The Application Process

If you plan to apply to the Haas MBA program please post here and I will add you to the original post.

Deadlines
Round 1: October 20, 2009
Round 2: December 10, 2009
Round 3: February 2, 2010
Round 4: March 10, 2010

Decision Dates
Round 1: January 27, 2010
Round 2: March 17, 2010
Round 3: April 28, 2010
Round 4: May 19, 2010

School Website:
https://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/prospective.html

Applicants:
g00gler
brianm (round 2)

Sent my app in on Tuesday, now waiting patiently for the results .

g00gler wrote:Sent my app in on Tuesday, now waiting patiently for the results .

Best of luck, g00gler! I am very interested in applying to Haas next year. Did you get a chance to visit the school? If so, what did you think?

Please keep me up to date with how things turn out!

Good luck to all R1 applicants!

This is Bernie@Haas, the current VP of Admissions for our MBA Association (student government) and one of the Haas Student Ambassadors.

You'll hopefully see more of me in the coming weeks as I'll keep an eye out on most things Haas related and help answer any questions you may have.

For more information on student life and stuff, check out our student blogs!

Student Blog:
https://berkeleymbastudents.blocked/

Student Ambassador (Day in the Life) Blog:
https://haasstudentambassadors.blocked/

Cheers!
Bernie

Hi Bernie! Great to see someone from Haas on the forums!

I have a few quick questions for you:
-Does Haas have any support/assistance programs in place for spouses?

-What do you think about downtown Berkeley? I have heard from some people that it isn't the safest and the crime is high? What do you think of the area?

-Kind of a follow up to the last question; Where do most of the students live?

dmateer25 wrote:Hi Bernie! Great to see someone from Haas on the forums!

I have a few quick questions for you:
-Does Haas have any support/assistance programs in place for spouses?

-What do you think about downtown Berkeley? I have heard from some people that it isn't the safest and the crime is high? What do you think of the area?

-Kind of a follow up to the last question; Where do most of the students live?

Hi dmateer25, thanks for the welcome!

I'm not sure what you mean by "support/assistance" programs for spouses. We do have a partners club that help partners out with questions and set up social activities. Also partners are welcomed to all Haas related social events. Spouses are encouraged to use the career center during the summer when they move here too.

Berkeley the city is not the safest in the US, that's for sure. But it's still not like other crime infested cities out there (Oakland, where I live, comes to mind). most students live in Berkeley, and generally it's fine other than some petty crime.

On the flip side, Berkeley has a lot to offer in terms of food, culture, and a decent college town atmosphere. Plus being 15-20 minute BART ride from SF does help!

Bernie

Bernie@Haas wrote:

dmateer25 wrote:Hi Bernie! Great to see someone from Haas on the forums!

I have a few quick questions for you:
-Does Haas have any support/assistance programs in place for spouses?

-What do you think about downtown Berkeley? I have heard from some people that it isn't the safest and the crime is high? What do you think of the area?

-Kind of a follow up to the last question; Where do most of the students live?

Hi dmateer25, thanks for the welcome!

I'm not sure what you mean by "support/assistance" programs for spouses. We do have a partners club that help partners out with questions and set up social activities. Also partners are welcomed to all Haas related social events. Spouses are encouraged to use the career center during the summer when they move here too.

Berkeley the city is not the safest in the US, that's for sure. But it's still not like other crime infested cities out there (Oakland, where I live, comes to mind). most students live in Berkeley, and generally it's fine other than some petty crime.

On the flip side, Berkeley has a lot to offer in terms of food, culture, and a decent college town atmosphere. Plus being 15-20 minute BART ride from SF does help!

Bernie

Thanks for the responses, Bernie!

You covered was I asking about the spouses assistance (primarily if spouses are allowed to utilize the career center and if there is a club available).

Hi Bernie,

I have a few more questions for you.

1) What made you choose Haas over other schools?

2) If I schedule a campus visit, is there something that you recommend checking out on the campus?

dmateer25 wrote:Hi Bernie,

I have a few more questions for you.

1) What made you choose Haas over other schools?

2) If I schedule a campus visit, is there something that you recommend checking out on the campus?

sure thing

1) A few things.

A. My focus in entrepreneurship and technology. Very few top MBA schools provide a strong combination in both, and Haas is one of them.

