. Her clients gain admission to top programs, including those at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Cornell, Columbia, Berkeley, Chicago, Northwestern, and NYU. Natalie holds an MBA from Michigan Ross.  Want Natalie 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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How to Write a Powerful MBA Essay—With Examples

The MBA essay is critical to your business school application. Read our guide to writing the perfect MBA essay, with successful admit examples.

Posted April 4, 2024

Featuring Victoria G.

The Summer Before Round 1: Setting Yourself Up for Success

Tuesday, may 28.

3:00 PM UTC · 45 minutes

Table of Contents

What is the mba essay.

The MBA admissions essay.

Those words alone are enough to make most MBA candidates run screaming. Writing in general is hard enough. Writing about why you want an MBA? Your short-term goals and career aspirations? What matters to you most, and why? Forget it.

Of course, you still have to write these essays.

The MBA essay is perhaps  the most important part of the business school application. (It's also getting more and more important by the day, with some business schools moving away from traditional, quantitative measuring sticks, like the GMAT and the GRE.) Every other part of the application — your GPA, your test scores, your letters of recommendation — are quantified, cut and dried, or out of your control. The essay is your chance to show up as a fully realized MBA candidate, with hopes, dreams, and vulnerabilities. Admissions committees are not simply assessing your candidacy as a future leader — they're looking to admit human beings. That's where the MBA applicant essays come in.

That being the case, rather than being intimidated by it, treat the essay like the opportunity that it is — the chance for you to highlight your unique, iridescent self; the only moment in the MBA admissions process (prior to the interview) when you can speak directly to the admissions officers; the time when you'll show them who you really are. It's not easy to write something that will do that, of course, but with the tips and tricks in this guide, and some help from one of Leland's vetted, world-class admissions coaches, we know you can do it. Give the essay the time, attention, and respect it deserves, and you'll be on your way to an offer of admission at your dream school.

Without further ado, let's dive in!

Ultimate MBA Essay Guide

See the MBA essay prompts, top tips from experts, and real examples from admits with this comprehensive guide.

How Long Will My MBA Essay Take?

First thing's first: let's talk about timing.

The MBA application is a behemoth; between exams, resumes, gathering your official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the applications themselves, there's a lot to juggle. That being the case, we suggest you give yourself ample time to draft, write, and revise your essays. The last thing you want is to be rushed to the finish line.

So, give yourself  at least three months to write your MBA essays. That should allow you ample time to draft, write, and edit. For more information on timing your entire b-school application, click here for  A Comprehensive MBA Application Timeline--With Chart .

Now, on to the critical question:

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What Makes a Great MBA Essay?

At the highest level, the answer is the one that is truest to you. The whole point of these essays is to shine through as an authentic, vibrant human being, so the best essays are the ones that cut through the clutter, and allow you do to that.

Which begs the question — how  do you cut through the clutter and shine through as a vibrant human being? Here are four critical tips to follow as you begin thinking about your essays.

1. Answer the Question

This one sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many applicants launch into their story, get carried away, and forget to answer the question. Follow the prompt, and answer the question the admissions committee has asked you. Those prompts can actually be very useful when writing your essays — it's a great deal harder to write when you have no guidance or guardrails. With the MBA essays, you have a very specific question you need to answer. So answer it!

2. Be Specific

Another mistake some MBA applicants make is to stay at a high level in their essays, keeping their writing abstract and therefore inaccessible to the admissions committee. If at any point, an admissions officer could replace your name with the name of another applicant, then your essay isn't getting deep enough. It's not enough, for instance, to say that you suffered adversity in high school, or that you really, really want a Wharton MBA. You need to explain, in detail, the adversity you faced, and give concrete and unique reasons why you think Wharton is the right program for you. The best essays offer hyper-specific examples and anecdotes, with details and anecdotes that no other candidate could bring to the table. To get those anecdotes, we recommend using the STAR template, as explained below:

