The MBA Recommendation Process

Your candidacy will be stronger if your recommender prepares a specific recommendation for each university and answers each university’s specific recommendation questions. As part of our MBA application assistance, your MBA admission consultant will interview your recommenders and write an effective recommendation sample for each school and each recommender (in the cases where this is ethically acceptable).

How to send a recommendation?

Enter your recommender’s name and email address into the university’s online application system. Subsequently, your recommender will receive an email containing instructions on how to write the recommendation. Alternatively, some universities allow sending hard copy recommendations. Please review the exact instructions on the admissions page of the relevant university website.

Berkeley University

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MBA Recommendation Creation Stages

Let’s assume you’ve selected Steve as one of your recommenders.

Contact Steve.

Update him that you are applying to top MBA programs and you would appreciate receiving a recommendation from him. Inform him that:

You are applying to X (number of) universities.
Each school asks specific questions on its recommendation form. Therefore, it is required to write a separate recommendation for each university.
Each recommendation is normally 2-5 pages long.

Discuss the best path forward with Steve:

a. You will prepare an example of an “ideal recommendation” for each university in order: (i) for him to understand your expectations (ii) to refresh his memory regarding the details of your relationship.

b. Work with your consultant to create a list of accomplishments and examples that demonstrate your strengths as a candidate. Share this list with Steve to assist him in crafting a strong letter o recommendation.

c. Introduce Steve to your consultant for assistance in brainstorming, crafting, and editing the letter of recommendation as he prefers.

If Steve chooses option c, ask him to contact your ARINGO MBA application consultant (or ask your consultant to contact him). The consultant will interview Steve and then assist you in preparing recommendation drafts. Your MBA admission consultant will follow the ARINGO guidelines in preparing effective MBA recommendations for the top schools.

If Steve chooses option a, continue the process as described below.

Check the school’s ethical guidelines on recommendations, and make sure you comply with them (they may dictate a different process from the one described below).

If applicable, emphasize to Steve that according to the school’s ethical code of conduct, you are not permitted to review the recommendation he will ultimately submit. He may use the example you prepared for him, change it, or ignore it.

If Steve is interested in such a recommendation example, choose one school and complete the remaining steps.

Focusing on one school before proceeding to the others will often streamline the process.

It is recommended that you first choose a school that does not limit the number of words for recommendations. This way, it will be easier and faster to prepare recommendation examples for the next schools.

Contact your MBA admission consultant and schedule a date for your recommendation interview.

We recommend that you conduct the recommendation interview for the first school verbally (on the phone or in–person).

The interview will be more efficient if you consider in advance what your professional weaknesses are. These are usually the “toughest nut to crack.” What might Steve say? Which weakness would be most credible (based on your relationship), portray you accurately and truthfully, and present you relatively positively? Prepare several options and present them to your application consultant.
In addition, in order to prepare for the recommendation interview with your consultant, review the school’s recommendation questions (if you don’t have them, ask your consultant to send them to you). Think about possible answers. The more prepared you are for your recommendation interview, the more efficient the process will be.

During the recommendation interview, your MBA admission consultant will review the university’s specific recommendation questions with you.

These questions refer to your relationship with Steve, your demonstrated abilities and your achievements during the relationship period. The consultant will take brief notes of your responses. Usually, the recommendation interview takes 40-90 minutes.

Following the recommendation interview...

Your MBA admission consultant will assist you in preparing Steve’s “ideal recommendation” for the university in question.

Present Steve with the “ideal recommendation.”

Convey to him that this is an example of a recommendation that you would be happy to receive, and it will also refresh his memory regarding your work together. Should he choose, he may ignore the example altogether.

Ask Steve whether he would like you to prepare additional examples for the other schools, since each school has its own set of unique questions.

If Steve agrees, schedule an additional recommendation interview with your consultant. During this recommendation interview, you and your consultant will review and answer the recommendation questions of the other universities.

Following the additional recommendation interview...

Your MBA admission consultant will assist you in preparing Steve’s “ideal recommendation” for each of the subsequent schools to which you are applying.

Present Steve with the “ideal recommendations.”

Convey to him that these are examples of recommendations that you would be happy to receive, and which will reacquaint him with your relationship. Should he choose to, he may ignore the examples altogether (the ethical code of conduct for most schools states that a candidate cannot see the recommendations that the recommender sent).