This article covers 3 University of Washington Foster essay examples that helped our client get accepted. In particular, they were accepted into the Entrepreneurship major.
Additionally, we’ll be covering the stats our client had to get accepted and the things that made these essays strong.
You can also use the U Wash essay examples for inspiration when writing your own responses to the essay prompts.
With that said, let’s get to it.
Table of Contents
- Our Student’s Profile
- U Wash Personal Statement Tips
- University of Washington Foster Essay Prompt 1
- University of Washington Foster Essay Prompt 2
- University of Washington Foster Essay Prompt 3
- University of Washington Additional Information Section Prompt
- What Made These Essays Strong?
Our Student’s Profile
Here’s some information about our client who was accepted into University of Washington Foster for Business.
- GPA: 3.9
- Straight As except for 1 B in Diversity class
- Major: Entrepreneurship
- Major Experiences or ECs: Internship at Venture Capitalist (VC) Firm; Type 1 Diabetes Fundraiser; Fraternity
- Hobbies: Photography; play guitar and create own music, recreational wiffleball
Note: In 2022, University of Washington’s undergraduate acceptance rate for Foster Business was around 20.33%. During that time, they received 5,900 applications, a record high. However, every year, only about 1200 or so students are accepted.
When we worked with our client, we guided them throughout the writing process. Our help included brainstorming, drafting, rewriting, and finalizing until the deadline.
U Wash Personal Statement Tips
Here’s what Foster School of Business has to say about their undergrad business major application.
“Your personal statement provides you the opportunity to discuss aspects of your life that may not be apparent in the rest of your application materials. You’ll have three boxes and space for 6,000 total characters, including spaces. A common misconception is that you must answer all three prompts. You are not required to answer all prompts; you may choose to focus on the prompts you have the most to talk about or you could choose to answer all three prompts. The most important thing to understand about the personal statement prompts is that they cannot hurt you in any way, they can only help.“
Prompt Tips:
Foster School of Business Official Website
- Be specific; when providing examples of when, how long, and what you learned/gained from your experience.
- Be concise, direct and truthful.
- Avoid broad statements such as “I’ve always wanted to attend the Foster School because I want a business degree.” It is a legitimate comment but does not tell us anything distinctive about you.
- When describing your experiences, don’t assume the reader has had your same experiences or shares your perspective. Keep in mind that what you write in the application is used for admission purposes only.
- Be thoughtful about your response.
- Give yourself ample time to write and rewrite your responses. Ensure you are properly using the word limit to effectively express what you are trying to convey.
- It is not necessary to have two spaces after each period, since extra spacing counts towards your allotted word count. Copying and pasting from a Word document can detract from your total word count. We recommend writing directly into the application itself, however it is wise to save a copy of each essay before hitting submit.
These tips don’t fully cover the complexity of the U Wash Foster prompts. There are a lot of other elements to keep in mind. So, with that said, here are a few tips of our own.
- Prioritize depth. If you had to choose between 3 short essays or 2 long essays, choose 2 long essays. This doesn’t mean short essays are bad. After all, our client wrote 3 and still got accepted. But, often it’s the more in-depth essays that are more profound.
- Keep the students you’re competing against in mind. Think about what they’re going to write about. Then, try to divert from that to keep your essays interesting and fresh.
- Just because you don’t answer U Wash’s first prompt doesn’t mean you’re at a disadvantage. You’re not going to get crucified just for having fewer extenuating circumstances than others. Admissions officers are being holistic about it, after all!
- Don’t confuse professionalism with boring. Most people think that they need to write the U Wash Foster essays in a very monotone and professional way. And, wile you can be professional, by all means don’t be boring. This is your one chance to stay unique; and, just because it’s a business-related essay doesn’t mean it needs to be stiff in the shoulders.
