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I have my letters of rec lined up for 2013-2014 applications, but I'm debating adding another from a professor who's friends with a school's Dean of Admissions. (I'd only use the letter for that school.)

Pros:
1. He's friends with the dean and connections can't hurt for T-14, right?
2. The class was a small seminar and the professor got to know me fairly well that quarter.
3. I got an A.

Cons:
1. I haven't had contact with the professor since December (the class wasn't on my home campus) so I'm not sure how well he remembers me. He's the type of person that would write me a letter regardless, but I'm worried that a generic letter would hurt my application.
2. Assuming he remembers me and I don't get a generic LOR, the letter likely won't say anything unique (my other recommenders know me better than he does).

Should I go for it?

My best advice is to send a packet by mail (with a prepaid envelope) to them.

I include a headshot (to refresh their memory) and a detailed letter letting them know how I know them (which course I was in, and when) and any other tidbits to jot their memory...

Then I give them a "helping hand," by that I mean...

I tell them about my academic, personal, and work experience, things I want them to include into my LOR.

Often times, a professor might have really liked you, and thought you were bright, but only knows you academically, and even more narrowly, only based on that class.

It's helpful to tell them what work you've been doing, volunteering, personal issues, awards, etc. so they can incorporate that into the LOR

Thanks, d0rklord! This is very helpful - I guess I'll go for it!

fkt18 wrote:Pros:
2. The class was a small seminar and the professor got to know me fairly well that quarter.
3. I got an A.

That makes for a good letter of recommendation, so definitely go for it.

1. He's friends with the dean and connections can't hurt for T-14, right?

This is a bonus since you have 2 and 3.

fkt18 wrote:I have my letters of rec lined up for 2013-2014 applications, but I'm debating adding another from a professor who's friends with a school's Dean of Admissions. (I'd only use the letter for that school.)

Pros:
1. He's friends with the dean and connections can't hurt for T-14, right?
2. The class was a small seminar and the professor got to know me fairly well that quarter.
3. I got an A.

Cons:
1. I haven't had contact with the professor since December (the class wasn't on my home campus) so I'm not sure how well he remembers me. He's the type of person that would write me a letter regardless, but I'm worried that a generic letter would hurt my application.
2. Assuming he remembers me and I don't get a generic LOR, the letter likely won't say anything unique (my other recommenders know me better than he does).

Should I go for it?

If you don't got for it, I think I would personally be stressed out for you. YES! Ask him!

Is go into more detail why but I'm at a wedding, it's 6:46am, and on my iPhone. But basically if he identifies he is friends with dean think about the psychological impact on the dean of admissions ( who reports to dean).

This one is a layup.

d0rklord wrote:My best advice is to send a packet by mail (with a prepaid envelope) to them.

I include a headshot (to refresh their memory) and a detailed letter letting them know how I know them (which course I was in, and when) and any other tidbits to jot their memory...

Then I give them a "helping hand," by that I mean...

I tell them about my academic, personal, and work experience, things I want them to include into my LOR.

Often times, a professor might have really liked you, and thought you were bright, but only knows you academically, and even more narrowly, only based on that class.

It's helpful to tell them what work you've been doing, volunteering, personal issues, awards, etc. so they can incorporate that into the LOR

Oh. My. God. You try so fucking hard it freaks me out

I just went for coffee with my profs when I visited campus and asked for LoRs, then followed up when I submitted their info on lsac with an email reminder.. You really dont need to go through all this

Thanks, everyone! I'm definitely going for it - I'll have to jog my professor's memory quite a bit (he's all the way across the country and hasn't heard from me in forever), but hopefully I can get a good/helpful LOR out of this.

d0rklord wrote:My best advice is to send a packet by mail (with a prepaid envelope) to them.

I include a headshot (to refresh their memory) and a detailed letter letting them know how I know them (which course I was in, and when) and any other tidbits to jot their memory...

Then I give them a "helping hand," by that I mean...

I tell them about my academic, personal, and work experience, things I want them to include into my LOR.

Often times, a professor might have really liked you, and thought you were bright, but only knows you academically, and even more narrowly, only based on that class.

It's helpful to tell them what work you've been doing, volunteering, personal issues, awards, etc. so they can incorporate that into the LOR

Is this a joke?