Columbia MBA 2013 Recommendation Letter Questions and Guidelines

If you are a college senior or have worked full-time for less than six months, at least one, but preferably both, of your recommendations should be from a person who can comment on your managerial abilities. You may ask a summer employer or another person who you feel can objectively assess your professional promise. The second recommendation may be from a college professor.

Recommendation questions include:

1. What is your relationship to and how long have you known the applicant? Is he or she still employed by your organization?
2. Please list three to five adjectives describing the applicant’s strengths.
3. Please compare the applicant’s performance to that of his or her peers.
4. What does the applicant do best?
5. If you were giving feedback to the applicant regarding his or her professional performance and personal effectiveness, in what areas would you suggest he or she work to improve?
6. How does the applicant accept constructive criticism or handle conflicts?
7. How effective are the applicant’s interpersonal skills in the workplace?
8. Please rate the applicant’s individual vs. team orientation (1 = most effective as an individual contributor; 5 = focused exclusively on the team)
   Please elaborate on your rating:
9. Please give an example of how the applicant has demonstrated leadership.
10. Is there anything else you feel we should know?

Please be aware, the Admissions Committee does require all application materials be submitted online, including recommendations.”