What’s a week at Haas like? The Economist’s Correspondent’s Diary offers an inside look at how the students are dealing with the bad economy and the even badder press:

I am hoping to spend a term at Haas / Berkeley in my second year so this was especially interesting to me. Part of the allure is practical:

Thanks to its proximity to Silicon Valley, Haas sends plenty of graduates into the technology industry and numerous start-ups. (Facebook and Amazon are recruiting on campus today.)

But just as important is the Haas and West Coast / Valley culture:

The recession appears to have reinforced the sense of camaraderie that Haas students and alumni say is a particular hallmark of the school.
There is much talk of co-operation, teamwork and what Haas staff members refer to as an approach to business that involves “confidence without attitude”. To some business schools, which laud individual effort and achievement while inculcating a certain intellectual arrogance, all this talk of collegiality may sound flaky. But I can’t help thinking as I walk back down the hill to the subway that Haas’s philosophy will have much greater resonance in a post-credit-crunch world.

And then of course there’s this:

Other interesting / relevant bits from the diary include international students’ funding issues:

Those most feeling the pinch are non-American applicants, who comprise on average at least one-third of each incoming class at Haas. To improve matters, Professor Lyons says that the school is raising scholarship funds from donors and working with other schools and bodies such as the Graduate Management Admission Council to find more money for students in need.

And advice (that goes against what quite a few students seem to be seeking out) from Peter Johnson- Haas’ Director of Admissions- who:

Has seen a steady growth in the number of people putting themselves forward who don’t really know what they want to do with their degree. Some candidates seem to just want the badge and a glorified job-placement service. “They expect the school to help them find themselves,” Mr Johnson explains. “But no business school can really do that”.

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