Let's assume that most people on WSO are applying to MSF/MS (MA) Economics/MBA programs. Put MBA aside, what kind of rec letters are good?
For example, a doing a 3-month internship in a no name boutique. Good work and there's a good chance the boss would write me a letter, is that helpful at all? Or should I ask for a letter from my supervisor from my two-year on campus job? (which I eventually quit, because I need more time studying --- 6 classes near the end of the quarter)
Thanks
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Any letter of recommendation (that isn't bad) that can vouch for your character/work ethic.
specific examples of why you're good. I used a Stanford GSB article.. probably a transcript of Derrick Bolton... as my basis for rec's.
MBA - Letter of Recommendations (Originally Posted: 01/15/2018)
Guys,
How do you guys decide who to ask for letter of recommendations for MBA? My main concern with asking for prior bosses is that it has been a while now since I worked for them, so it might be harder for them to craft a passionate letter for me versus current bosses.
Also, how does it look to ask for letters from 2 people in the same group same firm?
Once your recommender has agreed to write a letter for you, you should put together a page or two on things you'd like him/her to convey in her letter + examples to use. That way it's OK if they don't remember specific details (as you'll be providing them).
And assuming the 2 recommenders in the same group can talk about different aspects of you, I think it would be fine.
will let you know how that turns out, I asked two guys I work for now to write my recs (both in the same firm/group)
I had two people from my current role write my letters - I've been here 3 years and want to stay in a similar industry so it made sense. I just made sure they focused on different aspects of my candidacy. Try to get your direct supervisor or a solid proxy for your direct supervisor if you can
When/who to ask for a letter of recommendation (Originally Posted: 03/07/2009)
I am currently a junior in college. My plan is to graduate, work two years, take the GMAT, and go to business school. Should I ask my professors now to write me a letter of recommendation? I'm a good student now but, will they remember me in two years? I have a good relationship with 3 or 4 of them, my counselor at my school's career center, plus my current boss. In regards to my professors, I wouldn't say I am really close to any of them; I get good grades, participate in class and talk to them during office hours, but none of them really know me too in depth.
I've read that I will need 3 letters altogether, preferably 2 from supervisors at work, one from a professor; is that the ratio everyone adheres to? Can I use the same letter from one person to apply to law school or vice versa? How would I approach my boss? Would they feel upset/betrayed that I would want to leave to go back to school?
How much do these letters really matter? Do schools weigh them as much as they do the GPA, GMAT score, resume, and interview?
I know it's a lot of questions, but, take pity on me, I'm a newbie.
They don't want letters from professors. Here are the breakdowns:
Harvard: 3 letters. Preferably 2 from supervisors/managers/execs at work and 1 from an extracurricular.
Stanford: 3 letters. Preferably 2 from supervisors/managers/execs at work, 1 from a peer at work
Wharton: 2 letters required, 1 optional. I would treat this like Harvard
Every other school will require 2 letters. One should come from your current boss, and the other should come from another senior person at work or someone from an extracurricular.
Bottom line: They don't want professors. They will judge your academics based on your transcript and GMAT score. They want to see how you perform in the workplace and what others have to say about you in that setting.
Letter of Recommendation Help - For Grad School (Originally Posted: 11/27/2012)
Hey WSO folks,
Currently a senior engineering student about to graduate in spring. Applying to Masters in Engineering Management programs. Deadlines coming up Jan 15th for first round.
As for recommendations I am getting 2 from professors and 1 from my manager/director from the internship I had this past summer. I left a solid impression and they really loved my work.
Problem: My manager has not written a LOR for grad school's before.
I was wondering what potential things I could have my manager touch upon in this letter. Also typically how long is the letter suppose to be? Manager is pretty open to ideas from my side on what to put in the letter.
Just wanted to get some ideas on how to proceed with this. Don't want it to seem like completely scripted all + + + +...
I am hoping that my decently high GPA, resume/profile, SOP, and LORs will out-weight the standardized test scores (did not perform as I would have liked to)...
Thank You!
