Frequently Asked Question:  Can one mediocre recommendation derail my entire MBA application?

Dr. Shel Watts of MBA Admit.com:  Yes.  Many candidates don’t realize how important the recommendations are to their MBA applications.  In requesting two or three recommendations, the admissions committee has asked you to provide references, and you of course will go to the two or three people who you believe will comment most favorably about your abilities and achievements.  What these recommendation writers report, therefore, can be key to your success or failure in the admissions process.  If any one of those recommendation writers communicates to the admissions committee that they do not think highly of you, the admissions committee may be hard pressed to overlook this. 

In fact, Businessweek.com quoted my insights about this topic, providing my advice to its readers along with the insights of the admissions directors of Wharton and the University of Chicago.  Businessweek.com reported:

“It's important for recommenders to give a positive and up-to-date portrayal of the applicant. Admissions consultant Shel Watts explains that this can sometimes end up being the deciding factor because many top MBA programs pay special attention to the quality of recommendations. ‘Even if you have one that's mediocre and you are applying to a top school, you will get rejected based on that one recommendation,’ says Watts. She tells clients to be extra diligent in picking recommenders who respect their work and can attest to career growth in their new application.”

For the full article, see here:  http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/mar2008/bs2008036_660876.htm

Dr. Shel Watts of MBA Admit.com:  In the case of the top-5 MBA programs, the admissions committees want to hear that you are the best in your professional world.  If any one of your recommendation writers indicates that you are not the best—just “second best” or just “fairly good”—the admissions committee may conclude that there is no compelling case for your admission. 

So the long-and-short of it: one poor MBA recommendation can close the door to admission.  Even a lukewarm recommendation can cause fatal damage, becoming a deciding factor in the admission committee’s choice to reject your application.

Frequently Asked Question:  Have you had cases when you believe an MBA recommendation was the main reason for an applicant’s rejection during the admissions process?

Dr. Shel Watts of MBA Admit.com:  Yes, there have been many instances when candidates have come to me after they had applied on their own and were rejected, and I determined that a key factor in each rejection was the quality of the recommendations. 

For example, several years ago a highly accomplished young businesswoman came to me seeking assistance after she had applied on her own and was rejected from a top MBA program.  Her academic credentials (a Harvard college graduate!) and GMAT score were impeccable.  Her work experience was solid. Her essays were good—not great, but much stronger than I typically see when a candidate has written them on their own, without formal guidance. Yet, she had not even landed an MBA interview!  From this, I believed the main problem must have been with her recommendations. 

I asked her to secure copies of her recommendations for my review. She had never seen them. When her recommendation writers forwarded to me their copies, my suspicions were confirmed.  The recommendations were awful!

The very next year, we re-wrote her entire application, presenting outstanding essays and a compelling storyline. After receiving feedback from me, her recommendation writers also presented new, strong and supportive recommendations. This candidate was admitted to the same school from which she had been rejected the year before. Her case presents a clear example of the importance of recommendations.

For a fuller list of frequently asked questions,
Click here.

To sign up for our services,
contact drwatts@mbaadmit.com