LoR Question Forum

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I will be applying for law school in the fall. I already know I will have two really good LoR's from professors, but most of the schools I'm applying to require three, and I'm unsure whether to get the third from another professor (which may be less than stellar, not awful but certainly not as good as the other 2) or from my employer, who I'm sure would write me a great LoR. However, I've seen his writing style and lets just say it's less than professional, even in cases when it really, really should be. I'm curious if the adcomms will look past this and just look at the content, or if a poorly written LoR will reflect poorly on me as well. If so I'm sure I could get another letter from a professor, but since I've been working through my entire UG I feel it would be good to have a non-academic LoR as well. I dunno. Advice please? Thanks.

[patrickd139]

I will be applying for law school in the fall. I already know I will have two really good LoR's from professors, but most of the schools I'm applying to require three, and I'm unsure whether to get the third from another professor (which may be less than stellar, not awful but certainly not as good as the other 2) or from my employer, who I'm sure would write me a great LoR. However, I've seen his writing style and lets just say it's less than professional, even in cases when it really, really should be. I'm curious if the adcomms will look past this and just look at the content, or if a poorly written LoR will reflect poorly on me as well. If so I'm sure I could get another letter from a professor, but since I've been working through my entire UG I feel it would be good to have a non-academic LoR as well. I dunno. Advice please? Thanks.

Could your boss dictate the letter to his/her secretary, who then types it up (read: edits for professionalism)?

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Could your boss dictate the letter to his/her secretary, who then types it up (read: edits for professionalism)?

I am the secretary/assistant, so not really. I assume he would let me edit it but that's not very ethical, I think.

[patrickd139]

Could your boss dictate the letter to his/her secretary, who then types it up (read: edits for professionalism)?

I am the secretary/assistant, so not really. I assume he would let me edit it but that's not very ethical, I think.

Nm then. Not sure what advice I could give you. I don't know enough about the admissions process to say that an LOR from a professor would be better than one from an employer or vice versa. Perhaps you could call the schools you're applying to and ask them which they would prefer?

[eagles111]

I know a couple folks who used 3rd LoR for a "character rec." A friend or family friend in the legal profession (an experienced lawyer and a judge in these cases) who can say something about your character outside of school can and your fitness for the law are likely to be much better writers than your boss. I know someone else who got a 3rd rec from a religious leader (he was very involved in the church, so that was almost like a boss). Even a coach or just someone who knows you well could serve if your academic record is already established.

If I were an adcomm (disclaimer: i'm not), I'd want a 3rd letter to show a different angle if your first 2 were both academic. A really good rec from an employer would be best but poor writing would 1. be irritating to have to read and 2. not make as clear your great qualities.

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Well... I just finished looking at the admissions info for all the schools I plan on applying for. Only one (ONE!) requires LoR's and a PS, which essentially means I'm completely and utterly screwed for the rest of them. My GPA is not that great and essentially unless I get a 170 on the LSAT they won't even consider my app. I was counting on my my softs to get me in. Ugh. Luckily the one school that requires them is choice #2, so I still have a chance at law school. Yaay... kinda.

[youpiiz]

LoR looks so much better than LOR...