Need Advice on LOR

Maritzaa

Hi guys! I need to ask one or two professors for letters of rec. Yea, I know... been lagging on this front.

I've been out of school since 2010 so I'm not quite sure how to draft a concise email with all of the relevant info they may need to consider writing. I know I should give them a refresher on the courses I took, how it encouraged the law school route and a quick update on my professional life and why I'm still considering law school. Is there anything else to add? Is that even the right route to take?

Anyone care to share an email they sent out with a request?

Thanks in advance!
-M

studyingandrestudying

Send them an updated resume. When you write the email, include short descriptions of things you did in the class (projects, papers, etc). Also mention value you got from the class. Tell them what semester it was. Also briefly outline reasons why you want a JD and why you're working towards law admission now. And yes, tell them about your job, and maybe your past jobs as well and how these experiences have helped you make the decision to apply for a JD. Also, give them a chance to say no if they're too busy or whatever and be really nice if they do say no and make a list with 5-6 potential recommenders in case some do not respond.

Alex

When you email your professors for LORs, keep it pretty concise, but cover the following 3 things:

1) A refresher on who you are/the classes you took with them. Why you loved their class so much ...

2) Overview of what you've been doing since you graduated

3) Use point 2 to segue to your plans, i.e., law school with a brief summary as to why you're applying/what your career goals are.

Importantly (so, I guess 4 things to cover!), when you make the ask for the LOR, note that you've attached your current resume for their reference and ask if there is any other information you can provide that would be helpful to them. (You want to make it as easy as possible for them to say yes.)

10000019

I don't have an answer to your question, but I'd like to add one thing:
Don't submit the LOR unless you have a chance to read it. If you can't get a decent LOR from a professor, you should ask a professional consultant how to proceed. I think, since you've been out of school so long, that it would be better to have no academic LOR than a weak one.

LSATcantwin

One thing I did with my LOR’s is I told my professors what my target schools were, and gave them a bit of a summary about what the school website said they are looking for in a candidate. All three of my LOR writers thanked me for this, saying it made it a bit easier.

I’m not sure if this is a common thing to do, but I got three really good LOR’s and one was from someone I hadn’t been in touch with since 2011!

Seeking Perfection

@Mitzyyyy said:
Hi guys! I need to ask one or two professors for letters of rec. Yea, I know... been lagging on this front.

I've been out of school since 2010 so I'm not quite sure how to draft a concise email with all of the relevant info they may need to consider writing. I know I should give them a refresher on the courses I took, how it encouraged the law school route and a quick update on my professional life and why I'm still considering law school. Is there anything else to add? Is that even the right route to take?

Anyone care to share an email they sent out with a request?

Thanks in advance!
-M

I'm not non-traditional, but it makes sense to me to make it easy for them to say yes or no.

Additionally ask something along the lines of whether they would feel comfortable writing a strong positive letter of recommendation that way if they would write a mediocre or poor one they will just say they can't. This is usually a much more viable way of screening out bad letters of rec than asking to see them since many professors at reputable academic instiutions will refuse to let you see a letter of rec on principle. Of course, if they offer to let you see it which they might since you expressed interest in its strength then you should take advantage of the opportunity.