The UW Foster School of Business is one of the most competitive MBA programs in the world, and its admissions process is no exception. In order to be successful, applicants must not only have strong academic credentials, but they must also demonstrate the qualities that Foster seeks in its students, such as resilience, leadership, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
This article provides an analysis of the two required essays for the 2024 Foster MBA admissions season. The first essay asks applicants to discuss their career goals and how the Foster MBA program can help them achieve those goals. The second essay asks applicants to reflect on a time when they demonstrated resilience.
The article also provides a framework for writing effective essays for these prompts. By following this framework, applicants can increase their chances of being admitted to Foster.
UW Foster MBA Essay Prompts for 2024 intake
There are 2 required essay prompts and 2 optional essay prompts for the 2024 admissions:
Essay 1: Post-MBA Plans (750 words maximum)
Tell us your ideas about what lies ahead in your career. What are the gaps or deficiencies currently preventing you from pursuing these potential career paths? How do you plan to use your time in the Foster MBA program to fill these gaps and advance your career?
Essay 2: Personal Resilience Essay (500 words maximum)
Resilience is one of the most important values of a successful Foster student. Tell us about what resilience means to you and share some of the ways that you have demonstrated resilience in overcoming personal or professional challenges. How do you anticipate showing resilience during your time as an MBA candidate?
Essay 3: Optional essay (500 words maximum)
Include this essay if you have additional information you believe would be helpful to the admissions committee in considering your application.
Essay 4: Optional Diversity, Equity & Inclusion essay (500 words maximum)
At the Foster School of Business, we embrace diversity as one of the foundations of both successful business strategy and a world-class educational experience. We share the University’s dedication to promoting the understanding and appreciation of human differences, and the constructive expression of ideas. We welcome you to share some of the ways you have practiced inclusion, promoted equity or supported the advancement of underrepresented groups.
UW Foster MBA Essay Analysis
UW Foster MBA Essay 1 Analysis
- Tell us your ideas about what lies ahead for you in your career. What are the gaps or deficiencies currently preventing you from pursuing these potential career paths? How do you plan to use your time in the Foster MBA program to fill these gaps and advance your career? (750 words maximum)
This essay prompt requires you to define your career goals while also incorporating two essential elements: the gaps in your profile and knowledge and how they pose challenges to your long-term aspirations, as well as the pivotal role of the Foster MBA program in overcoming these obstacles. To effectively tackle this prompt, follow a structured framework that begins with outlining your background in the field, followed by addressing your gaps, elaborating on how specific components of the Foster MBA program can help you overcome them, and concluding with a narrative that aligns with your long-term goals.
2023-2024 UW Foster MBA Essay 1 Tips
To effectively address this prompt:
- Look Forward and Reflect
When addressing this essay prompt, it is crucial to provide a forward-looking perspective while reflecting on your past experiences. Begin by briefly outlining your professional and academic journey, highlighting key strengths and achievements. This will set the foundation for discussing your weaknesses later in the essay.
Create a seamless transition between sections by incorporating landmark incidents or significant moments that ignited your passion for pursuing an MBA. Share the memorable instances that inspired you and demonstrate how they align with your long-term goals.
Next, explore the realization of your weaknesses. Reflect on the experiences or insights that made you aware of areas where improvement is needed. This shows self-awareness and a commitment to personal and professional growth.
Discuss how an incident, conversation, or opportunity related to Foster sparked your interest and motivated you to apply for the program. Explain why Foster is the ideal environment to address your weaknesses and enhance your skills. Illustrate the specific aspects of Foster that resonate with you and demonstrate how they align with your long-term goals.
- Embrace Opportunities for Growth
When addressing your weaknesses or deficiencies in this essay, it is important to approach them with a growth mindset. The use of the term ‘deficiency’ instead of weakness indicates that you recognize these areas can be addressed and overcome. Reflect on the aspects that have hindered your professional or academic growth trajectory and identify specific deficiencies that you believe can be bridged during your time at Foster.
Highlight the deficiency that you have identified and explain how it has impacted your career or academic record. Then, emphasize how the Foster MBA program and its opportunities can help you address and overcome this deficiency. For instance, if you struggle with setting expectations for team members in leadership roles, you could discuss how joining programs or groups at Foster, such as the ‘Leader of the Month’ opportunity within the MBA Association special interest club, would provide a supportive environment for you to receive feedback and develop this skill. This demonstrates your willingness to acknowledge, learn, and grow from your mistakes while leveraging the resources provided by the department.
By illustrating your proactive approach to personal development and your intention to absorb real-world insights beyond the classroom, you showcase your commitment to utilizing the opportunities offered by Foster to overcome your identified deficiencies.
UW Foster MBA Essay 1 Framework
- Foster Essay 1 framework:
- Start by establishing a clear picture of your career goals, highlighting your aspirations and the path you wish to pursue.
- Transition to discussing your weaknesses, focusing on areas that may hinder your progress in achieving your long-term goals.
- Next, emphasize the specific aspects of the Foster MBA program that are essential in addressing and overcoming your weaknesses. This could include relevant coursework, experiential learning opportunities, mentorship programs, or specialized resources offered by Foster.
- Lastly, weave your narrative together by showcasing how the Foster MBA program will contribute to your long-term goals. Discuss how the program’s unique features align with your aspirations and how the skills and knowledge you acquire through the program will enable you to excel in your chosen field.
