Are you seeking an MBA program with a strong record of job placement in the technology industry? If so, the University of Washington (UW) Foster School of Business might be an excellent choice for you.

According to Foster’s MBA employment statistics for its Class of 2024, 47% joined the tech sector after graduation, while 33% entered consulting. In terms of function, graduates were largely spread across consulting, finance/accounting, marketing/sales, general management, and operations/logistics. Overall, career success is strong, with 89% of the class employed within three months of graduation and an average starting salary of more than $151K. For more information on the school’s career stats, check out the program’s Career Management website. 

The program has an alumni base of more than 60,000 graduates worldwide, with especially strong representation in the Seattle region. Might Foster’s MBA program be the right fit for you? For more information on the school’s full-time, in-person MBA program, along with its other MBA formats, including online, hybrid, executive MBA, evening, and even a technology management–focused program, visit the Foster website. 

Ready to get to work on your UW Foster application? Read on.

UW Foster application essay tips

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?

This is a classic goals essay with an important twist: Foster wants you to go beyond your aspirations and dig into the “why now?” and “why Foster?” aspects of your MBA journey. Start by presenting your short- and long-term career goals. Then, devote the heart of your essay to examining the gaps in your current skill set or experiences that might prevent you from reaching those goals. These could include leadership experience, industry exposure, or specific functional knowledge.

Next, map those gaps directly to what Foster offers. Be specific: name classes, experiential opportunities, faculty members, clubs, and/or career resources that will help you close those gaps. The adcom wants to see that you’ve done your homework on the school and that you understand how Foster will serve as a crucial partner in your transformation. Show self-awareness, maturity, and a proactive plan.

Essay #2

Foster Mission Statement (500 words maximum)

TOGETHER – WE FOSTER LEADERS, WE FOSTER INSIGHTS, WE FOSTER PROGRESS – TO BETTER HUMANITY. This is the Foster School’s mission statement, and it serves as the north star for how we do business here. Please select one part of our mission statement and describe how it resonates with you in your personal or professional life.

This essay is all about the alignment between your values and Foster’s core mission. Begin by choosing the part of the mission statement that genuinely resonates with you:

• We Foster Leaders
• We Foster Insights
• We Foster Progress
• To Better Humanity

Pick the element that best connects to your lived experiences or aspirations. Here is some advice for each option:

• If you choose “We Foster Leaders,” reflect on your leadership philosophy, and share a story that demonstrates your ability to guide, influence, or inspire others.
• If you choose “We Foster Insights,” highlight intellectual curiosity, analytical problem-solving, or a moment when you uncovered a new way forward.
• If you choose “We Foster Progress,” consider how you’ve contributed to innovation, transformation, or forward momentum in your organization or community.
• If you choose “To Better Humanity,” focus on your broader impact – social good, sustainability, ethics, or community service.

No matter which option you select, be authentic, not performative. Show through storytelling rather than just offering claims, illustrating how the chosen value is already a part of your life. Then, look ahead: how will you continue to live out that value at Foster and beyond? Make your essay personal, grounded, and reflective.

Essay #3 (optional)

Include this essay if you have additional information you believe would be helpful to the admissions committee in considering your application. (500 words maximum)

Use this space strategically. If you have a gap in your employment history, a lower GPA or test score, or something unusual in your background that could raise questions, this is where you can clarify the issue – briefly and factually. Don’t make excuses; instead, provide context and, if possible, highlight evidence of your readiness for the MBA (e.g., success in quantitative work, recent academic courses, or strong professional performance).

You can also use this essay to share a dimension of your identity, values, or experience that didn’t fit in your other essays but adds depth to your candidacy.

Essay #4 Optional Nurturing Our Community Essay* (500 words maximum) 

At the Foster School of Business, we embrace inclusion and belonging as two 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 and promoted belonging.

*No separate scholarship application is required to be considered for Full-time MBA merit scholarships. However, we recommend that if you would like to be considered for the ROMBA Fellowship or Forté Fellowship, you may indicate your qualifications and interest in these scholarships through the Optional Nurturing Our Community essay question.

