{"id":15802,"date":"2025-06-05T11:36:49","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T15:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stratusadmissionscounseling.com\/blog\/?p=15802"},"modified":"2026-03-09T12:51:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T16:51:02","slug":"four-tips-for-selecting-the-right-mba-recommenders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stratusadmissionscounseling.com\/blog\/four-tips-for-selecting-the-right-mba-recommenders\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Tips for Selecting the Right MBA Recommenders"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Throughout the MBA application process, you\u2019ll effectively put together a campaign based on your personal story making the case for why you should be accepted to your target school(s). Many people find it challenging to tell their personal story in a logical and compelling way within the limits of business school applications. Therefore, recommenders are a critical part of the MBA application process because they provide the admissions committee with an outsider\u2019s perspective of your story. One admissions staffer explained that the recommendation triangulates what is being represented elsewhere in the application, thus validating the consistency of the overall application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, choosing the \u201cright\u201d recommenders is a key decision. Choosing the wrong recommenders and\/or not managing the process effectively can be the difference between being accepted and getting dinged. Consider the following tips when selecting your recommenders:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Know your MBA application.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Very few applicants have a perfect business school application, so being aware of your strengths and weaknesses is important. Admissions committees evaluate multiple aspects including your undergraduate performance, GMAT\/GRE score, community involvement, leadership experience, work experience, professional progression, global exposure, and school fit. Do you have weaknesses in one or more of these areas? If so, how can your recommenders improve your story in those areas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps you have a poor GRE\/GMAT score and didn\u2019t have a strong quant undergraduate performance. In such a scenario, admissions committees may question your ability to handle the academic rigors (especially quantitative) of the curriculum. Therefore, consider selecting a recommender who can provide examples of your strong analytical ability. It will be key for the recommender to provide details about the quantitative skills you\u2019ve exemplified in specific projects, thus demonstrating your ability to do the quant work required in an MBA program. This should be easy if you have a math-heavy role in the finance, marketing, operations, or accounting department, but it may require more creativity if your role is not inherently quantitative. If the latter scenario applies to you, consider what type of analysis you thrive in on a regular (or quasi-regular) basis.     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, if you do not have direct reports, your recommender can help illustrate your leadership qualities. This can include managing up, leading a particular project, or even mentoring people who do not report to you. Furthermore, your recommender should demonstrate how you tackle challenges and\/or how you\u2019ve grown in your career. Since leadership is not solely about being the boss, you potentially might have many examples that show you as a leader, and your recommender can tell this part of your story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Remember that titles don\u2019t matter.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although it may be tempting to ask the head of your company to write a letter on your behalf, this decision could backfire. The admissions committee would much rather see an MBA recommendation letter from a direct supervisor who worked with you every day than one from a CEO who barely knows you. Recommenders are commonly asked two questions\u2014one relates to the applicant\u2019s performance and maturity relative to peers, and the other pertains to a time when the applicant received constructive feedback\u2014so it\u2019s logical to think first about who knows your peer group and who has given you constructive feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best letters of recommendation include strong, specific examples exhibiting your characteristics as well as how you grew, stood out from your peer group, or improved the company. Such illustrations are best and most authentically told from the perspective of those you work with the closest. Therefore, choose a recommender who has worked closely with you and can speak to your attributes and strengths firsthand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recently had a client ask if this advice means that she should not use a recommender who has a high-level, C-suite title. She feared that the admissions committee would be turned off by seeing such a lofty title despite the fact that she worked with this person very closely. Fear not\u2014as long as you are choosing someone who knows you, your work product, and your strengths really well, no title (lofty or not) will be a turnoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Consider who cares the most.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ask yourself one simple question: of all the recommenders you\u2019re considering, who do you think cares the most about you attending business school and advancing your career? The best letters are often written by recommenders who care deeply about the MBA candidate. Given that applicants often apply to multiple schools, and each school utilizes different questions and ranking systems, the process can be quite demanding for a recommender\u2014often more than they may have expected. Consequently, a recommender who cares is more likely to spend the time needed to write a strong letter\u2014highlighting thoughtful examples, using superlative language, and speaking favorably about your strengths and attributes. I had a client whose MBA recommender thought the process would be simple but then found the recommender questions to be daunting. Therefore, my client had to regroup and find a new recommender\u2014who turned out to be a much better choice, as they were a true champion and advocate for my client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the top MBA programs still require two letters of recommendation, with the expectation that one of them will be your current supervisor. However, there are some cases where getting a recommendation from your current supervisor is not feasible: <\/p>\n\n\n\n