berkeley video essay

The Berkeley Haas Video Interview – What to Expect + Sample Questions

Oct 11, 2023

How the Haas video interview works 

Who is haas looking for, how can you prepare for your haas interview, make sure you’re admitted to the haas mba.

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on February 16, 2022. It has been updated with 2023/24 information and tips below. 

With its location in the heart of Silicon Valley and relentless focus on challenging the status quo, Berkeley Haas is at the top of many innovators’ lists of dream schools. 

However, as the number of people seeking to break into the technology segment grows every year, getting admitted to Haas’ small MBA class is harder than ever. 

This has been even more complicated to navigate with the Haas adcom’s decision to add a video interview component last year. 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Berkeley Haas admissions video interview to stand out. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips but have also included sample interview questions to ensure you give your Haas application your best shot.

As one of the most elite business schools in the world (and one of the smallest MBA classes), landing an interview with Haas is no easy task. 

Thus, if you have passed to the interview phase of the Haas application process, congratulations! This is already an exceptional achievement. 

Source: The Berkeley Haas website

If you complete the video option for your interview, here’s what you can expect:

• You will have to answer 5 questions in total
• For each question, you have 45 seconds to think and 3 minutes to answer. 
• You don’t have to speak for the full 3 minutes. You can end your answer early if needed. 
• Questions 1, 2, and 5 (please see below) are fixed. Questions 3 and 4 are somewhat random but center around teamwork, humility, and taking risks. In recent months, however, most candidates are getting very similar questions for 3 and 4. 

Jenny Clare, associate director of admissions, shared these tips:

• Don’t be nervous; it’s a relatively straightforward process as long as you practice with the technology ahead of time.
• Make sure you have a reliable internet connection.
• Think about your topics and answers ahead of time; practice speaking comfortably and naturally.
• Remember: the video essay is just one part of the application.

NOTE: If you decide to complete the more traditional Haas interview, check out this post with expert tips !

Source: @berkeleyhaas on Instagram

“The Berkeley MBA Program develops innovative leaders who know how to put new ideas to work, and to do so responsibly. By leveraging the innovative energy that’s ever-present in Berkeley Haas culture and in the business ecosystem of the San Francisco Bay Area, the program teaches you how to seize opportunities, challenge conventional wisdom, and act creatively.” Berkeley Haas Admissions 

Every year, Haas reviews thousands of applications to hand-pick less than 250 students to take part in their prestigious MBA program. There is no “standard” student at Haas, yet the average admitted student does tend to have 5.6 years of work experience and either an average 733 GMAT or Q163/V161 GRE score. Diversity is also a strong point for Haas, with its Class of 2025 containing 41% women, 14% LGBTQ+, 48% US minorities, and 47% international students. 

In addition, Haas also looks for candidates who embody their leadership principles:

If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully navigating the Berkeley Haas video interview. 

Though no interview is 100% predictable, Haas’s video interviews are more predictable than a typical interview. Please find the questions you can expect below. Though you may receive slightly different questions for #3 and #4, they are very likely to be similar to what is listed below. 

QUESTION 1 (FIXED)

• Tell us something that shows how you will be able to contribute to diversity and inclusion on campus. 

QUESTION 2 (FIXED)

• Why do you want to complete an MBA and why Haas? ( We suggest you mention your goals before diving into this answer!)

QUESTION 3 AND 4 (VARIABLE)

Since the questions all follow a similar structure/topic, we have grouped all possible options here. 

• Tell us about an experience when you led a team and the situation became stressful and morale was low. What did you do and what were the results?
• Tell us about a time when you argued with someone and turned out to be in the wrong.
• Tell us about a time when you worked on a team of people who had strong opinions. How did you overcome the situation? 
• Tell us about a time when being humble led to a positive outcome. 
• Tell us about a time when you collaborated with a cross-functional team. What was difficult about the process and what did you learn?
• Tell us about a time when you forged trust and collaboration with the people you work with. How did it make you feel and what did you learn?
• Tell us about a time when you had to align a team toward a common goal. 
• Tell us about a time you took a risk in your professional life. What was the outcome and what did you learn from this experience?
• Give us an example of a time when you convinced your colleagues to do something that was not in their job descriptions. How did you go about convincing them?

QUESTION 5 (FIXED)

• Is there anything else that you would like to add?

In addition to these questions, we have also prepared several mock interviews with fixed sets of questions so you can accelerate your practice. We suggest using them to have a friend or colleague test you on your interview performance. 

We have found that answering real interview questions on the spot is a much better means of preparation than reading lists of interview questions for most candidates.

We highly suggest you take a look at mock interview questions and sample interview responses before your interview . 

Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of real interview mocks from Haas, as well as detailed guides to help you prepare for questions ranging from “Why our MBA program?” to “Tell us about a time you failed.”

The Ellin Lolis Consulting MBA Resource Center is your one-stop shop for interview success. Click to join !

If you’re still not quite confident with your interview skills, our interview experts can help you craft your answers or prepare you for the Haas video interview through mock interviews tailored to your profile. 

You have stressed about every aspect of your MBA application, and now you are ready for your interview! With the right preparation, this can be your chance to shine and get a highly-coveted spot at an elite business school. 

