Calling all Berkeley-Haas Fall 2009 Applicants

Alright, congrats to all the admits, and sorry to hear about all the dings Waitlisted folks, definitely schedule an interview and don't give up!

The numbers this year for Haas are amazing! Even in R1, you already surpassed the TOTAL applicants from last year on GC, and we have matched the number of admits in R1 as the total admits from last year too! I hope to see a great R2 result in March.

Please report your status here or PM me so we can keep track on this list. Thanks!

R1 - 11/4/2008 - 34 FT, 10 Interviews, 8 admits! (23.5%), 5 W/L (I hope to see at least 40% of you get off it), 6 Dinged, 16 Unknown.

peaceyall - Admitted!!!, with SS interview
SolarMBA - Admitted!!!, with SS interview
rosav - Admitted!!!, with off-campus interview
weezy25 - Admitted!!!, with SS interview
MBAngst - Admitted with full-tuition Haas Merit Scholarship!, with SS interview
bbdidge - Admitted!!!
caligl - Admitted!!!, with off-campus interview
hv210284 - Admitted!!!, with off-campus interview
topa - Waitlisted
glettian - Waitlisted
apurohit - Waitlisted
niro - Waitlisted
IvyStallion - Waitlisted
Chickmagloor - Dinged with SS Interview
thedudeabides - Dinged
bostonsparky - Dinged
MBAAspirant2008 - Dinged
kcbear - Dinged
lsuguy7 - Dinged
wolffali - Invited to SS Interview (12/8)
mindruna - Invited to SS Interview (12/22)
trucker - submitted 11/3
prospect - Submitted 11/04
saberprivateer - submitted 11/4
Ntang - submitted
garun77 - submitted 11/1
burentosan - submitted 11/4
getmeoutofhere - 10/21
monkbent - 11/4
amatory - 11/4
Tarmac - 11/4
boOmasta - submitted 11/4
amatory - submitted 11/4
fwl200 - submitted 11/4
ninkorn - submitted 10/25/08, withdrew 1/5/2009

Kryzak, you can add me to the list of admits! I'm absolutely ecstatic!

I got the call around 8:30pm last night and I somehow missed it - can't believe it. I finally spoke to Peter Johnson a bit ago. GO BEARS!

wow, gmatclub doing really well this year. congrats to all!

Waitlisted w/o interview !!

Chickmagloor - guess this time im gonna ride the waitlist wagon

topa - whr r u from ?

Good luck to those who got in

This is awesome news!! Congrats! Would you mind sharing a bit of your profile?? What do you think made you a stand-out candidate? Inquiring R2 minds would love to know

Congrats to all the other admits too! You guys will LOVE the bay area...

Somebody else from Round 1 did not get decisions yet? My status is still "Under Review". I had an interview in december. I called admissions and they say I will need to wait some days more.....Somebody else in the same situation? I am based in Asia.

Thanks, BigBad! Here are my stats (at time of matriculation):

29M/US/750/3.8/7 WE in Nonprofit

But I have to believe it's much more than numbers that influences a decision like this. I can't read the mind of the adcom and tell you definitively what it was about my app that qualified me for the scholarship. But I suspect that, beyond general competitiveness and qualifications, it has something to do with that magic word "fit."

More than any other program I was considering, Haas really was just a total fit for me in all areas -- culture, career goals, values. I realized this very early on, and I think it came through very genuinely and naturally in my application and interview. I didn't have to fake it.

My best advice would be to research all of the programs you're considering enough to know which one is the best fit for you -- read what's on the website, attend the info sessions, visit campus, talk to current students, etc. I suspect that the "fit" factor, in combination with the more traditional stats and qualifications we focus on as applicants, has a lot to do with scholarship decisions.

I can't presume to know how the adcom at Haas or any other program makes these decisions, but if nothing else, I think that's good advice for ensuring that you end up at a program you'll be happy with. The truth is, I would have very likely ended up choosing Haas regardless of a scholarship offer, despite the fact that some of the other programs I was considering might be considered more "prestigious" or "reputable" by US News devotees, and I doubt that's just coincidence.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

This is a good summary if what I didn't do, and it's why I got dinged. Oh to be able to do my R1 apps again!

great post MBAngst! +1 kudos!

monkbent, did you hear yet?

Yes - dinged.

Interesting. Thanks for sharing! I definitely hear you on the stats and 'fit' aspect. But, Haas has such a low acceptance rate that I bet most admits are a great 'fit.' However, most of these people are not offered full rides. I guess I was wondering what you think made you stand out among other admits who also had great stats and great 'fit.' Do you have a really interesting life experience that you wrote about in your essays? Did you have a non-traditional UG major? Or, maybe they're impressed by your non-profit experience?

I agree that 'fitting' in probably helped get you that scholarship, but I was wondering what it was specifically that helped you to 'stand out' in the crowd I realize you'd just be guessing at this.

Anyway, congrats again! That's really really awesome.

sorry to hear that monkbent. Best of luck with the other apps!

Believe me, I wish I could tell you, but I honestly don't know My UG was not so atypical, and I didn't have particularly compelling life experiences that I wrote about. I suppose the nonprofit background may be one thing, but I actually don't think nonprofit is that unusual a background in admissions anymore, particularly at a program like Haas. All I can think of that may have made me stand out is that fit factor. I can honestly say that if I had to create an MBA program custom-tailored to my interests, values, goals, etc., it would look a lot like Haas!

Thanks again for the congrats, and best of luck!!!

That's awesome

So your Status hasn't changed in the online Application. My status changed the moment I got the waitlist mail.

Thanks Kryzak. I've heard that there is around a 40%-50% chance of making it out the wait-list. That does look promising.

I have been asked to schedule an interview by the Berkeley Adcom. When I look at the Interview Scheduler, I do not see "India".

Does anyone know if candidates can schedule an interview in say, Singapore, and then request for a telephonic interview ?

Hrm. that's something I do not know the answer to, sorry. I would call up the MBA office and check, or email them at mbaadm@haas.berkeley.edu.