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MBAGuide
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Joined: 24 Jul 2019
Last visit: 11 Nov 2025
Posts: 2,282
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Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Marketing
Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)
Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)
Posts: 2,282
Kudos: 942
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What Do Recommendation Letters Really Do? 23 Apr 2025, 04:35
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If you have decided to throw your hat into the ring for a top-tier business school, you have probably also heard many solemnly swear that LORs are one of the most critical components of the application. And your inner skeptic may wonder, “What’s the big deal about letters of recommendations that mostly read like love notes anyway?”

Fair question. While most LORs do tend to lean into high praise territory, do you know nearly 10-20% of them are flat-out negative (fun fact!), not just bland, but actively unflattering? Even among the glowing ones, a good number of LORs contain red flags hidden behind flowery language. That’s precisely why admissions committees pore over these letters with such forensic intensity.

Seasoned adcom reviewers have a finely tuned radar for passive-aggressive praise in the LORs.
They can tell when a "strength" is disguised for “not management material yet.” In your LORs, the Admissions officials are not just looking for high praise expressions. On the contrary, they are hunting for credible, consistent, and informed enthusiasm. That rare breed of recommendation that says, “I know this person, and I would bet my bonus on them!”


Do All B-Schools Want the Same Thing in the LORs?
Absolutely not. Each business school has a distinct culture and vision of what makes a successful candidate. As a result, what counts as a “great” recommendation can vary from one program to another. Generally, though, schools use LORs to evaluate both your academic readiness and your long-term leadership potential. Some may prize analytical horsepower, others leadership charisma, and a few might be quietly assessing whether you will one day become an alumnus they brag about in brochures.

Recommendation letters are their way of seeing who you are when you are not in the room.
Do your colleagues see you the same way you see yourself?
Or have you been taking some creative liberties in your essays?

If your LORs don’t back up your personal narrative, say, that meteoric professional rise you casually mentioned in your “Why Me” essay—the adcom may start raising eyebrows.


Common Pitfalls (And How to Gracefully Avoid Them)

One of the biggest mistakes we have seen applicants make is inconsistency between their essays and their LORs.

Imagine you downplay your technical skills in your essay to shake off the “IT guy” stereotype and talk up your leadership potential. Then your recommender lovingly raves about your coding genius, with great technical contributions in the workplace, but barely mentions any leadership moments. Now that’s a problem! The adcom is left thinking, “Which version of this person are we getting?”

A strong LOR reinforces, not contradicts your strategic positioning. It adds credibility to your narrative. If it doesn’t, it could quietly erode trust in your application, no matter how polished your essays are.


What Schools Are Also Watching For

Beyond content, your recommendations say something about your judgment. Schools are indirectly evaluating:

  1. Your interpersonal awareness – Did you select someone who truly believes in your potential and can articulate it with credibility and enthusiasm?
  2. Your ability to influence – Do you have the tact and influence to convince a time-starved manager to put serious thought into a thoughtful, enthusiastic letter?
These underlying dynamics can be just as telling as the content of the letter itself. A carefully chosen and genuinely supportive recommender adds weight to your application in ways that can’t be replicated elsewhere.


Wondering how your profile stacks up? Get a free profile evaluation and discuss a tailored MBA plan that aligns with your goals.


Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com­