What The Committee Expects to See
Here's what the committee hopes to learn from your reference letters:
a) The validity of your claims of academic excellence, professional success and impeccable personal values b) Your specific qualifications, including the depth of your academic and professional experiences c) Your unique traits that aren't covered anywhere else in the application d) Whether you can accurately evaluate others and their perceptions of you e) Your demonstrated commitment to pursuing a business career
http://www.ivyleagueadmission.com/busreftips.html
What makes a great letter of recommendation? (Originally Posted: 07/19/2013)
While LORs often have a lower value on a business school application than other benchmarks such as GPA and GMAT/GRE, they can often be the deciding factor for an admission.
What makes a great LOR? Outline the best one you received? How do you think business schools assess the strength of LORs?
I strongly disagree with your view that recs can "often" be the deciding factor in an admission. In most cases they're a wash. In the cases where they hurt the applicant, it's when the writer is lukewarm and/or fails to give enough specific examples to illustrate the applicant's strengths. If you're at a firm that normally does not send people to b-schools, it's crucial to "coach" your rec writer and tell them how to structure their letter. On the other hand, recs help when the recommenders are able to paint a vivid portrait of your leadership, innovation, teamwork, creativity, work ethic, etc., while addressing potential weaknesses.
Example. My writers showed me their recs after they submitted. One of the guys talked extensively about my ability to work with others on the trading desk despite the difficult environment and lead others towards a consensus. Since my quant/analytical skills are not in doubt, he addressed the "soft" components extensively. He also talked about me as a person, aside from my professional accomplishments by praising my character and core values.
Valid points. I meant that if you have two similar profiles and one has a "great" recommendation and the other "lukewarm" then obviously they'll be the deciding factors. Though I'm sure some schools take into account the fact that the applicant essentially told the writers what to write. However, if you're getting LORs from people in the academic community, obviously it would count more to have writers who actually attended the program you're applying to (and/or that went to that specific school if it's prestigious) than someone who didn't, no? I'm just wondering if there are other criterion than having an alumni write your LOR. Thoughts?
One that makes you sound good.
/thread
Thanks, Sherlock. You must be a rocket scientist.
Real estate.
Close.
Need a letter of rec, but leaving soon, how to tell all of this? (Originally Posted: 09/18/2017)
Hi everyone, so I'm preparing for my MSF program applications, and I will need a letter of recommendation from the boss of my current internship. I have been here for over 2 months, and now I feel like I'm not learning anything, so I want to leave. I told him I would be here until October or November (because he said there would be financial modeling in the future, but obviously there wouldn't) I can come up with a very good reason to leave, but do I mention recommendation letter before, or after I leave?
Thank you for your generous advice.
It really depends on the boss/situation. Is this a post college internship or are you applying to MSF programs as you are finishing up with college? Work tends to be very different from school. That's why you get paid for one and have to pay for the other. As an intern, your job is to make your boss's life easier and pretty much nothing else. When you've built up enough goodwill with the boss, he or she tends to take interest in you and care more about teaching you/keeping you engaged so that you stick around. This is pretty much how most jobs/careers work so try to think about whether its your job or you that is in need of a change. Has your boss offered you a full-time position or offered to keep you on after the originally determined internship period? That would mean he likes you/likes the work you've done and is likely to write a strong recommendation. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you have already told your boss you are leaving in Oct/Nov. If that is the case, ask for the recommendation right away while you and your work are fresh in his mind. It is also easier to make sure he completes the recommendation in a timely fashion when you are present in the same building.
Thank you very much for your comment and advice SABRtooth. Yes it is a post-college internship (while I'm preparing for applications) and I haven't told him yet because meanwhile I'm looking for some other opportunities. Two weeks ago I had an on-site interview with a small boutique. They told me that I can start this week but they didn't respond to my emails or calls after the interview so I figured they found someone else. We had a few interns here and my boss generally sees me as a good one (he said so one time, "I'm glad to have you guys --- me and another intern --- here"). I'm not looking for a FT here because there really is no opportunity to learn or grow. I think I will follow your advice and ask him this week about the letters. Thanks again.
I also asked someone else about the letter. I used be a Peer Mentor for freshmen in college for almost two years, and my supervisor(s) knew me pretty well, so although it is not something related to finance, I figured that the highest supervisor would definitely write me a letter with a strong recommendation, or at least one with no down-side.
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