Second: Choose an outside-of-work passion/hobby that you pursue with zest. Write about your passion for that activity. How you started, how you contribute to it and perhaps too how you are impacted and bettered by it.

Either way the worst thing you can do in this essay is to write impersonally. If this essay does not reveal the person with a ticking heart behind this application, write again!

Like EVERY other MBA essay that you will ever write if you can demonstrate genuine wow! level passion 50% of your work is done.

Simple?

Berkeley Haas Short Essay 2

Tell us about your most significant accomplishment. (250 word maximum)

Berkeley Haas Short Essay 2 Tips

You have several accomplishments in your roster - personal, professional and academic.

The choice of achievement for writing this Berkeley Haas essay should be based on the general importance of the achievement, the extent of your contribution to its success and what the story tells about you. Your leadership skills, initiative and teamwork are three qualities that the incident could reflect on.

As usual keep in mind that this essay is part of a bigger package. Write accordingly. For example, there is a bigger leadership essay that shortly follows, so choose the achievement carefully. Also, within the context of your Berkeley Haas essay package this should be "your most significant accomplishment" - see that there are no contradictions there.

Berkeley Haas Short Essay 3

At Haas, we value innovation and creativity. Describe a time when you created positive change in a group or an organization. (250 word maximum)

Berkeley Haas Short Essay 3 Tips

Good question!

This is a rare chance, since almost no other Business School application exclusively devotes an entire essay to your creativity and/or innovation.

Use this opportunity from Berkeley Haas to specifically address your creative side with examples that highlight your out-of-the-box thinking. Since "a group or an organization" is explicitly mentioned highlight how your idea/initiative impacted the group/organization.  Try to bring a personal tone to the essay, especially in the part of the essay where you formulate the idea. Choose from your personal or professional life.

Berkeley Haas Short Essay 4

There are many ways to learn about our program, what steps have you taken to learn about the Berkeley MBA? (250 word maximum)

Berkeley Haas Short Essay 4 Tips

Key Essay Tip: If possible, especially if you are based in USA, visit Haas. Berkeley Haas takes campus visits seriously and being in USA and not visiting, is in my book a straight 25% off for this essay.

Regardless of whether you visit Haas or not, this essay does require some investment of time and effort.

The Berkeley Haas essay seeks answers to these questions: How serious are you about seeking admission at Berkeley Haas? What kind of online and offline research have you done so far about Haas? Have you talked to current Berkeley Haas students or alumni? Have you visited Haas or any of the fairs or receptions hosted by them? How can you show that your Berkeley Haas application is a reflection of your specific interest in Haas and not just another application made for bettering the odds.

Berkeley Haas Required Essay 1

Give us an example of a situation in which you displayed leadership. (500 word maximum)

Berkeley Haas Required Essay 1 Tips

Recollect and write about an experience that witnessed you in a leadership position and which ideally reflects different facets of your leadership style and leadership strengths.

Select the example based on the extent of your contribution to the team's success and what the story tells about your leadership skills. Choose an experience that helps you highlight your leadership achievement, while effectively underlining your leadership skills.

Preferably seek out a story that does not go too far back in time - typically a leadership achievement that occurred in the last 2-3 years would be ideal.

Berkeley Haas Required Essay 2

What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How do your professional experiences relate to these goals? How will an MBA from Berkeley help you achieve these specific career goals? (1000 word maximum)

Berkeley Haas Required Essay 2 Tips

This is a straightforward career progression, career goals and "why this Business School" essay.

And you cannot complain about lack of space either!  As we keep saying in our mba essay tips the recommended length of the essay is an important guide to its importance. The task here is to clearly delineate your career development in the context of your short-term and long-term goals, while also linking the Berkeley Haas MBA with your past, present and future. Finding and expressing a logical, credible link between the three phases is the key to this essay.

"Why Haas" is an important part of the question which will require you to show your fit with Berkeley Haas. Remember that you can blend in non-career aspects that are relevant to your story since your career is intricately connected to your personal life and personal goals.

Goals, even more than other essay topics, are more a matter of credibility and logic than anything else. If you can add passion as well, you have the recipe for a beautiful and effective essay.

Go for it!

Berkeley Haas Optional Essay 1

Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven’t addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum)

Berkeley Haas Optional Essay Tips

We can be accused of taking a partisan role in the question of optional essays. We stand against optional essays in almost all cases. We feel that the first question in any optional essay is to decide whether you need to write it at all.

Attempt the Berkeley Haas optional essay only if you feel that it will improve the factual and material strength of your application.

Do not submit your Berkeley Haas optional essay as an addendum to any of your essays.

Do not submit your Berkeley Haas optional essay because you feel the quality of your earlier essays is improvable – in which case redouble your efforts in the earlier essays and leave the optional essay alone.

Use the Berkeley Haas optional essay if you need to describe at length an extraordinarily positive contribution or quality that CANNOT be accommodated in the other essays. Maybe there is a particularly important aspect of your personality, career or life that you want the Haas admissions committee to know about. In that case you can consider writing the optional essay.

Use the Berkeley Haas optional essay to explain shortfalls in your application which you feel are truly detrimental to your candidature. Areas of underperformance (academic or professional) or events which stick out (gaps in your resumes or second MBA) or application issues (reapplications) can be commented on if you have explanations that are intelligent and credible.

In case you find any of the above applicable, note down the options and then consider yet again if the optional essay is a strong constructive addition to your candidacy. If yes, then start working on the essay.