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Personal Insight Questions

As a vital part of your application, the personal insight questions—short-answer questions you will choose from—are reviewed by both the admissions and scholarship offices., at berkeley we use personal insight questions to:.

• Discover and evaluate distinctions among applicants whose academic records are often very similar
• Gain insight into your level of academic, personal and extracurricular achievement
• Provide us with information that may not be evident in other parts of the application

What we look for:

• Initiative, motivation, leadership, persistence, service to others, special potential and substantial experience with other cultures
• All achievement in light of the opportunities available to you
• How you confronted and overcame your challenges, rather than describing a hardship just for the sake of including it in your application
• What you learned from or achieved in spite of these circumstances

Academic achievement

For first-year applicants:

• Academic accomplishments, beyond those shown in your transcript

For transfer students:

• Include interest in your intended major, explain the way in which your academic interests developed, and describe any related work or volunteer experience.
• Explain your reason for transferring if you are applying from a four-year institution or a community college outside of California. For example, you may substantiate your choice of a particular major or your interest in studying with certain faculty on our campus.

How to answer your personal insight questions

• Thoughtfully describe not only what you’ve done, but also the choices you have made and what you have gained as a result.
• Allow sufficient time for preparation, revisions, and careful composition. Your answers are not evaluated on correct grammar, spelling, or sentence structure, but these qualities will enhance overall presentation and readability.

If you are applying…

• Your intended field of study
• Your interest in your specific major
• Any school or work-related experience
• for a scholarship, we recommend that you elaborate on the academic and extracurricular information in the application that demonstrates your motivation, achievement, leadership, and commitment .
• Discuss how the program might benefit you
• Tell us about your determination to succeed even though you may have lacked academic or financial support

Keep in mind

You can use the Additional Comments box to convey any information that will help us understand the context of your achievement; to list any additional honors awards, activities, leadership elements, volunteer activities, etc.; to share information regarding a nontraditional school environment or unusual circumstances that has not been included in any other area of the application. And, finally, after we read your personal insight questions, we will ask the question, “What do we know about this individual?” If we have learned very little about you, your answers were not successful.

• Personal Insight Questions (University of California)
• Personal Insight Question Writing Tips
• Leadership (video)
• What Leadership Looks Like

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University of California, Berkeley | UC Berkeley’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short responses.

Please respond to any 4 of the 8 questions below.We realize that not all questions apply to all applicants, so be sure to select the 4 questions that you believe give us the best information about you.All 8 questions are given equal consideration in the application review process. Responses to each question should be between 250-350 words.

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

18 UC Berkeley Essay Examples that Worked (2024)

If you want to get into the University of California, Berkeley in 2022, you need to write strong Personal Insight Question essays.

In this article I've gathered 18 of the best University of California essays that worked in recent years for you to learn from and get inspired.

What is UC Berkeley's Acceptance Rate?

UC Berkeley is one of the top public universities and therefore highly competitive to get admitted into.

This past year 112,854 students applied to Berkeley and only 16,412 got accepted. Which gives UC Berkeley an overall admit rate of 14.5%.

And as of 2022, the University of California no longer uses your SAT and ACT when deciding which students to admit.

UC Berkeley Acceptance Scattergram

This means that your Personal Insight Questions are even more important to stand out in the admissions process. That is, your essays are more heavily weighed.

If you're trying to get accepted to UC Berkeley, here are 18 of the best examples of Personal Insight Questions that got into Berkeley.

What are the UC Personal Insight Question Prompts for 2022-23?

The Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) are a set of eight questions asked by the UC application, of which students must answer four of those questions in 350 words or less.

Here are the Personal Insight Question prompts for this year:

• Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.
• Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
• What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
• Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
• Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
• Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
• What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
• Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

18 UC Berkeley Personal Insight Question Examples

Here are the 18 best Berkeley essays that worked for each Personal Insight Question prompt #1-8.

If you're also applying to UCLA, check out more unique UCLA essays from admitted students.

UC Berkeley Example Essay #1

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UC PIQ #1: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. (350 words max)

From an early age I became a translator for my mother anytime we went out in public. This experience forced me to have conversations with adults from a young age. It made me become a great communicator, while helping my parents overcome their language barrier.

Being a communicator has allowed me to lead. When I joined my school’s National Honor Society I was given the opportunity to lead. Applying the skills I used from being my mother’s translator I was able to do what no one else could, make the calls and start the club’s most successful event to date an annual Food Drive at a local Albertson’s, which collects over one ton of food every November. Also developing events like an egg hunt at the local elementary school, a goods drive for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and stabilizing a volunteer partnership with a local park. I have been able to grow as a leader, who actively communicates and brings parties together, planning events and having them run smoothly with minor issues. For instance, last year there was an issue with the homeless shelter not picking up the food for the food drive. In a spur of the moment solution I managed for club member’s parents to collectively deliver the food. My ability to communicate benefited me allowing me to find a solution to an unanticipated problem.

Throughout the four years I have been in journalism I have led; mentoring younger writers and improving the way the paper operates. Staying after hours, skyping with writers about their articles all helped establish my role as a leader, who is always supporting his team. I have done this while writing over 100 articles, editing tons of pages, and managing deadlines. I learned that while being a leader requires effort, it is the passion like I have for journalism that motivates me to lead in my community.

Being a leader so far in my life has taught me that I need to communicate, be passionate, and pass on my knowledge helping cultivate future leaders, who can expand and supersede my work.

UC PIQ #2: Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. (350 words max)

Video games have cultivated my creative thought process. When I was a toddler I invented a game I would play with my brothers. It was nothing along the lines of Hide-and-Seek or Tag, but rather, it was meant to mimic a role-playing video game. It was called "Guy" and came with its own story, leveling system, and narrative story. While seemingly impossible to translate the mechanics of a video game into real life, the "Guy" trilogy provided hundreds of hours of fun to pass hot summer days and escape the harsh reality of our parents arguing and eventual divorce.

This thought process translated into my educational career. have always thought of a tough class or test as a video game. This mostly due to my excessive amounts of video games I played as a child through middle school (especially 7th grade). Each year comes bigger and "stronger" challenges, bigger and stronger bosses to defeat. My senior year will have me face the most powerful boss yet; full AP course load on top of heavy club involvement and community college classes.

Many thought of this "secret boss" as an impossible challenge; something that could never be beaten. No one from my school has ever attempted to take on such a challenge, let alone defeat it. That is probably what excites me about it. In a game, messing around with lower level enemies is fun for a while, but gets boring when it is too easy. The thought of a challenge so great and difficult makes the victory even more rewarding. Stormy skies, heavy rain, and epic boss battle music; I'll take that over a peaceful village any day. In the future, I seek to use this thinking to drive research. I think of abstract physics concepts like secret door and levels that need to be proven true or just a myth in the game. One day, I can make my own discovery of a secret "cheat code' that can help everyone who plays a little game called life.

UC PIQ #3: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? (350 words max)

I’ve always hated the feeling of clammy hands, the needless overflow of adrenaline rushing through my veins, and the piercing eyes that can see through my façade—the eyes that judge me. I felt like this debilitating anxiety that I suffered through was something I could not avoid when doing the thing I was most afraid of—public speaking. I still felt every sweat droplet run down my skin before each speech, and this anguish never completely dissipated. Fortunately, I learned to moderate my fear in high school when I decided to join the speech and debate program. My anxiety has slowly faded in intensity as I’ve gained certitude and poise with every tournament, and every chance I’m given to speak on behalf of others; this talent has allowed me to be a voice for the voiceless.

Out of all the national tournaments that I’ve competed in, the MLK invitational holds a distinct place in my heart. It was my first invitational tournament in which I competed exclusively in Lincoln Douglas debate. I only had two weeks to prepare myself since it was finals week, while my competitors had upwards of two months to prepare. I was fortunate to break into the final round, as my years of experience helped me to articulate and explain my few arguments more effectively, while also refuting my opponent’s.

I realized that the extent of one’s knowledge is useless if it cannot be made known in a way that is clear to others. I learned that preparation is necessary, but one can be so focused on what they are going to say that they don’t hear the arguments presented. I kept an open and ready mind for various claims and strategies which left me free to adapt to the opponent’s argumentative style each round. This ability to think on my feet has served me well in countless debates, speeches, and presentations. I continuously use these skills to become a better and more active listener in my daily interactions as well.

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My greatest skill is my ability to remember things really well, whether they be minute details or important information that should not be forgotten. Over time, I’ve had a knack for remembering details most people would not even bother to remember, such as old test scores, atomic masses, and other details involving numbers. My friends have always marveled at my ability to remember all these numbers. When I was in chemistry class, we used the periodic table so much that I soon began to remember the atomic mass of the more common elements, and even the molecular mass of common compounds like glucose or water. One of my best friends, who is undoubtedly the smartest person in our class, even finds it crazy that I can remember all these numbers and always tells me that my memory of numbers is amazing. I also used my memory to learn and remember how to solve the Rubik's cube, which amazes my friends, as they find it to be complex with many different, possible combinations.

This skill that I have developed, however, isn’t completely under my control, as sometimes I just remember random and irrelevant facts without really trying to do so. I recall one weekend when my eight-year-old cousin was attempting to memorize the digits of pi: I remembered them along with him, learning up to forty digits in just one day. The skill is seemingly natural and not something I have worked hard to develop, as I may be able to use my memory to my advantage, or it can be a disadvantage. It helps when I have multiple tests in one day, or a test with many questions where I have to remember a lot of information, such as finals. Sometimes, however, it is a disadvantage when I remember information during a test that is not relevant to the topic, such as random dates, names, or song lyrics, to name a few. This skill is very important to nonetheless, as it has assisted me all throughout my life in many tests and challenges involving memory.

UC PIQ #4: Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. (350 words max)

At 10:30 pm on a hot, summer, Wednesday night, you would expect my friends and me to be having the time of our lives and going out on crazy high school adventures— but instead, we were actually stuck in a chemistry laboratory trying to map out the Lewis structure of sulfuric acid.

Over the summer of my sophomore year, my friends and I enrolled into ‘Introduction to Chemistry’, an evening course at our local community college. As a six-week summer course, I spent two hours in lecture, two hours in the laboratory, and another two hours studying on my own for four days a week for six weeks. It was evident that I struggled with adjusting to the pace of college when I received 19% on a quiz. I felt left behind, exhausted, and overall pathetic. No matter how many hours I spent studying, I couldn’t keep up. But instead of giving up, I picked up certain strategies like reading the material the night before, rewriting my notes, and joining a study group; eventually working my way up to a B.

At the end of that summer, I learned so much more than just chemistry. On top of having the raw experience of what college is like, my chemistry experience taught me that it is okay to fail. I discovered that failure is an essential part of learning. Coming to this realization inspired me to take more college courses and rigorous courses in high school. I transformed into a hungry learner, eager to fail, learn, and improve. By seizing the opportunity to take this course, I pushed myself beyond my limits. This experience and realization changed how I wanted to pursue the rest of high school, college, and life in general.

I walked into my first day of the chemistry class expecting to walk out with an A; but thankfully, I didn’t. Instead, I walked out of that class with a taste of the college experience and a principle that I now live by-- that it is okay to fail, as long as you get back up.

The relationship I cultivated with my school's college center, by simply being inquisitive, has been most significant. Over my years in high school the college center became my 2nd home, where I learned about extra opportunities and triumphed with help from counselors.

For instance, with help from my school’s college center I applied and was accepted as an LAUSD Superintendent Summer Scholar this past summer. The program selected 15 juniors out of over 450 applicants to work in one of 15 departments, and I was chosen to work for the communications department, which received over 70 applications – making me 1 of 70. Interning for LAUSD at their 29 floor high rise was very eye-opening and exposed me to working in communications alongside seasoned professionals. The opportunity gave me the chance to meet the Superintendent and school board members, who are politically in charge of my education. As part of the communications department I learned how the district operates a network of over 1,300 schools and saw how the 2nd largest school district shares info with stakeholders through universal press releases, phone calls, and the district homepage.

I wrote several articles for the district publication and worked with public information officers who taught me the principles of professionalism and how to communicate to over 1 million people. Recently, I was called from the district to become a part of their Media Advisory Council working alongside district heads, representing the students of LAUSD.

Working for LAUSD furthered my passion to pursue careers in both communication and education. I have always had a desire to be a journalist and the internship assured me of that. I want to write stories bringing student issues from areas like mine to light. Being exposed to the movers and shakers that control education in Los Angeles has heavily motivated me to become an educator and at some point become a school board member influencing the education students like me receive.

Support from the college center has spawned opportunities like a life-changing internship and set me on course for a future full of opportunity.

“Give me liberty, or give me death!”, I proudly exclaimed, finishing up a speech during my first Individual Event competition for Speech and Debate, also known as Forensics Workshop. Public speaking was always one of my shortcomings. During countless in-class presentations, I suffered from stage-fright and anxiety, and my voice always turned nervous and silent. I saw Speech and Debate as a solution to this barrier that hindered my ability to teach and learn. With excessive practice, I passed the tryout and found myself in the zero-period class. All of my teammates, however, joined because they loved chattering and arguing. I had the opposite reason: I despised public speaking.

I was definitely one of the least competitive members of the team, probably because I didn’t take the tournaments very seriously and mainly worried about being a better speaker for the future. Throughout the daily class, I engaged in impromptu competitions, speech interpretations, spontaneous arguments, etc... Throughout my two years on the team, my communication, reciting, writing, and arguing skills overall improved through participation in events such as Impromptu, Original Oratory, Oratorical Interpretation, Lincoln Douglas Debate, and Congress. I even achieved a Certificate of Excellence in my first competition for Oratorical Interpretation -- where we had to recite a historical or current speech -- for Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death.”

I decided to quit Speech and Debate because I felt as if it has completed its purpose. After this educational experience, my communications skilled soared, so I could perform better in school, especially on essays and presentations. Leaving this activity after two years gave me more time to focus on other activities, and apply communications skills to them. In fact, I even did better in interviews (which is how I got into the Torrance Youth Development Program) and even obtained leadership positions in clubs such as Math Club and Science Olympiad Through my two years in Speech and Debate, I believe I became a much better thinker, speaker, and leader. Taking advantage of this opportunity boosted my self-esteem and overall made high school a better experience.

UC PIQ #5: Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? (350 words max)

Although many would say that hardships are the greatest hindrance on a person, my hardships are my greatest assets. The hardships I have overcome are what push and drive me forward. If I had not gone through the failures of my 7th grade year I may have been satisfied as a B or C student. It is easy for us to use our hardships as excuses for not doing work, however, this is a mistake that many people make.

Through my struggles and failure, I have realized an important truth: I am not special. The world will continue to go on and expect me to contribute no matter what I have gone through. Everyone endures some type of obstacle in their life; what makes people different is how they handle them. Some sit around and cry "boo-hoo" waiting for people to feel sorry for them. Others actually take action to improve their situation.

Through hard work, I have been able to outperform my peers, yet I know there is still room for improvement. The thought of actual geniuses in top universities excited me; I long to learn from them and eventually surpass them, or perhaps enter a never ending race for knowledge with them. I used to live an hour away from school. I would have to wake up and be dropped off at a donut shop at 4 in the morning and then walk to school at 6:30 am. After school, I would have to walk to the public library and stay for as long as it was open then wait outside and get picked up around 9:30 pm. I am reluctant to retell this story; not because I am ashamed, but because it is not important. It doesn't matter what hardships I have endured, they do not determine who I am. What matters is what I have done.

At the start of high school, I saw nothing but success. From grades to extracurricular activities, everything seemed to be going smoothly. However, as my sophomore year progressed, this wave of success was soon swamped by a wave of disillusionment. I struggled to perform in Calculus and as a Vice-President, but instead of looking for a solution, I looked for excuses. Ultimately, when I was forced to face my two F’s and my lost elections, the world came crashing down. The vision I had meticulously planned out for the future seemed to shatter before my eyes. My self-confidence plummeted to an all-time low. I thought my life was over.

However, my response to this failure was what would ultimately determine the direction my life would take. In the end, I made the right choice: instead of continuing to blind myself with a false narrative that cast all the blame off my own shoulders, I admitted to my own shortcomings and used this experience as a lesson to grow from.

In doing so, I learned to focus on the aspects of my life that I was truly passionate about instead of spreading myself too thin. I learned to face challenges head-on instead cowering at the first sign of difficulty, even if it meant asking others for help. I learned to accept and utilize my own differences to create my own unique leadership style. Most importantly, rather than letting this mistake define me, I ignited a sense of determination that would guide me back on the right path no matter how many obstacles I encounter.

Looking back, this tragic mistake was a double-edged sword. While it definitely leaves a stain on my record, it is also likely that I wouldn’t have been able to find the same success a year later without the lessons I gained from this experience. At the end of the day, while I still grimace every time I contemplate my sophomore year, I understand now that this mistake is what has allowed me to develop into the person I am today.

Throughout my childhood, I grew up in a nine-person household where the channels of our TV never left the Filipino drama station and the air always smelled of Filipino food. But the moment I left home, I would go to a typical suburban elementary school as an average American kid at the playground. I grew up in a unique position which I both love and hate: being a second-generation Filipino American.

I love being a second-generation immigrant. I have the best of both worlds. But I also hate it. It chains me to this ongoing struggle of living under the high expectations of immigrant parents. How could I hate the part of me that I loved the most?

Growing up, I lived under the constant academic stress that my parents placed on me. Their expectations were through the roof, demanding that I only bring home A’s on my report card. My entire academic career was based on my parent’s expectations. Their eyes beat down on every test score I received. I loved them so much, but I could only handle so much. The stress ate me alive, but I silently continued to work hard.

Living under this stress is the biggest ongoing challenge of my life thus far. Until last year, I never understood why my parents expected so much from me. Finally being old enough to understand my parent’s point of view, I realize that they set these high expectations in the hopes that one day, all of the pain and struggles it took to get to America will pay off. Since then, I’ve overcome the high expectations of my parents by converting their pressure into a fireball of ambition and motivation, deeply ingrained in my mentality.

This intense desire to succeed in America as a second-generation immigrant is something that has and always will fuel my academic drive. As the first person in my family to go to college in America, I’ve made it my life aspiration to succeed in academics in the honor of my family-- a decision made by me.

UC PIQ #6: Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. (350 words max)

Understanding the past helps us make better choices in today’s society. History provides us with the views of people and politics, the ethnic origin of people, and much more. At the base of all history, there is an intensive culmination of research which hopes to address or bring light to a story.

My passion for history began while digging deep into own family’s story, researching the history of Latin America, and the origins of the city I was raised in.

For example, when I first saw my favorite show Avatar The Last Airbender, I spent hours researching the mythology of the show which in the process made me learn about the philosophy of China: daoism, Confucius, and the mandate of heaven. Anything can be put within a historical framework to understand the context; every decision, tv show, and law has a history and that is exactly what I love. History forces us to take into account the voices of the past before we can attempt to plan for the future.

History has helped me become a more effective writer for the school paper. It has made me think like a attorney, revisiting old cases, and writing up a winning argument in a mock trial. Thinking like a historian has helped me make sense of the current political climate and motivated me to help start Students For Liberty, at my school’s campus where political ideologies are shared respectfully.

Learning, about history drives my inquisitive nature — I demonstrated this desire by volunteering at a local museum to learn more about the origins of my community in Carson. Ultimately, learning about the Dominguez family who established the Harbor Area of LA.

In terms of academics and performance, I have passed both of my history AP exams in World and U.S. history — being the 2nd person in my school’s history to do so. Studying history in highschool has nurtured my love for social science, which I hope to continue in college and throughout my life.

Ever since I was little, I have possessed a unique fascination for nature and the way it interacts with itself. As I sat in the prickly seats of old tour buses and the bilingual tour guide has silenced himself for the dozens of passengers that have closed their curtains and fallen into deep slumber, I would keep my eyes glued to the window, waiting to catch a glimpse of wild animals and admiring the beautiful scenery that mother nature had pieced together. At Outdoor Science Camp, while most of my friends were fixated on socializing and games, I was obsessed with finding every organism in the book. Nothing else caught my attention quite like ecology.

As high school dragged on and the relentless responsibilities, assignments, and tests washed away the thrill of learning, ecology was one interest that withstood the turmoil. At the end of a draining day, I would always enjoy relaxing to articles detailing newly discovered species or relationships between species.

