if($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']=='/' || $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']=='/index.php'){?>
...for what may lead to a life altering association!
The full-time MBA at Michael G. Foster School of Business (University of Washington) is a rigorous, two-year programme built for individuals who seek a transformative leap in leadership and business expertise. Launching as part of Foster’s graduate portfolio in the 1960s (Foster School of Business was founded in 1917) the full-time MBA has since evolved into a signature offering anchored in Seattle’s thriving technology, innovation and business ecosystem. The curriculum integrates foundational business disciplines—finance, operations, marketing, strategy, leadership—with hands-on project work, including a required summer internship and practical experience opportunities. The class profile is diverse: recent cohorts average about six years of work experience, represent over fifty percent international students, and have a median GMAT around 655. The network spans 93,000 alumni globally, and the programme boasts a median starting salary above US $150,000 for the Class of 2024. (Source: Foster MBA site) The tight connection with the Pacific Northwest industry-cluster—technology, consulting, global business—places students at the intersection of innovation and leadership development. As you consider the Foster MBA journey, imagine entering a dynamic community where your growth is propelled by Seattle-based companies, faculty experts and a mission-driven culture of impact.
Our trusted MBA admission consultants provide end-to-end guidance for the MBA application process. By opting for our MBA admission consulting, you benefit from a team of specialists rather than a single consultant. You are assigned five mentors to guide different aspects of the application, such as brainstorming and storyboarding, essay finalization, application work, and interview preparation. For a free strategy session, please inquire about our MBA admission consulting service.
| Washington Foster MBA Class Profile | |
|---|---|
| Average Work Experience | 6 Years |
| Average GMAT Score | 675 |
| Average GRE Score | 319 |
| Average GPA | 3.4 |
| Class Size | 118 |
| US News Rank | 22 |
| Financial Times Rank | 34 |
| Women | 32% |
| International | 46% |
| Pre-MBA Experience | Arts & Humanities: 3% Biological & Agricultural Sciences: 3% Business: 26% Economics: 7% Engineering: 29% Mathematics & Computer Sciences: 15% Social Behavioral Sciences: 7% Others Fields: 10% |
| Tuition Fee | Residents: $42,405 Non-Residents:$59,579 |
| Washington Foster MBA Placements | |
|---|---|
| Average Base Salary | $193,000 |
| Average Joining Bonus | $35,000 |
| Employment on Graduation | 74.7% |
| Employment 3 months after Graduation | 11% |
| Employment by Industry | Consulting: 33.3% Manufacturing: 4.9% Retail: 4.9% Technology: 46.9% Other: 9.9% |
| Employment by Function | Consulting: 32.1% Finance/Accounting: 9.9% General Management: 6.2% Human Resources: 1.2% Marketing/Sales: 35.8% Operations/Logistics: 13.6% Other: 1.2% |
Accenture, AlixPartners, Amazon, American Airlines, AstrumU, Bain & Company, Blue Origin, Datafi, Fluke Corporation, Gartner, Intuit Mailchimp, Juniper, Kearney, Keystone Strategy, Lakeside, Deloitte, Earth Finance, Ernst & Young, EY-Parthenon, McKinsey & Company, Microsoft Corporation, Modern Hydrogen, Mosaic Forest Management, Nestlé USA, Nike, Philips, Providence, PwC, Second Dinner Studios, ServiceNow, Starbucks, The Boston Consulting Group, TikTok, T-Mobile USA, Walmart, Washington Capital Management, Wells Fargo, ZS Associates
The employment data above is for the class of 2024.
Washington Foster MBA program page
Washington Foster MBA application details, essay questions, deadlines, and more…
Washington Foster MBA admission consulting by Experts’ Global
Early success in the Foster MBA stems from clarity of purpose. Before term starts, reflect on your intended role, industry and geography. Foster’s strong ties with tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, consultancies and fintech startups in Seattle mean you can aim for transformation into technology strategy, product leadership or global business roles. Use this vision to guide your selection of electives, summer internship target and networking outreach. When you select your summer internship, make it explicitly align with your story: for example, “I pivoted into product strategy at a Seattle cloud company, leveraging my Foster MBA analytics training and my pre-MBA experience in logistics.”