- Be unique. This is a given; but, you’d be surprised how many business students have a hard time standing out from others. It’s mostly because there are very few unique business topics. However, just because most essays are topically similar does NOT mean they can’t be unique. Essays become unique when you add your own flavor to the story. That means your own opinions, word choice, experiences, and personal perspectives that few people have have.
University of Washington Foster Essay Prompt 1
“The Foster School’s goal is to admit students who are prepared to be academically successful. We understand that students sometimes face challenges in achieving their academic goals. Please describe any extenuating circumstances that have impacted your higher education experience.”
Foster School of Business Official Website
U Wash Foster Business Essay Example for Prompt 1
“If I may characterize my academic temperament, it would be “dopaminergically-sensitive.” It’s a strange label to give myself; but, here’s my academic experience in-depth.
I grew up with a “racing” mind. I had a proclivity for engaging with academic topics and discussions at break-neck paces; and, I loved the thrill of difficult topics that demanded intellectual wrestling. However, this wasn’t always a great thing. In fact, my mind was very sensitive to boredom —hence “dopamine sensitivity.” To drill even further into my personality matrix, I was extroverted, disagreeable, and highly open from a Big 5 personality perspective. Additionally, I loved the “play” factor of education and adored the competitiveness that came with debating difficult and convoluted topics that demanded abstraction.
Unfortunately, I grew up in a very academically traditional environment that rewarded rote work and systematic thinking. It inexorably labeled me as a “gifted yet unusual” student. Interestingly enough, I found a lot of C-suite type personalities in the VC firm I worked at shared similar personality types as myself. And, it made me realize just how much I needed to reshape my learning temperament just to fit into traditional learning roles.
I realize this personality matrix makes me a minority of students; and, in simpler terms, I fall under the ENTJ personality model—which makes up 1.8% of the population. This coupled with a dopaminergic mind sensitive to boredom has made learning difficult in ways most resources couldn’t compensate for, requiring me to mold myself and adapt to modern learning structures. However, I’ve learned through personal self-work how to bond and connect with all personality types in my field —tempering my dopaminergic and excitable mind without losing my original strengths.“
U Wash Foster Business Essay Example for Prompt 1 –PenningPapers
University of Washington Foster Essay Prompt 2
“The purpose of the Foster School is to develop leaders who strive to better humanity through business. How do you plan to leverage your experiences to advance Foster’s purpose?”
Foster School of Business Official Website
U Wash Foster Business Essay Example for Prompt 2
“Since time immemorial, venture failure meant havoc. From dorm-based cupcake businesses to high-end law firms, AI startups to ancient Roman garum trade networks, the margin for error is so dangerously slim. Thus, it’s a miracle of American philosophy, mercy, and good faith that we’ve leniency for failure: debt forgiveness, LLC, bankruptcy.
However, during my internship at [REDACTED], a VC firm, I witnessed many startups fall under the trap of “false valuation.” That is, companies being chained to upholding the responsibilities bound to inordinately tall valuation. Last year, a cacophony of hopeful AI startups bit more seed capital than they can chew —an epidemic of premature opportunity seizure.
It’s like the evil sibling of bad debt. They saw an opportunity for profit, took on more investment than they could handle, and were inevitably crushed by inflated valuation. It’s the American proclivity for ever-expanding growth paralleling the insatiable appetite of the Roman Empire, whose expansion beyond reasonable means led to their fall by attrition.
At Foster’s, I believe in upholding the principles of startups and new businesses being a mode for freedom and financial liberty —not enslavement. Business should serve the people, not the inverse, not enslavement to valuation, shareholders, or investors. To sway future business people to the liberties and freedoms that startup projects can afford, I would like to learn everything I can from the Foster community and leverage my own experience witnessing business failure by attrition at [REDACTED] to encourage businesses reason, sustainability, and liberation. I’ll leverage my experience to bring the underlying philosophies predicating American business back to its roots: to ensure every individual, no matter their background, ethnicity, or sex, may have the liberty to pursue their own growth without the limiting chains that so often come with overvaluation.“
U Wash Foster Business Essay Example for Prompt 2 –PenningPapers
University of Washington Foster Essay Prompt 3
“Please describe any significant additional responsibilities you have had (or continue to have) outside the classroom. Explain what you learned about yourself as a result of the responsibilities.”
