UPDATE: This article was originally posted on June 16, 2021. It has been updated with new information and tips below.
If you’re just starting to think about applying for an MBA, you may be overwhelmed with just how complex the process is. There are so many things that go into a successful application, which is why we created this series to walk you through all of the crucial steps of your MBA application process.
Today, we’re zooming in on how to secure excellent recommendations, as having the right recommenders on your side makes all the difference when it comes to getting a spot at your top-choice MBA program.
If you missed our previous posts in this series, no worries! You can catch up by clicking the links below:
MBA Application Fundamentals – Part 1: Creating your Test Strategy
MBA Application Fundamentals – Part 2: Choosing your Schools
MBA Application Fundamentals – Part 3: Defining your Profile
Why recommendations are important
Every piece of an MBA application is fundamental and can influence your admission decision. Most MBA programs require at least two letters of recommendation, and admissions directors across campuses say they are a way to learn about you from someone else’s perspective.
Recommendation letters are complementary to the other components of your MBA application. For example, a recommendation can validate a strength that you described in your essay. Alternatively, the letter could describe additional characteristics and examples that are not shared in other components of your application, thus adding to your image.
Because letters of recommendation are influential in admissions decisions, glowing recommendations can tip the scales in your favor, while a lukewarm recommendation can work against you. Even though someone else is recommending you, there are many steps you can take to ensure MBA admissions representatives receive a positive letter of recommendation that boosts your candidacy.
How to choose your recommenders
Before any words are ever put on paper, you can increase your chances of admission by selecting the right recommenders for your MBA application. Let’s look at examples of some stronger and weaker choices for your recommendation writers:
STRONG: Current supervisor
This is the first person you should consider for a recommendation. In fact, some MBA programs request that you list your current supervisor as a recommender.
Why? One, your supervisor likely knows your professional profile the best because they work closely with you and conduct your performance evaluations. Two, their opinion is highly valued because most have supervised, evaluated, and promoted many other professionals, so they can properly compare you to others in similar roles.
Even schools that request a current supervisor understand there are situations in which your current supervisor might not be a good choice – for example, if you work for a family member or if your supervisor does not support your decision to leave the company and attend an MBA. If you don’t list your current supervisor, then you should attempt to explain in your application why you did not list them so that you avoid suspicions that you’re trying to hide something negative about your work performance.
STRONG: Former supervisor
For similar reasons listed above, a former supervisor is an excellent choice for one of your recommendations. If you don’t have a current supervisor (ex. If you’re self-employed or unemployed) or you aren’t able to list your current supervisor, this is an almost essential choice because it still gives admissions committees a managerial perspective.
You should also consider listing a former supervisor as your second recommender if you chose your current supervisor for your first letter of recommendation.
STRONG: Indirect managers
It is strongly advised to include at least one direct supervisor – current or former – as a recommender. However, professionals at one or more levels above you who you work closely with, even without a direct reporting relationship, are great options for your second (or third) recommender. It’s a smart strategy to select two recommenders from the workplace who can speak to your professional skills.
However, you could also choose someone who worked with you in a managerial capacity in a professional or community organization outside of work. For example, our client Victor held a major leadership role in a national religious organization as a volunteer, so it made sense for his supervisor within the organization to write a recommendation.
WEAK: Academic references
Professors and teachers are not good choices because MBA programs want to learn about how you work in a professional environment. Most MBA candidates have been out of university for several years, so it’s unlikely that a professor would be able to accurately describe your professional characteristics.
The exception would be if you’re still a student and have little to no work experience. Additionally, if a school asks for three recommendations, then it would be acceptable to have an academic reference for your third recommender if it’s someone who knows you very well and can speak in-depth about your strengths.
WEAK: Anyone who doesn’t know you well
Effective letters of recommendation come from someone who can comment knowledgeably about you in a work setting. Only choose recommenders that have had many positive interactions and experiences with you, preferably in the workplace.
As Chicago Booth puts it, “selecting someone with a high-level, fancy title does not mean very much to us if you’ve not worked closely with that person.”
Asking for the recommendation
Once you’ve selected your top choices for your recommenders, it’s time to ask them if they would be willing to write a recommendation. We recommend asking early – at least 1-2 months in advance of the application deadline.
Contacting potential recommenders early is a great strategy to increase your chances of securing your top choices. If you ask too late, the recommender may decline because they’re already writing recommendations for other MBA candidates and either can’t or don’t want to recommend more.
Use your best judgment when selecting a method to ask for a recommendation. Because your recommenders should know you well, a phone call, email, or quick visit to their office is usually fine. In more formal contexts, you may want to take them to lunch or schedule a meeting.
Letter of recommendation structure
Your recommenders are busy people. Business schools know that, so over 40 of the top programs worldwide have adopted the GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation, which provides recommenders with the same leadership assessment grid and 3-4 questions:
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.
- How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (e.g., what are the applicant’s principal strengths?)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
The word limit may vary from school to school, but the questions remain the same, making it easy for the same person to recommend you to multiple schools.
Some MBA programs, like INSEAD, Wharton, and London Business School, ask different questions, though overall themes like strengths, weaknesses, and leadership potential often remain the same.
Looking for the exact Letter of Recommendation questions for your target schools? Our MBA Resource Library has LOR guides for dozens of top schools, as well as numerous sample essays, mock sequences, exclusive guides, and CV templates. Click to join!
No matter what, make sure your recommender follows each school’s guidelines rather than writing a generic, open-ended letter.
What makes a strong letter of recommendation?
When asking someone to serve as a recommender, it’s important to prepare them by sending them information reminding them of your achievements and explaining your MBA goals. Because your recommenders are busy people, some of them may want you to draft a letter for them to edit and submit. Others will want to write down their ideas and send them to you for review. Make sure to establish each recommender’s writing and editing preference up front.
In our experience, most recommenders want you to draft a letter that you’ll send to them for their review. We work with you to determine your strengths and weaknesses and generate examples for you to send to your recommender that will boost your overall application.
The strengths question (with examples)
Whether you’re applying to a school using the GMAC questions or not, you’ll likely encounter a question that asks the recommender to describe your strengths. For the GMAC, this is question two: “How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles?”
With this question, it’s important to identify a few strengths and back them up with specific examples. A letter with two compelling anecdotes illustrating your outstanding work performance is better than a letter that lists four or five strengths with vague or generic examples. Let’s look at an example of a letter that does this effectively (name have been changed):
The feedback question (with examples)
This question is usually more difficult to answer. You know what strengths and achievements you want to share with the admissions committee, but how should you address the feedback question?
The question is not asking for your weaknesses. Over 40 business schools ask this question because they want to know how you receive feedback and incorporate it into your work. With that in mind, it’s important to describe 1) how the recommender noticed the opportunity for improvement, 2) the exact feedback the recommender gave you and 3) examples of how you incorporated that feedback moving forward.
Let’s look at an example that does this effectively (name have been changed):
We have dozens more example letters available in our MBA Resource Center. Sign up here!
Submitting your letters of recommendation
No matter what writing and editing process you go through with your recommender, they will always be the one who submits your letter of recommendation to each school.
Once you’ve created a new online application for an MBA program, you will be able to go into your account and enter your recommenders’ contact information. Your recommenders will then receive the questions and/or assessments that the school wants them to answer. By the time you reach this step, you should have already prepped your recommender and made them aware of any deadlines.
Navigating your letter of recommendation strategy
Asking for and receiving letters of recommendation is often one of the most daunting pieces of your MBA application. Recommendations play an influential role in admissions committee decisions, so we work with you to identify the right people, brainstorm compelling content, and collaborate with busy recommenders to make sure everything is submitted accurately and on time.
If you’re interested in working with us, apply here to add more value than you ever thought possible during your MBA application journey. Spots are limited!
Real MBA Essays That Got People In
School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted
