Live Chat April 9, 2007, 3:46PM EST

Admissions Chat: Haas School of Business

(page 5 of 5)

Peter Johnson
Admissions Director
UC-Berkeley

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cwilliamsq: I am a research scientist at a leading pharmaceutical company, but I am looking to switch to investment banking. Though I understand that UC Berkeley doesn't necessarily discourage career changers, does it give any regard to the scope of the career change? Does the school give any regard to the disparity in job scope/required experience?

PeterAtHaas: About half of our students at any given time are intending to switch careers, and that isn't a bad thing. We do look for some evidence that a candidate knows what it will take to make the transition he or she is seeking, however. In my experience, moving from research science to I-banking is very difficult. Banks tend to prefer to hire MBA graduates who had prior experience in the industry, and it is harder to switch to I-banking than to other fields.

paul: I've attempted a business venture and failed; however, I feel during the eight months I've learned more than I did when working in the corporate world. How and where would I be able to express this in my application?

PeterAtHaas: There are a variety of places on the application where you could bring this information in, including the career goals essay, an optional essay, or perhaps one of the short-answer questions about leadership or innovation.

KennyHarley: Are you familiar with the online course "MBA Math" and does Haas consider it? Or is it better to take accounting and finance as a non-matriculated undergrad?

PeterAtHaas: Kenny, I am familiar with the online course. I don't really recommend one method over another, as long as you learn what you need to know.

JohnSmith123: As a first-year, Kathy, what kinds of events, presentations, or any other campus [events] would you recommend people attend?

KathyHaas: I guess it depends on what you're looking to do and how much investigation you're interested in. When I got to campus, I was a sponge. I went to several company presentations every week! Mostly, I wanted to hear from the companies themselves about who they are and what opportunities they have available. It was a great way to confirm what I wanted to do (and, sometimes more importantly, eliminate what I didn't want to do!). That being said, if you have a very specific focus, you can tailor [your schedule accordingly].

paul_: It seems to me that there are few schools that are moving toward a regular one-year MBA. Do you think this will be a growing trend? Is this something UC Berkeley might consider in the near future?

PeterAtHaas: I don't think Berkeley will move toward a one-year program, at least not in the near future. There are many advantages to a two-year program, particularly around the career development/specialization aspects that our faculty believe are important. Although the program is constantly evolving, I don't see it moving in that direction in the near future.

ritac221: What kind of financial help does the school offer its students?

PeterAtHaas: We give $1.5 million in merit scholarships and achievement awards each year, as well as a number of other programs including the Maxwell Scholarships, which fund up to three full-tuition awards each year. Please visit our Web site for more details.

payman21: Do you conduct application interviews in other countries, such as UAE (Dubai)?

PeterAtHaas: Yes, we conduct interviews in other countries. In fact, we have trained alumni interviewers in 87 cities around the world. Unfortunately, we do not have interviewers in Dubai or Abu Dhabi at the moment.

mihir44: Does working for a brand-name company vs. a smaller company matter in the application process?

PeterAtHaas: The most significant aspect is the level of responsibility and achievements that you have had. Although it may be easier for us to assess this if you are working at a large, well-known company, we admit many students from smaller firms that we feel have had strong work experience.