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Letters of recommendation and reapplying to a law school?

decesares1decesares1 Member
in Law School Admissions 85 karma

Hello, everyone! First of all, huge thanks in advance to anyone who can offer any input for me.

So, I haven't applied to any law schools yet. I haven't taken the LSAT yet either. (I will be taking it in April.) Still, I feel like this may be something worth thinking about.

The law school that I want to apply to is T3. In general, applicants have an average undergrad GPA of 3.47,median LSAT score of 152, and the school has an acceptance rate of about 64.5%. I feel that my chances of getting accepted are good-ish, but I think that my letters of recommendation may hurt me. I graduated with my bachelor's in 2015.

Over the years, I have kept in touch with just one professor, but I haven't spoken to him in a while. It seems as though he has since left his position at the university and now works for a relatively prestigious prep school. It would be better, of course, to have his letter of recommendation on the university letterhead -- something that I imagine is now impossible. And, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure that he would even feel comfortable writing this letter for me. It has been a while since we last corresponded -- a few years now, at least. Consequently, the letters of recommendation that I come up with may have to be professional letters of recommendation as opposed to academic ones. Not ideal, of course.

My question is: Well, first of all, what should I do about my letters of recommendation? Any advice? But also, if the school happens to reject me, is there any way that I could perhaps meet with someone at the school and ask what my options are for reconsideration? Is this unusual/impossible? In other words, if there were some way for me to become a better, more deserving candidate that would help the admissions board to change their minds, I would love to know what it is so that I could make the appropriate changes.

Again, huge thanks in advance for any input!

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Comments

  • kmariathokmariatho Alum Member
    13 karma

    I graduated in 2017. My LORs will all be from my professional career, since I haven’t kept up with any past professors of mine. I personally don’t see this as an issue. Hope this helps.

  • Jacob BaskaJacob Baska Member Admissions Consultant
    30 karma

    7Sage Admissions Consultant chiming in here!

    While it's always great to have an academic letter, Admissions Officers realize that that's not really feasible once you get a few years out of your most recent collegiate work. Put another way, if I opened up an application and saw that some graduated from college in 2015, I would automatically assume that I would be reading professional LoRs instead of academic ones.

    So what should you do about your letters? I'd encourage you to reach out to your supervisors. They can give a sense of what you bring to the work space on a daily basis.

    And regarding your second question about reaching out to a school post-decision for feedback, I'd say that there's no reason to worry about that now. Keep your eyes on your goals (most immediately - doing well on the LSAT) and approaching your applications with confidence!

  • decesares1decesares1 Member
    85 karma

    @kmariatho said:
    I graduated in 2017. My LORs will all be from my professional career, since I haven’t kept up with any past professors of mine. I personally don’t see this as an issue. Hope this helps.

    Thanks for the feedback!

    @"jacob.baska" said:
    7Sage Admissions Consultant chiming in here!

    While it's always great to have an academic letter, Admissions Officers realize that that's not really feasible once you get a few years out of your most recent collegiate work. Put another way, if I opened up an application and saw that some graduated from college in 2015, I would automatically assume that I would be reading professional LoRs instead of academic ones.

    So what should you do about your letters? I'd encourage you to reach out to your supervisors. They can give a sense of what you bring to the work space on a daily basis.

    And regarding your second question about reaching out to a school post-decision for feedback, I'd say that there's no reason to worry about that now. Keep your eyes on your goals (most immediately - doing well on the LSAT) and approaching your applications with confidence!

    Thanks so much for the reply! I think you're right. Doing well on the LSAT should be my one, singular goal for right now. I'm taking it in April, so, fingers crossed!

  • alexkohjnalexkohjn Free Trial Member
    edited September 2023 3 karma

    Hello.
    As for your letters of recommendation, it's understandable that your academic connection has evolved. If your former professor is willing, even if he's at a different institution now, he can still write a strong letter highlighting your academic abilities and growth since graduation.
    In addition, consider seeking professional recommendations from individuals who know your work ethic and character well. These can provide a different perspective on your qualifications. There are also recommendation letter writer services.
    Regarding reconsideration, it's not unusual to inquire about the admissions decision process and ask for feedback if you're not accepted. It shows your commitment. Admissions might provide insights to help you improve your application in the future. Good luck with your LSAT and application process!

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