berkeley met video essay questions

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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Berkeley MET Program Supplemental Essay

To those of you who were admitted to the MET Program at UC Berkeley, would you mind sharing your essays? Just so that applicants this year can have some idea on how to approach the essay. Do the admissions officers want creative essays or more straightforward ones that answer the question? Do they want a story? Do they want you to mention your extracurriculars?

Any insight would be wonderful.

Bump post. I would really benefit if I had some guidance.

No insider info, but from the MET program’s webinar, the AO said they are just looking for straightforward answers, not creative writing.

I’m currently in the MET program, and I can talk about my personal take on the prompt. I know it’s rather cliche, but I just tried to be myself and show them who I was and what I liked. I don’t think I got in because of a very fancy essay in my opinion. Just talk about what you’re are passionate about

Any idea when the MET decisions are sent out?

@GHolmes Well I recently was invited to an interview for this coming week, so I’m guessing decisions have to be after that. If last year is any indicator, decisions will be sent out in early February (I think 2/10 last year?)

So if you’ve not been selected for an interview then not in the running?

That’s how it seems @GHolmes , but interviews are sent on a rolling basis

Yes twitter post confirms that: Interviews are sent on rolling basis. No need to lose hope :-*

It is too soon to lose hope.

I spoke with my DS last night and he said he didn’t get an interview date till the last week of January. He interviewed in February 1st (he was notified of admission 10 days later).

He also said getting an interview was the first cut and I wonder if just getting the interview pretty much assures admission to the engineering portion of your app if not the full MET program. This is pure speculation though.

Congratulations to those that have received a request to interview, you are a compelling candidate indeed. Good Luck.

@california32146 , which Twitter account are you following? I can’t find anything on the CalAdmission Twitter account.

@bogeyorpar https://■■■■■■■■■■■/Berkeley_MET M.E.T. interview invites have gone out and will continue to be sent out on a rolling basis …

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Essays help us learn about who you are as a person and how you will add to our community. We seek candidates from a broad range of industries, backgrounds, cultures, and lived experiences.

Our distinctive culture is defined by four key principles - Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. We encourage you to reflect on your experiences, values, and passions so that you may craft thoughtful and authentic responses that demonstrate your alignment with our principles. 

Below are the required essays, supplemental essays, and optional essays for the Fall 2023-2024 application cycle. 

Required Essay #1

What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum)

Required Essay #2

How will an MBA help you achieve your short-term and long-term career goals? (300 words max)

Required Essay #3 - Video

Required Essay #4 - Short Answer

Optional Essays

The admissions team takes a holistic approach to application review and seeks to understand all aspects of a candidate’s character, qualifications, and experiences. We will consider achievements in the context of the opportunities available to a candidate. Some applicants may have faced hardships or unusual life circumstances, and we will consider the maturity, perseverance, and thoughtfulness with which they have responded to and/or overcome them.

Optional Information #1

We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

Optional Information #2 

Supplemental Information

• If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain. If not applicable, enter N/A.
• Name of organization or activity
• Nature of organization or activity
• Size of organization
• Dates of involvement
• Offices held
• Average number of hours spent per month
• List full-time and part-time jobs held during undergraduate or graduate studies indicating the employer, job title, employment dates, location, and the number of hours worked per week for each position held prior to the completion of your degree.
• If you have ever been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation, suspended, or required to withdraw from any college or university, please explain. If not, please enter N/A. (An affirmative response to this question does not automatically disqualify you from admission.)

Video: Extracurricular Supplement Tips

Senior Associate Director of Full-time Admissions, Cindy Jennings Millette, shares how we look at, and evaluate, extracurricular and community involvement.

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University of California, Berkeley | UC Berkeley’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short responses.

Please respond to any 4 of the 8 questions below.We realize that not all questions apply to all applicants, so be sure to select the 4 questions that you believe give us the best information about you.All 8 questions are given equal consideration in the application review process. Responses to each question should be between 250-350 words.

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

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The Baffling Theme of This Year’s Met Gala

By Anna Marks

Opinion Staff Editor

On Monday night, a select group of celebrities and fashion designers mounted the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, presenting a litany of costumes for the public to devour. The Met Gala is an annual spectacle of celebrity that raises money for the museum’s Costume Institute , which works to preserve fashion history.

The night’s enduring power can largely be chalked up to the way guests interpret its themed dress code, which changes every year. At its most brilliant, a theme might inspire absurd, campy or daring interpretations by clever designers. At its most exhausting, it inspires famous people to perform vacuous social commentary while attending an event where a ticket reportedly costs as much as $75,000 . In either case, the commentary the theme provokes gives the gala its enduring cultural relevance.

This year’s theme is “The Garden of Time,” based on J.G. Ballard’s dystopian short story about a count who, for a time, prevents a mob from destroying his villa and the works of culture it contains. The story is an allegory warning about the consequences of keeping art out of public view. The most generous reading of the story in the context of the Met Gala is probably that the Costume Institute, by giving art to the masses instead of hiding it away in a place only the wealthy inhabit, averts Ballard’s dystopia.

But there’s also an unfortunate irony in choosing this particular story. Ballard implicitly criticizes the wealthy count’s distance from the public, but the gala essentially celebrates the counts among us.

High culture is available to the public largely because the wealthy, charitably, make it so. But the nature of this gala, with its emphasis on extolling the captivating virtues of celebrity, leaves me wondering whether the event’s organizers misread the story’s critique or were simply blind to it. For a less generous interpretation of the story appears to mock the culture-consuming public.

Consider the greatest threat to the count’s rarefied life: the teeming people, described as struggling laborers and soldiers, who unthinkingly defile his cultural artifacts at the end of the story. Is that how the party’s organizers see the ordinary museum patrons and tourists who will fill the institute’s halls after the cameras are gone?

I hope the organizers simply didn’t think hard enough about the implications of their chosen story. But if they did, they would do well to remember that art, even high fashion, endures because a mass audience witnesses and appends meaning to it.

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There are so many challenges within the esports industry that are either tech or business related. You need technology advancements to push the boundaries of where esports can go, but you also need to find new marketing opportunities, like expanding into new demographics. The M.E.T. dual degree trained me for both.

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