Chat Transcript: Haas School of Business

The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, accepted 17% of 2,858 applicants to its full-time MBA program in 2004. Nearly half of those accepted enrolled in the program.

On the eve of the school's first-round application deadline for fall 2006, Jett Pihakis (JPihakis), director of domestic admissions, and Peter Johnson (PeterJohnson), director of international admissions, fielded questions from BusinessWeek Online's Jack Dierdorff (BWJACK) and Francesca Di Meglio (FrancescaBW), as well as an audience of aspiring MBAs. Here's an edited transcript of the conversation:

smkt075: From your perspective, what is the single most important part of the admissions process, and why?
JPihakis: This is the most common question that we receive, and there simply is not a single answer. We do not weigh the different elements of the application. Rather, our application review process is extremely holistic. Every application is read from cover to cover by a minimum of two readers, sometimes three or four, before being discussed by the admissions committee.

Peter Johnson UC Berkeley

kgollop: Considering other schools in the California area, what do you feel is Haas's greatest strength?
PeterJohnson: I think it is our innovative culture. Berkeley is all about creating new ideas.

p-1048210919: I went to school on the East Coast, and I have a preconceived notion that West Coast programs are geared to Asian business. Is that true?
PeterJohnson: Not necessarily. Haas has ties all over the world, and at least the B-school is not particularly focused on Asia.
JPihakis: It's difficult for us to make the comparison between East Coast and West Coast B-schools because that would require gross generalization. We haven't worked for an East Coast school, so the knowledge of it isn't there.

p-1048210874: What is considered the biggest strengths and weaknesses [of the program]?
JPihakis: It's different for different audiences. The biggest strengths of the program are the brand -- the Berkeley name is a name that opens doors all over the world. The community here is collaborative, and the students are supportive. The faculty are accessible to students, and their teaching is highly regarded by our students. Many people here have a strong interest in corporate social responsibility, and that's a differentiator of our business school compared with many others. Some consider our small size to be a weakness because the number of living alumni and recruiters on campus is smaller. But although the number of alumni is smaller, the bonds between them tend to be much stronger.
PeterJohnson: Recruiters also tell us that our students are smart and confident but not arrogant. In fact, one recruiter told me that Haas students have "all the talent and half the ego."

tdbizweek: Has there been talk of increasing the class size?
PeterJohnson: There is a strategic planning process under way, and we have two new buildings on the drawing board. At this time there has been some discussion about possibly adding a cohort when the new buildings are in place, but that will be at least a few years from now.

p-1048210964: Do you view Haas undergraduate alumni any differently when considering applicants?
JPihakis: There is a misconception that we in admissions do not value Haas undergraduates, and this could not be further from the truth. We are well aware that the Haas undergraduate program is one of the very best undergraduate business programs in the world. In each class we have several individuals who graduated from the Haas undergraduate program.

p-1048211100_2: Do current students have any role in the admissions process?
JPihakis: The role that they play is that they conduct interviews for students who come to campus.
PeterJohnson: Not all [current] students -- only those who we have selected and trained.

p-1048211100_2: What specific qualities does Haas value most in applicants?
JPihakis: There's not one answer to that. There are several things we value a great deal. First, we look at career progression and leadership potential, the leadership background, personal qualities, and academic background. When we put together the class, we do so with every intention of bringing in the most diverse class possible. We want many different undergraduate majors, who worked in many different industries, in different types of positions, representing countries from all around the world. The more different the students are from one another, the more they have to learn.

mbadin44: What makes for a good entry essay? Do you value a narrative of career progression, or is the committee more interested in hearing about my future and how an MBA would help me to achieve my goals?
JPihakis: For the goals essay we're more interested in the future goals and how an MBA would help you achieve them. We do not want to hear repetition of the resume.

p-1048210964: In the optional essay, I talk about my transcript, particularly pass/fail courses and a light load my last year of college. I'm a little nervous I come off defensive. Can you comment on what you look for in those kinds of essays?
JPihakis: There's not one thing in particular that we're looking for. The optional essay is an opportunity to address whatever you haven't been able to address elsewhere. It's possible to explain your situation without coming off defensively. But I'd have to read your essay to get a better sense.

FrancescaBW: One applicant wrote in to ask if you had any strict rules about the word count on essays (see BW Online, 11/4/05, "Sample Application Essays")?
JPihakis: I advise people to try to stay within the word count prescribed.
PeterJohnson: For many questions, the text field won't even allow you to go over the word count.

StevenNJapan: In supplemental question 4 about "gaps in your employment," are you looking for simply what we were doing, or a more detailed explanation on why (i.e., I traveled/had part-time jobs for a year before starting my career)?
PeterJohnson: We're looking for all of those things. Basically, it's important for us to understand what you were doing during those gaps.

p-1048210964: How should I format the supplemental info (clubs, extracurriculars, etc.)?
PeterJohnson:Present it in the way that best communicates [your] accomplishments.
JPihakis: Don't stress at all about it. Applicants are stressing enough already. This is nothing to be worried about.

yoeddy20000: How can you make up for a low quantitative score on the GMAT?
JPihakis: Applicants can demonstrate quantitative proficiency in a number of ways -- when evaluating undergraduate transcripts, we tend to look for courses in statistics, or calculus, more so than finance or accounting. However, we do pay attention to applicants' work experience, and if their work requires them to use quantitative methods on a daily basis, then that will strengthen their application.

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