What information did you provide your LOR?

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• 1 Like

  hufflepuff Free Trial Member

  October 2016 70 karma

  I set up meetings with both of my referees and caught them up with where I was in the application process (they both already knew I was applying to law school) and asked if they would be able to write me a letter. My prof whipped out a notebook and went through a list of questions that he said are his standard for LORs (what kind of law was I interested in, work/extracurricular experience, schools I was applying to, etc.). I asked him if he wanted me to provide any additional information/documents and he said no, he had his process down.
  
  My other LOR (work) just asked generally what kinds of things I'd like her to talk about in the letter and what I thought schools may be looking for. She's already really familiar with my resume/what's stated in my PS so I didn't offer to send those (though I would have if she'd asked obviously).
  
  If your referees have just asked for more information in general, I would send them maybe the highlights of things you'd ideally like them to touch on in your letter? Whether that's a blurb/rundown of your PS or a CV. Also, this might just be personal preference, but I found it really helpful to sit down with mine and actually have a discussion about what it is we were both looking for. If that sounds daunting at all, I think you'll be more than fine if you prep for a couple of obvious questions (why law, etc.) Hope this is at all helpful!
• Tinyosi1 Alum Member

  October 2016 235 karma

  Two of my LORs I had very close relationships with. One teacher I had 3 classes with and was VP of a club he headed. My other I was a very exceptional student in his class. These two pretty much didn't ask me for anything as they knew me well.
  
  My third had me send her a resume and a cover letter about why I would make a good law student.
  
  I would really just ask them about what materials they think would help them make a letter. If you have a resume done send it their way.
• _oshun1_ Alum Member

  October 2016 edited October 2016 3652 karma

  Both of my professors who said they would write me an LOR asked for a "statement of purpose". I think this is just the standard at my school. A statement of purpose, for grad school, seems to be "why am I interested in studying this in grad. school". I've read those "personal statements that got in to [whichever law school]" and a lot of those did not even mention law school or why they want to become an attorney so I'm pretty frustrated with being asked to write an entirely new essay that I likely won't use for my PS. I'm going to attach my resume as well.
• 1 Like

  TheMikey Alum Member

  October 2016 4196 karma

  depends on the recommender. one of my profs wanted nothing, the other just wanted a resume
• Alex Alum Member ⭐

  October 2016 23929 karma

  I knew both of my recommenders very well. (5 classes with one and 3 with the other) They both just wanted my resume and a list of the classes I had taken with them. I think it would have been different if they didn't know me as well.
• desire2learn Member

  October 2016 1171 karma

  I emailed them some articles (including recommendations from the admissions starter course) on what a good LOR has in it. I didn't give them anything else. But much like @"Alex Divine" I know my recommenders very well.
• blah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐

  October 2016 3545 karma

  @desire2learn what recommendations? Can you link me to this from the starter course?
• blah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐

  October 2016 3545 karma

  I also know my recommenders very well. I'd just like to provide them with some guidelines.
• desire2learn Member

  October 2016 1171 karma

  I will try to message you the stuff I sent.