• Situation : What was the situation you were facing? Where were you? How old were you? If you were in a professional role during this anecdote, what was the role, and how long had you been in it? If you were volunteering, at what organization? How long had you been volunteering there? Why did you start? Offer all the relevant information that the admissions readers will need to understand your story.
• Task : What was the task at hand? What went wrong? In your professional role, what was the challenge you faced? In that volunteering experience, what were the hurdles you had to overcome? You can't have a good story without conflict or tension, so after you set up the anecdote, explain what that conflict or tension was (and remember, be specific!).
• Action : What was the action you took to resolve the problem? What did you have to do to fix that issue at work? How did you clear that hurdle in your volunteer experience? Again, be specific about how you came through on the other side of that conflict/tension — and while you're doing it, highlight your leadership capabilities as much as possible! Remember that top MBA programs are looking for future leaders who can assess a situation and decisively take action. (We'll say a bit more about this below, in the Personal Statement section.
• Result : What was the result of your action? If you were facing a growth problem at work, were you able to increase sales? If so, by what percentage? If you were advocating for diversity and inclusion at your local charity, what new programs did you implement to help with that effort, and what was the enrollment like in those new programs? Detail what happened in your anecdote with as much specificity as possible — and quantify, quantify, quantify!

3. Get Vulnerable

Most MBA admissions essay prompts are written with the goal of getting to know as much about you as possible in the shortest number of words. To do that, you're going to have to share real things from your life — to get personal, intimate, and vulnerable. Do not shy away from this. If you're starting to get emotional during the reflection, drafting, and writing process, good — that means you're on the right track. Keep going. Pro tip: If it’s making you cry, it will make them cry. Another good rule of thumb is to put something real and true on the table. Admissions officers have to read literally thousands of applications from thoroughly qualified individuals, some of whom might come from similar roles to yours, with letters of recommendation from equally impressive supervisors. In order to cut through that noise, you'll have to share something honest. If you're doing it right, this can feel risky. At some point, you’ll likely think to yourself: “Can I say that?” The answer is: “Yes.” Of course, there is a line, you don’t want to be crass or offensive but err on the side of being open and authentic. The very worst thing you can do is be overly cautious, and write something you think will please the admissions committee. These poor people have to read thousands of essays. If yours is just like everyone else’s, they’ll fall asleep. Don’t let that happen. Wake them up by putting yourself —your true, bright, vibrant, quirky self—on the page.

4. Don't Exaggerate

Finally, do not exaggerate, over-inflate, or lie. This goes without saying, but admissions committees are looking for honest candidates. The surest way to get rejected is to lie about something. (Business schools do a background check on you before you're properly admitted, so they will find out.) Don't be the person who over-inflates on their essays, then has their offer letter rescinded.

The Types of MBA Essays

All right — since we've covered high-level approaches to the MBA essays, it's time to dig into the various types.

There are three general categories of MBA essays you'll see across the board.

1. Personal Statement

These questions ask you to offer up something sincere about yourself. They'll often touch on such things as your values and your character. In these, you'll want to be as authentic as possible, while also highlighting attributes like leadership, intellectual vitality, and teamwork, that business schools are looking for. Here are a few examples of personal statement essays:

• As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program? (HBS)
• What matters most to you, and why? (Stanford GSB)

2. Why an MBA/Why This School

The next category of essays is the "Why an MBA" / "Why This School" set.

In these, schools first want to hear about how an MBA will fit into your career, both short and long term. Top MBA programs are looking for candidates who will: first of all, be gainfully employed upon graduating, second of all, have an illustrious career that will make their institution look good and encourage future generations of applicants to apply, and third, be consistent and generous donors. That being the case, they want to know about your career trajectory, and how an MBA will fit into it.

Pro tip: Here, you want to be ambitious and inspiring in laying out your future career, but not naïve. Walk the line between shooting for the stars and sounding dreamlike and uninformed.

