Admissions Chat: Haas School of Business

The Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley accepted 18% of the 2,727 applicants to its MBA program in 2006. Rising from No. 17 in 2004 to No. 8 on BusinessWeek’s 2007 list of best B-schools, Haas is praised for its ability to give students access to the high-tech and entrepreneurial sectors.

Those who are California dreaming of a B-school with such credentials recently asked questions of Peter Johnson [PeterAtHaas], director of Haas admissions, and first-year full-time MBA student Kathy Barris [KathyHaas], during an online chat event on BusinessWeek.com. Fielding questions from the audience and B-schools reporter Francesca Di Meglio [FrancescaBW], Johnson and Barris shared insider tips on everything from writing an essay to organizing your first-year schedule. Here is an edited transcript of the conversation:

Where can we get some guidance on [writing) the essays?

As a start, I would encourage you to listen to our podcast about presenting a successful application. It discusses all facets of the application and what we are looking for.

I have looked at www.haas.berkeley.edu. Recruitment statistics will be more useful if they could provide the information as to what the candidates' pre-MBA salary was, how much experience they already had, etc. Is there any way to access more detailed information?

We don't normally report any pre-MBA salary data, but we do list averages and medians for things like overall compensation and amount of pre-MBA work experience, which you can find in our profile data on the Web site.

I have heard that a person who attended UC Berkeley as an undergrad very rarely is accepted to the MBA program. Is this true?

That is completely untrue! We accept a number of candidates with Berkeley undergraduate degrees every year.

What kind of formal and informal interactions exist between MBA students and [computer science) or other reputed departments and labs?

In the case of the "CS" department [which is actually the School of Information at Berkeley), we jointly offer courses in our Management of Technology program. Many students from other graduate schools at Berkeley participate with MBA students on teams for the business plan competition, in the Berkeley-UNIDO Conference, and in other initiatives. All MBA students also have the opportunity to take some of their elective courses in other graduate programs outside the B-school.

Can you address the MBA/MA Program in International and Area Studies? What are the advantages of doing it, how many people do, what careers do they [consider)?

The advantage of completing that program is that students have the opportunity to earn both degrees in less time than it would take to complete them individually. Most people who have pursued that program have tended to have interests in areas related to international public policy and are thinking about careers with NGOs, etc.

Has your career services office had any difficulty or luck placing older candidates? I will enter B-school at 35.

Haas has had a number of "older" students go through the program and has had no problem placing them in positions afterward. Not sure what you are interested in doing, but two of my classmates [I am a first-year in the full-time program) who are over 35 are going to be doing their internships in management consulting.

This has not been a problem, although the number of students in their 30s in the full-time MBA program tends to be smaller. In fact, what we have heard from some corporate recruiters is that they really aren't very interested in younger candidates. Because we place a great deal of emphasis on the quality of pre-MBA work experience, our average age tends to be higher than many other MBA programs.

I'm a physician working as the sales team leader for Solvay Pharmaceuticals in Iran. I'm interested in Haas' MBA/MPH [Masters of Public Health). Since U.S. embassies don't issue visas to Iranians easily, how could you help in that respect?

No university can really help to resolve this issue except to be sure that the consulate is fully informed about the applicant's status. We have a new student coming from Iran this year who has obtained a visa.

My first question is regarding my years of experience. I'm close to [having) about two years of work experience. How will this be viewed by the schools?

The most important issue for us is the quality of the work experience rather than the length of time. Having said that, it is rare that we see candidates with less than two years of experience who we think have strong enough preparation. If you have had significant responsibilities and can demonstrate the kinds of skills that you have developed in two years, you have a decent chance. [Our middle 80% range for work experience has been consistently three to eight years.)

Does Haas take a weighted approach to the applicant's GMAT scores?

We tend to place the most emphasis on the applicant's most recent scores, but we look at all of them. We do not use a formal weighting process.

I've noticed that some business schools recommend that students without a business background take classes like financial accounting and microeconomics before applying. What does Berkeley prefer? Are there any specific classes that you would recommend taking?

The first year of business school can be quite academically grueling, especially if you have never taken very quantitative-focused courses. For your own preparation, it might be a good idea to take an accounting or introductory finance course before school starts. At the very least, if you are admitted and choose to matriculate, Haas offers a two-week "Math Camp" in August that gives you a little preparation. [And from what I have heard, it is a lot of fun!)

What factors in the application process are given the most weight in the admissions process?

Our review of applications is pretty holistic, so everything is considered. Generally speaking, academic preparation, quality of work experience, and leadership potential are very significant. But team skills, interpersonal and communication skills, and initiative are things we look at very closely, too.

What is the percentage of students that live in Berkeley vs. San Francisco?