UW Foster MBA Essay 2 Analysis
- Resilience is one of the most important values of a successful Foster student. Tell us about what resilience means to you and share some of the ways that you have demonstrated resilience in overcoming personal or professional challenges. How do you anticipate showing resilience during your time as an MBA candidate? (500 words)
Resilience is a cornerstone value for success at Foster, and in this essay prompt, the admissions committee is interested in understanding your personal interpretation of resilience and how you have demonstrated it in overcoming challenges. It is essential to delve beyond the surface and reflect on the deeper meaning of resilience, showcasing your ability to define and embody this value in your life.
Define resilience
Begin by providing your understanding of resilience. What does it mean to you personally? How does it shape your approach to challenges? This will set the foundation for your essay and demonstrate your thoughtfulness in interpreting the value of resilience.
2023-2024 UW Foster MBA Essay 2 Tips
To effectively address this prompt:
Measure resilience
Provide a comprehensive understanding of resilience by demonstrating how it has impacted your past, present, and future. Break your narrative into three segments: the moment of struggle and challenge, the lessons learned and their influence on subsequent challenges, and your vision of resilience and its impact on your future. Show the admissions committee that resilience is a central theme in your life, extending beyond specific instances and permeating all areas.
Connect personal experiences
Incorporate personal anecdotes and examples that illustrate your journey of resilience. Describe a specific challenge or setback you faced and the emotions and difficulties you encountered. Explain how you overcame the obstacle, showcasing the actions you took and the strategies you employed. Emphasize the growth and transformation that occurred as a result of your resilience.
Reflect on influential figures
Consider influential figures in your life who embody resilience. Explore their qualities and how they have inspired you. Look for overlaps between their attributes and your own, highlighting the alignment between their resilience and yours. This reflection will provide insight into your personal development and reinforce your commitment to resilience.
Portray a resilient future
Convey your vision of resilience in your future endeavors, particularly as an MBA candidate. Discuss how you plan to leverage your resilience to excel academically, contribute to team dynamics, and navigate the challenges of the program. Connect specific aspects of the Foster MBA program to your vision of resilience, highlighting opportunities and resources that align with your goals.
Foster MBA Essay 2 Framework
- Choose a specific challenge that you have faced either in your personal or professional life. This challenge should have had a significant impact on you and may have initially seemed overwhelming or insurmountable. Clearly describe the situation and the emotions it evoked, highlighting the magnitude of the challenge.
- Discuss how you responded to the challenge. What strategies, skills, or mindset did you employ to navigate through it? Be specific about the actions you took and the steps you implemented to overcome the obstacle. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your response and provide clarity to the admissions committee.
- Reflect on the lessons you gained from overcoming the challenge. How did the experience shape your perspective, values, or approach to future obstacles? Discuss the personal growth and development that resulted from this experience and how it has influenced your mindset and actions.
- Demonstrate your anticipation of showing resilience during your time as an MBA candidate. Discuss how you plan to apply the lessons learned from past challenges to navigate the rigorous academic environment, contribute to team dynamics, and actively engage in the Foster community. Highlight specific opportunities, programs, or initiatives at Foster that align with your vision of resilience.
UW Foster MBA Optional Essay 1 Analysis
Include this essay if you have additional information that you believe would be helpful to the admissions committee in considering your application. (500 words maximum, optional)
Feel free to use this optional essay only if necessary. Given that the other essay questions cover topics like career goals, resilience, and inclusion, this essay should only be used if you have additional information that doesn’t fit into those categories.
Keep your response concise and focused, avoiding any irrelevant details that do not contribute to your overall profile. Prioritize clarity and ensure that the information you provide adds value to your application.
Alternatively, you could utilize this space to discuss incidents that occurred outside of the professional and academic spheres, where you demonstrated qualities that Foster seeks for in an applicant, such as Impact in the community, Desire to make a positive difference in the world, Curiosity and willingness to learn from others, Innovative and problem-solving mindset, Team-oriented and supportive attitude, Active and well-rounded lifestyle outside of academics.
UW Foster MBA Optional Essay 2 Analysis
At the Foster School of Business, we embrace diversity as one of the foundations of both successful business strategy and a world-class educational experience. We share the University’s dedication to promoting the understanding and appreciation of human differences, and the constructive expression of ideas. We welcome you to share some of the ways you have practiced inclusion, promoted equity or supported the advancement of underrepresented groups. (500 words maximum, optional)
It is highly recommended to take advantage of this optional essay opportunity, as the question aligns with the qualities that Foster seeks in their ideal candidates. While the question is open-ended, it allows you to showcase your support for underrepresented groups beyond your professional or academic life. However, it is important to avoid superficial responses and instead focus on the strategies you employed and the impact you made for long-term change.
To effectively address this prompt:
- Authenticity and depth:
Choose incidents or experiences that truly reflect your commitment to supporting underrepresented groups. These examples can come from various aspects of your life, such as personal experiences, community involvement, or volunteer work. Emphasize the meaningful actions you took to make a difference.
- Strategic approach:
Outline the specific strategies you employed and the framework you established during your involvement. Demonstrate how your efforts went beyond one-time events and aimed for sustainable change. For instance, if you volunteered at a food drive, highlight how you went beyond regular participation and instead focused on building lasting impact. You may discuss how you brought in and retained donors, collaborated with corporations for their corporate social responsibility initiatives, expanded the scope of the drives through partnerships with religious institutions, or coordinated larger distribution networks through a dedicated team. These examples showcase your genuine drive to create positive change rather than merely padding your resume with extracurricular activities.
- Impact and reflection:
Reflect on the outcomes and lessons learned from your involvement. Discuss how your experiences have shaped your perspective and deepened your understanding of the challenges faced by underrepresented groups. Share any personal growth or insights gained from your interactions, and how these experiences have further motivated you to be an agent of change in promoting inclusion and equity.
