Foster (University of Washington) Hub

I interviewed in Seattle last week. It required last minute air travel, but it was worth it to see the campus in person. I met with several MBA resource offices and current students. My interview was with assistant dean Dan Poston, and it felt very relaxed and informative. He knew my application front and back, and he had many questions asking me to go into detail. Overall, it was a great impression of the program and I'm even more anxious to hear the final decision - even though it won't come until January!

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! 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.

Yesterday I had my admission interview with Sarah at Seattle. I also met with staff from Career Management and the Buerk Center. The interview was about half hour with questions from my application as well as leadership/behavioral type questions. I was a little tensed but thought it went reasonably well. Results will be out on Dec 15th. Good luck everyone.

I completed my interview on 11/5. The format was conversational and it was more of an opportunity to learn from the program staff and their goals and aspirations as well as mine. Foster weighs the interview very heavily. Because they are a small program, assessing fit is paramount. Unlike many other schools, Foster does not conduct blind interviews and they would have read your application extensively prior to the interview. 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.

Interviews are generally very conversational. I was interviewed by the Assistant Dean - and he had studied my resume thoroughly. I don't remember the exact list of questions, but nothing that caught me off guard Questions were based on my resume, my life experiences, and most importantly - why I want to be at Foster, and how I could contribute to the learning of the overall class. Some Tips: 1. In your conversation, show that you have done your research, whether you've talked to current students or met with admissions officials at an event, or have visited the school in person for shadow days / classes / info sessions. 2. Be a good listener. Be precise when you answer. Avoid long winded answers or rambling. People have short attention spans and can lose you easily. 3. Prepare a list of questions you want to ask the interviewer. 4. Follow up after the interview with a Thank You E-Mail. Interviews are generally meant to assess two main things: 1. How good are you a fit for Foster ? What makes you unique ? What will your classmates learn from you ? 2. How good is Foster a fit for your career aspirations (Will an MBA from Foster help you achieve what you want as a career.) Hope this gives an insight and helps you'll prepare.

Hi everybody, I had my Skype interview last Tuesday with Megan Lewis and she was SUPER nice. First she asked me the basic questions (why an MBA, why now, why Foster, career goals, which companies, best achievement etc). At the end, our conversation went in a more personal direction - she asked what I like to do on my free time, what books I read, about family relationships etc. The interview became a good conversation and I think it went well. I recommend you guys one thing: Try to be yourself. The interviewers probably talk with dozens of people that say the same thing. If you are honest and calm, you will be more able to show how mature and unique you are. Then, you will have more chances to stand out. I wish you guys all the best! Good luck! :-D

Had my interview today with Marisa Gerlach. It was definitely more formal than what others have described. Along with the standard admissions questions there were a good number of behavioral questions which I cant recall at the top of my head.

I also completed my on campus interview this past week. It was very conversational and friendly. I actually enjoyed the experience. Obviously come prepared to answer the "why" questions (career goals, MBA, Foster). Also be prepared to answer behavioral questions ("tell me about a time when...") based off of your application and experiences. Plan for about 30 minutes. Ask some smart questions at the end. I also had a chance to check out the campus a bit afterward. UW is a beautiful campus in a vibrant city...I love it...even with all the rain. Good luck to everyone!

I completed my interview this week and it went well from my perspective. A bit hard to gauge I suppose. My interviewer was familiar with my application. I think the questions were much along the lines of what you would expect. Why MBA, why now, why foster, strengths and weaknesses, and some general exploration about my career to date and future goals. It was conversational and friendly. Mine ran longer than the 30 minutes, but I can be a bit of a talker. It seems like Foster just genuiniely wants to know more about you to help learn if you will be a good fit for the class. This is probably very important given the small class size. I left with a very good impression of Foster and am hopeful. Now just the waiting game until December... There was mention that they may send out notifications prior to December 15th, which would be similar to what was reported last year.

Just finished my Skype interview and felt it was very short... How long was everyone's interview? Mine was 25min and very focused on my CV! Walk me through your resume How did find your jobs (this one was sort of confusing... she literally wanted to know how I found the jobs e.g. did I google and apply) - did anyone else get this very bizarre question? How did you figure out what job to apply to next How did you figure out you wanted to be in your current industry/position Tell me about cross cultural experience/what did you learn from this LT goals post-MBA How will you stand out when applying to [internship place]. Tell me about a time you managed conflict A compliment you've received at work What do you do for fun Do you have any questions for me and other questions I don't remember... Also, she did not ask me for my ID, which I find a little unsettling.

