From the Fall 2025–2026 admissions cycle onward, applicants will be required to submit a video answering the prompt: “What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why?” Candidates will have the chance to test their audiovisual setup beforehand and will be allowed two attempts to record their one-to-two-minute response, live.
While Haas is not the first institution to incorporate video elements into its admissions process—with the likes of London Business School, INSEAD, and the Yale School of Management having already done so—it is the first to make the video response the centerpiece of its evaluation.
As a result, the only written portion of the application will be a concise 300-word answer to the question: “What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals?”
Piyush Ranjan, an MBA admissions consultant, shared his thoughts on the change via a LinkedIn post: "This shift reflects a broader trend: schools want unfiltered access to who you actually are, and what better way than a video straight from thousands of miles away!"
The introduction of a video essay could therefore provide MBA hopefuls with a valuable opportunity to showcase their personality, verbal communication skills, and passion in a more dynamic and authentic way. Video responses can also be viewed as more engaging and memorable than written responses, potentially giving applicants a stronger chance of securing a place at their dream business school.
To succeed with this format, applicants will need to think carefully about how their words sound when spoken aloud, how to inject personality into their delivery, and how to prepare without sounding overly rehearsed. It's also important to review technical details such as audio quality and lighting to ensure a polished final product.
