UCLA Anderson MBA Recommendation Questions
UCLA Anderson School of Management is one of Los Angeles’s leading business schools, with strong industry connections in finance, consulting, and tech, including top investment banks, the MBB consulting firms, and the US’s major LA-based tech hub. These 3 industries also account for most of the post-MBA offers accepted by Anderson graduates.
UCLA Anderson’s culture is centered around 3 pillars: sharing success, thinking fearlessly, and driving change. They value individuals who push each other to do better through healthy competition, who are open-minded and creative, and who have the drive to change businesses and communities. When you guide your recommenders to write your UCLA Anderson letters of recommendation with your recommender, ask them to highlight how you fit with the school’s culture by using examples that demonstrate these values.
How Many Letters of Recommendation Does UCLA Anderson Require?
UCLA Anderson requires two professional letters of recommendation, at least one of which is from a current manager/supervisor. Re-applicants need to only submit one new letter of recommendation. If you are unable to get one from your current manager because you are self-employed, haven’t told your company you are applying to MBA programs, a student, or work in the family business, UCLA also accepts the next best alternative. Your second letter of recommendation should be from another supervisor - if not professional, then community/extracurricular engagements work too. According to the school, "peers, family members, and professors are generally not good selections".
UCLA Anderson uses the GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation format to frame its recommendation questions.
UCLA Anderson MBA Recommendation Questions 2024-2025
Recommender Information & Ratings
Section 1: Recommender Information
Context of Relationship
How long have you known the applicant?
During which period of time have you had the most frequent contact with the applicant?
If you are affiliated with UCLA Anderson School of Management or UCLA, please select the option that most closely matches.
Section 2: Competency Ratings
Recommenders are asked to rate 10 competencies using the following scale:
No Basis
Below Average
Average (top 50%)
Good (top 25%)
Excellent (top 10%)
Competencies:
Interpersonal Skills
Professional Maturity
Resilience
Self-Confidence
Communication
Analytical and Problem Solving
Motivation and Initiative
Work Quality
Teamwork
Leadership Potential
(Optional) Is there anything about your competency ratings on which you’d like to comment?
Section 3: Comments and Examples
Based on your professional experience, how do you rate this candidate compared to her/his peer group?
Unable to assess
Below average
Average
Very good (well above average)
Excellent (top 10%)
Outstanding (top 5%)
The best encountered in my career
Overall, I …
Do not recommend this applicant
Recommend this applicant, with reservations
Recommend this applicant
Enthusiastically recommend this applicant
UCLA Anderson MBA Recommendation Questions
Please answer the following questions and provide specific examples where possible.
Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (Recommended word count: 50 words)
How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (Recommended word count: 300 words)
Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (Recommended word count: 300 words)
(Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
Analysis
Ratings
The UCLA Anderson Letter of Recommendation form provides your recommender with a scale of 10 broad skills that evaluate the candidate's ability to thrive in the MBA classroom.
Guide your recommender to think deeply about these ratings. They should not choose the highest ratings for all skills, as this looks contrived and inauthentic. Choose the highest rating "Excellent (Top 10%)" for 7-8 skills and the second highest "Good (top 25%)" for 2-3 skills considering this as an area for improvement. Overall, your recommender should select "I enthusiastically recommend this applicant".
Recommendation Questions
1. Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (Recommended word count: 50 words)
To answer this question, your recommender should briefly state their relationship with you and how long they have known you for, the frequency of your interactions, and what role you play in the organization.
2. How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (Recommended word count: 500 words)
In this "Strengths" question, your recommender should provide 2-3 anecdotes illustrating specific qualities that they have noted while evaluating your performance and leadership acumen. As the question asks to compare your performance with peers in similar roles, they will also need to highlight what makes you uniquely stand out as a leader in your function/industry/company.
But these stories shouldn't be mere descriptions of your skills and work ethic. Your recommender should provide an objective view of your achievements and actions using real-life examples, preferably quantified, to demonstrate impact to the AdCom. This will help the school contextualize your performance, understand what industry standards and definitions you are being assessed by, and see tangible evidence of your success and future potential.
Guide your recommender to use the SCAR method of writing to structure the examples they provide. This means describing the Situation at hand, what Challenge or task you were presented with, the Actions you took, and the Results you achieved. Ensure that the strengths highlighted in the response align with UCLA Anderson's values of sharing success, thinking fearlessly, and driving change, as business schools often prefer applicants who fit well within their culture.
3. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (Recommended word count: 500 words)
Here, your recommender is being asked to comment on any personal or professional weaknesses they may have observed during their interactions with you or in a challenging situation. Given that business school involves strong feedback loops, classroom discussions, and debate, the AdCom wants to see that you can use feedback to improve your approach/performance and grow from it.
Ask your recommender to provide an example, again in the SCAR format, that outlines the situation and challenge you were faced with, how you responded, and what specific guidance they gave you based on your handling of the situation. But don't end the answer there; ask them to talk about how you received the feedback (this should be positive, of course) and used it to improve your approach, communication, leadership, or to train yourself to handle similar challenges effectively in the future. Focus on the results obtained and the lessons learned from this experience.
It's not easy to discuss flaws, but business schools want to see authenticity and resilience. They don't view failures as weaknesses, but rather opportunities for growth. So share a genuine example that demonstrates your maturity and ability to reflect on your actions.
4. (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
Most recommenders leave this blank. If there are any important topics not covered by other questions, like extenuating circumstances about your role, you may ask your recommender to include them here. Note that this is not a space to add more examples.
Our complete Recommender Guide course on MBAConsultant.com has all the advice (and sample letters based on real applicants) you need to create a compelling letter of recommendation. Check it out here.
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