Wednesday, July 16, 2008

UC Berkeley (Haas) Application Essays and Deadlines for 2008-2009

The Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley has just released its application deadlines and admissions essays for the 2008-2009 season. Note that as of 7/16/08 Haas still notes on its web site that these are subject to change for the 2008-2009 application season. Our comments are in italics:

Haas Application Deadlines

Round 1: November 4, 2008
Round 2: December 9, 2008
Round 3: January 30, 2009
Round 4: March 11, 2009

(These are virtually identical to last year's deadlines.)

Haas Admissions Essays

(Note that we have presented these in a different order than what you will see on the Haas web site.)

Required Essays:
  1. Give us an example of a situation in which you displayed leadership. (500 word maximum)
  2. What are your short-term and long-term career goals? How do your professional experiences relate to these goals? Why do you want an MBA from Berkeley at this point in your career? (1000 word maximum)

Short Answer:
  1. If you could change one thing you've done in your life, what would it be, and how would you do it differently? (250 word maximum)

  2. Tell us about your most significant accomplishment. (250 word maximum)

  3. At Haas, we value innovation and creativity. Describe an innovative solution you have created to address a specific challenge. (250 word maximum)

  4. What steps have you taken to learn about the Berkeley MBA program, and what factors have influenced your decision to apply? (250 word maximum)

Supplemental Questions:

(These are meant to accompany -- and explain parts of -- your Haas application data sheet, so we won't dive into too much detail here.)
  1. If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain; otherwise, enter N/A.

  2. List in order of importance all community & professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Indicate the nature of the activity or organization, dates of involvement, offices held, & average number of hours spent per month.

  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.

  4. Please explain all gaps in your employment since earning your university degree.

  5. Please identify the course(s) you have taken or intend to take to demonstrate quantitative proficiency. Provide the course name, date, grade if any, and institution at which the course was or will be taken. If you wish, you may discuss other ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities.

  6. 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.)

(Note their comment in that last question. If you have a blemish in your past, don't try to hide it. Better to address it directly, explain what you learned and how you've changed, and move on.)

Optional Essays:
  1. Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven’t addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum)

  2. If you wish to be considered for the Haas Achievement Award (for individuals who have achieved success in spite of significant economic, educational, health-related and/or other obstacles), please use this space to address the obstacles you have overcome. (750 word maximum)

(The Haas application features a bunch of short questions that clearly hit on all of the attributes that they most look for in applicants -- especially leadership, innovation, and maturity. Interestingly, there aren't many changes from last year. The "What would you change about your life?" question is the biggest change vs. what was in last year's application. This question provides for a better opportunity to demonstrate introspection than last year's "Who would you invite to dinner?" question. The key with all of these, especially the Short Answer questions, is to answer the question asked! They hit on some big subject areas, so don't waste any of your 250 words with each.)

For more advice on applying to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, visit our Haas information page.