Foster School of Business Official Website
U Wash Foster Business Essay Example for Prompt 3
“At [REDACTED], the VC firm I interned for, a normal day involved scouring LinkedIn for promising startups and scheduling meetings for pitches. Typically, I had a partner or analyst assist in running and facilitating meetings.
However, some of these dances were duets between only the entrepreneur and myself.
The atmosphere was best described as amicably awkward given the promise of potential seed capital floating above our heads. Often, my potential clients were agreeable in the ways that constitute business and VC conversations. We’d share pleasantries. Then, after some silence, get right to business. Of course, being only a 19-year-old and without the assistance of my analyst, I was ignorant of the proper questions to ask. I also discovered how unusual it was to hold financial authority. It was my decision that would determine whether my clients received potentially life-changing funding. And, my responses would represent [REDACTED] itself.
There was a cacophony of other variables that shook the foundations of our attempt at normalcy in conversation. For one, I wanted to help my potential clients as much as possible; but, I didn’t want to be offensive by coming off as feeling pity. I wished to understand more about what my clients were proposing and speaking of; but, I struggled to comprehend the details of their work such as advanced AI, cybersecurity intricacies, and innovative aerodynamic designs. I wanted —and perhaps needed— to ask for “just the growth charts”; but, I didn’t want to be ignorantly swift to judgment, nor pedantic in detail, nor offensively aggressive, nor agreeable to a fault —as did they.
Ultimately, I learned navigating propositions in VC required the maturity of age and experience to truly master. But, it’s made me all the more excited to learn more from the University of Washington about the nuances that make up business and entrepreneurship. I realize I’ve still much to learn in this industry; and, I can’t wait to see where a comprehensive and profound education can take me in assisting other aspiring businesses and hopeful startups for the future —hopefully in less unusual conditions!”
U Wash Foster Business Essay Example for Prompt 3 –PenningPapers
University of Washington Additional Information Section Prompt
“Is there anything else you would like the Foster Admissions Committee to know about you that you have not already mentioned?
Your response must be no more than 850 characters, including spaces.”
Foster School of Business Official Website
U Wash Additional Information Example Writing
“I had a one-year gap in Mathematics which dipped my grade in Calculus. I take full responsibility for this dip in performance. However, I would like to take the time to explain the reasons behind my performance.
In particular, it was during the gap in Mathematics that I hyper-fixated on mastering business and entrepreneurship projects. However, upon taking Calculus in a quarter system that condensed material into a few months, I found this shift dizzying. But, after adjusting over a few more weeks, I managed to spike my performance in Calculus and even managed to increase my midterms from 70 – 95.
Also, adapting to Mathematics helped me pivot in business more easily; and, I can adapt to the many monkey wrenches thrown my way, helping me act accordingly.”
U Wash Additional Information Example Writing –PenningPapers
What Made These Essays Strong?
Let’s talk about a few things that made these essays particularly strong. As we say in all our example essay articles, these are not the only things that made these essays strong. There are other factors that made them powerful in the eyes of the admissions office.
We’re just covering 5 of the primary points that make this essay good. And, we encourage you to incorporate these traits in your essay as well.
Engaging Pacing
Our University of Washington Foster essay examples listed has an engaging pace. You can see when the applicant varies their sentence length, diction, and punctuation.
This is crucial to writing any engaging business college application essay.
If you don’t vary sentence structure and punctuation, you’ll be left with a very flat and bland essay. And, this makes a huge difference. Don’t believe us? Fine. Notice this paragraph you’re reading right now; notice it. Really, pay attention to the words and how the previous ones you just read were diversified in their structure and form before dragging on and on and on in the current sentence you’re reading now.
