Application Tips for Specialty Master’s Programs at the Foster School of Business
Associate Director of Admissions Natalie Meyer shares how to ace the Master of Science in Business Analytics and Master of Supply Chain Management application
Written by: Julia Potapoff, contributing writer, Foster School of Business
Natalie Meyer oversees the recruitment and admissions process for the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) and Master of Supply Chain Management (MSCM) programs.
Here’s Natalie’s advice on letting your personality shine in your application, tips for preparing for your video interviews, and a behind-the-scenes look at the application review process.
Can you give us a quick breakdown of the admissions review process for the MSBA and MSCM programs? What are some of the key things you’re looking for in an application?
Natalie Meyer: I want to emphasize that each applicant goes through the review process with multiple people looking at the whole student. It’s a deep dive into the applicant’s story, background, interests, motivations, and goals in conjunction with quantitative skills and academics. It’s not one or the other. We are looking for well-rounded students. We want to know your personal story, why you’re interested in coming to Foster, and whether the program fits you and your career goals. Share the unique background or valuable insights that you can bring to your cohort.
Of course, determining whether a student is a good fit is figuring out if they can keep up with the curriculum. We’re an intensive program that covers high-level quantitative content at a fast pace, so we want to be sure that students’ academic and/or professional backgrounds have prepared them to understand the content — learn the theory and apply concepts. When the admissions committee is looking for qualified applicants, we’re looking for students with prior experience in problem-solving, working collaboratively, and negotiating setbacks. Having that curious and collaborative mindset signals program and career preparedness. Experience with analytical and quantitative competencies is imperative for keeping up with our quantitatively inclined programs.
We’re also looking at the applicant pool as a whole. We want to see how these factors play together to create a robust and high-quality cohort. Afterward, the entire committee comes together to make admissions recommendations. It’s a group effort — it’s not just one person saying “yes” or “no.”
You mentioned that sharing your story and personality in the application is important. What is the best way for applicants to use storytelling to share their personal brand with the admissions team?
Natalie Meyer: We definitely want applicants to bring their personality into their application. Tell us who you are, be proud of what you bring, and showcase it! Some of the best places to show your personality are the written essays and video interviews.
There are two essays, one that’s required and one that’s optional. The required essay assesses your motivations/interests and why you’re specifically interested in this program. It’s important to show the admissions committee WHY you want to come to Foster and this specific graduate program instead of a generic statement. The optional essay is an opportunity for students to share information that isn’t anywhere else on the application. It’s an opportunity to showcase the unique things about you, your personality, and your story and show off who you are.
When it comes to video interviews, there are no right or wrong answers. We want to see that you’re able to think on your feet. A pre-prepared answer will not help you because it won’t show the committee how you think or engage in conversation. In the video interviews, we give you an opportunity to share anything you’d like and make a connection with the people watching your interviews. Take advantage of the video interviews to show us what makes you unique. We want to see that you’re thinking thoughtfully and expertly sharing those thoughts and opinions. That doesn’t mean your response has to be formal. You can talk casually while still being able to articulate your ideas. Between professionalism and showing that you’re able to succeed in a graduate classroom, take a moment to share your passions, curiosity, and personality.
As you said, the application includes an asynchronous video interview component. Can you share what applicants should focus on during these interviews?
Natalie Meyer: We want to see presentation and professionalism in your video interview. It’s a way to show us that you’re taking this seriously and taking time to think about what you’re wearing, where you’re sitting, and what’s in your background. It lets the reviewer know that you prepared while also setting the scene. We’re not looking for a specific setup. We want to see that you’ve taken time to think about how you want to present yourself.
I want to emphasize that it’s not just about what you say in the video interviews but about how you think and articulate your answers. For these asynchronous interviews, preparation is more about the presentation: Can we hear you well? Are you speaking clearly? Are you keeping eye contact? In our graduate classes, students regularly engage in discussions, case studies, and Q&As with guest speakers. The video interview is your chance to demonstrate your ability to articulate ideas and think on your feet — skills that are essential for success in our interactive, high-caliber courses.
