Calling all UW-Foster Applicants(2015 Intake) Class of 2017

dhruvm: A question. The skype interview instructions tell me to log in at the scheduled time and wait for a connection invite from the interviewer. However, I wasn't asked for my skype name while setting up the interview. Is there some other channel through which I can communicate this to the adcom, or will they find me on skype automagically? :D

When you click on the link to set up your interview and pick a slot they'll ask you for your Skype ID.

Anyone here done with their interview?

This didn't happen with me. Have emailed at the MBA interview ID.

Disclaimer: I didn't do the video interview, but I did attend two of their informational sessions and they talked about what they expected from all interview phases.

My understanding is that the video interview is to assess your natural communication abilities. I would not approach as it a hurdle to admission but a chance to show how you communicate in general. The questions they are likely to ask are not typical MBA interview questions such as "Why MBA? Why Foster? Why now?" and instead ask general conversational questions.

Think of it this way. With only approximately 100 admits/year, it is one of the smallest cohorts of the top 25 programs. The video interview is another way for them to assess your personality that isn't obvious from your essays and application materials. My advice? Practice talking with a friend. Smile. Be yourself.

As for the main interview, my experience mirrors many others who reported their experiences here and in previous years' forums. It was very conversational and unlike other programs, it is an application-visible interview. The interviewer will have thoroughly read your application and will ask questions based on it. This, in my opinion, is what sets Foster apart from other top-tier programs. They don't have to process volumes of interviews like cattle calls because that is not how they want to build their program nor should they aspire to. They want to learn about you first-hand; they don't use alumni or current students to interview.

I'm a bit of an older candidate, so my perspectives on this has changed somewhat compared to 5-10 years ago when I first considered the MBA. I treated the interview in a similar way as if I am talking to a potential business partner, an investor, or even a potential hire. The goal of the interview is to achieve a meeting of the minds. I do not believe it is sufficient to simply answer questions mechanically as if it were some test. So really think hard about "Why MBA? Why Foster? Why now?" because that level of introspection will shine if you are a right fit for Foster's program.

My $0.02.

Great post Wibble!

Would you mind sharing the reason behind applying to both full-time and part-time programs at the same time? Which would be your first choice ?

The full answer is a bit complicated, and I would suspect we all have different reasons why we apply to one school or another, but the short-answer is that I was born, raised, and currently live in Seattle and intend to remain here post-MBA. So UW makes the most sense from a regional standpoint in terms of opportunity, MBA brand, and the cost (in-state). Applying to both programs essentially gives me two chances to get in. Another reason is that our industry (game development) is so volatile that I cannot honestly tell you what my career situation is in early 2015 when I would theoretically have to make a choice between both.

I was an undergraduate at the UW School of Business (before it was renamed to Foster) from 1998 to 2002. I was also doing a double-degree in mathematics (I suppose out of sheer interest and stubbornness). During time as an undergraduate, though, I started my own video game retail business as a freshman and basically spent 100% of my time either studying for class or running my business. I never made room for the social interactions (which didn't seem all that important to me when I was 18) or even the usual interpersonal development growth that most college kids went through. Back then, I approached school as purely academic in order to gain knowledge and I foreclosed most of my social options there.

Fast forward 16 years later and I realized that I really did miss out on much more than I realized. The social development and engagement I missed out on could have made me a better speaker, communicator, and projector. No regrets though. After all, there is only 24 hours in a day and I was living a lifestyle that essentially required 30+.

For this reason, if I were admitted to the FT program, I would likely attend that. The social interaction and opportunities to change job functions and/or careers are enormous. As a PT student, however, my focus would be less on interpersonal development and more on academic training. The advantage there is that I keep my professional tenure, and the ROI if you consider opportunity costs makes the PT program the most sense. But as they say, we all have to pay our dues. I didn't years ago, and on a personal level I feel that I need the FT experience to really make a change.

Professionally, I actually want to remain in my industry (game development) but move into more of a business planning role rather than product execution. Both FT and PT programs will likely accomplish this transition, but the FT program allows me to fully engage in several entrepreneurial endeavors I've always wanted to do that would have been much harder to do in the PT setting. My reasons for the MBA isn't so much about salary or role seniority. It's about having choices and the freedom to do what you want, when you want it, and set the conditions of success on my terms.

Therefore, if I actually were admitted to both programs and had the awesome "problem" of choosing either, I would likely take the FT program.

I could not agree with you more! I'm pretty much in the same boat trying to decide between PT programs in the bay area (where I currently live/work) vs FT. Good luck with your applications and I hope you get to have that "problem".

I lived in SF for about a year. That was actually when I realized why I should revisit the MBA again. At that time, I was a manager and a couple of my directs recently completed their MBA programs (one from Sloan, the other Wharton). Their perspectives inspired me to do the same.

