Meaningful recommendations provide specific information that demonstrates your ability to excel in both an MBA program and a business or professional career. Recommendations are important to:

• confirm or elaborate on your credentials, strengths, and aspirations
• help business schools develop a consistent overall impression of a candidate

Choose a good cross-section of people who can vouch for your dependability and who know about your plans for MBA study. These people would include:

• employers
• colleagues
• associates
• peers

Recommendations from employers and work colleagues can provide specific information about your work experience, which can be a major factor in admissions decisions. Academic recommendations cannot. Keep in mind that schools may have differing views on who would make a good reference.  Check with each school you are applying to before you select your references.

Recommendations are valuable only if they reflect relevant professional skills. Avoid getting letters from people with important-sounding job titles who do not know you or your work. If you do not wish to let your employer/supervisor know this early about your plans to earn an MBA, get advice from admissions staff at the schools in which you are interested.

Each program requires a specific number of recommendation letters, usually two or three. Do not exceed that number without prior agreement from the admissions staff. More is not considered better. Admissions staff appreciate it when applicants follow instructions and supply only the information requested.