AAR: Reflections of a Recent HBS Admit – Part II
Letters of recommendation are a frequent topic of discussion for b-school applicants. Who should write them? What should they say? How much do they matter? In our second post by a recent HBS admit, we learn some tips and techniques for making your LORs shine.
Letters of Recommendation – An Exercise in Project Management
If there’s one aspect of the application process you have the least amount of control over, it’s the Letters of Recommendation. This is where it’s up to the people you’ve interacted with throughout your professional career to make you shine in a positive light. All you can do it guide them. Therefore it’s critical to choose the right recommenders and make the process as easy as possible for them.
The Stanford GSB’s Admissions website says it best. When choosing recommenders, “Choose individuals who know you well, and who will take the time to write thorough, detailed letters with specific anecdotes and examples. The strongest references will demonstrate your leadership potential and personal qualities. We are impressed by what the letter says and how it reads, not by the title of the person who writes it.”
Personally, I chose individuals who’d consistently expressed an interest in my success and personal well-being – people who’d encouraged me to develop as an individual and leader, not just as a career Army officer. In case you do not know already, securing a generic LoR from your Division Commander is not nearly as impressive as, say, a letter from your Company Commander, who watched you lead soldiers and nurtured your development as an officer. I ended up asking my former Detachment Commander (from my time as an XO), a former Budget Division Chief (a Lieutenant Colonel and senior supervisor I’d maintained a good relationship with), the President of our local West Point Society (whom I serve alongside as a board member), my former boss (2-Star Deputy CoS whom I’d been an XO for), and a fellow Captain whom I’d worked for while working on the General’s staff (for my GSB application peer recommendation). I thought these individuals could offer different aspects of my leadership and professional life – from a more traditional, tactical role (XO) to my extracurricular involvement with my alma mater. If you have the luxury to bring in a diverse mix (i.e. did you coordinate any long-term projects through with ACS and have an administrator you can reach out to for a LoR?) of recommenders, I would do so. Admissions officers are looking for diversity, even among military applicants, but you’ll ultimately have to use your best judgment.
I approached my recommenders using a three-phase approach by making initial contact, presenting them with my “game plan,” and following up. After making initial contact with my recommenders via e-mail or telephone call and securing their support, I sent each recommender a tailored Microsoft Word document that included my reasons for attending business school, a copy of my resume, a timeline for submission, and a summary of my accomplishments (think event/general date) while working for/with them. I may have gone overboard here, but chances are your recommenders are busy – and it’s been a while since you worked for them – so it’s a good idea to jog their memories and make coming up with anecdotes as easy as possible. Don’t be afraid to follow up regularly with your recommenders, since they should be held accountable for the commitment they made to you. It’s your responsibility to talk with them honestly about your future aspirations and communicate just how important your applications are to you.
Being stationed overseas, it was a little difficult to follow up with some of my recommenders. I set their deadlines well before Round 1 deadlines (in early September) and all of my recommenders – except one – missed my deadlines by at least a few days. In the end though, all my letters of recommendations were received by mid-September, leaving ample time for me focus on the rest of my applications prior to submission. Again, start early and set early deadlines, at least a week in advance of your Round deadline. You don’t want to be frantically calling your recommenders the day before the application cutoff.
I strongly believe that my letters of recommendation were critical in helping me gain admission into a couple of top programs. Virtually across the board, this year’s MBA applicants face shorter essays (for example, HBS cut down its application from five essays to two, 400-word essays and Stanford GSB set a 1500 word limit). One can logically assume that more weight is placed on other facets of the application, including letters of recommendation and the interview.
Closing Thoughts
The MBA application process requires tremendous personal dedication and sacrifice – studying for and taking the GMAT, researching schools, taking additional coursework as needed, writing essays, and preparing interviews all require hours of effort. Making the commitment and knocking out the GMAT is step one. In addition to putting in hours in the aforementioned activities, however, the most successful applicants are not afraid to reach out to help from others. I’m sure this continues to be the case throughout school, in the business world and beyond.
In closing, if you’re set on pursuing an MBA, I would recommend that you start the application process as early as possible, reach out to others as needed and, when the time comes, pay it forward.
