The Truth About Informal Business School Endorsements | Ep 105

Send us your admissions questions!What role do informal letters of recommendation play in business school admissions decisions? Host Harold Simansky is joined by Melissa Blakeslee, an experienced MBA admissions consultant and former admissions director, to clarify what these endorsements are and why most programs discourage them. In this episode, Melissa shares firsthand insight into how admissions committees evaluate external outreach, helping candidates understand when an extra recommendation can add value and when it might instead cause harm.Listeners will discover how to handle recommendation offers from well-connected executives, what makes a campus visitor endorsement credible, and how to use specific school initiatives such as Chicago Booth’s “Shape the Class.” The conversation also addresses the proper timing for submitting outside endorsements and how to employ the strategy effectively when waitlisted.This episode is especially valuable for MBA candidates who are still determining their recommendation strategy or have been placed on a school’s waitlist. Listeners will learn how to identify appropriate individuals to provide an informal note, how admissions readers assess fit, and how an unsolicited letter can inadvertently signal a lack of judgment.00:00 Introducing Informal Letters of Recommendation02:14 Defining Informal Endorsements Versus Recommendations05:51 Using Campus Visit Endorsements to Emphasize Fit07:58 How Endorsements Vary Across Business Schools09:56 A Strategy for Waitlist and Deferred MBA Applications13:01 Examples of Helpful Versus Damaging EndorsementsBook your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path. ‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️Contact Us:[email protected] Us:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram