Letters of Recommendation - Avg Length?

Question

For those of you who have experience with this...

How long should my letters of recommendation be? I want to be clear in my expectations when speaking to my recommenders.

Some of the schools I am applying to have templates/forms (e.g. CBS) while others ask for an open letter (e.g. Kellogg).

So for something like CBS, how l long should a response be for a single question (i.e. Comment on your observations of the applicant’s ethical behavior.)

And then how about for a non-template letter?

Thanks,
Michael

MBAIsrael · Answer

It's hard to average it since some schools have 9 questions (Hass) and some 3 (Darden), but anyway it shouldn't be more than 2 pages long.

thisguy310 · Answer

I would agree, no more than 2 pages. Also, there's a great thread on rec. letters and making 'packets' for your recommenders to refresh them on what they should write about.

Make sure they write the right school name

MDF · Answer

Thank you! Could you please point me in the direction of this thread? I'm having trouble locating it via the search engine...

thisguy310 · Answer

Here you go: https://gmatclub.com/wiki/Recommendations recommender-guide-41085.html#p285758

MDF · Answer

Thank you! This is great!

ARINGO · Answer

Most letters of recommendation are 2-4 pages long. One page recommendations are usually too short to demonstrate and highlight the significant nature of the relationship.
Of course, sticking to the school's instructions is always a good advice!
For more MBA Recommendations tips: https://www.aringo.com/MBA_Recommendations_Process.htm

MBAbot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club MBAbot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

Letters of Recommendation - Avg Length?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards