UPDATE: This article was originally posted on March 9, 2020. It has been updated with 2024/25 information and tips below.
Located near the global headquarters of industry giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks, the UW Foster MBA is an increasingly popular choice for professionals looking to break into or get ahead in the tech industry.
However, with one of the highest job placement rates in the US, the competition to join Foster’s elite MBA is more difficult than ever.
That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Foster admissions interview to stand out. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips but have also included sample interview questions to ensure you give your Foster interview your best shot.
How the Foster interview works
Making sure you shine during your Foster interview is no easy task.
Making sure you shine during your Foster interview is no easy task.
Foster interviews, since they are conducted by the admissions committee, tend to be highly focused on determining your fit with the Foster program. During the interview, the interviewer is also trying to gauge how solid your motivations for wanting to pursue an MBA are and how interested you seem in the Foster program.
Interviewers often ask many standard MBA interview questions, as well as questions designed to test just how collaborative you really are. You can also expect numerous follow-up questions.
Our clients who have interviewed with Foster in the past say that the interviewer was very friendly and demonstrated a genuine interest in their answers. Though questions do tend to focus on standard MBA interview questions, be ready for anything.
Who will interview you?
You will interview with a member of Foster’s admissions committee. Interviews are held virtually via Zoom.
Will the interviewer have read your application?
The Foster interview is blind, meaning the interviewer will only have access to your CV. This means that you can repeat examples from your essays if you choose to.
How long will the Foster interview last?
About 45 minutes.
Who is Foster looking for?
(Photo courtesy of @uwfostermba in Instagram)
“The Foster MBA Program selects individuals with the highest potential for achievement in the management profession—those who have demonstrated the capacity for high-quality academic work, who possess strong written and verbal communication skills, and who will contribute to the diversity of the student body and the ranks of professional leaders.” Foster Admissions
Every year, Foster spends a significant amount of time reviewing applications in order to select members for its class of around 100 students. With a strong emphasis on diversity, there is no “typical” Foster student, yet the average admitted student of the Class of 2026 has a 700 GMAT score and 6 years of work experience.
Beyond the impressive statistics, though, Foster is looking for candidates who want to make a positive impact on the world through their careers. That’s why, in addition to strong academic performance (demonstrated through the GMAT and university grades), Foster seeks candidates who also excel at working in teams.
In their words, “Here, students are chosen not only for work and life experience but also for their ability to transcend personal interests and contribute to the team. Those high standards pay off: the caliber of students in the program and their average five years of work experience enrich the learning for everyone.”
Trends in recent Foster MBA interviews
Recent feedback from candidates interviewing at Foster highlights several notable trends that you should consider when preparing for your interview:
Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Interviewers are increasingly asking questions that assess candidates’ empathy, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills. Questions like “How do you handle conflicts within a team?” and “What motivates you to lead others?” are becoming more common.
Diversity and Inclusion: There is a growing emphasis on understanding candidates’ perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Expect questions that probe into your experiences working with diverse teams or your commitment to creating an inclusive environment.
Collaborative Mindset: Foster values candidates who can contribute to a collaborative culture. Questions that assess your ability to work in teams, share knowledge, and support your peers will be more frequent.
How can you prepare for your Foster interview?
Though no interview is 100% predictable, Foster interviews do tend to center around a fairly standard list of MBA interview questions. As such, we have prepared some model questions below that previous candidates have received in their past Foster interviews.
What questions are asked in the Foster MBA interview?
The questions below are drawn from our clients’ interview reports, as well as from sites like clearadmit.com. Though these are not all the potential questions you could possibly receive during your Foster interview, preparing for these (and any follow-up questions you think you might be asked) should give you a very solid foundation for your interview.
STARTING UP QUESTIONS
- Tell me about yourself. (Expect follow-up questions)
- What do you do in your current job?
- What is your greatest achievement in your current role?
- Why did you choose your university?
- What was your undergraduate experience like?
- What are you passionate about outside of work?
- What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
- What do you think makes you a good fit for these goals?
- Why do you want an MBA?
- Why now?
- Why Foster?
- What will you contribute to Foster?
- What other schools have you applied to? If you get into all of them, how will you choose where to go?
- Which clubs and activities do you plan to get involved in?
- What do you think will be your biggest challenge at Foster?
LEADERSHIP & TEAMWORK
- Tell me about a time when you didn’t get along with your team. What did you do?
- Tell me about one instance when you disagreed with your boss and how you handled the situation.
- How would you handle a member of your team who wasn’t pulling their own weight?
- What is your leadership style? Can you give me an example?
- Tell me about a time when you influenced a team without having formal authority.
- Tell me about a time when you had to collaborate with someone whose working style was different from yours. How did you ensure a successful partnership?
- How do you ensure that all voices are heard when you are working in a team?
MISCELLANEOUS BEHAVIORAL
- How would your friends describe you?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Tell me about a time you received feedback. How did you respond?
- What is your most recent professional compliment?
- Describe a time when you used data to make a decision.
- What is the biggest risk you have ever taken at work?
- Tell me about a time you set very high goals for yourself.
- How do you handle failure or setbacks?
- Tell me about a time when you had to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to resolve a conflict or issue.
CLOSING
- Is there anything else you would like us to know about you?
- Is there anything you wish I had asked you?
- Questions for me?
We have found that answering real interview questions on the spot is a much better means of preparation than reading lists of interview questions for most candidates.
We highly suggest you take a look at mock interview questions and sample interview responses before your interview.
Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of real interview mocks from UW Foster, as well as detailed guides to help you prepare for questions ranging from “Why our MBA program?” to “Tell us about a time you failed.”
The Ellin Lolis Consulting MBA Resource Center is your one-stop shop for interview success. Click to join!
If you’re still not quite confident with your interview skills, our interview experts can help you craft your answers or prepare you for the Washington Foster interview through mock interviews tailored to your profile.
What to do if you get a question you haven’t prepared an answer for
Despite your most diligent preparation, you will almost always receive a question you had not prepared.
First, stay calm and take a deep breath. You have already made it this far in the process, and one question will not trip you up!
Second, make sure you directly answer the question the interviewer asked you. For example, if the interviewer asks you about a time you had to deal with a difficult manager, make sure to tell a story about a difficult manager and how you handled the situation.
If you’re having trouble thinking of an answer or an example to support your answer, however, take a drink of water to give yourself a few more minutes to think. If you really can’t think of an example from your personal or professional experience, you can use a hypothetical answer about how you would act in a certain situation.
Finally, assume that the interviewer is testing how you think on your feet and respond to questions you didn’t prepare in advance. Though your answer might not be as polished as if you’d had weeks to rehearse it, smile and confidently respond to show you can handle any question they throw at you.
Effectively tell your story during your Foster interview
One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA interviews is that candidates fail to tell compelling, well-constructed stories about their profiles while also nailing the basics.
Striking this balance between sharing STAR-format examples that show off your background while also presenting strong answers to questions like “Why do you want an MBA?” is a challenging task that requires significant thought and preparation.
Because of this, it’s no surprise that, on average, 50% of interviewed applicants walk away without an offer.
This is why our interview preparation process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting is known as the best in the industry. We offer customized 1:1 support that ensures you’re able to turn your application’s strengths into compelling answers that show fit and sell your profile in any type of interview.
Our individual approach is why 98.9% of our clients secure admissions to at least one of their target schools.
Forget simulation platforms or long lists of tips – our 1:1 preparation focuses on playing to your strengths and overcoming your weaknesses to turn you into an interview expert.
Our interview packages sell out quickly, so make sure you sign up today!
Real MBA Essays That Got People In
School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted
