Haas has again reduced its number of required essays, down from four last year to just three for this admissions season. While the total length of the essay set has also been trimmed, this reduction isn＊t quite as pronounced, with the total word count down from 1,500 last year to 1,400 across this year＊s three required responses. Indeed, the school appears to have replaced two of last year＊s 250-word essays with a single 400-500 word prompt, meaning that applicants will have the opportunity to more fully develop their ideas about a single topic in this season＊s application.
Let＊s take a closer look at Berkeley＊s MBA application prompts:
Essay 1: Describe an experience that has fundamentally changed the way you see the world. How did this transform you? (400-500 words)
A new question for this admissions season, this prompt centers on an applicant＊s reflectiveness about his or her current worldview, and probes into the ability and willingness to re-evaluate his or her perspective based on new information or experience. The use of the words ※fundamentally§ and ※transform§ in this prompt suggest that the adcom is looking for something more significant and sweeping than a mere lesson about teamwork or a temporary setback. Instead, applicants will need to discuss a personal paradigm shift that truly altered their outlook or sense of meaning in a lasting way.
In order to deliver what the adcom is seeking with this response, applicants will need to think on the interactions, experiences, and cultural artifacts that have most influenced the way they see and approach the world. The internal process by which this change occurred will also be of interest to the reader. Effective essays will likely provide a ※before and after§ setup, describing the beliefs or assumptions held prior to the experience in question before discussing this event or encounter and the change it brought about. In addressing the second part of the prompt, applicants would likely do well to provide one or two concrete examples of how this shift manifests itself in their lives today, particularly as this relates to their personal and professional involvements.
Essay 2: What is your most significant professional accomplishment? (200-300 words)
This question is a slight variation on a prompt that＊s appeared on the Haas application for the past several years, stipulating this season that the topic be drawn from the professional realm. Applicants will clearly want to select an impressive achievement to discuss 每 ideally one in which they had a positive impact on a client, team, colleague, or organization, as viewing these sorts of topics as significant may resonate more strongly with the adcom than promotions or other more insular successes. It will, of course, be important to comment not only on the accomplishment and its impact, but also on the thought process and actions involved in bringing it to fruition. This is a very tall order for a 250-word essay, so brevity will be key here.
Essay 3: What is your desired post-MBA role and at what company or organization? In your response, please specifically address sub-questions a., b., and c.
a. How is your background compelling to this company?
b. What is something you would do better for this company than any other employee?
c. Why is an MBA necessary and how will Haas specifically help you succeed at this company?
(500-600 word maximum for 3a, 3b, and 3c combined)
While many b-schools include essays about the applicant＊s post-MBA plans, few request as much detail or are as focused on the viability of the applicant＊s plans as this prompt. In addition to naming a job title and an organization where they hope to work upon graduating, applicants are asked to evaluate the employer＊s likely level of interest in hiring them, as well as their competitive advantage over other applicants. Rather than simply speculating on these points, applicants would do well to speak with current employees or HR representatives at the firm that they name in this response in order to provide an informed response to sub-questions a and b. Applicants hoping to launch their own ventures directly out of the Haas MBA program may have a particularly tricky time navigating this prompt, though they should likely stay as true to the spirit of the question as possible, perhaps writing about how their background and skills uniquely position them to offer their planned product and service, and to lead a company around it.
Part c of this question is a bit more straightforward. After detailing their strengths in the first two sections, applicants should focus on the gaps between their current skill set and that needed to be effective in their target post-MBA role, and should explain how the Haas MBA will help to bridge the two. As the subject of the final question of this prompt 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 每 whether through a visit to campus, conversation with alumni or reading the Clear Admit School Guide to Haas 每 will pay dividends here.
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)
Applicants should exercise discretion when responding to this prompt, as providing an optional essay creates extra work for the admissions reader. This will be a good place to address extenuating circumstances that have influenced one＊s academic or professional history, to address weaknesses in one＊s application, or to explain an unusual choice of recommender. The wording of this question is open enough that applicants may also choose to discuss an element of their background that is not reflected in their other materials (including data forms and r谷sum谷), though they will need to demonstrate sound judgment in doing so 每 i.e. the nature of the content should be such that it makes a material difference to one＊s application 每 and should summarize the information as concisely as possible.
2.If not clearly evident, please discuss ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities, or plan to strengthen quantitative abilities. You do not need to list courses that appear on your transcript. (250 word maximum)
For applicants without a strong record of quantitative coursework or whose GMAT score falls below the adcom＊s expectations, this essay provides an opportunity to discuss how they have and will continue to develop these skills at work and through further study.