The Application Process

I was wondering about the format for the recommendations to Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, Columbia, and Yale SOM.

For instance, Harvard's recommendation seems to be a form with four separate questions and four separate text boxes for responses. Stanford seems to be the same. HOWEVER, I've also read information that says things like "recommendations should be no more than 4 pages in length, double spaced."

My question is whether letters of recommendation can be submitted as one actual "letter," or if the recommenders get a link to a question form (similar to a survey) where they have to answer distinct questions separately...?

Does this vary from school to school?

I think most schools have specific questions for recommenders, even if you can't see the questions on the website they are available on the online recommendation system which your recommenders can see.

Another option is having the recommender writing a general letter that answers all the questions.

if a recommender chooses to upload a letter instead of providing filling out the form, should the letter then include the questions or just the responses to the questions?