In this set of questions, you'll also encounter questions geared at figuring out why you would want to attend a specific school. MBA programs want to know that you're serious about attending their school — yield, or the percentage of admitted candidates who accept their offers of admission, is an important metric for them — but they also want to envision how you'll contribute to their admitted class. What will you uniquely bring to the table, the things that you'll do that the other candidates wouldn’t be able to offer?

We've heard former deans of business schools say that, in choosing a class, they're curating a world-class dinner party, and that each person invited to the dinner party has to bring something different. What will you bring to the dinner party?

Pro tip: To demonstrate that you've done your research, and to help the admissions committee envision you in their program, indicate which classes you might take when earning your MBA and why, which professors you might hope to study with, and in which clubs you might participate.

Here are a few examples of "why MBA / why this school" essays:

• How is a Columbia MBA going to help you? (Columbia)
• What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (Wharton)
• Why Stanford? Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. (Stanford GSB)

3. Behavioral/Other

Finally, most other essays will either be behavioral, asking you about experiences, traits, strengths, weaknesses, and achievements. There's a wide variety of topics here, but all the guidelines from above apply, with the final note to always prioritize authenticity (as mentioned in the Personal Statement section) and leadership ability (remember, business schools are choosing future leaders). Here are a few examples of behavioral/other essays:

• Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. (Yale SOM)
• Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you. (Columbia)
• Think about times you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. What was your impact? What made it significant to you or to others? (Stanford GSB)

Top MBA Program Essay Prompts (Updated 2022)

To help you get started, we've compiled the required prompts from a few top MBA programs below:

1. Harvard Business School (HBS)

As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program? (900 words)

For more information, visit A Guide to the HBS Essay .

2. Stanford Graduate School of Business

What matters to you most, and why? (650 words)

Why Stanford? (400 words)

Read What Matters Most When Writing the GSB Essays.

How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

For Wharton-specific advice, visit A Guide to the Wharton Essays .

4. Columbia Business School

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Essay 2: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a new co-curricular program designed to ensure that every CBS student develops the skills to become an ethical and inclusive leader. Through PPIL, students attend programming focused on five essential diversity, equity, and inclusion skills: Creating an Inclusive Environment, Mitigating Bias, Communicating Across Identities, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Managing Difficult Conversations. Tell us about a time you were challenged around one of these five skills. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words)

Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams , an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program .Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (250 words)

5. Chicago Booth

How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250-word minimum)

An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of your career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are… (250-word minimum)

Read more at A Guide to the Booth Essays .

6. Kellogg Northwestern

Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)

Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

Read How to Nail Your Kellogg MBA Application Essays

7. MIT Sloan

MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity, respect, and passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Admissions Committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation)

Applicants are required to upload a 1 minute (60 seconds) video as part of their application. In your video, you should introduce yourself to your future classmates, tell us about your past experiences, and touch on why MIT Sloan is the best place for you to pursue your degree.

How to Start Your MBA Essay

So you've read about the types of essays, and seen some of the prompts from top MBA programs. Now it's time to actually start diving into the essay.

The very first thing to do, before putting pen to paper, is to look inward.

Why do  you want an MBA? What role will this degree play in your professional growth? How do you imagine it will shape your life? What do you want out of your career? What is the most important thing in the world to you?

Yes, these are life’s deep-end questions, but you’ll need to tackle them in these essays, so before you start writing, take the time to think through them. Go for a run, swim some laps, bake a cake—however you get into the flow — and start a dialogue with yourself. Put down your work, turn your phone off, and give your mind permission to go to the places it usually avoids. That’s a good place to start. That’s where the answers are.

Pro tip: The first sentence is the hardest one to write. When you're starting out if it can intimidating and anxiety-producing. The trick is to simply put  anything  down — and don't look back. Keep putting one sentence after the other. You can edit later: let whatever comes to you out onto the page. If you’re struggling with self-critique, dim your computer screen until you can’t even see the words you’re typing. Then keep going.

