Indiana / Kelley MBA Recommendation Questions
The Indiana / Kelley MBA application requires a single recommendation from someone who can comment meaningfully on the applicant’s professional performance, preferably a current or recent supervisor. Recommenders may upload a supplemental letter or document if they want to provide additional information. Uploading an additional letter or document is optional. The 2025-2026 Kelley MBA recommendation questions are below.
2025-2026 Indiana Kelley MBA Recommendation Questions
Relationship
- How well and in what capacity do you know the applicant? (Limit 500 characters)
- Does the applicant have potential as a leader and a manager? What have you observed that leads you to think the applicant will be successful? (Limit 500 characters)
- Are there areas where the applicant can improve his or her potential for graduate study and a managerial career? If so, what are those areas? (Limit 500 characters)
- You’ll rate the applicant on the qualities below. What group or population are you comparing the applicant with? (Limit 500 characters)
Likert Analysis
Recommenders are asked to rate the applicants on the following qualities using a one through five scale (1-Extremely Poor, 2-Below Average, 3-Average, 4-Above Average, 5-Excellent, or Not Observed).
- Leadership Ability
- Intellectual Potential
- Organizational Skills
- Verbal Skills
- Writing Ability
- Analytical skills
- Ability to work in a team
- Maturity
- Self-confidence
- Creativity
- Initiative
- Sense of humor; ability to keep things in perspective
Recommendation
Do you recommend that this applicant be admitted to this program?
- I highly recommend this applicant
- I recommend this applicant
- I recommend this applicant with reservations
- I am not able to recommend this applicant
Letter
Please upload your recommendation letter.
MBA Applywire
Background: 27, male, SouthAsia (non Indian). Top national undergrad, GPA just under 3, strong GRE (330/167Q).
Experience 5 years: Founder of a cross border consumer-electronics venture (led a successful B2B pivot) operating over 3 continents, and Director of Ops & Supply Chain at a Regional distribution company (in a similar domain to my own business).
Leadership: Elected civic role (thousands of constituents); founded an award-winning COVID relief effort.
Goals: Short-term consulting (MBB/T2, ops & transformation). long-term to build an advisory firm for emerging-market SMEs.
I have a strong academic background and a multidisciplinary profile across economics, technology policy, and social impact. I scored 92.4% in Class 12 and completed my undergraduate degree from a Tier-I college under the University of Delhi with a CGPA of 8.54/10. I further pursued a one-year full-time Post Graduate Diploma from the Indian Statistical Institute, where I scored 76.3% and graduated as the topper of my batch.
Professionally, I have around 4.5 years of experience across the tech policy and social impact consulting space. I began my career as an economist at a boutique technology policy consulting firm, where I worked on research and advisory projects at the intersection of digital economy, regulation, and public policy. I then worked closely with a state government as part of a fellowship, gaining hands-on experience in policy implementation and government systems. Currently, I work with a prominent Section 8 company in the e-commerce space, contributing to initiatives focused on digital commerce, inclusion, and ecosystem development.
Overall, my profile brings together strong quantitative training, policy experience, government exposure, and impact-oriented work in India’s digital economy.
Experience includes technical leadership, instructor tenure and digital transformation initiatives. Led cross functional teams and managed projects with multiple stakeholders.
Preference for STEM designated MBA. Scholarship opportunities are a major factor in school selection.
Would appreciate feedback on whether my profile is better suited for consulting or PM roles post MBA?
I want to provide a clear picture of my background, impact, and what drives me. I hold a B.Eng. in Civil Engineering, but I pivoted my career to finance, strategy, and operations. My profile is defined by hands-on business operations, a strong "Builder/Product" mindset in consulting, and community leadership.
Early Business Foundations (Family Automotive Business):
Before entering corporate consulting, I worked as a Digital Operations & Strategy Analyst at my family's automotive business. I transitioned the company from a low-foot-traffic physical storefront to an inbound digital sales model. I managed a rotating digital inventory of 20-25 vehicles across major automotive marketplaces. I also conducted pricing analysis using national pricing index trends and tested multiple acquisition channels to focus exclusively on high-intent leads. This hands-on commercial experience was the catalyst for my pivot into corporate strategy.
Professional Impact & Tech Automations (Big 4 Firm - Risk Consulting):
Currently, I work as a Business Consultant in Risk Advisory at a Big 4 firm, executing SOX controls testing for enterprise clients across 10+ countries. In my daily routine, I actively hunt for operational bottlenecks. For example, in a recent project auditing an industrial automation multinational, my team was tasked with manually reviewing 104 complex contracts and measurement bulletins. Recognizing the severe inefficiency, I mapped the workflow and implemented an AI-driven solution using Microsoft Copilot, Python, and VBA to extract data directly from system prints. Furthermore, I utilized DataSnipper and custom AI prompts to eliminate manual data entry, directly contributing to the fastest Phase 3 SOX delivery in the client's history for the EME region. I also acted as the sole regional beta tester for the firm's proprietary GenAI platform, providing direct UX and functional feedback to the US-based Product Management team.
Extracurricular Leadership (The Community Builder):
Outside of the corporate world, I am the Co-Founder and Treasurer of a local non-profit baseball association. I built custom Excel tracking models for our P&L and drove recurring revenue through multi-year commercial partnerships at major regional cultural events. I spearheaded grassroots expansion by partnering with local schools, successfully scaling the active organization to over 120 engaged community members.
Post-MBA Goals:
I am targeting MBB consulting post-MBA to rapidly pay off potential debt and solidify my strategic acumen. This will function as a direct stepping stone into my ultimate goal: Senior Product Management (Tech PM) at a Big Tech firm.