Among application materials for the Darden MBA, the recommender section stands apart in a unique way: it is the only outside voice that contributes to your potential aptitude for business school.
Watch or listen to the latest installment of the Experience Darden podcast with Admissions Committee members Whitney Kestner and Catie Yeilding to learn who to choose as your recommender, how to set them up for success and more.
At Darden, we require one recommender for your application. You may submit two, but one is normally sufficient.
It’s a good sign to the Admissions Committee when the content of the recommendation mirrors or accentuates your resume. We hope you choose a recommender that can speak to your current strengths, as well as areas for growth that the Darden MBA will help you hone!
“We find that the best choice [for a recommender] is usually your current supervisor…or a more recent past supervisor. We recognize that people have lots of different circumstances depending on their work atmosphere that may mean that they need to go to another source.” – Catie Yeilding, Director of Admissions
The contributions you’ve made in your current workplace are indicative of the contributions you will make at Darden!
If you choose someone other than your current supervisor as your recommender, it’s a good idea to explain your rationale in the “Additional Comments” application section.
“We want to hear from people who know you well. A recommender can be a champion for you in this application process, so the more that they can help us understand how you’ve performed on a day-to-day basis, [the better].”
Upcoming Application Deadlines
- Full-Time MBA:
- Round 2: 7 January 2026
- Round 3: 1 April 2026
- Part-Time MBA:
- 1 December 2025
- 2 February 2026
- Executive MBA:
- 10 October 2025
- 10 November 2025
- 10 December 2025
We look forward to receiving your application!
