Here's the basics:

1. Make sure you're eligible.

2. Meet with Wendy Muse Sinek, Haas Scholars Program Coordinator, to confirm your eligibility and discuss your proposed topic.

3. Get a faculty mentor lined up and make sure he/she is eligible.

4. Write a draft project proposal.

5. Email your draft proposal to Wendy Muse Sinek to set an appointment to get feedback on your proposal.

6. Get more feedback on your proposal from your faculty mentor, graduate students, lab supervisor, past Haas Scholars, and revise.

7. Fill out the application online...

...and that's it!

What if I don't have a topic yet? Or a mentor? Come to Workshop A for hints on how to find both (description here, handout here, and schedule here.) and/or read these mentor-finding hints here. Some topic finding hints also appear on the Workshop A handout. Hints for narrowing your topic appear here.

How do I know if I'm eligible? To make sure you can comply with all of the program's requirements and are eligible, first read the applying page carefully to get an overview of the program's benefits, eligibility requirements, and commitments. Then fill out and submit the eligibility and contract screens. Save the numbers you put in to the questions on financial aid and your GPA -- you will need them again for the online application.

How do I know if my proposed mentor is eligible? UC Berkeley Academic Senate members and other UC Berkeley ladder-rank faculty are eligible to serve as Haas Mentors (eligible titles: assistant professor, associate professor, professor, professor emeritus). In exceptional circumstances, applicants may request an exemption to the ladder faculty rule for lecturers and adjunct faculty members. Please contact the Program Office to initiate a request for approval.

How do I make sure my proposed mentor is willing to take on the committments entailed for Haas Scholars? Mentor responsibilities and privileges are described here. Be sure your mentor is familiar with what Haas Scholars requires, and ask directly if he/she is willing to sponsor you.

How can I make an initial appointment with the Program Coordinator? When you email Wendy Muse Sinek, give all of the times you are available across three consecutive days. This saves time emailing back-and-forth, increasing your chances of getting the timeslot you prefer.

Why do I need to meet with the Program Coordinator? Can't I just fill out the materials and apply on my own? Technically, you could, but past experience demonstrates that virtually 100% of all selected Haas Scholars have met with the Program Coordinator at least once to get feedback on their proposal. You can make an appointment with Wendy Muse Sinek, the Program Coordinator, here. When you meet for the first time (it can be over the phone or Skype if you're far away), you'll confirm eligibility, get feedback on your project idea, a sample proposal if you'd like one, contact info for current scholars, and of course a chance to ask questions.

I've been working on my proposal but it's not very good. Why do I have to email a draft of my proposal to get an appointment--can't I just send my statement of purpose, or make an appointment and bring my proposal in then, when it's better? Writing a project proposal is hard work! We have all been there, and that's why we're here to help. However, all of the prospective applicants are working on proposals simultaneously, and all of them deserve feedback. Having a full draft of a proposal in advance makes for the best use of everyone's time. The requirement for a proposal-reading appointment is a full proposal, including the budget portion.

But my proposal is really terrible! Why can't I just bring what I have when we meet? You are, of course, welcome to keep revising your proposal between the time you make your appointment and when we meet. However, to be fair to everyone, the requirement for setting an appointment is a (crappy!) draft of a proposal. It doesn't matter how bad it is--the only requirement is that a complete draft exists.

What can I do to get more help with my proposal? Read these guidelines, attend a Workshop B ("how to write a proposal"), and show a draft of your proposal to your mentor. It is important that your mentor be very familiar with your project because a strong recommendation letter that specifically references your project will make your application more competitive.

How do I request that my mentor sponsor me? To request your mentor's sponsorship and letter, send your mentor the link to "information for faculty mentors" and the "applying" page, as well as your proposal draft, transcript, and resume. Then send your mentor the recommendation link from the online application so that she can fill out the commitment form online and upload her letter. (You can fill out the recommendation request before you complete the rest of the application.)

What are the components of a complete application?

•filled out on-line application (see link at the bottom of this page).

•pdf of your DARS transcript showing only "academic history by term."

•uploaded community statement

•uploaded project proposal

•uploaded faculty sponsor recommendation

•on-line mentor commitment form filled out by mentor (see above instructions).

•(optional: additional recommendations--2 maximum. Send links to recommenders via on-line application. )

•(creative sample -- for projects in the arts only; this may be an uploaded file or a url. See guidelines at the end of the "writing a proposal" document.)

•(optional but recommended: letters of support. See this page for more on the advisability, and difference between, additional letters of recommendation and statements of support).

Good luck, and we look forward to meeting you!

Wendy Muse Sinek, Haas Scholars Program Coordinator