MBA application- there’s more? Yes, you need letters of recommendations – perfect ones at that!

Typically, recommenders for B-School would be people with whom you have worked closely, especially those in a direct supervisory role.

Imagine this- A nice AdCom member is sipping on their Earl Grey tea, sitting in their cosy office that overlooks the river and are giving your application a read. Through the resume and the essays, they will get a sense of all your accomplisments and may also know your story. But who’s to support all this?

Now enters the recommender with the Letter of Recommendation (LoR)!<Drum roll!>

The LoR provides the evidence, supports your claims with examples and gives reassurance to the AdCom.

So, the letters of recommendation (some programs need 2) carry a lot of weight in the MBA application.

The LoR horror stories

In an Indian setting (or anywhere for that matter), if you tell your boss about your MBA plans, it might not always go the way you want.

Many of my clients navigate a web of office politics to secure their recommendations.A client told me today- ” I don’t think I can ask my boss for a recommendation letter. He hasn’t done an MBA and frankly, I think he is jealous.”

That promotion that was rightfully yours might be withheld. A client lamented- ” She agreed but after I disclosed my MBA plans, I have been sidelined”.

Worse, you might get unfavourable or lacklustre (or god forbid, partially answered three-line) recommendations. From a reapplicant- ” I am changing my recommender this time. My CEO was extremely busy. I don’t think he had the time to do a good job”.

Which is why, you can always keep ex-bosses as back-ups (hopefully you didn’t burn any bridges). One suggestion is make sure that the recommenders were from your recent past (less than 3 years).

Getting the perfect Letters of Recommendation

Get the recommenders on your side.

Put yourselves in the recommender’s shoes.

Would they give you the time necessary? LoRs can take anywhere between 1-4 hours per MBA application. The first LoR takes the longest time. While the common LoR from GMAC is accpeted by many, still some B-Schools have their own formats.

How has the person responded when you had asked favors before? Given the stakes, before you approach your recommender, evaluate your relationship with them. Have they been timely? Did you have to follow up much or hand-hold a lot? Will they deliver?

Are they happy that you are leaving? Bad question. Chances are if you an A player, your boss won’t be happy.

Are they happy about your growth and ambition? Right question! Have they helped you seek opportunities for growth within and outside of your role? Have they mentored you? If they are your true well-wisher, then they will do everything to give you a good LoR.

Have you promised to undertake some key projects in your company? Depending on your relationship with the recommender and the nature of your role, you may approach your recommender as early as 3-6 months before the applications. If you are in a critical role, the earlier the better, as then you are giving your boss time for a replacement and playing a big role in succession planning (a big aspect of leadership).

In fact, some companies may expect and want you to go for the MBA. If the recommenders already have an MBA themselves, it is easier to get a LoR as they already know about the importance of it and have a sense of the expectations (hopefully, they don’t botch the execution).

Also, how you ask for the letters is a big deal! Give your recommenders some heads-up. I would advise an 1-1 with your recommender where you can probably discuss your MBA plans (and also succession plans clearly). Use the CareerLabs “The Ultimate Guide to a Letter of Recommendation ( LOR) for MBA/MIM”. With this, no recommender has to request you for a draft (link in the comment).

The future of the Letter of Recommendation (LoR)

Even now, some B-Schools need recommendation letters only after you pass the initial screening process. But then there are those others with many formats and requirements that costs time. This is why some recommenders may not help you for all the 10 B-Schools to which you to apply (another reason why selecting the right B-Schools and limiting the # of B-schools to which you apply is soooooooooo important).

Maybe 5 years down the line, B-Schools might directly take in recommendations from LinkedIn profiles of prospective applicants (in a secure manner) or get video responses from them. This will ensure so much transparency and discourage applicants from influencing the LoRs a lot.

The perfect MBA LoR

Before I go, one other way to get a perfect LoR is to not write one yourself. Give all supporting documents & support to the recommenders, don’t write it.

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Knowing what will hit you when you start your MBA program could probably get you prepared for this academic roller-coaster ride!

Start with understanding the MBA curriculum. MBA Programs will have the ‘core’ courses and then the electives. I love Berkeley Haas new curriculum for its focus on teaching how to work with diverse teams and for preparing students for digital business through the Data Analytics& Data-Driven Presentation courses. Understanding the structure (this is where the 1-year or 2-year would come in) can also help you plan your roadmap ahead.

In B-School, the common methods of teaching would be a combination of case studies, lectures, team projects and experential learning techniques. Harvard, Darden, IESE and Ivey favor the famed case study approach for majority of the learning (and this reflects in their MBA applications). There is a lot of flexibility offered by B-Schools in how you will tailor the curriculum towards your career objectives. Like at Texas McCombs where 70% of the curriculum is self-selected. Or the fast-paced curriculum at London Business School(LBS).

There is scope for specialization and to deepen your knowledge in many areas by taking up concentrations. For example, at Duke Fuqua, there are functional and topical concentrations and the sheer variety of options (Energy Finance, 3 other concentration in Finance, FinTech, Social Entrpreneurship, to name a few) is worth noting. Typically you will take six electives per concentration. In addition to this, there are two certificates (one in Finance & other in Health Sector Management) and a focus track in Management Science and Technology Management (MSTeM) with STEM designation giving international students the option to work in the U.S for an additional 2 years. Students can also bring in their own concentration – like how Giri Kesavan helped drive the the new Tech and Analytics concentration at London Business School. And there are interdisciplinary concentrations like the STEM Certified Clean Tech certification as well.

In addition to studying in a diverse class (LBS has 66 nationalities!), international experience you gain is a main attraction for MBA aspirants. Fuqua has Global Academic Travel Experience through which you can travel to another counttry and experience business first-hand from 6 weeks to a semester. Yale has semester-long Exchange Programs with IESE, LSE, HEC Paris, NUS and Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management. Many programs have courses that make international experience a mandatory part of the MBA program- check out the ‘International Experience’ course at Yale.

Leadership Development is one of the reasons you should consider an MBA. There are so many avenues for developing leadership skills and learning. Like the Texas MBA+ Leadership program where you work with career coaches at Texas McCombs or the integrated curriculum at Yale where leadership training is given through many courses throughout the MBA. At Carlson School of Management, there is a personalized Leadership Development Plan for every MBA student from Day One. At Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Management, the Leadership Development Program is offered separately and is highly customizable and you get to choose from three different approaches.

Then there are other aspects that can make the MBA academic experience more fulfilling- especially experential learning components. Take the seven-week Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP) course at Michigan Ross which focuses on honing analytical, project management, and leadership skills. Or consider Student Teams Achieving Results (STAR) at UNC Kenan-Flagler for live consulting experience. There are many opportunities through academic challenges & competitions like the unique UNC Kenan-Flagler Real Estate Development Challenge or the Fellows programs at Texas McCombs to gain in-depth expertise to specific domains like Health Innovation, Clean Tech, Venture, etc. Students also get to manage investment funds focusing on social and financial goals.

And did I forget to mention the amazing Faculty in B-Schools? These rockstars alongwith your decorated and accomplished peers will make those 2 years of your life truly memorable.

What’s next?

Start researching thoroughly about the options available and identify what might suit your needs. That said, you just can’t get enough of the many ways to enhance one’s academic learning in B-School. No wonder many want the MBA experience!

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