Recommendation letters dilemma

Question

Hi,

I have question regarding Recommendation letters. 
I'm finding it very hard to have my boss and ex bosses, go into each college website and fill out a Recommendation letter.
I just requested my first letter, and it took a lot of follow up, mostly because thy are too busy with their work. And this seems to be a lower priority for them.

I'm wondering if it'd be a good idea to get universal format recommendation letter from them and just explain in optional essay that i'm applying to mulitple schools and it was creating lot more work for my recommenders, hence the universal format.

Do you think this could weigh negatively on my application? Please advise? Thanks

PaulBodine · Answer

gillm, A universal format letter--if it was enthusiastic, full of examples, and addressed almost all of the questions that all your schools ask--would not be a deal-breaker at most schools. Though top schools do prefer that applicants answer their prompts specifically nowadays most schools actually ask the same questions, so a good composite letter will not hurt you. Just make sure they are strong and meaty letters. One of our services is to help recommenders craft their letters, saving them time, so feel free to contact me if you'd like us to help them. --Paul Bodine, Great Applications for Business School, www.admitify.com/outcomes

Admissionado · Answer

Yeah dude,
there's no such thing as a "good universal rec letter". That stuff has got to be SPECIFIC to work good for you!

If your boss doesn't have that much time, you can ask to interview him and then draft it yourself.... but basically, your ability to pull an amazing recommendation from people who don't have time is exactly what you are being tested on!!!

Best,
JF

Best, JF

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

I would really try and get schools specific recommendations. This is a hugely important aspect of the process and the ability to have your recommender address the prompt directly is key. Now you can work with to lessen the time commitment but they should be specific. Also part of selecting a recommender is making sure they have the time AND desire to do this for you. If it is not a priority for them then you need to try and make it more of one for them or you may need to consider other recommenders

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

I absolutely agree you need to have the specific school's questions answered. It may be work but the good news is a lot of schools are using similar (if not the exact same) questions now. You can certainly coach your boss by providing info to make it easier to write the letter but don't have a copy/paste done. I didn't have a single client do that this year so you will be competing with everyone else who follows the guidelines.

Good luck!

Best,
Scott

Good luck!

Best,
Scott

CriticalSquare · Answer

I strongly recommend against the "universal LOR" route. The problem with many LORs and essays is that their too generic. Every part of your application needs to be specific or unique. They need to be about you and why you stand out of the crowd. For any upcoming requests I'd recommend scheduling time with them to discuss the urgency of your request. Also, help them help you. Provide them with a set of organized information about your past, a resume, and a summary of what you hope to get out of an MBA. Another option is to draft something for them to get them started, obviously having them edit and refine before submitting. Hope this helps!

Recommendation letters dilemma

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