Still More About Interviews!

"What percentage of your applicants will be invited to interview?" "Of the applicants who interview, what percentage will be admitted?" As the Round 1 applications continue, I've heard a lot of speculation about the process.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no fixed percentage of applicants who are interviewed, and chances of admission for those who do interview are based on the strength of the entire application package and the interview. In the past few years, between 25% and 30% of all applicants have been selected to interview--but keep in mind that this percentage has varied each year. It's simply a reflection of the strength of the candidates in a specific round.

Although it's a positive sign to be invited to interview, it doesn't mean you'll get an offer--but it does mean that the Admissions Committee saw enough strengths in your application to be seriously considering your candidacy, so it's always a good sign!

If you are invited to interview, be sure to listen to the Interview tips podcast, which you can find at http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/haas/podcast/audio/haas_mba_interview_tips1.mp3.

Round 1 and Round 2 Interviews

Happy 2009 to everyone!

We've had many questions the past few days about interview invitations, and I know there are many anxious Round 1 and Round 2 candidates.

We are continuing to send interview invitations for Round 1 candidates throughout the next two weeks, as we have noted in earlier communications. Additionally, candidates who are notified of waitlist status on January 28 will have the opportunity to schedule an interview after that date.

Round 2 interview invitations will begin going out toward the end of the month.

Round 1 Interviews

Now that we're well into Round 1, it's a good time to explain how the interview process works. We get many questions about the interview process, and it causes a lot of stress for many applicants. Fortunately, it's really a straightforward process, designed to give applicants the opportunity to share more about themselves, their experience, and their career goals.

Interviews for the Berkeley Full-time MBA Program are by invitation only, and invitations are sent after the Admissions Committee has completed its initial review of the application. The Committee takes great pride in reading and evaluating applications for admission, and every single application, regardless of GPA, GMAT, or number of years of work experience, is read by a minimum of two readers. In many instances, an application is read by three readers, and sometimes four. Invitations are sent on a rolling basis, and will continue to go out until shortly before the response date. The timing of the application interview is in no way a reflection of the strength or weakness of a particular application.

Round 1 applicants who are currently living outside the US will be invited to interview with an alumni interviewer; applicants within the US who live outside California will be invited to a Saturday interview day in late January; and applicants residing in California will have the opportunity to interview on campus with a student interviewer.

Each interview has the same weight, whether it takes place in Sao Paulo, London, or Berkeley, and each interviewer goes through the same training program. Once the interview has been completed, the interviewer provides a written assessment to the Admissions Committee which becomes part of the application file. Finally, the entire file is discussed by the Admissions Committee before a decision is released.

Round 1 interview invitations will begin going out the week of December 8th and will continue until the Round 1 notification date or January 28, 2009. For tips on how to prepare for an interview, listen to our interview podcast.

Thanksgiving Week

The Berkeley MBA Admissions Office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 27th and November 28th, for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Classes will be in session on Wednesday, November 26th and we will have our regular information session and class visits on that day.

Interviews

We're frequently asked about how the interview process works for the Berkeley Full-time MBA Program. Since there is significant diversity in how MBA programs interview, let me explain the Berkeley Full-time MBA Process.

Interviews are by invitation only, and invitations are issued by e-mail after an application has been reviewed by the Admissions Committee. We do not offer admission without an in-person interview except in the very rare case of individuals who are located in very remote locations. Although there is no fixed percentage of the pool that we interview, we typically invite 25-30% of our applicants to interview. An interview invitation could be sent as early as four weeks after the application deadline or as late as a few days before the response date. Timing of the invitation is not significant. An invitation is always a good sign, and means that we are seriously considering the application. Because at least two members of the admissions staff read each application submitted before we invite a candidate to interview, it takes a bit longer for the invitations to go out.

In Rounds 1 and 2, we have "Super Saturday" interviews on campus for invited applicants who are living in the US, with a preference for those outside California, for whom traveling to campus for an interview may be more difficult. During the Super Saturday event, we have the interview and other activities designed to help candidates to learn more about the program, including a student life panel, and alumni panel, and other informational events. U.S. candidates who are unable to attend Super Saturday have the option of an alumni interview.

We're often asked about who conducts the interviews. We have a network of trained alumni interviewers covering 90 cities around the world, and we select and train a small group of current students each year to conduct our on-campus interviews. It is unusual that a member of the Admissions Committee would be the interviewer, which only occurs when a student or alumni interviewer is not available.

We will begin sending interview invitations on December 3rd, and will continue to issue invitations until shortly before the response date. Additionally, any applicant who is offered a place on the wait list is automatically invited to interview. For more details about how to prepare for an interview, please visit http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/ and click on "Admissions Podcasts", and you can listen to Stephanie Fujii, senior associate director of MBA Admissions, who discusses our process.

TOEFL or IELTS?

I've had a number of questions this year from applicants who need to meet our English language proficiency requirement and are curious about the relevant tests. We accept results of either the TOEFL or the IELTS for admission purposes.

Although many applicants are familiar with the TOEFL, which is offered in many countries, we have been contacted by students who have had difficulty obtaining a test appointment for the TOEFL. For applicants who are unable to get a suitable test appointment, the IELTS may be a good alternative.

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is offered in 350 test centers in 120 countries around the world. For purposes of admission, we accept IELTS scores with a minimum band score of 7.0.

For additional information about the IELTS, please visit www.ielts.org.

Fall 2008 Application Process Begins

The fall 2008 application for the Berkeley Full-time MBA Program is live, and the process begins! If you're thinking about applying, be sure to visit the online application early and give yourself plenty of time to meet all of the application requirements in time for the deadlines, the first of which is on November 5th.

If you visit our podcast page, there is a detailed segment providing tips on how to present a strong application, as well as additional information about financial aid, career services, and some of the well-known academic specializations within the Berkeley MBA program. Additional segments will be added throughout the year.

Our online calendar lists events around the world at which you can speak with a member of the admissions staff as well as local alumni. In addition to participating in many MBA fairs, we will be holding Berkeley MBA Information Sessions around the world, from Boston to Rio de Janeiro, and I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to speak with us in person.

We look forward to meeting you!