This past summer, I was able to further this interest when a unique opportunity to volunteer abroad caught my eye. Flying over to the beautiful tropical shorelines of the Dominican Republic, I was able to dive into the frontlines of the battle against climate change, dwindling populations, and habitat destruction brought about by mankind, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

While everyone was obviously ecstatic about snorkeling in the crystal blue waters, only I was able to retain that same excitement about trekking through knee thick mud and mosquito infested forests to replant mangrove trees. While tracking animal populations, my heart leaped at the sight of every new species that swam right in front of my eyes. Even when it came to the dirty work of building structures to rebuild coral and picking up trash along the beach, I always found myself leading the pack, eager to start and do the most.

From this experience, I realized that pursuing the field of ecology was what I could picture myself doing far into the future, and this was how I was going to impact the world.

UC PIQ #7: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? (350 words max)

Originally I saw volunteer work as a nuisance. I felt that it was an unnecessary "requirement" for college. I felt that someone decided to do volunteer work while in high school and now it has become the norm and is essentially required for college. Once I began to get involved, however, I found a true appreciation for the work I was doing.

I loved helping people and, as always, wanted to challenge myself. I worked at the Bellflower Volunteer center and tutored kids every day available, as well as helping out with large special events put on by the city. I then joined Key Club and made it my mission to attend every single event no matter what; even going to the lengths to walk for 4 hours starting at 5 in the morning (it was still dark outside) for a 2-hour beach clean up. I then became Service Event Coordinator and also made it my mission to have an event every week, while attending all of them, while still working at the Volunteer Center. I also started a tutoring program in math at my school as I really enjoy helping my peers academically.

It always warmed my heart to see fellow ninjas( our division mascot) at events I had planned, friends and neighbors at Bellflower events, and CSF members at tutoring.I am always willing to help people with anything. If someone needs my help I will stop whatever I am doing to help in any way that I can. Lending a helping hand is an important part of our society; however, a helping hand cannot do anything if the other hand does not reach for it as well. We need to be able to help ourselves first before others can help us. I tried to create a community where I could help people, but also people could help themselves so that there is no reason for anyone to not be able to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Throughout my childhood, the phrases “get good grades” and “make money” constantly harassed my every waking moment. Life seemed pointless, a never-ending cycle of trying to make more money to create artificial happiness. However, through partaking in my middle school’s ASB, I discovered my love for helping others, and I realized that I wanted to make my life about changing the world and leaving behind a better future for the generations to come.

In an attempt to live up to this philosophy, I have performed hundreds of hours of community service. From volunteering at a senior home to distributing food to the homeless, there is no doubt that I have made a substantial impact on those around me.

Despite all this, my most significant contributions are the ones that take place every day and are often undocumented. Picking up trash, staying long after my job is complete to help other groups, or even saying, “Thank you. Have a nice day,” to anyone who has provided a service for me are just a few examples. While they seem insignificant, these small actions add up.

However, above all, my biggest contribution is building meaningful connections with the people around me and making sure they realize how special and important they are to me and everyone else. In nurturing those who are less experienced, assisting those who are struggling with their emotions or their studies, and inspiring those who have untapped potential, I am not merely applying a band-aid on a wound, but elevating a whole community around me to tackle and prevent ailments the next decades will bring.

Years from now, I will likely have forgotten about my modest academic achievements. However, the memories of seeing someone I had mentored blossom into a strong leader and the smiles and laughter of someone I’ve helped battle through depression will forever be ingrained in my mind.

Serving food at school carnivals, embellishing the local marsh, tutoring students after school, and discharging patients at my local hospital were some of the ways I actively supported my city. However, a distinct way of being engaged in my community involved being selected for the Youth Development Program last summer. This organization works with the Torrance Refinery and selects thirty out of hundreds of applicants. The first week of this program involved activities that trained students for college and eventually their careers by making them adept in communication, leadership, and teamwork skills. For the next four weeks, students were assigned a specific job around the City of Torrance and Torrance Unified School District (TUSD).

I was placed in the TUSD Information Technology Department, along with six other students, and we essentially helped deal with technology-based issues around the district. Even though my professional desire incorporates biology and chemistry, I had a compelling interest and math and technology. I gave back to my community by utilizing the technological skills I gained at work. My colleagues and I traveled daily to several schools around the district and assisted in technological advancements: testing network ports and preparing schools for newer phones, imaging and updating new laptops and desktops, and arranging and setting up new computer labs and Chrome book carts.

Today, many people globally use technological and visual aids to assist their education. My summer job also allowed me to make a difference in the education of others. With the faster internet, newer telephones and computers, teachers could instruct more efficiently and students can be educated more effectively, thus improving their academic performance in the future. This program helped me a lot by boosting my teamwork and leadership skills, which will be extremely valuable as I will be pursuing many president/vice-president positions in my senior year. However, this program has allowed me to make a stronger impact on other people rather than myself; I feel delighted that my work in summer will be beneficial to twenty-thousand students across Torrance.

UC PIQ #8: Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? (350 words max)

In 2011, I started at a newly built school spanning sixth to twelfth grade. The school’s inception was not the greatest with gang culture and issues plaguing the school and nearby community. From this moment I knew wanted to make a change, improving the school and local community.

For example, two years ago a bicyclist was crushed by a container truck across the street from my school, several peers of mine and I advocated for a bike lane to get installed on the street to protect cyclists from the busy traffic. I worked day and night for three weeks using my connection with the city’s public works director to meet with city officials and make a change. I looked for solutions and ways to improve my community and lead the charge to better our street. When we met with city officials they agreed and ultimately approved our bike lane proposal. This civic action started with a group of three concerned high school students, in which I helped facilitate the conversations resulting into a bike lane project, that will be built the summer of 2018 after I graduate high school. Ultimately helping solve an issue in my community.

Using my influence as part of the Associated Student Body I advocated for a new medical academy on my school’s campus to address the growing interest in medicine and health careers of many students at my school. While I am not personally interested in a health related field, I recognized that many students at my school did and teachers agreed. I came in as an intermediary, who because of my position in ASB was also a member of my School’s Shared Leadership Council (SLC), through these means I motivated other ASB officers to support the academy’s inception and after a grueling amount of meetings in which we went through logistics the academy was approved for the benefit of students.

I am a student who will attend a UC pursuing my passions in journalism, education, and history; while being an involved student making the campus a better place than when I first arrived.

Rather than relying on pure intellect, I choose to excel through continual self-improvement, my ability to overpower obstacles, and an unrelenting force of determination. There are thousands of students smarter than me, students with better test scores, students with more volunteer hours, and quite possibly, a more socially acceptable sense of humor. I can assert, however, that my determination and ambition is hard to match.

I am willing to look in the face of the impossible without fear; in fact, the only emotion flowing through my body would be excitement. There are thousands of intelligent students, however many are unable or are unwilling to utilize their full potential. Although not a genius, I have shown my ability to improve drastically in capability over time.

At some point in my middle school career I was not technically supposed to still be enrolled because my grades were too low; now I'm on track to be valedictorian of my class. I am willing to do whatever it takes to meet my goal; if there were a service event across the country I would be willing to walk the entire way; if I could take a million AP's I would. I understand that it is a big jump to go from Bellflower High School to a UC in terms of academic difficulty; however, that is part of the excitement. I am not afraid of failure, it does nothing but make me stronger. Am I capable of making a jump of such a magnitude? It is not my judgment to make; I am only here to try.

The spin-the-wheel slows down and eventually stops at ‘try again next time’. That is, until I secretly push it one slot over to ‘princess tiara’. As the child hurries away to the next carnival game with the tiara in her hair, her mom turns back at me with a warm smile and mouths the words “thank you”. Seeing genuine happiness in the people of my community while volunteering at events such as my school carnival always remind me why I love my community so much.

I hold a lot of pride in how I’ve become a prominent figure in my community. From volunteering at festivals for my local elementary school to becoming employed by the City of American Canyon Parks and Recreation Department, I relish being in the hub of the community. I love our annual Fourth of July parades and Easter egg hunts, where I am stopped every 15 minutes to catch up with the crazy kids I worked with at summer camp or even just with the staff I’ve met from school. Growing up and connecting with such a diverse community is and will always be a large part of who I am. From kindergarten up until my senior year of high school, both my small community and I as an individual have grown immensely. By volunteering at local events, connecting with the people of my community, and finally getting employed by my city, I know that I have contributed to the successful growth of my community.

Although I really love my community here in the small town of American Canyon, I cannot help but think of the other great communities that I can potentially be a part of as well. I believe that by going to the University of California, I will be able to thrive in the liveliness of the communities that the campuses are well-known for. A major contribution I believe that I can bring to the University of California is integrating, being involved in, and building the school’s community so that both I and the school can grow together for each other.

What can you learn from these UC Berkeley essays?

If you want to get into UC Berkeley in 2022, you need to write great essays that help make you stand out. From these 18 Berkeley essays that worked, here are some takeaways:

• Use specific examples of places and events (name them) ( #8 , #17 )
• Tell a story ( #6 , #18 , #7 )
• Demonstrate your background, identity, or culture ( #3 , #15 , #4 )

If you enjoyed these UC Berkeley essays, you'll also like reading our top UCLA essays that worked. They answer the same PIQ prompts, but quite differently.

Applying to other public universities? Check out these awesome University of Michigan essays.

Let me know, which UC Berkeley essay was your favorite and why?

Ryan Chiang , Founder of EssaysThatWorked.com

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Essays help us learn about who you are as a person and how you will add to our community. We seek candidates from a broad range of industries, backgrounds, cultures, and lived experiences.

Our distinctive culture is defined by four key principles - Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. We encourage you to reflect on your experiences, values, and passions so that you may craft thoughtful and authentic responses that demonstrate your alignment with our principles. 

Below are the required essays, supplemental essays, and optional essays for the Fall 2024-2025 application cycle. 

Required Essay #1

What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why?

(300 words max)

Required Essay #2

What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals?

Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations.

Experience with Diversity, Equity or Inclusion

One of our goals at Berkeley Haas is to develop leaders who value diversity and to create an inclusive environment in which people from different ethnicities, genders, lived experiences, and national origins feel welcomed and supported.

Describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace?

Candidates seeking consideration for mission-aligned fellowships may use this space to reflect on their commitment to the mission of those fellowships.

Video Essay

The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles . Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which Defining Leadership Principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life.

Please review the Defining Leadership Principles in advance and take time to prepare your answer before recording. You will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. Video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes.

Optional Essays

The admissions team takes a holistic approach to application review and seeks to understand all aspects of a candidate’s character, qualifications, and experiences. We will consider achievements in the context of the opportunities available to a candidate. Some applicants may have faced hardships or unusual life circumstances, and we will consider the maturity, perseverance, and thoughtfulness with which they have responded to and/or overcome them.

Optional Information #1

We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

Optional Information #2 

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Video: Extracurricular Supplement Tips

Cindy Jennings Millette, Senior Associate Director of Full-time Admissions, shares how we evaluate extracurricular and community involvement.

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UC Berkeley Essay Prompts 2023-2024

By Eric Eng

Welcome to the guide on the UC Berkeley Essays for the 2023-2024 application season. If you’re applying to UC Berkeley, you already know it’s one of the top universities in the world. But getting in isn’t just about having great grades or test scores; your essays are just as important.

These short pieces of writing are your chance to show who you are beyond numbers and lists of activities. They allow you to share your thoughts, experiences, and ambitions with the admissions committee. In this guide, we’ll explore the prompts for this year and provide you with tips and strategies to craft essays that will catch the attention of the admissions officers and make a lasting impression.

Let’s get started on this journey to putting your best foot forward with UC Berkeley’s essays for the application cycle 2023-2024.

How Important are Supplemental Essays in the College Admissions Process?

Essays, particularly those for prestigious institutions like UC Berkeley , play a crucial role in the college admissions process. Here are three key points that highlight their importance:

1. Personalization and Individuality: UC Berkeley essays offer a unique opportunity for students to showcase their individuality, beyond just grades and test scores. This is a platform where they can express their personal narratives, life experiences, and specific interests that align with the school’s values and programs. A well-crafted essay can distinguish a student from the pool of applicants by providing a glimpse into their personality, creativity, and potential contributions to the campus community.

2. Demonstration of Fit: Essays specific to UC Berkeley for the years 2023-2024 allow students to tailor their responses to demonstrate how they are an ideal fit for the university. This involves not just speaking about what the school can offer them, but also what they can bring to the school.

A strong essay can connect a student’s aspirations, experiences, and values with UC Berkeley’s academic offerings, cultural ethos, and mission. This alignment showcases the student as not just academically capable but also as someone who will thrive and contribute positively to the campus environment.

3. Critical Thinking and Communication Skills: The ability to articulate thoughts effectively and persuasively is a key skill sought by top universities like UC Berkeley. The essay-writing process evaluates a student’s critical thinking, clarity in communication, and writing skills. An impressive essay demonstrates a student’s ability to present complex ideas coherently, argue a point of view, and engage the reader. These skills are indicative of a student’s readiness for college-level work and their potential for academic success.

Overall, essays are not just a formality in the college admissions process, especially for institutions like UC Berkeley. They provide a comprehensive picture of the applicant, highlighting their personality, fit for the university, and intellectual capabilities. A compelling essay can be a decisive factor in gaining UC Berkeley admission, making it an essential component of the application process for the years 2023-2024.

How Many Essay Prompts Does UC Berkeley Have?

For the 2023-2024 academic year, the University of California schools, including renowned institutions like UC Berkeley, UCLA , and UC San Diego, along with seven other campuses, have released their essay prompts for prospective students enrolling in 2024. Unlike many other major universities that utilize the Common Application, the UC system operates with its unique application process.

Students aspiring to join any of these UC campuses, including those crafting their UC Berkeley Essays 2023-2024, are required to write four essays . They have the liberty to choose these from a set of eight options . So, what exactly are the essay prompts for UC Berkeley in the 2023-2024 application cycle? Let’s delve into them!

What are the UC Essay Prompts?

If you’re applying to UC Berkeley or any University of California school, you’ll have to write answers to four personal insight questions . Each one should be 350 words long, and you can pick which ones you want to answer from a list of eight options.

1. Describe an example of a leadership experience in which you’ve positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

4. Describe how you’ve taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you’ve faced.

5. Describe the most significant challenge you’ve faced and the steps you’ve taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you’ve furthered this interest inside and/or outside the classroom.

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admission to the University of California?

How to Write the UC Berkeley Essays

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

Being a leader isn’t just about having a title. It’s about guiding others, taking charge of a job, or leading a team on a project or event. Consider what you did and what you got out of it. What was your role?

Did you guide a group? How did leading others change how you see leadership? Did you solve a big problem at your school, place of worship, neighborhood, or a group you’re part of? Remember, being a leader isn’t just for school stuff. For instance, do you look after your family?

How to Respond:

Identify a Specific Leadership Experience: The first step is to recall a particular instance where the student demonstrated leadership. This could be in a formal setting like being a club president, a team captain, or an organizer of an event, or in an informal situation like leading a group project, resolving a conflict among peers, or volunteering in the community. The key is to choose an experience that had a significant impact on the student or those involved. The student should think about a situation that challenged them and where they had to use their initiative and leadership skills to make a difference.

1. Detail the Positive Influence and Conflict Resolution: Once the experience is chosen, the student should focus on how they positively influenced others. This involves explaining the actions they took to encourage, motivate, or guide others and the outcome of these actions. If the experience involved resolving disputes, the student should discuss how they approached the conflict, listened to different viewpoints, and found a solution that was acceptable to all parties involved. It’s important to highlight empathy, understanding, and the ability to bring people together.

2. Reflect on Personal Growth and Learning: A crucial part of this essay is reflecting on what the student learned from this experience. This could include understanding more about their own leadership style, gaining insights into team dynamics, or learning how to deal with challenging situations. It’s about showing self-awareness and the ability to learn and grow from experiences. The student should explain how this leadership experience has shaped them and possibly influenced their future goals or aspirations.

3. Demonstrate Long-term Contribution: Finally, the student should illustrate how their leadership contributed to group efforts over time. This isn’t just about a one-time event; it’s about showing sustained effort and ongoing impact. The student could discuss how their leadership led to lasting changes in a club, improved team performance over a season, or contributed to ongoing success in a group project. This part of the essay should convey a sense of commitment and the ability to make a lasting difference.

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem-solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

What does being creative mean to you? Is there a creative talent you really care about? What have you managed to do with it? If you’ve ever used your imagination to tackle a problem, what was your solution? How did you come up with it?

Consider how your creativity plays a role in your choices, whether you’re in school or outside of it. Does it connect to what you want to study or the job you want in the future? You might believe this question is just for people who are good at art, but if you look again, you’ll see it’s asking for your own idea of creativity.

1. Identify Your Unique Expression of Creativity: The first step is for the student to reflect on how they uniquely express their creativity. This could be through traditional artistic methods like painting or writing, or through less conventional means such as devising unique solutions to everyday problems, engaging in creative coding, or innovative project designs. Students should think about moments where they felt most creative and what they were doing at that time. It’s important to choose a form of creative expression that is genuinely meaningful to them, as this will shine through in their writing.

2. Illustrate with Specific Examples: Once the student has identified how they express their creativity, the next step is to illustrate this with specific examples. This could be a project they spearheaded, a personal challenge they overcame using a unique approach, or a hobby that requires creative thinking. Detailed storytelling is key here; rather than just stating they are creative, they should show how their creativity manifests through their actions and decisions.

3. Reflect on the Impact: After detailing specific examples, students should reflect on the impact of their creative endeavors. This could be on a personal level, such as how engaging in creative activities has shaped their identity or thinking patterns, or on a broader scale, like the impact of their creativity on others or their community. This reflection shows depth of thought and self-awareness, which are qualities universities like UC Berkeley value.

4. Connect to Future Goals and Ambitions: Lastly, it would be beneficial for students to tie their creative side to their future goals and aspirations, particularly how they plan to continue expressing and cultivating this creativity in college and beyond. This could involve discussing how they see their creativity playing a role in their intended major, future career, or how they plan to contribute to the UC Berkeley community. This not only shows that they have direction but also how their unique qualities will add value to the university.

What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

If you have a special skill or something you’re really good at, now’s the time to talk about it. It’s okay if you haven’t won any awards for it. You can still tell us why it’s important to you. Did this ability come easily to you, or did you have to work hard at it? Can you use this skill in school or somewhere else? If you can, tell us how you managed to fit it into your life.

1. Identifying the Talent or Skill: The first step is for students to introspect and identify a talent or skill that truly resonates with their personality and experiences. It’s important that they choose something that is genuinely significant to them, rather than what they think might impress the admissions committee.

This could be anything from a creative skill like painting or writing, to interpersonal skills like empathy or leadership, or even a unique ability to solve complex problems. The key here is authenticity and showing a deep connection with the talent or skill chosen.

2. Narrative of Development: Once the talent or skill is identified, students should reflect on how it has developed over time. This isn’t just about showcasing when and how they discovered this talent, but also about illustrating their commitment to nurturing and improving it.

They could discuss milestones, challenges, or pivotal moments that contributed to the growth of their skill. This narrative helps to demonstrate perseverance, dedication, and a willingness to learn and grow, qualities that are highly valued in a university environment.

3. Evidence of Demonstration: It’s essential for students to provide concrete examples of how they have demonstrated this talent or skill. This could include personal projects, participation in clubs or organizations, competitions, volunteer work, or any other relevant experiences. By providing specific examples, students can illustrate the practical application of their talent and its impact. This also offers a window into their personality and how they engage with the world around them.

4. Reflecting on Impact: Finally, students should reflect on the impact their talent or skill has had on their personal growth and on others. This could involve discussing how it has shaped their perspective, contributed to their academic or career goals, or allowed them to make a difference in their community.

This reflection shows depth of thought, self-awareness, and an understanding of the broader implications of their personal abilities. It’s an opportunity to connect their individual experiences and skills to the larger world, demonstrating maturity and forward-thinking.

By thoughtfully addressing these aspects, students can create a compelling and introspective response that not only highlights their unique abilities but also offers a glimpse into their personal journey and character development.

Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

When thinking about what to write, remember that an educational opportunity could be anything that has made your learning better and helped get you ready for college. This could be being part of a special program for advanced or honors students, joining a school focused on a certain job or subject you want to study, or just taking challenging classes you like.

1. Identifying the Opportunity or Barrier: Students should begin by clearly identifying a significant educational opportunity they embraced or an educational barrier they faced. This could range from taking part in advanced courses, engaging in special academic programs, or tackling personal circumstances that impacted their education, such as language barriers or socio-economic challenges. It’s crucial to describe the situation in a way that sets the stage for the ensuing narrative. The focus should be on providing context to understand the significance of the opportunity or challenge.

