The Berkeley MBA – Online Admissions Chat
February 27, 2009
Chat with Berkeley MBA Admissions Team
Stephanie Fujii, Senior Associate Director of Admissions
Corinne Kang, Associate Director of Admissions
Kara Hayman, Assistant Director of Admissions
Vina and Lee, Moderators
Vina_Moderator
Welcome to the Berkeley MBA Admissions chat. My name is Vina and I will be moderating the chat today. Joining us will be Stephanie Fujii, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Corinne Kang, Associate Director of Admissions, and Kara Hayman, Assistant Director of Admissions. Lee Forgue from our Operations team will also be answering questions. Please send us your questions!
Stephanie_Berkeley
Welcome! My name is Stephanie Fujii, Senior Associate Director of Admissions. We're looking forward to your questions today!
Corinne_Berkeley
Hello and thank you for joining us today! My name is Corinne Kang and I am the Associate Director of Admissions for the Full-Time MBA program. I look forward to answering your questions today on the chat!
Kara_Berkeley
Good morning and thank you for your interest in the Berkeley MBA Program at the Haas School of Business. My name is Kara Hayman and I am Assistant Director of Admissions. I look forward to answering your questions today.
CJ
I was planning to apply for the fall 2009 MBA, but it seems I might have some work opportunities that would cause me to apply for fall 2010. Will my references still be on file?
Kara_Berkeley
CJ - If you do not apply this year, we will not keep the information you have submitted. You will have to ask your recommenders to either resubmit through the online application or resend in the paper recommendation letters.
Ani
What percent of the total applicants for Full time MBA are reserved for the final round?
Corinne_Berkeley
Ani - we actually don't reserve admissions spots by round, and as of right now, we have only passed our first round notification deadline.
Karla
I would like to know if I could apply by now for the 2010 program.
Kara_Berkeley
Karla, you will need to wait for the fall 2010 application which will be available this August. Please check our website in early summer for a list of fall 2010 essay questions. You can then access the fall 2010 application for submission in August.
Geoffroy
Hi Kara. Did you see an increase in the applications for this fall?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Geoffroy, we have seen an increase in applications so far -- although we still can't tell the magnitude since we still have one more round to go! It wasn't a huge increase; mainly we saw more people applying in earlier rounds.
Karla
Ok, so I could start the process in August 2009?
Kara_Berkeley
Karla - yes, that is correct. You can start the fall 2010 in August of 2009.
siztam
For PhD candidates or recent PhDs who do not have recent employers because of the length of their education, what kind of recommendation letters would be accepted?
Stephanie_Berkeley
siztam, since we are a professional management program, work experience is a significant part of our application. Letters of recommendation provide an external perspective on an applicant's professional accomplishments, progression, impact, etc. I would take a look at the questions we ask recommenders and identify the roles you feel are most relevant and competitive to business school and make sure to have (ideally) supervisors from those roles write your recommendations.
KatCooley
Similarly, I am wondering, does the Admissions office takes note if a student has applied more than once?
Corinne_Berkeley
Kat - For reapplicants, we do reference previous application(s) within a 2-year horizon to be able to assess what substantive changes have been made to the current application. However, we don't track whether a candidate has started (but did not complete) an application in previous years.
Karla
Kara, is there a Berkeley representative here in Mexico?
Kara_Berkeley
Karla - we travel all over the world during the fall months. We made several visits throughout Latin America last year and will likely have a similar schedule this coming fall - please visit our website for our past events and check back over the summer for our fall 2009 travel schedule: http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/events.html. If you'd like to connect with current students right now, please email them at hsa@haas.berkeley.edu. You may also wish to visit our alumni page for more information on our alumni chapters all over the world: http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/groups/alumni/connect/chapters/contact.html
Reshad
Compared to the first 3 rounds, are applicants on the 4th round at a disadvantage?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Reshad, we always caution applicants that round 4 is the most difficult round since we've made the majority of our offers already from the first three rounds. However we also always say that a strong application is a strong application! If you feel that this is the right time for you to go to business school and that you have put together the strongest application possible, then I would encourage you to apply.
The application form asks if the applicant plans to take the GMAT again. Will a GMAT score from a test taken after the round 4 deadline be accepted?
Kara_Berkeley
Edgar - a GMAT test is only valid for consideration if taken by the deadline for the round you are applying in. We are not able to consider GMAT tests taken after the round 4 deadline.
Karla
Do you have the current fee of the MBA and also of the living expenses for 2009?
Kara_Berkeley
Karla, please visit our financial aid website for more detailed information: http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/mba/finaid/
Nunu
Good morning, I want to know that Berkeley will accept a student who sends application after deadline or not?
