Interview

Guide
Haas School of Business

2021–2022
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What role does the interview
play in the admissions process?
MBA programs employ a holistic evaluation process, so the interview represents only one aspect of the ad-
missions decision. Still, it is a very important and influential element of the admissions process and should be
approached with the same level of attention as the other parts of your application.

The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, states on its website that receiving an
invitation to an interview “should be taken as a sign of interest on the part of the admissions committee.” We
believe that Haas’s primary goals in the interview are to gauge a candidate’s fit with the school’s values, ap-
proach, and atmosphere and to assess how the individual might perform in a team-based environment.

Our past clients describe Haas’s interviews most often as “relaxed” and “friendly.” One question received by
most of our clients who interviewed at the school was “Why Haas?” Therefore, the admissions committee
wants to not only learn why you are right for Haas but also ensure you understand why the program is right for
you. Indeed, a Haas admissions committee member said in an August 2018 online admissions chat: “We don’t
want you to waste space [in your essays/application] listing off Haas courses and clubs, etc. The ‘why Haas’
part of your application will often come out in your interview!”

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 4

What is the admissions
committee’s perspective on
interviews?
Haas uses interviews primarily to get a feel for applicants’ personality and communication skills and to en-
sure that they are well versed in what Haas has to offer and why it is the right MBA program for them. Our past
clients have reported that the school’s interviews are very friendly and conversational, with one client stating
that the interviewer “gave [the candidate] a chance to show [their] best self.” We believe that Haas is truly
interested in hearing what you have to say and wants applicants to take full advantage of this opportunity to
explain their story and qualifications beyond what is conveyed in the electronic application. “We do not have
a set number [of applicants to interview per admissions season],” a Haas admissions committee member said
in a January 2019 online admissions chat, adding, “All applicants are reviewed on a rolling basis.”

First of all, make sure that you come If you were invited for an interview, it means
prepared. Have a list of questions that that you’re a very strong candidate. So, make
you’ve reviewed that could be asked, and sure that you come to the interview with that
make sure that you know how you would confidence in mind.
answer them. Also, you can practice your
interviews with a buddy. That will provide  Cindy Jennings Millette, Senior Associate Director of Full-
you with some excellent answers, and [you Time MBA Admissions; Berkeley Haas website

should be] practicing those thoroughly.

Tip number two: make sure you dress for
success. Wear business attire and be on time
for the interview. Tip number three: don’t
rush through your answers. Don’t be afraid I think trying too much to please the
to allow some silence in order to reflect, so admissions committee [is one of the biggest
that you provide the most thoughtful answer mistakes the committee sees applicants
to their questions. Tip number four: answer make]. We really value authenticity in the
the question that is being asked, rather than process. I know this can sound cliché but we
try to provide your own agenda. Make sure really want to get to know you better.
that you let the interviewer lead and answer
the question directly that the interviewer  Cindy Jennings Millette, Senior Associate Director of Full-
provides. Time MBA Admissions; Berkeley Haas online admissions
chat, 8/16

 Cindy Jennings Millette, Senior Associate Director of Full-

Time MBA Admissions; Berkeley Haas website

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 5

Above all, the resounding and unifying answer
to this final question [What is the one thing
people should do before they hit “submit”
on an MBA application?] is to make sure the
program and school are the right fit for you. I
relate it to making other important selections
in life, like key relationships, and suggest that
you seek a program as if you are seeking a
best friend, a partner, or a family. After all, the
MBA experience—the friends, the memories,
the network, the brand—will be a part of your
identity for the rest of your life.

 Morgan Bernstein, former Executive Director of MBA

Admissions [now Director of Strategic Initiatives]; Berkeley
MBA Blog, 1/16

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 6

What type of interview can
I expect?
Invitation-Only Process

Interviews at Haas are “by invitation only,” meaning that the Admissions Office extends invitations to selected
applicants after reading their application—and only those invited applicants can schedule interviews. In an
online chat with prospective students, an associate director of admissions at Haas estimated that 25%–30%
of all applicants are interviewed each year, although the school maintains that a quota is not in place.