2. Personal Growth and Learning: After setting the scene, the next step is to delve into how engaging with this opportunity or overcoming the barrier contributed to their personal and academic growth. Students should reflect on what they learned from the experience and how it shaped their perspective on education and personal development. This part of the essay should illustrate a journey of transformation, showcasing how the student evolved, what skills they developed, and how their approach to learning or problem-solving improved.

3. Actions and Initiative: An essential aspect of this prompt is demonstrating initiative and action. Whether it’s about how they took advantage of an opportunity or overcame a barrier, students need to highlight the specific steps they took. This might involve describing the effort put into an academic project, seeking out mentors or resources, or balancing challenging circumstances with their commitment to education. This section should convey a sense of agency and determination, painting a picture of a student who is actively engaged in shaping their educational journey.

4. Linking Experiences to Future Goals: Lastly, students should connect their experiences to their future aspirations and how it aligns with their desire to study at UC Berkeley. This part is about drawing a line from past experiences to future ambitions, demonstrating that the lessons learned and the skills acquired are stepping stones towards their long-term goals. It’s an opportunity to show how their unique experiences have prepared them for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in college and beyond.

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

You might face a challenge in your life, with your friends, at school, or in your neighborhood. Think about why this challenge matters to you. This is your chance to share the tough situations you’ve come across and what you’ve learned from them. Did someone help you, or did you manage it by yourself?

If you’re still dealing with a tough situation, what steps are you taking to handle it? How has this situation changed things for you at home, school, or with your friends and family?

We at Admissionsight suggest that if you don’t come from a background with many challenges, you might want to skip this essay question. That’s because there will be students who have had to deal with really big problems, like losing their homes, and it might not look good if you write about a smaller issue like your school not offering more math classes.

1. The Significant Challenge: The first step is to select a challenge that has had a profound impact on the student’s life. This could be a personal, academic, or social challenge. It’s important to choose a challenge that genuinely affected them, as authenticity in the essay will resonate more with the admissions committee. The chosen challenge should be substantial enough to allow for a detailed discussion about its impact and the student’s response. For example, overcoming a learning disability, dealing with a family crisis, or facing cultural barriers could be potential topics.

2. Describing Steps Taken to Overcome the Challenge: After identifying the challenge, the student should clearly outline the specific actions they took to address it. This is where they can demonstrate problem-solving skills, resilience, and determination. It’s essential to focus on the process rather than just the outcome, as the journey towards overcoming the challenge is often more insightful than the resolution itself. This might include seeking help, learning new skills, or changing their perspective on the problem.

3. Reflecting on Personal Growth: This section of the essay should delve into how the challenge has contributed to the student’s personal development. It’s an opportunity to showcase character strengths such as perseverance, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. The student should reflect on what they learned about themselves through this experience and how it has prepared them for future challenges. This introspection can reveal maturity and depth of character, qualities that are highly valued in college applicants.

4. Linking the Challenge to Academic Achievement: Finally, the student needs to connect their experience with the challenge to their academic life. This could mean discussing how overcoming the challenge has improved their academic performance, influenced their academic interests, or shaped their educational goals. For instance, a student who overcame a speech impediment might discuss how this experience led to a passion for linguistics, or a student who dealt with a health issue might explain how it sparked an interest in biomedical engineering.

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

If there’s a school subject you love and can’t seem to get enough of, how have you learned more about it? Talk about how you started to like this subject and share any related things you’ve done, like helping out in your community, working a job, joining in on summer activities, or being part of school clubs. What did these activities teach you?

Has your favorite subject influenced your choice of what to study in college or the job you want in the future? Have you taken any advanced or college-level classes in this area? Do you want to keep studying this subject at the University of California, and if so, how?

If you often call yourself a “nerd” or “geek” because of your love for a certain subject, this is your chance to talk about it. You can explain how your favorite subject has led to a hobby outside of school, or you can think about how a hobby of yours started from something you learned in class. 

1. Identifying the Subject and Initial Fascination: Students should begin by clearly identifying the academic subject that captivates them. This should be more than just stating the subject; it’s crucial to articulate why this subject sparks their interest. They could reflect on a moment or experience that ignited their passion for the subject. For instance, a student fascinated by physics might recall their awe when they first learned about the laws of motion and how it prompted them to explore further. This part of the essay should aim to convey the student’s initial curiosity and enthusiasm.

2. Examples of Classroom Engagement: Next, the student should describe how they have pursued this interest within their school environment. This might include taking advanced or specialized courses, participating in related clubs, or engaging in class projects or discussions that delve deeper into the subject. The key here is to demonstrate active engagement and a desire to explore the subject beyond the basic curriculum. For example, a student interested in literature might talk about how they led a book club discussion in their English class or chose challenging literary works for independent study.

3. Exploration Beyond the Classroom: It’s equally important to discuss how the student has extended their learning outside of school. This could involve personal projects, extracurricular activities, internships, volunteering, or any other experiences that show a commitment to exploring the subject in a real-world context. For example, a student passionate about environmental science might volunteer for local conservation efforts or initiate a recycling program in their community. This part of the essay should illustrate how the student’s interest is not confined to academic settings but is a part of their everyday life and personal growth.

4. Reflection and Future Aspirations: Finally, students should reflect on what they have learned from their experiences and how this will shape their future goals and pursuits, especially in relation to their potential studies and contributions at UC Berkeley. This is an opportunity to link their past experiences and future aspirations, showing a clear trajectory of passion and purpose. For instance, a student interested in engineering might discuss how their hands-on experiences and academic pursuits have prepared them to contribute to UC Berkeley’s engineering community and beyond.

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

When you hear “community,” you might think of your sports team, your neighborhood, or where you go to school. You decide what “community” means to you, and tell us how you’ve been involved. Did you see something that needed to be changed?

What made you want to do something about it? What lessons did you take away from trying? How did your actions help other people or your community as a whole? Did you work by yourself or with others to make a difference where you live?

1. Identify Specific Contributions: Encourage students to reflect on their tangible contributions to their school or community. This could include organizing events, participating in or leading community service projects, starting a club or initiative, or even small-scale actions like tutoring peers or improving school facilities. The key is to focus on specific activities where their involvement made a measurable difference.

2. Emphasize Personal Growth and Learning: A crucial aspect of this prompt is not just what the student did, but also what they learned from the experience. Did they gain new skills, like leadership or communication? Did they overcome challenges or change their perspective on a societal issue? This reflection shows maturity and self-awareness, important qualities for a university student.

3. Highlight Collaboration and Impact on Others: UC Berkeley values community and teamwork. Students should discuss how they worked with others, showing their ability to collaborate and build relationships. They should also reflect on the impact of their actions on those around them. Did their efforts lead to a stronger, more connected community? How did others benefit from their actions?

4. Connect to Future Goals and Aspirations: Finally, students should tie their past actions to their future ambitions. How do these experiences shape their goals, especially as they relate to their intended field of study or future career? This connection demonstrates forward-thinking and a commitment to continuing positive contributions, aligning with UC Berkeley’s ethos of innovation and social responsibility.

Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admission to the University of California?

If there’s something about you that you think is important for the UC admissions team to know, but you haven’t had a chance to share it yet, this is the time to do so. What makes you different? Maybe you have a unique skill, a special talent, or you’ve faced a challenge that shows who you are. Think about what makes you a great pick for the University of California. It’s okay to show off here.

This part of the application is wide open—you get to take control of the story you tell. Is there a part of your life or experience that you’re eager to share with the UC admissions team that makes you stand out, but it doesn’t fit into the other questions you’ve answered? Remember to give lots of details and explain why this story is so important to you. Also, make sure you talk about why this makes you a particularly good fit for the UC system.

1. Identify Unique Personal Qualities or Experiences: Encourage students to reflect on aspects of their identity or experiences that are unique to them. This could include overcoming specific challenges, engaging in unusual hobbies or interests, or having a distinctive cultural background. For example, if a student grew up in a multicultural environment, they could discuss how this experience has shaped their worldview and ability to interact with diverse communities, a quality that’s highly valued at a global institution like UC Berkeley.

2. Highlight Unmentioned Achievements or Projects: Students should think about any accomplishments or projects they haven’t already mentioned in their application. This could be a personal project, a community initiative, or an achievement in an area not traditionally associated with academic success. For instance, if a student has developed an app to solve a community problem or has been actively involved in environmental activism, these are achievements worth mentioning.

3. Demonstrate Alignment with UC Berkeley’s Values: It’s important for students to research and understand UC Berkeley’s values and mission. They can then reflect on how their personal qualities or experiences align with these values. If UC Berkeley emphasizes innovation, a student could talk about how their creative thinking or problem-solving skills have been evident in their past endeavors, and how they plan to bring that innovative spirit to campus.

4. Showcase Growth and Learning: This prompt is a great opportunity for students to discuss how they have grown or what they have learned from their experiences. This could involve personal development, such as learning to overcome failures, or intellectual growth, such as developing a passion for a particular field of study. For instance, a student might describe how working a part-time job taught them valuable lessons about responsibility, time management, and empathy.

How to Structure Your Application Essays

A well-structured essay not only conveys the message clearly but also reflects the applicant’s organizational and analytical skills. Here are three key points elaborating how an applicant can effectively structure their UC Berkeley essays for the academic years 2023-2024:

1. Introduction with a Hook and Statement: The introduction is crucial in capturing the reader’s attention. Applicants should start their 2023-2024 UC Berkeley essays with a compelling hook – a unique anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or an intriguing statement about their experiences or perspectives.

Following the hook, the introduction should include a clear statement that outlines the main theme or argument of the essay. This approach not only grabs the attention of the admissions committee but also sets a clear direction for the rest of the essay.

2. Body Paragraphs with Clear Arguments and Examples: Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea or experience that supports the statement. Applicants should use a mix of personal anecdotes, reflections, and specific examples to illustrate their points.

This section should demonstrate how their experiences, achievements, and goals align with what UC Berkeley offers. The use of detailed examples not only provides depth to their narrative but also showcases their understanding of the university’s ethos and programs. Transition sentences at the end of each paragraph can help maintain the flow and coherence of the essay.

3. Concluding Statement: The conclusion is an opportunity to reinforce how the applicant’s experiences and aspirations make them a perfect fit for UC Berkeley. Additionally, the conclusion can be forward-looking, tying the applicant’s goals and potential contributions to what they hope to achieve at UC Berkeley. This not only brings the essay full circle but also leaves a lasting impression on the admissions committee.

Incorporating these structural elements in UC Berkeley essays for 2023-2024 will help applicants present their stories in a coherent, compelling, and organized manner. This structure not only aids in conveying the content effectively but also demonstrates the applicant’s writing skills, critical thinking, and suitability for the academic environment at UC Berkeley.

How Do the UC Berkeley Essays Compare to Other Top Universities?

The UC Berkeley essays, especially for the academic years 2023-2024, have distinctive features that set them apart from essays required by other top universities. This comparison sheds light on the unique expectations and focuses of different prestigious institutions.

Firstly, UC Berkeley essays tend to emphasize diversity, social responsibility, and innovation. The university is known for its progressive ethos and commitment to social change, which is reflected in its essay prompts. For instance, prompts may ask students to discuss how they have contributed to or plan to contribute to social justice, diversity, or environmental sustainability.

This contrasts with schools like Harvard or Yale , where essay prompts are often more open-ended and focused on personal growth, intellectual curiosity, and academic interests. UC Berkeley’s prompts guide applicants to demonstrate their alignment with the university’s values and mission, encouraging them to showcase how they can contribute to and benefit from Berkeley’s unique environment.

Secondly, the structure and style of UC Berkeley essays often require a balance between personal narrative and intellectual exploration. Unlike Stanford’s essays, which are known for creative and unconventional prompts that allow for a wide range of expressive freedom, UC Berkeley’s prompts usually call for a more structured response.

They often require applicants to provide specific examples of experiences or goals related to the prompt’s theme. This structure necessitates a clear demonstration of the applicant’s thought process, decision-making skills, and the ability to articulate their experiences in a way that highlights their potential contribution to the Berkeley community.

Lastly, the tone and content of UC Berkeley essays often reflect the university’s emphasis on real-world impact and pragmatic solutions. Unlike MIT or Caltech, where essay prompts might lean more towards technical prowess and scientific inquiry, UC Berkeley’s prompts encourage applicants to discuss the practical implications of their interests and experiences.

This includes addressing societal issues, reflecting on personal challenges in a broader context, or discussing how one’s academic interests can lead to tangible changes in the community. This focus on practical application aligns with UC Berkeley’s reputation as an institution that values not just academic excellence but also social engagement and impact.

How to Effectively Revise and Proofread

Effectively revising and proofreading essays, especially for prestigious universities like UC Berkeley, is a critical step in the application process. Here are four detailed key points on how applicants can enhance their UC Berkeley Essays for the years 2023-2024:

1. Structure and Coherence Check: Start by evaluating the overall structure of the essay. Ensure that each paragraph flows logically to the next, and there’s a coherent narrative throughout. Check if the introduction effectively sets the stage and if the conclusion ties back to the main points without introducing new information. For the 2023-2024 UC Berkeley essays, it’s essential to make sure that the structure aligns with the prompt’s requirements and effectively showcases the applicant’s strengths, experiences, and fit for the university.

2. Content Depth and Relevance Analysis: Dive deep into the content of each section. Assess whether each paragraph contributes meaningfully to the essay’s overall message. Remove or revise parts that seem off-topic or do not add value to your narrative. Especially for UC Berkeley, ensure that the content reflects the applicant’s understanding of the university’s values, such as diversity, innovation, and social responsibility. Check if personal anecdotes and examples are relevant and effectively illustrate the points being made.

3. Language and Clarity Enhancement: Pay close attention to the choice of words, sentence construction, and overall readability. Use active voice wherever possible, and vary sentence structure to maintain reader interest. Avoid jargon and overly complex language that might obscure the message.

For the 2023-2024 UC Berkeley essays, it’s important to maintain a balance between a formal tone and personal voice. Ensure that the essay sounds authentic and conveys the applicant’s personality, while still being polished and professional.

4. Final Proofreading for Grammar and Typos: The final step involves a meticulous proofreading session. Look for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and typos. These small errors can detract from the professionalism of the essay.

Reading the essay aloud or having someone else review it can be helpful in catching mistakes that might have been overlooked. For UC Berkeley applicants, presenting a well-proofread essay is crucial, as it reflects attention to detail and dedication to presenting one’s best self.

By following these steps, applicants can significantly improve their UC Berkeley Essays for 2023-2024. The process of revision and proofreading is not just about correcting errors; it’s about refining and enhancing the essay to best represent the applicant’s abilities, aspirations, and fit for the university.

Why Choose UC Berkeley?

Choosing UC Berkeley means picking a place that stands out for its commitment to excellence and innovation. It’s not just any university—it’s a hub where bright minds meet to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of knowledge.

At Berkeley, you’ll find yourself among a diverse group of students and faculty who are pioneers in their fields. The campus is famous for its dynamic atmosphere, where every idea and perspective is valued, setting the stage for groundbreaking research and learning experiences.

What’s more, UC Berkeley is known for its impressive alumni network, full of leaders who have made significant impacts in various industries around the world. Opting for Berkeley could connect you with opportunities that are hard to find elsewhere. Its location in the San Francisco Bay Area, a thriving center for technology and culture, gives you the chance to engage with numerous industries and communities.

At its heart, UC Berkeley is not just an institution but a community that fosters growth, ambition, and a commitment to making a difference. Choosing UC Berkeley is about embracing a future filled with possibilities and being part of a long-standing tradition of excellence. It’s where you don’t just attend classes; you join a lively and supportive community that propels you toward your dreams.

Final Thoughts

As we wrap up our guide to the 2023- 2024 UC Berkeley essays, remember that this is more than just a writing task—it’s your chance to have a heart-to-heart with t he admissions committee. Your essays are your voice in the room full of potential Golden Bears. They should reflect who you are, not just what you’ve done.

So, take a deep breath, trust in your unique experiences, and let your personality shine through your words. Keep it real, keep it you, and don’t be afraid to let your passion for learning and growing at UC Berkeley light the way. It’s your story, your future, and now is the time to share it. Good luck, and Go Bears!

AdmissionSight , a college consulting firm, offers personalized assistance to students in their college admissions journey. We help you create a strategic plan for your application process, identify suitable schools aligned with your academic and personal goals, and prioritize your application strategy. 

Our experts review your application, providing constructive feedback to enhance its quality and uniqueness. We also assist in crafting compelling essays that reflect your personality and achievements, guide you through the writing process, and offer feedback on drafts. In addition, we provide interview coaching to boost your confidence and readiness for college interviews, offering tips on professional presentation and answering common questions. 

We aid in optimizing your extracurricular activities to align with your interests and goals, emphasizing leadership and initiative. Overall, AdmissionSight offers valuable guidance and support to increase your chances of college acceptance. With a strong network and a success rate exceeding 75% in the past decade, book a free initial consultation today!

Want to assess your chances of admission? Take our FREE chances calculator today!

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Berkeley mfe blog, how to prepare for the video essay.

By The Berkeley MFE Program | Jun 22, 2022 | Applying , STEM , Data Science , MFE , quant finance , graduate studies , video essay

It is important that we are able to hear and see you. Before you start recording, make sure you are in a quiet space with good lighting. In orde r to minimize distractions, please have a neutral background that isn’t busy with objects or bright colors.

You want to make sure you are in a well lit room. If possible, we recommend recording during the day with natural light. If your space has a window directly behind you, ensure that the shades or curtains are closed.

Check the quality of the device you are recording on. Make sure that your face is fully in frame and visible, and that your audio is clear. You will have an opportunity to do a test before you begin the recording, be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. 

You have two attempts to record your video, so make sure beforehand that you are in an area with stable Internet connection. Since you will record the video essay directly in the application portal. We encourage you to check your internet speed and that your video will upload properly at the end of your recording. You can use an online speed test to check your speed.

We all know that the first impression is usually the most important. The video essay may be the only time the admissions committee will see and hear you, so take the time to ensure you are well dressed and groomed.

The essay question(s) will not be available beforehand. While you will not be able to prepare in advance, we recommend preparing yourself mentally: take deep breaths, go out for a walk, hydrate, etc. Do what you need to get in the right mind set. When you are ready and completed the video and audio check, the question(s) will appear on screen when you hit “Ready.” We have designed the question(s) to be answered it on the spot and you will have a few seconds to read the prompt before the recording begins. 

You only have two minutes to answer the prompt. Make sure to pay attention to the time and start wrapping up before time runs out. Once you completed the recording, take a few minutes to review your response. Utilize the second attempt if needed. If you decide to record your response using the second att empt, we strongly advise that you do not read your answer or look it up on the internet. Use your own words, be yourself and talk to us as if you were sitting across from us during an interview.  This is not a pass or fail exercise. We want to hear from you, your opinion, and what you have to say on this subject.   

We hope these tips will help you feel more confident and ready for the video portion. If you have not already done so, we encourage you review the application tips . If you still have questions or need additional guidance, here are ways to connect or learn more: sign-up for an information session or join the weekly Q&A session via zoom on Tuesdays from 3-4 PM PT/Wednesday from 9-10 AM PT.

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Frequently Asked Questions - Berkeley Writing Assessment: General Questions

Berkeley writing assessment: general questions, what is the berkeley writing assessment.

The Berkeley Writing Assessment is a 2-hour timed reading and writing activity done online. It is made up of a reading passage and questions that you will write an essay in response to, without the assistance of outside readings, books, websites, ChatGPT, or other people. You will also complete a survey that tells us about your experience with writing and writing classes.

Who should take the Berkeley Writing Assessment?

If you do not have a qualifying exam score at this time, or a C or higher in an English Composition course completed before starting Berkeley, you should  consider taking the next available assessment.

The advantage of taking the upcoming assessment is to guarantee you will have the results in time for fall semester enrollment in mid-July to best determine if you will take COLWRIT R1A or qualify for enrollment in a Reading and Composition course that satisfies Part A. The Assessment is not required for enrollment in COLWRIT R1A, you can always enroll directly into the course. COLWRIT R1A completed with a letter grade of C or higher satisfies both Entry Level Writing  and Reading and Composition Part A.

How do I sign up for the Assessment?