For the first year, the breakdown is typically around 75% live in Berkeley, 25% live in San Francisco/other Bay Area. I would definitely recommend that people live in Berkeley their first year, because there is always something going on around campus [meetings, company presentations, socials, etc.) and it helps to live nearby. More students typically choose to live in San Francisco in the second year, when people's schedules are a little less hectic, and they can afford the longer commute to campus.

Does the position of the individual who writes the letter of recommendation make a difference? I have a direct manager who I frequently report to and a vice-president with whom I communicate less frequently but to whom I also report. In this case, would the VP's letter of recommendation be more powerful than my manager's?

I would recommend a letter from the direct manager, who is more familiar with your skills and accomplishments. The title of the recommender is less important than the information he or she can provide.

How much of the program is case-based? Can you compare it to Harvard Business School or the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western Ontario, which are fully case-based programs?

Classroom instruction is a good mix of case-based and lecture, depending on the material. Our professors have found that for courses such as accounting, statistics, etc., they are able to more effectively teach the material utilizing a lecture style. All classes will frequently use cases to support material being learned in lecture and from the book, of course.

What kind of pre-application preparation would you recommend for students who don't have a quantitative background?

You really need to have solid grounding in quantitative methods, particularly statistics. If you did not take college algebra or statistics as an undergrad [or if you did poorly in them), I would recommend taking course work. If you have taken them, you might want to take a refresher course or review the material on your own. Calculus is helpful, but mostly because it requires a certain level of facility in algebra. Calculus itself is mostly used in finance electives, but not so much in the core courses.

What are the implications of being a re-applicant?

We give re-applicants a fresh look, but keep in mind that it would be to your advantage to think about ways to strengthen your application. If you are a re-applicant, we ask that you address what has changed in your optional essay. My best advice is simply to look at areas in which you might not have been as competitive as other candidates and try to strengthen those elements of the application.

How does Berkeley look at a person who takes time off from his normal career to volunteer abroad for a few months before applying?

Generally speaking, it's fine, as long as he or she is doing something worthwhile.

I work in supply chain with Dell in Austin, Tex. I have applied to Haas in the March deadline [round). I will be visiting Haas next week and plan to attend a class and the information series. Is there anything else you suggest I do during my visit?

Based on your message, I think we have spoken in the past! We are very excited that you will be on campus next week, and in addition to visiting a class and attending the information session, we offer a daily lunch escorted by a number of current students. Additionally, you should take the opportunity to speak to as many students as possible to try and get a feeling for the environment and the culture of the school. We are also having some great weather right now, so do take advantage of that.

For students who are interested in pursuing an MBA/MPH degree, what kind of career will be available to them? Is the application process different?

The application process is basically the same, although in the actual selection, we consult with the director of the MBA/MPH program in making decisions. Students graduating from the joint degree program do a variety of things, but in recent years, business positions in biotechnology, medical device technology, and pharmaceuticals, as well as health-care-focused consulting, seem to have been most popular. Some students have also pursued positions with managed care provider organizations and health care.

Can you give us any sense of when you'll start to review wait-list candidates from [Round 2)? Will you wait until after the R3 notification date, or is it ongoing?

We are likely to begin reviewing wait-listed R2 candidates as soon as we have released our Round 3 decisions [in) late April/early May.

Do you traditionally accept the same percentage/number of applicants in Round 3 as you do in Round 2 or 1? Given the current applicant pool, do you anticipate this remaining the same for this year?

We do not have a fixed percentage or number that we seek from each round. It changes a bit every year based on the quality and number of candidates. I'm guessing that Round 3 will be similar to Round 2. If anything, the larger application pool will have more impact on the number of offers from Round 4.

Are liberal arts students with no business courses at a competitive disadvantage in a competitive MBA program?

I was a liberal arts major in undergrad who did not take a "business course" to speak of, but there are other ways one can demonstrate quantitative ability. For example, you may have taken an economics class that was quite mathematically rigorous or a number of required math courses in college. It is important to demonstrate that you would be able to handle the course load, based on some success you have had in the past.

Does Haas look negatively at a candidate who has taken a GMAT prep class or sought admission/essay prep work from a third-party admission consultant?

It's not always easy for us to know who has taken a GMAT prep course or used the services of an admission consultant. I don't think it's bad to do some test prep, although not everyone needs it. The essays are a different issue. If we think that essays were substantially edited or written by someone else, it may negatively impact a candidate. It's fine to get advice and perhaps to have someone review and give you feedback on the essays; it's not O.K. to have others write the essays for you, of course.

Does it make a difference if we apply in-state vs. out-of-state [in terms of admissions)? For example, does Haas accept a certain number of in-state vs. out-of-state applicants?

We do not have a quota for in-state vs. out-of-state, so our decisions are based solely on the quality of the applications.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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

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].

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?

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.