Corinne_Berkeley
Nunu - No, we do not accept applications that are submitted after our final round 4 deadline. If an application is submitted by the deadline but we find that there is missing material (such as an official transcript, etc...), we will notify you to let you know that your application is incomplete and give you the opportunity to submit that material within a reasonable timeframe.
Bryan J
What is the best way for me to visit the campus?
Kara_Berkeley
Bryan - we offer a full visitation program for prospective students including lunch with current students, daily information sessions, and opportunities to sit in on a class. Please visit our website for more information: http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/visit.htmll;
Karla
I want to know the steps I need to do to get a scholarship with you, and about the apprenticeship program too.
Stephanie_Berkeley
Karla, we have two Haas-specific scholarships: the Haas Merit Scholarship and the Haas Achievement Award. Information about both is available on our website. We also have a database of external organizations that offer scholarships. In terms of apprenticeships -- are you referring to internships? Almost all of our students have an internship over the summer. You can find out more information about this on the career services portion of our website.
Khurrum
How many 'seats' are there on a Berkeley MBA full-time program?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Khurrum, we enroll a class of 240 students.
Ani
If one took 5yrs to complete undergrad instead of the traditional 4 yrs, will it have any negative effects on the application?
Corinne_Berkeley
Ani - This does not necessarily have any negative effects on an application. We understand that at some institutions, it is more difficult to get the courses you need to graduate in a particular major. Or perhaps there were personal reasons that prevented someone from completing a degree in 4 years. Regardless of whether you completed a degree in 4 or 5 years, we will be assessing the quality of your academic performance.
Ani
What is average GMAT score for offers given as of now?
Kara_Berkeley
Ani - we do not yet have the profile for the class of 2011 (entering fall 2009). The middle 80% GMAT range for our class of 2010 is 670 - 760 with an average GMAT of 714. For more information, visit http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/community/classprofile.html.
hugo
I have dual nationality (EU and US). Does Berkeley hold a certain number of acceptances for US or EU students? Under which nationality would it be most advantageous to apply under, if any?
Stephanie_Berkeley
hugo, we don't hold spots or have quotas for nationalities. We look at a variety of different factors when making our decision, namely academics, professional experience and accomplishments and personal qualities such as extracurricular involvement, leadership, what you're passionate about.
CJ
Is there a substantive difference in the competitiveness of rounds 1 and 2?
Corinne_Berkeley
CJ - Absolutely not! A strong applicant will stand out in any round!
KKNYC
Hi Stephanie, will Round 4 applicants be competing with waitlisted candidates from previous rounds along with fellow Round 4 candidates?
Stephanie_Berkeley
KKNYC, Yes. We review the waitlist after each (subsequent) round. So anyone waitlisted in round 3 will be reviewed after we make our decisions for round 4.
kate
Hi. Do you have a decrease in the number of international applicants this year? Would you advise an international applicant (740 GMAT, 6 years of work experience in HR consulting) to apply for the 4th round?
Kara_Berkeley
Kate - as Stephanie mentioned earlier, we have seen an increase in the overall number of applications so far this year. You are always encouraged to apply in the earliest round possible. Overall, if you are a strong candidate your application could be competitive compared to the pool regardless of the round.
James
I'm currently a grad student in New York studying real estate development. I've only taken two courses, yet my GPA for these two courses was a 3.0. I was thinking about leaving this info out, but one of my professors is writing a recommendation. Do you recommend I use the available essay section to explain this?
Stephanie_Berkeley
James, it is always better to answer any questions you think we might have than to leave them unanswered and have us make up reasons....
Karla
I want to know if I could contact someone from Berkeley staff in a personal way (e-mail, phone, etc.) to get a more precise direction for all the application process.
lee_moderator
Karla, you can send your questions to mbaadm@haas.berkeley.edu and receive an individual response.
Edgar
Is taking the GMAT more than once viewed negatively by the admissions board?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Edgar, not necessarily. We have many applicants who take the GMAT more than once and are able to improve their score. I will say, though, that there is probably a point at which better judgment comes into play -- for example, if you have taken the GMAT 6 times and were not able to improve your score dramatically -- perhaps it is time to focus your efforts on other areas of your application.
milos
Dear admissions, how long before you request admission applications sent before the starting date? There are just these 4 rounds every year?
Corinne_Berkeley
Milos - If I understand your first question correctly, we begin accepting applications for each admissions cycle in August. So, for example, we will begin accepting applications for next year's admissions cycle (2010 admissions) in August 2009. And yes, we have 4 application rounds each year.
