Last visit was: 20 Nov 2025, 05:14 It is currently 20 Nov 2025, 05:14
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
zonk
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 12 Jul 2008
Last visit: 10 Nov 2013
Posts: 366
Own Kudos:
351
Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship, Health Care
Schools:Wharton
Posts: 366
Kudos: 351
When should you start panicking....... 02 Oct 2008, 15:42
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Ntang
If I were asking them to do something really out of their way to accommodate me, then maybe I would be stupid. But look - the online app system of getting your referees to send their LORs directly through the school's proprietary system, as opposed to accepting them in other ways, is just a way to shove off more of the adcom's work on their applicants. (Maybe they feel like right-clicking on a PDF file sent to them via email and putting it in the right network folder is just too much to ask or something.) I've seen almost no examples of a school requesting truly unique information about the applicant on its rec form - they all ask for the same stuff with different wording.

I'll let you know how it works out. But I think that declining to jump through all the hoops here is a perfectly reasonable preference - they can't expect everyone's boss to have the time or inclination to care about Kellogg or Harvard or whomever's special form. If I'm paying $250 to apply to their horse and pony show, and my actual qualifications are good enough to have a decent shot, then they should be able to overlook my disinclination to worry about their unreasonable requests. And incidentally, the feedback I've gotten from Admissions offices I've asked about this have told me that, though they don't like it, it won't have an "evaluative impact" on my dossier.

Bottom line - if centralized, generalized applications are good enough for law and medical school, then B-schools should shut up and get on the train.
Show more

On the flip side, you are asking for admittance into their institution. They owe you nothing...
User avatar
jb32
User avatar
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Last visit: 06 Jun 2010
Posts: 773
Own Kudos:
155
Given Kudos: 9
Location: Texas
Concentration: Finance
Schools:Kellogg Class of 2011
Posts: 773
Kudos: 155
When should you start panicking....... 02 Oct 2008, 20:14
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Both recommenders have submitted!!
User avatar
terp26
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Last visit: 06 Apr 2020
Posts: 1,210
Own Kudos:
380
Given Kudos: 12
Schools:Chicago Booth '11
Posts: 1,210
Kudos: 380
When should you start panicking....... 03 Oct 2008, 08:09
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
If none of mine are in by Monday, it will be time to get forceful.
User avatar
agold
User avatar
Joined: 11 Mar 2008
Last visit: 01 Mar 2009
Posts: 1,578
Own Kudos:
300
Location: Southern California
Concentration: Investment Banking
Schools:Chicago (dinged), Tuck (November), Columbia (RD)
Posts: 1,578
Kudos: 300
When should you start panicking....... 06 Oct 2008, 15:56
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I'm getting terribly worried, as well. The senior level people in my company are extremely polished and I know they will come through with solid LORs. However, my direct supervisor has poor grammar and writing style, and he has explicitly told me that he plans to "take care of them quickly and turn them around fast", which most likely means he won't spend more than 15-30 minutes on the LOR.

Anyone else in such a predicament? If I were to not use my direct supervisor, it would set off red flags and I would have to explain it. If I use him (which is the choice that I have decided on), I may end up with 1 mediocare at best recommendation and 1 glowing one from a senior guy. They will likely provide a pretty stark contrast as far as content (one being "realistic" and one "overly optimistic) and writing style (one messy and one polished). I have no idea how this is received, but I would hope that it would reflect more on the recommender than the applicant.

I really hope that these don't count for much. I have never heard of anyone being told in a feedback session that their LORs are why they got dinged, and most books on the admission process seem to rank the importance of LORs fairly low. It is truly not my fault if someone can't write and/or if they are a negative person.
User avatar
jb32
User avatar
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Last visit: 06 Jun 2010
Posts: 773
Own Kudos:
155
Given Kudos: 9
Location: Texas
Concentration: Finance
Schools:Kellogg Class of 2011
Posts: 773
Kudos: 155
When should you start panicking....... 06 Oct 2008, 16:50
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
So one of my recommenders is kind of a dufus, and I made sure to have his boss review the letter. However, he checked top 2% on every box on the list of traits. I'm not sure how this will impact my rec. Any ideas? Is this terrible?
User avatar
agold
User avatar
Joined: 11 Mar 2008
Last visit: 01 Mar 2009
Posts: 1,578
Own Kudos:
300
Location: Southern California
Concentration: Investment Banking
Schools:Chicago (dinged), Tuck (November), Columbia (RD)
Posts: 1,578
Kudos: 300
When should you start panicking....... 06 Oct 2008, 18:11
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
jb32
So one of my recommenders is kind of a dufus, and I made sure to have his boss review the letter. However, he checked top 2% on every box on the list of traits. I'm not sure how this will impact my rec. Any ideas? Is this terrible?
Show more