Resume-Based Format

At Haas, your interviewer will not have seen your entire application before the interview—just your resume.
Your interviewer will therefore not know your GMAT score or GPA (unless this information is on your resume)
or the content of your essays. This means that referencing anecdotes or examples that you used in other
parts of your application is acceptable. “The applicant is getting a very fresh review from someone who only
knows what that person has chosen to list on their CV [curriculum vitae],” Haas’s former director of admis-
sions commented to mbaMission in a past interview. In some cases, however, your interviewer may not have
taken time to review your resume before your meeting, so be prepared to adjust accordingly and to provide a
brief summary of your professional experience, in case they ask.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 7

Where will my interview
take place?
Because of the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak, most business schools are conducting their interviews
remotely. Therefore, the details in this section may not apply to the current situation. Please visit the school’s
website for the most recent information.

Prerecorded

During the 2021–2022 academic year, some Haas interviews are being conducted via prerecorded video. Ap-
plicants who receive an invitation to interview have the choice of conducting a prerecorded video interview
or registering for a live, remote interview. According to our past clients, the prerecorded video interview
typically includes five questions, and the interviewee has 45 seconds to prepare and three minutes to record
their response to each question. “There is no difference between the review of pre-recorded and live inter-
views. All interviews are reviewed equally, and the same interview form is completed to be reviewed by the
Admissions Committee, who gives equal consideration to all formats,” the school’s website states.

On Campus, In Person

At Haas, some interviews are conducted face-to-face on the school’s campus. Although the location of your
interview has no influence on your chances for admission, in-person interviews can sometimes feel more
natural, with you and your interviewer sitting down together in a quiet space at the school to have a conversa-
tion about your candidacy. On-campus interviews also allow you to interact with students and admissions
representatives during your visit. (Note that during the novel coronavirus outbreak, the school has not hosted
on-campus interviews.)

Off Campus, In Person

For international applicants, Haas offers off-campus, face-to-face interviews by engaging the school’s alum-
ni network around the world. Depending on the specific arrangements, these interviews could be conducted
in a more public place, like a coffee shop, or at the interviewer’s place of business. (Note that during the novel
coronavirus outbreak, the school has not hosted off-campus interviews.)

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 8

Remote

Prior to 2020, Haas offered video interviews in isolated instances to candidates from outside the United
States when alumni were unable to conduct off-campus in-person interviews. “In the rare case where alum are
not available, we may offer a candidate a Skype interview. But I can’t stress enough how rare those occasions
are,” an admissions officer said in an online admissions chat. However, during the ongoing novel coronavi-
rus outbreak, Haas has been conducting interviews exclusively online, either via prerecorded video or a live,
remote format.

Remote interviews generally follow the same format and carry the same weight in the evaluation process as
the other types of interviews the school offers, but some candidates may have difficulty establishing a con-
nection with their interviewer when they are not physically face-to-face. If you do a remote interview, treat it
exactly as you would an in-person interview. Find a quiet place with a reliable connection, remove any possible
distractions, and dress the part!

How long will the

interview last?
According to our past applicants, Haas’s
interviews typically last between 30 and 60
minutes.

30–60 minutes

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 9

Who will interview me?
The Haas admissions committee weighs all applicant interviews the same, regardless of who conducts the
interview. The school has stated plainly in an online admissions chat: “All interviews are given equal weight
when reviewed by the Admissions Committee.” The person with whom you interview often depends on the
location of your interview.

Students

Haas uses specially chosen students for some on-campus and remote interviews. These students have been
selected and trained by the school’s admissions officers to interview candidates on the committee’s behalf.

Alumni

Haas alumni conduct most of the school’s off-campus and some remote interviews. These individuals are
graduates who have volunteered to perform this task and who have received some guidelines from the Ad-
missions Office about how to conduct the interviews, including which or what kinds of questions to ask.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 10

What do past mbaMission
applicants say about the
interview experience?
Our clients who interviewed with Haas in the past few years consistently described their interview experi-
ence with the school as “relaxed,” “friendly,” and “conversational.” Haas is not interested in putting candidates
on the spot or trying to stump them, but rather in making sure that applicants have a solid grasp of the ways
the MBA program would benefit them and how they would fit with the school’s community.

