Meet Foster’s Class of 2017 MBAs

Alfajri Alwis

 

University of Washington, Michael G. Foster School of Business 

Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia

Undergraduate School and Major Andalas University, Indonesia – Management

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Bank Mandiri, Indonesia – Senior Manager of Human Capital Strategy and Policy

International Organization for Migration, Indonesia – Project Assistant

Authorgen Technologies, India – Internet Marketing Intern

Radio Sushi FM, Indonesia – Program Director

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? Be aware of your learning style. Everyone learns and digests new information in different ways. One method that works perfectly for someone will not always work the same way for others. I approached studying for the GMAT in a lot of different ways, applying almost every single tip I found on the Internet. It took me three unsuccessful GMAT exams to finally realize I was doing it wrong. No matter what books, which tools, and how many practice questions you do, you have to do it your way.

Based on your own selection process, what advice do you have for applicants who are trying to draw up a list of target schools to which to apply? Do research – as much as and as widely as possible, including alumni talks, MBA fairs, school reviews, program rankings, school visits and everything in between. Knowing more will set a clear parameter of schools that fit your preferences the best. Most candidates already have targeted schools in their mind at the time they decide to go to a business school. I would say, don’t narrow your mind by doing research only on those schools. Learn about what other schools offer and you might end up finding schools that better fit your preferences, career ambition and future goals. Talking to fellow candidates and learning reasons behind their targeted schools will also add some fresh ideas and help you draw up a list of target schools. For those who do not have any schools in mind yet, published rankings are always a good start, but I suggest you don’t use these rankings as the star in the criteria.

What advice do you have for applicants in actually applying to a school, writing essays, doing admission interviews, and getting recommenders to write letters on your behalf? Applying to a school is heavy work and sometimes takes longer than expected. Set your target and start working on the application at least 6 weeks before the deadline. This amount of time will give you enough days to revise the essays, consult with alumni and current students, and proofread the writings. More time will also allow you to explore yourself and reminisce about your past experiences. You may come up with other interesting details of your life that will be excellent points to be added on your essays and application.

Talk to your references as soon as you decided to apply, as they also need time to prepare a great recommendation. I always believe that my references need to know why I have chosen particular schools, so a brief explanation about the schools is a must. I also let my references read my essays to make sure we are on the same page.

Always believe in yourself and stay positive that you will be invited for an interview. This will encourage you to practice the interview earlier. Many candidates start practicing when they are officially invited, which only gives them a limited time to practice. If you don’t get invited at the end, practices will always help for other applications.

Lastly, don’t push yourself to apply to all your target schools on the same round. Although it is believed that the first round will give you the most benefits, you have to be strategic and utilize the other rounds as well. Learn from each of the submitted applications and improve on the next ones.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Foster has been on the top of my list since the very beginning. I wanted a smaller MBA program, as I want to experience a close and strong connection with my fellow classmates and professors. During classes, I like to hear every question answered and every opinion heard. My next priority was location. Larger cities are a great opportunity for networking, connection and exploration. Lastly, I chose Foster because of its curriculum that is ideal for my ambitions and future career goals.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? Besides a tremendous personal growth and a new set of professional skills, I am planning to live the fullest of my MBA program. I want to know and be good friends with each of my fellow classmates, to be actively involved in at least one student club, and to enjoy Seattle and the US. Basically, I want to balance my academic and social life while I am here at Foster.