It could be a lot, lot, worse than this. I need to take my own advice in this regard, but recommendations are just unnecessary stress. My plan from now on is to just provide the material to my recommenders and then get out of the way and not think about it again. Recommendations are completely out of your control.
User avatar
kryzak
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 04 Jun 2007
Last visit: 10 Aug 2013
Posts: 5,452
Own Kudos:
744
Given Kudos: 14
Status:Um... what do you want to know?
Location: SF, CA, USA
Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship, Digital Media & Entertainment
Schools:UC Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA 2010
GPA: 3.9 - undergrad 3.6 - grad-EE
WE 1: Social Gaming
Posts: 5,452
Kudos: 744
When should you start panicking....... 06 Oct 2008, 19:09
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
terp06
Anyone else in such a predicament? If I were to not use my direct supervisor, it would set off red flags and I would have to explain it. If I use him (which is the choice that I have decided on), I may end up with 1 mediocare at best recommendation and 1 glowing one from a senior guy. They will likely provide a pretty stark contrast as far as content (one being "realistic" and one "overly optimistic) and writing style (one messy and one polished). I have no idea how this is received, but I would hope that it would reflect more on the recommender than the applicant.
Show more

One of my LORs was similar, but the person (actually, both of them) allowed me to look at the rec and give suggestions for grammatical and structural improvements, so I was saved there. If you can get your supervisor to let you provide some feedback OR ask someone he trusts (like a peer or his boss) to look it over, you should be fine.

I probably wouldn't worry *too* much, but if it's that bad, then I would try to influence the supervisor somehow. LORs are not an important part of the app (unless it's negative), but a very poorly written one will cause some frustration on the adcom's part, and you DON'T want them to remember you for that. :P
User avatar
agold
User avatar
Joined: 11 Mar 2008
Last visit: 01 Mar 2009
Posts: 1,578
Own Kudos:
300
Location: Southern California
Concentration: Investment Banking
Schools:Chicago (dinged), Tuck (November), Columbia (RD)
Posts: 1,578
Kudos: 300
When should you start panicking....... 06 Oct 2008, 19:15
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
kryzak
terp06
Anyone else in such a predicament? If I were to not use my direct supervisor, it would set off red flags and I would have to explain it. If I use him (which is the choice that I have decided on), I may end up with 1 mediocare at best recommendation and 1 glowing one from a senior guy. They will likely provide a pretty stark contrast as far as content (one being "realistic" and one "overly optimistic) and writing style (one messy and one polished). I have no idea how this is received, but I would hope that it would reflect more on the recommender than the applicant.

One of my LORs was similar, but the person (actually, both of them) allowed me to look at the rec and give suggestions for grammatical and structural improvements, so I was saved there. If you can get your supervisor to let you provide some feedback OR ask someone he trusts (like a peer or his boss) to look it over, you should be fine.

I probably wouldn't worry *too* much, but if it's that bad, then I would try to influence the supervisor somehow. LORs are not an important part of the app (unless it's negative), but a very poorly written one will cause some frustration on the adcom's part, and you DON'T want them to remember you for that. :P
Show more

I asked him if I could look it over before he submitted today. He declined and told me he will just plan to submit it. He occasionally cracks jokes about his writing, but most people at the company don't find it so funny. His e-mails make him look like a high school dropout.

His boss is the CEO, who likely can't be bothered with doing this. My peers don't know I'm going to business school.

Sticky and tough situation. For my sanity, I'm just going to forget about it and hope the adcom realizes that it is out of my control. After all, there is a reason I am leaving the company and going to business school. If my boss was a true mentor and someone I respected, I would probably continue to work for him.
User avatar
rgajare14
User avatar
Joined: 02 Aug 2007
Last visit: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 296
Own Kudos:
216
Location: Greater New York City area
Concentration: Consulting, Marketing
Schools:Tuck, Ross (R1), Duke, Tepper, ISB (R2), Kenan Flagler (R2)
Posts: 296
Kudos: 216
When should you start panicking....... 07 Oct 2008, 17:16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
One recommendation done. One more to go !
User avatar
sonibubu
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 20 Aug 2007
Last visit: 18 Aug 2011
Posts: 810
Own Kudos:
158
Given Kudos: 1
Location: Chicago
Concentration: Strategy, Management, Finance
Schools:Chicago Booth 2011
Posts: 810
Kudos: 158
When should you start panicking....... 07 Oct 2008, 17:46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Just when I was starting to lose hope, both recommenders come through in the clutch today and submitted my Wharton recs and both promise to submit Chicago recs by the weekend. I am one happy camper now.
User avatar
Paradosso
User avatar
Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Last visit: 07 Feb 2011
Posts: 254
Own Kudos:
143
Given Kudos: 3
Location: Milan
Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship, VC
Schools:Wharton, LBS, UChicago, Kellogg MMM (Donald Jacobs Scholarship), Stanford, HBS
Posts: 254
Kudos: 143
When should you start panicking....... 13 Oct 2008, 13:35
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
One of my HBS recommenders (an alum) phoned me this morning to tell me that he will only be able to post his reco this upcoming weekend (the deadline is Wednesday).

Does anyone know if Harvard has a bit of flex in accepting recos after the deadline? Should I be worried?

P.
User avatar
MBAbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 01 Oct 2013
Posts: 989
Own Kudos:
47
Posts: 989
Kudos: 47
When should you start panicking....... 28 Feb 2015, 01:49
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club MBAbot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
   1   2   3