What can applicants do if they’re feeling nervous about the asynchronous video interviews and having to answer questions on the spot?
Natalie Meyer: Well, there are a few things you can do to practice having this kind of interview. Free websites/services allow you to practicefor asynchronous (or recorded) interviews. There are even paid services where you can practice interviewing and get feedback on your responses. If you graduated from a U.S. university, many career services offices can schedule a mock interview. Or ask a friend, roommate, partner, or parent to ask you interview questions and practice responding on the spot.
Also, the admissions committee can always tell when you have prepared your answers or are reading something you have written ahead of time. Even if you feel nervous and think this would be helpful, it could negatively impact you. Our focus is not just the answers but how you’re answering them. Thinking on the spot shows us how your mind works, and when you’re reading the answer, it doesn’t showcase your skills to the greatest effect.
All the applications must have two letters of recommendation. Do you have any advice for picking a good recommender and how to approach them?
Natalie Meyer: The letters of recommendation are so important! It’s easy to pick a current supervisor or a professor whose class you got an A in. Ask yourself, “What is something I did that the recommender could speak to?” As reviewers, we’re looking for your recommender to mention your soft skills; we want to know how you collaborate, handle pressure, or bounce back from failure, as well asyour curiosity and initiative. These things can be tough to quantify, and not every supervisor or professor you had can speak to these things. Sometimes, the obvious choice is not the best choice. Maybe there’s a coworker who you collaborated with on a huge project that could be a better choice.
Also, picking a recommender who can speak to something meaningful shows that you were able to build that relationship and knew who to ask. So, it shows good decision-making skills if you can be thoughtful about asking someone who knows you well and can positively discuss your abilities in great detail.
When you’re asking someone to be your recommender, take the time to write an email or talk to them about why you’re applying to this program and why you might be a good fit. We notice a big difference when the recommender writes a generic letter and when they reference UW, Foster, Seattle, or our specific programs. You can’t control how much detail the recommenders add to your letter, so it’s important to have that conversation first. The top candidates tend to have a letter of recommendation specific to the applicant AND to the program/university they’re applying to. As a reviewer, we want to know if your recommender thinks you’ll succeed in our program and why.
You and your team review thousands of applications every year. Is there anything you see on an application that jumps out at you? Something that you notice right away?
Natalie Meyer: Something I think applicants don’t realize is that there is nothing that is automatically disqualifying. Because we are doing a holistic review, no one part of the application would take away from an interesting story or motivation. If you can articulate your goals in a way that draws the reviewer in, then we’re on board. We want to help you succeed and reach those goals. The applications that stand out the most are the ones that feel like they’re telling a personal story. I want to feel like I’m having a conversation with the application as I review it.
Our programs, especially the MSBA, are based on programming and analytics. We are looking for candidates with strong quantitative skills and experience in these fields. Whether it’s work experience, non-credit certificate courses, or your GRE/GMAT scores, the admissions committee needs to see that you’ve developed your technical skills enough to succeed in the high-level quantitative courses.
In addition to these technical abilities, we place a strong emphasis on applicants who have that curious mindset, which contributes to success in a demanding academic environment. While reviewing your application, we’re also looking for soft skills — leadership, drive, curiosity, and independence. This graduate program has extreme academic rigor, so we’re looking for that marriage of soft and quantitative skills. This is where reaching out to the Recruiting and Admissions Managers is a big help. They’re an extremely valuable resource and give great feedback on how to prepare an application. You can ask them questions without hesitation because they’re not involved in the application review process. Engaging with our program — whether it’s through admissions managers, ambassadors, reading our content, or attending our events is a way to show your interest and motivation to learn more.
Visit the Foster site to learn more about the MSBA and MSCM application deadlines and requirements.
Watch Natalie Meyer’s Application Workshop.