Fabi
Hello, first of all thank you for taking the time to answer questions about the Berkeley MBA program. I recently graduated from Berkeley with a bachelors in Political Science. I have a little bit more than a year of work experience. They were both internships. I worked at a Spanish TV station for 10 months and worked at a NGO for three months. I am currently working at two non-profit organizations. I love working at non-profits organizations and that is the reason why I would love to be admitted to the MBA program because I want to learn about non-profit management. My question is whether or not internship experience count?
Kara_Berkeley
Fabi - We are evaluating full-time post-university work experience in review of your professional experience. We do consider post-university internship experience - the competitiveness of that experience would depend on the breadth of your responsibilities and the depth of the experience overall. Keep in mind that most of our students have between 3 - 8 years of full-time work experience prior to the MBA program.
Caitlin
I'm curious about the Social Sector Solutions course - is it a semester-long program? And is it entirely internship or is there associated coursework/class time?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Caitlin, it is a semester-long elective course and it is a very good example of experiential learning at Haas -- you are assigned to a team with a hands-on project that you conduct over the course of the semester. I would contact our Haas Student Ambassadors (hsa@haas.berkeley.edu) and they can connect you with a student currently taking the course.
Geoffroy
What is the average GMAT for international applicants?
Kara_Berkeley
Geoffroy - we do not separate out the average GMAT for international and domestic students. The average GMAT for the class of 2010 is 714 with the middle 80% range of 670 - 760.
JJ Rassier
When I enter the recommenders during the application process, will they be emailed once I hit next or does the email not go out to them until the application process has been completed? Thank you.
lee_moderator
JJ, the request for recommendations is sent as soon as you have entered the recommenders so that they will have a chance to complete the recommendations and submit them in a timely manner.
Geoffroy
Do the majority of MBA students live on campus?
Corinne_Berkeley
Geoffroy - Most MBA students live in surrounding neighborhoods in very close proximity to campus (maybe 5-10 minutes walking or by bike). Few MBA students choose to live in on-campus university housing, though options are certainly available. This is also a great question to ask in our Student chat room!
divya
Your GMAT program's median student age is 28. Are applicants in their 30's at a disadvantage?
Stephanie_Berkeley
divya, we do not consider age when reviewing applications. We do look at work experience, and although quantity (which relates to age) is not the most important factor, we are evaluating what you have been able to accomplish over the course of your career.
Rui
Hi there, thank you for holding this chat session! As an international student, I need a clarification about the TOEFL test. According to the admissions website, I need to have taken the test before (or at the same day) as the deadline - that is, March 11th. However, in that case, I won't be able to submit my grade with the submission, as it takes roughly 3 weeks for the test to be graded. Is there a problem if I don't submit my grade (by the way, I took the test this morning)?
lee_moderator
Rui, if you don't have your scores by March 11, you can submit with the date entered and zeros in the score boxes. When your file is set up, you will be notified by email that it is incomplete. You can respond to that email with your scores, which will be entered into our database to complete your application.
divya
How are explained breaks in employment history viewed? Do they negatively impact an applicant?
Kara_Berkeley
divya - The reason for that question is so that we can understand the flow of your work experience and the reasons for any gaps in employment. We review each application individually and consider all of the circumstances surrounding your situation. Gaps are not necessarily viewed negatively as there are often very good reasons for gaps.
Chris
Does Haas offer support for significant others?
Kara_Berkeley
Chris - Yes! We have a very active Partners club here at Haas. They coordinate a variety of activities to support Partners. Partners are also encouraged to attend various Haas events. Visit the Partners club website for more information: http://groups.haas.berkeley.edu/partnersclub/.
Karen
Can you talk more about entrepreneurship courses?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Karen, I would encourage to contact our Haas Student Ambassadors (hsa@haas.berkeley.edu) and they can connect you with a student studying entrepreneurship. Also, check out the Lester Center's website for more info about our entrepreneurship program: http://entrepreneurship.berkeley.edu/main/index.html.
Caitlin
About how long after the Round 4 deadline do applicants typically hear if they are invited for an interview? Will you be notified before May 19 that you were not accepted if you are not invited for an interview?
lee_moderator
Caitlin, Round Four applicants will be invited to interview from late April up to the May 19 decision date -- or may be placed on the waitlist without an interview. Applicants will all receive their decisions (admit, waitlist and deny) on or about May 19 -- we are not able to release decisions significantly before that date, or to release individual decisions.
Samar
I have a question regarding "If you could change one thing you've done in your life, what would it be, and how would you do it differently?" Are you looking for candidate's weakness and how he is addressing that weakness? Or something else?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Samar, as with all of our questions, we're really just trying to learn more about you -- who you are outside of your resume and transcript, what you're passionate about, your personality. Our questions are broad (meaning we don't specify that they need to be personal or professional examples) because we're really interested in the examples you choose to tell us -- hopefully after much introspection!