Here is a sample of what our past clients have told us about their interview experience at Haas:

Very friendly and conversational. My The interviewer was extremely friendly. He

interviewer was very familiar with my resume, opened up with asking why I was applying
speaking to details of it from memory and also for an MBA and why Haas. As I described my
drawing from her own experiences to make aspirations, he asked a few more questions
connections throughout. about my job experience. Overall, it felt more
conversational versus an interview, and he
made me feel very comfortable throughout.

My interviewer was very nice and gentle.

She tried to make me feel comfortable by
showing smile and jokes. The questions that [My interviewer] welcomed me in a friendly
she asked were quite easy and friendly to manner—it helped that I had met her at a
answer, so there was no pressure at all. It was coffee chat a few months before the interview
a kind of free conversation rather than formal and she recognized me. … [She] informed me
interview. that she had not read my full application [and
had only briefly reviewed my resume]. So, we
started off by me recapping my education and
what led me to where I am today. Overall, it
was pretty conversational compared to most
[The interview was hosted] using a video job interviews, and she was very interested
interview platform so I didn’t have the in getting to know me as a person and
opportunity to connect with a real person, understanding if I was a good fit for the class
which made it all feel a bit awkward. and program.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 11

[The interviewer] was very friendly. He It was relaxed. When I reflected on a question,
followed up to most of my responses with the interviewer, for example, adapted the
an anecdote or comment. He was happy to question to better suit my experiences. She
answer any questions I had. Very easygoing also let me know that there was a set of
and conversational. questions Haas provided and then some she
was interested in herself.

The interview with the Haas alumnus was

great! It was super casual. He acknowledged [The interview] was a combination of
that he had to ask me five specific questions behavioral, goals-focused, and ‘getting to
that the school was looking for answers to, but know the candidate’ style. Very friendly. The
otherwise he just wanted to get to know me. admissions director was truly interested
in knowing you and acknowledging your
accomplishments.

Overall, the interview was a good experience.

The interviewer was very nice and down to
earth and tried to make the interview seem Great conversation. The program seems to
more conversational. I really appreciated how attract a genuine, down-to-earth student
he seemed genuinely interested in getting to base, and the school seemingly really
know me. encourages growth and exploration.

Overall it was a very pleasant interview The tone was very relaxed and not “interview-
experience. [The interviewer] had a list of like” at all. The interviewer had a copy of my
questions that he needed to ask me, which we resume from the admissions committee, as
went through rather quickly, then we spent is Haas protocol, but didn’t really refer to it, or
the rest of the time talking about his Haas the updated version I provided.
experience. Haas did a great job of matching
me with an alumnus with similar interests
in [X field] as he just started working at [X
company] a few months earlier. There were
some more difficult behavioral questions at
times but nothing I hadn’t seen before.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 12

 The experience was a little less conversational
than expected. We started out with some
small talk, but then pretty much dove into the
standard MBA interview format.

Advice from Past Clients Who Have Interviewed at Haas

Know the Haas values and be prepared for Know the school inside out. They seem to be
[the] “Why Haas?” and “How will you contribute truly interested in why you want to go to Haas
to Haas?” [questions]. specifically. She also appreciated that I talked
to a current student, so try to reach out to
someone prior to your interview.

Be prepared [to discuss] diversity, equity,

and inclusion, since the interviewer indicated
it was one of the most important things the Be prepared to answer “Why?” for any
school was looking for. response you have. You’ll need to have done
some deep introspection and be able to
articulate those thoughts to impress your
interviewer. Really know what’s driving your
decision for business school, your post-MBA
Be prepared to tell strong stories to answer career, and wanting to go to Haas. Know about
the personality questions, with well-thought- your post-MBA industry/function. Think of
out actions for how you achieved made a examples relating to how you’ve promoted
change, and the impact that change created. diversity, equity, and inclusion. Think of
examples of weaknesses that aren’t skills-
related (so you can’t say public speaking, etc.).
These weaknesses have to be more related to
your personality, etc.
If using the video platform, practice recording
your questions ahead of time. But honestly,
try your best to do a live interview instead of
the prerecorded version!