This prompt gives you space to reflect on your personal commitment to inclusion and belonging. It’s not just about formal DEI work; the adcom wants to see how you make space for others and contribute to an environment in which everyone can thrive.

If you’ve led DEI initiatives at work, at school, or in your community, that’s great. Share those stories. But if not, that’s okay, too. Think about everyday ways you’ve practiced inclusion or helped others feel like they belonged. Maybe you mentored a colleague from an underrepresented background. Maybe you advocated for more inclusive hiring or built a welcoming space for international coworkers.

Reflect on any moments where you

• practiced inclusion by making a space more welcoming to people who might otherwise feel left out or marginalized;
• promoted belonging by encouraging others to share their perspectives, or by being a visible ally or support system;
• challenged exclusion by pushing back against biases or unfair practices, even in subtle ways; or
• amplified others’ voices in meetings, classrooms, or group projects.

If you’re applying for the ROMBA or Forté Fellowships, this is also the place to express your interest in and qualifications for those awards, but keep the focus on your lived experience, not just your desire for a scholarship.

Finally, remember this: even if you haven’t had a formal DEI title or role, you’ve likely had moments when you made a difference for someone else. Those small but meaningful acts can tell the adcom a lot about how you’ll contribute to Foster’s collaborative and inclusive culture.Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, do your research! Visit the Foster MBA admissions website, and review it in detail. Sign up for an information session, sit in on a class, and/or connect with a student or member of the alumni network. First, doing so helps you determine whether Foster is truly the right program for you by helping you understand the culture and your “fit” with it. Second, you want to learn as much as you can about the program, what it offers, and how it can help you achieve your goals so you can use that knowledge to assemble the strongest application possible. Doing your due diligence to understand what makes the program unique is your first and best step toward creating a successful application.

Read The Diversity Essay: How to Write an Excellent Diversity Essay

Foster application deadlines

Round 1	October 1, 2024 (11:59pm PDT)
Round 2	January 7, 2025** (11:59pm PDT)
Round 3	March 12, 2025 (11:59pm PDT)

Source: University of Washington Foster website

** Final deadline for international applicants

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Washington Foster directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

UW Foster class profile

Here’s a look at the Foster MBA Class of 2026 (data taken from the Washington Foster website):

Class size: 118

Average age: 28

Mid 80% range of ages: 24-34

Women: 32%

Non-binary/Choose not to respond: 2%

LGBTQ+: 6%

U.S. students of color (as a % of U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents): 59%

U.S. underrepresented students of color (as a % of U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents): 37%

First-generation college: 16%

U.S. military (as a % of U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents): 29%

Average years of prior work experience: 6

Middle 80% range of years of prior work experience: 3-8 

Average undergraduate GPA: 3.4

Average GMAT: 700

GMAT middle 80% range: 665-730 

Average GMAT Focus Edition: 675

GMAT Focus Edition middle 80% range: 595-755

Average GRE Quant: 160

GRE Quant middle 80% range: 153-167

Average GRE Verbal: 159

GRE Verbal middle 80% range: 154-163

Holding advanced degrees: 13%

Undergraduate Majors

• Engineering: 28%
• Business: 19%
• Mathematics and Computer Sciences: 13%
• Social and Behavioral Sciences: 11%
• Economics: 10%
• Art and Humanities: 7%
• Biological and Agricultural Sciences: 6%
• Other Fields: 6%

Kara Keenan Sweeney has more than 15 years of experience in MBA admissions, having worked for some of the world’s top business school programs, including Columbia Business School, INSEAD, and The Lauder Institute’s joint degree MA/MBA program with The Wharton School and the MA/JD program with Penn Law at the University of Pennsylvania. Kara has guided, coached, and counseled thousands of MBA and EMBA applicants, reviewed innumerable applications, sat on admissions committees, and interviewed countless applicants, including while running Wharton’s Team Based Discussions both virtually and in person. Want Kara to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! 

Related Resources

• Crafting Compelling MBA Goals Essays, a free guide
• Highlighting Your Leadership Experience in Your Application
• Should I Use AI for My MBA (Grad/College) Applications?