Now things will get monotonous. It is very boring. It is also stale. You can see it being bland. This is not engaging. See the difference? It is not unique. It’s that’s simple.
Phew… that was painful to read!
So, by diversifying your sentence structure and punctuation, you can make an otherwise boring business admissions essay into an exciting one. Use semicolons; and, use commas —don’t be afraid to use em dashes either!
Lateral Thinking
Lateral thinking is good for just about any college essay, For, it’s an important part of every industry. However, it’s especially important for creative fields like entrepreneurship.
Our University of Washington Foster essay examples listed above were written for the entrepreneurship major. So, it was in our applicant’s best interest to demonstrate lateral thinking.
Being able to think creatively and be on one’s toes is a crucial element to future business success. It’s also one of the character traits that admissions officers notice when they’re looking for students they suspect will be successful in the future.
Very Deep Introspection and Self Awareness
These example essays demonstrate strong introspection and self awareness. This is crucial for the U Wash Foster essay, especially if you want to show admissions officers your emotional maturity. Having a level of self awareness gives your readers the chance to recognize your human side, and even consider your humility in the context of the essays.
Should you be bragging about your achievements and accomplishments? Sure! But, grounding your achievements in humble self awareness lets admissions officers know you’re someone who has the maturity to recognize weakness and seek improvement.
Making a Business Essay Exciting, Not Boring
This is a hard one to do. But, don’t be afraid of it. It’s making business essays exciting, and not boring.
One of the great things all the U Wash essay examples do here is make business fun (…which it is!) Most people only really see the superficial things that happen on the surface. But, there’s a lot more going on in the mind which is equally as exciting if not more.
Here’s an example.
“It’s like the evil sibling of bad debt. They saw an opportunity for profit, took on more investment than they could handle, and were inevitably crushed by inflated valuation. It’s the American proclivity for ever-expanding growth paralleling the insatiable appetite of the Roman Empire, whose expansion beyond reasonable means led to their fall by attrition.“
Excerpt Example of Making Business Exciting in Your College Essay
The above excerpt was pulled from our University of Washington Foster essay example 2. Notice: our applicant covered feelings and emotions instead of just facts and statements alone. They were able to articulate the complex problem clients had with getting inflated, with expansion being their downfall.
Transparency and Honesty as a Business “Plus”
This point is a very, very important one.
In just about any college essay about business, not just for U Wash, it’s important to establish honesty and transparency. Perhaps some of the most inflated fields in academia include Economics and Business. And, there are many extracurriculars as well as awards in business that don’t hold water. Whether that be illegitimacy or being too easy, most business experiences aren’t going to hold water as much as those in more established fields.
This is due to the rise of business and economics majors constantly creating low-quality ECs to inflate the value of their applications.
So, when you’re filling out the U Wash Foster essay section, you need to establish trust. Admissions officers must know you’re someone they can trust to be honest and transparent with their experiences.
Our client did this by admitting their weaknesses.
“The atmosphere was best described as amicably awkward… Of course, being only a 19-year-old and without the assistance of my analyst, I was ignorant of the proper questions to ask. I also discovered how unusual it was to hold financial authority. It was my decision… my responses would represent [REDACTED] itself.“
Example of Showing Weaknesses in Your College Essay
This shows some of the ways the applicant could still have room to improve. But, it’s also a business technique that instantiates trust by holding truth over personal interests. In this case, the applicant shares their weaknesses knowing that in most conventional settings this would be against their own best interest. This is a consulting technique covered by Jim Donovan, which you can find in the video below at the 5:11 mark.
You can use our University of Washington Foster essay examples here as inspiration for your own business essay. But, if you need help with your U Wash business essay (or any undergrad business essays for that matter) consider scheduling a free consultation with us. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours. We’ve helped aspiring business students like you get accepted into some of the best schools including but not limited to Duke, Rice, UCLA, UCB, UPenn, UChicago, Cornell, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, and more!