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 13

Know your story. Don’t worry if the interviewer Know why you are a great fit for Haas and how
is asking lots of follow-up and clarification you will contribute to their program.
questions. … Also, they do match interviewers
with someone you have something in
common with, and I didn’t figure out what
our commonality was until the end. Try to
figure out what you have in common early and Haas really values its defining principles. I
connect on this. was told many times throughout the day and
by legitimately every person that I met that I
should think about how their principles relate
to my life, work, and future. I would highly
recommend that all applicants think about
Definitely prepare for the “Why MBA?” and how they will weave aspects of the principles
“Why Haas?” questions. Also be prepared into their answers, as it will be critical.
to explain your interest in what you want to
pursue (e.g., social impact).

Don’t sweat it! This was probably one of my

most friendly, easygoing interviews compared
I made sure to research my interviewer ahead to other schools. The interviewer is primarily
of time to get a feel for his background, which trying to assess fit, and none of the questions
helped. Make sure you know Haas well and can are particularly surprising or challenging. Be
explain your career goals. prepared to really share your enthusiasm for
Haas and why you would be a great fit for the
school (and vice versa).

Definitely [the interviewer will want] to know

why MBA, why Haas, and why now, as well as
to know which principle [the applicant] would
say they relate to and why. I get the idea that
those are questions everyone is asked.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 14

How can I prepare for the
interview?
Although the focus and style of Haas’s admissions interviews can vary, Haas wants to hear specific examples about your professional accom-
you should expect to be asked about your personal, professional, and plishments, leadership potential, and experience with diversity in the
academic experiences and—in most cases—will receive questions workplace, so be prepared to provide detailed information and stories
meant to reveal your knowledge about the school. in these subject areas beyond what is presented in your resume.
Recently, most Haas interviews have included very specific questions
Haas’s interviews tend to start with an open-ended question or about the applicants’ experiences with diversity, equity, and inclusion.
prompt, most often “Tell me about yourself.” This is your opportunity
to offer a comprehensive overview of your profile and to touch on— Finally, because Haas is trying to gauge candidates’ “fit” with its com-
very briefly—some of your major accomplishments, both professional munity, the interview will at times include personal questions to help
and personal. the interviewer evaluate whether you would be a good match.

Our interview reports for Haas indicate that “why you need an MBA” is We strongly recommend that you practice vocalizing your responses
a topic that the school’s interviews often include, in addition to other rather than just writing them out on paper. Try using a timer to get
career goals questions. a sense of how long you typically take to answer each question, and
practice in front of a mirror to detect (and then practice minimizing)
Haas’s interviews consistently include very school-specific ques- any facial tics or distracting hand gestures. Mock interviews can be
tions. Almost all our past clients noted that they were asked some particularly helpful and revealing; provide a friend or family mem-
variation of the question “Why Haas?” and often other Haas-related ber with your resume and a list of possible questions (see the next
queries as well, including questions concerning the school’s principles section), and then have them interview you for 30 minutes and give
and values. If you are not ready to answer these types of questions in you feedback on your performance. Guard against preparing your re-
detail, you must invest the time necessary to get to know Haas thor- sponses word for word and memorizing them, however, so that you do
oughly and to identify the programs, centers, clubs, classes, profes- not sound over-rehearsed and artificial. For more in-depth interview
sors, extracurricular opportunities, and other resources it offers that preparation, consider scheduling a mock interview with an mbaMis-
relate directly to your plans and your personality. sion consultant!

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 15

Practice interview sequences
The following five lists present exact questions, in order, asked in actual Haas interviews during the 2020–
2021 application season, as reported by our past clients. Although you can never be certain which questions
you will receive, and questions will undoubtedly vary to some degree, these samples serve to illustrate how a
Haas interview is likely to progress.

Note: Identifying information about the applicants has been removed. Some questions have been edited for
clarity.

Sequence 1
1. Talk about your experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion and how you would contribute this to
Haas.
2. Why an MBA, and why Haas?
3. Tell us about a time when you had a heated debate or argument with someone at work and were ulti-
mately wrong. How did you feel and react?
4. When have you had to lead a team to adopt your solution to a problem? What were the challenges, and
what was the outcome?
5. Is there anything else you want us to know?

Sequence 2
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why an MBA?
3. What are your long-term and short-term goals?
4. Why Haas?
5. Tell me about the biggest professional risk you have taken and why. What was the thought process?
6. Tell me about a time when you created an innovative process.
7. Tell me about a time when you showed inclusion at work.
8. Tell me about a time when you had conflict with a team member. How was it resolved?