Chris
I have a relatively low undergrad GPA, but professionally I'm very accomplished. How much of my undergraduate GPA will influence the admissions committee? How can I offset this deficiency?
Corinne_Berkeley
Chris - The undergraduate GPA is an important part of the application that gives us an indication of your academic proficiency and ability to handle the rigorous curriculum at Haas. However, a higher GMAT score as well as competitive work experience can certainly help to offset a lower GPA.
Umaphuyu
Hello, I was wondering about the length of work experience needed to apply to the program. Does it count from when I put my application in or when I start the program? For example, I could have 2 years when I apply and 3 when the program starts.
Corinne_Berkeley
Umaphuyu - We'll calculate work experience up until the time you start the program. So for candidates entering in fall 2009, we calculate work experience up through July 2009. However, keep in mind that it's the quality, rather than the quantity, of work experience that is more important.
James
How should I separate undergraduate and graduate GPA's within the application? Which has more weight?
lee_moderator
James, you give GPAs by school and degree on the application, so there's no way to "mix" the two. There are separate questions for cumulative undergrad GPA and GPA for the last two years of undergrad, so they are pretty clear as well. If you have additional questions on this topic, (for instance, if you did a concurrent BA/MA program), please direct them to mbaadm@haas.berkeley.edu.
As to which is given more weight, your entire educational experience is evaluated -- including not just your GPA but the school you attended and the program you completed.
CJ
I have an issue with the narrative of my work experience. I started working in late 2005, but technically did not graduate from undergrad until 2007 as I was completing an honors thesis over distance. Should I include a letter from my thesis advisor verifying this claim? (It wouldn't be difficult; he is a professor at UC Berkeley.)
Corinne_Berkeley
CJ - A letter from your thesis advisor may be helpful to include in this situation. You may also consider using the optional essay to provide a brief explanation just to help clarify the sequence of events.
Ani
How high a GMAT score can offset low undergrad GPA?
Kara_Berkeley
Ani, there is no set answer for this because there are many factors taken into consideration when reviewing your application. There are competitive candidates with strong GMATs and GPAs that are not as strong and vice versa.
siztam
If I want to study IT management, is MBA at HAAS a right choice?
Stephanie_Berkeley
siztam, the Berkeley MBA is a general management program, but we do have a number of specialty areas of focus and Management of Technology is one of them -- for more information, visit our website at: http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/academics/certificates.html.
Khurrum
If you only have 1 year of work experience, might it be better to send a recommendation from a graduate instructor with whom you've had more time?
Kara_Berkeley
Khurrum - we are most interested in receiving recommendation letters from individuals with whom you have had considerable professional interaction. It's best to obtain recommendation letters from people who can attest to your value as an employee, your professional accomplishments, and your personal qualities and interpersonal skills in an organizational context. For this reason, we strongly discourage academic references.
milos
What are the minimal conditions for admission?
Corinne_Berkeley
milos - While we don't have minimum requirements for work experience or the GMAT, I encourage you to look at our current class profile to get a sense of the competitive range for our students.
Nunu
Can I send recommendations that are not using the Berkeley recommendation form?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Nunu, we do have applicants whose recommenders submit a general letter of recommendation within our form -- but even though they may not answer our specific questions, they still must complete the rest of our form. The strongest recommendations address our specific questions -- however we understand that recommenders may have quite a few letters to write for candidates.
Geoffroy
Do you accept lower verbal GMAT scores for international applicants?
Kara_Berkeley
Geoffroy, we review the entire GMAT score. If you have a lower verbal subscore, it will be important to demonstrate your English proficiency elsewhere, such as performance on the TOEFL or IELTS exam.
Ranjit
Sorry if this question has been asked before. Has Haas been able to help secure any new channels of financial for International MBA applicants?
Kara_Berkeley
Ranjit - our financial aid office is currently working on funding available to international students. I encourage you to contact them directly for more details since they can provide the most up-to-date information - http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/mba/finaid/ContactUs.htm.
Geoffroy
Do you give more importance to the Quant part of the GMAT? It appeared to me and to other friends of mine that it was more difficult for us (non-native speakers) to perform the verbal part as well as the quant part.
Stephanie_Berkeley
Geoffroy, we look at all parts of the GMAT -- the overall score, your verbal sub-score, your quant sub-score and your AWA. They are all important, but we might look more closely at one depending on other areas of your application. For example, if you did not take any quant courses in undergrad, we will look closely at your quant sub-score. If you are not a native English speaker, we will look at your verbal sub-score, your TOEFL, etc.