If you are a newly admitted first-year student who has accepted the offer to attend Berkeley, you will be assigned a Task in your CalCentral Dashboard to complete an Entry Level Writing Evaluation form. If you are a continuing  Berkeley student, there is a registration link on this page.

You may take the Berkeley Writing Assessment only once.

How is the Assessment scored?

Each student essay will be read by two raters, working independently, to assign it a score from 1-6. The two scores are combined for the final score.

How do I pass the Assessment?

This is not an exam in the traditional sense. The Assessment doesn't have passing or failing grades. Instead, it will tell you which composition class is best for you given your skills and experience. If you receive a combined final score of 8 or higher, you will be recommended to take a 4-unit Reading and Composition Part A  course in the department of your choice, including College Writing Programs. If your score is lower than 8, you will take College Writing (COLWRIT) R1A , a 6-unit course which satisfies both the Entry Level Writing and Reading and Composition Part A requirement.

How much does the Berkeley Writing Assessment cost?

There is a $196 fee for taking this assessment which is charged  after you finish the assessment to your dashboard. You can view the charge in the Cal Central dashboard under the "My Finances" tab. Fee waivers for the Berkeley Writing Assessment are only granted to students who have qualified for the UC Application fee waiver. The Berkeley Writing Assessment fee waiver will be automatically processed if you already qualified for the UC Application fee waiver.

Can the fee for the Berkeley Writing Assessment be waived?

Fee waivers for the Berkeley Writing Assessment are only granted to students who qualified for the UC Application fee waiver. The Berkeley Writing Assessment fee waiver will be automatically processed if you have already qualified for the UC Application fee waiver.

I have a conflict with the most recent Assessment. Are there any make-up times?

Yes, the Berkeley Writing Assessment will be offered two times each year: the May administration (primarily for incoming students) and once during the fall semester. Note that you may take the Assessment only once . If you do not receive a qualifying score the first time you take the Assessment, and you have no other qualifying scores or acceptable transfer course completed prior to stating Berkeley, you should enroll in COLWRIT R1A

Do I need to take the Assessment in order to enroll in COLWRIT R1A?

No, you may enroll directly in COLWRIT R1A without an assessment score. Many students appreciate taking the course as a way to improve their reading and writing skills in a small class environment (College Writing classes have only 14 students per section). The class is designed to set you up for success with your future writing assignments at Berkeley.

I took the BWA. How long will it be until I get my score?

It generally takes around 3 weeks for your essay to be scored and for the score to be submitted before it appears in your records. You can find your BWA scores on your Cal Central dashboard under the "My Academics" tab.

How do I know which test scores satisfy ELWR?

A list of accepted tests and scores is found on the University of California Entry Level Writing Requirement page.

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August 5, 2024

2024-2025 University of California Essay Prompts: Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD

The University of California schools have released their 2024-2025 essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2029. Unlike most highly selective universities, the UC schools are not members of The Common Application — the school has its own application .

Just like in previous years, applicants to the University of California, Berkeley , the University of California, Los Angeles , the University of California, San Diego , and the seven other UC institutions must answer four essay prompts out of a batch of eight options. So, what are this year’s essay prompts? They’re the same as last year’s! Let’s dive in.

2024-2025 UC Essay Topics and Questions: Personal Insights

Below are the UC essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2029, along with the guidance issued by the UC admissions committee. These essays apply to all UC schools — including the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, San Diego, the University of California, Santa Barbara , the University of California, Davis , the University of California, Santa Cruz , the University of California, Irvine , the University of California, Merced , and the University of California, Riverside .

Applicants have up to 350 words to respond to  four  of the  eight  prompts. And, yes, applicants should go to the maximum word count to make their case!

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

Things to consider:   A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family?

Applicants should share one small story here to demonstrate their leadership. Rather than tell the UC admissions committee about what great leaders they are, they can show it through one specific example. And it doesn’t even need to be a successful example of leadership. Instead, students can highlight what they learned from the scenario to be even better leaders.

2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

Things to consider:  What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career?

Even in an essay that could lend itself to silliness, applicants must showcase intellectual curiosity. So, suppose a student expresses their creative side by tie-dying t-shirts and their singular hook in their activities section that they’ll be contributing to schools like UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD is math. In that case, they can write about the mathematics behind the patterns they love to create on clothing.

3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Things to consider:   If there is a talent or skill that you’re proud of, this is the time to share it. You don’t necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule?

Too many students choose to write about awards and honors they’ve received in this prompt. Some sneak it into the essay, thinking it’s a subtle way of reinforcing their success. What a mistake! Doing so will only render them unlikable, which should be the precise opposite of their objective.

Ideally, an applicant will share a skill related to their singular hook. If their hook is poetry, let’s hear all about how they became passionate about performing spoken word at open mic nights at a local establishment.

4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Things to consider:   An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that’s geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you’ve faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today?

If students have yet to face a genuine academic barrier, such as the ones many students in low-income communities face, it would behoove them to focus on the significant educational  opportunity  they’ve encountered. Was it the chance to perform research on Russian literature with a local professor? Was it a chance to do an archaeological dig in a student’s hometown? The opportunity will ideally fit with the student’s singular hook.

5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

Things to consider:   A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you’ve faced and what you’ve learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you’re currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family?

Unless a student comes from an underprivileged background, we at Ivy Coach would encourage them to avoid choosing this essay prompt since there  are  going to be students who have faced significant obstacles and writing about how a school ran out of math courses while another student writes about the evictions their family has endured isn’t going to sit well with UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, and other UC admissions officers.

6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

Things to consider:  Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can’t get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.

Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?

Ideally, a student will choose an academic subject that aligns perfectly with their hook. If their activities reflect a passion for physics, they should share the origin story of their interest in the discipline — as a high schooler rather than a child. What made them fall in love with matter and energy? What made them want to better understand our universe?

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

Things to consider:   Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community?

An applicant’s answer should align with their hook as articulated in their activities section. Suppose a student’s hook is political science. In that case, they should write an essay that shares one small story about how their political activism created the change they wished to see — or failed to create the change they hoped to see, only further motivating them to agitate for further change.

Maybe they wanted to stop developers from razing affordable housing communities. Perhaps they tried to fix un-level sidewalks. Whatever it is, applicants should share an anecdote here about their activism — whether successful or not.

8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admission to the University of California?

Things to consider:  If there’s anything you want us to know about you but didn’t find a question or place in the application to tell us, now’s your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don’t be afraid to brag a little.

Since the University of California has a unique application and is not a member of The Common Application, this essay prompt presents a perfect opportunity for applicants to include an abbreviated version of their 650-word Personal Statements from their Common Applications.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with the University of California Essays

If you’re interested in optimizing your chances of admission to UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, and other UC institutions by submitting the most compelling essays possible, fill out Ivy Coach ’s complimentary consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to delineate our college counseling services for applicants to the Class of 2029.

You are permitted to use www.ivycoach.com (including the content of the Blog) for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not copy, download, print, or otherwise distribute the content on our site without the prior written consent of Ivy Coach, Inc.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology (M.E.T.) program?

A: Berkeley’s Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology program aims to educate leaders with a seamless understanding of technology innovation, from idea to real-world impact. M.E.T. students earn two Bachelor of Science degrees in one program that combines the best of the top-ranked College of Engineering and Haas School of Business. Its integrated curriculum enables students to complete their two degrees within four years, while internships, career coaching, and other enrichment activities provide ample opportunity for hands-on practice with technology innovation. Each M.E.T. cohort is small, allowing for close mentoring and a tight-knit community.

Q: What makes M.E.T. unique?

A: Graduates of the M.E.T. program earn two full, unabridged undergraduate degrees: a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.S. in either Bioengineering (BioE), Civil Engineering (CE), Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences (EECS), Industrial Engineering & Operations Research (IEOR), Materials Science & Engineering (MSE), or Mechanical Engineering (ME). M.E.T. students receive mentoring and coaching, robust internship opportunities, and a curriculum tailored for future technology leaders.

Q: I’m a current Berkeley student. Can I get into M.E.T.?

A: Current UC Berkeley students in the College of Engineering, majoring in one of the M.E.T. tracks , can apply to M.E.T. through the Continuing Student Admissions process.

Q: As an M.E.T. student, can I transfer to another major in engineering or elsewhere?

A: Students should apply to the major they are interested in and not count on changing their major after they are admitted. Should students find that the major they applied for is not a good fit, they will need to complete a full semester of study – and in some cases a full year – before applying for a change of major in the College of Engineering. If M.E.T. students change their major to one outside the M.E.T. program, like Nuclear Engineering, they would no longer be in the M.E.T. program.

Applicants can apply to Berkeley M.E.T.’s Engineering Undeclared + Business first-year track. Engineering Undeclared + Business students explore major options in their first year and then select one of the six engineering tracks offered through M.E.T.

Q: Do IB/AP scores count for credit?

A: Qualifying scores on IB/AP tests may count for credit. Please review the Exam Credit Guidelines for more information. Different guidelines apply for each cohort. Pay close attention to the guidelines corresponding to your enrollment year.

Q: Can M.E.T. students pursue a minor?

A: Yes, M.E.T. students can pursue a minor if they work with their M.E.T. academic advisor to plan how a minor can fit into their schedules.

Q: Is the M.E.T. curriculum different from regular engineering or business coursework?

A: M.E.T. students enroll in the same high-caliber Berkeley courses as students who are pursuing degrees in Bioengineering (BioE), Civil Engineering (CE), Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences (EECS), Industrial Engineering & Operations Research (IEOR), Materials Science & Engineering (MSE), Mechanical Engineering (ME), or Business Administration. M.E.T.’s integrated curriculum plan is designed to allow students to complete two degrees in four years. In addition, M.E.T. students will complete two new courses customized for the program, drawing from entrepreneurship offerings developed by Berkeley Engineering’s Sutardja Center and Berkeley-Haas’s Lean Launch approach.

Q: How exactly are business and engineering integrated in this program?

A: The M.E.T. program team works exclusively with M.E.T. students to integrate the engineering and business curriculum plans and provide M.E.T. students with professional development, internship opportunities, company excursions, and other experiences that allow for real-world learning.

Q: What is the workload like? Will I take double the course load to complete the two degrees?

A: The M.E.T. coursework is designed for you to complete two full B.S. degrees in four years. A minimum of 120 units are required to graduate; you can complete degree requirements without taking double the course load. You can see a sample 4-year plan for each available M.E.T. academic track.

Q: How strict is the four-year graduation timeline?

A: There is very little wiggle room. Graduation dates are extended only for extenuating circumstances, or for the possibility of study abroad (after all degree requirements have been fulfilled). Haas and Engineering require that students graduate during the class year they’re admitted into.

Q: Would it be possible to change engineering tracks once in the M.E.T. program?

Freshman Admissions

Q: What are the prerequisites for applying?

A: M.E.T. applicants must meet UC Berkeley’s basic admission requirements . The M.E.T. program is small and selective, enrolling students with exceptional academic records and a demonstrated interest in combining engineering and business.

Q: How do I apply to M.E.T.?

A: Applications for freshmen admission to the M.E.T. program are available in October of the year prior to the year in which you’d enter UC Berkeley. The application filing period is Oct 1-Nov 30. Applicants must first submit a completed UC application by 11:59pm PST November 30 and submit an M.E.T. supplemental essay by 11:59pm PST on the stated deadline in your email .  To learn more, visit admissions.berkeley.edu . Freshmen applicants to M.E.T. may apply for two simultaneously-earned B.S. degrees in one of the following tracks:

• Engineering Undeclared + Business
• AE + Business (Aerospace Engineering and Business Administration)
• BioE + Business (Bioengineering and Business Administration)
• CE + Business (Civil Engineering and Business Administration)
• EECS + Business (Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences and Business Administration)
• IEOR + Business (Industrial Engineering & Operations Research and Business Administration)
• MSE + Business (Materials Science & Engineering and Business Administration)
• ME + Business (Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration)

Q: Where is M.E.T. located on the UC Berkeley application?

A: The new UC application defaults to category view to see the major choices, but we recommend applicants toggle to the college view instead. To apply to the program, you’ll need to choose one of the seven M.E.T. engineering tracks found under both the Haas School of Business and the College of Engineering.

Q: Can I change the major (and/or college/school) I applied for at Berkeley?

A: To change a major/college/school in your submitted Berkeley application, please submit your request using the Contact Us form . You can expect a decision via email within five to seven days. NOTE: No new major changes will be considered after January 31, 2023.

Q: Where can I find the supplemental essay prompt?

A: You can find the supplemental essay by clicking the Admissions tab and choosing M.E.T. Supplemental Essay .

Q: How do I submit my supplemental essay?

A: M.E.T. applicants must first complete the UC application and choose one of the M.E.T. engineering tracks. After submitting your UC application, students will receive an email with a link to the M.E.T. Supplemental Essay Form. This typically takes 5-7 business days. In some cases, this email may get misrouted to spam or other folders in your inbox. It is your responsibility to check your email. The deadline to submit your supplemental essay form is typically in mid-December. If you do not submit your essay by the deadline, you will not be considered for admission to the M.E.T. Program.

Q: Is the M.E.T. Supplemental Essay also due on November 30?

A: No, the supplemental essay is due after November 30. You will receive an additional email after submitting your UC application with the M.E.T. supplemental essay deadline.  You can begin working on the supplemental essay now. The prompt is on our website .

Q: It’s been more than 7 business days since I submitted my UC application, and I’m still waiting to receive my supplemental essay form. What should I do?

A: Sometimes there can be a delay on when students receive the supplemental essay form. While it typically takes 5-7 business days, it sometimes takes longer. There’s nothing the M.E.T. office or the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (OUA) can do to expedite the process. Our recommendation is for students to begin writing their M.E.T. Supplemental Essay  now and have it ready to submit once they do receive the form.

Q: With UC Berkeley no longer using SAT/ACT exams in the review process, does this mean that UC Berkeley is “test-blind”?

A: Our admissions team works in partnership with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.  The Admissions team released an FAQ about changes to testing policy. They are the best resource to get the latest information about testing policy.

Q: Are interviews being conducted this year?

A: No. In lieu of interviews, we’re asking applicants to submit a video essay instead.

Q: What does an invitation to submit a video essay mean?

A:  In some cases, additional information is needed, and you may receive a request to record a video essay. Video essay requests are by invitation only. Videos must be submitted by 11:59 pm PST on the stated deadline . It is your responsibility to check your email inbox for information and submit your video essay by the deadline.

Q:  Are video essays required?

A: If a video essay was requested, you’re required to submit one.

Q: When will I hear back from UC Berkeley about the admissions decision?

A: Applicants who are admitted to the M.E.T. program will be notified in either February or March of the following year.

Q: Is there a waitlist for M.E.T.?

Q: Is there an appeal process for those not accepted to M.E.T.?

A: We regret that we’re unable to offer admission to all qualified applicants. There is no appeal process for the M.E.T. program. Every application has gone through extensive reviews, and admissions decisions to the program are final. If you have any questions about the admissions process, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions .

Q: Can I transfer into the M.E.T. program once I start at Cal?

A: Freshman applicants who were not accepted to the M.E.T. program may apply to the M.E.T. program through the Continuing Admissions process. More details can be found here.

Q: If I’m not selected for the M.E.T. program, am I still eligible for other majors at Berkeley?

A: M.E.T. is highly competitive. The number of admitted applicants is kept small to ensure close mentoring and a tight-knit cohort. Applicants who are not admitted to the M.E.T. program will automatically be considered for admission to Berkeley Engineering’s AE, BioE, CE, EECS, IEOR, MSE, or ME majors. However, admission to these majors is not guaranteed.

Q: Can I select a different fallback major option outside of Engineering in the College of Engineering?

No, applicants cannot select M.E.T. as a major choice and an alternate major in the College of Letters & Sciences or select Business Administration through Berkeley-Haas.

Q: Does being denied from M.E.T. count negatively against you when considered for AE, BioE, CE, EECS, IEOR, MSE, or ME?

A: No, it does not count negatively against you.

Continuing Student Admissions

Q: I am planning to transfer to UC Berkeley from a community college and/or from another college/university. Am I eligible to apply to this program? 

A: Only students enrolled in the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley are eligible to apply to the M.E.T. Program. The program is not open to junior transfers from another university or college. In addition, we cannot review applications from students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree.

Q: I am currently a first-year student at L&S and also undeclared. Is it possible for me to fill out an application for M.E.T.?

A: Please refer to the College of Engineering’s Change of College policy for information regarding the change of college application process. Only students enrolled in the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley are eligible to apply to the M.E.T. Program.

Q: I applied to M.E.T. during my senior year of high school and was not admitted to the program. Can I apply again?

A: If you’re a current UC Berkeley student in the College of Engineering, majoring in one of the current M.E.T. tracks, you’re eligible to apply to M.E.T. during the spring semester of your sophomore year.

Q: Will I get access to M.E.T. program events/programming as an applicant?

A: No, only students currently enrolled in the M.E.T. program have access to events and programming.

Q: When will students accepted to M.E.T. through the continuing admissions process take the required special topics courses?

A: The first year M.E.T. Special Topics course cannot be taken until the fall semester of third year for admitted continuing students.

Q: Can I make appointments with the M.E.T. program team to work on my academic plan?

A: Individual pre-admission advising appointments are not offered at this time. Applicants are advised to use the M.E.T. Four-Year Plan Worksheet for their engineering track to create a manageable plan that meets all the requirements. We encourage prospective applicants to view our admissions’ webinar recording for more information.

Q: Can I still apply even if I haven’t completed all the prerequisite coursework?

A: Outside of Haas prerequisite courses, the absence of an engineering or breadth course may not preclude your candidacy. You must take a minimum of 2 technical courses that fulfill the requirements for your engineering degree each semester.

If you’re unable to enroll in a class listed in the first two years of your plan of study, please note on your application why you were unable to take it and when you intend to take it instead.

Q: I took Foundations of Data Science and a Connector course for Stats. How should I enter this in the application?

A: Please input the courses as separate entries, both under the Statistics prerequisite in the Academic Record.

Q: I accidentally selected the “Continuing Student Application” for Berkeley-Haas consideration instead of M.E.T. How can I switch my selected application type?

A: Please email [email protected]. We will initiate a one-time application switch. Allow for 2 business days for the request to be processed. Note: we will not issue an application change after the April 1, 2024 deadline.

Q: Can I withdraw my application after submitting it?

A: Yes, if you wish to withdraw your application from consideration, you must meet the deadline stated in the application. Please write in the subject: “M.E.T. CSA Application Withdrawal”. In the body, include your name, last 4 digits of your SID, and indicate that you wish to withdraw your application from consideration for the application cycle. E-mails should be sent to [email protected] .

Q: If I’m not admitted to M.E.T., can I still be considered for admission to Haas?

A: No, after submitting your application to M.E.T., your application will only be eligible for M.E.T. consideration.

Q: When will I find out if I’m admitted to M.E.T.?

A: You’ll receive an admissions decision in mid June.

Q: I applied to M.E.T. but don’t have my sophomore year grades yet. How will my candidacy be reviewed?

A: Sophomore year grades will be taken into consideration to assess your candidacy.

Q: Will I get guaranteed housing and priority registration when admitted to M.E.T.?

A: The Housing guarantee is only available to M.E.T. students during their freshman year. As with our current M.E.T. junior and senior classes, enrollment appointments for admitted M.E.T. continuing students will be determined by the number of semesters a student has completed at UC Berkeley.

Q: Can I submit a letter of recommendation?

A: Letters of recommendation are not required and will not be accepted or reviewed.

Q: How many students will be accepted?

A: Admissions through the M.E.T. continuing student admissions process will be limited to 5-10 students per academic year.

Q: Is there a waitlist?

Q: Is there an appeal process?

A: We regret that we’re unable to offer admission to all qualified applicants. There is no appeal process for the M.E.T. program. Every application has gone through extensive reviews, and admissions decisions to the program are final.

Q: Is there a minimum GPA required to apply?

A: A minimum overall and technical UC G.P.A. of 3.0 is required.

Q: I received a C- in a prerequisite course, should I repeat it?

A: No – the admissions committee will always start with the first attempt at a prerequisite. If you received a C- or higher for the first attempt, the prerequisite should not be repeated. If you received a D+ or lower in a prerequisite, the course must be repeated until you receive at least a C-. The D+ will still be considered because it was your first attempt.

Q: Can I switch engineering majors during the application process or after being admitted to the M.E.T. program?

