Although informal letters of recommendation or endorsement are not an essential part of the MBA application, if used strategically and appropriately, they can help you stand out from other candidates at your target business schools and differentiate you from similar applicants. But do not worry if you do not have an informal recommendation to submit. Again, business schools do not require them, and some even explicitly discourage them, so make sure to carefully read and follow any instructions on your target MBA programs’ websites and applications.
Here are some of our top tips for effectively managing this unique element of your application to positively supplement your candidacy.
Table of Contents:
- Know Whom to Ask
- Know How to Ask
- Prioritize Your Top Schools
- Vary the Letter’s Format
- Keep the Letter Brief
- Ensure Proper Submission of the Letter
- Incorporate the Letter into Your Waitlist Strategy
Know Whom to Ask
Assess your personal and professional networks to identify individuals who could advocate for you. Your informal recommender should have a meaningful relationship with you, have had the opportunity to observe you in a leadership role, and/or be able to speak to your initiative or interpersonal skills. The following are possible candidates to be an informal recommender:
- Students at the target school
- Alumni of the target school
- Someone with a significant connection with the school and who knows you
- Someone associated with a meaningful time commitment in your life (e.g., the executive of a nonprofit organization to which you have dedicated a significant number of hours volunteering)
Ensure that this person can add something substantial—and, of course, positive—to your overall profile and that reading their letter of endorsement would be worth the admissions reader’s time in evaluating your candidacy.
Know How to Ask
Rather than simply asking someone outright for an informal recommendation, take a warm, personalized approach and connect with them in person or over the phone. Express your excitement for the target school, let them know what your goals are, explain why that specific MBA program is a strong fit for you, and ask their advice about applying to and attending the school. Ideally, after your conversation, they will be inspired to volunteer to write a note of endorsement for you or connect with the admissions team over the phone to advocate for you.
Prioritize Your Top Schools
Request informal recommendations only for your top school or your top two, at most. Most likely, your recommender will ask you whether the MBA program for which they are writing the recommendation is your first choice, and you want to be able to genuinely answer, “Yes!” Keep in mind that the school has not requested the letter and that your recommender is putting their reputation on the line in supporting you. Should you be admitted to the program and decline, this could reflect negatively on your recommender and damage your relationship with them. Be sure to review the school’s website carefully for any guidance provided regarding unsolicited endorsements.
Vary the Letter’s Format
Do not ask your recommender to replicate the format of the school’s official letter of recommendation. The informal recommendation is a bit different in nature. Think of it more as a way to spotlight your application, drawing special attention to it via a credible third party. Your recommender’s endorsement does not even need to be written. If they feel more comfortable making a phone call instead, that is fine. And some schools (such as Northwestern Kellogg) have publicly available forms through which individuals can submit letters of support.
Keep the Letter Brief
An informal recommendation letter should be relatively short and concise and include a basic introduction of the person writing it, an explanation of their connection to the school, a description of their relationship with you, and the reasons they believe you would be an invaluable addition to the program’s next class, urging consideration of your application. Ideally, your recommender will also offer to be available to the admissions committee for any follow-up questions.
Ensure Proper Submission of the Letter
Ask your informal recommender to submit their letter to the school prior to the application deadline so the admissions team can take it into consideration alongside the other elements of your application when assessing your candidacy. Ensure that it is addressed to the appropriate person and correctly uses the recipient’s name and title. And it should be sent to a school email address.
Incorporate the Letter into Your Waitlist Strategy
If you are waitlisted at one of your top schools and did not have an informal recommendation sent on your behalf before you submitted your application, consider obtaining such a letter now to help advance your chances of ultimately securing acceptance. Be aware that many schools have a formal process through which additional recommendations should be submitted (e.g., MIT Sloan has a Letter of Support form, and NYU Stern accepts supplemental recommendation letters via email) and will provide instructions on this process in their communication to waitlisted applicants. Please download a free copy of our mbaMission Waitlist Guide for additional guidance on navigating the waitlist period.
If you would like to discuss your specific situation with an experienced admissions consultant and receive tailored application advice, simply sign up for a free 30-minute consultation with one of mbaMission’s experts.