Khurrum
Can you transfer to the Berkeley MBA full-time program from another MBA program?
Kara_Berkeley
Khurrum - we do not accept transfer credits into the Full-Time MBA program. You would need to apply to the program through the regular application process and complete the required units for graduation. There are opportunities to take waiver exams before the start of classes which may allow you to waive out of some of the core courses. Note that you still need to fulfill all unit requirements to graduate.
Bryan J
What sort of work experience do you typically look for? What would you consider an optimal amount of work experience?
Corinne_Berkeley
Bryan - The student body at Haas is extremely diverse, especially when it comes to professional experience! We're not looking for any specific, typical work experience. Similarly, we're not looking for a specific number of years of work experience. Rather, we'll be looking at the quality and breadth of work experience - have they progressed and assumed increasing levels of responsibility? Have they demonstrated leadership potential? If coming from a non-business background, do they have at least some exposure to business fundamentals? It's very much a qualitative assessment of each candidate's individual work experience.
James
I'm 23 with about two years of full-time work experience under my belt, well below the average. What would you recommend I focus on within my application to make up for this?
Stephanie_Berkeley
James, the majority of our students (the middle 80%) typically have between 3 - 8 years of work experience. (I would always look at the competitive range versus the average). Regardless of the quantity, it is always important to highlight the quality of the experience you've had -- some people are able to demonstrate progression, leadership, impact, etc. within a shorter timeframe. These latter qualities are the main part of what we're evaluating in your professional accomplishments, not the years.
Umaphuyu
Would graduate school count as work experience?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Umaphuyu, we evaluate graduate school as part of your academic performance, not professional experience.
Umaphuyu
I was wondering about if the applicant has to have experience managing groups of people in order to get acceptance to the program.
Kara_Berkeley
Umaphuyu - we are reviewing your application for evidence of leadership. While leading teams is often a good demonstration of leadership, there are also other ways you can demonstrate leadership within your industry and professional experience.
richmcd
I have a one month gap in my employment history as a result of me changing jobs and taking a breather in between. Is it necessary to explain this on the application?
Corinne_Berkeley
richmcd - There is a supplemental question in the application which asks you to explain any gaps in work experience. You can provide a brief explanation there.
Khurrum
Do you take the GRE in lieu of the GMAT?
Vina_Moderator
Hi Khurrum, we can only accept the GMAT.
Chris
Is there a preference given to in state applicants?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Chris, state residency is not one of the factors we evaluate when reviewing applications, so no -- there is no preference for in-state applicants.
Khurrum
Do international students have a disadvantage in the financial aid package compared to domestic students?
Vina_Moderator
Khurrum, you can visit our financial aid website at http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/mba/finaid/index.html to find out more about financial aid opportunities for international applicants.
divya
How do you view applicants with graduate degrees? Does a graduate engineering degree from a U.S. institution add any value to your MBA app?
Kara_Berkeley
divya - Your performance within a graduate program is definitely considered in review of your academic aptitude and can show your abilities within graduate level coursework.
Maggie2011
My letters of recommendation are being submitted by previous managers as my current manager is not aware that I will be leaving my firm to pursue an MBA. Will this count against me?
Stephanie_Berkeley
Maggie, no, this will not count against you! We certainly understand that you don't want to jeopardize your current situation. We have a specific question in the Supplemental Question section of our application where we ask you to explain if you did not submit a letter from your current supervisor -- just make sure to include your explanation here.
Samar
Is it necessary to have recommendation from your supervisor? How about you team mate with whom you worked on crucial projects?
Corinne_Berkeley
Samar - We strongly encourage you to provide a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor. However, we understand that that is not always possible to do so. Other good alternatives could be a previous supervisor, client, supplier... someone who has worked with you in a professional setting in a supervisory role who can provide detailed comments on your performance. So a team mate or colleague at your same level may not make for the strongest recommendation since they can't comment from a supervisory perspective.
Stephanie_Berkeley
Thank you all for your questions today -- and thank you for your interest in the Berkeley MBA program! We wish you all the best of luck --
Kara_Berkeley
Thanks, everyone. We enjoyed answering your questions and wish you the best of luck in the application process.
Corinne_Berkeley
Thank you for joining us on this chat! Best of luck to everyone!
Vina_Moderator
Hi all! Thank you for joining us. The chat is shutting down. We appreciate your questions and we apologize if we didn't get to all of them. Please check back on our website within the next couple weeks for a transcript of today's chat and information on future chat dates. Go Bears!
