With an acceptance rate of less than 20% at Berkeley Haas, receiving an interview invitation is a significant milestone for any candidate hoping to secure a spot at this top MBA program. As a former Associate Director of Admissions at Berkeley Haas and as an admissions coach with Fortuna Admissions for the past seven years, I have some insights to share on what to expect. Here I share some how to prepare for this crucial step in Haas’ fiercely competitive application process and some critical tips for mastering the UC Berkeley Haas MBA interview questions.
What to Expect from the Berkeley Haas Interview
Interviews are by invitation only and are extended to roughly 30% of the Berkeley Haas applicant pool. Interview invitations are sent out starting about four weeks after the application deadline and continue to go out up until the notification deadline
Your interview may be a blind interview, meaning the interviewer has only read your resume, not your full application. If your interviewer is an admissions team member, they may have read your application in detail.
Format
All applicants have an option to:
- Do an in-person or virtual Zoom interview with a second-year student or with an alum (admissions staff do a limited number of interviews)
OR - Do a video interview and respond to prerecorded Haas interview questions (through the Kira Talent platform)
Important: If you are invited to interview, immediately schedule your in-person or Zoom meeting! Zoom interview slots fill up quickly. This is why they offer the prerecorded option. I suggest choosing the in-person interview (or virtual) for better school engagement and the opportunity to better showcase yourself.
Length
In-Person or Virtual Interview Option
In-person and Zoom interviews are typically scheduled for 45 minutes to one hour. The interviewer may ask mostly general questions or surprise you by having read your full application and ask very specific questions. Be prepared for both. The flow may vary from very casual and conversational, even very friendly, to drilling down into details in your resume. For more tips on preparing for a virtual interview, read my colleague Judith Hodara’s article on Virtual MBA Interview Tips.
Video Interview Option
If you opt to record a video interview, you will be asked to respond to five Berkeley Haas interview questions that are randomly assigned from a large database of questions. You will have 45 seconds to prepare and three minutes to reply (even though the practice questions allow only 90 seconds for your answer).
Understanding of Haas Principles
Whichever format you choose, to respond effectively to the Berkeley Haas interview questions, you need a deep understanding of the program’s four Defining Leadership Principles* (DLPs). Be prepared to express how they connect to your professional and personal life. The principles are a strong differentiator for Haas that reflect the school’s orientation to leadership development. The four principles are:
1) Question the status quo
2) Confidence without attitude
3) Students always, and;
4) Beyond yourself
*Fun fact: Former Dean of Berkeley Haas, Rich Lyons. PhD, was the architect of the DLPs and, as of July 1, 2024, will be the next Chancellor of UC Berkeley.
Berkeley Haas Interview Questions to Anticipate
The standard Haas interview questions revolve around conveying your story, your career plan and your unique goals. Know your resume and application inside out; you should be able to answer questions about your career experiences clearly and in a focused manner.
Practice aloud until you feel comfortable, and you can deliver a smooth response without searching for words or struggling to express yourself. Furthermore, the key to success is not just thinking about answers to standard questions, but training yourself to give natural, informative and confident answers.
Most Common MBA Interview Questions:
- Tell me about yourself or walk me through your resume.
- Why an MBA?
- What are your career goals?
- Why this MBA?
- What will you contribute to the school’s community?
- Provide examples of your leadership/teamwork experience.
I have found that other types of Haas interview questions typically fall into the following categories. I’ve also included a small sample of questions by category asked to previous candidates. Remember that the interviewer will ask follow-up questions and probe your responses, so be ready to go into further depth on any topic.
1.Career background and professional skills-related questions
- Walk me through your resume/walk me through your career progression.
- What is a professional accomplishment you are proud of?
2.School related questions
- Why choose the Haas MBA? And how can you provide evidence that you know what makes UC Berkeley Haas unique?
- What can you contribute to a program like this?
3.Career goal questions
- What are your short- and long-term career goals?
- In your ideal world, what would be your MBA internship, post-MBA job, and your job in five years?
4. Behavioral questions (be prepared to give specific examples)
- Give an example of when you demonstrated leadership.
- Tell me about a time when you led a project and morale was low. How did you handle the situation?
- Tell me about a challenging time.
5. Personal characteristics questions
- Which of the four principles resonates with you the most and why?
- Could you describe two weaknesses you will address through your MBA?
6. Opinion or thought-provoking questions
- What do you think is the biggest change/transformation happening in your industry today?
- What is something you learned from something you read recently?
7. Leadership example questions
- When you are in charge, how do you manage your team?
- What is your leadership style?
8. Extra-curricular questions
- What role do you feel you play outside your professional life, for example, what role do you take on in your circle of friends?
- What do you do for fun?
9. Diversity, equity, and inclusion-related questions (Note: candidates should be prepared for at least one question about diversity, equity and inclusion and how it plays out in their professional lives.)
- Give an example of diversity involvement you would bring to Haas.
- Please share a time when you promoted diversity and inclusion, whether at work or through volunteering.
10. Other
- What other schools have you considered or applied to?
- Is there anything else you would like to share?
- Do you have any questions for me?
Tips for Video Interviews
Many people find a video interview with pre-recorded questions to be a convenient and welcome option, but the format has its own distinct challenges. The point of the interview is to convey a sense of your personality and communication style. When you’re speaking to a tiny camera rather than a human, with a clock ticking down as you answer, it’s hard to do that.
My advice to my clients is to be warm and personable in your recordings. Remember to smile and say “hi” at the beginning, and then state your answer. Too many applicants come off as stiff and uncomfortable in these interviews. The smile will set the tone and help you relax.
To be sure, this is an odd, somewhat unnatural activity. Injecting some warmth and personality into your responses shows that you are comfortable in any setting you’re thrown into. To find that warmth, we recommend that you practice on camera with some common questions. There’s nothing more effective to help you improve your delivery and presentation. Judith’s seven tips for video interviews provide details on how to practice — and Karen Hamou weighs in on what to wear on camera.
Final Thoughts
Remember that Berkeley Haas considers itself a program for leaders. In your interview, remain confident, calm and flexible, demonstrating that you share the school’s values and leadership attributes. To draw out these attributes, Haas favors behavioral questions, with the logic that past behavior predicts future performance and indicates your self-awareness and EQ. To prepare for these kinds of questions, try using the STAR technique when you present your answers to your interviewer: briefly outline the Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
With intentional preparation and a clear understanding of what to expect, Berkeley Haas applicants can approach their interviews with confidence, knowing that they are well-positioned to make a compelling case for their acceptance at one of the world’s leading business schools.
Want More Advice?
Practice is critical, and professional feedback makes your practice pay off. Fortuna coaches have insider insights into what interviewers ask and what business schools are looking for, so we excel at interview prep. We have sat on the other side of the table, interviewing candidates on behalf of the top business schools, and know what it takes to stand out. Book your free 30-minute consultation now to learn more about how we can help ensure you shine on interview day.
Fortuna Admissions expert coach Sharon Joyce is former Berkeley Haas Associate Director of Admissions. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a free consultation.