Stanford Target Letter - Importance? Forum

[NV53A]

As I am finishing up my application, I noticed Stanford asks for 2 Stanford specific recommendations (Although not required) as opposed to 2 general. I may be able to squeeze out 1, but how important is this target letter? Is there significant disadvantages for applying with general LORs?

[im_blue]

I heard straight from Dean Deal that they highly value targeted letters that specifically state why the applicant would thrive at Stanford.

[r6_philly]

The application instruction tells you how important it is. They made a point of putting it in the instruction ...

[NV53A]

What about for applicants that have been out of school for a while and it's really hard to ask a professor why their former student would thrive specifically at Stanford? I think most would fall into this category unless their professors had some relation to Stanford law and know a bit about their program?

[UnitarySpace]

Everybody that I know personally who wrote a target letter got in. Everyone that I know who didn't got rejected.

[ivantheterbl]

So I asked my two LOR writers to just do general letters, which they have already completed and sent in-- Would it be better to ask them for a Stanford specific letter (I feel bad asking because it reflects poorly on me/is a hassle for them), or would it be beneficial to ask two different professors who I feel would write just as highly to do Stanford specific letters and use those?

[r6_philly]

So I asked my two LOR writers to just do general letters, which they have already completed and sent in-- Would it be better to ask them for a Stanford specific letter (I feel bad asking because it reflects poorly on me/is a hassle for them), or would it be beneficial to ask two different professors who I feel would write just as highly to do Stanford specific letters and use those?

It wouldn't be a hassle if they feel that you really should be going to Stanford, Stanford is right for you, and that they should do what they can to help you get in Stanford.

[BioEBear2010]

Everybody that I know personally who wrote a target letter got in. Everyone that I know who didn't got rejected.

You must not know many people who wrote a targeted letter, haha.

But seriously, it helps.

[UnitarySpace]

hahaha you got tricked multiple sclerosis

[ATR]

Everybody that I know personally who wrote a target letter got in. Everyone that I know who didn't got rejected.

How many people do you know? 2? 10?

Sample size consideration.

[theadw]

I had no targeted letters, and I did just fine.

[BioEBear2010]

I had no targeted letters, and I did just fine.

Yeah, but you're a beast. Also, that fire drill was ridiculous today

[ivantheterbl]

[/quote]
It wouldn't be a hassle if they feel that you really should be going to Stanford, Stanford is right for you, and that they should do what they can to help you get in Stanford.[/quote]

Yes but I don't want them to feel as if I dropped the ball by not being on top of this earlier, so maybe sending four total LORs (2 stanford specific and two general) would be a better idea??

[godofcoffee]

In this vein, do you guys think it would be substantially better to have 2 targeted letters, rather than having just 1? And does the recommender need to have substantial ties to Stanford?

This is totally throwing me for a spin, since I want to go to Stanford but don't really know any profs that taught law there or anything.

[MrKappus]

In this vein, do you guys think it would be substantially better to have 2 targeted letters, rather than having just 1? And does the recommender need to have substantial ties to Stanford?

This is totally throwing me for a spin, since I want to go to Stanford but don't really know any profs that taught law there or anything.

Yes. Everyone who goes to Stanford got a rec from a person that went there.

I wouldn't stress too much about your app.

[godofcoffee]

Hmmmmmmmmmm, I don't know - I went to an info session the other day where the presenter pretty much told me that people shouldn't go to law school directly from college, which made me worry that it'd be an uphill battle.

So I'm assuming you don't think that the person needs to know Stanford. What did you guys do for recs, then? Just give your recommenders a list of the qualities that Stanford wants and ask them to talk about how you have those?

In this vein, do you guys think it would be substantially better to have 2 targeted letters, rather than having just 1? And does the recommender need to have substantial ties to Stanford?

This is totally throwing me for a spin, since I want to go to Stanford but don't really know any profs that taught law there or anything.

Yes. Everyone who goes to Stanford got a rec from a person that went there.

I wouldn't stress too much about your app.