Toggle navigation
MBA Watch Logo
MBA Watch Sponsor
Columbia | Mr. Clean
GMAT 770, GPA 3.1
Harvard | Mr. Travel Enthusiast
GRE 333, GPA 2.7
Chicago Booth | Mr. UK-Big 4
GMAT 740, GPA 2:2 (UK Scoring)
MBA Watch Sponsor
Columbia | Mr. Midnight PM
GRE 332, GPA 3.09
Kellogg SOM | Mr. Rural Urbanist
GMAT Shooting for 700+, GPA 3.85
Wharton | Ms. Nurse Innovator
GRE N/A, GPA 3.5
MBA Watch Sponsor
MIT Sloan | Ms. Operations For Ed-Tech
GRE 312, GPA 3.04
Kellogg SOM | Mr. USArmy To MBA
GMAT 690, GPA 3.46
Darden | Mr. Military Supply Officer
GRE 308, GPA 3.63
MBA Watch Sponsor
INSEAD | Mr. Second MBA In Europe
GMAT 730, GPA 2.9
Stanford GSB | Mr. London PE
GMAT 760, GPA 4.0
Stanford GSB | Mr. Tech With Social Impact
GMAT 750, GPA 8.5/10
MBA Watch Sponsor
Chicago Booth | Mr. Black Knight
GMAT 780, GPA 3.17
INSEAD | Mr. Indian Air Force / Goldman Sachs
GMAT 690, GPA 82.2
Kellogg SOM | Ms. Wildly Ambitious
GMAT 750, GPA 3.5
MBA Watch Sponsor
PQ Logo
Featured Schools
Today's Featured Schools
Featured Schools
Rankings
  • MBA
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Executive MBA
  • Undergraduate Business Schools
News & Features
  • All Business School News
  • MBA
  • International MBA News
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Admissions
  • Thought Leadership
MBA
  • School Profiles
  • Rankings
  • News
  • Jobs
  • Faculty & Leadership
  • Best 40 Under 40 Professors
  • Events
  • Cornell MBA Handbook
  • BU Questrom
  • Kelley Direct Day In The Life
Students
  • News & Features
  • Meet The Class
  • Best & Brightest MBAs
  • Best & Brightest Online MBAs
  • Women In Business School
Careers & Pay
  • News, Advice, & Trends
Online MBA
  • School Profiles
  • Rankings
  • News & Advice
  • Events
Masters Degrees in Business
  • Specialized Masters Directory
  • Rankings
  • News & Advice
  • Business Analytics
  • Sustainability Management
  • Events
Financing
  • Financing Your Degree
  • Financing For International Students
Admissions
  • News & Advice
  • Admissions Consultant Directory
  • Your MBA Game Plan With Fortuna
  • Getting Into HBS, GSB, & Wharton
  • Handicapping Your MBA Odds
  • MBA Watch
  • Events
GMAT & GRE
  • News & Advice
  • Test Prep
More Resources
  • FREE Insider Guides
  • Successful Essays To The GSB & HBS
Events
Videos
Podcasts
Executive MBA
Undergrad
Full Archive

About | Privacy Policy | Advertising| Editorial | Contact Us

Follow Us

Subscribe | Login

  1. Home
  2. Admissions News & Features
  3. Sponsored Blogs: Insights & Advice From MBA Admissions Consultants
  4. 5 Essential Tips On Applying To Berkeley Haas

5 Essential Tips On Applying To Berkeley Haas

by: Sharon Joyce, Fortuna Admissions on September 03, 2019 | 4,512 Views
September 3, 2019
    • Copy Link
    • Share on Facebook
    • Share on Twitter
    • Email
    • Share on LinkedIn
    • Share on WhatsApp
    • Share on Reddit
Applying to Berkeley Haas

Haas School of Business at UC-Berkeley. UC photo

Berkeley Haas is the second-oldest business school in the US, and it’s been questioning the status quo since its 1898 founding. The school’s distinctive (call it quirky) culture is the stuff of legend, and its backyard proximity to the densest concentration of tech companies in the world is luring imaginative nonconformists of all stripes. Across every dimension, Berkeley Haas students, faculty, and staff are known for their exceptional talent and creativity, high-caliber of work, diversity of experience and explicit commitment to inclusiveness.

If this sounds like your people, read on. My Fortuna Admissions clients who hone in on Haas are looking to join a diverse global community of conscious leaders who wield the tools of business to make a positive impact and contribute to a larger purpose.

As former Berkeley Haas Associate Director of MBA Admissions, I’m practiced at discerning the qualities that distinguish the most exceptional applications. While I’ve written on how to tackle the new Haas MBA essays, as well as Haas’s optional essay, there are several important things to know about Haas to position your broader narrative for admissions success.

HERE ARE FIVE KEY INSIGHTS TO BRING TO YOUR BERKELEY HAAS APPLICATION:

1. The Berkeley Haas Defining Leadership Principles are a REAL thing.

The four principles – Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself – are truly reflective of the school’s culture and not just marketing fodder. Prepare to demonstrate how and why these principles speak to you. In the Haas interview, for example, you may be asked which one resonates most. There isn’t a right or wrong reply to this and it’s not a trick, but your ability to be authentic and honest in response depends on whether you’ve taken the time to get introspective about both the principles and your fit with the program.

