INSEAD Recommendation Questions
The recommendation questions for the MBA program at INSEAD are available below. Two recommendation letters are required, and should ideally come from the workplace in order to say something about your leadership and management potential. Current supervisors or managers are preferred, but alternatively, it can be from someone who has had an opportunity to evaluate you in a professional setting, such as a client, a former supervisor, or a colleague from your community service or extracurricular activities.
INSEAD allows a third recommendation if you feel it will add value to your profile. There is no imposed format for this additional reference, and you can choose to upload it in your supporting documents section of the application or email it.
2025-2026 INSEAD MBA Recommendation Questions
Relationship to Candidate
After some personal identifying information, the form proceeds to inquire about the recommender’s relationship to the applicant.
Please, specify your relationship to candidate:
- Professional
- Educational
- Personal
How long have you known the candidate? Define your relationship with the candidate and the circumstances whereby you met.
Candidate Rating
How do you rate the candidate on the following criteria? (Using the following scale: Outstanding (top 2%), Very Good (top 10%), Above Average (top 25%), Average (top 50%), Below Average (bottom 50%), Unobserved
- Competence in his/her field
- Professionalism
- Focus on the task at hand
- Readiness to use opportunities for achievement
- Creativity and resourcefulness
- Intellectual curiosity
- Energy and drive
- Personal integrity
- Ability to work in a team
- Organizational ability
- Oral communication skills
- Written communication skills
- Excellent (top 2%)
- Very good (top 10%)
- Above average (top 25%)
- Average (top 50%)
- Below average (bottom 50%)
Recommender Questions
Please give your answers to each of the following questions.
- Comment on the candidate’s career progress to date and his/her career focus.
MBA Applywire
Asian Female. T20 Undergrad w/ double major in Biology and Statistics. Decided in college to pivot into the game industry and have interned/worked at top gaming brands. Trying to pivot into product in gaming or start my own company in the game industry.
ECs: president of my gaming club in college, have spoken and continue to speak at numerous universities, conventions, and more regarding careers in video games. Mentored numerous students who want careers in gaming, especially for women/underrepresented genders/LGBTQ+. Served as a judge/advisor for one mentorship program. Created grassroots gaming community in UG in response to COVID that grew to 3000+ members in 3 weeks and had industry speakers, sponsors, and more. Also volunteer at my local aquarium educating the public about ocean conservation and the local wildlife.
Applying Round 2 to Stanford, Harvard, MIT, and Kellogg (MMM) with hopes of moving back to the West Coast afterwards.
Already got an admit from one of the T15 with no scholarship in round 1, applying to the rest in round 2.
I really need a scholarship to afford an MBA so will be applying to lower ranked schools as well. I currently work in Big 4 strategy team.
I'm an MiM candidate at Kellogg expected to matriculate in June 2026. I have an undergraduate degree in engineering from IIT. I will be joining DHL Consultings Americas office as a Mgmt Consultant post graduation from Kellogg.
My undergrad GPA is 7.38/10 and am expecting a 3.7+ from Kellogg at the time of applications.
I have a lot of internships ( 5+) at start-ups across various roles(strategy, marketing, Product Management, operations), industries and sizes. From dorm-room stage to unicorns. Also held multiple leadership roles during my time at college. Founded and headed two social initiatives on sustainability and women empowerment and informally mentored underclassmen from underrepresented backgrounds.
Plan to exit consulting soon into a start-up. Post MBA goal is investing ( not sure if VC/PE/Growth equity ). Longer term goal is entrepreneurship in India ( Inspired by family legacy and want to give back to country )
- No excuse for low GPA, I was simply didn't have the necessary drive or subject matter interest in school, was more interested in playing music and doing enough to graduate. Pursued that simultaneous to my conventional job for a few years after school and actually had a couple cool licensing deals with corporate brands but in last few years decided to focus on career.
- unfortunately had an illness at the end of last year that led to me have serious vision issues, being laid off and subsequently on disability for the first part of this year. Have since mostly recovered except for an operation I should be able to get next spring.
- volunteer leader for a high school ministry
MBA LiveWire
Accepted with full ride $$
WL without Interview