Choose individuals who know you well, and who will take the time to write thorough, detailed letters with specific anecdotes and examples. We are impressed by what the letter says and how it reads, not by the title of the person who writes it.
3 Letters of Reference Are Required
2 Professional/Workplace References
You must obtain at least one recommendation from yourcurrent direct supervisor.
If you are unable to provide a letter from your current direct supervisor, include a brief note of explanation in the Additional Information section of the online application. It is up to you to choose an appropriate replacement.
College seniors may use a direct supervisor from a summer, part-time, or internship experience. Alternatively, you may ask someone who oversaw you in an extracurricular, volunteer, or community activity.
Your second Professional/Workplace Letter of Reference must come from someone else in a position to evaluate your work—another supervisor, a previous supervisor, a client, etc.
1 Peer Reference
An individual with whom you have worked on a team or on a project, in a position equal to your own, should complete this recommendation. You may choose this person from any of your team experiences: charitable, extracurricular, professional, or other.
The peer recommender cannot be your supervisor or subordinate.
Drafting or writing your own Letter of Reference, even if asked to do so by your recommender, is improper and a violation of the spirit of the Stanford Fundamental Standard and Honor Code and the terms of the application process. This action can result in denial of your application or withdrawal of your offer of admission. If the individual insists on this approach, you should find another recommender.
Choose individuals who have had significant direct involvement with you within the last few years.
Encourage recommenders to write letters specifically for this application since outdated and/or general recommendations typically do not strengthen an application.
Strictly academic Letters of Reference generally are less helpful in our evaluation.
Your recommenders must submit their Letters of Reference via the online application.
We strongly suggest that your recommenders submit Letters of Reference at least one day prior to the application deadline.
You are responsible for ensuring that all three recommendations are submitted online before the application deadline.
Letters of Reference should not exceed 4 pages, double-spaced, using a 12-point font. Recommended fonts are Arial, Courier, and Times New Roman.
Questions We Ask Your Recommenders
For Your 2 Professional/Workplace recommenders
Please comment on the context of your interaction with the applicant. If applicable, briefly describe the applicant's role in your organization.
How does the candidate's performance compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles?
Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response.
Please make additional statements about the applicant's performance, potential, or personal qualities you believe would be helpful to the MBA Admissions Office.
For Your Peer recommender
Please comment on the context of your interaction with the applicant. If applicable, briefly describe the applicant's role in your organization.
Describe how the candidate has generated support from others for an idea or initiative.
Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response.
Please make additional statements about the applicant's performance, potential, or personal qualities you believe would be helpful to the MBA Admissions Office.
All 3 of your recommenders will also be asked to assess you on some competencies and character traits that contribute to successful leadership. » Leadership Behavior Grid
Online Submission of Letters of Reference
Recommenders are required to submit Letters of Reference online.
We strongly recommend that Letters of Reference be submitted at least one day prior to the application deadline to ensure that your application is complete.
You are responsible for ensuring that all three recommendations are submitted online prior to the application deadline.
Go to the "Recommendations" tab on the Online Application Form.
Enter the recommender's personal information carefully on the registration page. It is extremely important to enter the email address correctly so that your recommender receives the instructions in a timely manner.
Read and mark one of the waiver statements on each Letter of Reference.
Your recommender receives an automated email with instructions to log in to the Online Recommendation.
You can track the status of recommendations and see whether they have been started, not started, or submitted.
After logging in, your recommender has access to an online replica of the Letter of Reference Form and the ability to submit the recommendation directly to us.
If your recommender is experiencing technical difficulties, please ask the recommender to contact ApplyYourself Technical Support directly by clicking on the button labeled "Tech Support."
After your recommender submits the recommendation, both you and your recommender will receive an email confirmation.
Please make sure that all of your recommenders have submitted the online Letters of Reference before the appropriate application deadline. You should expect that late Letters of Reference will not be included with your application file.
Please do not send a hard copy of an online Letter of Reference.
You may also track the status of your recommendations via the "Recommendations" tab on the online application form.
Step 1: Register Your Recommender
Go to the "Recommendations" tab on the Online Application Form.
Enter the recommender's personal information carefully on the registration page. It is extremely important to enter the email address correctly so that your recommender receives the instructions in a timely manner.
Read and mark one of the waiver statements on each Letter of Reference.
Step 2: Recommender Receives Email and Logs In
Your recommender receives an automated email with instructions to log in to the Online Recommendation.
You can track the status of recommendations and see whether they have been started, not started, or submitted.
Step 3: Recommender Completes and Submits Recommendation
After logging in, your recommender has access to an online replica of the Letter of Reference Form and the ability to submit the recommendation directly to us.
If your recommender is experiencing technical difficulties, please ask the recommender to contact ApplyYourself Technical Support directly by clicking on the button labeled "Tech Support."
Step 4: You and Your Recommender Receive Confirmation
After your recommender submits the recommendation, both you and your recommender will receive an email confirmation.
Step 5: Submit Your Online Application
Please make sure that all of your recommenders have submitted the online Letters of Reference before the appropriate application deadline. You should expect that late Letters of Reference will not be included with your application file.
Step 6: Stanford Receives Your Application Form and Letter(s) of Reference
Please do not send a hard copy of an online Letter of Reference.
You may also track the status of your recommendations via the "Recommendations" tab on the online application form.
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