Recommendation Letter Timeline

If you want to do something 6 months out, start to think about which stories will best articulate your impact in terms of teamwork, leadership and problem solving. And also, an anecdote that shares a moment where your recommender coached you/gave you constructive criticism. Consider the "content" you want to share and from there, back out which recommenders make sense. Often people think about a recommender and fail to realize they don't have a "constructive criticism" example for that person so make sure they can work for both questions. At the 6 month point, you could potentially start "feeling them out" as to their perceptions around you applying to b school - are they cynical or supportive? If you sense any hesitency at all you will have time to repeat the exercise I mentioned above or a different recommender. Also schools always emphasize getting one from your current boss but only do that if there is good "content" there and is in your best interest, lots of my clients get into top schools without involving their boss. GMATtoM7

Hi GMATtoM7,

Great question! If you are planning to apply to programs in September 2022, we often advise candidates to begin to identify potential recommenders in April and May. Think about who can write the most effective letters of recommendation (not just who is the most impressive on paper). This is the time that you will want to start putting out feelers to see who is willing to take the time to write you a great letter of recommendation.

Come June, you will want to finalize and prepare your recommenders. This means nailing down your recommenders and scheduling time to adequately prepare them.

Then, you can check back in with your recommenders in August to make sure they are on track, know your deadlines, and see if they need any additional information from you.

Hope this helps! LOR support is a key component of Personal MBA Coach's comprehensive services. Feel free to reach out to scott@personalmbacoach.com if you would like to maximize your chances of success.

Best,
Personal MBA Coach

Recommendations generally come from your professors or peers who have seen or worked with you closely.
An excellent recommendation gives your whole application a boost, and they can clearly judge your candidature with your potential and strengths.

Mostly the recommenders would be senior working professionals who would not have enough time to write down a complete recommendation. Hence, you would need to help them considerably throughout the process. Make sure you give the recommenders a deadline much prior to your actual deadline, as they might take their time to write the recommendations for you.
Timeline to inform recommender: August to September

Try our free tool to know your chances for B schools you target to apply to or to know the best schools you may fit in.