Additional Tips & Tricks

Once you've started your essay, it's a matter of persistence: keep writing, then keep drafting and editing until you have something you're really proud of.

To help you with that process, here are a few more tips and tricks:

• Take Breaks

When you hit the wall — you will hit the wall — stop. This is your brain telling you it needs to do something else. Walk your dog. Take a lap around your room. Eat some cheese. Your body needs sleep every night to function; your mind is the same way. That next leap of inspiration will come exactly at the moment when you’re least expecting it.

• Read it Out Loud

When you finally have a draft, print it and read it out loud to yourself. Your ear will catch things your eyes miss. Reading out loud is the best way to pick up on spelling errors, clunky transitions, and paragraphs that still need ironing out. It’s also a good way to envision how the admissions committee will experience your essay.

Don’t be precious with your essay. Send it to anyone willing to read it. Solicit as much feedback as you can. If you don’t like what people have to say, you don’t have to incorporate it, but you need an impartial third party to give notes on what they’re seeing, thinking, and feeling. (You’re too close to things to do it for yourself.) This is where a Leland coach comes very much in handy!

• Complete Everything Early

This is more of a timing consideration, but you do not want to trip at the finish line because your internet went down the night before the deadline, or your credit card was denied when paying your application fee (it's happened before). Don't let that be you!

Here is another article to get you started, written by an expert essays coach: 7 MBA Essay Tips to Make You Stand Out in 2022 .

Example MBA Essays

Finally, here are two essays to help inspire you. The first, a personal statement essay, was submitted by an admit to Berkeley Haas' Executive MBA program; the second, a career goals / why MBA essay, was submitted by an admit to Chicago Booth's deferred MBA program.

Haas Admit:

A person’s identity is shaped by many different aspects, including family, culture, personal interests, and surrounding environments. Please share a facet of your identity or story that is essential to who you are. (300 words) My upbringing in India, filled with countless myths and legends, had a profound influence on me. The most formative tale was about a sage who prays for years to the goddess of knowledge, but in vain. In the end, the goddess didn’t appear for the sage because he was turning his prayer beads the wrong way! As a child, this story upset me: the sage worked so hard and had the right intentions. As an adult, though, I’ve come to realize that the goddess of knowledge was right: you can’t succeed unless you do things the right way. Seven years ago, two friends and I started a company, XXXX: a digital health platform that would allow patients to store medical records online and consult doctors remotely. We had early success—we brought on 2,000 patients at XXXX, a gynecology clinic in XXXX—but ultimately we didn’t have the resources to properly scale, and had to shut the company down. Among the many lessons I learned, the most valuable was that ideas and hard work are common; businesses succeed or fail based on execution—on doing things the right way. Two years ago, I relearned this lesson in the most painful way possible: when my marriage ended. My wife and I loved each other, but we weren’t there for each other when it mattered most. Our feelings weren’t enough—we had to back them up with the right actions. It’s disheartening when you have good intentions but still fall short. When this happens, though, you have to keep trying—because eventually you will do things the right way. I carry the story of the sage with me always, not as a harsh lesson, but as a motivating goal: one that keeps me striving towards doing things the right way.

Booth Admit:

How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250 word minimum)

