Calling all Berkeley-Haas Fall 2009 Applicants

For Archival Purposes:

It has not been posted on the website yet, but I got a handout from school. Here are some vital stats for those of you interested in applying.

So as expected, Acceptance rate dropped to near all time lows, yield has gone up close to 5%, GMAT inched up. GPA *range* went up, even though the average went down.

Surprisingly, 5% more came from consulting, 3% fewer from Financial Services, and 3% more from Banking.

Class of 2010:
Application Received: 3779
Offers of Admission: 442
Entering Class Size: 241
Yield: 54.5% (compared to around 50% last year)
Acceptance Rate: 11.7% (compared to 14% last year)

UG GPA Average: 3.54 (compared to 3.57 last year, I guess we got more stupid )
Mid 80% GPA range: 3.30 - 3.87
Avg GMAT: 714
Middle 80% GMAT: 670-760
Countries Rep: 36
Women: 30%
International: 39%
US Minorities: 33% (African, Hispanic, Native, Asian, East Indian/Pakistani Americans)
Median WE: 5 years
Middle 80% WE: 3-8 years
Median Age: 28
Age Range: 24-38

Class of 2009 (last year):
https://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/community_02.html
Applications Received 3,276
Enrolled Students 239
Women 31%
Minority Students 34%
International Students 39%
Countries Represented 34
Median Age 28
Age Range 23-40
Median Years WE 5 years
Average GMAT 710
Range of Middle 80% 660-760
Average UG GPA 3.57
Range of Middle 80% 3.25-3.83

Quick question about recommenders... I was thinking of having a former client of mine be a recommender (because I am wearing out my current two with my previous applications). Do you think this would be alright? Tonight they said a direct supervisor which I will have, and another person in upper management - do you think a client is equal to 'upper management'? I'm a consultant, so technically, he was our person of authority. He's also an executive at a government agency, if that matters at all.

At the event tonight they gave us another stat, they received 325 applicants with GMAT scores 750 and above last year and rejected 87% of them.

So, 13% acceptance rate, huh? At least that's better than the rest of the applicant pool hanging around 10%. (trying to look at this positively)

kryzak,

I'm asking the same question of the admissions office and HSAs at Haas but I thought I'd get your input as well: If I am interested in visiting in the spring sometime do you have a sense of when the ideal time would be? I will definitely visit when students are there, but beyond that, is there anything I should keep in mind other than exams when scheduling my trip out there? Any special weekends when a lot of students are out of town or anything like that? If you tell me that you're focused on the here and now and haven't had a chance to look that far ahead, I'll understand completely.

I was at that info session in NYC Wednesday and was struck by Peter's nugget about 750+ GMATs as well. That's scary stuff that I think I would have preferred not to hear. Onward and upward, I guess!

If you could change one thing you've done in your life, what would it be, and how would you do it differently? (250 word maximum)

I have a question on Essay #1...



Is the adcom looking for a specific event/action or could it be, for example, a lifestyle choice. I would like to talk about how I wish I would have gotten involved in volunteering at a younger age, but not sure if they want a more specific mistake/regret scenario.

Hi kryzak,

I had a quick question regarding the average age of students at Haas. I am currently 28/F/Taiwanese-American, and had thought about applying this year. I wouldn't be able to make R2 (still pending on taking the GMATs), and had contemplated R3, although I'm not sure how that would fare given this year's competitive pool.

I'm interested in pursuing a career in non-profit technology. I worked 5 years in corporate IT (systems developer/project manager) for a large pharmaceutical company, and I just finished a year as an AmeriCorps volunteer in NYC (working with the anti-hunger community via soup kitchens/food pantries --- I know, huge change from pharma!). I've just signed on to be an independent systems consultant for a non-profit IT consulting org next month.

Will it hurt if I push back another year?

The key is to show something about you that is as unique as that concert pianist or marathoner. If not, can you really blame them for dinging you?

I thought the rest of the applicant pool was about 13% too?

I'm pretty much set w/ my essays but am really struggling to come up with something for short essay #1 about what my biggest regret is. Anyone care to share what they wrote?