A: No, once you’ve submitted your continuing UC Berkeley student application to the M.E.T. program, you cannot change your engineering major.

Q: I forgot to show my ID during my video interview. What should I do?

A: Please send a copy of your photo ID (school, license, etc.) to [email protected] and cc [email protected]. We will upload it to your application.

Q: My question wasn’t answered. Who can I reach out to for more advice?

A: Please email our team: [email protected].

Student Life

Q: Will I have time to do other things at Berkeley while getting two time-intensive degrees?

A: Without a doubt, M.E.T. is demanding, calling for motivation and a clear sense of direction. However, here at Berkeley, countless student activities and cultural offerings are right at your fingertips. The  Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation , for example, is a beehive of activity for students interested in hands-on making and prototyping.

Q: Do M.E.T. students have a designated housing facility? 

A: No, M.E.T. students do not have their own designated housing facility. They apply to on-campus housing the same way as all incoming freshmen. When applying for housing, students will be able to submit their preferences, and we find that in the end almost everyone gets housing that works for them. Current M.E.T. students are living on campus, anywhere from Foothill to Clark Kerr to the Units, and even Bowles Hall.

Q: Are M.E.T. students guaranteed housing?

A: Newly-admitted students – undergraduate freshmen and transfers – receive housing priority. You will maximize your chances of getting an offer if you meet all housing application and university deadlines, and are flexible about housing preferences. We recommend listing “any room size, any location” as your fifth room preference. Visit  this page (opens in a new tab)  for more FAQ’s about Housing.

Q: Is there a benefit to applying for housing early?

A: The Housing Office takes many factors into account when determining housing assignments. Assignment preferences are not given based on when applications are received, as long as they’re submitted by the deadline. That said, turning in your housing application before the deadline is always recommended.

Q: Can M.E.T. students study abroad?

A: It’s definitely possible for students to study abroad during the summers, or complete summer internships abroad. We encourage you to meet with your M.E.T. advisor to learn how studying abroad fits your schedule.

Q: Will M.E.T. students have opportunities to intern at innovative companies like Facebook and Google?

A: M.E.T. provides you with opportunities–including industry mentoring and access to Berkeley’s Career Center and extensive alumni networks–to pursue hands-on, real-world experience with technology management and entrepreneurship. While internships are not a degree requirement, we’ve designed the M.E.T. curriculum path so that you can complete your internships during your summers. We encourage you to explore internships in both business and engineering. The M.E.T. Student Board created an internship visualization that shows where students have interned in the past years.

Entrepreneurial Fellows Program (Employers)

Q: Who can participate?

A: Startups currently affiliated with Berkeley Skydeck, EvoNexus, House Fund, IndieBio, SAP.iO, TechStars, or Y Combinator. All participating companies must be either in the Pre-Seed, Seed, or Series A funding stage with a range of employees (from 3 to 30 max).

Additionally, the Entrepreneurial Fellows Program will not fund current undergraduate student-founded startups from any college or university.

Q: I missed the deadline to sign-up for the Startup Fair. Can my company still participate?

A: If you meet our affiliated startup guidelines, please email our team ([email protected]) with your company information, and we will circulate internship opportunities to our students. Interested students may reach out to you and apply/interview for your available positions. Your organization can make offers to students of interest, with a maximum of (2) M.E.T. student interns at each affiliated startup.

Q: How do I know an applicant is an M.E.T. student?

A: M.E.T. students have been instructed to submit email recruiters email with the subject line: [COMPANY NAME] April Meet & Greet Follow-up – [student name]. Their resumes also indicate that they are pursuing dual-degree programs in engineering and business.

Q: How many students can I hire?

A: Your organization can make offers to students of interest, with a maximum of (2) M.E.T. student interns at each affiliated startup.

Q: If we want to make an offer to an M.E.T. student who does not complete the EFP application, will the student still be eligible to participate?

A: No. Students must apply for a grant through the EFP program.

Q: Can we provide M.E.T. students with additional funding?

A: If you have funding for student interns, we ask you to hire and pay them directly, rather than participate in the Entrepreneurial Fellows Program.

Q: Are employers required to fill out I-9 forms?

A: The Entrepreneurial Fellows Program is an internship whereby our students receive a grant, so it’s similar in nature to a fellowship. For questions about I-9 forms, this USCIS website has a fact sheet for students with more information.

For any questions about student eligibility to work in the US, students know that the Berkeley International Office handles those questions.

Q: What are the start-end dates for this program?

A: Startups must be able to provide 10-12 weeks of meaningful internship engagement between June-August. The earliest a student can begin an internship is June 3.

Q: Can students work past the summer, or during the fall/spring semesters?

A: The M.E.T. Entrepreneurial Fellows Program stipend covers 10-12 weeks of work between June-August only. If you wish to extend an offer for work past summer 2024, it will be up to your organization to secure funding for the student.

Q: My question wasn’t addressed. Who can I contact for more information?

A: Please email [email protected]. We’re happy to help.

Entrepreneurial Fellows Program (Students)

Q: How do I participate?

A: You can find all the steps for applying on our Entrepreneurial Fellows Program page .

Q: I participated last year, can I apply again?

A: From the Class of 2027 on, students may only participate in the Entrepreneurial Fellows Program for one summer.

Q: What if I or my friend owns a startup?

A: The Entrepreneurial Fellows Program will not fund any current undergraduate student-founded startup from any college or university, as they do not meet program requirements: (1) Currently affiliated with a UC Berkeley or M.E.T. approved startup accelerator or fund, (2) Pre-Seed, Seed or Series A funded with 3-30 employees, and (3) not a current undergraduate student-founded startup from any college or university.

Q: Which startups are participating? How will I be matched with a startup?

A: EFP eligible startups are invited to participate in our April Startup Fair. Eligible startups not in attendance during the Meet & Greet can still participate in the program, and the M.E.T. team will circulate company names and internship positions as we get them. Internship position guides will be sent a week before the Meet & Greet. We encourage all students interested in interning with an EFP startup this summer to attend.

All applicants will need to interview with an approved startup partner and receive an internship offer for consideration to participate in the Entrepreneurial Fellows Program.

Q: Can I find my own opportunity?

A: If you find a startup venture outside the EFP eligible partners in attendance during the April Meet & Greet and opportunities forwarded to you by the M.E.T. team, it is your responsibility to make sure it meets the program requirements:(1) Currently affiliated with a UC Berkeley or M.E.T. approved startup accelerator or fund, (2) Pre-Seed, Seed, or Series A funded with 3-30 employees, and (3) not a current undergraduate student-founded startup from any college or university.

NOTE: If you are hired by a startup that does not meet all requirements, your participation may be in jeopardy.

Q: What do I need to submit with my EFP application?

A: A resume, unofficial transcript, job description, offer letter, and contact information for your startup supervisor.

Q: Can I be paid by the startup in addition to the Entrepreneurial Fellows grant?

A: No, all affiliated opportunities will receive grant funds only.

Q: When will I be notified that a decision has been made? Will I be notified if I am not selected?

A: Decisions will be announced on a rolling basis and completed by May 17.

Q: Can I participate in this program while simultaneously enrolled in Berkeley summer sessions?

A: Yes, you may take summer session courses and participate in the Entrepreneurial Fellows Program. Participating in this program may affect your financial aid, so please reach out to the financial aid team for support.

Q: How many hours will I need to work?

A: Participation in EFP requires full-time employment of 40 hours per week for a minimum of 10-12 weeks.

Q: Can I continue working with the startup after the summer?

A: EFP funds are only provided for the summer. Should you continue your internship, you are responsible for negotiating future terms and payment.

Q: Will housing and transportation be provided?

A: Housing and transportation are each student’s responsibility.

Q: What are the start and end dates for the program?

A: June-August 2024.

Q: My question isn’t answered. Where can I get more help?

A: Email [email protected]. We’re here to help.

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Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

May 23, 2024

UC Berkeley Haas MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024 – 2025], Class Profile & Podcast Episode 547 with Eric Askins

While the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, has made it very clear that applicants need outstanding academics to get in, the program will not compromise its values to maintain it high stats. Haas’s four Defining Leadership Principles are taken very seriously by the school’s administration and admissions team. You will need to show that you share and live by those principles if you are to receive serious consideration as an candidate. The four principles are as follows:

• Question the Status Quo
• Confidence Without Attitude
• Students Always
• Beyond Yourself

Keep those principles very much at the forefront of your mind as you prepare your Haas application.

Ready to get to work on your Haas application? Read on. 

Haas application essay tips

• Haas application deadlines 

Haas class profile

Don’t miss our admissions straight talk podcast interview with eric askins, executive director of full-time mba admissions at uc berkeley haas. he reveals why prospective applicants are encouraged to focus in their applications on their overall story and narrative, and how they can demonstrate their ability to handle the academic rigor of the program. askins also encourages candidates to engage with students and alumni to learn more about the program and its opportunities. listen via the link below, or click the image to read the full transcript..

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Haas Essay #1

What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum)

This essay question is not just an opportunity for the admissions committee to gain an authentic perspective of an activity that is important to you, it’s a key to unlocking a deeper understanding of your character and values. It’s a chance for you to share what motivates and energizes you and why. Beyond what matters to you, this question seeks an answer to why the activity fills you with a sense of being on top of the world. There are no limitations on the areas of your life you can explore for the answer. However, considering the broader application, there are specific areas that serve to highlight your professional experience and academic achievements. This essay is your chance to showcase a side of yourself that might not be immediately apparent in your application, providing a more comprehensive view of your interests and motivations. 

Paint a picture of a specific experience by describing it in a way that will take the reader into the experience with you and convey why the activity has had an immense impact on you. You might, for example, explain how you feel when you save a life as a volunteer emergency medical technician – from the adrenaline rush of immediately arriving on the scene to the elation and relief you feel when you know your quick thinking and actions have saved a life, your gratitude for the training that had provided you with the necessary tools, and the humility that renews your commitment to making a difference in this way. Alternatively, you could share your experience leading a community effort to save stray dogs from certain death. For a dog lover, this activity is emotionally rich and deeply fulfilling. Driven by empathy, it might be sad, considering the extreme challenges a stray dog faces, but knowing your act of kindness and commitment to help such animals provides you with optimism for the life they have yet ahead. This fulfillment drives the cycle of advocating for stray animals and continued participation in these activities.

Your aim is to reveal important aspects of your character and values and highlight the unique contribution you can make to the Haas community. The reader will understand the difference you will make as a member of the next MBA class, bringing your unique perspective, experiences and skills to enrich the community. 

Haas Essay #2

What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals?

Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations. (300 words max)

In this year’s goals essay, Haas has clarified that applicants should consider their short-term goal one they would achieve three to five years post-MBA. The position you desire immediately after graduation isn’t necessarily at play here. Thinking about the short-term goal differently than your post-MBA goal means that while considering what you want to do immediately after the MBA program, you must focus on the steps you’ll follow toward your long-term goal. Of course, you want to speak about industry and function in your answer and the developmental milestones you have achieved since graduation.

To write this essay well, you must first understand and share Haas’s four Defining Leadership Principles (as presented on the Haas website): 

• Question the Status Quo: We thrive at the epicenter of innovation. We make progress by speaking our minds even when it challenges convention. We lead by championing bold ideas and taking intelligent risks.
• Confidence Without Attitude: We make decisions based on evidence and analysis, giving us the confidence to act with humility. We foster collaboration by building a foundation of empathy, inclusion, and trust.
• Students Always: We are a community designed to support curiosity. We actively seek out diverse perspectives as part of our lifelong pursuit of personal and intellectual growth. There is always more to learn.
• Beyond Yourself: We shape our world by leading ethically and responsibly. As stewards of our enterprises, we take the longer view in our decisions and actions. This often means putting the collective good above our own interests.

I recommend one of two approaches:

1. Start by describing your long-term goal, and then explain how your short-term goal (three to five years post-MBA), combined with a Haas MBA education, will help you achieve it once you gain a few years working toward your goals.

2. Start by describing your short-term goal (three to five years post-MBA) and build toward your long-term goal, explaining how a Haas MBA education would be the catalyst to achieve both goals.

With respect to your short-term goal, you must convey your understanding of a given career path – that is, how the role you take post-MBA will progress within the first few years to prepare you to achieve your short-term goal in three to five years. As for your long-term goal, consider the big problems you want to solve using business tools. 

Regardless of how you start your essay, be sure to address how Haas’s four principles align with your goals. Since the school gives you room for only 300 words and you need to discuss how Haas’s resources will enable you to become a better leader, you can focus on just one or two principles. You will have an opportunity later in Haas’s video essay to elaborate on the principle that “resonates most with you.”

Discuss how Berkeley Haas’s curriculum and resources can help you achieve your goals. For example, you could explain how the program’s strong focus on entrepreneurship could help you launch your own business, or how its commitment to social impact could help your future company solve some of the world’s most challenging problems.

Also, explain how Berkeley Haas’s unique culture could help you develop into a better leader. For example, you might discuss how Haas’s emphasis on collaboration and teamwork could help you build stronger relationships with your colleagues, or how its commitment to diversity and inclusion could help you become a more inclusive leader.

Finally, summarize why Haas excites you most and how you will grow personally and professionally by earning an MBA from its program.

Haas Essay #3

One of our goals at Berkeley Haas is to develop leaders who value diversity and to create an inclusive environment in which people from different ethnicities, genders, lived experiences, and national origins feel welcomed and supported.

Describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace?

Candidates seeking consideration for mission-aligned fellowships may use this space to reflect on their commitment to the mission of those fellowships. (300 words max)

Berkeley Haas has expanded this essay by providing more context in the initial part of the prompt and adding specific direction for candidates interested in being considered for mission-aligned fellowships at the end of the prompt. The essay’s core remains the same as it was last year, asking the applicant to describe an experience related to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging. To provide the space for a candidate to respond to both the core part of the essay and potentially to the mission-aligned fellowship opportunity, Haas has doubled the word count maximum to 300 words.

To craft your response to this prompt, we suggest beginning by discussing the importance of inclusion. Then, provide evidence to support your claim by using the STAR format (explained in our guidance for Haas’s video [Essay #3]). Regardless of your answer, make sure to explain how inclusion can help create a sense of belonging for everyone and how diversity helps make both teams and organizations stronger. 

Haas Video Essay 

The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles . Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. 

Please review the Defining Leadership Principles in advance and take time to prepare your answer before recording. You will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. Video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes.

Berkeley Haas has joined other MBA programs in asking applicants to submit a personal video. Executive Director Eric Askins shared the rubric for the video essay on the Admissions Straight Talk podcast, Episode 547. According to Eric, the admissions committee will use your video introduction to assess two specific things: your understanding of Berkley’s Haas culture and your business communication skills.

By using a video, Haas accomplishes several things:

• The admissions committee is able to see and hear the applicant in action. They get to assess how well you know Berkeley Haas through your discussion of one of its leadership principles: the one that is most meaningful to you.
• The committee will analyze your communication skills as you talk about how you have put the leadership principle to use in your personal and professional life. Videos cut down on the resources the school needs to conduct interviews.
• Each member of the admissions committee can review the video, and the team can then discuss it, whereas they must rely on just one person’s opinion and notes with a one-on-one interview. The video makes the process more comprehensive and universal.
• It can make the admissions process more personal for the committee.

As for how you should approach the video, you’ll need to start by identifying which principle you want to address. Review the school’s list, and keep in mind any that you have already discussed in your written essays for the school. 

When the time comes to record your video, briefly introduce yourself to the committee in 30 seconds or less . Remember, you have only two minutes for the entire video! Explain why you are interested in attending Haas. The adcom wants to get to know you, so include a little color in your background, and don’t mention things they can learn from your resume or other parts of your application.

Then, note the leadership principle that resonates most with you, and explain why it is meaningful to you. The entire defining principle segment of your video should take 45-60 seconds.

Next, describe how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. Use the STAR format to do this:

S = Situation (the background)

T = Task (the goal)

A = Action (how you solved the problem or enhanced an issue)

R = Result (what the quantifiable outcome was)

Do not exceed two minutes!

Here are some other tips to keep in mind:

• Be yourself: The admissions committee wants to get to know the real you, so be yourself in your video. Don’t try to present yourself as someone you’re not.
• Be natural: Don’t try to memorize your lines or read from a script. Just act and speak naturally.
• Be positive: The admissions committee wants to see that you’re excited about attending their school. So be upbeat and enthusiastic – and don’t forget to smile!.
• Be concise: Keep your video short and to the point – no more than two minutes.
• Practice, practice, practice: Rehearse over and over again for your video before you record and submit it. Practicing will help you feel more comfortable and confident in front of the camera. Most of my clients do 10-30 takes.
• Invest time: Take the time to make a well-crafted video that showcases your best qualities.
• Use good lighting: Light the room well. Consider using a circle light if you have one. 
• Reduce distractions: Make sure there’s not a lot of outside or background noise.

Haas Optional Essays

The admissions team takes a holistic approach to application review and seeks to understand all aspects of a candidate’s character, qualifications, and experiences. We will consider achievements in the context of the opportunities available to a candidate. Some applicants may have faced hardships or unusual life circumstances, and we will consider the maturity, perseverance, and thoughtfulness with which they have responded to and/or overcome them.

Haas Optional Information #1

We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

Berkeley Haas is committed to diversity and inclusion, fairness and equity, leadership and innovation, and of course, social impact. The adcom wants to understand the challenges you have faced, the obstacles you have overcome, and the injustices you have defeated to get to where you are today. 

For example, were you raised in a single-parent household? If so, how did that influence your decisions later in life? Are you an immigrant or an international student whose parents arranged your marriage when you were just 2 years old? Have you had to work to help your family thrive since you were 10 years old? Are you a first-generation college student, and if so, what does it mean for your family to see you go to graduate school? While these situations might have affected your grades or test scores, the key to this essay is demonstrating that despite your circumstances, you have beat the odds.

If you have not faced obstacles in your life, describe your commitment to working toward a more just and equitable society. How did this kind of thinking develop in you? Did you discuss social issues at the dinner table? Did you march against (or for) Dobbs? Have you composted and recycled your garbage since the age of 7 in hopes of leaving a better climate for your children and your children’s children? Did you foster animals during the pandemic (yes, animals deserve fairness, too)? Do you advocate for legislation that will help the elderly or infirm? Have you started or are you active in an nongovernmental organization that educates children who can’t afford a formal education?

As you answer this essay question, consider the following:

• Your involvement in community organizations that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging
• Your efforts in the workplace to create a more inclusive environment
• Your belief that everyone deserves to feel welcome and respected, regardless of their background or identity

Haas Optional Information #2 

This section should only be used to convey relevant information not addressed elsewhere in your application. This may include explanation of employment gaps, academic aberrations, supplemental coursework, etc. You are encouraged to use bullet points where appropriate.

Haas’s optional essay #2 allows you to ensure that the admissions committee does not have to guess the reasons behind any of the following situations (or a similar one):

• You had terrible grades in your first year at university (Perhaps your parent became ill, and you flew back and forth to care for them, or you worked 30 hours a week to make ends meet.)
• You received a subpar GMAT or GRE score (Maybe you are not a great test taker and can prove it with your inadequate ACT or SAT score and your 4.0 GPA. Or perhaps you were initially premed and realized after volunteering at a hospital that medicine is not your thing.)

If you have multiple explanations, take care to not sound whiney, lest they be viewed as excuses. Instead, discuss how you have rebounded from poor grades or can demonstrate how you will perform well in grad school courses, because you have taken additional coursework and received As.

Supplemental Information

The information below details specifics about what applicants are to share as part of this section. When speaking about extracurricular and community involvement, think quality over quantity and provide those activities that you are passionate about and in which you were deeply involved. This information provides insights into how you might be involved when you join the Haas community. The admissions committee will evaluate both the depth and quality of your involvement, and how you fit with the defining principles of the school.

• If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain. If not applicable, enter N/A.
• Name of organization or activity
• Nature of organization or activity
• Size of organization
• Dates of involvement
• Offices held
• Average number of hours spent per week
• List full-time and part-time jobs held during undergraduate or graduate studies indicating the employer, job title, employment dates, location, and the number of hours worked per week for each position held prior to the completion of your degree.
• If you have ever been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation, suspended, or required to withdraw from any college or university, please explain. If not, please enter N/A. (An affirmative response to this question does not automatically disqualify you from admission.)

For expert guidance with your Berkeley Haas MBA application, schedule a free consultation with an Accepted expert!. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to Berkeley Haas’s MBA program and look forward to helping you, too!