Hi all, I got a Skype interview with Foster MBA last Wed. (I received one email for 2 interviews: video and skype in early Feb) - In overall, the interview was conversational, without surprising or tricky questions. However, the way that my interviewer posed questions was something unpredictable for me. And I think that was the most difficult part for me :( - Some of my questions were: 1, In my app form, my short term goals are XYZ. How did I come up with these goals? 2, Without an MBA, how did I plan to attain those short term goals? --> [follow up question] Do I have cross-cultural work experience? 3, To achieve short term goals, what are my current skills at work that help me? And what skills I need to develop further through an MBA? 4, Why Foster? --> [follow up] What communication skills specifically that I want to improve at Foster? 5, Right after MBA I want to work for XYZ company. How will I pitch for job opportunities? [she wants to test my selling skills] 6, Tell me about a time when you went beyond your responsibilities to improve something? 7, Tell me about a time when you failed? 8, What are my strengths and weaknesses when I work in a team? --> [follow up] Leadership & Women in Biz in Vietnam? 10, Fun fact about myself? 11, How did I approach and contact alumni from Foster? So, all in all, the interviewer was very nice and supportive. But I didn't think I have done it well enough :( Now all I can do is to keep my fingers crossed and wait. Hope that my sharing can help some of you guys prepare for the skype interview.

Hello all, Just had my Adcom interview with Kathleen Glazier through Skype. This was my first interview so honestly I was very anxious. But the whole experience was very pleasant. Pretty much standard questions, no surprises at all. This is what i was asked. Tell me about your work experience. Why MBA? Why particularly Foster? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What would your co-workers tell about you? Lastly, Any questions for me? Took about 20-25 minutes overall. I felt I did well. Fingers crossed now. All the best to others!

Just Had my interview with Megan! went on real nice, we had a nice talk and she was really friendly. The interview last for about 25 minutes~, i hope it was a good sign #fingercrossed The question were : My favorite Book Extra curricular activities My experience with mediating a conflict and several question about my career Good luck to all of you guys

Wear a black or navy suit (ironed). Wear a white shirt (ironed). Wear an unassuming tie. Wear dark dress shoes.
It is always better to err on the safe side. Your biggest worry is to make sure you tick of all the boxes of being professionally presentable.
Remember, in addition to interviewing you for their program, they are also trying to make sure that you are hire-able after you graduate. Admission Interview Why an MBA now? Why Foster? What are some aspects of the Foster school that appeal to you? What have been my sources for researching Foster school? What have I done to learn about the programs? What resources have I used? What are the three things you expect from an MBA program? How will Foster help me in my goal? What objective or goal am I trying to accomplish once I have my Foster MBA? ST and LT goals? What excites you most about this program? 
What scares you most about this program? What capabilities do you have that will help you contribute to business/school? What are three strengths that you bring to the Foster school? What will I bring to the classroom? What are the kinds of companies that I will target for internship? How will I pitch for internship opportunities? What will I focus on them in the application process? What strengths would you highlight in your application process for a different industry? What do I do if one of my team members was not pulling his weight? What would I assess as the weak part of my application?  How do you handle negative feedback? Tell me about a time you executed a change? Tell me about a time when you changed a process/ went beyond your responsibilities to improve something? What is your most significant accomplishment in your current workplace? Tell me what you do every day at work?  What do you enjoy most about it and what most frustrating? Who was the most influential person in your work experience? What is your experience with leadership? Describe a significant leadership experience? How did I get to my current job? How did I get a particular internship? What do I do for fun? Extra-curricular activities? Why were your undergrad grades bad? 
How would I define success? Follow up question - What is failure? Video Interview • Superhero power • Best Movie or Book this past year • What would you cook for your friends for a dinner party • Who is your role model and why? • Describe a stressful situation at work and how you handled it.  • If you receive a large sum of money, how would you spend it and why?  • Three adjectives that describe you and why • Describe a time you had to give difficult feedback  • Tell us about an important piece of advice you have received and how it has helped you. • Tell us about the last time you led a project. What was the outcome? • What is your ideal work environment? • Tell me about a time that you encountered a stressful situation. What did you do to handle it and why? • What project did you take on without being asked to? • Tell us about an experience when you faced a boring project? how did you motivate yourself and your team to work on it?  • What is the most important thing you learned in college? • What is a step you've taken in the last year to advance your career? • Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult colleague. • Tell me about a time that you worked in a team setting • Tell us about a work that you read recently and how did it impact you? • What is the biggest challenge that you are facing in your current position? • If you were to start a new venture that was focused on solving a major problem, which problem would you tackle and why? • Greatest achievement outside work • Creative solution at work

