Berkeley Haas’ 2018-2019 MBA Deadlines

UC-Berkeley’s Haas School of Business moved back its round one MBA application deadline this year by nearly a week to Sept. 27. That is a full six days later than last year’s Sept. 21st cutoff, yet candidates will only get a final admissions decision from the school a day earlier than last year.

Haas set a round two MBA deadline of Jan. 10, with decisions due on March 14th. The round three and final cutoff date is April 4th, with decisions posted May 9th. All applications must be submitted on or before the application deadline at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

For Consortium candidates, the school released two rounds of deadlines. The first is Oct. 15, with decisions posted on Dec. 13th, while the second is Jan. 5, with decisions due March 14th.

Haas’ 2018-2019 MBA Application Deadlines

Berkeley Haas Rounds	Application Deadline	Interviews	Decisions
Round One	September 27, 2018	NA	December 13, 2018
Round Two	January 10, 2019	NA	March 14, 2019
Round Three	April 4, 2019	NA	May 9, 2019

Haas does not reveal a specific date for invitations to do an admissions interview. Those interviews are disclosed to candidates as the school’s admissions committee reviews the applications and then offers interviews both on-campus and in cities around the world.

The school also issued its required two essays for 2018-2019 applicants. They include:

Tell us a six-word story that reflects a memorable experience in your life-to-date. Elaborate on why it is meaningful to you. (300 words maximum)

Briefly describe your immediate post-MBA career goal, and discuss how it will put you on a path to a meaningful and rewarding career. (300 words maximum)

Haas also invites applicants to submit optional information on a variety of topics to help admissions staff better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

HAAS RECEIVED 4,132 APPLICATIONS FOR 284 CLASSROOM SEATS LAST YEAR

Last year’s entering class was a landmark at Haas for several reasons. For one, the class size rose from 252 to 284 students – the school’s largest class ever. This coming year, Haas is aiming to get closer to 300 students. Add to that, the program attracted 4,132 applications during the 2017-2018 cycle, another high that eclipses the Class of 2011’s mark of 4,064. Overall, the acceptance race stood near 12%.

Size and scope weren’t the only areas where Haas shined over the past year. For one, the school boasted an average GMAT of 725 with the 2019 Class – up eight points from the previous year. It was a significant bump for the school, as its GMAT average has ping-ponged in the 714-718 range over the past nine years.  Haas also leapfrogged Columbia Business School in terms of GMAT averages, while falling a point short of Booth’s average. Thanks to this eight point surge, Berkeley further distanced itself from public programs like Michigan Ross and UCLA Anderson.

The range of GMAT scores for last year’s entering class went from a low of 640 to 780. Haas’ average GPA even jumped to 3.71, a major move considering it has covered the 3.62-3.66 range like clockwork over the past nine years. The range of GPAs last fall was 3.07 to 4.0. Meantime, the average TOEFL score was 110, with a mid-80% range of 104 to 115.

ADVICE FROM RECENT HAAS MBA GRADUATES

“Following some advice I got from a Haas alum, I started business school aiming to dedicate 50% of my time to pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and the other 50% reaffirming what I care about. As this approach applies to admissions, you should be able to both articulate what you think you will get out of business school (the first 50%) and what unique passions or talents you will contribute to the Haas community (the second 50%). Also, every single application question and essay is precious real estate, so don’t waste a square inch of it by being repetitive—make sure to showcase a well-rounded picture of who you are!” — Erin Gums, Class of 2019 MBA graduate from Haas

“Haas is deeply rooted in our Defining Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. It’s also a place that is driven by the passion and initiative of its students. As you prepare your application, consider the ways in which you have leaned into these Defining Principles, and how you might leverage your experience and passion to contribute to the community here.” — Liz Koenig, Class of 2019 MBA graduate from Haas now working for The Bridgespan Group in San Francisco

“I highly recommend spending time reflecting on what your passions are before you even start your application. Then, let whatever you are super stoked about come through in your application, interview, and conversations with Haasies. If you can clearly communicate your goals, then it’s much easier for current students to put you in touch with the right people who can get you moving in the right direction. Haasies will push and support you to achieve whatever crazy dreams you have so let your passions show! I chose Haas because I wanted to surround myself with people who share my passion for positive change at work, at school, and in society. As I connected with current students, I was excited to learn about the many ways that students are leaders on campus.” — Chen Song, Class of 2019 MBA graduate from Haas

“Be true to yourself. I find that a lot of prospective students that I speak to are trying to fit the mold of what they perceive as the “perfect MBA candidate,” but Haas is more concerned with finding students that believe in and exhibit our defining principles, which I think makes us a bit distinct from many other programs culturally.” — Adrian Williams, Class of 2019 MBA graduate from Haas who is working for Credit Suisse in New York

DON’T MISS: WHERE CULTURE REALLY MATTERS: BERKELEY’S HAAS SCHOOL or OUR INTERVIEW WITH HAAS MBA GATEKEEPER MORGAN BERNSTEIN