Haas application deadlines

Source: Berkeley Haas’s online MBA application .

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Berkeley Haas directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Here is a look at the UC Berkeley Haas MBA Class of 2025 (data taken from the Haas website ).

Class size: 244

U.S. minority: 47%

Underrepresented minority: 13%

Female: 41%

LGBTQ+: 14%

Veterans: 7%

Average years of work experience: 5.8

Middle 80% range of years of work experience: 3.4-9

International: 47%

Countries represented: 39

Average undergrad GPA: 3.64

Middle 80% range undergrad GPA: 3.3-3.91

Undergraduate majors:

• Engineering: 23%
• Economics: 18%
• Business/Commerce: 13%
• Social Sciences: 11%
• Finance: 8%
• Arts/Humanities: 4%
• Math/Physical Sciences: 3%
• Natural Sciences: 3%
• Computer Science 2%

Average GMAT score: 733

Median GMAT score: 740

Middle 80% range GMAT score: 680-770

Average GRE Verbal score: 161

Median GRE Verbal score: 162

Middle 80% range GRE Verbal score: 155-167

Average GRE Quant score: 163

Median GRE Quant score: 165

Middle 80% range GRE Quant score: 157-170

Pre-MBA industries:

• Consulting: 24%
• High Technology/Electronics: 20%
• Financial Services: 16%
• Consumer Products/Retail: 6%
• Health/Pharma/Biotech: 5%
• Military: 5%
• Not-for-Profit: 5%
• Government 4%
• Entertainment 2%

As the former executive director of admissions at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School and assistant dean of admissions at Georgetown’s McDonough School and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School, Kelly Wilson has 23 years’ experience overseeing admissions committees and has reviewed more than 38,000 applications for the MBA and master’s programs in management of information systems, computational finance, business analytics, and product management. Want Kelly to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources

• Leadership in Admissions , a free guide
• Four Tips for Displaying Teamwork in Your Application Essay s
• Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for MBA Applicants

How to Get Accepted to UC Berkeley Haas Full-time MBA Program [Episode 547]

UC Berkeley is number four on Accepted’s MBA Selectivity Index . It’s matriculating students post a stellar GMAT and GPA. They enjoy proximity to San Francisco and Silicon Valley, not to mention the California weather. It sounds like a dream, but how do you get in? Well, let’s ask Berkeley Haas’ Executive Director of Full-time MBA Admissions.

Welcome to the 547th episode of Admissions Straight Talk , Accepted’s podcast. Before we join our wonderful guest, I have to mention something. You’ve seen the stats that most people have a great return on their MBA investment, but what about you? Are you going to see that return? We’ve created a free tool that will help you assess where the MBA is likely to be a good investment for you individually. You’ll not only get an assessment, but the opportunity to calculate different scenarios. Again, it’s all free. 

It gives me great pleasure to have back on Admissions Straight Talk Eric Askins, executive director of full-time MBA admissions at UC Berkeley Haas. Eric has a lot of experience in higher ed and admissions. He became the senior associate director of admissions at Haas in 2018 and assumed the role of executive director in 2020. Prior to coming to the left coast, he served in admissions at Fordham’s law and business schools and at The New School.

Eric, welcome back to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:06]

Linda, thanks so much for having me back. Great to be here.

My pleasure, and great to have you. Now, I’d like to start with some general questions about the Haas program and then move into more admissions-related questions. To start, can you give an overview of the Haas full-time MBA program, focusing on the more distinctive elements for those listeners who are probably not that familiar with it? [2:12]

Sure. I’d be happy to. Here at the Haas School of Business, let’s start at the very top, we’re located in beautiful Berkeley, California, just across the bay from San Francisco, a couple short minutes away from Silicon Valley, and really what we often say is that we’re at the heart of what’s next, and what that means is that we’re at the heart of innovation culture. If you were to take the region that we’re located in and put it in the context of global economies, we are in the fifth largest economy in the world. Hopefully, I don’t offend any of you German listeners, but we are on track to overtake Germany to be the fourth largest economy in the world just in terms of all the activity that’s happening.

That’s one of the things that makes Haas unique. Oftentimes, we’re seen from the lens of this is a school nestled in Berkeley, which is this amazing campus. There’s a community of Nobel Prize winners here, the inventions that come from here, but more than that, the focus is on how do people achieve their success while also making an impact on the world? I think one of those things that we captured, this would be the identity of the schools, it’s a little bit of what you asked, was our defining leadership principles. I mean, this has been the core of how we talk about the school over the last, I think it was codified maybe 11, 12 years ago now.

I was just thinking that. [3:44]

Yeah. Yeah, so over a decade, we’ve been talking about the school from the framework of these defining leadership principles, so what are they? They’re a core philosophy that we have about what makes great leaders great leaders. One of the things that makes you a Berkeley leader, one of these great leaders, is that you are pushing boundaries. You’re questioning the status quo. You are developing a sense of confidence, but you’re doing so without pushing others to the side. You’re focused on always learning, always being a student and, beyond all things, you’re thinking beyond just yourself, and that’s really captured in the community here.

I remember talking to your predecessor when those principals were codified, and I was amazed at how well they really captured the ethos of UC Berkeley Haas. They were so succinct and meaningful. I mean, over the years, I’ve seen various branding changes at different schools, and sometimes I think they’re very meaningful and sometimes I think they’re window dressing. I was very impressed, and I have continued to be impressed with the four defining principles at Haas. [4:20]

Linda, one of the things that’s really spoken to us, that it isn’t simply a marketing window dressing or anything along those lines, so when we made a big announcement about them and then, at the 10-year mark where I was already here, we made a sort of a, “It’s been a decade since we’ve launched these.” We had some wonderful feedback, including from a Haas alum, I want to say a 1960s Haas alum, who said, “These aren’t new. We’ve been talking about these in some sense or another since way back when I was at the school.” We’ve got a lot of feedback from our alumni. I think we spoke maybe more succinctly, but the concepts were always here. It’s one of the reasons that the school has lasted. I don’t know if you know this, we’re in our 125th year-

No, I didn’t know that. That’s really impressive. [5:41]

Yeah. We celebrated our anniversary on September 13th. This is a school founded by Cora Jane Flood, one of the only business schools founded by a woman, especially 125 years ago. We’ve just been very proud of all that we’ve accomplished in those last little bit, and we’re looking towards the next 125.

Well, congratulations. Happy birthday. We’ve talked about Berkeley’s past. What’s new? [6:03]

Oh, well, that’s always a great question to answer. What’s new? Now, if we were talking about what’s new in the world today, I think you’re going to find there’s a connection to what’s new at Berkeley Haas. What’s new in the world today? What’s new in the world today? Generative AI. They’re probably the number one topic here especially when we talk about schools that have a touch to the technology sector. Anybody who’s been doing this long enough understands the technology sector has ebbs and flows. It peaks in one, it valleys in another period of time, but the next growth peak appears to be around Generative AI. It’s one of the things that we’ve been working on for years.

Actually, October 8th, I believe, just coming up, we have an AI summit. It’s not our first AI summit. We’ve been doing this for a good long time, but what I love is that we are so connected that we’ve got the folks from IBM Watson, we’ve got the folks from Google, we’ve got the folks who are coming through to talk about what is happening in the world of AI today. The coursework has been there. The coursework will continue to be there, but that coursework has a Berkeley flavor, ethics and AI. It’s one of the biggest courses that we have in this space right now. We need to be talking about that, and we have been. In fact, I won’t plug too many things here because I don’t want people googling and all that stuff, but if you get a chance, our Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership built a playbook maybe 2019, 2020 around ethics and AI. Right now, it’s one of the most downloaded things on our website.

One of the things about being on the cutting edge is sometimes you’re talking about something before people are ready to hear it. That’s AI, but what else are we talking about? We’re also talking about sustainability in business. Now, we have been, again, for several years. Dean Anna Harrison joined us in 2018. She came with three key initiatives. It was innovation, it was inclusion, and it was sustainability. I think that we’ve continued to hit on all those three topics along with all the other things that we do, but within the sustainability, I don’t think there’s another business school that’s doing five topic areas within sustainability, including energy, including agriculture, including corporate accountability, real estate and finance. Oftentimes, when people think about sustainability, it’s hard for them to “What box do I put this?”

What does finance have to do with it? [8:22]

Sustainability and impact finance is one of the courses that people are most interested within the sustainability sector here at Haas, exploring exactly what it means to invest in sustainable business and how to see that grow. At the end of the day, the most powerful sustainability person in any organization are their leaders. It’s the CEO. It’s the CFO. We want to make sure that anybody who comes through our program is getting that level of exposure so that they can be tackling what is probably one of the greatest challenges in the world in front of us, which is climate change, which is how do we grow and continue to thrive without harming the environment around us and actually to go back and maybe fix some of the damage that we’ve already done.

One of the things I noticed in preparing for our call today was something called the Applied Innovation course requirement at Haas. I don’t remember that from the last time we spoke. Can you touch on that a little bit and tell us what it is? [9:06]

Sure. Absolutely. Applied Innovation is the language that we use to describe experiential learning. We launched Applied Innovation coursework. It might be two decades old now. We weren’t one of the first.

Experiential learning I know it’s been there for a long time. You just changed the name. [9:34]

Well, what we did is we focused a little bit on what it is that we actually want to come away with, right? You want to apply what you’re learning, and you want to apply it towards growth and change. Within Applied Innovation, that’s over 20 courses within that subset. You’re required to take at least one, but I know students who’ve taken more than one, have taken two, some have taken three. This is a great place for you to test the hypothesis.

A lot of the learning happens in the ivory tower separated from business, and that’s not what we’re looking for here. We want to make sure that our students have the opportunity to go in market and test these ideas, and so you’ll see that there’s a variety of different courses within Applied Innovation. They include courses like international business development where you have an opportunity to take a consulting project at a global scale, and that includes going in-country to deliver your results. Whether that means implementation, whether that means presentations to leadership, that’s part of that course. It’s probably one of the most popular of our Applied Innovation courses, but then, depending on where you’re looking for, if you’re in a niche market, you may find an Applied Innovation opportunity exists there for you as well.

We’ve got clean tech to market that’s focused on bringing sustainable ideas into the marketplace with a technology focus, social sector solutions, strategic and sustainable business solutions. You’ll find a number of these across the gamut, and what they are is your opportunity to go do work within the context of the actual business space with the guidance of faculty and your group projects and your group work.

What don’t people know about Berkeley Haas that you would like them to know, perhaps a common misconception that you’d like to dispel? [11:09]

Sure. I know that many people find the school’s using a ranking index, something along those lines, and in the rankings, one of the things that actually makes us stand out as unique is that we’re among the smallest business programs in our tier. Top 10, top 20 schools, I think we might actually be the smallest, and sometimes there’s a little ebb and flow with some of the other schools. I don’t always know, and that’s on purpose because we want to build a really strong community with individuals who are connecting with one another. If all you know about us is this, you think, “Well, this is a small bespoke program,” and ultimately, if you dig up just that one surface level deeper, we are located in the heart of one of the major research institutions in the globe.

Our students have the opportunity to take advantage of that, including courses outside of the business school at the School of Public Health even if you’re not doing a joint degree, at the engineering school, arguably the top engineering school in the world, at the high school, at the law school, at the School of Public Policy. If you want to take courses with Robert Reich, you can do so. This is all in the field of opportunity for our students, and that I think is this incredible information exchange. It’s also incredible that you’re connecting into that network.

The joke here is once you’re Berkeley, you’re Berkeley for life, right? Like the Mafia, you can’t get out. This is part of your history forever, but it isn’t just Berkeley Haas and the 50,000 alumni that are connected in that community. It’s Berkeley writ large and the half a million alum in that community. That’s your network, and that oftentimes gets lost because we talk about our corner of campus, but it’s the whole campus that our students have access to.

You have the intimacy of the small business school, but backed by this major research. It is the largest UC campus, I believe, isn’t it? [12:57]

It is the largest UC campus. It is oftentimes-

It’s 30,000 total. [13:09]

Yeah, and it’s oftentimes ranked the number one public institution in the globe.

In preparing for the call, I was reviewing the required core curriculum at Berkeley Haas, and I was struck by the number of classes devoted to both analytics, quantitative side and communications so you’re developing and working and exercising both sides of the brain, I guess. Indeed, business requires quant jocks and leadership, which involves communication, listening, teamwork skills, all that. Is that intentional? Can you elaborate on that a little bit? [13:14]

Absolutely. One of the things that I think we pride ourselves on is that we are educating for the pace of change. The job that you came in to potentially pursue two years ago may not even be here two years from now. That’s the pace at which the world is changing. What’s important for us is to make sure that every student coming through our program has the core and foundational skills to be a leader and to be a successful leader in any industry vertical, in any job function. For that to happen, we need to make sure that that core foundation exists.

I know that there are other schools who choose different models. Some have a more of a choose-your-own-adventure model where you can really narrow in into one specific area. We do give you that opportunity to take advantage of the elective coursework here, but not before we establish a strong foundation which I think puts our students in the exact best position to be able to pivot and adjust to a world that is constantly changing.

Speaking of constant change, one of the things that is changing dramatically is testing admissions. You have the GMAT, the GMAT Focus, the GRE, which now has a shorter GRE. They’re required at this time by Haas. Is there any thought to expand the number of tests that you’ll accept, allow for test waivers, or go test optional? There is a comment -the writing sample component is required, but the GMAT Focus doesn’t have a writing requirement. How are you dealing with all this change, this kind of change that’s right in your basket? [14:43]

Yeah. It’s a great question to ask. Now, I’ll start, Linda, by saying I actually am in support of the changes to the GMAT, the GMAT focus and the changes to the GRE. I think the testing agencies have heard that they need to be more applicant focused. They need to be leaning into what the applicants need in order to succeed. We don’t want the testing agencies to become gatekeepers of great talent that doesn’t reach us in the business school universe.

At the same time, we have to understand that there’s a significant amount of academic rigor in our core coursework, and we need to make sure that the students who come through are going to be successful, so we do need measuring sticks. We do need benchmarks, so where do we land with this world of ever-changing testing landscape and the need for a level of consistency? The way our team operates is we don’t actually evaluate individual application components and then weight them because how do you weight the GMAT versus the GMAT focus versus the new GRE versus the old GRE? Certain schools are taking the EA or any number of other testing-

GMAT, DAT, LSAT. It’s a whole alphabet soup of possibilities. [16:25]

At some point, you have to ask yourselves if you are taking a test that doesn’t cover the material, what is the value to the school? I don’t want to go too deep into that section. What instead I will talk about is what we’re doing. What we are doing is we have a set of competencies that we’re looking for within our evaluative process. One of those competencies includes demonstrated ability to handle the academic rigor of our core. That demonstrated ability, that can show up in your testing, but it can also show up in your undergraduate performance. It could also show up in your professional journey. Because we’re taking that lens, it allows us to then think about these pieces from their actual value components.

I’m not interested in the fact that a GMAT score on the old GMAT is 720 and the concordance tables tell you that in the GMAT focus it’s a 655, and what does a 655 mean versus a 720? It is meaningless. These numbers are in the air. What I am interested in is what is your percentile score on the specific quantitative piece of that? Does that suggest that you will be able to handle the rigor of our core? If that’s not on the GMAT, I’m also going to look at the GRE. Maybe it exists there. If it doesn’t exist there, maybe it exists within your undergraduate performance, maybe the last three years you’ve been working as a data analyst, and that’s where I’m going to see the strength of your skill and ability is. I’m not going to say that one carries more weight than the other. I’m looking for evidence.

This is the dad joke, corny bit of my story. We’re the admissions office. The goal is to admit. We’re not the deny office. We say that’s the financial aid office. That’s the joke. Our focus is on finding evidence in your application that allows us to admit you, and it can exist in a lot of different places. To summarize, I’m in support of any testing agency that’s going to be applicant focused, that’s going to be delivering content that’s useful to the applicants in order for them to succeed, shorter tests. It sounds like a great way to stop them from being the gatekeepers that potentially they have been in the past. For us to receive the most number of qualified applicants or interested applicants that allow us to engage with them meaningfully in all the aspects of their application, any obstacles we can reduce I’m in favor of, but I do think that we still need points of evidence to understand the student’s journey.

Now, going back to one question I had in the last question, there is a comment in that the writing sample component is required, but the GMAT Focus doesn’t have a writing requirement. Will applicants be asked to provide some other writing sample or is it just going to be their essays? How is that? Are you going to remove that comment from the site? I mean, what’s going to happen with that? [18:47]

Sure. We’ve explored that a little bit. The writing section, the AWA section of the GMAT I believe is provided in sort of a raw score format for us as well as an opportunity for us to understand a little bit more about their background. We have writing components within our application. We have the ability to look for those strength areas. That piece of the puzzle, once that disappears from the overall submission, we will backfill because, again, it’s not based on application elements, it’s based on competencies. Within those competency structures, we’re going to look for the pieces that we do have.

Makes sense. [19:48]

One thing I’m actually really excited for, Linda, hopefully I’m not preempting your question, is some of the new things that we’ve brought into this ecosystem, including our video essay. Is that okay for me to talk a little bit about that?

Please go ahead. [19:57]

One of the things that we looked at was what are the challenges to people submitting an application? What are we learning from these pieces of the application, and what could we shift and move around? One of the things is, and I think a lot of schools have this, they have two or three bespoke essays. It’s unique enough and clever enough that you can’t cut and paste the other school’s essay into our essay. We really want you to think about us, and is that a benefit to the evaluative process or is that simply another hurdle or obstacle to the applicant?

We took a close look at what we were doing, but we turned one of our essays into a career goal statement. The career goal statement is it does not need to be unique to Berkeley. It can be. It does not need to be. Theoretically, what you’re looking to do isn’t going to change dramatically by the schools, that you’re going to fit the schools to your journey, not the other way around. That’s probably a best fit for candidates, to fit the schools to their journey and not the other way around. That piece will stay static. We have our “alive” essay. We love our “alive” essay. This is an essay that gives us an understanding of who the student is.

That is custom to Haas. [20:56]

That’s our personal statement. That’s our way to get to know who are you as an applicant. We want to know you. We want to understand how you’re going to show up as a student. We’re going to imagine you in our ecosystem. We love that piece of the puzzle, and then we understood that there was this question that we often got asked. Where do I tell you about Berkeley? Where do I tell you that I love Berkeley? What we didn’t want to see was shoehorning in of a list of courses. Somewhere in the application, I’m going to put a list of courses to show you that I read your website, so we thought what was valuable to us? Linda, you brought it up at the start of this podcast. What was valuable to us is our defining leadership principles? What does it mean to be a leader? How do you think about leadership? How do you engage with these principles?

We thought we’d give a place for students to do that, prospective students to do that, but a place where they didn’t have to sit down and write a whole long thing and try and cut and paste the mission statement from our website and adjust it, ChatGPT it and all the rest of the things that people could do. We wanted an honest engagement with the topic. What we did is we stood up a video. We’re calling it a video introduction. It’s 90 seconds to two minutes. We’re not asking for a prepared speech. Tell us in a sentence about you and then pick a defining leadership principle that’s meaningful to you and engage with it a little bit.

Now, I don’t want to have people be nervous about this, so I’ll be very honest, with the rubric on the other end is we’re judging your understanding of our culture, one of our culture forward pieces, our defining leadership principle. We’re also paying attention to your business communications skills. That’s it. That is the one, two-piece of that whole puzzle. It doesn’t matter. We’re not interested in language skills in this regard. We’re not interested in how you present. You don’t need to be in a suit and tie for this. This is simply an understanding of who you are as an individual, one to two sentences. Here’s this thing about us. We want to know that you know who we are as an institution. Tell us in a sentence or two about it.

I know a lot of the video essays, I’m talking about other schools now, they are assessing the applicant’s presence and poise, but you just said that’s not what this is about. [22:58]

One of the things that’s really important to us is that we don’t use simple disqualifiers, but a simple disqualifier would be, “Oh, well that room is messy,” or, “Well, they didn’t think to put on a tie,” or, “We’ve got normative understandings of what presentation should be.” Those are disqualifiers that are not based in your ability to succeed in the program.

They can also be taught. [23:37]

Now, the student’s communication skills are. Can you articulate a point clearly? That will matter to us. I think, presence, it’s a bit of a gray area, and we don’t ever want to be in the disqualifying business.

Again, it’s an admissions office, not a declining office. Right? [23:52]

Yeah. Exactly. It’s corny, but it’s true.