However, maybe you don’t know where to start in preparing, or maybe you tend to ramble on and lose focus during interviews. Maybe you’ve even downloaded sample questions and written out your answers. The problem is, when you try to apply these templates to your own story, it doesn’t quite work.

Our interview prep focuses on helping you determine how to present yourself during your MBA interview while using appropriate, impact-driven language without being artificial, or worse, robotic.

That’s why 98.9% of our clients secure admissions to at least one of their target schools. 

Forget simulation platforms or long lists of tips – our 1:1 preparation focuses on playing to your strengths and overcoming your weaknesses to turn you into an interview expert . Hire our interview services here. VIP packages that allow you to work directly with Ellin sell out quickly, so make sure you sign up today !

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Top Tips to Tackle the Berkeley Haas Video And Goals Essay

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The University of California -Berkeley Haas School of Business has added a video essay as one of the required MBA application components for 2023–24. The video essay asks about leadership, so Haas has also revised its Essay #2, formerly on that topic. They also simplified its recommendation letter by moving to the common format.

We’ve  got fresh advice on how to handle all of this, so read on.

Your Video Introduction

Haas sets itself apart from other schools with its Defining Leadership Principles (DLPs). The Berkeley MBA seeks to develop leaders who embody these principles: 

• Question the Status Quo
• Confidence Without Attitude
• Students Always
• Beyond Yourself 

The new video essay asks applicants to “briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life.” Videos must clock in under two minutes. 

This requires some careful reflection —and some practice. Your response should be smooth, succinct and show what kind of leader you are and aspire to be. 

Videos give admissions committees a direct and authentic way to get to know you. They also are a good way to assess judgment.  Is your reply TMI? Admissions committees want to get to know the real you, but it’s obviously important to be appropriate. And, finally, videos can be a fun and fresh way to express your excitement about Haas. The DLPs are a distinctive draw that attracts students to Berkeley, and this is another way to demonstrate your fit..

Two minutes may seem like a lot when you’re staring into the eye of the camera with admissions on the line — but it’s really not. With only that short window to work with, don’t try to address all four of the principles. Instead, focus on one of the principles and demonstrate how you reflect it with clear and cogent examples. 

Once you’ve sketched out your thoughts and know what you want to say practice!  As noted the evaluation of these responses is likely to be graded on communication skills and poise as much as on content. And if you’re a bit intimidated about talking on camera or mastering the technology, Fortuna has you covered. Our fellow coach Cassandra Pittman explains how to ace your video here , and Karen Hamou offers advice on what to wear . 

Advice for Essay #2.

Leadership was the topic of Berkeley’s second essay last year. Now that the video is covering that theme, the new Essay #2 asks, “How will an MBA help you achieve your short-term and long-term career goals? (300 words)

Although the prompt asks, “How will an MBA help…,” this essay is really looking beyond the credential of the recognized degree. Berkeley wants to know what skills you will build or enhance and what experiences you will leverage in pursuit of career goals. It’s important to be specific. Make sure you call out what specific aspects of Berkeley’s MBA program will bolster your success after graduation.

We sometimes suggest citing companies that heavily recruit at Haas when applicable as a way of showing your awareness of the school and the link between your goals and what is achievable. For the budding entrepreneurs, perhaps mention Haas alumni entrepreneurs who are working in a similar space.

Our take on the rationale behind this question is this:  The committee wants to know if your personal and professional goals are aligned with the program at Haas and how you will leverage the Berkeley MBA experience to achieve them.

One final change this year is that Berkeley Haas has moved to use the Common Letter of Recommendation from GMAC : This change eliminates one additional question specific to Haas that asked recommenders to explain how applicants reflect the value of “confidence without attitude.” Haas explained to us that they adopted this change to streamline the process, making it easier on many fronts for applicants, letter writers, and programs.

Essays 1 and 4 and the optional essays remain the same. For a deeper dive into our advice on how to answer all of these essays, please see our Fortuna Admissions blog here . 

Sharon Joyce is a director at MBA admissions coaching firm Fortuna Admissions and 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

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.

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• Thread starter uofc
• Start date 1/16/18

I think I posted in the wrong forum so here it is again. I'm wondering what the video essay asks about and if there are different questions for each chance at recording. Thanks!  

I have the same question as you. So do you finally take the video essay? What questions do they ask?  

Max Lamberti

Hey! I guess this response is a bit late if you were gunning to submit for round 1. For anyone from later rounds who is interested, I got a question somewhere along the lines of: "Why do you think you are a good fit for Berkeley's MFE program?" Take it with a grain of salt though, I don't know if everyone gets the same question or if the question persists across application rounds. Not sure whether the question remains the same on the second try, I recorded only one. Good luck!  

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As an M.E.T. student, you’ll earn undergraduate degrees from both UC Berkeley’s prestigious College of Engineering and the Haas School of Business. World-class instruction, Silicon Valley industry experience, and career coaching with expert mentors ensure you and your cohort graduate as industry visionaries ready to start your own companies, lead innovation inside global firms, and contribute to social-impact ventures.

