The Berkeley Haas School of Business is a small but dynamic powerhouse among MBA programs. Its proximity to a big metropolis (San Francisco), combined with the intimacy of a small college town (Berkeley, California), means that its students can enjoy the best of both worlds during their two years at school. Haas is renowned for its tight-knit student community fostered by its culture, location, and class size. Further, its closeness to Silicon Valley leads to almost one-third of Haas graduates joining the technology sector each year. Apart from the vibrant Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship Program, the school also has an established health policy and management program (since 1948) and a thriving Center for Social Sector Leadership. Because the typical Haas class has fewer than 350 students, securing a coveted seat at the Berkeley Haas School of Business is not easy. But if you see yourself attending school in beautiful Berkeley, mbaMission offers a depth of resources and services to help you on your journey.
Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA Insider’s Guide
Our Insider’s Guide to the Berkeley Haas School of Business is based on our consultations with Haas MBA students, admissions committee members, and alumni about their Haas experiences. We take an in-depth look at life as a Berkeley Haas MBA student, examining how the school’s location, class size, curriculum, alumni network, and focus on teamwork all affect its culture and MBA experience. Then we discuss how traditions such as its student-initiated and student-led courses have resulted in unique classes over the years, such as “Improvisational Leadership,” “Wine Industry,” and “Life as an Entrepreneur.” Through our guide, you will learn more about how the Haas Defining Leadership Principles—Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself—are integrated across core and elective courses. Further, you can read more about Berkeley Haas’s 13 academic areas of emphasis, which are similar to majors. Haas dean Ann E. Harrison, an accomplished economist and a UC Berkeley alumna herself, has been guiding the Berkeley Haas School of Business since 2019. Our guide allows you to dive deeply into the incredible program that continues to grow under her leadership.
The Berkeley Haas School of Business Interview Guide
Haas interviews—most often conducted by Haas MBA alumni—are conversational, friendly, and usually have a relaxed air. Nevertheless, you should expect a combination of behavioral, goals-focused, and probing interview questions; these are meant to help your interviewer get to know you and your accomplishments better. Further, you will need to have a strong grasp of how you believe the Berkeley Haas MBA program will help you reach your career goals. Finally, you will want to be prepared to discuss why you are a good fit for the school. For sample interview questions and commentary from past students, check out our Berkeley Haas School of Business Interview Guide.
Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA Essay Analysis, 2021–2022
Berkeley Haas is known for having unique essay questions, and its prompt “What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why?” is a great example. The key to this essay is to keep it personal, authentic, and simple, given that you are limited to 300 words. This is an opportunity to showcase what you are truly passionate about. A successful admissions essay here will not only paint a clear picture of your passion but also highlight the elements of your personality that make the activity significant to you.
For the second application essay prompt—“What do you need to develop to become a successful leader?”—you have a chance to describe your leadership style to the admissions committee, ideally in a way that connects with the Berkeley Haas Defining Leadership Principles—Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself—to show that you deeply understand Berkeley Haas’s culture. Although you likely will not have space to list many Haas resources, you need to show that you have thoughtfully considered how the Berkeley Haas MBA program can help you develop as a leader.
In our essay analysis, we provide in-depth guidance on each of Berkeley Haas’s 2021–2022 application essay questions:
- Essay 1: What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum)
- Essay 2: The definition of successful leadership has evolved over the last decade and will continue to change. What do you need to develop to become a successful leader? (300 words maximum)
Click here to read our analysis
Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA Class Profile (Class of 2023)
| Class Size |
291 |
| Average GPA |
3.67 |
| GPA Middle 80% Range |
3.34–3.93 |
| Average GMAT |
726 |
| Median GMAT |
730 |
| GMAT Middle 80% Range |
690–760 |
| Average GRE (Verbal) |
161 |
| Median GRE (Verbal) |
162 |
| GRE (Verbal) Middle 80% Range |
155–168 |
| Average GRE (Quant) |
162 |
| Median GRE (Quant) |
162 |
| GRE (Quant) Middle 80% Range |
155–168 |
| Average Years of Work Experience |
5.5 |
| Middle 80% Range of Years of Work Experience |
3.8–8.0 |
| Women |
37% |
| International |
37% |
| Countries Represented |
46 |
| U.S. Minority |
49% |
| LGBTQ+ |
14% |
| Veterans |
7% |
Berkeley Haas School of Business Rankings
The Berkeley Haas School of Business regularly places highly in popular business school rankings. In 2020, Berkeley Haas was ranked 12th globally by the Financial Times. Poets&Quants, in its 2020 survey of United States–based MBA programs, ranked Haas eighth, unchanged from the two previous years. In its 2022 rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Haas seventh (tied with Columbia Business School). In the Economist’s 2019 survey, the school ranked seventh internationally and sixth within the United States, up four spots in both categories.
Berkeley Haas MBA Admissions Deadlines (2021-2022)
Round 1
September 23, 2021
Round 1 Decision
December 15, 2021
Round 2
January 6, 2022
Round 2 Decision
March 24, 2022
Round 3
April 7, 2022
Round 3 Decision
May 23, 2022