Wibble: thanks for sharing on this forum! I was just wondering, do all applicants who have been interviewed in R1 hear of the result on Dec 15 itself? Or is there a rolling basis for decision emails too?

Foster Admissions has always stated that decisions will be released by the 15th. It doesn't necessarily mean that it will be on the 15th nor does it mean it's on a rolling basis either.

Is there anyone who completed their face to face or Skype interview in R1?

I scheduled an 1 hr Skype Interview that will be held on Dec 19 for R2 admission interviews recently . I really would like to know
1. What type of questions were asked? Give examples so I can have some idea.
2. How much of the interview were spent on casual discussion (i.e non-application related topics) ?
3. Do they discuss your essays and resume ? Do they spend lot of time goign thru every point we make in the essays and resume ?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Just had my Video interview. I think I did reasonably well and I really liked the two questions (First was on my undergrad education and second was on the foster program). Didn't have a problem with the timing and the practice questions are good confidence boosters. Hoping for the best now.

I interviewed (face-to-face) a couple of weeks ago on campus with an Admissions Officer - sorry this post is so delayed. It was extremely conversational, much more so than either my Kellogg or McCombs interviews. She was very familiar with my resume, essays, etc., so we were able to skip over a lot of the "walk me through your resume" type of questions. We did not spend any time discussing my essays or resume specifically. My interview lasted 50 minutes, but most of that was simply chatting, and not just me talking. There were a few typical interview questions thrown in there, and here are the ones I remember:

Describe a time when you received constructive criticism. How did you respond? What change resulted from it?
What is the best compliment you've received from a superior?
What are you most excited about at Foster?
Why grad school? Why now?

I actually enjoyed my Foster interview. It seems like they use the face-to-face interview as a way to both get to know you and tell you about their program. Only 2 weeks until R1 decision deadline!!! Good luck, everyone!

2 weeks until R1 Deadline...

FROM Foster Admissions Blog:

Working for Microsoft is like a dream come true since it was my goal when I applied to the Foster MBA program. Over this past summer, I interned with Microsoft as a Partner Channel Marketing Manager Intern in the Worldwide Partner Group, under the Small and Midmarket Solutions & Partners organization. Being an international student, even though I had similar marketing background in the technology hardware industry, working for Microsoft was still an eye-opening and a learning experience for me. During the twelve-week internship, everyday was a new challenge since Microsoft is such a big organization and it required multiple stakeholders’ support to get things done. My project was to advocate the benefits of Microsoft’s Cloud solutions, and I worked closely with vendors to create training videos, blogs, and the worldwide partner training guidebook. It was truly rewarding to see my work being posted on the Microsoft Partner Network website which 400,000 plus partners use. Moreover, in order to get support from other stakeholders in rolling out the project, I had to overcome my shyness and proactively set up meetings with various colleagues to gain their buy-in. To my surprise, despite the fact that many colleagues were senior and very busy, they were still willing to spare time to listen to my pitch, and also gave me feedback, which truly demonstrated the teamwork and collaborative spirit at Microsoft. I was also given a great opportunity to go on a business trip to Washington D.C. in July to attend the annual Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference. It was an important event for the company as attendees came from over 150 countries and represented many of the most successful, top tier partners. I was thrilled to be there and talked to the partners in person. We also had fun watching the FIFA World Cup Championship game together! Last but not least, Microsoft also cared a lot for interns. There were many speaker events where we got to meet CEO Satya Nadella, the CMO, the head of HR, and many others to learn more about the company. Let alone the fun intern activities to Leavenworth, Puyallup, Casino night, Lake Washington Cruise and kayaking in Portage Bay. I had a great time meeting other interns and the Microsoft internship experience is truly one of the most unforgettable summers I have ever had! I am excited to be going back to Microsoft for a full time role after completing my Foster MBA.   Evelyn Chia-Wei Chiang Foster MBA, Class of 2015

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

I have some follow up queries as this si going to be first MBA interview ever.

Was the mood of the interview? Formal? or like how u talk to ur boss ? Or very casual where one can use words like 'Kickass' ,'Awesome' etc.?

What follow up questions did u ask ?

Is it okay if one has tea/water during the conversation ? Or is it strictly no drinks during interview kind of conversation you had ? Forgivr if it feels stupid.

The mood was informal, but with any interview I would recommend staying as professional as possible - avoid words like "kickass," wear a suit, etc.

I didn't have many follow up questions because I had attended an information session the evening before my interview and had asked questions there. I recommend coming up with a couple of real questions about the program, though. Even though I didn't have any specific questions about the program, I asked her what she thought was unique about Foster vs other schools and what drew her to the program in the first place. I've also asked interviewers what they like best about a certain program or what surprised them the most.

I think tea/water is absolutely fine.