Sequence 3
1. Introduce yourself.
2. Why an MBA, and why Haas?
3. When have you inspired others to conduct work outside the standard scope of a project, and how did
you do it?
4. When have you changed a process that created positive results?
5. What defining leadership principle do you most identify with?
6. What defining leadership principle do you least identify with?
7. Is there anything else you would like to share with me?

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 16

 8. What has your experience been like with diversity and inclusion, and how will you bring that to the
Haas community?
9. What was the biggest risk you’ve taken professionally?

Sequence 4
1. Why an MBA, and why from Haas?
2. Tell me about a time when you promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion.
3. Tell me about a time when you had to build consensus within a team.
4. Tell me about a time when you took a big risk.
5. In a couple words, how would your friends or colleagues describe you?
6. Is there anything else that you want to add that we did not cover?

Sequence 5
1. Tell me more about yourself.
2. Why an MBA? Why Haas?
3. How will an MBA help you, given your other advanced degrees?
4. Tell me about a time when you promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion.
5. Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with someone you worked with and you ended up
being wrong. What did you do?
6. Tell me about a time when you worked with a multi-functional team and how you made sure everything
worked together.
7. What’s the most important piece of feedback that you have gotten?
8. Is there anything else you would like to address?
9. What questions do you have for me?

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 17

Notoriously challenging
questions
Having performed thousands of mock interviews over the years and reviewed even more post-interview
reports, we believe these are the six questions that MBA applicants find most difficult to master. Note that
questions marked with an asterisk are particularly common at Haas.

Why should we take you?

Be ready to articulate your two or three greatest strengths and to support each one with a thoughtful
anecdote that validates your claims. Research your target school so that you are able to relate each of your
highlighted strengths to an aspect of the program in a meaningful way; this will simultaneously show that you
have done your homework on the school and that you are a serious and thoughtful applicant.

To which other schools are you applying?

List peer schools only. You do not want to give the impression that you consider the school at which you are
interviewing either a “safe” choice or a “reach.” Be prepared to discuss your target school relative to the peer
institutions you mention and to identify specific characteristics about the target school that you find more
appealing on the whole.

If you are not accepted to any business school this year, what will you do?

A large part of mastering this question lies in how you respond, rather than what you say. Project confidence
and show that your plans for the future involve a high level of intentionality. A suitable answer would be some-
thing like this: “I am hopeful that I will be accepted to your program this year, but if not, I will definitely reapply,
because I know an MBA is important for me as I seek to transition in my career. I know I need to develop my
skills in the areas of [areas of importance to you] to achieve my career goals.”

What are your weaknesses? or What have you learned from a failure?*

Be honest. Any attempt to disguise a weakness or shift responsibility away from yourself will actually be det-
rimental! Show that you are cognizant of areas or ways in which you can improve, and then express a sincere
interest in making a positive change. Reveal how and what you learned from a failure and, if possible, provide
a subsequent example in which you succeeded with your new approach.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 18

What have we not covered that you wish I had asked about?*

Have a mental list ready of your best attributes, most impressive accomplishments, and reasons for target-
ing the program. Then, if any remain that you have not broached by the time you are asked this question, this
is your opportunity to share them. If, on the other hand, you have truly exhausted all your material, you can
instead offer a quick overview that recaps your strongest points and stories: “We discussed my early promo-
tion at American Express, my reasons for wanting to attend this program specifically, my career goals, my
leadership experience with Friends of the New York Public Library, and my passion for photography. I think we
have everything covered.”

What other questions do you have for me?

Always have a few thoughtful questions prepared about your target program to show that you have re-
searched and are genuinely interested in the school. Keep in mind that questions vary depending on the
person interviewing you, so you should tailor your queries accordingly. For example, alumni may not know
about the latest on-campus news but can talk about their personal experience at the school and subsequent
career success; student interviewers would be unable to discuss post-graduate topics but can provide
insight into courses, professors, and clubs. Avoid basic questions like “What makes this program special?” or
“What courses do you have for aspiring consultants?” You should already know the answers to such questions
at this point.