I want to start a geothermal company that will help lead the energy transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy—by targeting existing oil wells as sites for geothermal plants. Oil fields are close to electric grids and have high nearby subsurface temperatures, making them ideal sites for geothermal plants. By building geothermal infrastructure nearby, my company will produce cleaner, cheaper energy, making it more profitable for operators to switch from oil to geothermal. As oil companies decommission their wells, I’ll negotiate for their land rights, so I can use their existing wells for new geothermal vents. I want my company to prove the case for economically viable, carbon neutral energy production. After getting an MBA I want to start a geothermal company which will help me lead the energy transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. I plan to target developed oil fields in Texas, where, in many places, producing wells are flowing enough hot fluid to generate clean energy. Using this geothermal heat, the carbon footprint of oil and gas extraction will decrease as fewer fossil fuels are utilized to power surrounding infrastructure. As the wells approach their economic life, I will negotiate the lease from various operators, saving them millions in plug and abandonment costs, and retrofit the wells for direct geothermal energy production via closed loop binary fluid systems, bringing emissions to zero. To accomplish this goal, I need to shore up my knowledge of energy economics and entrepreneurial finance, develop a strong sense of leadership, and build a network of like minded individuals that will help me lead the transition and I believe I can get those things at Chicago Booth. My immediate career goal is to develop my first co-production site in Shelby County, Texas at the Blanton well site, which produces abnormally heated fluid from the flanks of an active salt dome. Before investing in capital expenditures, developing a strong sense of energy economics and broader markets is necessary to verify financial feasibility. University of Chicago, through the Graduate-Student-At-Large: Business program, is already allowing me to accomplish this goal with my enrollment in “Microeconomics” with Professor Andrew McClellan. His instruction helped me understand the impact taxes and subsidies have on market equilibrium, an important aspect of renewable energy as green energy tax incentives continue to change on a yearly basis. As my company continues to grow, having a strong finance and accounting foundation is imperative to building and sustaining a healthy company. Electives such as “Accounting for Entrepreneurship: From Start-Up through IPO” will provide the skills I need to be successful by following the life-cycle of a business that originates as a start-up, and covers topics such as building an initial accounting infrastructure. I understand that execution of the business is as important as developing the idea and proof of concept, and Booth is the best place for me to develop financial fluency. Leading the energy transition will require a strong sense of leadership. Not only will I need to lead those I get to work with over my career, but to lead the energy transition, and reverse the impact fossil fuels have had thus far, I must have the emotional intelligence to inspire others to join me in my journey. The “Interpersonal Dynamics” course at Booth will allow me to develop my communication skills and better understand the emotions and perceptions of my colleagues. These skills, synthesized with leadership development acquired in “Leadership Practicum” will prepare me to act as a relational leader, who understands the needs of others. As a relational leader I hope to foster an environment which promotes happiness, and maximizes efficiency, not only to make our efforts in changing the world more successful, but to excite other people to join our cause.

To find the greatest chance of success in leading the energy transition, I will need a network of like-minded individuals who can provide a diversity of thought. Chicago Booth provides the opportunity to develop that network through different community experiences. The Energy Club’s “Energy Forward” conference, which designates time to topics in oil and gas and renewable energy will allow me to hear from industry leaders, build meaningful relationships with peers and contribute my sector experience to the public forum as I learn from those around me. Opportunities through the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Group such as “SeedCon” will help me connect with successful entrepreneurs and early-stage investors whose ideas and funding might change the course of my venture’s trajectory. Even in the GSALB program I have had the opportunity to connect with other students in various sectors, including the energy industry. I hope to continue to strengthen those connections and continue building new ones with matriculation into the full time program.

Here are several other articles that you may find helpful as you put together your MBA application:

• The Most Frequently Asked Questions on MBA Applications
• How to Answer the "Why an MBA?" Essay Question
• My Top Piece of Advice for MBA Applicants
• How I Nailed My MBA Interview and Gained Admission to Top 10 Business Schools
• 4 Expert Tips on Paying for Business School

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MBA Essay Tips and Examples

Crafting a successful MBA application essay can be challenging. Click the icons below to read our expert advice on how to approach each business school's application essays, plus read illustrative sample essays to inspire you.

Berkeley Haas

Cambridge Judge

Chicago Booth

Columbia Business School

Cornell Johnson

Dartmouth Tuck

Emory Goizueta

Georgetown McDonough

Harvard Business School

London Business School

Michigan Ross

Northwestern Kellogg

Oxford Saïd

Stanford GSB

Texas McCombs

Toronto Rotman

UCLA Anderson

UPenn Wharton

Washington Foster