Recommendation question

I'm currently a senior at a top college. I transferred here after my sophomore year from a relatively unknown school. I worked at a boutique investment bank last summer and will be starting at a bulge bracket this July.

I'm interested in applying to Harvard 2+2 before April 8 and I wanted to get some feedback on which recommenders I should choose. The first recommender is a professor at my current college and she will end up writing a really excellent recommendation. I'm not quite sure who to choose for my second recommender. Here are my options:

1) Intermediate Micro professor at top college (current college) who didn't get tenure so she has since moved to another college. Did well in the class and she liked me but I haven't seen her in a while and she currently works at another school so I'm not sure whether she would be interested. I had her write me a recommendation for something else before but I remember her mentioning that it might be weird for her to write recommendations once she moved to her current college.

2) Adjunct Professor (intro macro) at old college (not very well known school). Wrote me a ridiculously good letter of recommendation which helped me transfer. Very nice guy and would likely let me add whatever I want to the letter of recommendation. Only concerns are that he is only an adjunct professor and he is from my old, non-prestigious college so I'm not sure if his recommendation would hold as much weight?

3) Adjunct professor at old college (environmental econ). He liked me a lot but he writes kind of oddly and I haven't kept in touch. Still, I think he would write a good letter, although not as good as professor 2. He's a bit eccentric so I'm afraid he might write something weird.

4) Bosses from my summer job (boutique IB). It wasn't a role where I could have worked there full time after graduating so there are no hard feelings that I'm working at another firm in July. That said, while they might agree to do it, they would likely not put in that much effort into it and probably won't give a knock-out recommendation, although they will be positive. I could get a rec from a Harvard Law grad who was one of my bosses there. Maybe that would add something? If they agreed, it would probably be just to be nice. Pros: I vary my the sources of recommendations by offering a work recommendation along with my professor recommendation. Cons: Probably won't be an over-the-top great recommendation. They'll likely wait until the last minute to send it out.

Any thoughts on which one I should choose for my second recommendation?

2 Comments
 
Best Response

No offense & I don't know you personally - so don't take this too seriously.

1) Do you actually think you have a shot to get into HBS 2+2? The application process might take a while and this might just be a waste of time?

2) I'm guessing the title of the person you get a rec. from doesn't matter all "that" much. As long it is a good rec.

3) Everyone applying will be applying with good recs. so else its pointless, variability & objective judgement is small here.

4) You call your college a "top" college, sure I'll go with it. But lets be serious if the highlight of your life is a summer "botique" and getting a job at a "BB", I'm not sure if you are 2+2 material. I would assume those people have very nice blue chip background while they "must" have accomplished something a little more meaningful in their lives outside of work.

5) Do you have any other unique accomplishments most average people in finance don't?

6) Doesn't the program accept like 3 - 5 kids (I don't consider many of you adults yet)?

 

Eius aliquid labore sit voluptas rerum hic. Iusto quisquam doloribus dolorem provident aut dolores. Similique veniam dolor magnam molestias ad laborum consectetur. Nihil harum dolorum numquam doloremque.

Aut quidem molestiae est in officiis. Voluptas rem facilis nam delectus. Qui dolorum id magni. Illum unde sint id. Et excepturi omnis assumenda et sit distinctio.

Suscipit sapiente totam totam odit ut vitae est. Reiciendis rerum quo ad ut perferendis consequuntur voluptas vero. Quia et autem provident veritatis. Ullam in aliquam est. Quia quos cumque et natus harum cupiditate perspiciatis. Iure facilis sint delectus nihil eaque.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (77) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (71) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”