B. Location, location, location. I wanted to stay on the West Coast, and the SF Bay Area is pretty much one of the most diverse areas in terms of businesses. You have almost every type of industry here, especially tech and startups.

C. Small class size. After doing UG and grad school in big engineering classes, I wanted a "liberal arts" feel. I visited some bigger schools and felt that I just got lost in the crowd somehow. I also didn't like the feeling that I won't know every single one of my classmates, at least by name, when I graduate.

D. The people. Out of all the schools I visited and applied for, I think Haas was the most welcoming, energetic, and fiercely passionate about helping others out. It connected well with who I am and if I'm going to spend 2 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars somewhere, why not choose one that fits me culturally? =)

2) Yes, talk to as many students as you can. Sit in a busy area in our buildings and just observe how people work together. Absorb what it's like to be a student here. Observe the in class interactions versus other schools. Walk around the buildings and imagine yourself as a student there. Ask lots of tough questions about not just the academics, but the culture, the school, the people, and the activities. Get the most out of a visit, since once you get into multiple schools, making the decision on which school to attend is actually as tough as the application process (mentally, that is).

Bump for in for round 2! It was my first one turned in so far, 3 more to go over the holidays. I was a bit worried since I was probably a little jet lagged flying from Chicago to London for work but got it all done!

Good luck everyone!

Hi,

I am from India. I want to know, In general what are the qualities that Haas looks for in the applicants.
I have a gmat score of 700 and a work experience of 3 years. What are my chances of admission.

simcard

simcard wrote:Hi,

I am from India. I want to know, In general what are the qualities that Haas looks for in the applicants.
I have a gmat score of 700 and a work experience of 3 years. What are my chances of admission.

simcard

Hi simcard,

Unfortunately no one can tell you your chances of admission without going over your entire application (essays, rec letters, GPA, GMAT, interview, work experience, etc...), but Haas looks for a few main things from their applicants:

- what experiences can the applicant bring to Haas to enrich the learning of its students?
- what can the applicant get out of Haas to apply towards their career goals?
- does the applicant's career goals make sense with respect to what they've done so far in their career?
- will the applicant be able to handle the rigorous business curriculum at Haas?
- is the applicant a multi-faceted person (i.e. not just a work-a-holic)
- does the applicant show good leadership, interpersonal, and management skills in his/her past experiences?
- does the applicant fit the "Haas culture" of collaboration, teamwork, innovation, and confidence without attitude?

These are just a few of the things that Haas looks for in their applicants. Tell your story, show them who you are and what you've done, and how you will benefit from an education at Haas, and you should be fine.

Good luck!
Bernie

Hello Everyone!

This is LaurenAtHaas, the new VP of Admissions for the MBA Association (student government) and one of the Haas Student Ambassadors.

I am extremely excited to serve as a resource as you navigate the business school application process. I look forward to answering your questions, and supporting you in any way I can. Below is a little bit about myself.

I am a Bay Area native, born and raised in Los Gatos, CA. In 2000, I completed a double major in Economics and Political Science at Stanford University. While at Stanford, I was a four year varsity letter winner in softball, an NCAA Division I Scholar/Honor Roll Athlete, and a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and the Cap & Gown Women's Honor Society. I continue to be involved with my alma mater, serving as a Director on the board of the Stanford Professional Women (SPW) organization.

After graduation, I worked for two years at a patent law firm in Palo Alto. After deciding that I was not destined for law school, I accepted a role at Google as a member of the Online Sales and Operations department. During my 7 years with the company, I worked in a variety of General Management positions in several different offices, including Dublin, Ireland, and Hyderabad, India, most recently managing a sales team and running the office's community outreach program in Boston.

I made the decision to attend Haas as a means to further develop my strategic and quantitative skill sets, as well as my professional network. At Haas, I am involved with the MBA Association, Women in Leadership Club, Marketing Club, and Leadership Club. I am a Berkeley Board Fellow, serving on the board of The Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance. I am also participating in the Social Sector Solutions program, working with the Women's Sports Foundation on their GoGirlGo! initiative. In my leisure time, I am usually outdoors staying active. I also enjoy photography, traveling, and cooking.

Cheers,
Lauren

Hi Lauren,

Welcome to the forums! It's great to have another Haas student to answer questions for the community. Very impressive background too!