I hope everyone is doing well with the whole application process! I did my interview yesterday with Dan Poston, the assistant dean. The interview was very conversational, and I was under impression that Dan read my application very thoroughly. He remembered all the details I put in the resume and essays. The first question was why MBA and it just naturally flew to why Foster and my goals. He asked about me -- not just what's on my resume, but even where I was born, how and where I grew up and how I ended up being here. The conversation lasted a little more than an hour, it was longer than expected because the candidate after me had to wait 10-15min... (Sorry!) Since he knows pretty much all your presented in your application, he asked if there is anything I want him to know to impact the decision. (Uhhh unexpected question...) So basically the interview part was about 35-40min, then Q&A time was about 20-25min. One thing they really emphasize is the "fit" -- make sure you present it well during the interview! Good luck everyone, I wish this can help the future applicants!

Back after a very pleasant, 45-50 minute interview. I was greeted with "How is your son doing?" which gave me an idea that they have gone through the application in detail. Most of the time was spent on the "Why MBA?" question. There were questions on Leadership styles, and asked to narrate a few scenarios I have faced while playing a manager / lead role. It felt like they were making sure that I am applying for an MBA for the right reason. Overall a very good experience. P.S. - If you are driving to Foster, go straight to the N20 - N21 parking lots. The N4 parking lot mentioned in the website is always full.

I had my interview last night. It was a friendly conversation with standard questions like 'walk me through your resume', 'Why MBA', 'positive and negative feedbacks at work' etc. It lasted only 25 min.

Hi! R1 admit here (Indian candidate). I would like to share some insights for applicants who are interested in tech industry post MBA. From my research and conversations with alums and current students, I learnt that Foster is great for people aspiring a career in tech industry. Its strength lies in its students, resources and its relation with some of the best tech companies in the world such as Microsoft, Amazon, T-Mobile and Expedia. With the headquarters of these companies situated right in its backyard, Foster has the best access and an undisputed brand recognition in these companies and a lot of the students end up being product managers, which is what I am also interested in. With a majority of the class getting into the these companies for tech, Foster alums come back to recruit from these companies. That being said, I would advise the following for the applicants who are awaiting interview invites. 1. Know clearly why you want to do an MBA, why now and why Foster. 2. With respect to your post MBA goal, do not hesitate to talk about your plan B, in case plan A doesn't work. 3. It's always great to mention the names of the people whom you are in touch with (if the person is comfortable in sharing his/her name with the adcom) and how your relationship has helped in your process. 4. You may or may not be asked directly "why you" but be prepared to convey the message during the interview. 5. In addition to the above point, also extrapolate and convey the message why would your target company hire you for your target role. This gives assurance to the school that it will have no trouble finding a job for you and also conveys the adcom that you have not just researched about the school but also the company and role that you want to get into. 6. Foster has a very supportive and collaborative culture and not a cut throat competition. Ensure you display the fit to the school. 7. Prepare couple of questions to ask in the end of the interview. These can be questions that came up during your research or conversation with the alums or even that came up during the interview. Avoid questions that can be answered with the information given on the website. 8. In addition to the above points, be prepared to answer general behavioral questions - strength, weakness, tough day at work, how did you resolve a conflict, role model, ethics, integrity etc., 9. For situational answers, presenting in a STAR format (Google it for more information) gives a holistic picture to the interviewer. 10. Note to Indian students: We Indians, tend to speak fast. So request you to slow down a bit while talking to the interviewer. If you have any specific questions, feel free to reach out. All the best!

It was chill with a mix of questions about work ex, fit with foster and some behavioral questions Be sure to be clear about what are u seeking from an MBA, and what are your goals and how can Foster help you in that. Apart from that, questions were related to the work experience, what you do, your passions outside work etc.

Just had my in person interview. Started off with a standard walk through the resume. There were some questions related to my resume during that. Next were some follow up professional questions and some professional/situational questions. Third group of questions started with why Foster and then how would an MBA utilize my strengths and help out my weaknesses. Finally some overall fit type questions to see how I would fit in with the school and the area. Overall it took 55 minutes and conversation was very natural and flowed easily.