I think it’s a perspective. On some level, you say you don’t want the test to be gatekeepers, on some level you are a gatekeeper. While I know you want to be in the admissions business, in the end, you have many more applicants than you can admit. [23:59]

Which is true.

I get the focus. I understand what you’re saying, but there is a numerical component to this. [24:18]

I can see the point. It’s true.

Now, you’ve talked and emphasized and we’ve discussed Haas’ four principles as exemplifying, epitomizing the culture and values of Berkeley Haas. Obviously, the video essay asks people to discuss one of those principles that really resonates with them. Do you want to see evidence of all four values in the application or are you willing to admit people who are open to perhaps considering the values and having them inculcated? I’m sure you want some identification, but is it important that all four be present? [24:27]

I don’t see the four as truly being independent ideas ultimately. Questioning the status quo is about a mindset of curiosity. Confidence with that attitude has a lot to do with curiosity of others, wanting to hear what they have to say and making space for them. It’s also a curiosity frame and, going beyond yourself, there’s a curiosity of what matters to others. There’s lots of different through lines and themes within these. These are not four independent ideas.

Humility? [25:39]

Humility is very much a part of all of those pieces as well, right?

Yes. [25:44]

The ability to understand that maybe somebody else has something else to bring, the fact that you recognize that you have more to learn, all of these, they’re ultimately through lines that give us an understanding of the core characteristics of the student. I don’t need you to itemize. Don’t give me a list of the seven ways in which you X in which you are different or beyond.

Show X, right? Show principle one. Show principle two. Right. Don’t do that. Don’t do that. No. That’ll come out a little forced anyways. 

What’s the most common mistake you see applicants making in their applications [26:07].

Generally speaking, and this is going to be one of those answers that I don’t think is satisfying to a lot of folks, I think there’s a moment in time when students decide that they want to pursue business education at this level when they have an idea in their head, and that idea tends to be their most authentic version of what they want to explore. Then they go ahead and they attend an information session and they get a piece of advice, and then they talk to somebody else and they get a piece of additional advice, and then someone says use this format or use this structure or use these other pieces, and the finished product, if it looks markedly different from the initial idea, I think there’s a loss there.

How do you solve for that, because you do have to refine your work and you do have to bring your best work forward? This is the one that’s always difficult because all of us admissions folks say, “They should be authentic.” Be authentic to that moment. How can you be authentic while also being polished, while also being these things? I think really the piece of advice I would give is to be mindful of that. It’s to be mindful of that original idea because that’s the reason to reinvest in yourself, to take two years out of the workforce if you’re pursuing a full-time program to not only not earn money for two years, but also spend money during those two years because it puts your finances in a deficit in most cases, potentially taking on loans. It’s a risk, and you chose to pursue this journey because something, some moment, whether it can be pointed to as a pivotal inflection point in life or whether it was a slow accumulation of ideas, there’s came a point in time where it tilted and you said, “Yes, I’m going to pursue this.”

That there, that’s to me the most powerful thing that you can deliver to an admissions office. Those get massaged and they get formatted and they get layered, and someone says, “Well, I know that you want to change the world, but if you just wrote that you wanted to be a consultant, you’ll get in.” They get modified away. For those people who hold onto that little nugget, that’s gold in an admissions office because we can see it. It resonates because then it carries through. There’s echoes throughout the application in the journey if it has a meaning.

Also in the interview. [28:34]

I know I’m up here in the little woo woo space, but it’s-

No. It’s much easier to be enthusiastic about something you genuinely believe in, and that comes through in your writing. It comes through in your interview to be sure. It might come through probably in the video if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about something as opposed to just making something up. It can’t be faked. [28:38]

Totally agree, and I will tell you, Linda, that this is not advice that ends at the application stage.

Of course. [29:01]

This becomes the story of how you network with the students that you share the space with. This becomes the story that when you attend a speaker series and you wait afterwards to chat up the speaker that, if you’ve got something powerful and exciting to talk about, they’re going to remember you. If you’re into the workforce and you’re starting, you’re trying to secure that summer internship, it’s going to be the thing that’s passionate and exciting when you’re at the other end and you’re looking to settle in that first job and when you realize that that first job isn’t going to get you where you want to go because the real value of the MBA is lifetime, right? It really doesn’t show up till four or five years when you end up in the C-suite. This kernel is going to carry you through the whole way or the enthusiasm behind it.

Now, you started out, you didn’t start out, but you certainly mentioned very early on in the interview artificial intelligence and ChatGPT and, obviously, Berkeley is a leader in that. What about applicants using it? [29:46]

Good question. I think I’ve gone on the journey that a lot of my peers have gone on. The first piece of this journey was, well, I hope our fraud software can catch it. I think a lot of the world has gone on this journey with us where you stop and then you say, “Well, this is a tool. This is a tool like the calculator is a tool.” I think that’s probably the common thread I’ve heard. I’ve already had typing in an email and I’m getting suggested next three sentences. This is where we are. The tool exists.

I am still going to suggest that there’s no tool that’s going to tell me your career goals. Now, that tool might help you articulate those career goals a little bit better, but those goals will have to be yours. There’s no tool that’s going to tell me the moment that made you feel alive or why it gave meaning to you. It may be that that tool helps you frame your thoughts, put those pieces together in a way that’s cohesive. If English is not your first language and you’re trying to organize your thoughts in a way that would give you the tools to succeed, it could very well be that this is a really useful tool to organize, but those core thoughts have to be yours.

I think that’s key here, and I don’t think that we’re going to move on that concept, but those core thoughts and ideas have to be yours, and then if you’re going to use the tool, I hope that you use it well. Maybe the thing you’re demonstrating to me is your expertise in the use of the tool because I will, and we have seen already, poorly framed and poorly worded things that don’t really seem to capture the individual. This is probably the first year that we’re starting to see that.

That makes sense that this is the first year you’re seeing it. I’ve played with it a little bit. I’ve said this before on the podcast. If you use it blindly, you’re going to produce drivel, very generic and not very meaningful. If you use it either to edit your work, perhaps to generate some ideas or to help you structure an essay, but the ideas are your own, perhaps it has value, but you’re still going to spend a significant amount of time on it. [31:39]

Well, you should. Yeah.

Yeah, or you say, “I might as well just write the thing.” [32:09]

I’m one of those folks that believes the magic happens in the editing. I know other people think it happens in the writing, so the idea generation. I think it’s the moment where you come back and say, “Oh, well, now I see how those pieces should fit together.” With that in mind, I understand that the tool may be used.

We have a statement at the bottom of our application. We haven’t changed it. We’ve had it for a while. It says, “The work product seen here is mine and mine alone.” I think folks should be able to answer that honestly. The work product here is mine and mine alone. Now, if that means that they used the tool to take their ideas and put it on paper and then they reorganized it to reflect the story that they wanted to tell and they feel that that is theirs, they were the producer of the ideas, they were the producer of the finished product, they use an intermediary tool the same way you might use a spellchecker or a grammar checker, I’m going to have to just accept that that’s the world that we’re in today. I don’t think there’s any magical tool that solves that one yet. Generative AI is probably the best tool to catch generative AI, but I’m going to focus on the content. As long as the content is strong, I think that that’s going to be in the candidate’s best interest.

Switching gears again, can you touch for a minute on the Accelerated Access admissions program at Berkeley Haas? Who is it for? How can one get in? It was brand new when we last spoke. Have has any of the earlier deferred admits matriculated yet at Berkeley Haas? [33:20]

Yes, they have. Okay, so let’s go-

A lot of questions, I know. [33:39]

… through all those pieces. What is the Accelerated Access program? The Accelerated Access program is a deferred enrollment program here at Berkeley Haas. It is geared for people in their graduating year of undergraduate or graduate school if they did not have more than one full year of work experience in between. This is a pre-experience application focused on folks who are completing their academic journeys and who are committed to going to professional life for two to five years– that’s typically the window of time – for them to gain experience in the world, but to want to get that application admission early, right? This is the time when they’re the best test takers usually because they’re still in their academic space. Oftentimes, this is where they can lock in a future opportunity. Maybe that safety net allows them to take the other job.

I was going to take the two-year consulting stint, but I’ve locked in an admission to a top business school. I’m going to join the robotics startup. That’s not a random example. That’s an example of somebody who did in fact do that. That’s who this is for. It’s for somebody who is certain that business school is in their future, who is going to be strong academically.

I’ll put that out there in front. We have fewer application components, so we’re going to have to look for our competencies across the limited amount of things that you have to offer, so probably a heavier weight on undergraduate performance, standardized testing, internships, extracurricular activity within your experiences there. Those are going to be the pieces of the puzzle that are useful for us.

We are traveling the globe with a member of my team, Verse Gabrielle, who’s out there talking about accelerated access. We’ve gotten into a little consortium with a couple of other business schools so that we can make the most value in the delivery of this content so that we are in front of folks with a sampling, and they can pick which schools.

Of all the deferred programs? [35:35]

Yeah. It just started this year. I’m really excited to actually see what campus recruitment looks like for the MBA in this context. In terms of the other part of your question, what does it look like for those students who matriculated? We matriculated seven in this incoming class.

So that’s the first one. [35:52]

The first set coming through.

That makes sense just judging by, again, time that’s elapsed. [35:56]

Yeah. Two of them ended up in some profiles that we put out into the world so you can actually see some of the journeys for these students. We thought it would be really valuable, as we shared profiles with other media outlets, that we included people who had this type of journey, to see how it looked a little bit different and how they navigated the experience. I think that they complete and total fit with the program. They’re not outliers. They don’t sit outside the experience. In some cases, because they’ve been engaged with the admissions office and the school for three-plus years before they got to campus, they were fully onboarded by the time they got here. They were the best student ambassadors on day one.

It’s been a wonderful experience to be able to actually reach people at this different point in time in their lives. To be fair to those people who’ve been in the professional life, you’ve had a chance to test a couple of hypotheses, figure out what works, what doesn’t. These students, they kind of read as all potential. They blue sky a lot. I can do anything. I can do all these things. We watched them crystallize the idea over the two, three-year time before they get to campus. What a great journey for us in the admissions office to be able to watch them grow into the MBA candidate and then go from there.

How many students are you admitting every year through the accelerated MBA program? [37:14]

It’s going to vary based on application volume. Primarily, we want to be sure that we are giving an equal probability each year to candidates who apply and also being mindful of how we want to balance the class coming on the other end. It’s been somewhere around 20 in that window of space. Again, we’re a small program and we don’t want to overwhelm when students come through. They have different entry points.

You don’t really know what year they’re going to enter. [37:47]

Yeah, between two and five years, so there’s different entry points for those students depending on when they’re ready. We have a student who’s most certainly going to go to full five because they’re in the midst of building something really unique and then they’ll come join us. We get somebody who was ready after two and they really were ready after two. They had done what they needed to do to put themselves in the best position to succeed. In this particular case, it was in the food and agriculture sustainability side. It’s going to be unique to the individual.

Now, you’ve given tons of advice in the course of this interview, but what advice would you give to someone thinking about applying now? They want to matriculate in 2024. They’re probably in the middle of the process. They probably didn’t submit round one. They’re aiming for round two. What should they be doing? What should they be thinking about now as they listen to this podcast? [38:16]

Sure. I’ll put two things out there. The first is that they don’t over-invest in application elements and they focus on the whole story. This has been my message to the whole podcast, but I really do believe that if you hyper-focus on the tests or you hyper-focus on some other aspect of the application, you miss the opportunity to share a bit more about your whole journey. What’s the narrative? What are you hoping to accomplish? What community do you want to serve? What problem do you want to solve? These are the bigger questions that I really want to understand about the candidate.

The other thing is there’s members, myself, my admissions team, we’re all here to answer these questions. We’re here to support people in this journey, and we have a really robust community of student support, so not just for our program, but for any program. Reach out and see if you can connect with the students. I think that’s one of the most valuable things. It has two pieces. The first is they successfully navigated our application process, so they may have interesting things to say about what should be in a strong application.

The second is they’re actually experiencing the experience that you’re looking for. What does the student experience look like? What does on-campus life look like? Are faculty approachable? Are the things that you’re learning valuable for you? What type of speakers come to campus? How often are you getting to connect with industry outside of your campus community? All of those questions are questions that could be answered and, in particular, are set up with our student ambassadors is that they are the go-betweens. They are available if you want to ask them a question. If you want to ask something very specific like, “I’m really interested in understanding about how climate and finance interact, and I’m looking to talk to somebody specifically who understands that context in a certain part of the world,” we may have that pathway for you.

You can speak to somebody like Arno, one of our second year students who actually just spoke to a Belgian newspaper about his climate finance journey. These really unique pieces, they seem niche, but there may actually be somebody doing that, and so ask it. We may be able to put you in touch with exactly that right person.

Now let’s look a little bit further ahead. What advice would you give someone thinking ahead to a fall 2024 or fall 2025 application? They’re not part of the accelerated access program, but they do know that they want to go for an MBA and they’re thinking seriously about pursuing that MBA at Berkeley Haas. [40:47]

I think the first thing to do is to really crystallize why you want an MBA. Before you’re thinking about, “What do I need to do to get into an MBA program,” you’re going to want to have a really strong narrative for, “What I want to do when I come out of an MBA program.” What do I want to accomplish?

I know I’m repeating myself, but what do you want to see beyond that? It’s not just at grad, right? I will tell you that every stinking ranking and survey out there is going to focus on what does it look like at grad or three months past graduation. That’s not where the value of an MBA kicks in, right? I’m not going to throw rankings out there because I’ve been digging on them all day, but if you think about what are the frameworks for some of the strongest rankings, they’re around what does it look like four or five years out, not just compensation.

What is your position within the organization? What are you able to actually change about the world based on your level? That happens four or five years out. That’s the part of the story that we want to work back from, and then understand, okay, now I know what I want to achieve or I know what I want to engage with. I think I have a sense of what that journey’s going to look like post MBA. What do I need during the MBA to get there and then what do I need to get into an MBA program? What are the pieces there? If that’s a clear narrative all the way through, it just carries so much more weight. It has a lot more value. It has the value of being true and authentic to what the student wants to accomplish. Yes, there’s going to be a lot of work in putting together an application, but if you know your story, then it’s just about putting the pieces together.

Two comments, I frequently advise applicants that that post-MBA goal, and I’m usually talking about the immediate post-MBA goal, but I do agree completely that there should be a longer vision because the cost is high and the payoff has to justify it. I refer to that as the North Star. It should just guide you. It should guide you in the school you choose, the program you choose. Maybe it’s not an MBA. Maybe it’s a different program. The schools you choose to apply to, the schools you ultimately choose to attend, the courses you take, the things you get involved in.  Yes, it can evolve. Of course, it can evolve. My goodness, at 25, you don’t have to feel locked into a profession. That’d be true at  28, whatever, 30 even. You don’t have to be locked in.

That’s one point just in support of yours. the other point is i got my mba and, for a variety of reasons, i don’t really think i started using it and really getting value out of it until 14, 15 years later. it’s just how my life worked. now, i did not pursue the typical, the traditional mba path, well, certainly not at that time, but i’m glad i got it. it just took a while for it to pay off for me. anyway, just a couple of points there. , what about reapplicants do you have any pearls of wisdom for reapplicants [45:52].

Well, I’ll start with the fact that the data that we have suggests that reapplicants have a higher rate of admission than candidates who are applying in the first round out. Why is that? I think part of the reason is you’ve had a chance to really think about what are the strengths and where are my areas of growth and how I might focus on my areas of growth.

Now, because of the volume of applications we receive, we’re not able to give direct feedback to candidates who don’t get in in the first pass. What we are always able to do is engage with people who are applying this year, whether they can sign up to Q&A session. Most of this is available both in-person and virtually so that there’s an opportunity to connect with us no matter where you are within the globe. You can ask questions about the forward piece. You have the benefit of actually having a foundation that you can build on. Right?

Again, back to the idea that the magic happens in the editing. Like, okay, I’ve done it once. I know where I can tweak, where I can adjust, where I can change. The biggest miss is when reapplicants don’t tell us what they’ve been doing since the last application. You’ve got another year around the sun. What have you accomplished? Have you leveled up within your professional journey? I mean, sometimes the updated resume will tell us a little bit about that. Have you refined your goals? Have you explored more and different opportunities to test some hypotheses and rethink some of your journey?

These are all really valuable to us, and then of course, we should speak plainly. We’re also looking for evidence of your ability to do well in the program. If you think that that was the area of growth, the first submission, then other evidence. Now, you can’t go and change an undergraduate journey that’s typically fully baked by the time you apply, but you can take graded short courses. You can demonstrate other places where you’ve shown that you can succeed when it comes to the academic component of the application process.

Great advice. I think the saddest thing is when the reapplicant comes to me and says, “I know it was my GMAT score, so I retook the GMAT. I got a much higher score. My essays were great. I’m not going to change them at all.” That makes me sad. [46:13]

Yeah. There’s so much opportunity there.

Exactly, and like you said, I’m not joking, that does happen. I’m sure you sometimes see those applications. You’re showing little initiative. Yes, you studied before and you got your higher GMAT. Okay. Great. You’re not showing what you did in the past year. You’re not showing any growth whatsoever, and you are demonstrating a certain laziness and lack of commitment to the process, so don’t do it is the bottom line. [46:31]

I’m going to both agree with you and slightly disagree, Linda.

Okay. Go ahead. [47:01]

I will agree with you. I would love to see folks who are making those levels of commitment. I don’t always call it laziness. I think sometimes folks don’t have a full understanding of the process. I think folks who engage with you, they’re getting the benefit of their knowledge. Those who engage with us get the benefit of ours. Those who are operating out there independently, they may not know that they’re missing a great opportunity. Hopefully, those listening on this line, if you know somebody else who’s applying and doesn’t know this, share this message along.

Sounds good. I’ll be kinder next time. 

Okay. what would you have liked me to ask you [47:30].

Sure. I think one of the challenges that we face here at Berkeley is that we’ve done really well in some spaces and, in some corners of the market we’re known for these one or two things. “Well, Berkeley is really great in the tech sector because, look at their access, a third of their students go into tech,” or, “Berkeley is really great in the entrepreneurial sector. According to PitchBook, there’s only three programs at the top, and it’s Stanford, Harvard and Berkeley,” or, “Berkeley’s really great in the sustainability space. No other school is doing five different sustainability topics,” but we’re also the second most placed students into consulting, the third most place students into finance. When it comes to our finance students, the number of students who end up in internships on the West Coast, we top all other schools in that space. We are a great school for a lot of different things.

When I was looking back and thinking about what are we going to talk about with 125 years worth of history here, the technology sector doesn’t go back 125 years. What’s been sustaining the school this entire time, what’s the common thread really is that we’ve been educating for the pace of change. The world keeps changing, and we want to make sure that people are prepared for that. That hits in all sectors, and so we would love for people to know that about the program, not to put us in a little corner, but if you’re interested in a topic and you didn’t think Berkeley was that, come find out. Maybe it is.

Eric, I want to thank you so much for joining me today. This has been delightful and highly informative. Where can listeners and potential applicants learn more about Haas’ full-time MBA program? [48:59]

Absolutely. The easiest thing to do is visit the Haas MBA website .. Come check us out. Once you land on that page, there’s a lot of resources that’ll put you in a lot of different places. I would encourage you to go to the events section because you’ll get an opportunity to see all the different places that we are in the globe as well as all the different things that we do virtually. No matter where you are in the world, you can get a connection to our community.

More great advice. Thank you. [49:37]

Relevant Links:

• UC Berkeley Haas MBA
• Accepted’s MBA ROI Calculator
• UC Berkeley Haas Expands Deferred MBA Program
• When Should I Plan to Apply to Grad School? NOW!!!

Relevant shows:

• From the Military to Haas MBA – podcast Episode 223
• University of Michigan’s Ross MBA Program: Everything You Need to Know – podcast Episode 479
• UCLA Anderson MBA Admissions According to Dean Alex Lawrence – podcast Episode 215

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• There is one required question you must answer.
• You must also answer 3 out of 7 additional questions.
• Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.
• Which three questions you choose to answer are up to you. However, you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.

Keep in mind

• All questions are equal: All questions are given equal consideration in the application review process, which means there is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others.
• There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions: It's about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice.

Questions & guidance

Remember, the personal insight questions are just that; personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC.