Unlike accelerated one-year MBAs, Foster gives you two years—and you should capitalise on this extended runway. Year One is your foundation: immerse in core courses (Financial Reporting and Analysis, Managerial Finance, Marketing Strategy, Applied Strategy) and view each case and simulation as career fodder. Document your contributions and results: for example, “Led a four-person team in consulting-style capstone, identified $3 million cost savings for client, delivered presentation to C-suite.” Year Two is your differentiator: choose electives in, say, Marketing Analytics or Product Marketing, join a study tour, complete a consulting project, and secure a meaningful internship that sets your story apart. Foster’s “Practical Experience Activities” and “International Perspective Activities” (two of each required) provide structured opportunities — treat them as signature.
Focus on creating three to five standout deliverables during your MBA. One could be the summer internship, another an elective project with a measurable outcome, another a consulting case competition. Example: in the “Leading Teams and Organizations” course you facilitated a diverse cohort team and improved output efficiency by 25 %—capture that in your portfolio. In the fall You might join Foster’s case competition and win final round—record the metrics. These become your interview stories and LinkedIn highlights. When recruiters ask “What did you DO during your MBA?”, you respond with measurable impact.
Your instructors in the core classes are experts (for example Jennifer Koski in Finance) and many are accessible. Book regular meetings to discuss not only course content but your career direction. Foster’s Career Management team should become your weekly check-in partner after orientation. Use their Friday flexibility to schedule alumni coffees, mock interviews, internship applications or résumé updates. Make it a habit: set weekly metrics (emails sent, alumni talk scheduled, applications submitted). Faculty plus career team become your advocates.
Seattle is more than backdrop—it is a resource. Foster’s location gives you direct access to innovation hubs: Microsoft, Amazon, Expedia, fintech startups, manufacturing firms, research institutions. Attend company visits, shadow days and on-campus recruiter events. Target experiential learning opportunities: board membership of a community nonprofit, consulting project with local enterprise, hackathon with tech sponsor. Even casual interactions with alumni working locally can become introductions. Market this location advantage by saying, “During my MBA I collaborated with a Seattle-based startup to launch analytics product pilot, gaining UX and go-to-market experience.”
The Foster MBA emphasises leadership—especially inclusive leadership, as shown by the high proportion of veterans (24 % in a recent class profile) and U.S. students of colour (58 %). Join a student-led initiative—perhaps the Veterans Association or a diversity club—and lead a measurable project: “Organised 100-participant case day with 15 sponsors, raised $12k, improved first-time attendee satisfaction by 18 %.” Reflect monthly on your leadership growth: keep a leadership journal capturing cross-cultural team dynamics, decision-making under uncertainty, personal brand evolution.
Foster’s alumni base of 93,000+ spans global geographies and industries. Create a target list of 30-40 alumni or employer contacts aligned with your destination. For each, prepare a 90-second story: “As a Foster student I discovered how cloud-platform strategy shapes business agility; I wish to help firm X accelerate platform adoption in the Asia-Pacific region.” After each conversation send a concise follow-up summary and next-step request. Track meeting outcomes: replies, referrals, interviews. Use Seattle events, alumni mixers and your internship experience as networking catalysts.
By graduation your résumé, LinkedIn profile, interview answers and portfolio must align. Use signature deliverables from year one and two to anchor your brand: “At Foster I led a consulting-style case for a Global 500, delivered $2 million EBITDA uplift; now I seek to join consulting arm of firm Y.” Secure two robust references: a faculty member who knows your project impact and an internship supervisor who can vouch for your leadership. Practice your 90-second pitch and longer narrative frequently.
Your Foster MBA is a strong platform—but your growth continues. Maintain momentum by participating in alumni events, mentoring incoming cohorts, publishing articles on your functional expertise. Update your deliverables repository annually: future interviewers value continuous improvement. The habits you build now—strategic clarity, measurable output, networking discipline, reflective leadership—become your lifelong leadership toolkit.