Demonstrate that you have advanced knowledge of the school by including references to specific offerings
and resources in your queries: “I am interested in an individualized First-Year Project. How many students
pursue these relative to the more conventional option?” Such nuanced questions help prove your authentic
interest in the program.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 19

What if I get stumped during
the interview?
Many applicants worry that during their interview, they will be asked 1. Resist the urge to launch into a story. Your instinct may be to
a challenging question that will leave them awkwardly silent and that just start speaking, hoping that you will find the right story or
the moment will effectively put an end to their candidacy at the target answer as you progress. This is a high-risk strategy, because if
school. Although such an experience would certainly be uncomfort- it goes wrong, this can compound the problem. Instead, pause
able—and we suggest, of course, that you definitely do your best to get for a moment to recall an appropriate story. To buy yourself a
ready for your interview so as to avoid this kind of predicament—some- little extra time, you can even say, “That is a good question. I am
times even well-prepared candidates find themselves “stumped.” We going to have to think about it for a moment,” before answering.
can assure you, however, that an awkward pause in an interview will
not cancel out all the positive elements of your application. Still, being 2. Take a sip of water. Many interviewers will offer you a glass of
ready for such a situation, should one occur, is important, so we offer water at the beginning of your meeting. If your interviewer does
the following tips on how to mitigate an uncomfortable moment: so, accept the offer, and then use the water throughout the
interview as a buffer to buy time or help yourself slow down.
If you get stumped, taking a sip of water can provide a brief
opportunity to pause naturally, alleviating any awkwardness
before you continue speaking.

3. Maintain your poise. If you absolutely cannot answer a ques-

tion, do not get overly apologetic or grovel. Simply acknowl-
edge that you are having trouble with the question and politely
ask if you might come back to it later in the conversation. This
is not a best-case scenario, but it is certainly far better than
rambling and apologizing. A confident approach during a tricky
moment may even impress!

4. Forget about it. If you simply cannot answer a question, accept

the fact and move on. Do not dwell on the situation. If you spend
the rest of the interview thinking about that moment, you will be
distracted and struggle with any subsequent questions.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 20

What should I wear to the
interview?
Although Haas does not specifically state a dress code on its website, the director of admissions noted in a
podcast that business attire is appropriate.

Follow these rules to look the part for your MBA interview at any school:

1. Always follow any guidelines the school provides on dress code.

2. If the school does not specify a dress code, wear business attire for an on-campus interview as well as
for an off-campus interview with a member of the admissions staff. Business attire is usually best for
remote interviews as well.
3. Business casual attire is often best when meeting alumni off campus, though you may consider polite-
ly asking your interviewer about proper attire in advance.
4. Jeans, T-shirts, and ripped, wrinkled, or unclean clothing are never appropriate.
5. Showing some creativity and style is okay, but do not go overboard.
6. Avoid wearing strong-smelling perfume or cologne.
7. Bring a copy of your resume printed on nice paper.
8. Make sure you turn your cell phone off.

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 21

Should I send a thank you?
In short, you should always send a brief thank you email after your interview. Write and send the note as soon
as possible after your interview—the same day or the next is ideal. Interviewers usually need to submit their
feedback on candidates within 24–48 hours, so you want your message to be received quickly. Be sure to ask
for your interviewer’s business card or email address before you finish the interview, if it has not already been
provided.

Follow these tips to write an effective thank you note:

1. Be sure to mention specifics from your conversation or visit.

2. If you realized after the interview that you forgot to make an important point about your candidacy,
you can (succinctly!) include that point in your thank you email.
3. Always check to make sure you have spelled all names correctly in your email, including the name of
your interviewer, the school, any program or course you discussed, or any professor you met.
4. Limit your email to no longer than a few sentences. Keep it direct, clear, and to the point.

Here is a sample thank you message:

Dear Mr. Jones:

Thank you for meeting with me to discuss my interest in XYZ School’s MBA program. I appreciated your
valuable insight into the advanced finance classes, particularly Professor John Smith’s “Portfolio Invest-
ing” course. Should I be so lucky as to be accepted, I will definitely enroll in that class and know it would
be incredibly helpful in my future investment career. After speaking with you and several students, I am
confident that XYZ offers everything I am seeking, both personally and professionally. Thank you again
for your time, and I hope to see you on campus this fall.

Warm regards,

Jane Doe

mbaMission Interview Guide: Haas School of Business 22

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