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Recommendation Letters

Waffle23Waffle23 Alum Member
in General 603 karma

Hi Guys,

So I've been having a hard time getting over the awkwardness of reaching out to professors I haven't spoken to in 1-2 years to ask for law school recommendation letters. The professors I plan to ask, have written recommendation letters for me in the past and have also agreed to serve as job references for me. However, it's been a year and a half since I've kept in contact with them.

Since I do not know if they are currently still teaching at my old undergrad, I'll have to reach out to them via email. Do you guys have any suggestions, tips, advice for the best way to go about requesting letters from them? I am afraid they will just flat out say no or ignore the request, which would leave me VERY stuck.

To add, if they do agree, I would like them to address specific aspects of my applicant profile such as participation in Mock trial (which they are aware is something I participated in). Should I send them some of the work I did in their class in the initial email request? I did receive As in both classes, and although I may not have been a standout student, I did well in their classes and I would be someone they'd remember. Perhaps I am overthinking all of this.

Nevertheless, any input would be appreciated. Thank you.

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Comments

  • LSAT_WreckerLSAT_Wrecker Member ⭐
    4850 karma

    You are worrying way too much about this. Profs writing letters of recommendation is "normal operations" for them. Send them an email, tell them what you are using the LOR(s) for, remind them what classes you took (subject and year) and grades your received, and ask them if they could "accentuate" the things you want them to talk about. Do some google / school website stalking to try to find a phone number and follow up the email with a call.

    This is what they do. You'll be fine. Good luck!

  • Kermit750Kermit750 Alum Member
    2124 karma

    Just go for it, the worst they can say is no. I bet they would remember you and are used to having people reach out to them for things like this. In the email, you can introduce yourself, state what you've been up to, your plan of attending law school and how you would like them to write a letter of recommendation for you. If they agree to write it, you can offer to set up a time to Skype or talk, so they can get a better sense of what you want included in the recommendation. I would hold off on sending your work to them in the initial email, until they agree to write the recommendation. Hope this helps

  • 1000001910000019 Alum Member
    3279 karma

    Are you applying for the current or next cycle? If the former, I'd go with the first reply in this thread. Else, I would reach out to wish them a happy new year and then see if they are free to catch up. Then at another time you could ask for the LOR.

  • unclesysyunclesysy Alum Member
    106 karma

    What LSAT_Wrecker said. They're used to doing this all the time and consider it part of their job, and they (should) have their old letters they've written for you still on file.

    I've reached out to college professors for recommendations 10+ years after graduating, and they still had my old letters available and were happy to update them for my law school applications.

    Just offer to send them an updated resume and your personal statement, so they can see what you've been up to since you've been in their class and how you're positioning your applications for law school.

  • studyingandrestudyingstudyingandrestudying Core Member
    5254 karma

    I understand your concerns, but don't worry about it. They want to see you do well in work and your future education, and they are likely interested in learning about what former students are doing in the world.

  • _oshun1__oshun1_ Alum Member
    3652 karma

    Subject: letter of recommendation question

    Good evening Professor X,

    I hope you enjoyed your summer and hope that this new school year has been treating you well. I took your X class in Winter 2016 as well as your Y class in Winter 2017. I greatly enjoyed your classes and received As on all papers. I was the only 100% in the class on the Z midterm which I took immediately after missing two weeks due to a family illness.

    I would like to respectfully ask if you would be willing to write me a Letter of Recommendation for law school. If so, I can send you the link to upload the letter, as well as my resume, personal statement, and/or transcripts. I would appreciate the letter to be uploaded as soon as possible, before December. If you are uncomfortable writing a letter for me I will take no offense.

    Thank you for your consideration,

    My Name

    Attached for your reference is the Z final I wrote as well as my unofficial transcript for the two quarters which I took your classes.

  • _oshun1__oshun1_ Alum Member
    edited January 2019 3652 karma

    Professors are humans dealing with teenagers who send them drunk emails at midnight asking them for paper extensions, you don’t need to over think it. You aren’t being graded on your email.

    In an email I wrote to a professor who I socialized with more than Professor X, I wrote something similar but didn’t include the classes I took or my grades and just mentioned a trip I took over the summer, the new job I was working at, some books I was reading, and that I’ve been stressing over law school apps.

    I probably could’ve just written hey could you start working on that LOR?? But I wanted to write something lengthy to make it seem like I put some effort in my email.

  • Waffle23Waffle23 Alum Member
    603 karma

    @LSAT_Wrecker @10000019 @Kermit750 @unclesysy @lsatplaylist @oshun1

    Thank you guys so much for the input. I think part of what was making me worried about asking is because I know that I don't have much control of what exactly will be said. I have to accept that what will be said, will be said in good faith.

    @10000019- Yes it's for next cycle, not this current cycle.

    Thank you again.l

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