2. Berkeley Haas takes pride in being part of a larger public institution.

It’s important to demonstrate some awareness that Berkeley Haas is part of the University of California system, with Berkeley being its flagship campus. The University of California was founded in 1868, born out of a vision in the State Constitution of a university that would “contribute even more than California’s gold to the glory and happiness of advancing generations.” UC Berkeley students – Haas students included – are reputed to be “scrappier” than peers at private institutions as well as lauded by recruiters for being less “entitled,” which ties directly to the Confidence Without Attitude principle.

3. Diversity of cultures and perspectives are hallmarks of Haas.

The school is committed to recruiting the most diverse students, faculty, and staff to enhance the mission, community, and academic excellence. In the essay prompts you’re asked to consider, the Admissions Committee is seeking to uncover the less visible forces that shape candidates’ lives, opportunities, decisions, and character. Whether you’re someone with privilege or not, you can express your values, political engagement, awareness of social justice, and/or access to education in terms of social mobility – all of which are very important to Haas. This school seeks students who demonstrate self-awareness and community engagement, which is an invitation to recognize your privilege and convey a deep understanding of what that means to you. Overall, Haas genuinely fosters a climate of inclusion, empathy, and compassion. Even if you don’t identify as a member of a marginalized group, it can be valuable to show how you are an ally and welcoming of different ways of thinking, which ties to Questioning the Status Quo and Beyond Yourself.

4. It’s okay to be a little bit “Bezerkeley.”

The term “Beserkeley” has a history in popular culture and media lingo. In 2004, the current top definition for the word “Bezerkeley,” a popular spelling variant of the word, was created on Urban Dictionary. The word as read on the site is defined simply as “Berkeley, California,” as if the name of the city alone were enough to express the out-there atmosphere associated with the locale. How does this apply to Berkeley Haas? The Admissions Committee does place some value on being a bit quirky – if this is authentically who you are. (But don’t fake it if you’re not!) The acceptance of those who might have taken a path less traveled, or who have an unusual talent or hobby, is what makes the Haas student body so unique. The essay prompts tend to be less conventional by design; the admissions committee wants to find out what makes you tick, up and beyond your work and academic acumen. You should approach the prompts with enthusiasm, gusto and as a signal of your fit for the program.

5. Community engagement is requisite.

The student-driven and deeply participatory atmosphere at Haas is another vital differentiator to connect to your narrative. Haas’s culture of engagement extends beyond studies into institutional operations, with feedback loops between student government and every administrative function/office within the program. Student viewpoints are taken very seriously and are actively solicited. Admissions interviews are predominately conducted by student interviewers, for example, and their reviews of candidates are weighed equally to those conducted by alumni and professional staff.

As such, if you’re among the fortunate to be invited to interview, know that current students, who serve as interviewers, can be tough evaluators. You will need to cite two-to-three clubs you plan to join at Haas, as well as link at least one club with experience or position you’ve served in the past to demonstrate your commitment, sincerity and track record of community engagement. So earlier on in the application process, be sure to reach out to student leadership to have a few examples of how you’ll be an active participant.

For more admissions insights to bolster your Berkeley Haas application, view my recent articles:

How To Tackle The New Berkeley Haas MBA Essays

Haas’s Optional Essay: Addressing Barriers of Power & Privilege


Fortuna-AdmissionsSharon Joyce is an Expert Coach at MBA admissions coaching firm Fortuna Admissions and 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.

Comments or questions about this article? Email us.

Trending

Ranking: The Forbes 2023 Top Colleges In America

Harvard & Wharton Slump In New 2023 Businessweek MBA Ranking

Ranking: U.S. News’ Best Undergraduate Business Programs Of 2024

Taylor Swift Becomes An MBA Case Study

Tagged: Berkeley Haas application, Fortuna Admissions, Sharon Joyce

Post navigation

Previous Article: Kellogg vs. Booth: The Ultimate Smackdown
Next Article: Stanford GSB Gets New Dean For Its MBA Program
  • Stay Informed. Sign Up! Login
    Logout
    Search for:
  • Sponsored Blogs
    Dr. Judith Silverman Hodara Fortuna

    Help! My Recommender Used ChatGPT

    by Judith Silverman Hodara, Fortuna Admissions (2 days ago)

    MIT’s App Is Different. How To Ace It

    by Tsahala David, Fortuna Admissions (2 weeks ago)
    Dr. Judith Silverman Hodara Fortuna

    The End of Affirmative Action: What It Means For MBA Admissions

    by Judith Silverman Hodara, Fortuna Admissions (2 weeks ago)
    Matt Symonds, Co-Founder and Director at Fortuna Admissions

    Countdown To R1: Your MBA Application Strategy

    by Matt Symonds, Fortuna Admissions (2 weeks ago)
  • Advice and Articles
    • How To Use Poets&Quants MBA Admissions Consultant Directory
    • How To Select An MBA Admissions Consultant
    • MBA Admission Consulting Claims: How Credible?
    • Suddenly Cozy: MBA Consultants and B-Schools
    • The Cost: $6,850 Result: B-School

Our Partner Sites: Poets&Quants for Execs | Poets&Quants for Undergrads | Tipping the Scales | We See Genius

About Poets&Quants | P&Q News Archives | Privacy Policy | Advertising & Partnerships | Editorial | Contact Us | Sign In / Register

Copyright© 2023 Poets&Quants, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Website Design By: Yellowfarmstudios.com