Behind the Scenes of an MBA Admissions Committee with a Berkeley Haas Admissions Reader

What really happens when you hit “Submit” on your MBA application? 

That’s the question we asked Jon Cheng, former Admissions Reader at Berkeley Haas and SWC consultant. In over 2 years of being in this role, Jon read and evaluated 500+ MBA applications and sat in on 50+ interviews.

And he has some interesting insights to share about his experience. We sat down for a Q&A with Jon to learn more about the POV of the MBA Admissions Committee, who's on it, and how they make decisions.

Who's on the Committee? How are they chosen?

The makeup of an MBA admissions committee can change depending on the school and even the specific program. You'll always find admissions recruiters and directors, but some committees might also include academic leaders (like an associate dean or faculty director) and someone from career services. The AdCom may also hire student readers.

Jon: Many schools employ different processes to hire admissions readers. During my year at Haas, I applied and was hired to be one of 2 student readers, joining a team of 'veteran' non-student readers who have been readers for years. The application process involved a written application and an interview. Prior to becoming a reader, I was a volunteer admissions interviewer. Applications were randomly assigned.

Evaluators and Decision-Makers: Who's Who?

While current students and alumni often help out with interviews, they're just giving feedback—they don't make the final call. The same goes for admissions readers, like Jon, who help schools handle the huge number of applications. These readers evaluate files and make suggestions, but they aren't the ultimate decision-makers.

Jon: In our school's case, an evaluator provides their initial 'read,' or assessment, of the applicant. The decision-makers are the full-time members of the admissions committee, who take the evaluation into consideration when making their assessments.

What Happens After You Hit "Submit"?

First, an operations team checks that your application is complete. Once all your material is confirmed to have been submitted (including your recommendation letters), you'll see a checklist showing your application status.

Sam

Jon

Zack

Alex

Malvika

Rowan

Nanako

The First Look

The first round of review is where they decide who gets an interview. This often happens on a rolling basis. Think of this stage as a preliminary evaluation—the real selection happens after the interview. During this first review, the committee looks for strong academics, impressive work experience, and signs of leadership, achievement, and growth. They're also thinking about potential risks: Are your career goals realistic? Do you have good reasons for wanting an MBA? Are you a good fit for the program's culture?

Jon: I'm the first 'read', but there are occasions when I evaluate a candidate who has already been 'read' by an initial reader. There are several rounds, although this may vary. My initial read involves a lengthy assessment based on reading the applicant's file from top to bottom -- often 30-45 min. I then write comments and assign a score for each of the sections: academics, goals, recommendations, essays, and so forth. These notes remain on file for the next reader to assess. 

There's no 'approval' process in my role as a reader, though there is a final score that impugns what my recommendation would be, and that influences what the decision-maker might decide on (e.g. reject, interview, waitlist, etc.). Readers have their own process; mine was to read 2-3 aspects of the application quickly (starting with the resume), then do another close read, with an eye of commenting on each of the aforementioned sections. 

As for any strong “don’ts” for an application: attaching too much supplemental information that is immaterial to the application. Essays riddled with grammatical errors. Recommendations that are either very lukewarm or don't reflect any kind of endorsement of the applicant. 

The Interview

Getting an interview invite is great news! It means the school is seriously considering you. But it's not a done deal. At top MBA programs, there are often two or three candidates competing for each spot. The interview is a make-or-break scenario, where the AdCom will assess your communication skills, personality, and fit with the school.

The Final Review

After your interview, your whole application gets a thorough review. Usually, a different reader (or two) will go over everything again, sometimes "blind" (without seeing the previous recommendations). They often start with your resume, which gives a quick overview of your candidacy. Then they'll look at the short answers, essays, recommendation letters, and finally, the interview notes. The goal is to see how everything fits together. Is your story compelling? Are you someone they're excited to have in their class?

Jon: If an application does not look promising at all, it still gets read by another reader to maintain integrity of the process. 

Committee Discussions

While this varies by school, many admissions committees spend several days discussing and deciding on each round of applications. They want to reach a consensus, especially for those who aren't clear "admit" or "deny" cases.

Jon: Readers don't get to sit in on evaluation/deliberation meetings, but my committee was kind enough to invite me to more than several meetings. In my role, I would observe, and where relevant (either if I feel strongly to comment, or if I were to be called on to opine), I'd share my perspective. There were cases when I felt strongly about an applicant I had read and would share my perspective. Again, I don't have decision-making power during these meetings, but I can influence. 

Scholarship Decisions

Some schools decide on scholarships separately. In these cases, the same committee might consider admitted candidates for merit-based awards right after the admissions decisions are made.

Decisions Are Released

Once decisions are finalized, they go through a careful verification process. Then, on decision release day, they go live!

Remember, this is just a general overview. Each school has its own unique evaluation process.

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Want to work with Jon on your MBA applications? Book a free chat here.