From MBA Admit.com, www.mbaadmit.com
Can a Co-Worker, Professor or Family Member Write My MBA Recommendation?
In the MBA admissions process, a candidate’s choices about who will write their recommendations are very important. Recommendations are among the most important factors in the admissions process, and who you choose to write your recommendations will say a lot about your work relationships and experience. A lot of MBA candidates come to us at MBA Admit.com asking whether they can use a college professor, college colleague or co-worker as a recommendation writer. Nine out of ten times, the answer to this question is “no”. To the admissions committee, that choice can mean you lack the needed professional references from the workplace. In turn, this can make the admissions committee believe that you have not performed well enough to have strong support from your professional superiors.
Most MBA applications will require two or three recommendation letters. Ideally, you should have two recommendations from professionals who are superior to you in the workplace. If necessary, for the second letter, a letter from a work colleague can be used successfully rather than a letter from a superior, assuming that the letter is written in the right language (and doesn’t sound like it is from your buddy) and emphasizes the topics that business schools most care about.
For business schools that require three recommendations, the third recommendation should preferably add a new element to the application that wasn’t addressed or explained in any other recommendations. For example, a client, a business partner or colleague from a prior business experience can help to add a different perspective. Alternatively, if you have an outstanding extracurricular activity, you can potentially use a third recommendation from someone you have worked with on a very meaningful, business-relevant extracurricular activity. For example, perhaps you volunteer on the Board of Directors at a noteworthy non-profit — this could be an excellent opportunity to showcase your achievements of that experience!
What if you are running your own business? A co-founder, partner or client can all serve as effective recommendation writers for you.
What if you are in a family business? Clients are often good choices for recommendation writers. The admissions committees assume Dad or Mom will support you regardless of whether you have performed poorly or not, therefore a recommendation from Dad or Mom (or another close relative) will carry no weight.
When can a college professor make a good rec writer? In most cases, only when a professor has deep, continuing contact with you after college and knows about your career and/or had business-related work experience with you.
Recommendations can make a huge impact on the admissions committee and can make or break a candidate’s chance for admission. Make sure yours are outstanding.
Feel free to reach out to us at MBA Admit.com if you would like assistance in the MBA application process.
Best wishes,
Dr. Shel (Shelly Watts)
President, MBA Admit.com
https://www.mbaadmit.com
Email: info@mbaadmit.com