Design a unique path where your personal interests and future plans intersect. Align your Bachelors of Business from the renowned Haas School of Business with your choice of a Bachelor of Science degree in Bioengineering (BioE), Civil Engineering (CE), Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences (EECS), Industrial Engineering & Operations Research (IEOR), Materials Science & Engineering (MSE), or Mechanical Engineering (ME).

Imagine four years immersed in a top-ranked education, working alongside the best and brightest in business, technology, and engineering. Graduate with a global network of current and future business innovators.

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You know your personal achievements position you for success in the M.E.T. program. Continue your journey and apply:

• Visit admissions.berkeley.edu for details on the general admissions process.
• Visit the admissions pages of the College of Engineering and the Haas School of Business to learn what we’re looking for in applicants.
• Applications become available online in October of the year prior to entering UC Berkeley. The application period is November 1-30.
• 5-7 business days after submitting your application, you’ll receive an email from UC Berkeley’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, requesting a supplemental essay about your interest in M.E.T.
• Additional information is sometimes needed, and you may receive a request to record a video essay in mid-January.
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Not a freshman? Check out the Continuing Students Admissions process.

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One of the biggest things you’ll learn in college, and in the real world, is that one of the strongest parts of your career is your network and the people you know. A lot of the people in the M.E.T. program are going to all the places you’ll want to be. They’re going into finance and product management. They’re going to work at places like Google, Facebook, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs. They’re becoming quants and entrepreneurs, doing prestigious fellowships, and doing research. I would definitely recommend M.E.T. on that basis alone: the community and the people within the program.

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It’s an incredible opportunity to learn from the best of both worlds. Both the College of Engineering and the Haas School of Business have really strong international brand recognition, along with amazing professors, classes, and T.A.’s. Berkeley is the top in engineering and the top in business, and for anyone interested in engineering, product management, and entrepreneurship, M.E.T. is really the program for you.

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ARPA-E Announces $11.5 Million to Support 23 Early-Career Innovators Accelerating Transformative Energy Technologies

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced approximately $11.5 million in funding through its new Inspiring Generations of New Innovators to Impact Technologies in Energy 2024 (IGNIITE 2024) program focused on early-career scientists and engineers converting disruptive ideas into impactful energy technologies. Each IGNIITE 2024 selectee will receive approximately $500,000 to advance research projects at universities, national laboratories, and in the private sector that will span the full spectrum of energy applications, including advanced energy storage systems, fusion reactor technology, carbon-negative concrete alternatives, power electronics for grid reliability, critical material recovery, energy-efficient water desalination, plastic depolymerization, and more. The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda is supported by IGNIITE 2024 through its focus on advancing critical research and development that underpins U.S. leadership in energy innovation and global decarbonization.

“We need an infusion of unconventional ideas from the next generation of researchers, entrepreneurs, and technologists to tackle energy challenges of today,” said ARPA-E Director Evelyn N. Wang . “As an engineer who benefited from support early on in my career, I know how instrumental resourcing and expert guidance is to successful innovation. By supporting this cohort of early-career innovators, I am confident that we are one step closer to a sustainable clean energy future.”

The following 23 individuals selected through IGNIITE 2024 are all set to receive approximately $500,000 to support their research efforts:

• Michael Woods, Battelle Energy Alliance (Idaho National Laboratory) (Idaho Falls, ID)
• Adam Uliana, ChemFinity Technologies (Brooklyn, NY)
• Liang Feng, Duke University (Durham, NC)
• Justin Panich, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley, CA)
• Lydia Rachbauer, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley, CA)
• Woongkul Lee, Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
• Jinxing Li, Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
• Nelson James, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Golden, CO)
• Katrina Knauer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Golden, CO)
• Paul Meyer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Golden, CO)
• Andrew Westover, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN)
• Guang Yang, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN)
• Rain Mariano, Peregrine Hydrogen (Santa Cruz, CA)
• Fudong Han, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
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• Jessica Boles, University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)
• Xizheng Wang, University of California, Irvine (Irvine, CA)
• Yangying Zhu, University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA)
• Jun Wang, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Lincoln, NE)
• Julie Rorrer, University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
• Sebastian Kube, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI)
• Luca Mastropasqua, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI)

You can access project descriptions outlining the research these innovators will explore on ARPA-E’s website.

IGNIITE 2024 selectees will be honored on July 9, 2024 at the National Academies in Washington, D.C. The National Academies is crucial to the history of ARPA-E. In 2005, leaders from both parties in Congress asked the National Academies to "identify the most urgent challenges the U.S. faces in maintaining leadership in key areas of science and technology," as well as specific steps policymakers could take to help the U.S. compete, prosper, and stay secure in the 21st Century. The report recommended that Congress establish an Advanced Research Projects Agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) modeled after the successful Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Now, 15 years into ARPA-E’s mission to secure U.S. technological leadership, the individuals set to be honored on July 9 underscore the Agency’s commitment to fostering American innovation by empowering the next generation of innovators to succeed.

You can learn more about IGNIITE 2024 here .

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I Know What America’s Leading C.E.O.s Really Think of Donald Trump

By Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld

Dr. Sonnenfeld is the president of the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute.

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