Jessica Chung, Associate Director of MBA Admissions, UCLA Anderson School of Management: Typically, business schools will ask that you get a letter of recommendation from an employer whether that be a current or a previous supervisor. The reason for that is because employers can give us more information on your fit and readiness for an MBA program and address questions or specific questions that we have in the recommendation form like your leadership and management potential, your career progression, your ability to work in teams, things like that. Whereas with an academic reference, professors are usually much more narrow in scope with their responses and usually can only provide feedback on things like your grade in class, your level of participation, you know, how you did compared to peers in the classroom, and things like that. So first I would say though that you should definitely do your research and read the instructions for each school that you’re applying to before you make a decision on who you choose for your recommendation provider.

Lindsay Haselton, Associate Director of MBA Admissions, UCLA Anderson School of Management: A school may ask you this in a number of different ways. One of the most common ways is we’d like you to outline your short-term and long-term career goals. Really, what the admissions committee is looking for is evidence that you’re focused and that you’re driven and that you’ve done the research and know why you’re doing an MBA and how an MBA can take you to the next step in your career. So, really outlining to us why, you know, you’re thinking about perhaps switching careers, or you’re looking to move up in your company, or you’re looking to transition into a different direction or function. Really specifically outlining that in your essay will really show the admissions committee that you are focused and that you are coming to the MBA for a reason. So, I think if you can convey to the committee in your essay that perhaps you’ve done a certain type of experience to date and you see a gap in your knowledge and the MBA is going to help fill that, that’s going to give us confidence that you will place well after you finish the MBA and will be a strong employee and a strong representative of your school.

Craig Hubbell, Associate Director of MBA Admissions, UCLA Anderson School of Management: As you’re thinking about the right school and the right program for you, it really does start with homework on yourself to figure out what career would make you thrive and what specialty are you looking for that the school can provide. Of course, if you can convince yourself of the value of the degree and the program then it’s easy to convince others, as in the admissions committee. So as you do research then on schools, you want to consider what strengths they have and geography is a consideration where you want your worldwide lifetime network to be centered. Cost is a consideration of course because it’s a big investment in yourself, your time, and your soul, and it’s important to consider the fit so visit the school if you can. Certainly, explore the website of every school you’re considering so you can figure out if you will thrive there too as you boost your future.

Adrian Aguirre, Associate Director of MBA Admissions, UCLA Anderson School of Management: The first thing to think about is asking the school that you’re applying to whether or not interviews are part of the application process. If you establish that they are, think about three things. The first one is do your homework. Treat this interview as a job interview. That means be prepared, go over some of the things that you said in your application, be ready to talk about your application with the interviewer. The second recommendation is have some questions prepared not just so you look smart in front of the interviewer, but you have an opportunity to figure out if there’s a good fit between you and the institution that you are going to be joining for the next few years. The last recommendation would be remember that we are measuring or assessing your communication skills, your professional maturity, and your personality so this is your chance to bring it, share with us who you are, and I hope you have a good one.

Ji Choi, Director of Financial Aid, UCLA Anderson School of Management: MBA schools offer grant fellowships and need-based grants or a combination of both. Typically, fellowships are awarded based on the overall strength of the application and need-based grants are awarded based on the student’s income. You do not have to provide your current income on the application. Fellowships are awarded to both US citizens and international students. If you’re an international student, find out if your government offers scholarships or low-interest loans for you to study abroad. Some schools also offer no US co-signer loans for their students. Don’t be afraid to contact each school’s financial aid office directly if you have any questions. We’re always here to help you.

Vickie Euyoque, Associate Director of MBA Admissions, UCLA Anderson School of Management: The first thing to do is actually take a look at the questions that are on the form and then based on the questions, decide who would be the best person to respond to those questions and what specific examples. Examples are definitely a very strong criteria that we’re looking at when evaluating applications. In terms of who you should ask, you should really as someone who is your direct supervisor. We’re not necessarily so concerned with titles, we’re more concerned with whether or not they really know you, whether or not they know the impact that you’ve had on your organization so you should go with someone who you work closely with. In terms of how much time you should give someone for a letter of recommendation, you really want to give them at least one to two months to prepare. So that they have enough time to think about what they want to write and they can go ahead and fit it in with the rest of their commitments having to do with work and personal life just so you make sure you get it submitted in time with no problems. Those are just some tips and hopefully, they’ll help you as you prepare your application. Good luck.

Class Profile

MBA Class of 2013 Profile (as of August 2011)