The Crucial Role of Recommendations in Business School Applications

The mbaMission Podcast

mbaMission senior MBA admissions consultant Harold Simansky talks with mbaMission executive director Katy Lewis about the important role recommendations play in business school applications, as they provide evidence of leadership, which is a key trait that top schools look for. Recommendations are like a transcript of leadership and serve as a marketing document that sells the applicant. They can break ties between equally qualified candidates and can even convince the admissions committee to admit someone with exceptional recommendations. It is important for applicants to approach their recommenders with enthusiasm and support, and to provide them with detailed information about their accomplishments. It is also crucial to choose recommenders who know the applicant's work well and are enthusiastic about their potential.

Takeaways

• Recommendations are extremely important in business school applications and provide evidence of leadership.
• They serve as a marketing document that sells the applicant and can break ties between equally qualified candidates.
• Applicants should approach their recommenders with enthusiasm and support, and provide them with detailed information about their accomplishments.
• It is important to choose recommenders who know the applicant's work well and are enthusiastic about their potential.

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Chapter

1. The role of recommendations in business school applications (00:00:00)

2. Why letters of recommendation are so important (00:00:46)

3. The stress of getting letters of recommendation (00:04:29)

4. What if your recommender wants YOU to write your own recommendation letter? (00:05:28)

5. Transcript of leadership vs. performance review (00:08:31)

6. Making recommenders feel like part of the team (00:12:52)

7. What if your recommender doesn't want you to go to business school? (00:15:20)

8. Who make the best recommenders? (00:20:10)

9. Final words on MBA recommendations (00:24:23)