Berkeley Haas Essay Tips #1

Haas just released their essay questions, and here's how you write them to actually get you in. Essay one is what makes you feel alive when doing it and why. A Haas classic. You want to focus on something concrete that you're deeply passionate about, and it should be something relatively recent or current that you're involved in. Additionally, this essay should reveal something about you that we can't learn from your resume or other essays. Second, pick one specific activity. You're looking for depth, not breadth here, and I suggest looking for something from your extracurricular activities or volunteer work. Second, bring in details. Last year I had a client who talked about how he brought electricity to a remote village, and instead of just ending there, he also included the detail about how one of the villagers thanked him for making his walk home from work a little bit safer. Finally, end with a lesson that you learned or how this shaped you. And if you have space, tie it to your future at Haas. Remember, this is not a competition to see who has the most unique theme. It's about showing why this is meaningful to you. For more essay tips that actually get you into top MBA programs, follow me.