Haas is sticking with its tried-and-true formula for its essays this admissions season, requiring applicants to respond to a series of prompts in just 250 words before exploring two further topics in more depth. The first of these short answer topics is a new addition for this year, focusing on the candidate’s greatest passion and replacing last year’s focus on a regret. The rest of the questions remain the same. Let’s take a closer look at each:
Short Answer 1: What are you most passionate about? Why? (250 word maximum)
A candidate’s foremost passion is a popular essay topic among business school admissions committees, and understandably so; it gives a reader a sense of an applicant’s values, priorities and interests, and has implications for an applicant’s future plans and potential involvements while in school. As you reflect on potential topics for this essay, remember that the adcom will be expecting your response to line up with your stated professional goals to some extent, and that professing a deep dedication to family or an obscure hobby isn’t going to do much for your candidacy. Think broadly about themes in your background and the forces behind your decisions and involvements, and arrive at a topic that is true to your passions, allows you show the adcom a side of yourself not covered in your essays, and ties your goals and previous experiences together to some extent.
Short Answer 2: Tell us about your most significant accomplishment. (250 word maximum)
This is a very tall order for a 250 word essay, so brevity will be key here. You’ll clearly want to select an impressive achievement to discuss – ideally one in which you had a positive impact on a person, group or organization (as it would reflect well on you to say that you consider it significant that you improved something for others). It will be important to comment not only on the results, but also on the actions and thought process by which you brought them about. Note that the question does not limit you to the professional realm, so feel free to think of examples from your outside activities in selecting a topic for this short response.
Short Answer 3: At Haas, we value innovation and creativity. Describe a time when you created positive change in a group or organization. (250 word maximum)
With this topic, the Haas adcom is explicitly guiding applicants to answer the question by telling a specific story about one experience rather than inquiring generally about demonstrating these principles in one’s professional and personal life. In addressing the full scope of this question, applicants should most likely discuss an experience in which they used innovation and creativity to foster positive change in a group or organization. While outlining this experience, you should clarify the beneficial and significant results of your actions. You should also take the reader through your thought process as well as your actions, as demonstrating your ability to create positive results through your innovative intellectual capacity will show how you would contribute to the Haas community and find success in the future.
Short Answer 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)
This is a rather transparent test to determine whether you’ve done your homework and are making an informed decision in applying to Haas; though most schools look to the applicant to demonstrate his or her knowledge of the school, few come right out and ask how a candidate has gone about familiarizing him or herself with the program. Because some applicants treat this school as a backup to Stanford and other programs, it will be to your advantage to convince the adcom that you are sincere in your interest by explaining the appealing elements that are unique to the Berkeley MBA. Obviously, the more specific knowledge you are able to demonstrate, the better; the adcom would love to hear that an applicant has been in touch with students, is familiar with the campus and understands the Haas culture and program.
Essay 1: Give us an example of a situation in which you displayed leadership. (500 word maximum)
Though the adcom will already have learned a few interesting things about the applicant from the short essays above, this is the first real chance a candidate has to really develop a story in which he or she shines. It would be ideal to provide a solid professional example here, but an example from an extracurricular activity would suffice as well if you have made a more significant impact on an outside organization than you have in the workplace. To an extent, your topic choice may depend on how you’ve answered the earlier questions (since you’ll want to achieve balance across the essays). Another thing to note about this question is that it does not specify that you should have a formal leadership role – any time you exhibited the characteristics of a leader to effect positive change is fair game here. Essentially, you should aim to use this essay to highlight your interpersonal skills and ability to direct the efforts of others toward a constructive end.
Essay 2: What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How do your professional experiences relate to these goals? How will an MBA from Berkeley help you achieve these specific career goals? (1000 word maximum)
This is a fairly standard career goals essay asked by virtually all MBA programs, requiring applicants to provide an overview of their career to date, describe their short- and long-term objectives and explain their reasons for seeking an MBA from Haas in particular. As a general rule, specificity of career goals is of the utmost importance. Given the wording of Berkeley’s question, it will also be beneficial to draw explicit links between your previous experiences and future objectives in addition to touching upon the skills you’ve gained and lessons you’ve learned over the course of your career.
As the subject of the final short essay suggests, demonstrating an understanding of the unique merits of Berkeley’s program is crucial to an effective response to this question. Taking the time to learn about the school’s curriculum, special programs and extracurricular activities – whether through a visit to campus, conversation with alumni or reading the Clear Admit School Guide to Haas – will pay dividends here.
Interestingly, Haas chooses to end its essay section with the typical career goals essay, whereas most schools lead off with this topic. Rather than providing an overview of and introduction to your candidacy, as is the case with the career goals essay for most schools, this essay will instead be the culmination of your message to the adcom. Make sure to tie together the themes that you’ve introduced in your other responses, and end on a note of enthusiasm about the program and the timing of your application.