Required question

Please describe how you have prepared for your intended major, including your readiness to succeed in your upper-division courses once you enroll at the university. Things to consider: How did your interest in your major develop? Do you have any experience related to your major outside the classroom;such as volunteer work, internships and employment, or participation in student organizations and activities? If you haven't had experience in the field, consider including experience in the classroom. This may include working with faculty or doing research projects.

If you're applying to multiple campuses with a different major at each campus, think about approaching the topic from a broader perspective, or find a common thread among the majors you've chosen.

Choose to answer any three of the following seven questions:

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time. Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about your accomplishments and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities? 

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.   Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there's a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it. You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you, just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends, or with my family? 6. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown, or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 7. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider: If there's anything you want us to know about you, but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

Writing tips

Start early..

Give yourself plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions.

Write persuasively.

Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.

Use “I” statements.

Talk about yourself so that we can get to know your personality, talents, accomplishments and potential for success on a UC campus. Use “I” and “my” statements in your responses.

Proofread and edit.

Although you will not be evaluated on grammar, spelling or sentence structure, you should proofread your work and make sure your writing is clear. Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader and get in the way of what you’re trying to communicate.

Solicit feedback.

Your answers should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone, but others — family, teachers and friends—can offer valuable suggestions. Ask advice of whomever you like, but do not plagiarize from sources in print or online and do not use anyone's words, published or unpublished, but your own.

Copy and paste.

Once you are satisfied with your answers, save them in plain text (ASCII) and paste them into the space provided in the application. Proofread once more to make sure no odd characters or line breaks have appeared.

This is one of many pieces of information we consider in reviewing your application. Your responses can only add value to the application. An admission decision will not be based on this section alone.

Need more help?

Download our worksheets:

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Berkeley Haas Essay Questions and Strategic Guidance, 2024-2025

The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, is one of the smallest MBA programs in the top set, with just under 250 students enrolling in its Class of 2025. With so few seats to award, Haas has every incentive to select candidates who not only bring academic excellence and professional accomplishment to campus but also embody the values at the core of the school’s strong culture. Not surprisingly, even in its application essay prompts, Haas seeks to gauge whether you will thrive as a member of its community.

Haas asks applicants to respond to three written essay prompts and one video prompt. If you are applying to Haas, rest assured that given the breadth of the application, you will have ample opportunity to communicate both who you are and why Haas is the right MBA program for you and your goals. We at Gatehouse encourage you to carefully review the school’s questions and then thoroughly consider all your significant experiences to date—not just in the office but also in college and even before—so you can craft a robust and memorable picture of yourself across the entirety of the Haas application.

Required Essay #1: What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum)

By asking you what makes you feel alive when you are doing it, Haas invites you to share something that is truly meaningful and special to you. We love any question that gives an applicant the opportunity to focus on and communicate what inspires them. Why? Because these types of essays often inspire us as readers, too! As the reader, we cannot help but get drawn into the candidate’s excitement about their chosen topic—especially when the essay is well executed.

To address the “well executed” element of that previous sentence, we offer a few pieces of advice. First, choose something that indeed inspires you. That sounds obvious, but candidates often assume that because they are applying to business school, they can only choose a topic that is professional in nature. You certainly can do so. Perhaps you love solving business riddles through data analytics and Excel, or maybe you relish persevering through late-night fire drills, as long as you are working with your teammates. However, we encourage you to think beyond the workplace. Consider your hobbies. Maybe you are an avid first-thing-in-the-morning runner who joins other runners in a nearby park. Or you might love the time you spend teaching salsa dance to members of your community. Also consider broader themes that extend beyond the professional realm into other areas of your life. For example, maybe you are a long-time tinkerer who used to build model cars as an 8-year-old with your older sister and who now codes applications to save time for your colleagues.

Second, reflect on the why. We get it: explaining why we feel alive when doing something we love is challenging (“I don’t know… because I like it?”). So, if it helps, contemplate how specifically it makes you feel and how the action empowers you. What have you learned and how have you grown as a result of doing it? Answering these questions will help you tease out the “why” that the Haas admissions committee is looking for. Moreover, answering these questions might reveal more about how the activity has shaped you. For example, the first-thing-in-the-morning runner we mentioned? When she reflected on the why behind her beloved activity, she realized that running had introduced her to people she would have never met otherwise and how unifying a common passion can be. She also loves how she can track and monitor her progress, which allows her to celebrate her gains and motivates her to strive for more. Also, since she started running, she has carried the practice of tracking, monitoring, and celebrating progress into her workplace, where it has been helpful for the office’s new hires as they navigate a long learning curve and training path. This applicant obviously had a lot more to explore and discuss than simply running!

Third, keep your essay vivid and specific. You might have noted that the examples we offer in these guidance posts tend to go beyond “I enjoy using Excel” or “I enjoy teaching dance.” We encourage you to go even further with your statements and stories! Sharing details that capture the heart of the activity for you will bring it to life for the reader—and make it more notable for them, as well. So imagine yourself engaging in the activity, and recreate the feelings it generates in your response.

Finally, remember that this essay is one part of your entire application. It should be able to stand alone but also be additive. So, if you are addressing, for example, your love of data analytics in your response to Essay #2, showcase something else in this essay so the admissions committee can learn something new and different about you.

Required Essay #2: What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals?

Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-mba, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations. (300 words max).

With this question, Berkeley Haas gets to the very premise of an MBA program. The MBA is a professional degree; the value proposition of business school is that it will propel you toward your goals. That Haas would ask you to communicate your career plans is therefore only reasonable—in understanding your professional objectives, the Haas admissions committee will have a better sense of whether the program can fulfill its promise to you. And on a practical note, recruiting actually starts not long after you arrive on the business school campus (get ready!). Although Haas knows that you might discover different career paths in business school that could spark your interest in pursuing a new direction, the admissions committee wants to be confident that you are entering the program with a basic plan already in mind, rather than expecting to figure it out once you have enrolled. Having an idea of where you want to go with your MBA before you start your studies will position you to make appropriate elective selections and hit the ground running with your job search.

When crafting your response, consider each component of the prompt. To respond effectively, begin with where you are headed: your short- and long-term goals. Your short-term objective should flow logically to your long-term one.

• An example of nonflowing goals would be something like “Short term, I aspire to be an investment banker. Longer term, I hope to run a consumer business.” When the goals are stated this way, the reader cannot see a connection between them. You need to help the admissions committee understand how your aspirations are linked!
• Consider this alternative response: “Short term, I seek to be an investment banker focused on the consumer retail and consumer products space. In such a role, I will refine my understanding of industry profit drivers, pricing strategies, and direct-to-consumer versus bricks-and-mortar retail. After advising companies in the space, I hope to eventually join and lead a consumer-focused business as its chief financial officer. I would leverage my training in banking to help the company make financial moves and investments that will drive growth.”

Ah ha! Now the admissions reader will understand how you intend to get from Point A (your short-term goals) to Point B (your long-term goals).

Now that you have explained where you see yourself heading, you can frame business school—and Haas specifically—as the bridge you need to get you from where you are today to where you want to be in the future. First, give the school a sense of why your stated goals are important you and how your past experiences have positioned or prepared you to attain those goals. Then, identify the resources, classes, and experiences at Haas that you need to be able to actualize them. For example, our aforementioned aspiring consumer-oriented chief financial officer might join the Haas Finance Club and benefit from such courses as “Consumer Insights” and “Corporate Finance,” seeing these steps as critical preparation for her investment banking interviews, internship, and post-MBA job offer.

Answering this question well requires that you reflect on what you need from business school and then research what the program has to offer. Talk to students, spend time on Haas’s website and YouTube channel, and sign up for school information sessions. We at Gatehouse love introducing our current clients to past clients who are now at top business schools, and Haas is no exception! Such conversations and research can help you better articulate what you will do and pursue on campus, giving Haas confidence that you will make the most of your MBA experience there.

If you would like more tips on crafting your career statement for Haas, watch our video  Your Career Statement – Fact, Fiction, and How to Build One .

Required Essay #3:

One of our goals at berkeley haas is to develop leaders who value diversity and to create an inclusive environment in which people from different ethnicities, genders, lived experiences, and national origins feel welcomed and supported., describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace (300 word maximum), candidates seeking consideration for  mission-aligned fellowships  may use this space to reflect on their commitment to the mission of those fellowships..

Seeking evidence of a candidate’s ability to welcome, include, respect, and work with others has been gaining traction in business school applications. Northwestern Kellogg was first to incorporate the idea into its application via an additional question in its letter of recommendation, and later, MIT Sloan added a pre-interview essay question on the topic. Now, several schools are asking something similar, including Berkeley Haas.

Haas gives applicants extensive latitude as to what they can write about here, so take some time to contemplate how the different concepts have touched your life, whether at work or outside of it. Note that Haas does not require you to share a situation in which you actively championed one of the concepts—though if you have such an example, you could certainly write about it. Remember that if you tell a story in your essay, use the STARR approach: Situation, Task, Actions, Results, and Reflection. (For more tips on how to craft a response using STARR, watch our video  The Importance of Business School Application Essays (and How to Write Them) .) Keep in mind that you could recount a time when you observed such concepts being ignored or belittled. Here, too, think about the results caused by such behavior and what you learned from the situation.

If you are applying for one of Haas’s mission-aligned fellowships, this could be an excellent opportunity to connect your commitment to the mission with your actions or drive.

Video Essay:

The berkeley mba program develops leaders who embody our four  defining leadership principles . briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which defining leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life., please review the  defining leadership principles  in advance and take time to prepare your answer before recording. you will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes..

Berkeley Haas was one of the first business schools to introduce the video-based, recorded interview into its admissions process, and now it is giving all applicants the chance to be seen on camera. Thanks to this video component, every applicant has the opportunity to make a deeper, more personal connection with the admissions committee, not just the candidates who are interviewed by the program. Although some applicants might be intimidated by Haas’s ask, we see this as a way to share more about yourself. Remember, this is business school, not a Toastmasters’ competition! Haas is not expecting a perfectly crafted presentation; the admissions committee merely wants to put a name to a face and, more importantly, understand how the school’s Defining Leadership Principles resonate with you.

Of course, the first step in preparing your response is familiarizing yourself with the principles (Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself) and identifying the one that speaks to you most. If several of the principles resonate with you, consider what else you have shared with Haas in the other parts of your application, and then select the principle that will allow you to communicate something new or different—something additive. When choosing the one you will discuss, think about how you will show your connection to the principle. Brainstorm times that you have, for example, questioned the status quo and when doing so has led to impact or shaped you in a meaningful way. No matter how much a principle might appeal to you, if you do not have any strong examples of how you have actually lived it, then it is not the principle you should select! What will make your response believable—and compelling!—is sharing a specific moment or experience when your chosen principle has guided you. You could even provide multiple examples, assuming you have sufficient time. Whatever you do, do not try to fit too much into your video; if the admissions committee cannot follow what you are saying because you are rushing through your content, you will not be adding to your candidacy—merely detracting from it!

Topics in this resource:

MBA Essay Questions and Strategic Guidance

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Comprehensive Review for Political Economy

• The Political Economy Major
• The Political Economy Minor

Requirements & Policies & Forms

• PE Major Declaration Form
• PE Requirements & Policies
• PE 3, 3.5, and 4 Year Degree Pathways
• PE Student Progress Checksheet
• PE Concentration Approval Form
• HELP! What is a Concentration?
• Pre-designed Concentrations
• PE Concentration Narratives NEW

The Comprehensive Review for admission to the undergraduate major in Political Economy will consist of a holistic review by a faculty committee. Although academic performance is important, your ability to articulate your interest in political economy is just as important.

The committee will evaluate applications based on the following three criteria:

• A review of your academic preparation through prerequisite coursework and GPA;
• Your personal, professional, and volunteer experiences, especially as they relate to, or demonstrate an interest in, political economy;
• Your probability of success in Political Economy courses.

This holistic review will examine academics, leadership, work and volunteer experience, along with some required essays.

The Review Committee will take note of the grades earned and the type of coursework completed. The essays will provide additional information to evaluate your interest in, and understanding of, political economy. If a student’s GPA is not the best, being able to explain in one of the essays what happened is essential. Strong applicants will clearly highlight in their resumes and statements of purpose what they have done that demonstrates their interest in political economy.

In short, a student should think about how to provide as complete a story to reviewers as possible.

Application Components 

The application will require the following components.

Statement of Purpose

Review the Writing the Statement of Purpose from the UC Berkeley Graduate Division for additional guidance on how to approach these questions. View the Essay Format Example .

• Explain in your own words what political economy means to you and what you have done to learn about Political Economy in your time at UC Berkeley? (300 words).
• Describe how you plan to use your degree after you graduate OR explain how you see this major helping improve your life goals after graduation.  (150 words)

(If you are a double major or simultaneous degree applicant, you are required to answer the following question in your statement. When planning courses, please keep in mind the overlap policies and consider how you would plan around time conflicts for required courses. )

• Why are you choosing to pursue two majors, and how will they together prepare you for a possible career? (100 words)

IMPORTANT Note:  If you have a prerequisite GPA of 2.7 or below, or you got a grade of C+ or lower in GLOBAL 45 or POLECON C45, you must explain the reasons in the last paragraph of your statement of purpose.  If you have questions, please contact Associate Director Alan Karras at [email protected] .

Concentration Statement

Fill out the Concentration Approval form, and then identify four courses that relate to a problem in Political Economy that you plan to study. Begin by identifying a question that interests you, and that is related to Political Economy, and then pick four courses that will help you answer your question. In narrative form, describe how each course contributes part of the answer and then explain how the four courses together will help you to explain the subject of Political Economy to skeptical friends and relatives. (no more than 300 words).

Resume or CV

The purpose of submitting your CV or resume is to demonstrate your interest in and relationship to Political Economy. The resume can include involvement in student organizations, residential life, and paid or unpaid experiences that may relate to your interest in Political Economy. The review committee would like to see what opportunities you have had to this point. Please don’t turn in more than a page and do indicate if you have any foreign language experience.

The Berkeley Career Engagement Resume page is a good resource for learning how to enhance your resume. There are career workshops and appointments available to students.

Academic Records

You will be required to include copies of your unofficial transcripts to show confirmation that you have completed and met the requirements for the prerequisite coursework. Students cannot apply to the major if prerequisites are incomplete or in progress.

Accepted types of academic records are listed below; we may ask for information if something is not clear:

• Unofficial copy of your UC Berkeley transcript (an unofficial transcript [Academic Summary] from CalCentral or screenshots of your CalCentral are sufficient)
• UC Berkeley Unofficial Transcripts and Merging Application Materials Guide
• Unofficial transcripts from other institutions (if using towards prerequisites)

Political Economy Major Map

How to declare a major, the berkeley economy & society initiative (besi), the berkeley political economy journal.

Berkeley Haas MBA Admissions Details & Essay Prompts: 2024-2025

Berkeley Haas has officially kicked off the 2024-2025 MBA application season by announcing its essay questions for the 2024-2025 application cycle. If you are looking for an MBA program with a small class size and close-knit community,  Berkeley Haas  may be a great choice for you.

In a statement introducing the 2024-2025 Berkeley Haas Application, Berkeley Haas shared the following:

Our distinctive culture is defined by four key principles — Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. We encourage you to reflect on your experiences, values, and passions so that you may craft thoughtful and authentic responses that demonstrate your alignment with our principles.

Below, you will find Personal MBA Coach’s advice on tackling the Haas MBA essay prompts.

Tips to Master Berkeley Haas 2024-2025 MBA Essays, Video Essay, and Application

Berkeley haas mba essay prompts, berkeley haas mba essay 1:  what makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why (300 words maximum).

Berkeley Haas has left its first essay question unchanged. This is a great essay to tell the admissions committee a bit more about your story . With this short essay, get right to the point. Make the most of this opportunity to talk about your true passions and what really drives you.

For some applicants, this may be their job (but tread cautiously here). If your job is what truly drives you, be sure that you have a strong reason and can illustrate passion as you write. Extracurricular work also could fit well but be sure it is an area where you have emerged as a leader and/or have added substantial value. Be succinct and speak from the heart.

A strong essay will include a balance of “what” and “why.” While this is not the time to brag about accomplishments, an ideal answer will show something you have done to set yourself apart.

Berkeley Haas MBA Essay 2: What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals?

Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-mba, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations. (300 words max).

Despite changing the wording of the second essay slightly, Berkeley Haas has retained the classic “goals” essay it added last year. (Find out more about the most common MBA essay types and how to address them  here .)

With only 300 words and directions to include both short-term and long-term goals along with how a Haas MBA will help, there is a lot to cover with limited space! Many schools allocate 400 or 500 words to their “goals” essays. This means you have to make every word count!

Often with a goals essay, we recommend that applicants cover their past successes before sharing their goals. However, with such a short essay, there is very little space, so you will need to set the context for your goals succinctly.

Next, you should share both your short-term and long-term goals. While this new wording invites candidates to think about their long-term goals a bit more broadly, Personal MBA Coach recommends that these goals should be ambitious yet achievable! For more on how to develop compelling goals, check out this  blog  and video.

Finally, let the Haas admissions committee know why you need an MBA (and specifically a Haas MBA) to achieve these goals. To answer this question, think about your skills gaps—both technical and leadership—and what offerings at Haas will help you to address these gaps. Take the time to research Berkeley Haas’s offerings. Personal MBA Coach suggests being specific in detailing the opportunities you plan to take advantage of on campus and carefully articulate how each will position you to achieve your career aspirations.

Berkeley Haas MBA Essay 3: One of our goals at Berkeley Haas is to develop leaders who value diversity and to create an inclusive environment in which people from different ethnicities, genders, lived experiences, and national origins feel welcomed and supported. Describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace.

Candidates seeking consideration for  mission-aligned fellowships may use this space to reflect on their commitment to the mission of those fellowships.   (300 words max).

With this short essay, Berkeley Haas continues the trend among business schools to require a DEI essay in its MBA application. For some applicants, this will be easy to answer. However, if an example does not come to mind easily here, remember that it is ok to think of diversity broadly.

As you approach this essay, we recommend focusing on a few examples and using them to show the reader the type of classmate you will be!

Berkeley Haas MBA Video Essay Prompt

The berkeley mba program develops leaders who embody our four defining leadership principles . briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. please review the  defining leadership principles  in advance and take time to prepare your answer before recording. you will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes..

This year, Berkeley Haas retained a video component in its MBA application. For many years, Berkeley Haas has pressed candidates to define successful leadership. Instead of asking about leadership in an essay, Berkeley Haas has incorporated this leadership prompt into its video.

At 2 minutes, this video is longer than many other MBA videos. However, candidates have a lot to cover. In addition to introducing themselves, candidates should reflect on Haas’s four leadership principles and pick just one.

These four principles are:

• Question the Status Quo
• Confidence Without Attitude
• Students Always
• Beyond Yourself

Personal MBA Coach recommends that candidates consider the qualities they believe that successful leaders embody and why they believe these traits are important as they select a principle from this list.

Next, think about how you personally have begun to demonstrate this principle, including a few short examples.

As Personal MBA Coach generally advises, you should not include a laundry list. Instead pick a limited number of stories that you can easily explain from your personal and professional life.

As with all videos , we recommend that you write out bullets and not a full script so that your style appears more natural. Keep in mind that one of the key objectives of a video essay is to evaluate how you will contribute in class and how you will perform in a job interview.

Optional Berkeley Haas Essay Prompts

Berkeley Haas also has two optional essays.

Optional Essay 1: We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

Many applicants will not answer this question. Personal MBA Coach recommends that applicants use optional essays sparingly. If your answers to these questions are not unique, there is a good chance you should skip this essay.

Optional Essay 2:  This section should only be used to convey relevant information not addressed elsewhere in your application. This may include explanation of employment gaps, academic aberrations, supplemental coursework, etc. You are encouraged to use bullet points where appropriate.

For this second Haas optional essay, answer only if you have specific or extenuating circumstances to explain. Read more on our approach to optional essays here .

Contact Us for Custom Support to Develop Your Berkeley Haas Application

Looking for help developing a compelling Berkeley Haas MBA application? Schedule a consultation today to find out how Personal MBA Coach can help and learn why we are the home of the most positively reviewed MBA Admissions Consultant.

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Berkeley MET Video Essay

hi i hope everyone is doing good. I applied to Berkeley MET (submitted my UC application and MET supplement essay a couple of weeks ago) and I got an interview/video essay request this morning. has anyone else gotten an interview/video essay request for MET? what does the interview/video essay mean (am I shortlisted)? thank you.

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