Guidance regarding LORs

Question

Hi experts,

I am currently in the process of preparing my applications for the Columbia Business School Deferred MBA. I have almost all the documents ready apart from the LOR.
The application requires a single LOR from a "professor, mentor, internship supervisor or employer".

I am having a tough time deciding which recommendor to choose and would love to have your views on the same. I have boiled it down to 3 recommendors with whom I have worked with closely for different amounts of time.
1. Internship supervisor- I had a 2 month internship from June 2023 to July 2023 at a Big 4 company. My manager was an Associate Director there and I spent the entire two months working under his guidance.
2. Internship supervisor- I had a 4 month research internship from April 2022 to July 2022 at the No. 1 ranked business school in India. My manager was an Assistant Professor in the Strategy Department.
3. Professor- A professor of my engineering major at my university. He was my lecturer for one subject and I have written a research paper under him.

I want to know how should I prioritise various aspects when choosing a recommendor-
1. How old is my work experience with the recommendor.
2. What was the duration of my work experience with the recommendor.
3. What position does the recommendor hold in context of their job/career.
4. What was the impact/volume of the work with the recommendor.
5. Any other criteria I might have missed out.

Nikhil   Admissionado   MBAandBeyond   MBAPrepCoach   mbaMissionKate

Thanks in advance!

PyjamaScientist · Answer

If you have worked under your supervisor for a mere couple of months, the quality of the LOR will be objectionable. Ideally, getting an LOR from someone who has known you for atleast 6 months works best. You can take one from your professor if you recently graduated college. If you graduated more than 2 years back, it won't hold much weight.

mbaMissionKate · Answer

Hi  lessgoogmat !

Thanks for clearly laying out your options. I wouldn't go with option 3 (professor). To me, it doesn't seem like you worked together enough and I think it risks being a fairly generic letter. Either 1 or 2 sounds good to me though. I like the recency of option 1 and that it's a Big 4 / well-known firm. With option 2, I like that you worked together a bit longer and it has both an academic and professional component to it.

In terms of criteria, I wouldn't worry about the recommender's position or rank, that's not important. What is important is how well they know you and how enthusiastic they are about supporting you. Also how much detail they can provide in their letter, and who will be easiest to work with in terms of timeliness.

Hope that helps!
Kate

lessgoogmat · Answer

Thank you for such a prompt reply!

I have a few follow up questions-
1. Keeping in mind that I am currently a college student, will the fact that my work experience with these recommendors was merely 2 and 4 months long respectively, render the LOR insignificant?
2. Could you please elaborate on what you mean by "easiest to work with in terms of timeliness"?

mbaMissionKate · Answer

Sure, happy to help. For deferred applicants, it's quite common to use an internship supervisor and as you know, college internships typically only last a few months, so yes that's totally fine. Regarding timeliness, I mean that you have less than 2 weeks until the deadline, which is not very much time. So you want to be sure you're choosing a recommender who has time to do this right now and you can trust to submit on time. Hope that makes sense!

MBAandBeyond · Answer

Hey lessgoogmat , Choosing the right recommender for your Columbia Business School Deferred MBA application is crucial. Here's how to prioritize the factors you mentioned: 1. Quality over Quantity: While a longer work experience (like your 4-month internship) might seem ideal, the depth and impact of your work with the recommender hold more weight. Did you have a chance to showcase your critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and leadership potential? 2. Relevance to Business: Professor #2 (Assistant Professor in Strategy) might have a slight edge here. Their familiarity with business school expectations and your research experience in strategy directly connects to your MBA aspirations. 3. Title Matters (but not everything): Associate Director (Choice #1) carries a more senior title, but Professor #2's academic background might be more relevant for Columbia. 4. Impactful Contribution: Focus on the tangible results you achieved under each recommender. Did your work lead to cost savings, improved processes, or a successful research publication? 5. Additional Considerations: Strength of the Relationship: Choose someone who knows you well and can provide specific anecdotes about your work ethic and potential. Here's a possible approach: Prioritize Professor #2 (Assistant Professor in Strategy): Their academic background, focus on strategy, and potential knowledge of your research paper make them a strong contender. Consider Professor #1 (Engineering Professor): If your research paper directly connects to business applications, they could be a good option. However, highlight how your engineering skills translate to the business world. Internship Supervisor #1 (Associate Director): While the short duration is a downside, if the impact of your work was significant, consider reaching out to gauge their enthusiasm for writing a strong letter. Ultimately, the best choice depends on the specifics of your experience. Analyze each recommender based on these factors and choose the one who can provide the most compelling and insightful letter highlighting your potential as an MBA candidate. CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE A FREE 1:1 PROFILE ANALYSIS CALL Testimonials Meet our Panel of Consultants. Email: hasan@mbaandbeyond.com MBA and Beyond

MBADecoder · Answer

HI, I will also chip in. This looks like a good option considering the recency. I prefer to go with a more recent manager as recommender, if possible, as they can speak to your most recent skills and abilities, and this insight is important given that we as humans are always evolving into our better selves with time and more maturity. However, you were in this experience for only two months, so it will be important to ask if you were able to make some level of impact, show initiative taking, result orientation, and interpersonal skills that are relevant for a b-school application. If this recommender can speak to how you showed career awareness in the time they have known you and what your career aspirations are, then that would be an added advantage. Kate made a valid point about the shortage of time in seeking a recommendation before the deadline, so factor this into your decision making. There’s a possibility this person would be more inclined to give you a reco given that you were working with them only a few months ago. This person would be my second choice. Here the period of your engagement is longer, but this experience happened a while ago. In a research project, the skills to highlight could be slightly different. Your recommender may talk about your ability to comprehend and analyse complex information, structure your thoughts, use data tools, be articulate and have good presentations skills and be able to work in a team- I am basically thinking of what would be relevant in a research internship. As the professor teaches at a b-school, they can be the right person to talk about your understanding or career paths and your career aspirations as well. I would ask this professor as a last option, simply as you have two other people who can talk about more relevant experiences. Namita Garg, Founder, MBA Decoder Email: contact@mbadecoder.com Profile evaluation: https://mbadecoder.com/services/free-pr ... valuation/

MBAGuide · Answer

@lessgoogmat When applying to MBA or management programs, adhere to a golden rule: prioritize renowned brands and secure Letters of Recommendation (LORs) from managers associated with these prestigious organizations. Ideal choices include your internship supervisor from a Big 4 firm and a Strategy professor from a top-tier business school in India, as highlighted by many experts. But ensure that your LORs stand out by avoiding generic content. Instead, they should specifically highlight how you exemplify a type A candidate for elite MBA programs. Your recommenders should illustrate this through concrete examples from your engagements in business projects and strategies during your internships. Get personalized advice tailored to your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process. Reapplying? Get a free ding analysis Best wishes Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alum, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer) Founder, MBAGuideConsulting LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com

Guidance regarding LORs

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