Berkeley Haas 2012 - 2013 Essay Tips

If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why? (250 word maximum)

• What can we say, don't pick "I'm sexy and I know it!" :-)
• Great question - but also tough - remember to explain why the song is important to you - not just because it was played at a certain event etc. - it should express who you are.

What is your most significant accomplishment? (250 word maximum)

• Pick only one accomplishment - can be personal or professional - describe why you think it is your most significant accomplishment
• To the extent possible, try and qualify and/or quantify the impact of what you did so that a reader can relate to it more easily -- this is especially true if you are picking a professional situation

Describe a time when you questioned an established practice or thought within an organization. How did your actions create positive change? (250 word maximum)

• Use the words you have in this essay about 50:50 to describe both, what you did, and what impact it had – many essays we read are very one-sided and describe either one or the other
• The change should ideally already have happened when you write this essay – not something that you “hope” will change in the future
• Remember, broad cultural changes are hard to bring about – it is best to focus this essay on a specific practice or way of doing things that you were able to change

Describe a time when you were a student of your own failure. What specific insight from this experience has shaped your development? (250 word maximum)

• Please people – a failure is a failure.  It’s not supposed to make you look good – i.e., don’t use examples where you fixed something that you broke
• Take only 2 – 3 sentences to describe the failure itself – and spend the majority of this essay explaining why it was important and what you learned from it
• You do NOT need to reiterate what you learned by saying that you were in the exact same situation later and reacted a different way

What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How have your professional experiences prepared you to achieve these goals?  How will an MBA from Haas help you achieve these goals? (750 word maximum for 5a. and 5b.)

• Standard goals question – the big challenge here is writing a 750 word essay with smooth transitions, a tight structure, and content that keeps the reader interested and engaged in your story