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Stanford MBA Program

Letters of Reference

Qualitative accounts of your intellectual and professional abilities are essential to us. As we read your letters of reference, we hope to discover specific descriptions and examples illustrating your potential to make a difference in the world.

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.

We Require 3 Letters of Reference

2 Professional/Workplace References
  • You must obtain at least one recommendation from your current 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.
  • 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 charitable activity.
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. This person should not be a supervisor or subordinate. You may choose this person from any of your team experiences: extracurricular, professional, charitable, or other.
  • 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  • Encourage recommenders to write letters specifically for this application since outdated and/or general recommendations typically do not strengthen an application.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 are generally less helpful in our evaluation.
  • Strongly encourage your recommenders to submit their Letters of Reference via the online application. This will speed the processing of your application.
  • We strongly discourage you from sending more than three Letters of Reference. Submit additional recommendations according to the One Packet Rule (see Application Instructions).
  • It is a violation of the spirit of the Fundamental Standard and Honor Code to draft or write your own Letter of Reference, even if asked to do so by your recommender. Such an 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.
  • We have found the most helpful Letters of Reference to be both recent and relevant.

Online Submission of Letters of Reference

  • We strongly encourage your recommenders to submit Letters of Reference via our web-based application. This will speed the processing of your application.
  • We strongly recommend that all online 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 and/or returned to you in time to be included with your supplemental application materials packet (see page 11 of the Application Instructions for the One Packet Rule).

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.

Step 3: Recommender Completes and Submits Recommendation

  • After logging in, your recommender has access to an exact 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.

Hard Copy Submission of Letters of Reference

In the rare case when a recommender can't submit the Letter of Reference online, please follow these instructions:

  • Download the Letter(s) of Reference Form via the "Downloadable Forms" link in your online application.
  • Read, mark, and sign the waiver statements on the Letter of Reference.
  • Send your recommenders the appropriate Letter of Reference (Professional/Workplace or Peer/Team).
  • Request that the Letter of Reference be returned directly to you.
  • Each recommender must seal her or his completed Letter of Reference in an envelope and sign her or his name across the back flap.
  • All hard copy Letters of Reference must be included in your supplemental application materials packet following the One Packet Rule (see Application Instructions).