Asking for Letter of Recommendation

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• 1 Like

  ronikgrewal Live Member

  September 26 19 karma

  sorry the sunglasses emoji is a typo meant to put 'B)'
• 2 Likes

  tbynum30 Live Member

  September 27 8 karma

  Hey! I too am also out of school and will be in the 2-3 years out when applying in 2026 cycle. I want to preface that the following advice is what I personally have been told by multiple admissions officers and through research with the schools I am applying to. Some of it is also personal advice from my past cycle experience. So take it with a grain of salt

  From what I have been told by admissions, you should still generally have at least 1 academic reference and then 1 professional reference. If you apply and you are more than 5 years out of undergrad, then admissions may make exceptions and allow only professional references.

  When it comes to who to ask- I would ask a professor that knows you well. Maybe you had more than 1 class with them, or during that class you went to office hours a lot, participated well, etc. It should be someone who can really speak to your academic capabilities.

  For professional references- a current boss is great, or a recent boss from a college job possibly may work, but it should be someone who can attest to your current professional capabilities.

  In terms of how to ask- what I did was email a prof I was going to ask and set up a time to meet via Zoom. I shared updates on what I do now and why I am still interested in law school. I would also go over WHAT you are looking for in their letter. Are there particular strengths you have that you showcased as a student that they can attest to?

  I hope this helps! P.S GTHC and Go Pack!
• 3 Likes

  samlandau160 Live Member

  September 27 14 karma

  As for who to ask, try to reach out to professors who you think you've stood out to during the course(s). This can be hard but it'll make for a great LOR. As for how you ask them, if you're local try to catch them during office hours and ask in person. If not, email them. Just be short and sweet and tell them you had a class with them and that you'd like to know if they'd be interested in writing an LOR for you. Be sure to ask well in advance to give them ample time to do it.
• chicagwa Core Member

  September 28 8 karma

  Echoing others for A. For B, a brief email will suffice. Simply say you're applying to law school and would like a LOR. Perhaps share a few details about why you chose them (i.e., what impact their class had on you and what strengths they can likely speak to). Just make sure to email your profs now while you're relatively fresh in their minds. They won't actually be able to submit the LOR until you're ready to apply, but the fresher their memory of you, the better the LOR will be.

  Can't speak on leniency, but plenty of folks apply to law school with 2+ years of work exp – and plenty get admitted.
• ronikgrewal Live Member

  September 28 19 karma

  Thank you all so much very useful!